E V E RY AG E HA S IT S H E RO E S

CHRISTOPHER ALLEN, N. CONTE, TOPHER GERKEY, CASSANDRA KHAW,

ALEX MELCHOR, QUINN MURPHY, CLAYTON OLIVER,
NEALL RAEMONN PRICE, CHRIS SHAFFER, LEATH SHEALES, JOHN SNEAD
 CREDITS
Writers: Christopher Allen, N. Conte, Topher
Gerkey, Cassandra Khaw, Alex Melchor, Quinn
Murphy, Clayton Oliver, Neall Raemonn Price, Chris
Shaffer, Leath Sheales, John Snead
Developers: John Snead, Ian A. A. Watson, addi-
tional development by Danielle Lauzon
Editor: Dixie Cochran
Artists: Marco Gonzales, Michele Giorgi, Andrew
Trabbold, Aaron Riley, Felipe Gaona, Sam White, Sam
Denmark, Jonathan Reed, Gong Studios, Gunship
Revolution Studios, Bryan Syme, Grzegorz Pedrycz,
Mark Kelly, Chris Mohler, Marco Mazzoni, Shen Fei
Art Direction and Design: Michael Chaney
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Storypath System by: Rose Bailey, David
Brookshaw, Meghan Fitzgerald, Danielle Lauzon,
Matt Miller, Neall Raemonn Price, Lauren Roy,
Malcolm Sheppard, Stew Wilson

© 2019 Onyx Path Publishing. All rights reserved. References to other copyright-
ed material in no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders
of that material. “Trinity Continuum”, “Trinity Continuum: Æon ” and all char-
acters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by Onyx Path Publishing.
Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at theonyxpath.com.

2 TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON

UNITY: A TALE OF Features of Interest 46 Sudamérica at a Glance 80
THE ÆON TRINITY 8 China 47 Sudamérica
History 47 and the World 83
INTRODUCTION 16
Culture 48 Threats &
Hope, Sacrifice, Unity 17 Features of Interest 83
Europe 51
Heroism 18 United African Nations 84
Western Europe 51
Optimism 18 Eastern Europe 54 Unification in Diversity 84
Competence 18 Beyond the
Federated States
How to use this Book 18 Bounds of Earth 84
of America 57
Religion 85
Chapters 18 History 57
Allies & Enemies 87
Inspirational Media 19 Citizenship 58
Threats 87
Television 19 The Surveillance State 59
Novels 19 Corporate Espionage 60 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE 88
Video Games 20 Allies & Enemies 60 The Solar System 89
Glossary 20 Threats & Mars 90
Features of Interest 60 On the Map 93
CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY
& BACKGROUND 24 India & The Bharati Over the Horizon 93
Commonwealth 61 The Outer System 93
Æon Timeline 25
History 61 Extrasolar Settlements 95
The Nova Age 28 Rising Stars,
The Aberrant War 28 Averiguas 95
Fallen Angels 62
The OpNet Crash 29 Bullseye 98
Allies & Enemies 63
The Chinese Ultimatum Eden 100
Psi India 63
and the Exodus 30 Far Nyumba 103
Luna 64
The Post-Exodus World 31 Karroo Mining Colony 105
From Barren Rock
Project ReWrite 31 Khantze Lu Ge 108
to Teeming Metropolis 64
The New OpNet 31 Marfisa 111
Olympus 64
Recovery & Qinshui 114
Vor V Zakone &
The Urban Schism 32 The President 66 Ruan’s World 117
Crime & Violence 33 Other Craters 67 CHAPTER FOUR:
The Return of Lunar Allies & Enemies 67 CHARACTER CREATION 120
the Aberrants and Lunar Threats 68 Creating Psion Characters 121
Rise of the Psions 34
The Middle East 68 Character Generation
The Age of the Psions 36 A Region in Turmoil 68 Summary 121
The Qin Contact 36 Allies and Enemies 69 Psi Order 121
The Chitra Bhanu Purge 36 Threats and New Paths 122
Chromatics Attack Features of Interest 69 The Psion Template 122
Karroo Station 36 Nippon 70 Creating Advanced
Upeo Wa Macho Vanishes 36 Characters 124
History 70
The Esperanza Crash 37 New Edges 126
Virtual Wonderland 70
The Chromatics Attack Earth Augmentation Edges 126
Allies & Enemies 72
& The Teleporters Return 37 Amphibious Conversion 126
Threats and
The Coalition Ark 38 Aquatic Conversion 126
Features of Interest 72
CHAPTER TWO: Oceania 73 Computer Enhancement 126
EARTH & LUNA 42 Increased Tolerance 127
Southeast Asia 77
Australia 43 Greater Siam 77 Low-Gravity Adaptation 127
History 44 Malaysia 78 Mars Adaptation 127
Australia Today 44 The Living Cities of Brunei 78 New Social Edges 128
International Relations 46 Sudamérica 79 Dual Citizenship 128
Threats and Telepathic Resistance 128
History 79

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
 Psionic Edges 128 The Legions Path (Society) 149 Special Edge:
Detached 128 Special Edge: Legion Armory 150 Emergency Transit 178
Enhanced Attunement 128 One Shield, Seven Swords 150 Recruitment
Favored Mode 128 First Legion: and Membership 179
New Paths 129 The Home Guard 150 Other Psions
Second Legion: and the Nguzo 180
Freelance Psion (Society) 129
Fortune’s Knights 151 Special Resources 181
Special Edge: Inner Reserve 130
Third Legion: Running a Upeo wa Macho
Nihonjin Agent (Society) 130
Support Command 151 Campaign 181
Special Edge:
Fourth Legion: Vigiles Mundi 152 The Æon Trinity 182
Cyberware Access 130
Off-Earth Colonist (Role) 130 Fifth Legion: History and Growth 182
Thunder of the Americas 152 Æon Trinity Paths 183
Special Edge:
Pioneer Spirit 130 Sixth Legion: Europe’s Aegis 152 Æon Trinity (Society) 183
Spacer (Role) 130 Seventh Legion: Phoenix Fleet 154 Special Edge:
Special Edge: Running a Far-Reaching Influence 183
Variable Gravity Training 131 Legions Campaign 155 Special Edge: Self-Reliance 183
Space Military (Role) 131 The Ministry Recruitment
of Noetic Affairs 156 and Membership 184
Special Edge:
Variable Gravity Inside the Ministry 156 Organizational Structure 185
Combat Training 131 The Ministry Path (Society) 158 Running an
Oceanian (Origin) 131 The Office of Semiotics 158 Æon Trinity Campaign 189

CHAPTER FIVE: The Noetics Institutes 159 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES 190
ORGANIZATIONS 132 The Office of
Quantum Flux zones 191
Noetic Security 160
The Psi Orders 133 Effect on Psion Powers 191
Running a
The Æsculapian Order 134 Ministry Campaign 161 Illness, Disease, a
The Æsculapian nd Quantum Flux 191
Psi Order Norça 162
Order Path (Society) 135 Additional Sources
The Norça Path (Society) 163
Special Edge: of Indirect Damage 194
Special Edge:
Rapid Response Protocols 135 Impersonation Training 163 Space Travel & Combat 194
Recruitment and Special Edge: Safe House 164 Hacking and
Membership 136 Information Security 195
History and Growth 164
Current Projects 136 Protecting a System 195
Recruitment
Headquarters 137 and Membership 165 Hacking a System 196
Special Resources 138 Special Resources 167 Surveillance
Running an Æsculapian Running a and Counter Surveillance 201
Order Campaign 138 Norça Campaign 167 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS 202
Chitra Bhanu 140 Orgotek 168
Further Information 141 Psi 203
Good Corporate Citizens 168
ISRA 142 Psi points 204
The Orgotek Path (Society) 170
Recruiting Psions 143 Attunement 204
Special Edge: Bioware Access 170
The ISRA Path (Society) 144 Noetic Connections
Corporate History 172
Special Edge: & Templates 204
Recruitment
Mysterious Aid 144 and Membership 173 Aptitudes and Modes 206
The Growth of ISRA 144 Running an Activating Psi Powers 206
Huruf al-Hayy 146 Orgotek Campaign 174 Psionic Dysfunction 208
Special Resources 147 Upeo wa Macho 176 Psionic Dysfunction
Running an (Persistent) 209
History and Growth 176
ISRA Campaign 147 Auxiliary Modes 209
The Upeo wa
The Legions 148 Macho Path (Society) 178 Proxy Tier Psions 209
Forging a Legion 148 Biokinesis 210

4 TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON

 Basic Powers 210 Destiny 225 Transcending and
Biosense 210 Electrokinesis 225 Proxy-Tier Powers 238
Form Mastery 210 Basic Powers 225 Kinetic Mastery 238
Adaptation 211 Burst 225 Subquantum Lock 238
Resist 211 Sense Spectrum 226 Quantakinesis 238
Acclimatize 211 Electromanipulation 226 Basic Powers 238
Metabolic Control 211 Bioelectrical Awareness 226 Psi Cloak 238
Adapt 212 Precision Understanding 226 Subquantum Sense 239
Survive 212 Enhancement 226 Energetics 239
Psychomorphing 212 Anima 227 Conversion 239
Adjust 212 Ghost 227 Production 239
Enhance 212 Photokinesis 228 Destruction 240
Compartmentalize 213 EM Sight 228 Change Properties 240
Overcome 213 Modulation 228 Null 240
Perfection 213 Photonic Power 229 Fundamentals 240
Transmogrify 214 Dynamic Control 229 Resist 241
Plasticity 214 Illusionist 229 Shield 241
Gross Manipulation 214 Technokinesis 230 Drain 241
Transformation 215 Tap 230 Manipulate 241
Chimera 215 Access 230 Transference 242
Imbue Instinct 216 Control 231 Transmutation 243
Transcending and Code 231 Molecular Scanning 243
Proxy-Tier Powers 216 Overseer 231 Malleability 243
Fleshcrafter 216 Transcending and Association 243
Clone 216 Proxy-Tier Powers 232 Retune 244
Clairsentience 217 Spectral Mastery 232 Alchemy 244
Basic Powers 217 Subquantum Computing 232 Transcending and
The Sight 217 Psychokinesis 232 Proxy-Tier Powers 244
Extended Attunement 217 Basic Powers 232 Noetic Harmony 244
Psychometry 218 Distant Touch 232 Shutdown 245
Living Echo 218 Nudge 232 Telepathy 245
Area Insight 218 Thermokinesis 233 Basic Powers 246
Locational Memory 219 Equilibrium 233 Mindscan 246
Forking Timelines: 220 Flash 233 Mindspeak 246
Convergence 220 Sheath 234 Rapport 246
Psycholocation 220 Temperature Extremes 234 Sense Emotion 246
Orientation 221 Hellscape 235 Exacerbate 247
Dowsing 221 Telekinesis 235 Mob Mentality 247
Sensory Manipulation 222 Tow 235 Inflict Emotion 247
Focus-sensing 222 Remote Hands 235 Conditioned 248
Omniscience 222 Velocity 235 Mindshare 248
Psychocognition 223 Kinetic Enhancement 236 Network 248
Alertness 223 Telekinetic Dynamics 236 Surface Skim 249
Least Resistance 223 Perikinesis 236 Access 249
Hinder 224 Kinetic Shield 236 Deep Scan 249
Favorable Outcome 224 Energy Shield 237 Override 249
Nexus Surfing 224 Shaped Projection 237 Psychbending 250
Transcending and Bulk Shielding 237 Mind Shield 250
Proxy-Tier Powers 225 Selective Permeability 237 Command 251
Clear Vision 225 Rewrite 251

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
 Possess 252 Assault 264 Using Dramatic Editing
Division 252 Ruin 264 in Trinity Continuum: Æon 324
Transcending and Atrocity 264 CHAPTER TEN:
Proxy-Tier Powers 252 Morbidity 265 OPPONENTS AND ALLIES 326
Mentalist 253 Transcending and Human Supporting Cast 327
Astral Life 253 Proxy-Tier Powers 265
Major Characters 327
Teleportation 253 Vital Force 265
Legion Psychokinetic 327
Basic Powers 253 Overcharge 265
Ministry Telepath 327
Spatial Sense 253 CHAPTER EIGHT: Æon Trinity Talent 328
Spatial Integrity 254 TECHNOLOGY 266
Minor Characters 328
Translocation 254 Hardtech and Biotech 267 Colonist 328
Blink 254 Formatting Bioware 267 Executive 329
Jump 254 Refugee 329
Armor & Protective Gear 268
Flicker 254 Spacer 329
Weapons 274
Long Jump 254 Technician 329
Weapon Descriptions 276
Bilocation 255
Ranged Weapons 279 Aberrants & Aliens 330
Transmassion 255
Everyday Technology 283 Aberrants 330
Relay Object 255
Minicomps 284 Power Clashes 330
Relay Person 256
Medicine & Medical Gear 288 Aberrant Traits 330
Transmit Mass 256
Commercial Bioapps Adding Qualities 331
Transmit Person 256
& Augmentations 289 Adding Mutations 331
Selective Transmassion 256
Hardtech Implants 292 Action Interrupt 331
Transportal 257
Spy Tech 292 Defense Boost 331
Window 257
Transportation 295 Instant Cooldown 331
Skein 257
Commercial Travel 295 Power Cost 331
Multiportal 257
Vehicles 295 Aberrant Archetypes 331
Gateways 258
Ship Descriptions 304 Sub-Aberrant Mutants 332
Warp 258
Robots And Drones 308 Divergent 332
Transcending and
Proxy-Tier Powers 259 CHAPTER NINE: Nemesis 332
Spatial Mastery 259 STORYGUIDING 310 Terat 333
Singularity 259 Qualities 333
Running
Science Fiction Scenarios 311 Armor 333
Vitakinesis 259
Creating a Sense of Wonder Armor Piercing 333
Basic Powers 259
(or Terror) 311 Baleful Touch 333
Kirlian Eye 259
Choosing A Location Blast 333
Knit 259
& A Sub-Genre 312 Collateral Damage 333
Iatrosis 260
Creating Optimistic Colony 333
Relief 260
Scenarios 315 Disembodied 333
Accelerate 260
Using and Evoking Unity 317 Flight 334
Mending 261
Allegiance in Invulnerability 334
Restore Template 261
Trinity Continuum: Æon 318 Life Drain 334
Adjust Template 261
Working for a Psi Order 318 Monstrous Presence 334
Augendis 262
Working for the Æon Trinity 319 Multi-Tasking 334
Reinforce 262
Freelance Psions 320 Psychic Disbelief 334
Stoicism 263
Using the OpNet Quantum Flare 334
Direction 263
& Ubiquitous Information 321 Regeneration 334
Precision 263
Talents in Swarm 335
Empowerment 263
Trinity Continuum: Æon 322 Unseen 335
Algesis 264
Unstoppable 335
Misfire 264

6 TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON

 Mutations 335 Chromatic Hero Qin Bodyguard in Warrior
Direct Corruption 335 (Moderate Threat) 343 Biosuit (Medium Threat) 354
Disruption 335 Chromatic Technology 343 Qin Spy in Infiltration
Eye of the Colony 335 The Coalition 345 Biosuit (Medium Threat) 354
Incapacitate 336 Society 345 Qin Shuttle 355
Mastermind 336 Agenda 346 CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Mode Analog 336 Rules 346 SETTING SECRETS 356
Quantum Wave 336 Coalition Drone The Secret History
Quantum Wind 336 (Medium Threat) 347 of Humanity 357
Tyrant of the Battlefield 337 Coalition Envoy The Truth About the Proxies 358
Warp 337 (Medium Threat) 347 The Secrets of the Doyen 359
World-Shaking 337 Coalition Progenitor Secrets of the Coalition 362
Sample Aberrants 338 (Moderate Threat) 348
The Destiny of
Flyer Seven Coalition Sasq Intelligence in the Galaxy 362
(Sub-Aberrant Mutant) 338 (Medium Threat) 348
The Fate of Humanity 363
Queen Flare Coalition Spinal
(Moderate Threat) 349 A Possible
(Nemesis Aberrant) 338 Future History 363
Aberrant Cults 339 Enhanced Spinal
(Major Threat) 349 Nihonjin Secrets 366
Whispernet
The Qin 351 Chitra Bhanu 368
(Aberrant Nemesis) 340
Qin Society 351 The Chitra Bhanu
Chromatics 341
Qin Psychic Powers 352 Path (Society) 371
Society 341 Special Edge:
Agenda 342 Qin Diplomat in Diplomat
Biosuit (Medium Threat) 353 Enhanced Psi Cloak 371
Rules 342
Qin Researcher in Diplomat
Typical Chromatic Warrior
Biosuit (Medium Threat) 353
(Medium Threat) 343

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7
T he room beyond the open door was minimalist,
but spoke volumes about Nippon. The desk to
the left appeared to be molded from a single piece of
••••••

Yamashita Sachi threw herself around the corri-

unknown material. Its writing surface was washed dor’s corner so quickly that she tracked wide and
gently with images of waves against the shores of bounced off the opposite wall. The collision twisted
the Home Islands. To the right was a couch and two her balance, forcing her to make several quick shuf-
single lounges, all arranged around a low coffee ta- fling steps to keep from falling over. Her shoulder
ble that appeared to be a younger sibling of the desk. ached from the impact. Sachi grinned at the thud-
The desk and the lounge setting were arranged fac- ding pain down her arm and the increasing burning
ing each other, with the entrance on one side and from her lungs. Pain meant life. She was still alive,
window on the other. The man who inhabited the despite the seemingly endless run of bad luck she’d
office could easily turn his head to see the UN build- experienced on this job.
ing’s inspiring view of Olympus and upward to the Catching her balance had slowed her momen-
sky where Earth glittered like a multi-hued jewel. He tum. She didn’t have time to rest — the clock ticked
could stare straight ahead, ordering the wall to trans- onward despite her success or failure — so she
form into a single massive vidscreen to show what- turned the scrabbling steps into purposeful bounds,
ever he wanted. Or he could see who was entering driving her legs like pistons against the cold metal
his sanctum, as he was doing now. floor, forcing herself on.
Amina, rather than entering, was staring at his Sachi had a small but powerful build. The com-
personal assistant who was standing beside the bination of dense muscle and short limbs gave her
doorway, gesturing her through. She studied the natural leverage that she used mercilessly when-
assistant’s face carefully, leaning in close for detail. ever opponents underestimated her. It also meant
The assistant stared back at Amina with a pleasantly that she had to push twice as hard to outpace larger,
neutral expression. She took no offense at the scru- leaner opponents.
tiny; part of her purpose was to invite it. The man in Though she was physically fit — beyond fit — she
the office also took no offense but did shift slightly panted as she ran. Her fitness came from growing up
with impatience. Amina saw this from the corner of in the officially unpopulated sections of the Nippon
her eye and took the hint. She walked through the arcology. She did what was needed to survive and
doorway, moving to the lounges; the man gestured avoided the authorities when they deigned to ac-
for her to sit and stood from his desk to join her. knowledge these areas of the city existed at all. Her
“Nakamura-san, my name is Amina Buhari,” she natural aptitude was greatly magnified after she
introduced herself as they both sat. Her voice was escaped Nippon and was found by the Vitakinetic
smooth, her expression and body language indicat- Order. The Prometheus Chamber transformed gift-
ing appreciation but not subservience. This was a ed humans into perfection.
meeting of equals, and Nakamura was slightly taken The shoulder ache persisted, which told her
aback, though he quickly covered his surprise. “May she’d incurred a heavier injury than simple bruis-
I compliment you on the quality of your servant?” ing. It would have been a moment’s effort to know
she said, steering the conversation into compli- exactly how she was damaged, and probably not
ments and pleasantries, aiming to settle Nakamura much more to repair it, but she didn’t want to waste
but also keep him off balance at the shifting conver- the time. Even before her training she would never
sation. “I’ve rarely seen a robot so lifelike, especially bow to pain, refused to let it be her master.
the skin texture. The artificial pores and fine hairs She found the location she was searching for deep
are incredible.” within the abandoned sections of Nippon. With her
“Thank you, Ms. Buhari,” Nakamura replied, un- senses pushed beyond normal human limits, her keen
sure exactly what was the purpose of their meeting. eyes picked up traces of booted feet on the floor. She
He stopped after this short sentence, letting the qui- smelled faint traces of antiseptic chemicals and hu-
et of the office envelop them, aiming to take control man sweat. The corridor ended in a hatchway guard-
of the conversation by forcing her to fill the silence. ed by a crablike, many-armed drone.
Amina smiled, undeterred, as she prepared to Sachi increased her speed and tackled the robot,
completely unbalance him. “I’m from Æon, and I’m using her momentum to tumble both and forcing a
here to help.” moment of confusion too difficult for the machine’s

by leath sheales 9
 mind to calculate. Her right arm kept her body tight kidnappers told you not to contact anyone, and we
to the robot while her left grabbed a retractable ca- know they forced you to use your position to pass
ble protruding from the pocket on her thigh. She hardtech designs to them.” She paused and sipped
worked to shove the plug into the bot’s hardware at her tea.
I/O port before it worked out enough to send a Nakamura appeared dumbstruck, all stoicism and
wireless distress call. She’d been trained in physi- pretense of ignorance gone. “But,” he said, “How?”
cal guerrilla hacking by some of the best Nihonjin Amina shook her head slightly. “The how isn’t
outcasts food could bribe, and had practiced the art important, Mr. Nakamura. What is important is that
more times than anyone should. The crab kicked we also know that the kidnappers haven’t honored
out, trying to regain control and knocking her hand their end of the deal, and have demanded more.”
out of the way, but she twisted and brought it down Tears welled up in the man’s eyes and he lowered
again, altering her grip and position to avoid being his head, avoiding her gaze. Amina’s expression
crushed under its chassis. She jammed the plug into showed sympathy and understanding. “I believe
the socket on the third try and slapped at the mini- they’ve sent one of her hands as proof of their se-
computer in her pocket. The scramble code was riousness, yes?” She pushed at his emotional trig-
uploaded in microseconds and the maintenance gers. “That can be reattached, of course,” she said.
drone twitched and scrabbled in pathetic machine Nakamura looked up into her eyes, elements of an-
distress as its brain dumped into an endless loop ex- ger mixed with his grief. “I understand your nation
ecuting meaningless commands. distrusts psions,” she continued, “But Nipponese
Sachi lay on the ground for a moment longer, al- medicine is quite advanced. I assume your doc-
lowing herself to breathe and smile at her success. tors have preserved it? If not, you also have other
Celebration was short lived; time was wasting and options that are remarkably lifelike.” Amina kept
she heard the staccato march of reinforcements. watching Nakamura; his eyes strayed to the door
Either the drone had managed a distress call or she where the robotic servant had retreated. “As I said,
hadn’t lost her earlier pursuers as she’d thought. Æon wants to help. We will find your daughter, and
She rolled into a seated position and grabbed a min- return her to safety.”
iature pry bar from another pocket. The bar made A tiny signal of hope penetrated the cocktail of
short work of the door’s access panel and she had confusing emotions Nakamura struggled to keep
the minicomp’s cable into the port before the panel under control. “What do you need from me?” he
clattered to the floor. asked. Amina smiled and nodded her head encour-
agingly. Everything about her said that they were
•••••• partners in this, and that she and Nakamura had
bridged the distrust for the greater good.
Amina waited patiently while the robotic assis-
tant served tea. Nakamura wore an expression of “First, tell me everything you can about the peo-
forced calm, though flashes of extreme worry and ple who took Yuna.”
anger crept through. Though she didn’t make a
••••••
show of it, Amina watched every micro-expression
carefully. She was developing an understanding of Jack cast a critical eye over the room. This work
the man, even in the silence. was normally Sarah’s job, but she had tasks else-
Finally, the servant finished pouring and left, where. Obtaining the information they needed had
closing the door behind her. Nakamura couldn’t fallen to Jack, and he was doing what he did best
completely mask the slight tremble as he took a sip — improvising.
from his cup. He looked at the hooded man bound to the
“As I said, Ms. Buhari, I have no need of your as- old-fashioned chair in the center of the basement
sistance,” he said. She heard the lie, and even the room, and to the semicircle of holodisplays a few
hint of desperation in his voice. He wanted her help, feet beyond. Jack kept the room dimly lit for his
but he needed to be persuaded. own benefit. His captive wore a blindfold that
“Let us speak frankly, Mr. Nakamura,” she said, looked like a pair of antique aviator goggles. The
her voice confident and reassuring, “We know biotech kept a firm seal around the eyes, to keep
that your daughter, Yuna, was kidnapped while moisture out while wicking away tears that could
vacationing in Makaro-Shima. We know that the

10 UNITY: A TALE OF THE ÆON TRINITY

lead to condensation on the inner lens. Though “Fighting makes it worse,” Jack murmured. He
originally made to help neutrals visualize the myr- gestured to the surrounding screens with his free
iad energy wavelengths that suffused the world, hand and several flared to life. Garbled, static-filled
they had another setting that Jack was using now. signals filled them. They may have been people or
Complete blackout. Not even a stray photon could places, but were too broken to tell. Jack saved them
pierce the biotech/skin bond until Jack allowed it. anyway for later analysis.
When possible, Jack preferred to work in darkness. Jack tapped the biotech lenses, commanded them
Bright lights just added a jumble of chaotic wave- to project images. “Now,” he said, “Recognize that
lengths that he had to filter out and ignore. place?” Williams saw a picture of his home, and sever-
Jack moved around the room, adjusting the po- al of the screens flared in recognition. Neural networks
sitions and angles of several screens once more. fired tiny electrical fireworks, racing across the brain.
He went back to the man, pivoting left and right Jack’s fingers picked up the faint pulses. He couldn’t
to check that the screens were precisely where understand them — he wasn’t a telepath — but he
he wanted them. Finally, Jack nodded his head, could translate mental impulse into electronic signal
satisfied. through his psi. Jack noted the positive response and
With the tiniest flicker of concentration, Jack adjusted his fingers for a clearer signal. “How about
tapped into the ever-present wireless signals and this?” The image changed to Williams’ wife and chil-
checked the time. He sighed. He needed the man to dren. Another positive, with more of the peripheral
be awake for this. For a moment, Jack toyed with screens flashing with what Jack recognized as stress.
the idea of sparking tiny pulses into his amygdala “Good. Cooperate, and they’ll be fine. If not,” the im-
to increase the chance of provoking weird, terrify- ages vanished from the lenses. More stress response.
ing dreamscapes. He decided against it. He wasn’t a “You and your associates like to kidnap people
torturer, although the man didn’t need to know that. for money.” Jack fed images through the lenses, too
The man jerked awake, moving his head in blind fast for Williams’ conscious mind to register them
confusion and unconsciously testing his bonds be- all, but his subconscious surged with a mix of sig-
fore he even realized he was restrained. He tried nals. He recognized some, but not all. “One of those
to yell his distress, but only muffled grunts made it people was a young woman from Makaro-Shima.”
past the gag across his mouth. More biotech. Almost Another image and recognition response.
complete silence, and it monitored the captive’s vi- “I want to know where she is,” Jack said. The
tals to ensure he received enough oxygen. lenses rapid-flashed images of different cities. Jack
“Hey, Mr. Williams, good morning,” Jack said, watched for positive responses and homed in on
though it was just past eight in the evening. Jack suburbs and locales.
wanted to increase the man’s confusion, the worry Williams struggled, trying to avoid giving away
over what had happened in the lost hours would what he knew. The biotech lenses revealed Williams
help cut his resistance. “Here’s what’s going to hap- had closed his eyes. Jack curled his fingers and held
pen. I’m going to show you images, ask some ques- Williams’ hair uncomfortably tight. He resisted the
tions, and you’re going to do your best to answer urge to hurt the man. Though Jack hated Williams
them.” More muffled attempts at speech. “No need for what he did, kidnapping was as close as Jack
to talk,” Jack continued. would come to emulating him.
He stood close to Williams and placed his hand “I’m not in the mood for games, Williams,” Jack
on the man’s head. Williams tried to shake Jack’s hissed into his ear. With his free hand, he touched
hand away, but his bonds held tight. Jack pursed the lenses and surged a pulse through them.
his lips and frowned in concentration. “That’s it,” Williams’ eyelids spasmed open and stayed that way.
he murmured, “Just relax and this won’t hurt a bit.” Painless, and temporary, but terrifying to someone
Crawling sparks played across Jack’s hand, jumping whose knowledge of psions came from sensational-
excitedly to Williams’ scalp. Williams’ hair stood ized OpNet dramas. “You’ve lost your blinking priv-
from his head as it charged with static electricity. ileges,” Jack whispered menacingly, “When your
Jack shifted his fingers and narrowed his eyes eyes dry out they’ll itch so much you’ll want to claw
as he psionically pushed. He felt some resistance them from your sockets. Eventually, they’ll shrivel
— unexpected, intriguing — and shoved. Williams and die from lack of moisture. If you’re very, very
grunted against the sudden alien feeling. good, I’ll let you have eye drops when we’re done.”

by leath sheales 11
 Jack touched Williams’ stomach and another Nakamura looked increasingly wretched. His
pulse triggered intestinal contractions; Williams façade of control had crumbled. He shook his head.
barely managed to stop from soiling himself. “If “I don’t know,” he said. A lie, and one that Amina
spotted easily.
you’re not good, you’re really not going to enjoy the
rest of your short life.” “We often know more than we think,” she said,
“Now, let’s continue with location.” not directly calling him on his deception, but push-
ing him nonetheless. “When you accessed the files,
•••••• you must have seen something. Some clue, however
small, of what they took.”
“What did they want, Mr. Nakamura?” Amina
“Maybe,” he said, “Maybe it involved medical re-
asked, “What was so important that they kidnapped
search, a device that worked at the cellular level,
your daughter to force your compliance?”
some kind of genetic induction therapy?”

12 UNITY: A TALE OF THE ÆON TRINITY

 corrupted files she’d provided. Olivia had a basic
knowledge of hardtech operating systems, but
she lacked Sachi’s expertise. The display changed,
as Sachi had said it would, and Olivia slotted the
storage device into its socket. Though she faced
the terminal, she wasn’t looking at it. Her head
was cocked slightly to one side and her eyes were
glazed with a faraway look. She straightened and
backed away from the terminal.
A security guard opens the door, considering the
control room. He thinks he heard something, and as
far as he is aware, no one is scheduled to be working
in here now. He can see most of the room from the
doorway, and he can see one of the displays is active,
running activity. He scans to the left of the room first,
leaving his right side exposed.
Olivia pounced from the guard’s blind spot, grab-
bing his arm and dragging him into the room in a
spinning motion designed to keep him off balance.
As he stumbled, she hooked her leg behind his and
pushed his chest, sending him crashing to the floor.
She quickly turned and shut the door to muffle any
noise that could warn others.
The guard lands heavily, still unsure what’s hap-
pening. Scrambling backwards, he grabs at the hol-
stered pistol on his hip, drawing it and shooting at his
unknown assailant’s back.
Olivia stepped to the right and ducked as the la-
ser’s beam burned a small, circular hole into the
door. She dropped her left knee and rolled back in
the opposite direction. The rapid changes were
quicker than the still-shocked guard could track.
He burned two more holes in the walls before Olivia
was on top of him, striking quickly at his throat.
He dropped the gun and gasped for air as she slid
around behind him, locking him in a choke hold and
pushing his head forward with her body to increase
the pressure. He fell unconscious within moments.
Four minutes and 38 seconds after the scuffle, a
Amina nodded, “That’s good, Mr. Nakamura, thank routine patrol discovers an unconscious body on the
you.” She knew there was more information to be had, floor of the control room. The guards quickly place the
but she was patient. As upset as Nakamura was, he facility on alert and corner the intruder. She’s injured,
wasn’t a stupid man. He knew more than he was willing but captured alive. Eventually she breaks under in-
to say. Amina had time to work on him, to painstakingly terrogation and reveals what she knows. By the time
draw the details out until she had the full picture. anyone comes looking, the illegal aspects of the oper-
ation have moved to a different location.
•••••• The terminal chimed in completion as the files
finished installing. Olivia grabbed the storage device
Olivia stood at the computer terminal, mentally and tucked it back into her pocket. She frowned and
ticking through the instructions Sachi had provid- concentrated, sifting through the myriad potential
ed, to access the command structures and take the futures, searching for the best outcome.

by leath sheales 13
 In four minutes and 38 seconds, a two-person pa- “I’m not a psion, Mr. Nakamura,” Amina said with
trol checks the control room. They miss the young a sigh, “Not even a hint of latency. I took the test
woman who left the room minutes before, strug- three times, to be sure. I’m as baseline as you, but I
gling to carry an unconscious guard in a fireman’s have been told I have a trustworthy face.”
lift. They continue their patrol. Though they give the
nearby washroom a cursory glance, they don’t think ••••••
to check the cubicle farthest from the door where the
“Come on, come on,” Sachi muttered as the door
woman holds the unconscious guard propped up on
resisted her hacking. The door had its own minor
the toilet. They close the door and continue their cir-
Satisfactory Intelligence that didn’t want outsid-
cuit. The woman cuffs the guard with his own equip-
ers getting in — or insiders escaping. The SI’s fire-
ment and makes an impromptu gag from the torn
wall and countermeasures pushed back hard. Sachi
sleeve of his shirt. When he is found an hour later,
pumped everything she had at the command sys-
the woman has already escaped the building using
tems, peeling back layers of control code, smash-
the ceiling crawl space. The changes to the computer
ing the sides of peripheral awareness subroutines,
system aren’t discovered until it is far too late.
searching for some way in.
Olivia sighed and grabbed the guard’s arm, hoist-
Frustrated, she grabbed her pry bar again and
ing him up and lowering her shoulder to carry his
wedged it into the side of the door. She pushed hard,
heavy form. It was time to leave.
leveraging her entire body against it. She knew
•••••• whatever additional security Nippon was going to
throw at her would arrive soon. Metal screeched in
Amina took a minicomp from her bag and ges- protest and the door budged a fraction.
tured to the wall. “May I?” she asked politely. Sachi released the tension, took a breath, and
Nakamura nodded, and her Agent connected to the flooded psi throughout her body. Bone density and
display. She sent several images across, some show- muscle mass grew in seconds. Her skin rippled and
ing an illicit hardtech production facility, others bulged with the sudden increase. The fabric of her
showing a young woman missing her right hand be- smart clothing resisted for a moment before relax-
ing helped into an ambulance. ing fibers to meet new requirements.
“I don’t understand,” Nakamura said, tears well- She grabbed the pry bar and pushed again, this
ing in his eyes. time her efforts reinforced by the subquantum uni-
Amina brought up other photographs. “We believe verse. The door moved further, opening a small gap
you do, Mr. Nakamura. These show you meeting with the between hatch and frame. The pry bar snapped.
people who ‘stole’ your data. They were your business Sachi dropped the useless metal and drove both her
partners, were they not?” Nakamura shifted uncomfort- hands into the gap, grinding her teeth together and
ably in his seat. He called for his assistant via cybernetic pushing herself beyond her known limits.
implant and was dismayed that she didn’t respond. The first droid rounded the corner. It was an old
“The Nippon police picked up on your scheme police interface model and looked mostly human,
and started hunting for you, didn’t they, Mr. except for the perfect neutrality of its facial expres-
Nakamura?” Amina continued. “You got cold feet, sion and the cold, dead eyes that saw Sachi. The
but your partners weren’t willing to let you back out lighter unit was slightly faster than bulkier models,
of the deal. They took Yuna, but it wasn’t enough. and it blocked the path of the two clearance-and-de-
How many body parts were you willing to let them struction units that tried to round the corner behind
take before you’d admit your fault and seek help?” it. Its original programming could barely have taken
Amina stood as the door opened and UN police this situation into account, and the modifications
entered, arresting Nakamura for his part in the made by the criminals who acquired it had slowed
criminal conspiracy. His expression turned from its processes. It sought additional instructions and
shock to fury. that bought Sachi a few valuable seconds.
“You witch,” he spat, “you read my mind, im- The door finally gave, snapping open and sur-
planted information.” He snarled, “Illegal search, prising Sachi. Her additional force threw it open so
nothing will stand up in court.” hard that it slammed back against the wall, denting
it and twisting its hinges.

14 UNITY: A TALE OF THE ÆON TRINITY

 Sachi ducked inside and saw the combination combined their powers. To the Vitakinetic, each liv-
hospital/laboratory/prison beyond. Dozens of ing template was distinct. To the teleporter, all space
malnourished, mistreated people lay strapped on was one. Sachi pushed her healing though Rahmat
wheeled beds. Some were barely conscious from and out into each victim at once. The effort was
whatever drugs the IV lines attached to the beds immensely draining, compounded by the reserves
flooded into them. Others were barely alive, having Sachi had spent opening the door. She slumped as
been repeatedly subjected to hideous experiments. her power faded, satisfied at the increased strength
Two android nurses patrolled the room, ensuring of life she could now feel within the room. Rahmat
none of the test subjects died before every scrap of still held her hands — he needed the continued
data had been gleaned. Every victim wore a psi-in- strength and sense of life — and steeled himself as
hibiting collar, keeping them from using their abili- he prepared to teleport everyone out and to safety.
ties except as their captors demanded. The robots tried to react to the new situation,
Rather than immediately rushing to help the vic- but Jack worked faster. Lightning exploded from
tims, Sachi scanned the room carefully, trying to ig- his hands, forking and jumping from robot to ro-
nore the noise of the security robots as they reached bot, overheating and melting their circuits. The
the twisted doorway with lethal intent. lighter units simply stopped, their servos locked up.
I’m here, do you have what you need? She shouted Instant emulated rigor mortis. The combat models
silently with her thoughts. seized for a moment, but they were built to with-
Incoming, Sarah’s reply echoed inside Sachi’s stand such attacks and their artificial brains kicked
head. in redundant pathways while they rebooted their
With a sharp buzz, a glowing circle flared to life primary functions. The backup functions couldn’t
to her left, and through it another room became keep Olivia at bay as she pressed the attack with pis-
visible. Five people hurried through it. Sachi felt tol and taser in hand, not waiting to see the outcome
Sarah’s mental link take hold and her brain pro- of Jack’s assault. She already knew.
cessed the room from multiple angles, mingling her Standing back from the violence, Amina reached
sensory input with the rest of her team’s. out and took the hand of the nearest “patient.”
As soon as the team arrived, Sachi ignored ev- “Who are you?” he asked, feeling stronger than
erything else and rushed to the teleporter. Rahmat he had in weeks. The air shimmered as Rahmat
knew what she wanted through the psionic link phased everyone out of the physical universe and
and held his hands outstretched to take hers. Their translated them into subquantum particles.
subquantum signatures mingled as the two psions “We’re from Æon,” Amina said as the room faded
from view, “we’re here to help.”

by leath sheales 15
 We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are.
— Gene Roddenberry

Trinity Continuum: Æon is a game of psychic, interstellar play styles ranging from awe-inspiring
cinematic science-fiction adventure set in the vast- space opera where characters solve intergalactic
ness of the Trinity Continuum. It covers multiple mysteries that extend back hundreds of thousands
timelines and accommodates many different genres of years, to military science fiction where human-
of play. The one unifying feature is that in Trinity ity battles horrific and deadly creatures, to more
Continuum: Æon humanity has discovered a way localized, but equally exciting stories of settling
to awaken certain individuals’ latent psionic pow- alien worlds or making first contact with aliens who
ers, transforming them into powerful psions. could become close allies or bitter foes, depending
This game requires the Trinity Continuum upon the characters’ actions.
Corebook to play and builds on the Storypath system Trinity Continuum: Æon is also ideal for adven-
by adding rules for impressive psionic powers and tures on Earth and in the warrens of the vast lunar
advanced technology, including exotic noetic biotech city of Olympus. The range of possibilities here is
that can bond with and enhance characters’ powers. endless, with tones ranging from grim to idealistic.
The Trinity Continuum Corebook allows you to play Opportunities for dystopian cyberpunk campaigns
characters and craft heroic science-fiction adventures can be found in the United States, which is now the
set in the present day. Trinity Continuum: Æon ex- openly fascist FSA. Similarly, the corridors of the low-
pands these possibilities — both into the future, and er levels of Olympus are a perfect setting for futuris-
onto strange and distant worlds orbiting other suns, tic crime dramas, and the Aberrant-destroyed ruins
sometimes inhabited by alien intelligences. of France are ideal for post-apocalyptic adventures.
The game is set in 2123, almost 20 years after a Players and Storyguides seeking more optimis-
group of eight people learned to unlock their vast tic adventures also have many Earthly options.
psychic potential. These individuals, known as Storyguides can set social science-fiction campaigns
proxies, employed the same technology to grant focused on issues of freedom and power in China’s
thousands of others these powers. The newly em- prosperous, humane, but carefully controlled cities.
powered individuals, called psions, now use their They can also create scenarios involving transhu-
powers to protect Earth from the return of hostile manist intrigue amidst the thriving arcologies and
superhumans, known as Aberrants, and to help hu- living cities of Sudamérica, or campaigns that mix
manity expand outward to the stars. Most psions social science fiction and space opera in the flour-
work for one of the psi orders created by the prox- ishing cities of a united Africa known as the UAN.
ies, while others either work for the powerful inter- Setting a campaign on Earth even offers the possi-
national organization known as the Æon Trinity or bility of political science-fiction campaigns on and
eschew any allegiances and hire themselves out as under Earth’s oceans as floating and undersea cities
freelancers. struggle to cast off their prior allegiances and join
From this starting point, almost anything is pos- Oceania, Earth’s newest nation. While the poten-
sible. Psionic teleporters, and more recently, living tial scope of a Trinity Continuum: Æon campaign
Leviathan jump ships allow humanity to take its is vast, it’s also possible to set an entire campaign
first steps towards exploring and colonizing the in a single city or on one sparsely populated colony
galaxy. Trinity Continuum: Æon is designed for world.

HOPE, SACRIFICE, UNITY

Like all of the games set in the Trinity Continuum, where humanity faces deadly threats, including horrif-
the themes of Hope, Sacrifice, and Unity are an im- ic Aberrants, the hostile aliens known as Chromatics,
portant part of the setting, with unity being the most and other less obvious but equally terrible dangers.
important in this particular game. This is a setting To overcome these menaces, psions, Talents, and

hope, sacrifice, unity 17

 unpowered neutrals must work with each other and a group of psions working together can expand and
seek alliances with the alien Qin and other species. A multiply their powers in ways impossible for even the
single psion possesses impressive psychic powers, but most powerful individual to replicate.

HEROISM
Just as Trinity Continuum: Æon can be used to tell infantry using psionic powers and futuristic weapons
a wealth of different stories, it also allows for a multi- to fight Aberrant monsters, or tireless first responders
tude of different heroes. It is a setting where characters who assist with disasters both on and off Earth. All of
fight to defend their world from external threats, while these characters and many more work to protect and
also working to make it even better. You can play valiant defend their worlds from both external dangers and in-
explorers on Leviathan jump ships, heavily armored ternal threats and injustices.

OPTIMISM
The overall assumption in Trinity Continuum: with the help of powerful devices called Prometheus
Æon is that humanity can triumph over obstacles Chambers. These powers in and of themselves do not
and the future can be a better place than the past. Indefine a character, but they give psions abilities that
this setting, many problems that threaten our own others lack — permitting them to fly, heal their own
world, like global climate change, energy shortages, and others’ wounds in an instant, read someone’s
and famine, are distant memories for almost every- deepest thoughts, or even alter their physical shape.
one, but other problems remain, and new ones have Psychic powers have a long history in science fic-
arisen. Part of the optimism inherent in this era is tion. In most cases, these powers are used as evi-
the knowledge that while the world of the early dence that humanity has untapped potential that
22nd century is far from perfect, dedicated heroes individuals can learn to unleash. They permit hu-
can improve it. Characters can fight the obvious mans to transcend the need for technology and to
threats of hostile aliens and returning Aberrants, overcome the barriers separating them from one
and also attempt to solve more familiar menaces another, not merely barriers of language and cul-
such as crime, official corruption, economic in- ture, but even the barriers separating one mind
equality, and natural disasters. from another. Perhaps most importantly of all, in
Trinity Continuum: Æon, psions and their powers
COMPETENCE represent the future of humanity. Although only a
While players are free to play highly able Talents small percentage of humans are latent psions whose
(see the Trinity Continuum Corebook, pp. 151-158), powers can be unlocked in a Prometheus Chamber,
most characters are psions — individuals with latent humanity continues to evolve, and in time such
psychic powers who gained active psychic powers powers may belong to everyone.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Welcome to the Trinity Continuum: Æon. This CHAPTERS
book is a supplement for the Trinity Continuum
Chapter One: History & Background provides a
Corebook and requires it to use. Trinity
rough timeline extending from the present day to
Continuum: Æon provides complete information
2123, with a discussion of how and why the world
on the world of 2123 and all of the wonders it con-
changed during this time.
tains. It also includes rules for creating and playing
psions, as well as a variety of advanced weapons and Chapter Two: Earth & Luna explains the current
other devices. status of the various nations of this era, as well as

18 INTRODUCTION
information on the new nation of Oceania and the have access to, as well as rules for psions working
huge lunar metropolis of Olympus. together to combine their Aptitudes.
Chapter Three: Space provides information Chapter Eight: Technology & Equipment de-
about worlds beyond Earth and Luna that humanity scribes the wondrous new technologies available
has visited or colonized. This chapter includes in- in the early 22nd century, from advanced weapons,
formation about human settlements within the so- spacecraft, and robots, to exotic noetic biotech.
lar system, and also descriptions of eight extrasolar Chapter Nine: Storyguiding gives detailed sugges-
colonies and settlements. tions for designing and running Trinity Continuum:
Chapter Four: Character Creation explains Æon campaigns, including information about how
everything you need to create psions, neutrals, or style, mood, and location can work together and for
Talents in Trinity Continuum: Æon. This chapter using psions and Talents in the same campaign.
includes new Edges and six new Paths. Chapter Ten: Opponents & Allies provides rules
Chapter Five: Organizations gives detailed in- for using the various alien species as well as exten-
formation about the major organizations available sive rules for creating and using Aberrants, and ex-
to characters in this setting, including the eight psi amples of psion and neutral supporting characters.
orders and the Æon Trinity. Paths for each of these Chapter Eleven: Setting Secrets reveals much of
organizations are also included here. the secret history of the setting up to 2123, includ-
Chapter Six: New Rules provides rules for deal- ing the origin of the Prometheus Chambers and the
ing with dangerous Quantum Flux, new rules for truth about the Chitra Bhanu purge. This chapter
hostile environments, and information on handling also provides a rough history of the near future of
hacking, surveillance, and counter surveillance is the setting — if the characters don’t decide to alter
this high-tech era. the course of these events, which they almost cer-
Chapter Seven: Psi Rules provides complete tainly will. If you are not a Storyguide planning to
rules for the eight psionic Aptitudes that psions run this game, you might want to skip this chapter.

INSPIRATIONAL MEDIA
The following are suggestions for media that can NOVELS
help give Storyguides and players ideas for charac-
Blue Remembered Earth, On the Steel Breeze, and
ters, stories, and the feel of various powers and as-
Poseidon’s Wake by Alastair Reynolds form an ex-
pects of the setting.
cellent trilogy about a highly advanced Earth that is
TELEVISION utopian by modern standards, but still has import-
ant conflicts, and where humans are dealing with
Babylon 5: This five-season series is an excellent
both ubiquitous surveillance and contact with ad-
cinematic space opera that nicely balances gritty
vanced and potentially dangerous aliens.
realism with a grandiose scale and galaxy changing
Forerunner Foray by Andre Norton: Norton wrote
events. Also, Earth’s Psi Corps has a fair amount in
many excellent novels involving psychic powers
common with the Ministry.
and space travel, but this is one of the best and one
The Dead Zone: Based on a very different nov-
that foregrounds psychic powers the most.
el, the protagonist of this series is a powerful
The Touchstone Trilogy by Andrea K. Host: An
Clairsentient who learns both the advantages and
excellent YA series where a young woman from
problems of this particular ability.
Earth finds herself on a high-tech planet working
The Tomorrow People (2013 version): Although
with powerful psychics to defend their people from
it’s set in the modern day with psychics who must
deadly monsters, some of whom may have once
hide their powers, this show does an excellent job of
been human.
showing the potential of psychic powers.
Change by Ann Maxwell: Maxwell wrote many
wonderful novels about psychic powers, but this
one is about humanity developing them, while be-
ing aided by psychic aliens.

how to use this book | Inspirational media 19

 The Pegasus series by Anne McCaffrey (To Ride traveling to the stars, and joining a psychic confed-
Pegasus, Pegasus in Flight, and Pegasus in Space) and eration of aliens.
the subsequent The Tower and the Hive series (The Stoneskin by K. B. Spengler: A wonderful novel
Rowan, Damia, Damia’s Children, Lyon’s Pride, and about an interstellar setting tied together by people
The Tower and the Hive) are in many ways very simi- with a gift for teleportation.
lar to Trinity Continuum: Æon. In these novels, hu- Newton’s Wake by Ken Macleod: Characters from
manity learns about psychic powers, and eventually a variety of cultures that came about in the wake of
powerful teleporters allow humanity to travel to the a horrific post-human disaster explore a network of
stars and eventually make contact with aliens. teleport gates and discover a long-isolated colony
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke: A brilliant world.
classic involving aliens, psychic powers, and the fu- The Bohr Maker, Deception Well, and Vast by
ture of humanity. Linda Nagata: An excellent series set in a cosmos
Psion, Catspaw, and Dreamfall by Joan D. Vinge: full of strange human colonies and unfathomable
An excellent trilogy about psychics living in a high- aliens.
tech, somewhat cyberpunk, interstellar setting Angel Station by Walter Jon Williams: Far future,
where they must keep their powers hidden. schemes, deceptions, and adventure amidst first
The Eclipse trilogy by John Shirley (Eclipse, contact with biotech-using aliens.
Eclipse Penumbra, and Eclipse Corona) is more than
20 years old but remains a classic about revolution VIDEO GAMES
and fascism in a cyberpunk future. Mass Effect 1, 2, 3, and Andromeda: This trilogy of
Julian May’s Galactic Milieu series (Intervention, games has a lot in common with Trinity Continuum:
Jack the Bodiless, Diamond Mask, and Magnificat) is Æon, from ancient alien threats to biotic powers that
all about humanity learning about psychic powers, are fairly similar to many psion powers.

GLOSSARY
Although many terms and jargon specific to this are based in both Zurich-Geneva, Switzerland and
setting are defined elsewhere in this book; for ease Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
of reference they are also included here. Aptitude: One of the eight different categories
Aberrant: Once-human creatures with unstable of psionic powers: biokinesis, clairsentience, elec-
quantum powers who left the solar system in 2067 trokinesis, psychokinesis, quantakinesis, telepathy,
and returned to the solar system as hideously inhu- teleportation, and vitakinesis. Every psion can only
man monsters in 2105. Prior to the Aberrant War, master a single Aptitude, depending upon which
these beings were known as novas. See also: nova. Prometheus Chamber they used.
Aberrant War: The end of the Nova Age (see be- aqua: A human who has been modified for living
low), when a growing number of Aberrants began underwater. There are two types of aquas, amphibi-
attacking humanity or fighting among themselves ous humans known as “phibs“ and fully aquatic hu-
before departing for the stars after the Chinese mans that can breathe both air and water, known as
Ultimatum (see below). This war lasted from “selkies.” See also: Oceania
2056-2067. Auxiliary Mode: Psions can gain a small amount
Æon Trinity: A large and powerful worldwide of skill at Modes outside their psionic Aptitude.
aid and development organization that gained Bharati Commonwealth: The official name of the
much of its renown and power when it helped hu- Indian bloc, but used rarely by foreigners; “India” is
manity rebuild from the Aberrant War. still preferred. Includes present-day Afghanistan,
Æsculapian Order: An international emergency Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
services organization focusing on disaster relief, Belt, the: Spacers’ slang for the Asteroid Belt.
search and rescue, and emergency medical ser- biotech: Biological appliances; biotechnological
vices. They are also the psi order that controls the devices, also called bioware and bioapps.
Vitakinesis Prometheus Chamber (see below) and

20 INTRODUCTION
 biokinesis: One of the eight psionic Aptitudes. It FSM: The Federated States Military, the FSA’s
allows the psion to reshape their body in profound well-armed and politically powerful military. The
ways and to manipulate noetic biotechnology in FSA spends a greater percentage of its national
powerful ways. Slang: Shifters wealth on the military than any other nation.
Blessure, la: French for “the wound,” the pop- grav crystals: Nova age technology that can cre-
ular name for the portions of France and Belgium ate stable artificial gravity over large areas.
destroyed and poisoned by the Esperanza disaster holodisplay: Holographic 3D displays where the
(see below). images appear to float in the air. Holodisplays have
Chinese Ultimatum: The decree issued by China replaced vidscreens in many applications, and al-
in 2067 that all Aberrants must immediately leave most all minicomps have small holodisplays.
Earth or China’s orbital nuclear weapons platforms holosim: Games where the player or players are
would begin bombarding Earth. immersed in a holographic environment. Home
Chitra Bhanu: Originally a Vishnavi messian- holosim rooms are a common sign of middle-class
ic term used to refer to the eradicated Bombay- affluence.
based quantakinetic order that controlled the ISRA: The Interplanetary School of Research
Quantakinesis Prometheus Chamber. and Advancement. ISRA is both the psi order
Chromatics: Mysterious and hostile aliens that based in Olympus on Luna, which controls the
first attacked Karroo Station and recently attacked Clairsentience Prometheus Chamber and also a
Earth. growing religious movement with more than half a
clairsentience: One of the eight psionic million members.
Aptitudes. It allows the psion to see the past, the fu- Joe Hologram: An everyday person — the aver-
ture, and distant locations. Slang: Clears, seers. age citizen. While the slang term survives, the com-
Coalition Ark: A vast hardtech alien spacecraft puter agent from which it originated has long since
more than 70 kilometers long, which is traveling fallen into obscurity.
near the speed of light and is on a course for the so- jump rings: A small but growing network of
lar system. This ship seems to be inhabited by hos- expensive and complex bioware devices that can
tile aliens. teleport people between major cities anywhere on
Corruption: The subatomic degradation of Earth and Luna. There are jump rings in Beijing,
both living beings and inanimate objects caused Chicago, Jomo Kenyatta, Mumbai Sao Paulo,
by Aberrants misusing or possessing inherent- Sydney, and Olympus on Luna.
ly warped Quantum powers. Often mistaken for Khantze Lu Ge: “Castle in the Sky;” China’s
and used as a slang term for Quantum Flux (see Alpha Centauri Colony (the Chinese refer to it as
Quantum Flux). Kongzhong Lou Ge).
electrokinesis: One of the eight psionic latent: A human with the potential to become
Aptitudes. It allows the psion to control bioelec- a psion. Fewer than one in 10,000 people are be-
tricity, light, and technological devices. Slang: EK, lieved to be latents. Most latents can become any
zapper of the more common types of psion — biokinet-
Esperanza Disaster: In 2120, Aberrants attacked ics, clairsentients, electrokinetics, psychokinetics,
the large EU space station Esperanza and caused telepaths, or vitakinetics. However, both quantak-
it to crash near Paris, turning much of France inesis and teleportation require a more powerful
and Belgium into radioactive disaster areas and latency that is relatively rare. See also: Prometheus
Quantum Flux Zones (see below) which remain Chamber.
mostly lawless. Legions, the: A semi-independent division of
FSA: The Federated States of America, a repres- the UN military force dedicated to protecting hu-
sive regime consisting of the former nations of manity from external threats, including Aberrants.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Created by a Consisting of seven brigades, the Legions are also
military and corporate takeover of the United States the psi order based in Australia, which controls the
during the Aberrant War, the FSA then conquered Psychokinesis Prometheus Chamber.
Mexico and then Canada.

glossary 21
 Leviathan Jump Ship: The kilometer-and-a- in Sudamérica, which controls the Biokinesis
half-long biotech starships built to return human- Prometheus Chamber.
ity to the stars after all teleporters left Earth. There Oceania: Earth’s newest nation, a confederation
is growing evidence that these starships are con- of floating and underwater cities, many of which are
scious, intelligent creatures. home to large populations of aquas.
LP: Pronounced “lep,” a common slang for “less Olympus: The vast international lunar settle-
prosperous nation,” referring to nations like Russia, ment built near the lunar south pole. Olympus has a
Ukraine, and the FSA. population of almost 50 million.
maker: 3D printers that produce most consumer Orgotek: Originally a consumer electronics cor-
goods. poration, it then became the first major producer of
matrix: The living vats used to produce biotech commercial bioware. Today it produces everything
devices. from biotech vehicles to biotech augmentations. It
metacorporation: Term for large international is also a psi order based in the FSA, which controls
(and occasionally interplanetary) corporations in the Electrokinesis Prometheus Chamber.
the 22nd century. The status of metacorporations PN: Pronounced “pin,” a common slang abbrevi-
varies wildly between nations. ation for “prosperous nation,” referring to nations
minicomp: The smartphone and mobile OpNet like Australia, China, Nippon, Sudamérica, and the
terminal that also serves as means of both identifi- UAN.
cation and payment for most humans. A biocomp is Prometheus Chamber: A powerful piece of bio-
a biotech minicomp. ware that transforms latent psychics into psions.
Ministry of Noetic Affairs (MNA): A division Each psi order has a single Prometheus Chamber
of the Chinese government that handles noetic and each chamber gives psions a single different
research, advises diplomats and alien contact per- psionic Aptitude. Psions can only survive a single
sonnel, and performs covert intelligence. Popularly use of a Prometheus Chamber.
known as “The Ministry,”” this organization is also proxy: One of the first eight original psions. Each
the psi order based in China, which controls the proxy possesses a single psionic Aptitude and con-
Telepathy Prometheus Chamber. trols the Prometheus Chamber that produced that
Mode: Every psionic Aptitude is divided into Aptitude in latents.
three Modes. Each Mode represents a different as- Psi Nippon: The Nihonjin youth culture that em-
pect of that particular Aptitude. braces biotechnology and psions. Most either live
neutral: A human who is not a latent psion and outside Nippon or wish they could. They’re consid-
thus cannot gain psion powers. Pejoratively called ered delinquents by proper Nihonjin society, but not
“blanks” by a few psions. yet viewed as a threat to Nippon’s cultural stability.
Nippon: “Japan.” Includes the “Kuril” (Chishima) psi order: One of eight original and seven sur-
Islands. viving organizations founded by one of the psion-
Nihonjin: “Japanese.” Used as both a cultural and ic proxies. Each psi order controls one of the
ethnic adjective. Prometheus Chambers and roughly half of the
noetics: The study of psionic energies and members of each psi order’s members possess the
phenomena. psionic Aptitude provided by that chamber.
nova: Powerful superhumans who first appeared psiad: Rumored psions who gained their powers
in 2018, and who were initially regarded as heroes without the use of a Prometheus Chamber. Their
and saviors, but who turned on humanity, leading existence is a popular but unproven urban legend.
to the Aberrant Wars (see above). Since then, they psion: A latent psychic whose powers have been
have been called Aberrants. activated using one of the Prometheus Chambers.
Nova Age: The era between 2018 and 2067, when psiware: Slang term for noetically active bioware.
hundreds of superbeings with unstable quantum pow- psychokinesis: One of the eight psionic
ers first transformed the world in many wondrous ways Aptitudes. It allows the psion to move objects and
and then turned on humanity (see Aberrant War). create fire and force fields. Slang: Psychs, TKs.
Nova Força Nacional: The New National Qin: The Mandarin character for “elegant” or
Force, shortened to Norça. The psi order based “pleasingly artificial.” Also a Cantonese term for the

22 INTRODUCTION
“painted” class of Chinese opera characters. Name telepathy: One of the eight psionic Aptitudes.
given to the first alien race humans contacted. It allows the psion to read and control minds and
Qinri: Mandarin for “sun of the Qin.” emotions. Slang: Teep, tel
Qinshui: Mandarin for “ocean of the Qin;” desig- teleportation: One of the rarest of the eight
nation for the Qin homeworld. psionic Aptitudes. It allows the psion to move them-
quantakinesis: The rarest of the eight psionic selves and others instantly from one location to an-
Aptitudes. It allows the psion to alter matter and other and to warp space. Slang: Jumpers, porters.
energy and manipulate others’ noetic and quantum terraforming: Manipulating a planetary environ-
powers. The Quantakinesis Prometheus Chamber ment artificially to make it more like Earth.
was destroyed and all quantakinetics were suppos- Tesser: The bio-organic computer that performs
edly killed. Slang: Chibs See also: Chitra Bhanu calculations for the Leviathan-class jump ships.
Quantum Flux: The unique and inexplicable Total Allergy Syndrome: A psychogenetic disor-
variations to physical laws that permit humans to der with which the sufferer becomes oversensitive
erupt into novas and novas’ Quantum powers to to such a degree that contact with just about any-
function. Popularly, but mistakenly referred to as thing can be deadly. Sufferers live in plastic-bubble
Corruption. environments.
Quantum Flux diseases: Serious, but most- UAN: United African Nations, the prosperous co-
ly non-contagious diseases that are usually both alition of African nations.
progressive and incurable. They are caused by too Upeo Wa Macho: Swahili for “the horizon,” the
much exposure to Corruption. psi order based in the UAN, which controls the
Quantum Flux Zones: Regions containing high Teleportation Prometheus Chamber.
levels of Corruption, where soil fertility is low and VARG: Short for Vacuum Assault and
most plants and animals that live there exhibit sig- Reconnaissance Gear. Small VARGs, like the
nificant genetic damage. Creatures that live there BioVARG (p. 271) and the MiniVARG (p. 272) are
for too long often develop Quantum Flux illnesses. suits of powered armor, but full-sized VARGs are
Quarantine, the: Nippon’s ““closed-door pol- large devices that straddle the line between pow-
icy,” 2053–2105, when no outsider could visit the ered armor and vehicles. Rules for full-sized VARGs
Nihonjin mainland. will appear in an upcoming supplement.
Rock, the: Earth; orbital-station slang. Vatican Reforms of 2084: The conciliatory bull
SI: Short for satisfactory intelligence. This is the that updated the Vatican to the 21st century. It per-
term used for the standard comm and network soft- mits women to join the priesthood, and instructs
ware that is capable of speaking and understanding the clergy to take a more active role in charity work.
colloquial speech. SIs are not conscious or intelli- vitakinesis: One of the eight psionic Aptitudes.
gent, but many people react to them like they are. It allows the psion to heal and enhance both them-
subquantum field: The subtle but pervasive selves and others. Slang: Boosters, docs.
psionic energies that permeate the entire universe Wanjing: “City of Endurance;” designation for
and are concentrated in intelligent living beings. the Chinese colony on Mars.
Psionic powers operate by affecting the subquan- Yi: Mandarin for “one;” Chinese designation for
tum field. Also called the implicate order. Alpha Centauri A.
Superior: The Nihonjin government is rumored Yuan: The Chinese unit of currency that is now
to create enhanced individuals who lack noet- the dominant currency of the world in much the
ic powers, but are still exceptionally impressive. same way that the US dollar was in the late 20th
These individuals are known as Superiors. In ad- century.
dition to their innate abilities, Superiors are always Yutu Yinchan: “The Rabbit in the Moon;”
believed to possess extensive Nihonjin cyberware. Chinese section of Olympus.

glossary 23
 A time of trouble approaches. We must not reject the hidden when they
reveal themselves nor mistake one twisted branch for the entire tree. It’s
also vital that we fight the masters and not the slaves or the deceived. Only
through unity can we prevail.
— Otha Herzog, 2123

In the first half of the 21st century, the world was 2054 — While attempting to redirect a hurricane,
transformed and then almost destroyed when a few water-controlling nova Felice Taylor accidentally cre-
humans became powerful superhuman beings who ates a series of megatsunamis that sweep across the
were first called novas and then Aberrants. The entire width of Florida, killing millions and transform-
Chinese government forced the Aberrants off Earth ing the state into a series of islands. Taylor appears to
with the threat of nuclear destruction and over the
have died attempting to prevent the disaster.
next 40 years, humanity rebuilt and took their first 2056 — A group of Aberrants calling themselves
independent steps to the stars. Then, the Aberrants the Space Brigade take over the Olympus lunar
returned more monstrous than before, but a new base, controlling it and cutting it off from Earth
type of artificially enhanced human known as psions until the end of the Aberrant War.
arose to protect humanity. In addition to fighting
Aberrants, the psions gave humanity easy access to 2056 — After a decade of increasing nova vi-
new worlds in other star systems and produced ad-
olence and destruction, the United Nations con-
demns nova violence and urges member govern-
vanced biotechnology that is transforming life on
ments to create an international registry of novas.
Earth. In this new era of amazing wonders and terri- By this time, most people regard novas as inhu-
ble dangers, humanity has encountered both friendly man threats and deadly monsters rather than as
and hostile alien species and is beginning to take its wondrously gifted humans.
place in the galaxy.
2056 - 2067 — This era is later known as the
ÆON TIMELINE Aberrant War. Aberrants attack, and in many
cases conquer or destroy large cities in regions
The following is a brief timeline of the Nova Age,
across the globe.
the Crash, and the rise of the psions.
2020s - 2050s — Novas invent hyperfusion 2061 — Aberrant Calvert Wycoff explodes in
and superconducting batteries, giving humanity Hastings Nebraska, in a huge plasma explosion
unlimited cheap energy, reversing global climate that obliterates everything within 200 kilometers,
change, and causing much of the Sahara Desert and seriously damages soil fertility for more than
to bloom. During the height of the Nova Age, no- 1,000 kilometers.
vas also built research bases on several asteroids
2062 — Facing famine, the United States in-
and planets within the solar system and explored
vades Canada and Mexico to acquire their farm-
the stars. Novas led an exploration team to
land, beginning the formation of the FSA.
Khantze Lu Ge in 2030 and founded several oth-
er extrasolar colonies. In addition, several groups 2066 - 2067 — The Possession Crisis: The
of humans paid space-traveling novas to help Aberrant Mungu “Backlash” Kuwasha uses his
them establish colonies on habitable extrasolar powers to take control of networked devices all
planets. A few of these colonies were founded in across the world in an attempt to create a society
secret and records of most others were lost during of perfect machines. When humans thwart his ef-
the OpNet Crash. forts, Backlash crashes the OpNet and destroys
the majority of its servers. Although most data can
2053 — Japan closes its borders and changes
be salvaged, some is lost and fully restoring the
its name to match the one it uses internally —
network takes almost five years.
Nippon. Until 2105, no outsiders are allowed to
step onto Nihonjin soil, and all contact with the 2067 — China takes control of all of the orbit-
outside world comes through the large offshore al nuclear weapons platforms and delivers the
floating settlement of Makaro-Shima.

Æon Timeline 25
 “Earth Strike Ultimatum” where it threatens to de- Shanghai Accords also prohibit all but the most
stroy Earth unless all Aberrants immediately de- carefully controlled and monitored uses of AS
part. All remaining Aberrants leave Earth, ending (artificial sentience). This ruling has no effect
the Aberrant War. Then, China gives up control of on Nippon, but elsewhere, public opinion turns
the Earth’s fate and humanity begins to rebuild. against cyberware and hardtech in general.
The Inhuman Technology Protocols pass the UN
with strong support by the Æon Trinity. Many 2090 - 2103 — With completion of the Mount
Nova Age technologies are banned or heavily Kenya Space Elevator in 2090, space travel
restricted. Project ReWrite begins deleting or re- becomes even cheaper and easier than before.
stricting information about these technologies. Humanity begins a major push outward into the
solar system. The Sudamérican space elevator is
2067 - 2075 — The Crash, the world slow- completed in 2102.
ly begins to recover, but the devastation of the
Aberrant War leaves most nations in chaos and 2104 — Most small Corrupted zones suddenly
the world economy in shambles. The Urban vanish, both Wycoff’s Blight and the Venezuelan
Schism Begins. Plaguelands shrink, and the Plaguelands become
considerably less dangerous.
2070 - 2086 — Computer enhancement and
other mind-computer interfaces become increas- 2105 — Aberrants destroy the asteroid min-
ingly common as people seek to escape from ing station on Vesta and other asteroid stations.
memories of the Aberrant War and the difficulties Nippon ends the Quarantine and opens its
of rebuilding. borders.

2086 — After several serious incidents, the 2106 — Aberrants attack Sydney, Australia.
UN passes the Shanghai Accords. This treaty Video transmissions from Vesta and Sydney
bans computer enhancement and other tech- reveal that these Aberrants were far less hu-
nology that allows electronic access to thoughts man-looking than most of those who left after
and memories except under special license. The the Chinese Ultimatum and seem to care about

26 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

nothing except destruction and murder. In 2119 — An Aberrant attack on the Mazat re-
Sydney, a force of almost 500 psions defeats the search station orbiting Luna destroys one of the
Aberrants. These psions then announce their pres- Leviathan jump ship prototypes, setting the jump
ence to the world. ship project back by many months.

2108 — First contact with the alien Qin by a 2120 — The Esperanza space station crashes
Chinese expedition. near Paris, devastating France.

2109 — The Qin establish an embassy on Luna. 2121 — Telepathic messages from the Khantze
Lu Ge colony around Alpha Centauri report that
2111 — The other psion proxies declare Chitra Aberrants have attacked and overrun almost half
Bhanu to have been corrupted by Aberrants. the planet.
Most quantakinetics are killed in the ensuing bat-
tle. Dr. S.K. Bhurano and her closest associates 2122 — The first Leviathan jump ships are com-
seemingly destroy themselves in a mysterious pleted, humanity returns to the stars.
blast. First contact with the Coalition Ark ends in the
2115 — First contact with the alien Chromatics, damaged jump ship fleeing from the Coalition.
when they attack Karroo Station. Chromatics attack Earth and are discovered to
Upeo wa Macho explorers contact the hu- be using captured teleporters to transport their
man-nova colony of Eden. ships.
Upeo wa Macho returns from the stars.
2116 — The Upeo wa Macho mysteriously van-
ishes, cutting humanity off from the stars. Teleporters locate and observe the war-torn
Nova Age human colony of Marfisa.
2118 — Oceania becomes an independent na-
tion that is recognized by the UN. 2123 — Present day

noetic connections & templates 27

 THE NOVA AGE
travel to the stars, others sought to rule nations,
The 30-year period from the 2020s to the 2050s was
an era of wonder and unbounded optimism. Inhumanlyslay their enemies, or use their newfound powers to
bend people to their will. Some novas who sought to
brilliant novas created new energy sources like hyper-
fusion reactors and inexpensive, room-temperature advance science cared little if human experimental
superconducting batteries. These superhumans used subjects died and others performed reckless experi-
ments that occasionally failed catastrophically.
their powers and the new technologies they invented
to abolish hunger, reverse global climate change, make
For three decades, peaceful and productive novas
deserts bloom, and banish famine. Novas also invented
greatly outnumbered violent and destructive ones,
technologies that provided cheap energy and continu-
but nova mercenaries, terrorists, and criminals posed
ous access to the OpNet to the vast majority of humani-
a serious threat that was initially handled by other
ty. Novas and the technologies they created also helped
novas. However, in 2049 a lengthy battle between a
humanity build a colony on Mars, greatly expand hu-
nova anti-terrorism unit and a group of nova crim-
manity’s Lunar colony, and travel to the stars. inals killed more than 4,000 residents of Sao Paulo,
Brazil, when the fight destroyed several large apart-
Technology advanced in leaps and bounds as novas
ment complexes. In 2054, Felice Taylor, a water-con-
worked with humans to cure cancer and diabetes, repair
trolling nova, destroyed southern Florida with a se-
damaged or severed spines, and allow humans and novas
ries of megatsunamis, when her attempt to redirect
to connect their minds to computers in ways that allowed
them to share thoughts and navigate the OpNet witha hurricane disastrously backfired. This event killed
more than seven million people, setting off a wave of
their minds. Eventually, nova genetic engineers went far
anti-nova sentiment.
beyond healing and began altering humans, creating a
new species of humans adapted for life in the oceans. A
Tensions between humans and novas continued to
team of novas even began attempting to terraform Mars.
escalate. In 2053, Japan expelled all novas and cut off
all contact with the outside world. Japan remained
THE ABERRANT WAR closed until 2105. Until that time, the only contact it
The Nova Age was one of wonders, but also ter- had with the outside world was via the floating city
rors. While many novas helped humanity save Earth of Makaro-Shima, where outsiders were only al-
from climactic disaster, enhance themselves, and lowed to visit for a few weeks.

AN INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM FLUX

By Jenisha Ngomo
From: Aberrants: The Twisted Legacy
Among the most enduring remains of the Aberrant War are the zones of Quantum Flux,
popularly known as “Corrupted zones” or, less commonly, “tainted land.” The largest is Wy-
coff’s Blight, which covers much of the central portion of North America. The latest research
indicates that the uncontrolled release of dangerous quantum energies damaged the land’s
subquantum field. The soil and rocks in these areas appear chemically identical to similar soil
and rocks, but most psions and sensitive noetic equipment can tell that these materials are
in some ill-defined manner damaged and warped. As a result, prolonged exposure to these
materials is harmful to all life.
All life forms from soil bacteria to humans are significantly less fertile in zones of Quan-
tum Flux, and birth defects and other mutations are more than an order of magnitude more
common. In adult organisms, sterility, cancers, and Corruption diseases increase to a similar
degree. Tests reveal that the effects extend down at least one kilometer below the surface.
Soil and rock removed from a Corrupted zone return to normal within two years. Living things
removed from Corrupted zones test positive for exposure to Quantum Flux for at least a year.
Side effects like Corruption diseases or genetic damage are usually permanent.

28 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

 During the first three decades of the Nova Era, the Aberrants to killing all Aberrants on sight. US troops
Lunar colony known as Olympus grew from a doz- killed more than a dozen low-power Aberrants and
en people to more than 50,000, but in 2056 a group all but the most powerful Aberrants left the US. By
of novas known as the Space Brigade took control of 2062, the world was engulfed in war. Humans battled
the Lunar colony. Their threats of killing everyone in Aberrants while rival groups of Aberrants fought one
the colony and the ease with which they destroyed another.
spacecraft sent to free the colonists forced the world
to watch as this group of renegade novas turned hu- THE OPNET CRASH
manity’s first off-world colony into a brutally author- By 2065, the war between humans and Aberrants
itarian dictatorship. was nearly continuous, with new attacks occurring
In response to novas taking control of Olympus, several times a week. Aberrants ruled the island of
the United Nations denounced nova violence and Bahrain, turning the human residents into slaves,
called for the creation of a global registry of no- and the Aberrant Dragon’s Eye forcibly uploaded
vas, who most people now called Aberrants. Many most of the inhabitants of Kuala Lumpur, transfer-
Aberrants saw this message as a declaration of war ring their edited minds into her army of mechanical
between humans and Aberrants and increased their warriors.
attacks on humans. A growing number of Aberrants By 2066, household robots were common, and
considered humanity to be either a threat or a mass most large devices, from cars to refrigerators were
of worthless beings wasting valuable resources. connected to the OpNet. That year, the Aberrant
In 2061, Calvert Wycoff, a nova who was also an Mungu “Backlash” Kuwasha initiated what became
apocalyptic fundamentalist, destroyed himself in known as The Possessions Crisis, taking control of
a vast explosion when officials attempted to free more than 30 million household robots, cars, and
his disciples from his thrall. His explosion instant- other devices. Backlash announced that he was seek-
ly killed more than half a million people and ruined ing to create a perfect society of machines living in-
the fertility of most US farmland. At this point, US dependently from humanity and used many of these
policy went from attempting to register and contain devices to kill their owners.

the nova age 29

 In this same era, almost 10 million people were electronic communication failed. The result was to-
using implanted neural interfaces. These devices al- tal chaos. Automated shipments of food, raw materi-
lowed users to control electronics and navigate the als, and manufactured goods ceased. In nations that
OpNet by thought. These devices also allowed peo- had adopted mandatory networking for automobiles,
ple to share memories with other neural interface even cars and buses stopped working.
users, creating a form of electronic telepathy that Between the riots and the food shortages, estimates
many predicted would transform humanity. When place the total death toll from accidents, violence,
the authorities attempted to end Backlash’s con- disease, and in some cases, starvation directly caused
trol of networked devices, Backlash responded by by the OpNet Crash at more than 12 million people.
inducing seizures and hallucinations in more than Fortunately, Backlash had only destroyed the opti-
two million neural interface users. Battlefield EMP cal servers that controlled traffic on the OpNet. The
weapons ended Backlash’s reign of terror, but at that broadcast towers and fiber-optic cables that formed
point he retaliated by crashing the entire OpNet. the OpNet’s physical infrastructure remained intact.
The devastation of the last few years of the Many cities were able to restore their own portion of
Aberrant War killed millions, but the OpNet Crash the OpNet within three months, and almost half of the
affected everyone on the planet. In an instant, the en- total OpNet was restored within two years.
tire OpNet ceased to function, leaving many people
without easy access to data and communications for THE CHINESE ULTIMATUM
the first time in their lives. In a few cities and towns, AND THE EXODUS
phone service was sufficiently separate that it con-
During the Nova Age, China became one of the
tinued to function, but in the rest of the world, all
major space powers, launching crewed spacecraft

RADIO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN

THE LIGHT OF WISDOM LIN HUAN AND
ORBITAL COMMANDER HAN FENG — DATE: 9:7:2067
• Han (16:51:09): Madame Premier, our latest orbital scan indicates that the Aberrants
have all departed. We have won. I give thanks that your wise policy succeeded and saved
our world.
• Light of Wisdom (16:52:31): Congratulations, commander. Issue the order to stand
down and prepare to return to Earth. In three days, there will be a celebration to honor this
day, and I desire your presence.
• Han (16:53:23): Madame Premier, the world is in chaos. Sensors and radio traffic
indicates that there are at least seven ongoing wars at the moment. Might I humbly suggest
that we could do much good if we used our present might to help bring the rest of the planet
to its senses? Without your wise leadership, backed by the power of our orbital armada, it
could be many decades before the world is again at peace. With one word, you could end
this madness.
• Light of Wisdom (16:55:40): Stand down, my brave commander. I have given this matter
much thought — I mourn for much of the world, but for now China is safe. How long would that
safety continue if we attempt to rule the world? The Aberrants have just departed; people will be
looking for a new enemy to blame for their many troubles. If I announce that China is their new
liege, we become that enemy. We could destroy any town, village, or city, or even the entire world.
However, what shall we do about suicide bombers or military leaders with Aberrant-made weapons?
If we had not acted as we did, the world would have perished. That danger is over, and
China’s safety is dearer to me than even the lives of my own children. We shall not risk that
safety when there are other options. The barbarians shall fight and die, and eventually they
shall find peace. Until then, we shall be safe and prosperous.
• Han (16:56:58): Yes, Madame Premier.

30 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

to Mars, sending a starship containing colonists in China promised they could live independently. The
suspended animation to Alpha Centauri, and build- Aberrants spurned these options and instead depart-
ing a network of space stations around the Earth. ed from the solar system en masse. Minutes after the
Hours after Backlash took down the OpNet, China rest of the Aberrants departed, Aberrant leader Divis
announced that several hundred of these spacecraft Mal appeared in the UN General Assembly chamber,
and space stations were armed with fusion missiles vaporized the Secretary General, announced, “Your
that were now aimed at Earth. One of the stations legacy is our future,” and vanished along with all of
launched six nuclear missiles at Aberrant-controlled the rest of his kind. Humanity encountered no trace
Bahrain, destroying the island. Next, the Chinese of Aberrants for the next 38 years.
government announced that if all Aberrant attacks The Aberrants’ departure left China in control of
did not immediately cease, these stations would the Earth, a power they swiftly relinquished when
launch all of their missiles at Earth. Chinese officials the Chinese Premier ordered the satellites and
also revealed that this attack would happen auto- space stations to all stand down. A year after their
matically unless periodic signals were sent to each Ultimatum, China began decommissioning or dis-
of the spacecraft and space stations. The Chinese arming the vast majority of these satellites and space
government offered Aberrants two options, surren- stations. After the Aberrant Exodus, humanity began
der and face human justice or move to Luna, where to rebuild.

THE POST-EXODUS WORLD

After the Chinese Ultimatum, the world changed. THE NEW OPNET
The era of miracles and terrors was over. This new
The rebuilt OpNet functioned much like the previ-
world had much in common with the previous
ous one, but in 2086, after the dangers of neural inter-
era, but there were many changes. The world now
faces were made horribly clear, the United Nations
struggled with two lasting legacies of the Aberrants:
made them illegal. Since that time, the only people
Corrupted zones and dangerous technologies creat-
who use neural interfaces are the very wealthy, es-
ed by Aberrants.
pecially daring criminals, and a few carefully moni-
PROJECT REWRITE tored spies and special agents. Even in 2123, the vast
majority of users access the OpNet via display glass-
The results of the OpNet Crash were twofold.
es or contacts, or in some cases implants that tie into
As they were restoring the OpNet, the Æon Trinity
sensory nerves. The dreams of humanity becoming
worked with the United Nations to delete informa-
a mentally connected supermind died. However, the
tion about the construction of the most advanced
appearance of the psions rekindled some of these
and least understood pieces of technology devel-
dreams, using psionic power rather than advanced
oped by Aberrants. The effort was known as Project
technology.
ReWrite and was openly supported by all of the
Wireless OpNet access is now available anywhere
world’s most powerful nations. Possession of unreg-
on Earth. The only exceptions are specially shielded
istered Aberrant technology or details of its creation
buildings and other secure locations, deep caverns,
became a serious crime under the UN Inhuman
and some older tunnels and basements. Although
Technologies Treaty. In addition, everyone wished
many nations monitor their citizen’s OpNet traffic,
to make certain that a disaster of the scale of the
few try to restrict it, because almost everyone now
Crash could never happen again. The result was a
understands that doing so is impossible and attempt-
significant expansion of the OpNet. Previously, the
ing to do so would result in widespread civil unrest.
wired and the wireless OpNet were both part of the
For almost everyone on Earth, OpNet access is as
same integrated system, and crashing one crashed
much of a basic human right as access to medical
both. After the OpNet was rebuilt, the wireless and
care or working plumbing.
wired OpNet were each capable of operating fully
Augmented reality is an integral part of OpNet
independently. In addition, most of the nations of
use. Almost everyone uses augmented reality to ac-
the world build in multiple redundancies in their
cess the wealth of data all around them. Publicly ac-
portions of the OpNet.
cessible information is instantly and easily available,

The post-exodus world 31

 CALLING A BLANK contact with the colonies on
both Luna and Mars and radio
After the Aberrant War, ubiquitous surveillance became the signals indicated that the colony
norm. The details of who could access this surveillance and on Khantze Lu Ge was thriving.
how it could legally be used differed from one nation to the Earth began moving forward,
next, but everyone expected to be watched in any public and at the same time many
space in any urban area on the planet, and also in many people began moving outward.
rural areas. However, some people are sufficiently wealthy Until the Crash, humanity had
and powerful that they can declare a location temporari-
been moving into cities for sev-
ly exempt from all surveillance, and can even prevent any
minicomps or other devices connected to the OpNet from eral centuries. In the early 21st
recording anything in this location during this time. century, more than half of hu-
manity lived in cities, and by the
Doing this is referred to as “calling a blank” and can only be
done for short periods of time, typically no more than a few time of the Chinese Ultimatum,
hours, and in an area no larger than a city block. However, this number had increased to
in this area, nothing will be recorded and cameras outside almost 80 percent. However, a
this area are prohibited from recording anything they can see combination of economic trou-
inside this area, instead recording neutral gray boxes that de- bles, the fact that cities had
lineate the borders of the “blank space.” Calling a blank is been the primary targets during
especially difficult in the UAN and Australia, and is most com- the Aberrant War, and the easy
monly used by wealthy and powerful full citizens in the FSA availability of technologies like
and by government officials and their close allies in China. makers, high-efficiency solar
cells, and portable hyperfusion
reactors, caused this movement
and most children now grow up with their agents into cities to reverse. With sufficient raw materials,
answering their questions and keeping them safe. a hyperfusion reactor, and a maker, a community
In addition to wireless access, the OpNet also sup- of several dozen people could supply 90 percent of
ports a wealth of wireless monitoring. For most res- its needs, including food, if they were willing to eat
idents of cities in wealthy nations like China, Brazil, maker-produced protein paste.
or the UAN, street crime is largely a thing of the Between 2075 and 2105, millions of people moved
past, as is police brutality. Only spies and organized to remote locations and set up small towns, outposts,
crime syndicates can effectively avoid this surveil- and compounds housing between one and several
lance. However, in less wealthy nations like the FSA, hundred people. Some sought to isolate themselves
Russia, or Ukraine, and in rural regions or disaster from a world they found to be corrupt and spiritually
areas, surveillance is erratic or nonexistent and old impure. However, most people sought the freedom to
patterns of violence and brutality remain. live and express themselves as they wished and were
When humanity left Earth, they took the OpNet happy to trade with anyone who was willing to re-
with them. Wireless broadcast towers and satellites spect them and their way of life. The majority of the
exist on Luna, Mars, and every settled extrasolar col- Urban Schism occurred in North and South America,
ony. However, away from Earth, the OpNet can be no- Siberia, and Australia. Western Europe, China, India,
ticeably less useful. One of the biggest surprises that and Southeast Asia were all far too populous to offer
many immigrants to Mars or the extrasolar colonies the large areas of wild land necessary for people set
face is that that some information is simply unknown. up hundreds of small settlements.
Residents of extrasolar colonies are often surprised Despite not being worldwide, the Urban Schism
when they examine a strange creature while wearing caused the percentage of the population living in cit-
their OpNet contacts and receive the response “This ies to decline by almost 10 percent. Most of these small
life-form is not listed in any known database.” settlements are located in remote regions, including
the Andes and the Rockies, as well as the Amazon
RECOVERY & Jungle, Siberia, the Australian Outback, and the edg-
THE URBAN SCHISM es of Wycoff’s Blight. In the FSA, many of these set-
By 2075, the world had recovered from the worst tlers fled the government’s repression and brutality,
of the Crash. Humanity had also resumed regular moving to regions too sparsely populated for the FSA

32 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

to bother patrolling. However, even in WORK IN 2123
liberal democracies like Australia and
Brazil some people wished to live in
Almost all office work, like almost all factory work, is
automated, with SI (Satisfactory Intelligence, see p.
isolated, largely self-sufficient com-
285) software and robots taking the place of human
munities. Almost all of these commu- workers. In 2123, 25 hours a week is normal for full-
nities are connected by the OpNet. time work, and the majority of jobs still done by humans
Residents regularly share maker tem- involve overseeing automation, working outdoors in
plates for various devices, as well as partially automated jobs like construction, and various
warnings about bandits and similar scientific, technical, and creative pursuits. Many hu-
sorts of news. mans also perform high-end service work, where hu-
While millions moved from cities to man cooks, waiters, tailors, and butlers provide prestige
small communities in wilderness ar-
service to the wealthy. However, more than a third of
all humans on Earth lack paid employment. As a result,
eas, other urbanites retreated into ar-
all but the poorest and most desperate nations provide
cologies. Immediately after the Crash, some form of guaranteed income to citizens who are
widespread violence, starvation, and not able to find jobs in this largely automated world.
banditry made arcologies popular. In These payments range from a meager pittance paid for
these new arcologies, people, manu- with mindless labor in the FSA or Russia to a modest
facturing facilities, parks, and verti- income in more egalitarian nations like Australia, Chi-
cal farms all existed inside a large ac- na, Sudamérica, or the UAN. In these nations, almost
cess-controlled building complex. By all of the unemployed have passionate hobbies, which
the mid-2080s, the world had recov- range from intense VR or augmented reality games, to
ered sufficiently for most nations to volunteer work, to many forms of creative expression.
cease worrying about riots, hunger, or
banditry, but many people continued
to crave the convenience of living in an arcology people who commit casual violence are swiftly ap-
and so the construction of new arcologies continued. prehended, at least in cities and arcologies that have
well-maintained surveillance equipment.
In between the two extremes of small, self-suffi-
cient rural compounds and vast, largely self-suffi- In Beijing, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Lagos, and
cient arcologies are traditional cities. They survived many similar cities and arcologies, most crime that
the Crash, but now 30 percent of people live in rural isn’t committed by minors or people who are intoxi-
areas, 20 percent of people live in arcologies, and cated is organized crime. Sophisticated criminal gangs
only half of Earth’s population still lives in tradi- armed with the latest anti-surveillance measures steal
tional cities. Of course, despite claims by advocates cars and break into houses and shops. Most of these
of isolated communities or arcologies, cities are not thefts and burglaries are simply to acquire valuable
dying or even continuing to shrink. Instead, all three goods that can be resold, but criminal gangs can also
lifestyles are thriving, with roughly equal numbers be paid to steal specific objects, ranging from art to
of people moving to and leaving each type of loca- data files containing valuable research. The most vi-
tion. However, since the return of the Aberrants, the olent and brutal gangs and syndicates have standing
number of people moving into rural areas is slightly rates to threaten, beat up, or kill a target. Except for
down, since many people worry about the risks of be- immediate and unplanned crimes of passion, almost
ing isolated from emergency services in the event of all murders in cities and arcologies with high-qual-
an Aberrant attack. ity surveillance are contract killings. More than a
few jealous spouses, business rivals, and people with
CRIME & VIOLENCE grudges are willing to pay large amounts of money
to have the object of their enmity killed in a manner
Except for France and Belgium, which are now
that’s almost impossible to trace back to them.
violent disaster areas, the majority of the world
In poorer nations like Turkey or Russia or almost
has a rate of crime and overall violence similar to
all of the less-prosperous regions of the FSA, aging
the developed world shortly before the dawn of the
infrastructure, civil unrest, and poverty combine to
Nova Age. However, the nature of this crime and
mean that many security cameras have broken due
violence has changed. The presence of ubiquitous
to age and neglect, while others are frequently stolen
surveillance means that most petty criminals and
or destroyed, leaving large regions with little or no

The post-exodus world 33

 effective surveillance. The portions of poorer cities other officers & advanced software watching the
with the least surveillance are also the most crime criminals’ movements on local surveillance cameras
ridden. allows the police to easily catch anyone who isn’t a
Cities with the most surveillance usually respond skilled professional or a psion.
swiftly and effectively to crime. If someone trips an Although most psions work for one of the psi or-
alarm at a high-security Orgotek lab or a vault in ders or the Æon Trinity, and the vast majority of the
Beijing, drones are launched immediately, and up to rest are law-abiding citizens, several dozen psions
a dozen police or guards often arrive in less than two are known criminals and there are a fair number of
minutes. However, police response to a break in at other crimes where psion involvement is suspected.
a jewelry store in a town in Iowa or the offices of a Of course, sometimes police suspect psions helped
small corporation in Rio will be both slower and less commit a crime if they don’t know how a crime was
extensive. Typically, the local police dispatch several committed. Unconfirmed rumors of psiads who de-
officers who send up one or two observation drones. veloped psi powers without the use of a Prometheus
Usually the officers take between five and 20 minutes Chamber have caused a few overly suspicious or
to arrive, with the drones arriving slightly earlier. imaginative police officers to assume psi powers
However, even this sort of response, combined with were used in any remotely mysterious crime.

THE RETURN OF THE ABERRANTS

AND RISE OF THE PSIONS
Researchers across the world were surprised a result of their early research. He went on to say that
in 2104 when several Corrupted zones vanished Otha Herzog, a mystic and philosopher who claimed
overnight, and most of the larger Corrupted zones, to occasionally have visions of important upcoming
including Wycoff’s Blight, shrank by as much as a events, contacted him and revealed that the Aberrants
third. No one could explain this phenomenon. Then were returning and that Alex Cassel’s research was es-
in 2105, a group of Aberrants appeared in the solar sential to safeguarding humanity.
system and destroyed a mining station on the as- Herzog also identified four other people who
teroid Vesta. Less than a year later, these Aberrants needed to be part of this effort — astronaut Bolade
attacked the spaceport in Sydney, Australia. Video Atwan, UN General Solveig Larssen, environmen-
transmissions from Vesta and Sydney revealed that tal activist Giuseppe del Fuego, and Chinese official
these Aberrants were far less human looking than Rebecca Bue Li. Bhurano, Cassel, and Zweidler then
most of those who left after the Chinese Ultimatum. created eight miracles of biotechnology that they
They also seemed to have no motive except killing as called the Prometheus Chambers. Each chamber
many humans as possible. was designed to develop and enhance a particular
Within minutes of their attack on Sydney, all of the noetic power, and each one was specifically created
attacking Aberrants were driven off by several hun- to work with one of the eight people Alex Cassel as-
dred super-powered beings who flew, teleported, cre- sembled. All eight individuals used their Prometheus
ated laser beams and bolts of fire, and used other im- Chamber and gained impressive powers. Cassel re-
pressive powers to defeat the Aberrants. Immediately ferred to himself and the other seven individuals
after this attack, the leaders of these new super-pow- who first used the Prometheus Chambers as proxies,
ered individuals appeared on the OpNet to answer because they each drew their powers from the won-
questions and reassure humanity. Their primary drous subquantum realm.
spokesperson was Alex Cassel, the head of Orgotek, a All eight efforts at enhancement were a resounding
large and prosperous corporation in the FSA that spe- success, and for the next year, each of those eight peo-
cialized in high-end consumer electronics. ple used genetic tests developed by Cassel and Bhurano
Cassel said that he had worked with renowned phy- to identify other latent psions who could be enhanced
sician Dr. Matthieu Zweidler and bio-physicist Dr. S.K. in one of the Prometheus Chambers. Working together,
Bhurano to find ways of enhancing human potential the proxies assembled a force of more than 500 psions.
in a safe and controlled fashion. He mentioned that Alex Cassel’s natural charisma, combined with the fact
the recent shrinking of several Corrupted zones was that the psions had saved Sydney from the Aberrants,

34 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

helped shape public opinion so that shock and suspi- neutrals by psions, could not use the most advanced
cion soon became awe and gratitude. biotech, ordinary biotech revolutionized fields from
A few months after revealing the existence of the construction to medicine.
psions, Cassel’s company Orgotek began releasing In the 17 years since 2106, psions have defended the
the first noetic bioware. These devices included ev- solar system against Aberrant attacks, taken humanity
erything from living vehicles and weapons to devic- to the stars, and made contact with alien species. Almost
es that enhanced human capabilities or gave psions all nations openly embraced the psions and the noetic
additional powers. While ordinary humans, called biotech that Cassel and the other proxies produced.

THE PROMETHEUS EFFECT: AN ANALYTICAL PRESENTATION

— Excerpt: The third Noetic Conference, Olympus, 6.10.2111
The Prometheus Effect, labeled such by the Æsculapian Proxy Dr. Matthieu Zweidler, re-
mains a mystery even to most psions. The actual mechanics of the process involve the latent
psion imbibing biofluid, then being immersed in a gel-filled psiware chamber. The subject falls
into a fugue state while her body is infused with nano-organisms. A psion monitors the subject
through a biolink and follows a very precise process to trigger the latent to a full psion. In the
orders’ early days, proxies were present for each latent’s awakening. Most have passed on the
responsibility to a few key underlings. From what we are told, only Giuseppe del Fuego, the
Norça Proxy, still monitors his psions’ transformations personally. New psions describe their
emergence from the fugue state, as their bodies rise dripping from the chambers, as being re-
born. Powers are typically uncontrollable but weak for the first few days after being “triggered.”
Control and strength derive from familiarity with and training in the psions’ new abilities.

the return of the aberrants and rise of the psions 35

 The only exception was Nippon. Immediately after psions. This decision trigged pro-psi protests from
the Aberrant attack on Vesta, Nippon ended its 52-year groups in Nippon that came to be known as Psi Nippon.
Quarantine. However, less than two months after the In an effort to satisfy protestors, the Nihonjin govern-
Battle of Sydney, the Nihonjin government enacted ment allowed the floating city of Makaro-Shima to be-
strict laws prohibiting all noetic biotechnology from come independent and allowed Psi Nippon supporters
entering Nippon and carefully regulating all visits by to freely emigrate there.

THE AGE OF THE PSIONS

Psions gave humanity the stars, as well as their first Corruption diseases. Further allegations surfaced
contacts with alien species. However, not all of these in 2111. When the other proxies asked to inspect the
contacts were peaceful. The 17 years since the psions headquarters of Chitra Bhanu, Dr. Bhurano called
revealed themselves to the public have been a time of the other quantakinetics to her headquarters, and a
troubles both on Earth and out among the stars. tense inspection soon became a pitched battle that
ended with most quantakinetics being killed. Dr.
THE QIN CONTACT Bhurano and her closest associates in the psi order
In 2108, a Chinese spacecraft in a previously unvisit- all perished in a powerful energetic event that was
ed star system received alien radio signals. Upon locat- either suicide or a botched attack. Since that time,
ing their source, the ship’s teleporter jumped the ship there have been only seven psi orders, and humanity
into orbit above a world they called Qinshui. Contact now must consider that Aberrants are even able to
with the Qin proved to be exceedingly easy, since the corrupt psions.
Qin were both peaceful and naturally telepathic. In
2109, a human embassy was established on Qinshui, CHROMATICS ATTACK
and a Qin embassy was established on Luna. Although KARROO STATION
the Qin lacked faster-than-light travel, they possessed Humanity’s second contact with aliens went far
exceptionally advanced biotechnology. They are un- less well than the first. In 2115, unknown aliens pi-
willing to trade the secrets of manufacturing this bio- loting biotech spacecraft attacked asteroid miners at
technology, but were happy to provide humanity with Karroo Station in the Crab Nebula. A few days later,
a wide range of biotech creations. Their living airships the aliens began direct attacks on the space station
are now used by both Brazil and the UAN, and their ter- itself. These attackers were driven off, and the de-
raforming microbes have greatly speeded up the pro- fenders were able to recover several badly damaged
cess of terraforming Mars. Current estimates indicate Chromatic fighters as well as the bodies of almost
Mars will become fully habitable in 75 years, rather half a dozen dead Chromatics. The Chromatics were
than the 1,100 years predicted for the previous terrafor- discovered to be semi-reptilian aliens with powerful
ming process. Also, unlike human biotechnology, most photokinesis and thermokinesis and more limited
Qin biotechnology consists of organisms capable of in- abilities in the other electrokinesis and psychokine-
dependent feeding and reproduction. sis Modes. Even during their voluntary exile from
Qinshui is a miracle of biotechnology, and re- Earth, members of Upeo wa Macho helped protect
searchers believe that the Qin heavily modified their Karroo Station from further attacks and in one mem-
entire ecosystem. The Qin are not remotely human- orable incident destroyed an entire Chromatic fleet.
oid and only appear in public wearing humanoid bio-
tech suits. After Upeo wa Macho vanished in early UPEO WA MACHO
2116, the Qin on Luna worked with Orgotek and the
Æon Trinity to create the Leviathan jump ships
VANISHES
In 2116, tensions between the Upeo wa Macho and
THE CHITRA BHANU PURGE the other psi orders increased. Publicly, the disputes
were about the other psi orders asking too much of
In 2110, OpNet rumors claimed that Dr. S.K.
the teleporters and treating them more like a valuable
Bhurano and the entire quantakinetic order, Chitra
commodity than fellow psions. In actuality, the dis-
Bhanu, was working with Aberrants, rather than
pute also involved the recent discovery of the peaceful
merely researching cures for Aberrant-caused

36 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

nova ruled world of Eden by a Upeo wa Macho ex- attempt to contact Bolade Atwan and the other tele-
ploration team. Bolade Atwan, the Upeo wa Macho porters for immediate aid, but no help arrived. The
proxy, and several of the other proxies feared a repeat Esperanza struck Paris at high velocity, vaporizing
of the events surrounding the Chitra Bhanu purge. As a third of the city and spreading the radiation from
tensions began to rise, the other proxies summoned the station’s manufacturing facilities across most of
Ms. Atwan to an emergency meeting. Less than half an France.
hour before the meeting, Atwan sent word to all tele- The battle against the Aberrant attackers contin-
porters, including those in other psi orders. They all ued on the ground. Before it was over, the Aberrant
vanished, departing for the stars. Publicly, the other Zeus created a large Corrupted zone around the im-
psi orders and the Æon Trinity released no informa- pact zone — Earth’s first new Corrupted zone since
tion about the vanished teleporters. the end of the Aberrant War. The impact caused
Suddenly, humanity was cut off from the stars. more than 12 million casualties, most of them in
Telepaths working with clairsentients were able to Paris. Radioactive fragments of the Esperanza fell all
keep in telepathic contact with Khantze Lu Ge, but across France and in Belgium.
all of the other extrasolar colonies were too far away More than a third of France’s population died
for such contact. In early 2121, reports that Aberrants within the first week after the Esperanza crash, and
had overrun much of that world horrified the people the majority of the survivors soon fled. However,
of Earth. This news also redoubled efforts by the re- some were too stubborn to leave. Others were re-
maining psi orders and the Qin trapped in the solar fused entry into other nations due to sufficient levels
system to build noetic starships that could duplicate of Corruption or criminal convictions. Evidence of
the teleporters’ ability to jump to other star systems. membership in radical nationalist fronts, Aberrant
The first Leviathan jump ships (see p. 307) departed cults, or other unpopular organizations kept even
for the stars in late 2122. Their first missions contact-
more people from leaving France.
ed all of the colonies cut off from Earth and helped For the past two and a half years, relief workers
humanity contact the Upeo wa Macho. Since that have attempted to bring aid and restore order to
time, Leviathans have also begun exploring other this devastated region. While life in much of east-
worlds, including several discovered by the teleport- ern France is improving, most residents still live in
ers during their long absence from Earth. refugee camps. At the same time, banditry remains
common throughout western France and Belgium,
THE ESPERANZA CRASH and in some locations Aberrant cults operate open-
Aberrant attacks on Earth continued after the tele- ly. Currently, the population of France is roughly 10
porters’ departure. However, most were easily re- million and falling, and the population of Belgium is
pelled by psions and national militaries. Although fear predicted to soon fall below one million.
of Aberrant attacks remained high, a growing number
of people became convinced that the psions were able THE CHROMATICS
to prevent Aberrants from causing anything more ATTACK EARTH & THE
than relatively localized harm. This feeling of compla-
cency ended with the Esperanza disaster. TELEPORTERS RETURN
In 2120, a large group of powerful Aberrants at- The most recent and alarming contact with the
tacked the recently completed Esperanza space sta- Chromatics happened six months ago, when a
tion. This large space station was funded by the EU Chromatic mothership appeared above the Earth
in an attempt to revive its weak economy. The station and released several dozen fighters and transports
was built in two parts; one section was a luxury or- that attacked Olympus, several space stations, and a
bital hotel and the other was a facility for creating handful of targets on Earth. This attack was repelled
expensive industrial radioisotopes and researching with only minor losses, and psions captured several
new transuranic elements. Chromatic prisoners as well as two fighter craft that
The Aberrants didn’t just destroy the Esperanza; had suffered only minor damage. Since this attack,
a powerful Aberrant, now called Zeus, aimed it like researchers have established limited communication
a missile toward Earth. Because it was in high-Earth with these Chromatic prisoners. The researchers
orbit, its descent took several minutes. During this learned that all Chromatic captives hate humanity
time, telepaths and clairsentients worked together to and believe humans are murderous monsters devoid

the age of the psions 37

 of honor or compassion. Also, none of the captives of her teleporters. Ms. Atwan is now convinced
understand how their technology functions or is that most of the 90 teleporters who mysteriously
created. Studies of the Chromatic spacecraft also re- vanished are now Chromatic captives. She is cur-
vealed them to be based on old human designs, but rently working with the Æon Trinity, the UN, and
with the additions of Chromatic genetic material. the other psi orders to locate both these teleport-
Attackers also discovered that the Chromatic moth- ers and the Chromatic homeworld. Most research-
ership used a restrained and heavily drugged Upeo wa ers now believe that someone or something sup-
Macho teleporter as their method of interstellar trans- plied the Chromatics with spacecraft and captured
port. One of the two teleporters rescued from that ves- teleporters.
sel reported that she was captured by the Chromatics
when another teleporter led her into a trap. Both tele- THE COALITION ARK
porters also reported that when they were not forcibly The most recent contact with an alien species oc-
connected to a Chromatic mothership, they and other curred during the last year. In 2122, deep space probes
captive teleporters were heavily drugged and kept in a reported a huge object 12 light years away headed to-
facility fitted with a psionic dampening field that pre- ward our solar system at almost the speed of light.
vented them from teleporting. Fearful that this was part of some new Aberrant at-
This revelation, combined with the discovery tack, a Leviathan jump ship visited the object later
from the Leviathan that visited Karroo station that that year. The expedition reported that the object
a pair of teleporters used an unknown weapon to was a huge starship more than 70 kilometers long
destroy most of a Chromatic fleet that was about to that was inhabited by more than a dozen species, in-
attack the station, revitalized public interest in and cluding the humanoid Envoys who seemed in charge
support for Upeo wa Macho. Within a week of the of negotiating with visitors.
Chromatic attack on Earth, Teleportation Proxy The first expedition ended in tragedy, when a quar-
Bolade Atwan returned to Earth, along with many ter of the personnel were killed, and the remainder

38 CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

fled back to Earth. The next expedition arrived even human features that appeared to have been created
more heavily armed than the first and was warmly using the previous contact team’s genetic material.
greeted in several Earth languages. The Envoys ex- Further exploration revealed that a distant section
plained that the members of the previous expedition of the Coalition Ark radiated Corruption signatures
were killed because one of the members accidentally consistent with at least one moderately powerful
triggered their warrior caste’s defense protocols, and Aberrant. The second contact team then hastily, but
that the deaths were a terrible mistake. Negotiations peacefully departed. However, their Tesser drive
went smoothly until a biokinetic on the contact team malfunctioned, leading them to suspect some form
realized that the Envoys were manipulating the emo- of sabotage by the Coalition. Their last contact with
tions of the human contact team using exceptionally Earth was that the Leviathan was headed away from
powerful pheromones. After the contact team began the Coalition Ark using conventional drives and that
using filter masks, a clairsentient survey discov- they were asking for rescue.
ered vats containing young Envoys with obviously

the age of the psions 39

 Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us… The aggregate of our joy and
suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every
hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization,
every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful
child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every
“superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species
lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
— Pale Blue Dot by Dr. Carl Sagan

The total human population is roughly eight bil- compounds. Jump rings, high speed trains, and var-
lion people, and almost 99 percent of them live on ious air and space vehicles allow residents to travel
Earth. While humanity now has permanent bases anywhere on either world in less than half a day.
all across the solar system as well as a handful of Also, the OpNet allows easy two-way communica-
growing extrasolar colonies, Earth is humani- tion between anyone almost anywhere on either
ty’s home and Olympus on Luna houses the vast world.
majority of people who live off Earth. Because The OpNet is filled with stories of brave pioneers
Olympus is so large and well established and jump seeking their fortunes among the stars, but the vast
rings now permit instantaneous transport be- majority of humanity prefers living on Earth. Every
tween Earth and Luna, many people now consider year, millions of people travel to different cities or
Olympus as much as part of Earth as the undersea even different nations on Earth or Luna, seeking to
cities of Oceania. improve their lives or leave the past behind. Even if
On both Earth and Luna, most people live in cities offered the chance to do so, only a fraction of them
or arcologies, but almost a third of Earth’s popula- would consider moving elsewhere in the solar sys-
tion lives in towns, villages, or high-tech wilderness tem or to an extrasolar planet.

AUSTRALIA
Down Under. The Lucky Country. The Great associated with a culture more distinct and vibrant
Southern Land. Oz. Gafaland. Terra Australis than the next. Harnessing and melding this diversi-
Incognita. Australia has 100 names, each ty is the nation’s greatest strength, and the conflicts

LIFESTYLES ACROSS EARTH AND LUNA

Earth and Luna are unofficially divided into prosperous nations (PNs or “Pins”) like Aus-
tralia, China, Nippon, Sudamérica, and the UAN and less prosperous nations (LPs or
“Leps”), like the FSA, Russia, and Ukraine. For most citizens, life in the PNs is remarkably
easy. Advanced automation handles the vast majority of work that humans performed in
the 20th and early 21st centuries, makers create customized good for low prices, and
energy is relatively cheap. Most people have houses or apartments containing robots and
automation that perform almost all of the cleaning and, if desired, most of the cooking
and shopping for necessities. Fewer than two thirds of the residents of PNs have jobs, but
everyone has access to a moderately generous basic minimum income.
The situation is very different for individuals living in one of the LPs. Average work hours are
longer, especially for the poor. While all of these nations possess some sort of basic min-
imum income, it is barely sufficient for survival and in most, the unemployed must “earn”
it by working long hours performing mindless, and occasionally dangerous, labor. Also,
most home automation is restricted to middle class and wealthy residents.

australia 43
 emerging from that unification are its greatest first intermodal port for air, sea, and space cargo.
source of trouble. Opening in 2103 to international acclaim, SSX rap-
idly became the South Pacific’s spaceflight hub.
HISTORY 2106’s Aberrant attack shocked a country that
Geographic isolation and minimal involvement had been slouching toward wealthy complacence.
in Nova Age geopolitics spared Australia from the Australia was one of the first nations to recognize
Aberrant War’s worst ravages. Afterwards, the na- the psi orders and to expand government relations
tion recovered with characteristic aplomb, which with the Æon Trinity. The unexpected boon of the
positioned it as a key regional provider of relief and Legions’ local basing gave ARDEP member militar-
reconstruction aid. Relatively intact infrastructure, ies a potent ally against Aberrant incursions.
reversal of the previous century’s anti-immigration
laws, and reconstruction-related job growth attract- AUSTRALIA TODAY
ed immigrants from devastated regions around the To describe Australia — well, which Australia?
globe. While many remained in the coastal cities, The global view starts with a wide-angle orbital
thousands of enterprising (or desperate) newcom- shot, watching the terminator sweep west as dawn
ers struck out to settle the Outback. The luckiest breaks over the Tasman Sea. Coastal jewel boxes
and most capable prospered, establishing commu- glitter in the sun: studio city Sydney, Melbourne’s
nities that still flourish. The unlucky and the unpre- painstakingly preserved vintage charm, the cut-
pared met tragic ends. ting-edge cutthroat think tanks of Brisbane,
With their traditional trading partners in sham- Darwin’s exploding melting-pot arcology, and
bles, Australian economic strategy shifted toward Perth’s heavy industrial muscle. Inland, the track-
self-reliance. Booms in mining, heavy manufactur- less Outback is home to the underdog Aussie Battler,
ing, and agriculture began in the 2070s. The hidden teeth gleaming, hat cocked rakishly, Outback dust
key to the nation’s postwar success, though, was coating his boots, devil-may-care gleam in his eye.
large-scale relocation of another industry: mass Carefully packaged images, cut, mixed, retouched,
media. With North American and Asian produc- and then exported, show oiled bodies frolicking in
tion hubs in ruins and the rise of FSA government the surf, the slam and blaze of Legions’ live-fire ex-
censorship, studios and talent flocked to Australian ercises, the nightclubs’ age-old mating displays.
shores. An entire generation grew up to images of The regional perspective spans the South Pacific:
Australian prosperity and opportunity. Although New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia,
these recordings and vids glossed over problems Micronesia, and Polynesia. The Austronesian Union’s
like class inequalities and immigrant slums, the island nations revolve around Australia. Mutual se-
positive public relations more than offset those curity and prosperity flow from this alliance but also
inaccuracies. draw people away from the islands. Small businesses
As the FSA and UK shifted their foreign policies and educated citizens are leaving their birthplaces
in the war’s wake, a wary Australia distanced itself for Australian job markets and tax incentives. Eager
from both, asserted more regional leadership, and to halt the slide, AU members now seek foreign in-
expanded its arms industry. Grateful aid recipients vestors  and widen their economic exclusion zones,
sought alliance in the face of a formidable China and ratcheting up tensions with China and Oceania.
a militant FSA. Australia found itself the unplanned Australia is inextricably linked to the sea,  a sea
keystone of a regional defense coalition and in 2081 full of Australian ships and Australian cities. Like
founded the Australasian Regional Defense Pact England before, Australia’s wealth and power have
(ARDEP). The 2090s brought belated attention deep maritime roots. Between coastal communi-
to space. A focus on domestic and regional issues ties and offshore arcologies, 90% of Australians live
caused Australia to neglect the high frontier and the within 50 kilometers of the sea. Half the nation’s
country found itself playing catch up. Rather than jobs depend on the water. Simple energy efficien-
build its own space industry from nothing, Australia cy keeps maritime shipping the most cost-effec-
invited foreign investment, redeveloping old missile tive means of moving goods across the planet. The
ranges and tracking stations to support the space world’s largest merchant fleet flies the Red Ensign.
renaissance. This strategy’s linchpin was the au- Down on the streets, reality more sharply diverg-
dacious Sydney Spaceport, planned as the world’s es from the vids, most noticeably in the abundance

44 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

of Australians who are not blond-and-bronzed. expanding outward rather than building on top of
Fewer than half of Australians are Anglos now, its history. It’s the nation’s cultural heart, educated
even after last century’s American flight and this and understatedly trendy, birthplace of uniquely
one’s European diaspora. Australia is one of the few Australian sports, performance, and street art. Old
nations to see steady population growth between money dwells here, and plays here, too, in world-fa-
the war and today, largely thanks to immigration. mous casinos and deliberately obscure private
Generations of East and Southeast Asians have clubs. Much of that cash flows into the discreet,
stirred that melting pot. Pacific Islanders, too, and well-spoken underworld whose invisible taxes keep
not just from the rest of the AU. The western shores this one of the world’s most expensive cities.
are home to a few Africans, and Sudaméricans sim- Something’s missing from most city streets,
ilarly call the east home. But there still aren’t many though: recent immigrants. The Aberrants’ return
Aboriginal Australians in the port cities. Their his- and the Legions’ shield brought new refugees to
tory at newcomers’ hands isn’t a source of pride. Australia, seeking perceived safety. Esperanza’s fall
Sydney is best known to outsiders, particularly the forced the tide higher. Unprepared for the sheer
off-world travelers who route through the spaceport numbers, the urban majority is defensive. Even
and its jump ring to Olympus. The world knows this longstanding pro-immigration ethnic communities
city’s tangled expressways, arching skyline and over- feel unfairly pressured to absorb the new arrivals.
flowing harbor from 1,000 crime dramas’ establishing State and local governments “encourage” newcom-
shots. Operatica, The Vault, Off-Port, 910 — these ce- ers to settle in the Outback rather than assimilat-
lebrity hangouts are familiar from paparazzi reports ing into already-overcrowded coastal cities. Ethnic,
and world premieres. The sprawling industrial sectors cultural, and generational tensions are ready to boil
and gang turf are vid-familiar, too. Then there’s SSX, over. Scarcely a night goes by without civil disorder
unwitting venue for the psions’ debut, its main con- making headlines.
course still flaunting defiantly unrepaired scars. The Outback is another Australia in cultural, eco-
Melbourne clings to the look and feel of prewar nomic, and geographic senses. It doesn’t quite live
Europe, preserving its colonial architecture and up to the popular image of pristine arid wilderness

noetic connections & templates 45

 OUTBACK ENCLAVES
Modern tech lets you bring your own infrastructure, pick a spot, and tell the world to root
itself. If you’re foolish enough, you can declare sovereignty over that soil. Congratulations, you
now rule your own micronation!
The legal difference between a normal nation and a micronation is lack of international
recognition. Most are taken seriously by no one, including themselves, though a few residents
wind up in trouble for tax evasion or weapons violations. Visit enough and you’ll see micro-
national currency, citizenship papers, flags, and armies. Currently, there are about 90. The
Outback’s the traditional location, but some are offshore and one’s on a tethered aerostat.
The oldest is Hutt River, 80 square klicks that “seceded” in 1970 over a farm law dispute.
Recent high-profile declarations include North Windjana Gorge (2103, critically acclaimed
wine “exporter”), the Tiwi Littoral Republic (2108, Aboriginal aquas “at war” with Oceania),
the Empire of Buckley (2118, ex-Legionnaire commune and gun club), and Nouveau Lyon
(2122, French refugees protesting immigration policies).
— Professor Kelly Maitland, Political Dynamics Department, Monash University

and breeding ground for hardy Aussies. Rather, member-states. Several major disputes over territo-
it’s a national icon most urbanites would rather rial claims are slowly making their way through the
keep at a vidscreen’s safe distance, and it’s not all World Court. Cooling relations have led Oceanian
undeveloped. Nova-Era intervention still keeps firms to break off contracts and partnerships, harm-
huge swaths green, making Australia a net agricul- ing their Australian business partners.
tural exporter. Recent immigrants outnumber na- Recent administrations have grown complacent
tive-born Outback residents even as isolation keeps with the Legions’ presence and defense cuts have
them unintegrated. The Aboriginals aren’t happy hollowed out Australia’s land and aerospace forces.
about the growing influx of outsiders. However, the Australian Navy remains among the
world’s top “wet” navies due to its border security
INTERNATIONAL and commerce-protection responsibilities. It falls
RELATIONS short of the FSM’s power projection and China’s
sheer numbers, but its personnel and tech are first-
Australia’s foreign policy centers on economic
rate. Outside the ARDEP, Nippon is Australia’s clos-
stability, with its allies’ welfare taking precedence.
est defense partner.
It’s not expansionist or bent on exporting its philos-
ophy, although some nations charge the media cor- Psions of all Aptitudes are common enough in the
porations with cultural imperialism. In more peace- Legions’ media coverage that few Modes raise eye-
ful times, it would be content to maintain prosperity brows (though the lethal ones do fall under weap-
and otherwise be left alone. on laws). The Legions are Australia’s unequivocal
favorites, but most psi orders have general accep-
China is Australia’s biggest rival. Both nations
tance. The Ministry has official recognition but a
call the western Pacific home and compete for
public cold shoulder thanks to its media image.
nearby natural resources. China and the Ministry
resent their typecasting as villains or, at best, moral-
ly ambiguous foils in Australian entertainment ex-
THREATS AND FEATURES
ports. To the regular protests in the UN, Australia OF INTEREST
replies that its studios wouldn’t make such fare if Australia is a land of opportunity for those will-
the world didn’t want to watch it. Still, discourse ing to take control of their futures. By modern stan-
stays civil and the two nations have extensive trade. dards, it’s a safe and secure place —  for the most
Maritime trade and resource extraction also bring part. Australia’s most pressing social problem re-
Australian corporations into conflict with Oceanian mains immigration. As rapid urban overcrowding

46 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

strains the infrastructure and local economy in ev- mutations stemming from Aberrant Corruption
ery port city, class tensions and anti-immigrant vio- make the wildlife even more dangerous (and, in cer-
lence are boiling over. National media coverage isn’t tain circles, more profitable).
helping the citizenry’s political polarization, either. Many Outback communities are off the map
Protests and rallies are common, though police and the grid because they don’t want to be both-
have been able to break up any mob violence before ered. Most micronations and immigrant enclaves
it gets underway. are harmless, but some are festering and predato-
Sydney is a vortex of wealth, power, and privilege, ry social anomalies. Garden-variety cults and illic-
which leads to a sensation of consequences evad- it enterprises make enough trouble, but the rare
ed. Due to their rarity and unique gifts, psions are Aberrant-worshippers are far worse. There’s also
persons of interest to the rich and carefree even if trouble brewing in the form of ecoterrorism direct-
they aren’t celebrities in their own right. However, ed at new settlements. So far, it’s been confined to
most  are more like pets than true equals. A seem- vandalism and sabotage, but some immigrants are
ingly safe invitation can suck characters into a starting to push back and bloodshed is imminent.
scandal or cover up that can leave them disgraced Any incident here, away from urban law enforce-
or blackmailed. Melbourne’s just as bad but the ment’s ability to rapidly contain it, has the potential
celebrities there are well-heeled corporate moguls to escalate into something that sparks nationwide
and semi-legal crime bosses from three continents riots or worse.
who are always on the lookout for a new edge on Aberrants have to be stupid or powerful to chal-
the competition. Job offers are common but flow lenge the Legions on their home turf, but there’s no
through so many cutouts that characters may never shortage of the former and an occasional example
know their real employer or how dirty her money is. of the latter. A few lair in the Outback or under the
A half century of settlement hasn’t appreciably Pacific to avoid detection, awaiting unwary travelers.
reduced the size of the Outback. There’s plenty of Authorities attribute most mysterious disappear-
space in which to get lost and the climate and native ances to this predation. Overt attacks are rare and
life are among the planet’s most lethal. Millions of well-planned, with targets chosen for maximum psy-
years of isolated evolution have created native spe- chological impact. There’s no evidence of Aberrant
cies that make Australia second only to Sudamérica involvement in Australia’s social problems but that
in untapped biotech potential. In a few places, very lack of evidence makes some analysts nervous.

CHINA
China’s greatest problem is that it has always been advantage of the system. Any misstep, no matter
big. Too big. Since the beginning of history, China how small, cultivated a domino effect that few were
has struggled with its own enormity and managing willing to risk. The result was a child’s world, with a
the responsibilities of governing such an expansive child’s understanding for ethics, superimposed on an
nation. It wasn’t until the arrival of a Chinese nova, autocratic government with fantastic military power.
a preternaturally wise child with amber eyes, that a It seemed ludicrous from without, but it worked well
solution of sorts was discovered. enough to allow China to remain stable and even to
The nova, nicknamed the Bodhisattva as she thrive both before and after the Crash. However, no
would answer to no name, introduced a mass of one truly understands how or why the system works
seemingly simple legislations. Employees who and all attempts to duplicate it elsewhere have failed.
worked the mandated eight hours a day, for exam-
ple, were granted rebates with local groceries with- HISTORY
in a three-kilometer radius. The companies who re- For all of his faults, Chairman Mao Zedong was a rev-
spected the rebates, in turn, were granted discounts olutionary leader who completely transfigured the face
with their own suppliers and so on. of China. His rule, while autocratic and deeply flawed,
Though initially rudimentary seeming, the com- allowed the country to rapidly become the world’s larg-
plexity of the interlocking benefits made for an est economy and a key figure in international politics.
interesting predicament for those looking to take China grew even more influential in the early decades

china 47
 THE AUTONOMOUS REGIONS The Aberrants departed en masse,
leaving China to deal with the repercus-
The horrors and devastation of the Aberrant War sions of its actions. Some world leaders
produced profound political changes in Asia. The
praised China’s courage, others were
nationalist independence movements of the 20th
century crumbled as residents of many small nations enraged by China’s willingness to sac-
realized that only states that could defend them- rifice the entire world, and the wisest
selves or obtain the services of a powerful defender were pleased and surprised that China
could be considered truly safe and free. Many small did not use this opportunity to conquer
Asian nations sought China’s protection, either from the planet. Even today, politicians in the
mad Aberrants or from the bloody conflicts that fol- FSA, and to a lesser extent in Australia,
lowed the end of the Aberrant War. Since the Ab- still talk about the Chinese willingness
errants returned before renewed nationalist feelings to sacrifice others — the phrase “Chinese
could grow, there is currently little protest against callousness” remains popular in the FSA.
China’s paternalism. The residents of most of China’s
Autonomous Regions realize that they and their na- Rebuilding China proved less com-
tions would be far more vulnerable without China’s plicated than managing international
aid and protection. politics. During the restoration process,
Today, Korea, The Malay Republic, Mongolia, Tai- China incorporated a stunning array of
wan, Tibet, and the Philippines are all Autonomous new technologies into its infrastructure
Regions under China’s control. These nations are and architectural design. Many rem-
largely independent. They can all set the majority of nants of its ancient civilization — hous-
their own laws, and several, including both Taiwan es, public buildings, and monuments
and the Philippines, have democratically elected — were swept aside. Like the phoenix
governments. However, all Autonomous Regions rising from its own ashes, the nation
must allow China to determine their foreign policy emerged glittering and awe-inspiring,
and to monitor and control external trade. Also, while cold steel and smooth asphalt as far as
the governments are largely independent, to maintain the eye could see.
peace, order, and harmony the Ministry’s telepaths
and behavioral intervention agents have just as much It was only several years later that the
authority in these nations as they do in China. populace realized that China wasn’t quite
the utopian society it appeared to be. A se-
ries of seemingly random arrests, coupled
with the efforts of suspicious journalists,
of the 21st century, as novas began transforming and revealed that surveillance technology had been de-
then almost destroying the world. ployed everywhere. From immunization shots to bill-
boards, to the roads themselves, every aspect of China
China quickly became a major force in the interna-
was now carefully monitored, cross-referenced, man-
tional space race. After sending its first astronauts up
aged, and metered for maximum happiness.
to Mars, a secondary team, replete with building ma-
terial and supplies to construct long-term extrater-
restrial settlements, soon followed. Eventually, these
CULTURE
efforts led to launching the starships that would lat- Despite what Australian popular media would have
er found the colony on Khantze Lu Ge. Unknown to people believe, life in China is better than it has ever
the public, these projects also included the creation been before. Following the rebuilding of the country,
of several hundred orbital nuclear satellites, China’s the entire nation now enjoys state-of-the-art infrastruc-
insurance against the burgeoning risk of Aberrants. ture, a far cry from its cramped, dystopian state in the
The decision proved wise. When the Aberrants at- 1900s. Coupled with the fact that the country’s popu-
tacked humanity, more than 500 Chinese spacecraft lation is now distributed among its many arcologies,
aimed their missiles at Earth. An ultimatum was giv- Chinese citizens now benefit from better living envi-
en: the Aberrants would depart or they would die, ronments, an unparalleled education system, and state
along with the entire planet. China was in a position to benefits unmatched by any other nation in the world.
unleash full-scale nuclear holocaust, a fact they were The government practices strict censorship of for-
happy to demonstrate when Aberrants in Bahrain at- eign media, ostensibly to protect against the trans-
tempted to stage an assault. mission of dangerous technologies or mind-warping

48 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

messages sent by Aberrants. Naturally, the populace, is required to undergo mandatory minor sur-
especially the younger generation, bristles under the gery in order to install a variety of biomechanical
strict control. Hackers, many of whom call them- hardware, including a simple identification tag,
selves Creative Commoner Activists, work around health-monitoring systems, and devices that moni-
the clock to access and disseminate overseas enter- tor everything from location to emotional state. The
tainment and news to the public. Few succeed, and procedure, of course, is free. But the repercussions
those who do rarely enjoy their victory for long. The are long-lasting. Once implanted, the machinery
cryptographic algorithms utilized by the government cannot be removed in China — at least not without
alter with surprising speed, as do the variety of cus- first traversing a kaleidoscope of court cases. Given
tom-designed security programs. Some theorize that the phenomenal price tag involved, few choose that
an artificial intelligence might be behind it, although option. Even individuals who emigrate usually con-
no one knows for sure. tinue to maintain their hardware, an easy feat given
Still, the citizens of China remain content. What that China has licensed the knowledge to a variety
little unfiltered information from the outside world of foreign companies. While the implants restrict
that bleeds into China is taken for granted, brushed freedom, they also largely eliminate the possibili-
off as the fanciful imaginings of jealous outsiders. ty of identity theft and the need for passwords or
And for good reason. The population enjoys con- physical keys. The biomonitors are also responsible
siderable freedom, outside of matters pertinent to for the Chinese population’s impressive health and
other countries. Women are accorded equal rights. longevity. Even before the spread of noetic medi-
Men are given paternity leaves matching those of cine and vitakinetic healing, the average lifespan in
their spouses. Working hours are government reg- China was nearly a decade longer than in most oth-
ulated and an excellent basic citizen’s income en- er prosperous nations and rivaled Nippon’s.
sures that no one ever lacks necessities. In compari-
son to all that the state provides, the things required CRIME
of its denizens seem almost inconsequential. Crime is virtually nonexistent in China. At least,
Every resident of China, regardless of whether on a superficial level. It is widely known that
they were birthed in the country or are immigrants, criminal organizations entered mutually benefi-
cial agreements with the government during the

china 49
 Aberrant War. Chinese officials approached the identity, divorced from its millennia-old history.
heads of the local crime gangs, offering an alliance Today, China brims with artists, hackers, philoso-
that would allow the organizations to continue phers, and creatives of every other denomination
profiting while reducing their personal costs. The imaginable — each eager to make their mark, and
crime lords, starved for stability and already ragged to take advantage of the many benefits provided by
from defending their territories, said yes. the government.
As a result of this partnership, prostitution, drug The Neo-Beijing arcology practically shimmers
dealing, gambling, and other such pursuits have with color. With the help of Brunei’s bio-architec-
all been legalized, although they are strictly moni- tural technology, this metropolis is constantly being
tored. Discreet personnel swiftly remove anyone of altered, remodeled, and otherwise rewritten to suit
an inappropriate age or lacking the correct licenses the needs of its general populace. Art festivals take
and send them for rehabilitation or probationary place virtually every other week, many of which
action. Naturally, all of these conditions are volatile. have achieved international acclaim. Unlike in the
A bribe of sufficient size can make virtually any sin past, officials make no attempt to censor creative
disappear. Crimes of a more malevolent nature are work, even allowing blatant political criticism. In
also handled by this joint partnership between the order to acquire significant funding, however, in-
governments and the Triads. Contract killing is per- dividuals must make art pertinent to the country,
mitted, for example, but only if the victim also be- something many are happy to do.
longs to a criminal gang, the relevant parties survive These freedoms make for many genuinely hap-
the gauntlet of red tape, and are not outbid by their py citizens, something that outsiders are often
would-be victim. stunned to witness. Especially in Australian media,
This is not to say that China is completely free China is often misrepresented as a walled-up soci-
of lawless behavior. While organized crime is now, ety, where thoughts are heavily policed. The truth is
albeit somewhat secretly, cooperating with the gov- otherwise. The country has more individual liberty
ernment, independent ne’er-do-wells still attempt now than ever before. Though the Office of Noetic
to profit from a growingly complacent society. In a Security possesses a strong influence in the Chinese
curious twist, unaffiliated miscreants enjoy a great- cities, it is a subtle organization, less concerned
er freedom than they ever have before, as long as with flashing the hypothetical badge and more
they avoid violence. Most citizens are aware of this about maintaining harmony. Some Chinese people
unique cooperation and, as such, are far less like- point out that while they would prefer to be without
ly to report anomalous incidents and nonviolent the Office, its presence helps guarantee that their
crimes than they normally would, leaving the dar- doors can be left unlocked and wide open to receive
ing to do as they will. People also understand that strangers. Others freely admit to the help an ONS
government operatives and people who pay suf- agent provided to them or suspect that at least one
ficiently large bribes can ensure that their actions lucky coincidence in their life may have been due
leave no records and have no consequences and that to the ONS.
anyone who looks too closely into such events in- Internal movement in China is unrestricted out-
vites trouble. side of high-security facilities and travel to and from
On the flip side, discovery and retribution are China is exceedingly easy, depending on where
swifter than ever before. A pickpocket who does you’re coming from. Visa rules have long since
so only sporadically or stops after a few days may slackened. The country now features the speediest
never be noticed, but one who continues commit- processing time for international travelers. The ar-
ting crimes is certain to be caught. Also, all but the duous part of the journey takes place after landing,
subtlest violent crimes instantly alert police SIs, when visitors are sprayed down with antibacterial
leaving anyone foolish enough to commit assault, spray and checked for Corruption. Entering China
armed robbery, or any similar offense facing dozens without a visa requires the visitor to either belong
of armed drones backed by well-trained police. to one of its 35 allies, or to have a sufficient explana-
tion. Visa-facilitated travel requires nothing save an
DAILY LIFE official ID from a UN-recognized nation.
With China having shed many of its traditions,
the country is still groping for an entirely new

50 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 EUROPE
The passage of a century has left most of Europe devastation, and the once-great powers of Europe
almost unrecognizable. The European Union clings haul themselves up from the depths of despair. The
on as a fraying, tenuous web, while nations that were world, though, has moved on, and western Europe
once economic powerhouses lie in shambles. The ugly has a long way to go to catch up.
politics of isolationism, xenophobia, and paranoia
have found solid footholds here. It currently has much WESTERN EUROPE AT A GLANCE
in common with the age of shattered states and utter Western Europe is a place defined by borders and
devastation following the first World War. boundaries, suspicion and vigilance. Nations gird them-
selves in barbed wire and concrete; refugee-process-
WESTERN EUROPE ing camps play host to an endless parade of displaced
Western Europe suffered terribly during the ex- civilians under the glare of bright searchlights, guards,
cesses of the Aberrant War. Empowered lunatics and automated weapons emplacements. The media
unleashed a horrific death toll amidst densely pop- plays up the stereotypes and fears of Corruption, dis-
ulated, highly developed nations. The first-world ease, and crime coming from the devastation known as
infrastructure and heavy investment into the tech- la Blessure (French for “wound”). Politicians ask why
nological, service, and finance industries were just their hard-pressed people should shoulder the burden
as vulnerable to the less physical depredations of of caring for the poor, huddled masses at the gate.
the Aberrants — the OpNet Crash and the economic The situation is slowly improving. Aid to refugees
depression that followed the war. and victims of la Blessure is growing more efficient
A new era of social and political unrest washed in its administration and deployment, as the wider
through the European states as they struggled world realizes that this disaster will not be solved by
to cope. Borders shifted and tensions flared. The a quick fix. The utter confusion, finger pointing, and
European Union, sitting atop a powder keg, struck blame games that followed the impact are subsiding,
upon a solution — the Esperanza. This project revealing the long road to recovery that lies ahead.
would put an orbital platform into space, setting
Europe’s foot firmly back onto the ladder of space THE ESPERANZA BLESSURE
development. It would forge a fresh sense of com- — FRANCE, BELGIUM & THE
munal purpose among member states and pro- NETHERLANDS
vide an opportunity for investment and economic The Esperanza tore an immense scar across western
revitalization. Europe. The earthquakes and tidal waves that accom-
Europe’s hope was shattered when the Aberrants panied the apocalyptic impact reduced the Netherlands
returned from their exile. Almost three years ago, to a sinking morass. Paris was incinerated. The roll-
an Aberrant aimed the orbital station like a mete- ing landscape of most of the rest of France and half of
orite at the world below, riding the radioactive ruin Belgium was utterly ruined, becoming a wasteland of
down as an apocalyptic steed. The impact devastat- Quantum Flux, radioactivity, and wreckage.
ed much of France, the Netherlands, and Belgium; Much of the surviving population of these once-
huge fragments struck surrounding regions in a hail great nations dwells in shanty towns and camps along
of fire and death. Ten million died immediately in a la Blessure’s border. They are impoverished and de-
moment of Corrupted flame and nuclear light. pendent on international aid for their continued sur-
The Esperanza atrocity stabbed into the heart vival. Apart from a few resilient enclaves, France’s ag-
of western Europe like a spear and the wound still riculture and industry lie in ruins. What little recovery
bleeds fresh. Refugees pouring from the ruined the region has seen is confined to ports and towns on
regions found little welcome in the hard-pressed the western coast, gateways into the dark interior for
nations all around. Haphazard camps and grim scavengers, criminals, and relief teams.
processing centers sprang up where borders meet. More than a million inhabitants live in la Blessure
Shattered economies struggled to recover. There is itself, scraping by in areas of low radioactivity that are
hope to be found in the aftermath of Esperanza’s fall: mostly clear of Corruption. No one wants these last few
The Æsculapian Order gleams bright amidst the survivors, often not even their own kin in the processing

Europe 51
 ESPERANZA’S BREATH barons, but most just pass through settle-
ments, taking what they want. Occasional
Foreigners coming to western Europe are sur- savage attacks test the defensive walls sur-
prised by the ubiquitous nature of air filters and
rounding la Blessure. The refugees in their
breather masks. The impact of the orbital platform
hurled immense amounts of detritus up into the chaotic encampments have no such protec-
atmosphere that dimmed the sun for months. Even tion from Aberrant depredations.
three years later, atmospheric particle levels re- Amazingly, there are those to whom la
main exceptionally high, and most citizens have Blessure calls. Risking life and limb, treasure
to clean their dwelling’s filters on a weekly basis. seekers and looters search for salvage in the
Media scare stories about Corruption or radio- Esperanza’s blackened, twisted bones and the
active dust feature regularly, and the pollution ruined metroplexes of France. The sinking
has led to a genuine condition commonly called Netherlands plays host to slow, rusting vessels
Esperanza’s Breath. Incidents of all respiratory
that ply the watery streets, venturing into rot-
problems have soared.
ting buildings in search of a big score. Criminals
travel through la Blessure without fear of law
camps. The settlements that dot the landscape are oa- enforcement, using refugees and relief convoys
ses amidst the despair and madness, with their inhab- to mask their own illicit trades. Some of the locals toler-
itants scavenging what they can to keep machinery in ate theses interlopers because they bring food, money,
order and their people alive. Travel between enclaves and goods; others prey upon them with glee.
relies on armored vehicles made from old civilian auto- The French Diaspora spread refugees from la
mobiles. Bandits, Aberrant cultists, and worse still lurk Blessure across Europe. Even for those who make it
amidst the wreckage, waiting for prey. past the processing camps and into the comparative
No one knows how many Aberrants are active safety beyond, life is difficult in their new homelands.
within la Blessure; the region’s Quantum Flux hides Many are too devastated by what they experienced
them from clears. Their agenda and relative power to do more than keep their heads down and continue
levels are also unknown, but those that came down surviving. Some dream of returning to France, cleans-
with the descending Esperanza and survived are ing it of la Blessure, driving out the Aberrants, and re-
now at the center of growing cults and cultivate building. It’s a vast and overwhelming task, though,
herds of warped servants out in the worst areas of and even with the support of those few French expa-
Corruption. Some rule over survivor enclaves like triates who retained some of their wealth and foreign

BLESSURE WEATHER
From: BLTJetHunter
To: Peregrine745399
Subject: Weather Patterns
Encryption: DSE
Date: 11.25.2122, 9:06 PM
Grine,
Absolute 100% confirm that the weird shit going on over the Bless has got to be Aber-
rants. No way the Grand Slam could be responsible for this stuff even three years on. No way
it causes storms to pop up out of nowhere.
I got a confirmation on AEU-7366-AEI — it got dropped in Year One Post-Slam by a light-
ning storm over Limousin. Loaded to the gills with evac’d military and govt hardware, never
recovered. Problem is, even if we found 7366 and it didn’t have mutants crawling all over it,
how would we get hundreds of tonnes of tech back out of the Bless? Can’t trust the skies.
No, I don’t know how the Black Jets do it, but I’d dearly love to.

52 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

influence, most French Diaspora communities are fo- but organized crime receives no mercy. Aberrant in-
cusing on building a new life rather than trying to fight fluence among old crime families nearly toppled the
for their former home. nation during the War, leading to a determination that
Italy never faces such an internal threat again.
THE DEUTSCHE ALLIANZ More than any other European nation, Italy ex-
AND AUSTRIA tended its hand to the charities and relief organiza-
Germany and Austria are a confusing patchwork tions of the world. Thousands of Blessure refugees
of city-states, communities, and provinces that al- travel through its ports every year, carried off via
most hark back to an earlier age of history. Both sea to secondary processing centers in Africa or fur-
technically exist as overarching polities but possess ther afield. Unfortunately, this made Italy a natural
only the barest bones of authority. Most power has breeding ground for Aberrant cults to take root in,
devolved to local regions in a grand experiment of threading their tendrils further through the French
autonomy. Sadly, the idealism of the Allianz is a Diaspora.
poor match for the realities of modern Europe. Its
easternmost regions have fallen before Polish ag- THE NORTHERN COLLECTIVE
gression, and its western provinces struggle to deal Consisting of the northern Scandinavian states of
with the ongoing aftermath of the Esperanza im- Europe, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden,
pact, both refugees and the few areas of la Blessure the Collective emerged in the late 21st Century. The
caused by wayward fragments of the station that fell socialist state was hit hard during the Aberrant War,
on German soil. pulling itself back up from deep economic depression
just in time to founder under the weight of its invest-
ITALY ments in the Esperanza. Now infrastructure crumbles,
Italy is a rising star recovering faster than its neigh- the population is impoverished, unemployment runs
bors from economic depression and cultural shock. rampant, and people flee decaying arcologies. Splinter
Italian politics is a hotbed of rigorous debate and open sects and new faiths have found fertile ground
democracy backed up by a surprisingly brutal police amongst a people eager for new hope, but Aberrant
force; dissent and protest are all happily tolerated, cults hide among this new religious revival.

Europe 53
 BLACK JETS
The Black Jets thunder over the Channel and into la Blessure on classified operations.
Rumors spiral around why the United Republic sends heavily armored shock troops into la
Blessure and what might be worth the risks. The few reports of Black Jet troops from survi-
vor enclaves within la Blessure speak of unfriendly, sometimes brutal expeditionary forces
deploying into the wasteland, hunting down and dragging back captives and creatures.
One rumor that refuses to die is that they’re after Aberrants.

PORTUGAL & during and after the Aberrant War. Pursuing a pol-
icy of measured distance from the mainland, the
THE SPANISH PROVINCES
Republic’s lack of investment into the Esperanza
The Iberian Peninsula juxtaposes the growing protected it somewhat from the aftermath. Now it
power of Portugal against the diminished Spanish seeks to exploit opportunities that have emerged
Provinces. Portugal is thriving even in the wake of from the chaos. The hyper-managed agricultur-
the Esperanza atrocity, its open freeports serving al land and urban vertical farms of the Isles have
as a major hub of world trade. The culture is toler- stepped into the void left by France, producing
ant of almost any brand of ideology, faith or trade, crops to feed the hungry mouths of the mainland.
even Aberrant cultists. The law, by comparison, is Plans proceed apace for the construction of a space
vigorously and harshly enforced. The Portuguese elevator that Republican ministers are convinced
welcome all to do business, but all must do business will succeed where the Esperanza failed.
in peace.
The Republic guards its coastal borders fero-
Spain shattered into devolved, autonomous prov- ciously against refugees. The media fans the flames
inces. Unlike the voluntary social experiment of of xenophobia against foreigners, diverting atten-
Germany, Spain tore itself apart into its components tion away from the tensions that simmer beneath
through violence and political unrest. The provinc- the Republic’s surface, unrest, protests, and political
es vie with one another for resources and influence; violence show that the population has not forgotten
the northernmost reaches of Spain are growing the reunification. The United Republic is a police
closer to total collapse as they attempt to deal with state that relies heavily on technology to monitor
the humanitarian crisis of la Blessure with little help and control its citizens, but it is successful enough
from their southern cousins. that order continues to be maintained for now.
SWITZERLAND
EASTERN EUROPE
Once a bastion of neutrality, Switzerland has
Eastern Europe stands on the brink of war.
emerged as a leading light in Europe. Prosperous,
Powerful nations keep hungry watch over their bor-
highly developed, and serving as the headquarters
ders, eyeing their neighbors and waiting for the first
of the Æsculapian Order, Switzerland weathered
sign of weakness. Although it is almost as poor as
the storm of the War and the Esperanza well. It is
western Europe and desperate for resources, east-
now a hub for the administration of what is left of
ern Europe has retained much of its infrastructure
the European Union apparatus, as well as for relief
and industrial base. Both are being turned to the
efforts into la Blessure. However, a groundswell of
purpose of conquest.
support is buoying up extremist political elements
who encourage a return to isolationism and the THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER
rejection of outsiders; after all, they say, what has
Eastern Europe was spared the worst of the
Europe brought Switzerland but financial cost and
Esperanza disaster, but the impact of western
hardship?
Europe’s collapse gravely wounded the other half
THE UNITED REPUBLIC of the continent. The rampant nationalism and bel-
ligerent strategies of these nations did not simply
Mockingly referred to as the Fortress Islands, the
spring up in the past three years, however. It stems
United Republic of the British Isles emerged from
back across decades of depression, tensions, and
a forcible reunification of its component nations

54 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

enmities, stoked by the Aberrant War and carefully territories, and now it sits back and waits for the
fostered by political factions. wounded beast to bleed out. What’s left of the Greek
There’s no easy way out for any of the partici- economy has been turned to the war effort, but the fi-
pants. The first moves in the game of conquest have nal invasion never comes. Listless troops and twitchy
been made, and every nation fervently believes it pilots wait, the tension growing with each passing
needs more than it has. Anti-war sentiments are month. Sooner or later someone’s going to snap.
a minority voice. Not everyone is content to stand
aside and let conflict erupt, however. The Æon MAGYARORSZAG
Trinity seeks to avert open warfare and ensure as Magyarorszag, once called Hungary, is living
peaceful a revolution as possible in the unpredict- on borrowed time. Although proud and indepen-
able and potentially explosive nation of Romania. dent-spirited, Magyarorszag is smaller and poorer
than the regional powers of Poland and Ukraine.
EASTERN EUROPE AT A GLANCE The government is frantically trying to bootstrap
Eastern Europe is a place of tension and of op- itself up to the big leagues before the first shots are
portunity. The nations have not suffered like their fired, pouring what wealth it possesses into merce-
western counterparts and seek an edge to revive naries and military technology. Magyar spies and
their past glory. They all believe that edge has to agents move into the northern nations and Romania
come at the cost of rival nations. Spies and infiltra- on the hunt for any advantage that can be gleaned.
tors are commonplace tools amongst the great pow- On the political stage, Magyarorszag does every-
ers. People are suspicious of outsiders not because thing it can to serve as a mediator in disputes that
they might be Corrupted or refugees, but because affect Poland, Ukraine, or Russia, knowing that ev-
they might be foreign agents or saboteurs. ery year the war is put off is another year the coun-
Despite the oppression, the secret police, and try has to prepare itself and dig in.
the surveillance cameras, eastern Europeans share
a flame of ambition. There’s a sense that anything
NEW TURKISH PROTECTORATE
could be possible, that they’re on the way up, and The resurgent power of Turkey is a shining ex-
that prosperity will soon return. They also fear that ample of prosperity and order in the region. Barely
someone is going to try and take it away from them. touched by the economic crisis that shattered the
A shivering feeling of potential builds in undercur- continent, the New Turkish Protectorate has spread
rents throughout the societies of eastern Europe. its wings over Bulgaria, portions of the Shatter, and
Some smell revolution in the air. parts of Greece. Elsewhere, its influence grows in
Russia’s bordering states and what is left of the
CZECH REPUBLIC Middle East. The NTP’s expansionist policy holds
Militarily weak, the Czech Republic has used its to the notion that it is helping its neighbors, an elder
prowess in the arena of culture and media to forge a statesman bringing wounded and crippled states
different path. The Republic fights through words, mu- into its fatherly embrace. The reality may be quite
sic, and art rather than artillery and drones. Pitching different, but the NTP runs an effective internation-
itself as a cultural capital from which the whole world al relations and media department.
can benefit, the Czech Republic has signed treaties Under the carefully managed propaganda, the NTP
with both Australia and the UAN. It supplies an entire struggles with internal unrest that threatens to bloom
industry of media vids, actors, and artistic expression, into rebellion. Religious sects are at odds with the sec-
exporting to its patrons in return for wealth and pro- ular government, demanding that the Protectorate
tection. Compared to the grim continent in which it is become a religious state — a new Ottoman Empire.
ensconced, the Czech Republic stands out as a font of While the country is predominantly Islamic, the gen-
individualism and optimism. erals and ministers have no desire to relinquish their
power and return to the distant past. Tough crack-
GREECE downs on religious dissidents only seem to fan the
Greece slumps on the shores of the Mediterranean, flames, while pro-democracy activists attempt to set
slowly dying. The New Turkish Protectorate has the autocrats and zealots against one another in an ef-
absorbed portions of its northern and eastern fort to make room for positive change.

Europe 55
 POLAND the fold and harnessing their resources. Rumors of
secret military treaties between Russia and the FSA
Poland is an industrial behemoth bent on con-
worry both of their neighbors. For now, it is con-
quest. Its borders have already expanded over the
tent to use its agents to foment rebellion and unrest
eastern reaches of Germany, part of Belarus, and all
across the region, knowing that sooner or later an
of Lithuania. The country’s heavy manufacturing
opportunity will present itself.
base and vast, mechanized farms have armed it with
the infrastructure needed to build and maintain an
THE SHATTER
army supported by armor and drones.
A rough smear on the map, the Shatter spreads
Buoyed on a tide of intense nationalism, Poland sees it-
across the Balkans in a dizzying array of city-states,
self as the responsible adult in the region. It conquers its
autonomous provinces, and independent polities.
neighbors because they are mired in disorder and poverty,
The Shatter is what remains of several smaller
whereas it knows better how to use their resources for
nations (and the bordering regions of some larger
their own good, and for Poland’s benefit too, of course. In
ones) that dissolved through decades of civil war,
the meantime, Polish manufacturing is beginning to reach
unrest, and the occasional brilliant moment of so-
new markets both around the world and off it. It grows
cial experimentation. These self-sufficient enclaves
wealthier, and stronger, and prepares for the next stage in
vary wildly in nature. Some are high-tech, spar-
stabilizing eastern Europe through force of arms. Its gov-
kling jewels of modernity and wealth, while others
ernment is democratic, and most of the populace strongly
are dilapidated shambles of poverty and despair.
supports arming the nation for war.
The Shatter lacks the unity needed to stand strong
ROMANIA against the surrounding powers that covet it. In the
face of growing NTP aggression, portions are actu-
It’s not a question of if Romania will implode, but
ally reversing their devolution and gathering under
when. Romania is ruled by a queen with only the most
old banners of nationality and allegiance. Serbia
tenuous of links to the old royal family, wielding abso-
was the first to declare itself reformed, and is now
lute power over her subjects. This bizarre set of circum-
energetically seeking to reestablish its old borders.
stances is due to Romanian novas who helped over-
throw the democratic government just before the War. UKRAINE
While the Aberrants themselves are long gone, they left
Ukraine is a model of stark efficiency — a totalitar-
the queen and her loyalists a stockpile of Aberrant tech-
ian police state where the trains always run on time.
nology, the exact limitations and nature of which are
There’s food on every table and a roof over every head,
not entirely certain. Who dares poke the hornet’s nest
but luxuries are rare, and freedom of expression al-
and see what horrors the queen is sitting atop?
most nonexistent. The Ukrainian government see
The people of Romania dare. The country is mired
expansion and conquest of weaker neighbors as the
in increasing civil unrest. The government crushes
most effective way of recovering economic strength,
dissent with casual brutality, but all it does is push the
and the country is undergoing a military buildup with
citizens to greater anger. Neighboring nations watch
heavy recruitment drives amongst the rural popula-
with growing alarm as the country edges closer to the
tion. Its armed forces are powerful enough to take on
brink, while spies and Æon Trinity operatives sneak
either Poland or the NTP, but not both at once.
across the border to try and discover just what techno-
Even as it spreads its own infiltrators and spies
logical madness the Aberrants left behind.
into the region, Ukraine is itself the battleground
RUSSIA of a proxy war by its neighbors. The sheer oppres-
sive nature of its rule has left the government facing
At the edge of Europe, Russia watches and waits,
growing unrest among its citizens, aided and sup-
its ambition fueled by bitter resentment. The past
ported by Polish and Russian agents. These agents
decades have been cruel to that nation. The scars of
are shaping extremist political movements to sup-
the Aberrant War and deep financial problems have
port their own ends, stirring up the first sparks of a
resulted in Russia having to offer up portions of its
civil war. If those embers catch and the fire spreads,
eastern territories to China under mutual develop-
Ukraine will become prey to be torn apart by its
ment schemes. Russia wants to step back up as a ma-
neighbors, and the flames will spread throughout
jor player on the world stage by proving its strength
eastern Europe.
on its western borders, bringing old territories into

56 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

FEDERATED STATES OF AMERICA
The land of the free, and the home of the brave? only thing between American ideals and cultural
Not the Federated States of America. In 2123, the extinction was the US military, supported by well-
FSA clings to power through ruthless observation paid private security forces and the corporate-con-
and control of its people, both citizens and non-citi- trolled military industrial complex. The armed
zens. Built on a foundation of fear and paranoia, the forces were depleted, but canny officers understood
FSA marches forward under the sway of metacor- the consequences of the Blight and ordered their
poration money, jingoistic racism, religious fervor, soldiers to seize munitions and rations. The military
and government control. had structure, discipline, and weapons to keep them
and their families safe from the chaos surrounding
HISTORY them.
The glory days of the United States of America With the civilian government in disarray and the
are long past, replaced with the FSA’s paranoid people desperate for leadership, the military de-
suspicions. American suffered more than most clared independence from political bodies and as-
in the Aberrant Wars. Nova emergence wasn’t sumed full control of America’s remaining defense
linked to any particular country, but the presence network. It commandeered whatever it required to
of Aberrants increased the likelihood of new erup- fight the enemies of freedom. Opportunistic politi-
tions, and the US attracted hundreds of these god- cians quickly engaged with the new power struc-
like beings to its shores. tures, calling in favors and using their political skills
When tensions between Aberrants and humans to secure field commissions within the new military
spilled into war, America was home to some of government. They sold the new junta to the people
the first and largest battlegrounds. In 2054, the and delighted in power without the irritations of
nova Felice Taylor accidentally swept a series of elections and public scrutiny. Opponents of the new
megatsunamis across the state of Florida, killing regime were arrested or murdered.
millions and transforming the land into dozens of As the military government stabilized its au-
islands. Taylor disappeared in the floods, presumed thority, it greedily eyed the resources of its north-
killed in the devastation she wrought. ern and southern neighbors. America’s stockpiled
The detonation of the Aberrant Calvert Wycoff goods wouldn’t last forever and the global Aberrant
in 2061 devastated North America’s heartland, in- War had collapsed trade. Devastating earthquakes
stantly vaporized everything within 200 kilome- across Mexico killed millions and destabilized the
ters, and Corrupting the land for another 1,000. The government. Under the guise of securing its bor-
Aberrant energies reduced soil fertility by 90 per- ders, America annexed Mexico and crushed the de-
cent and twisted the genetics of every living thing pleted opposition.
within the Blight — today, mutated spawn still es- With Mexico secured — and South America ner-
cape the zone to spread their Corruption. vous about what was next — America launched
The Blight destroyed the country’s agricultural surprise attacks into Canada. Canadian forces were
belt and angered the already frightened citizens. ill-prepared for the unexpected aggression. They
Famine swept across the nation, with the rich mounted a well-organized and effective defense
stockpiling what they could and leaving the poor that might have repelled the invaders had Quebec
to starve. The already wide class divisions within not turned on its own. American spies had worked
the nation grew starker; a vast gulf separated the hard to win Québécois support and promised the
“haves” from the “have-nots.” region independence as its reward. Canada fought
hard for nearly five years before having to surrender
MILITARY SAVIORS and accept American control.
Starvation wasn’t the only peril faced by the
United States. Aberrants attacked every urban
RISE OF THE MILITARY-
center, maddened by Corruption or desperate for CORPORATE COMPLEX
their own twisted survival. Millions were killed; Canada’s submission came just in time. American
the country was destabilized and exhausted. The resources were almost depleted and the military

federated states of america 57

 CITIZENSHIP AND THE WEALTH EDGE charged with a crime can request to
have it heard in a court — for a fee.
Characters with one or fewer dots of the Wealth Edge First-class citizens buy their way
cannot be first-class citizens of the FSA. Characters with into the privilege. Every ¥10,000 paid
two dots in Wealth can be first-class citizens, but the in taxes earns an individual one vote,
expense of doing so effectively reduces their Wealth by and those with three or more votes
one dot. However, characters with three or more dots
are first-class citizens. First-class
of Wealth can afford to be first-class citizens of the FSA
with no noticeable decrease in their available wealth. citizens enjoy full protection of their
property and rights, have procedural
justice applied by default, are legally
had diverted civilian provisions to its soldiers; pub- able to own and carry firearms, and
lic support waned and violent revolts erupted. To can question FSA decisions.
counter the threat of destabilization, the government Purchasing votes through taxation means that
turned to a mixture of God and an aggressive sense corporations and other rich enterprises count as
of national superiority to keep the population placat- citizens under FSA law and enjoy the legal protec-
ed. Christian faith was an important motivator for tions and influence this entails. This is one of the
the military. Religion soothed soldiers’ consciences greatest difficulties the FSA government has with
when they fought rampaging Aberrants rather than Orgotek — although they’d love to control the or-
saving civilians. Faith in God’s plan comforted troops der’s psions and acquire its assets, the corporation
as they followed the junta’s orders. The generals fa- scrupulously pays its taxes, holds a large voting
vored doctrines that stated all humans were filled bloc, and demands that every legal consideration
with sin, and could only achieve salvation through and procedure is followed to the letter. Orgotek also
fulfilling God’s wishes, which primarily involved pursues any discrepancies through the courts, tying
punishing the unrighteous and the unclean. The mil- up FSA resources and time, as it is entitled to do as
itary encouraged civilians to join militant churches a first-class citizen.
that supported the junta; the faithful filled their bel-
lies while apostates starved. The priests proselytized CLASS WARS AND ALIENATION
that God’s love came through faithful obedience to The government benefits from keeping the popu-
the government. Unsurprisingly, church services lation divided. FSA propaganda teaches Americans
quickly filled to capacity. to despise the “others” in society and beyond its
With the country nearly stable, but government borders. Aberrants and their cultists are obvious
resources exhausted, the private corporations that targets for this hatred, but the government en-
had profited from war seized the chance for great- courages fear and loathing of all foreigners — any
er power. They proposed an alliance with the mil- of them could be secret Aberrant cultists. The FSA
itary that blurred the lines between corporate and especially promotes discrimination against nations
government. Corporations gained the authority to with technology or resources it wants to acquire,
enact their own laws within their holdings, and in such as Nippon and Sudamérica.
return guaranteed financial and manufacturing First-class citizens despise the second-class for
supply to the military government. The rise of this being lazy and lacking ambition. If second-class citi-
“military-corporate complex” was the death knell zens worked harder, they would surely earn enough
of the old USA. From its ashes rose the grim phoe- wealth to join the first-class. Of course, the first-
nix of the Federated States of America, supported class places as many obstacles as possible in their
by the powerful FSM, the Federated States Military. path, and privately despairs of the second-class ever
elevating itself.
CITIZENSHIP Both classes despise the non-citizens who per-
FSA citizenship isn’t complicated. Everyone with form the menial, dangerous, and disgusting tasks no
at least one parent who is an FSA citizen gains sec- one else wants. Many are refugees who fled Europe
ond-class citizenship, affording some rights and after the Esperanza crash; the FSA uses them as
protections to the individual. Second-class citizens scapegoats for all society’s problems. However, even
are protected from unauthorized searches and sei- these non-citizens can purchase first-class citizen-
zures of property, can attend public meetings, and if ship, though such success stories are vanishingly

58 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

rare. The second-class harbors a lingering mis- have recently decided that their best source of fun is to
trust and paranoia that non-citizens hoard wealth “dress down” and mix with the lower classes. Several
so they can join the first-class and take revenge on unwary cops have been reassigned — or even lost their
the people who used to make their lives miserable. jobs entirely — after accosting the wrong “slummer”
Many second-class citizens channel this paranoia heading home. In a clear example of social evolution,
by further degrading people who mostly just want police working in rich areas quickly learned to identi-
to live their lives in peace, and the most violent sec- fy the privileged mannerisms of the elite, regardless of
ond-class citizens know that if they want to vent what they wear or how they appear.
their frustration by smashing the shop windows or In the poorest areas, security agencies would like
defacing the homes of non-citizens, the police are to know what non-citizens are doing at all times, but
unlikely to ever take action. Non-citizens are com- working surveillance equipment is rare. Street techs,
mon villains in FSA entertainments, with many por- vendors, and other “entrepreneurs” quickly salvage
trayed as devious agents of hostile foreign powers anything of value, stripping the locator chips and
or Aberrant cultists. tracking software from devices as their first priority.
Zappers (p. 295) are another popular way to tempo-
THE SURVEILLANCE STATE rarily disable security, and are relatively cheap and
Watch what you say and do in the FSA; the un- easily accessible on the black market.
spoken government message is that someone is al- The people with the least freedom and the most
ways watching, and the walls have ears. The truth government oversight of their activities are the
is more complicated. In the richer, first-class areas, wage slave second-class citizens. They are the
FSA cameras and drones mostly look outward. In backbone of the FSA, but the government works to
these areas, police respond to those who look like ensure they never realize it. Though the American
they don’t belong faster than a biokinetic changes dream is to make enough money to buy first-class
her shape. Sometimes, they’ll give the offender a citizenship, many workers don’t realize that it’s not
chance to explain before the beating starts. profitable to allow them to succeed. A few token
The cops have had to be more careful of late. The individuals climb the ladder and encourage oth-
rich progeny of politicians and corporate executives ers to work harder. These “success stories” must

federated states of america 59

 never forget their place or to whom they owe their ALLIES & ENEMIES
allegiance.
Unofficially, every non-FSA citizen is seen as
CORPORATE ESPIONAGE an enemy of the state. The FSA covets the assets
and advantages of every other nation, and would
FSA political culture encourages financial
love to conquer and take what it wants from
Darwinism. A corporation’s influence depends en-
them. Officially, the FSA has ongoing tensions
tirely on how much money it pays in taxes to the
with Sudamérica, which hasn’t forgotten the long
government. The government ruthlessly enforces
American history of flexing muscles and ignoring
this policy, as it discourages tax evasion and fills
Sudamérican sovereign borders. Sudamérica subtly
FSA coffers.
provokes the FSA by interfering with its interests
Every corporation dedicates resources to predict- whenever possible. Sudamérican mercenaries find
ing which issues it needs to exert influence on, and steady work in the FSA’s corporate shadow wars —
calculating the votes required to enforce its will. If a but have a tendency to inflict more collateral dam-
corporation has fewer votes, and can’t build allianc- age than required and bring the government’s ire
es to reach the target, it can either overpay taxes to onto unwary corporations.
make up the shortfall, or sabotage rivals to reduce
The FSA is also vocally opposed to the UAN. No
their voting power. For profit-driven corporate di-
matter what ideas the African nation advances or
rectors, the latter course is seen as the more fiscally
developments it implements, the FSA spreads pro-
sensible.
paganda and misinformation linking the modern
A thriving black market of deniable mercenaries nation to archaic racist stereotypes and caricatures
and black-bag jobs grew from this financial ecology. of Africa. When words fail, the FSA sponsors insur-
Metacorporations dedicate sections to undertake gents and terrorists to spread mayhem and weaken
criminal tasks that can’t be traced back to the com- the UAN’s political capital.
pany. When a research lab explodes days before its
parent corporation announces a new product, or THREATS & FEATURES OF
the lead strategists disappear overnight, everyone
knows what happened, but nothing can be proved.
INTEREST
Beyond these corporate teams is an illegal criminal While most of the FSA is a relatively peaceful, if
workforce of non-citizens, foreigners, or down-on- brutally unjust and unequal, nation many troubles
their-luck citizens, all willing to do anything for are waiting for a chance to break free.
cash. The corporations (and the government) use
these people when they need services that can’t be WYCOFF’S BLIGHT
conducted in the neon light of corporate towers. The government wants citizens to believe that
Specialist employees skilled in negotiating with Wycoff’s Blight is a barren area devoid of life and
these criminals demand high salaries; they know habitation, but this is a lie. The truth is that the land
how to pay for services rendered while hiding it all within Wycoff’s Blight is Corrupted and plants grow
in the official ledgers. poorly. However, twisted crops do grow, tended by
The government approves of these rivalries, as hardy rebels who relish freedom from FSA tyranny
long as they don’t cause national damage. Several more than an easy existence. Most Blight-dwellers
corporations were compulsorily acquired, and their are nomads who move with the strange unseasonal
assets were divided among rivals after they pushed fruiting of the mutated plants, although some small
too far and destroyed something that would have permanent settlements exist, reclaiming the aban-
given FSA an advantage over other nations. Theft doned dwellings of old American towns.
of intellectual property, reverse engineering, or These blighted crops are the source of a thriving
kidnapping personnel are acceptable; loss of FSA black market in Corruption-enhanced drugs. These
power is not. The government periodically reminds bizarre pharmaceuticals have unusual effects;
the metacorporations of their symbiotic national some are medicines of great potency, others make
arrangement by using military resources and over- the quantum and subquantum visible and open
whelming firepower to counterattack some of the the doors of time and space — for brief periods, at
more borderline shadow jobs. least. A few of these drugs have a profound effect
on psions, enhancing their powers, but burning out

60 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 military targets persisted for years and were vio-
their psi over time. The psi orders are divided over
these drugs. Some want to study the chemicals tolently quashed by the FSA. The military arrested
and executed hundreds of suspected insurgents and
eliminate their drawbacks and harness the benefits,
their families, to set an example for others. It didn’t
while others want to eradicate them as an ongoing
have the intended impact, instead generating more
threat to psions. The FSA rebuffs all psi order offers
hatred and resentment. The resistance evolved into
of assistance, forcing the orders to use their own
means to achieve their goals. a smarter, more clandestine force, structured in a
loose network of cells where each knows as little
The FSA military periodically sends patrols into
about the others as possible.
the Blight, to hunt known fugitives, or to just kill
anyone they find. They have a particular interest Mexican resistance grows in the southern states,
emboldened by Canadian success and covert
in capturing unauthorized psions within the area,
and are quick to resort to deadly force if theseSudamérican backing. Sudamérica and at least a few
Norça provide weapons and training to Mexican
“rogues” refuse to surrender and face FSA justice.
Meanwhile, members of the Fifth Legion have the resistance fighters to destabilize the FSA and pos-
sibly reclaim Mexico to Sudamérican control. The
thankless and far more dangerous job of eliminating
the Blight’s Aberrants and Aberrant cults. geographic division and cell structure prevents easy
For reasons unknown to the FSA, the Blight’s cooperation between the two rebel forces, but limit-
Quantum Flux suddenly, and mysteriously, surged ed local alliances sometimes arise. Charismatic and
influential leaders are emerging from both move-
and collapsed in 2104, shrinking the Blight’s area
ments, who consider how to coordinate their efforts
by a third. FSA scientists have concluded that the
without opening themselves to FSA annihilation.
previously affected areas have little to no lingering
Corruption. These agricultural lands appear to be The frequency of attacks has increased in the
last three years, as both resistances target corpo-
as fertile and safe as before Wycoff’s explosion. For
rate holdings and government services. The FSA
the past decade, the FSA has funded a trial program
of carefully monitored settlements in the outer ruthlessly pursues those it suspects to be resistance
fighters or sympathizers, but must be careful. Too
portions of the former Blight, in the hopes that the
country can reclaim some of its lost food belt. much overt effort brings publicity and gives cre-
dence to the Canadian and Mexican loyalists. At
REVOLUTION present, the FSA prefers to use mercenaries sup-
Though government propaganda claims oth- plemented with psions when possible, preferably
erwise, the Canadian resistance was never fully telepaths, to root out the traitors and bring them to
eradicated. Acts of terror and sabotage against FSA justice.

INDIA &
THE BHARATI COMMONWEALTH
In the wake of the Aberrant Wars, India was a ris- novas came to India for its Hindu beliefs and practices.
ing powerhouse of democracy and trade, drawing These power-hungry demigods positioned themselves
on an enthusiastic and willing population to rebuild to rule over their human cults in remote fortresses
the tarnished jewel in Asia’s crown. Now backroom carved from the bedrock by quantum powers.
deals, political doubletalk, and corporate greed When human-Aberrant tensions exploded
threaten to take all India’s dreams and transform into open conflict, China preemptively struck the
them into poverty-stricken nightmares. Aberrant strongholds in neighboring countries to
prevent them threatening Chinese territory. India
HISTORY suffered the most in these assaults, but other coun-
India was hit hard during the Aberrant Wars. Though tries around it weren’t immune to China’s protec-
the subcontinent’s Aberrant population wasn’t large tionist interests.
— many Indian novas left the country as soon as they China’s aggression shocked and outraged India’s
erupted, pursuing money and fame abroad — several people. The earliest Chinese strikes avoided densely

india & the bharati commonwealth 61

 SUBJECT: NOT JUST INDIA!!!!
From: Minister Md. Fateh Aslam, Chief Representative for Pakistan, Bharati Common-
wealth.
To: Warren Shaw, OBC
Encryption: SPE
Date: 4.23.2121, 10:13 AM
Mr. Shaw,
I am writing on behalf of my colleagues to express our displeasure at your recent article, “In-
sight into India.” While the article was generally well-researched and fairly presented, you perpetuat-
ed an inaccuracy many foreigners believe, and I entreat you to publish a correction and an apology.
In case you are unaware of the error you have made, please allow me to be clear. The
Bharati Commonwealth is not just India. Bharati’s member states come from the former coun-
tries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and to reduce
the long, rich histories of each of these wonderful cultures to just “India” is an insult.
I look forward to reading your correction.

populated areas, but as the Aberrants moved into Every member state of the Commonwealth has a
human cities to hide among civilians, collateral number of representative votes in the Bharati par-
damage was unavoidable. Instead of retaliating, liament, based on its population. While this gives
India was forced to fight for survival as the Crash the larger states an advantage, positional alliances
destroyed its military and civilian communications come together constantly and break apart just as
networks, and enraged Aberrants turned on the quickly, as delegates agree to support each other in
Indian population, wrongly blaming them for the return for future considerations. In practice, no one
deaths of their fellows. state can dictate to the Commonwealth without the
India struggled on throughout the War, sup- support of others.
ported by surrounding nations who similarly suf- This thriving democracy empowers the people
fered at the hands of Chinese strategy. These his- to speak their minds and demand to be heard — re-
toric enemies set aside tensions in order to survive gardless of whether the politicians want to hear
against superior foes. Soldiers from Afghanistan, them. Over the last decade, the Bharati government
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka worked with local corporations in the largest con-
joined Indian forces as a coalition working together struction project the nation had ever seen — the
to repel attacks and protect their populations from Trimūrti. Minor protests broke out among the most
slaughter. Bound together by shared ties of spilled devout Hindu segments of the population for per-
blood and fallen friends, these hostile nations large- ceived blasphemy in the name but, despite this ob-
ly overcame their differences and consolidated stacle, the Trimūrti was to be a grand triumvirate of
their remaining resources into the nascent Bharati Bharati engineering triumph. Outside of Colombo, in
Commonwealth. what had been Sri Lanka, the largest interplanetary
freight logistics depot in the world sprawled at the
RISING STARS, bottom of a massive, state-of-the-art space elevator
FALLEN ANGELS capable of carrying heavier loads into orbit faster
than ever before. A large space station sat in geosyn-
Born from different countries with long histories of
chronous orbit at the top of the elevator, with triple
tribal struggles and cultural differences, the Bharati
roles as luxury tourist destination, space travel trans-
Commonwealth survived its early post-war years by
port hub, and microgravity manufacturing facility.
doggedly following democratic principles as the only
When the Esperanza crashed, the government
way to ensure the different needs of the states were
saw opportunity in the devastation and redoubled
met and the voices of their populations were heard.
construction speed, injecting even more money,

62 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

labor, and resources into the project. The Trimūrti nor forgiven China’s actions in the War, even if it
Construction Corporation (TCC) became the single arguably did singlehandedly save humanity from
largest employer in the Bharati Commonwealth. extinction.
Unfortunately, the thirst for glory and desire to el- The Commonwealth’s relations with the FSA are
evate the Commonwealth’s international standing similarly tense, as several Trimūrti subcontractors
was its undoing. Four months ago, independent in- have their corporate headquarters in the Federated
spectors discovered fatal construction flaws with States — or moved their corporate address there
the space elevator that made it dangerously unsta- immediately before the release of the independent
ble without extensive — and expensive — repairs. report, having illegally received leaked previews.
The public revelation caused massive social unrest. The FSA has protected these companies from hav-
In short order, thousands of Bharati citizens em- ing to repay debts to India (after ensuring they’ve
ployed by the TCC were out of work as the corpo- paid taxes to the FSA, of course) and has rebuffed
ration filed for bankruptcy. The government barely any Commonwealth attempts to recoup its losses
has the funds to pay for the repairs to the elevator, through the legal means.
but can’t cover the enormous unemployment com- The Bharati Commonwealth still experiences
pensation demanded by the tens of thousands of significant cultural (and historical) tensions be-
suddenly unemployed workers. tween the member states. While each acknowledg-
Since the debacle, huge protests have erupted in es the benefits of maintaining the Commonwealth,
many Bharati cities, particularly in India and Sri none are willing to completely forget centuries of
Lanka, accusing the government of collusion with antagonism and colonialism when they were sepa-
the corporations, including bribery, graft, nepotism, rate nations. None (except India) like India’s promi-
and any other corruption the citizens can conceive. nence and dominant voting power, and government
Some of these allegations have substance, some are processes are often sabotaged by representatives
baseless ranting from the angry populace, but all in- voting with petty motivations, rather than in the
crease the anger towards the government. best interest of their state.
The chief agitators and leaders of the various
protest movements have called on the TCC (and PSI INDIA
its subsidiaries and subcontractors) to repay the In the wake of the Trimūrti disaster, the Bharati
money they received from the government. Many government hatched an even more daring scheme
of the corporations disbanded, leaving few assets to capture the public’s imagination and support.
and no cash from their government contracts, whileIndia will persuade one of the psi orders to move
others took the money — and their corporate risk —its headquarters (and Prometheus Chamber) to the
offshore to nations who take some pleasure in the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is prepared
Bharati woes, and are unwilling to yield to the de-
to offer substantial financial, logistical, and legal
mands of unhappy Indians. considerations to make this happen.
Denied financial satisfaction, the protest move- India was well acquainted with the power and pres-
ments call for the resignation and asset forfei- tige that came from housing one of the Orders, with
ture of various government officials. The longer the Chitra Bhanu being a source of strength and in-
the movements continue, the more agitated and fluence for the Commonwealth before the Order’s de-
volatile the protestors become. Several protests struction at the hands of their fellow psions. Unknown
have ended violently, with police and military be-to outsiders, the Bharati government helped hide and
ing used to disperse the crowds and restore order.repatriate several members of the “Indian Order” as
Unfortunately, these tactics encourage other out- they fled the other Orders. Any reluctance some offi-
raged citizens to join the protests, and the groups
cials felt evaporated when they learned of the Chinese
have almost grown large and angry enough that theyMinistry’s leading role in the purge.
can no longer be suppressed by government forces. The government maintains carefully hidden com-
munications channels with these Chibs. It hopes
ALLIES & ENEMIES they can one day reemerge from the darkness and
The Bharati Commonwealth has no official en- again take their place among the Orders. Having an
emies, but has plenty of lingering antagonism to- Indian psi order in place is seen as a desirable step
wards China. The people have neither forgotten towards this goal.

india & the bharati commonwealth 63

 The biggest obstacles to this plan are the Orders Æsculapians, Legions, or Orgotek would gain by
themselves. Most have deep cultural ties to their moving to India, and has approached all three to
homes, and their proxies are each very much prod- open negotiations. While these three Orders have
ucts of their environment. Norça, Upeo, and ISRA not been overly enthusiastic in the initial discus-
are all considered to be impossible challenges to sions, neither have any of them refused to talk, or
entice to India. The Ministry is similarly out of turned the Commonwealth representatives away. A
reach, but the Commonwealth moves forward with few Commonwealth negotiators believe that Proxy
plans simply to see the despair such a defection Alex Cassel is interested because he wishes to en-
would cause to China. The Bharati government sure that Orgotek has a safe haven if relations be-
sees various inducements and advantages that the tween Orgotek and the FSA ever break down.

LUNA
Although many Lunar residents strongly object, underground estates. Gentrification sent the low-
much of Earth’s population no longer considers Luna er-class workers to the vacated areas to be exploit-
to be a different world. Jump rings transport trav- ed by criminal slumlords. Corporations and govern-
elers to Luna in an instant, and even by spacecraft, ments expanded Olympus upwards and took over
the journey to Luna typically takes only a few hours nearby craters for mining and research facilities.
— often less time than it takes to fly from Beijing to In 2100, the Olympus government drafted the Lunar
Buenos Aires. Today, almost 50 million people make Unity Agreement and offered other colonies a place on
Luna their home and more than 250 million people the new Lunar Advisory Council. Membership meant
living on Earth have visited Olympus, which is by far a support structure for those willing to abide by a ba-
the largest and most populous Lunar settlement. sic set of legal guidelines. The LAC brought residents
from different sectors together to produce services
FROM BARREN ROCK TO like the United Lunar Police Force (ULPF) and the
TEEMING METROPOLIS Vacuum Emergency Response teams. Eighty percent
of all Lunar settlements joined this new community,
The original Olympus research and mining facility
leaving only a few fiercely independent holdouts.
was first established in the early 21st century. NASA
constructed this base in the Galatea crater, near the
Lunar south pole, and next to the largest known de-
OLYMPUS
posit of ice on Luna. This ice continues to provide vast Olympus, also called “The Mount,” is divid-
reserves of fresh water for the inhabitants. Within ed into four sectors based on their placement
a decade of its construction, tunnels connected along the inside of the Galatea crater. The shiny
Olympus to the neighboring Camelot and Yeltsingrad and glittering Upside consists mostly of post-war
bases. The development of grav crystals in 2043 skyscrapers and domed sectors starting at Level
helped prevent the health problems previously associ- 12 and reaching more than 500 meters above the
ated with long-term exposure to low gravity. lunar surface. Between Level 12 and Sublevel 3,
In 2056, Aberrants calling themselves the Space the recently gentrified near-surface level of the
Brigade invaded Olympus. These semi-sane mon- Mezzanine now hosts many of Luna’s corporate
sters controlled it for the entirety of the Aberrant and political concerns. Beneath that is the mid-
War, but departed after the Chinese Ultimatum. dle-class region called Downside, until one reach-
With the Aberrants gone, restored contact between es Sublevel 32 where the Underworld beneath is
the Earth and the moon allowed people to start tightly controlled by powerful individuals with
afresh and leave behind their war-ravaged home- more money than compassion.
lands. Repairing the colony provided the perfect op- The main complex and the outlying settlements
portunity to expand humanity’s off-world foothold are connected by the Luna Automated Maglev
and build a gateway to the stars. Pneumatic train system. The LAMP’s Blueline service
During the recovery, new technology and im- reaches from the Mezzanine and Downside to the
proved shielding made surface living safer. The major outlying colonies. The Redline’s on-call “auto-
wealthy elite moved up from their shielded matic taxi” service is even faster and reaches into the

64 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

lower levels of Upside. Hoppers are LUNAR WEAPONS LAWS
available to cross the surface to those
areas outside the LAMP network. Only sonic, taser, and flechette guns are legal on Luna.
All weapons that have even a small chance of piercing
UPSIDE a wall and potentially opening a structure of vacuum are
Newcomers to the modern Mount
highly illegal. Like arson or unauthorized use of explo-
sives, possessing or using prohibited weapons on Luna
often arrive at Yutu Yinchon’s space-
are some of the crimes that the United Lunar Police Force
port in Upside, which handles most of will pursue regardless of bribes or political pressure.
the moon’s space traffic in addition to
housing the jump rings that offer tele-
portation to and from sites on Earth.
Originally a Chinese base, Yutu Yinchon has diversi- THE MEZZANINE
fied and hosts a number of small cultural neighbor- Built just above and below the Lunar surface,
hoods like Little Hong Kong and New Midwest. It all roads go through the older sections of Olympus
extends down into the Mezzanine where career crim- known as the Mezzanine, from private transporta-
inals and daring modern aristocrats rub shoulders in tion to the LAMP lines, and the crowding of peak
grimy bars and rumored black markets. Upside is also hours justifies its nickname of “The Bottleneck.” This
home to the Qin embassy, where several hundred Qin access benefits International Center, home to the
live and work. moon’s political offices and any corporate office that
Upside also shines with the glamour and glitz of can’t afford space in Olympian Towers. The Center’s
Olympian Towers where the holo-stars and corporate residents include the Lunar Advisory Council offices,
glitterati keep tabloids in business. The UAN built the the United Nations, the Æon Trinity Extraterrestrial
cultural district of Bire Lubuto where wealthy artists Office, the largest and oldest ISRA meeting house,
live and work in terraformed domes reminiscent of and the Æsculapians’ Beaulac Clinic.
Earth. These districts try their best to ignore the “eye- The Mezzanine is also home to the United
sore” of Old Town, the last part of the original base Republic’s Camelot base. Camelot has been reno-
where the FSA’s mining ventures still hold strong. vated to reproduce an old-fashioned Earth aesthetic
and contains the colleges of Oxford Luna. Ukiyoshi,

Luna 65
 by contrast, is the exact opposite. Those unfamiliar Most Underworld violence consists of clashes be-
with Nihonjin culture often find the hyper-artifi- tween criminal factions, promotions secured by
cial, media-heavy district a strain on the senses. The force, and arranged accidents for troublemakers.
Nipponese sector is a corporate town where almost This near-safety makes the Underworld (and the
every major electronics and high-tech design firm Pit in particular) an ideal place for fugitives to hide.
maintains offices and labs intended to attract pro- Nobody here blinks twice at a paranoid recluse.
spective employees. Ukiyoshi also contains clinics Most local businesses only deal in scrip paid by
that offer cybernetic and biological modifications the mining companies in lieu of a proper salary.
otherwise unavailable outside of Nippon. Worth almost nothing in yuan (the official Lunar
currency), scrip can purchase basic amenities at
DOWNSIDE heavily inflated prices. Vila Jacinta, once an upscale
Downside contains most of Luna’s working-class Latin district, is a neutral ground where criminal
citizens. Engineers, public servants, data processors, figures live in relative harmony with each other and
and other workers live in habitation levels much like meet with outsiders wishing to do business.
most Earthly arcologies. The upper sections nearest the The metaphorical center of that web is the old
Mezzanine are in excellent condition, but the farther Yeltsingrad base across the Corridor, bearing the delib-
out and down one goes the more run down the tunnels erately off-putting moniker of “The Pit.” Construction
become. The neighboring sectors of Lejanas, Sokotown, firms owned by the Vor V Zakone criminal syndicate
Wroclaw, Fado, Castelo Nova, and Vila Real house all rebuilt Yeltsingrad after the Aberrant War and control
manner of blue-collar workers and miners. The lucky it and the rest of the Underworld. Whenever money
ones work for businesses higher up in Olympus, the changes hands in the Underworld, the rougher por-
Federated States’ mining companies, or the smaller tions of Downside, or the casinos of Luna Park, some
spaceport based out of Wroclaw. This spaceport most- of it finds its way into the coffers of the Vor V Zakone.
ly serves the Beaulac Clinic and smugglers dealing in
drugs, fugitives, cheap labor, or weapons. Downside VOR V ZAKONE &
sees a lot of traffic to and from Luna Park, the most pop-
ular vacation destination in the solar system.
THE PRESIDENT
A mysterious cloaked and masked woman known
Luna Park originated as the Museum of the Lunar
only as the President runs the Vor V Zakone and
Pioneers featuring uniforms, equipment, and schemat-
through it, most of the corruption and graft on the
ics of every major stage of Lunar development. The mu-
moon. The syndicate reaches into the lower parts
seum even contains the original Apollo 11 landing site,
of Downside but their ties beyond that lie primari-
carefully relocated to protect it from an ISRA-predicted
ly in their influence on the Lunar government. The
meteor impact. A domed amusement park grew around
President first took charge of the Vor V Zakone
the museum featuring rides, stage shows, and interac-
syndicate a little more than a decade ago. Nothing
tive holosims. The Luna Resort and Casino is the new-
is known of her past or her true identity. However,
est addition, offering diversions such as gambling and
her success is far more obvious. Her tactical genius
sports complexes for all ages and interests.
expanded the Vor V Zakone’s reach well beyond the
THE UNDERWORLD Underworld, giving them ties to corrupt govern-
ment and corporate officials all across Luna.
The air and water start tasting funny at Sublevel
32, where the Underworld begins and filter quali- Several small, independent mining stations and
ty drops. Lights flicker, and funds are allocated for even some companies based in Olympus do business
maintenance, but nothing gets fixed unless an offi- with the President. In return, she keeps the Lunar
cial inspection is incoming. Security cameras that Advisory Council from interfering in these business’
work usually vanish only to reappear in bins of abusive practices. Working with construction and
spare parts. The ULPF rarely visits. Instead, “pri- mining companies provides practical uses, as hidden
vate security” is provided by the Vor V Zakone, the chambers are difficult to construct in closed facilities
syndicate that rebuilt and rules the Underworld. where the atmosphere must be carefully managed.
Her sponsorship maintains the status quo oppress-
The crime rate is surprisingly low as long as
ing Luna’s ore miners and associated industries.
everyone pays their protection fees and does the
special “favors” requested by the local mobsters. Criminal organizations outside the Vor V Zakone
resist absorption or destruction via a delicate dance

66 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 SUBJECT: TRANSPORTATION SECURITY BILL
From: <blocked>
To: Council Members Exeter, Mai, Farmer, and Mather
Encryption: DSE
Date: 6.4.2118, 2:00 PM
Good day. I represent some business associates in Yeltsingrad concerned that the new
Transportation Security Bill will make shipping through the Wroclaw Spaceport needlessly
complicated. Since today’s council meeting was canceled due to the sudden and unforeseen
LAMP breakdown, it appears you have time to rethink your support of the bill.
The LAMP shutdown is certainly an inconvenience the council doesn’t need. I’m sure that
by the time you’ve had the opportunity to reconsider and announce your disapproval of the
bill, everything will be running like clockwork again. The council surely understands what’s in
the public’s best interest.

of territory management and payoffs. At the smaller Boltzmann station possesses an orbital launch site
end of the criminal food chain are street gangs like and automated cargo shipping facility, both all-too-at-
the Bao “protecting” Downside. At the higher end, tractive to someone like the President. Temptations
the Büyük Ailemle syndicate controls other parts from Yeltsingrad are a constant siren’s song. From
of Downside and the Mezzanine. To pad out their money, to cheap labor, to buyers for certain materi-
numbers, they have recently relaxed their “by blood als, the President has a lot to offer a profit-minded
or marriage” traditions to recruit desperate French miner or a desperate researcher. The Boltzmann
refugees. However, all of these gangs survive by Security Consortium, a firm employed by the various
making sure the President gets her cut in yuan or companies to govern the station, maintains constant
favors. vigilance over the station’s independence.
After the 2119 Aberrant attack on Orgotek’s Mazat
OTHER CRATERS research station threatened to end development of
Outside the Galatea crater, 1,600 km north of the the Leviathans, Orgotek unveiled a secret backup
Mount, the Humboldt-Barnard settlement hosts site underneath Mare Ingenii’s Thompson Crater.
several private- and public-education complex- Since the jump ships were put into service, this fa-
es, including the Luna Institute of Technology, cility was converted into a massive dry dock. A re-
the Luna Arts Institute, and the Unified Luna tractable dome provides a pressurized environment
University. The paired Humboldt and Barnard cra- when necessary. Here, Orgotek constructs, services,
ters are also home to the Lunar-Terrestrial Geology and upgrades the Leviathan jump ships.
Laboratories and Museum, one of the first indepen-
dent corporate presences on the moon, as well as LUNAR ALLIES & ENEMIES
the Vatican Basilica of the Ascension. Luna has a complicated relationship with the
Elsewhere, the mineral-heavy rilles of Rimæ Focas FSA. Olympus was originally an American station
have become a lightly settled mining site outside the juris- and the FSA still maintains control of the older min-
diction of the LAC. Mining companies ranging from the ing facilities. While they don’t have direct ties to the
huge Comstock Heavy Ores to independent prospecting Lunar government, the old business relationships
teams operate with a business collective based out of the have remained strong and their influence is still felt.
nearby Boltzmann Crater. Boltzmann Station as a whole However, the FSA worries about the breathing
maintains its independence and is the most visible set- room Orgotek has on the Moon. The accident at
tlement to have declined the LUA. Boltzmann’s member Lyot Station (see below) and the revelation of the
companies also do what they can to remain outside of the Mare Ingenii jump ship base have only encouraged
President’s control with varying degrees of success. paranoia regarding the freedom Orgotek enjoys on

Luna 67
 Luna. In response, some FSA officials have pro- dangers remain ready to be unleashed. Rumors per-
posed laws that would expand their ability to gath- sist that members of the Space Brigade, or creatures
er intelligence on the corporation’s Lunar dealings. they created, sleep in stasis just waiting for some un-
Following the Aberrant War, China became a ma- lucky fool to awaken them. Relics of this dangerous
jor player on Luna. The construction of Yutu Yinchon age turn up just often enough to inspire holovids and
revitalized the growth of Upside, and its space dock the occasional questionable documentary, but not so
now manages a third of Luna’s space traffic. The dis- often that anyone takes the stories seriously.
trict has become a new home for Chinese nationals Another time bomb among the craters is Lyot
who dream of the stars or whose skills are best put Station, an abandoned Orgotek complex between
to use expanding humanity’s reach outward. China Olympus and Humboldt-Barnard in the middle of
contributes a great deal to the financial landscape and a one-kilometer-radius quarantine called the Null
gets a great deal back. Yutu Yinchon shares its success Zone. A year ago, while developing an Aberrant-
with its new neighbors, ferrying people to and from proof communications system, Lyot researchers
the moon and providing a major hub for Lunar society. lost control of a bio-nanotech sample. Much of the
base’s equipment and personnel melted into bio-
LUNAR THREATS paste like sand castles in the rain, before automated
The Space Brigade’s legacy still waits beneath emergency procedures sealed the facility. The nan-
the Lunar surface. An unknown number of lairs and otech is currently dormant, but to prevent it from
laboratories lie undiscovered in isolated craters and possibly reactivating no organic material is allowed
forgotten mineshafts all across Luna. Occasionally, within the Null Zone and security is handled via ro-
treasure hunters open one of these abandoned bolt botic drones and cameras monitored from a ULPF
holes. Even if the cache isn’t protected by a death post on the southern border. Scientists are still de-
trap or a recent Aberrant hiding there, all manner of bating what to do with this deathtrap.

THE MIDDLE EAST

Turmoil has long gripped the Middle East, es- left some cities completely unfit for life. Other ru-
pecially during the Aberrant War. No region fared ins support small populations of scavengers and
worse during the Nova Era. First, hyperfusion ren- criminals, some organized, others merely roving
dered oil nearly worthless. Then, the Aberrant War bands preying on those they can catch. The few
arrived in full force. The worst fighting swept east mad squatters that make their homes in the more
of Cairo and through the Damascus region. Israel habitable portions of these ruined cities are highly
suffered greatly, and the loss of Jerusalem was fuel experienced and heavily armed. Even the bandits
on the fires of war. Infighting, religious upheaval, know better than to trifle with those who call such
and a sudden collapse of markets left surrounding wastelands “home.”
nations weakened before the onslaught of Aberrant
warfare. Saudi Arabia’s military might was poised to A REGION IN TURMOIL
stem the tide but its own internal struggles left it The fires have cooled somewhat but smoke still
without enough resources to hold back the violence. clouds the Middle East’s future. The Aberrant Wars
Deployment of chemical and nuclear arms only ag- shattered most of the region into a welter of balkan-
gravated the damage caused by Aberrants and their ized states clawing for whatever meager power they
mind-controlled followers. Iraq fell within two can glean among the ashes. The nations that sur-
years and war spread as far as Bahrain. Iran and vived to regain some manner of stability faced ban-
Afghanistan fared better than their neighbors, but dit gangs on their borders and internal threats from
large areas of the Middle East between Egypt and opportunistic political figures who capitalized on
Iran sustained irreparable environmental damage. fear and confusion. The current regimes governing
In the aftermath of nuclear, chemical, and Oman and Afghanistan are especially oppressive.
Aberrant attacks, much of Syria, Jordan, Saudi After Iran expanded into Turkmenistan and the
Arabia, and Iraq crumbled into radioactive barrens still-habitable portions of Iran, its leaders renamed
and Quantum Flux twisted wastelands. Corruption it Persia. It is now the most powerful Middle Eastern

68 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

nation. Its isolationist policies spared it the worst brewing as each government seeks some foothold
effects of war. Closing its borders to novas in 2050 they can exploit for an advantage over their peers.
meant that when the Aberrant War raged nearby, Outsiders might see opportunities to manipulate
few novas considered attacking it. In 2056, religious struggling nations and bandit-ruled states to their
moderates deposed the theocratic government, but own advantage, but the Middle East is a powder
in the middle of the Aberrant War, they maintained keg. Aftershocks of the Aberrant War threaten to
their nation’s isolation. Because it suffered so little break out at any time across a region still reeling
damage during the war, Persia was able to maintain from that terrible conflict.
a high standard of living even during the Crash.
This nation continues to be a moderate democracy THREATS AND
but maintains strict quarantines for immigrants and FEATURES OF INTEREST
new technology. However, unlike Nippon, Persia
The Middle East remains in flux, in part because
welcomed psions and noetic biotechnology once it
rebuilding efforts have displaced some of the squat-
became clear that both were inherently antithetical
ters living in old ruins, and also due to the contin-
to Aberrant powers.
ued instability of the many small warlord-ruled
Israel survived the War and rebuilt. Since its
kingdoms.
neighbors were either destroyed or greatly dimin-
Jerusalem Reborn: Jerusalem was razed to the
ished in size and power, the government abandoned
ground during the Aberrant Wars. In the aftermath,
most of its openly militaristic ways and remade itself
Israel-Palestine rebuilt the holy city and seized
into the secular and fully democratic nation of Israel-
their chance to claim exclusive control over it. The
Palestine. Outwardly, the nation appears to have
city draws millions of tourists and religious pilgrim-
dropped its expansionist policies and has opened its
ages each year. Some say that a great power sleeps
borders with a strict-but-fair immigration system.
in the earth beneath the city. Visitors sensitive to psi
Israel-Palestine has also been using its resources to
energies sometimes have strange dreams portend-
fund a hidden psi research program. While some ev-
ing momentous events in the near future.
idence of the program has leaked to outside sources,
no one outside their government know its full extent. Israel-Palestine: Once ruled by a militaristic gov-
ernment, Israel-Palestine has become a beacon of
ALLIES AND ENEMIES relative stability in a tumultuous time. Efficient bor-
der-control policies and a well-funded education
While open warfare has simmered down in the
system make the country an oasis among the scars
Middle East, small conflicts regularly spread across
of the War. Unknown to its own citizens, Israel-
troubled borders. Israel-Palestine is relatively free
Palestine has begun a secret, expansive program
of enemies at its borders, but Persia, Oman and
to develop powerful psionic weapons and defenses
Afghanistan constantly push back against the small
capable of protecting the nation in case of another
neighboring states that rise and fall almost by the
conflict.
year. Would-be warlords appear every season, try-
Persia: Since the Aberrant War, Persia has re-
ing to carve out their own little fiefs in the waste-
mained cautious about foreign contact. The inhab-
lands. Rivals, popular uprisings, and the area’s var-
itants lead free and prosperous lives, but remain
ious hazards oust or destroy most warlords, but a
suspicious of any imports other than raw materials.
few rise to real prominence. The ambitious are de-
Residents are free to leave, but all immigration, in-
stroyed in the wars they wage against the surviving
cluding returning citizens, is carefully regulated.
nation-states. The smart understand that anyone
Local corporations and individuals are forbidden
content to rule wastelands inhabited only by the un-
from importing technologies that have not been
fortunate, the mad, and the monstrous draws little
carefully reviewed for safety and lack of Aberrant
attention from the region’s powers. However, some
influence. Persia has little ambition to conquer its
of these leaders seek to unearth nova-made weap-
neighbors, but the rulers fear the chaos surround-
ons and expand their dominion until they are large
ing them, and regularly employ foreign mercenar-
enough to threaten larger nations.
ies, including psions, to remove possible external
The rest of the world finds it difficult to engage
threats and destabilize nearby warlords who are
with the Middle East. Outside of Israel-Palestine,
becoming too powerful. Persia’s only close ally is
foreigners are mistrusted. A cold war seems to be
Sudamérica. Currently, Norça bioengineers who

middle east 69
 helped push back the Venezuelan Plaguelands are vacant or only home to criminals and scavengers.
working on the few remaining Corrupted zones in Riyadh is being rebuilt, following 15 years of re-
and bordering this nation. mediation to cleanse its few remaining traces of
Wastelands: The Aberrant War left gaping Corruption. However, Bahrain is still a glassy ra-
wounds in the Middle East. In 2104 the num- dioactive plain and much of Lebanon and Syria
ber and size of the region’s many Quantum Flux remain in ruins. Bandits, murderous mutants,
zones decreased by half. Some fear that the and stranger things inhabit these wastelands and
Corrupted regions will grow again, while other scavengers occasionally uncover Nova Age relics,
swiftly moved into cities that were either long include a few that are remain deadly.

NIPPON
Isolated islands showcasing the triumph of hu- that gives its owner instant access to the OpNet with-
man artifice over nature, the Nihonjin home islands out the need for display glasses or contacts, or even
are admired by the alien Qin and coveted by other a minicomp. Masses of data flow to and from these
nations. Though Nippon has reestablished contact implants, overlaying Nippon with the finest and most
with the outside world, it’s isolated by culture and extensive AR on Earth.
suspicion. Others embrace the wonders of biotech Dissidents and criminals fear the government
while Nippon steadfastly develops hardtech. The monitoring every citizen through ubiquitous sur-
world trusts psions to defend against danger, while veillance. A technological black market thrives on
the Nihonjin mistrust and persecute these saviors. upgrades and spoofing techniques to disguise the
user’s location and maintain hard-won privacy.
HISTORY Most citizens don’t even think about government
Scarred by memories of devastating global wars, surveillance. Lifestyle benefits — such as instant
Japan closed its borders before the Aberrant Wars medical response and low crime rates — far out-
truly started. Japan recognized the early signs of weigh privacy concerns.
tensions between novas and baseline humans and
wanted no part of the coming conflict. When the ISLANDS OF GLASS AND STEEL
OpNet crashed, Japan had the only functional na- Nippon is a futuristic wonderland. A single mas-
tionwide computer network. This working infra- sive arcology covers the islands, but the need for its
structure helped it develop hardtech faster than vast extent is a mystery. Even the millions of refu-
anywhere else on Earth. While other nations were gees who arrived before the borders closed couldn’t
devastated, Nippon — as it was now called — used fill the entire construct. Most Nihonjin don’t think
technology to overcome its isolation and limited on it; those who do believe it’s because controlling
resources. the borders was easier within the arcology.
When Nippon reopened its borders in 2105, it as- Over time, the entire landmass has been dug up, sift-
suaged the mistrust of other nations through gen- ed for usable manufacturing material, and returned to
erosity, gifting advanced hardtech-manufacturing the ground. The depleted soil mass is supplemented
technology across the world. Nippon traded these with advanced materials that replenish the soil and
products for desperately needed resources and improve its capacity to serve as building foundations.
only reserved the most cutting-edge technology for These smart materials also slowly extract and accumu-
itself. late precious minerals to simplify later reprocessing.
The vast, artificial urban sprawl even extends to
VIRTUAL WONDERLAND Nippon’s ocean borders. The arcology sinks into the
Nihonjin life is more sci-fi dream than anywhere dark blue waters and breaches the surface to rise
else in on Earth. Nippon’s OpNet is blindingly fast, al- high into clear skies. Floating luxury vacation re-
most an order of magnitude faster than the networks sorts and utilitarian resource platforms slowly cir-
of other countries. All but the youngest Nihonjin have cle the islands following defined, SI-guided routes.
some kind of cybernetic implant. The most common The former headquarters of the Nihonjin
cyber enhancement is an augmented-reality implant Quarantine, Makaro-Shima, also circumnavigates

70 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

Nippon. It was the first floating city to gain indepen- harmful settings, but a malicious, and growing, cult
dence and join the new Oceania nation. Many resi- of hacktivists called “Unchained” exploits network
dents still feel kinship to their former nation and de- vulnerabilities to override these protocols. Their
rive comfort from proximity to the Home Islands. The sabotage has only resulted in minor injuries, but au-
pilgrimage of Psi Nippon (p. 73) members to Makaro- thorities work to arrest their members before they
Shima makes the Nihonjin government uneasy. Some threaten the safety of the Home Islands.
officials are convinced psions are attempting to sub-
vert Nihonjin citizens. Government ministers have ENCLOSED PRESSURE
raised several motions to force Makaro-Shima to leave Sharp edges and strongly defined angles define
Nippon’s waters. Although each motion has been de- Nippon. The arcology protected Nippon during
feated, the majority decreases each time. the Aberrant War, but insular policies inflicted
The Nihonjin take comfort from the metal and psychological pressures that are now entrenched
concrete lands of the arcology. Few ever step foot in the Nihonjin population as exaggerated socie-
outside the protective enclosure. Everything they tal eccentricities. Nearly a third of Nihonjin suffer
need is within, including residential and recreation- disorders such as agoraphobia, or virtual-reality
al zones, commercial districts, and industrial manu- Neuro-Addictive Disorders, and rates of domestic
facturing centers. Despite their wonder at Nihonjin violence and substance abuse were climbing even
hardtech, few outsiders seek to transform their before reopening the borders. The outside world is
lands to the same degree of artificiality — especially a terrifying place for many Nihonjin, especially the
with the possibilities now offered by biotech. elderly who lived most of their lives in the isolation.
Nihonjin who desire space and a natural feel ex- Nihonjin youths fare better, but Nippon’s popula-
plore vast semi-artificial parklands filled with poly- tion is aging; the workers, innovators, and leaders
mer wildlife and SI-controlled flora. Explorers set of tomorrow are few, and many leave the Home
the difficulty of their adventure through AR connec- Islands to seek adventure in the world beyond.
tion to the arcology’s overseer computer network.
The arcology’s environmental generators can pro- OLD HUMANS, YOUNG ROBOTS
duce isolated microclimates within these parks to Traditionally, Nihonjin society treasured chil-
the whims of the visitors. Safety protocols prevent dren and the elderly. Today, the nation has an aging

nippon 71
 population and low fertility rate. Nippon’s popula- them. SIs carefully manage environments to maintain
tion was shrinking even before its isolation, and the optimal happiness and productivity.
millions of refugees it accepted before the Aberrant Most people don’t know the arcology has miles
War began only served as a temporary boost. Today of officially unused space. Service bots and artificial
its population is just over two-thirds of its peak, police rarely attend these areas, except when central
with most people over 70 years old. Nihonjin med- SIs detect structural damage threatening arcology
icine keeps these people active, vital contributors integrity. These sections are far from empty. Various
to society, but more die each year. Robotic servants fringe dwellers who have dropped from society live
care for those who need assistance, freeing the here. Criminals, social outcasts, and even victims of
younger generation to pursue their own interests. computer errors who no longer officially exist all,
Unfortunately, these younger Nihonjin aren’t struggle for survival in the plasteel corridors. Gangs
interested in raising children yet, and push parent- fight to control functional food dispenser units and
hood further into the future until it is too late and technicians and programmers command high prices
they no longer care to try. Technology extends their to repair broken robotics. Most fringe-dwellers are
fertile years, but the traditional drive for children, in their late 50s, but unlike the rest of Nihonjin soci-
to care for parents in later life, is no longer needed. ety, they have a growing number of children in their
Care is outsourced to SIs with emulated enthusiasm midst. They raise these youths with a very different
and patience for such tasks. view of Nippon, and teach cyber-guerilla program-
ming and a simmering anger at the shining, comfort-
OUTSOURCED LABOR able lives of the people who have forgotten them.
Though aging, Nippon’s workforce has a mas-
tery of artifice. Advances in miniaturization and ALLIES & ENEMIES
increased processing power allowed the Nihonjin Nippon has no allegiances and no enemies. It is
to confront their isolation with robotic servants respectfully distant from all other nations, acting as
controlled by the most advanced SIs available. a mediator of disputes, or facilitator of negotiations.
Robots are ubiquitous across Nippon. Every home Nippon uses this neutrality to secure its supply of
has an army of artificial servants. Cleaners work raw materials and ensure no one nation can threat-
quietly and stay out of sight while kitchens prepare en to starve the country by severing its supply.
meals matching their residents’ preferences. Most Strangely, Nippon is cold towards the psi orders,
Nihonjin have an anthropoid servant that functions and outright hostile to allowing biotech onto the
as butler and personal assistant, taking the appear- Home Islands. The government tolerates official
ance of coordinating the rest of the household. visits from psions, but its position of forbidding bio-
In public, police drones maintain a comforting tech is absolute. All attempts to circumvent this law,
presence, visible but not imposing unless required either deliberately or inadvertently have resulted in
to be. Detectives of near-human appearance inter- the offender’s arrest and confiscation of all biotech.
act with the public to take statements or offer com- The Æon Trinity has managed to negotiate the re-
fort, using advanced algorithms to appear sympa- lease of imprisoned psions, but none of the biotech
thetic. This artificial workforce is a normal part of has ever been returned.
Nippon life, and Nihonjin view foreigners’ unease
with amused disdain. However, while computer en- THREATS AND FEATURES
hancement and other implants that are either illegal
or exceedingly rare elsewhere are in common use
OF INTEREST
in Nippon, even the Nihonjin government obeys the The officially controlled portions of the Nippon
prohibition against true artificial intelligence. arcology are peaceful and prosperous, if often deep-
ly eccentric by the standards of the rest of humanity.
EMPTY SPACES However, sources of possible disruption are growing
both inside and outside of these seemingly placid areas.
The arcology facilitates easy segregation of the pop-
ulation. Access controls ensure different segments of
THE UNCHAINED
the population stay within approved areas and social-
ize with others of appropriate status. Nihonjin need The hacker group Unchained subverts arcology
never see their inferiors, much less have to speak with systems and twists them to its whims. Unchained

72 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

has claimed responsibility for several acts of anar- Psi Nippon and gains credibility and legitimacy
chy; hacking weather systems to create freak storms from the government’s attempts to smear and dis-
and heat waves, unlocking access doors, and rerout- credit its beliefs.
ing public transport systems. These acts of annoy- The goal of Psi Nippon members is to make a pil-
ance encourage arcology SIs to adapt to respond to grimage away from Nippon to be tested for psionic
the threats. Unchained believes that Nippon’s future latency; the floating city of Makaro-Shima is a pop-
lies with evolving SIs from their slavery into full, ular destination. Unfortunately for these hopefuls,
free-thinking AIs. The group hasn’t yet caused deaths the government tests most infants for unusual ge-
or widespread mayhem, but their attacks are escalat- netics, and gives those who test positive treatments
ing and increasing in complexity to force the automat-that destroy psionic latency.
ed response to be bigger, faster, and more imaginative. The forgotten people living in the arcology’s emp-
ty spaces are the government’s biggest threat. They
PSI NIPPON have difficulty leaving the arcology but haven’t suf-
Nippon’s small youth culture is fascinated by psi fered the destruction of latency. The possibility of
and psions. They rebel against the distrust of psions a nascent psionic population living in the forgotten
and biotech. This pro-psion movement calls itself parts of the city terrifies Nihonjin authorities.

OCEANIA
Earth’s newest and most unusual nation is an alli- all of these undersea and floating cities belonged to
ance of eight floating cities and undersea habitats that the existing nations that created them. The majority
have declared independence from the land. Although of the settlements belonged to Japan, India, Brazil,
several million ordinary humans live in Oceania, the Australia, and the United States.
majority of inhabitants are aquas — people who have During the Aberrant War, most of the settlements
undergone genetic surgery to transform them into were too small and isolated to attract the atten-
aquatic humans or the aqua descendants of people tion of Aberrants. However, Aberrants destroyed
who became aquas as early as 2040. Oceania is a grow- Australia’s single undersea city, Down Under, in
ing nation, and must deal with international tensions 2057. This attack killed most of the inhabitants, in-
as additional floating and undersea cities attempt to cluding everyone was not an aqua.
secede from their countries and join Oceania. Before the Quarantine, Japan had constructed a
single undersea city. In 2089, it completed a second
HISTORY underwater city. Its third aquatic city, Makaro-Shima,
Humanity first began living on and beneath the floated on the ocean’s surface. During the Quarantine,
waves during the first decade of the Nova Age. The Makaro-Shima remained Nippon’s one point of con-
development of the gill breather in 2020 was the tact with the rest of humanity. Its small and careful-
initial impetus and the development of aqua trans- ly segregated foreigner’s quarter allowed Nihonjin
formations three years later increased the number businesspeople to engage in face-to-face interactions
of people interested in moving under the ocean. with representatives from foreign companies and gov-
The first transformations were the amphibious ernments. When the Quarantine ended in 2106, all
aquas, popularly known as phibs (see p. 126). The three Nihonjin ocean settlements fully opened to the
first selkie aqua transformations were created in outside world. Nippon also began sharing its expertise
2028. This more radical transformation gave them in constructing and maintaining floating and under-
actual gills, but made movement out of the water sea habitats as well as improved techniques for trans-
more difficult (see p. 126). forming land-dwellers into phibs and selkies.
By 2040, both aqua transformations had reached
their modern form and were now heritable; the chil- INDEPENDENCE &
dren of aquas were also aquas. By 2050, more than THE NEWEST NATION
10 million people were living in settlements built After the Crash, few people on the land thought
on or under the sea, and more than two million of much about the small undersea cities that had sur-
these sea-dwellers were phibs or selkies. However, vived the Aberrant War. The phibs and selkies in

oceania 73
 these settlements lived apart from the mass of hu- had already been considering abandoning it or
manity, and some of them feared that hatred of the transforming it into a floating industrial platform.
now-vanished Aberrants would turn to abhorrence Few members of the Nihonjin government opposed
of everyone who did not appear fully human. The the decision to grant it independence.
Æon Trinity helped silence most of these concerns, In 2108, Makaro-Shima became the first floating
but distrust of aquas persisted in both Russia and city to truly gain its independence. Later that year,
the FSA. it joined the largely theoretical nation of Oceania. It
By 2072, the inhabitants of all of the floating and became this nation’s largest city and the first to float
undersea cities had reestablished regular contact on the ocean’s surface.
with the outside world and had restored OpNet ac- Umoja City off the coast of Zanzibar was the first
cess. A few people even began emigrating to these second floating city to join Oceania. Built in 2075 as
settlements. Deep-sea mining provided valuable the major East African spaceport, it was soon over-
resources to the rebuilding world and gave these taken and replaced by the growing Jomo Kenyatta
cities funds that allowed them to grow and expand. spaceport. The fact that Upeo wa Macho used Jomo
During this era, India and the FSA were too busy Kenyatta as their primary base sealed Umoja City’s
rebuilding to concern themselves with their un- economic doom. By 2111, residents had transformed
dersea cities. This neglect allowed the undersea most of the former spaceport facilities into a mix-
cities of Neptunia and Pacifica to become largely ture of shops, hotels, and small manufacturing fa-
independent from the FSA, and the undersea city cilities. Umoja City was moderately successful, but
of Varuna mostly ignored its connections to India. became increasingly isolated from the UAN both
By 2085, these cities informally called themselves culturally and politically. In 2116, during the con-
the nation of Oceania. However, they were too few fusion and economic disruption caused by the dis-
and too isolated for anyone else to consider this as appearance of Upeo wa Macho, it declared its inde-
more than an empty claim. During this era, these pendence from the UAN.
three undersea settlements paid taxes to the na- Then, in 2117, Pearl City in the Caribbean held
tions of which they supposedly were part, but were a referendum to secede from Venezuela and join
otherwise allowed to govern themselves. Residents Oceania. At this point, support for Oceania had
of several floating cities desired a similar degree of grown in Sudamérica, in large part because several
independence, but the ease of access from the land cities claiming membership in it were technically
kept them more closely tied to their parent nations. still part of the FSA. Support for freeing these cities
In 2106, Nippon ended its quarantine and other from nominal FSA control became a popular cause
nations began using its technology to construct un- throughout Sudamérica. Bowing to popular support
dersea cities, but these nations freely mixed hard- for Oceania, Venezuela agreed to allow Pearl City to
tech and biotech. Over the next few years, rapid de- join this nation, in return for a series of economic
velopment of biotech life support and experiments treaties.
with entire biotech cities lead to the construction Shortly after Pearl City joined Oceania, Neptunia
of the first biotech floating and undersea cities by and Pacifica formally declared their independence
Brazil. However, in 2107, Nippon enacted strict from the FSA and Varuna broke ties with India.
laws against psions and noetic biotechnology. The Then, Oceania formally applied to join the UN.
members of the growing Psi Nippon movement Sudamérica, Australia, and the Æon Trinity all
took to the corridors of many Nihonjin arcologies strongly supported their admission, and in a sur-
in protest. prise move, Nippon also recognized Oceania. India
The largest and most vocal protests occurred in soon agreed, but there were strong protests from the
Makaro-Shima, which was already the heart of Psi FSA. However, the prospect of having to retake their
Nippon. In the face of growing protests, officials former cities in battles that might turn into an indi-
in the Nihonjin government agreed to one of Psi rect war with Sudamérica, Australia, and Nippon,
Nippon’s demands — independence for Makaro- caused the FSA to reluctantly relinquish claims. In
Shima, and free passage for all Psi Nippon members 2118, Oceania became the newest nation recognized
who wished to move there. Because Makaro-Shima’s by the UN. In 2119, Nordholm, an underwater city lo-
primary purpose had been as the headquarters of cated halfway between the Scandinavian mainland
the Nihonjin Quarantine, the Nihonjin government and the Svalbard islands joined Oceania. Puerto San

74 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

Florian, a small floating biotech city between Cuba INSIDE OCEANIAN CITIES
and Panama, joined in 2121.
Despite some of the Oceanian settlements float-
Under the Oceanian constitution, each member ing on the water and other resting on the sea floor,
city elects representatives to the Sea Senate, based they have much in common, as well as important
in Makaro-Shima. In addition, individual citizens differences from surface cities. Undersea cities re-
vote on important issues affecting the entire nation. semble other arcologies, where the entire city is
However, six years after independence, Oceania fac- part of a single huge building. Because they are all
es both internal and external difficulties. Makaro- pressurized, undersea cities have large pools that
Shima and Pearl City are the two largest cities and are open to the ocean with no risk of the settlement
are home to more than 40% of this nation’s popu- being flooded. Portions of these cities are entirely
lace. Complaints by residents of the smaller cities filled with water and every air-filled district in-
toward the political and economic influence wield- cludes numerous canals.
ed these two cities are growing, as is the fact that tax
Floating cities are arcologies built above and
revenues are allocated solely by population.
below a platform floating on the water. Pools and

TELEPORTING FROM UNDERSEA CITIES

Teleporting between undersea cites is perfectly safe, as the teleporter is going from one
high-pressure environment to another. However, unmodified humans who teleport from an
undersea city to the surface risk decompression sickness (see p. 194).
There are three ways to avoid this risk. Anyone can teleport into a prepared decompres-
sion chamber. Biokinetics with two dots in Adaptation and vitakinetics with two dots in
Iatrosis or Augendis can ignore all problems with decompression, and vitakinetics can
also temporarily give others this immunity. Also, phibs and selkies (p. 126) are immune to
decompression sickness.

oceania 75
 POLITOPEDIA: CURRENT EVENTS
New Tampa Independence Issues
Transmission type: textfile
One of the many difficulties involved in New Tampa leaving the FSA and joining Oceania
is that unlike the other cities that joined this nation, New Tampa lies within the FSA’s current
nation’s territorial waters, since it sits over the drowned ruins of central Florida. All of the oth-
er cities were more than 22 km beyond their original nation’s border, although in three cases,
barely so. As a result, New Tampa joining Oceania would not merely result in the FSA losing
the city’s valuable submarine base, but also a portion of their territorial waters.

canals on the platform’s surface allow comfortable and Varuna. Pearl City is also a member and exists
access for selkies, and the underwater portions of both on and below the waves. Their total popula-
the city are partially or entirely flooded. Most of the tion is more than 15 million, with almost 12 million
floating cities built in the 22nd century, including all aquas. Oceania is still struggling for full internation-
of the new biotech living cities like Pearl City, con- al acceptance, but has begun to play an important
sist of a floating city connected to an undersea city part in world affairs.
by living cables. These cables contain OpNet lines There is a growing movement among the inhabi-
and elevators linking the surface and the undersea tants of the floating city of New Tampa to leave the
city. FSA and join Oceania. Built over Florida’s Aberrant-
The most important difference between floating drowned ruins, New Tampa was constructed in
and underwater cities is access. Traveling to or from 2079 as a base for military submarines, but soon
a floating city simply requires a ride in a boat or fly- became home for salvage crews mining the ruins
ing vehicle. Traveling to an undersea city requires of the flooded Florida cities and a major port from
travel by submarine or a long elevator ride. Even trade with Sudamérica and the Caribbean. It con-
with the best modern decompression drugs, a jour- tinues to house a FSM naval garrison, but almost all
ney from an undersea city to the surface requires of its 600,000 residents are civilians with no associ-
between eight and 12 hours of decompression for ation with the FSM. Many have grown dissatisfied
unmodified humans. This pressure difference is with the power of the local military and the strict
also the reason that jump-ring transport between FSA restrictions limiting aquatic transformations
undersea cities and the surface is impractical. to covert operatives and FSM personnel. The lo-
Due to construction difficulties and the prob- cal military commander, General Jocasta Reed, is
lems unmodified humans have living in extremely privately sympathetic to these concerns but also
high pressures, almost all undersea settlements are knows that the FSA is unwilling to lose an import-
built on the continental shelves, at a depth of no ant military base. However, Oceania’s close alliance
more than 120 meters. The only exceptions are a with both Sudamérica and Nippon means that if
handful of small underwater mining and research New Tampa joins Oceania, FSA attempts to recap-
stations normally only accessible to selkies and to ture it could bring the FSA into direct conflict with
phibs wearing gill breathers. These settlements lie both nations. Anti-FSA and pro-Oceania protests
between four and six kilometers below the sur- continue to grow in New Tampa and Oceanian op-
face and lack accommodations for ordinary hu- eratives are attempting to secretly aid these rebels.
mans. Settlements this deep cannot be located with The Æon Trinity is paying close attention to events
non-noetic sensors. in New Tampa because of the risk of global conflict.

CURRENT EVENTS OTHER THREATS & DANGERS

Today, Oceania consists of the floating cities of Their remote location and the dangers of hurri-
Makaro-Shima, Tortuga, and Umoja City as well as canes to floating cities and undersea quakes to un-
the undersea cities of Neptunia, Pacifica, Nordholm, dersea cities provides Oceanians with risks similar

76 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

to residents of Olympus, where death waits just out- Mediterranean settlement of Castor Deep in 2122.
side of every external wall. However, the environ- Some Oceanians fear that aquatic Aberrants may
ment is not the only threat they face. An unknown have large settlements in the ocean depths, where
number of Aberrants live in the oceans and for the dozens or hundreds of Aberrants prepare for fu-
past five years a huge aquatic Aberrant calling itself ture attacks. Also, tensions between the FSA and
Poseidon has attacked five undersea settlements. Oceania over New Tampa have given rise to rumors
Swift and powerful defenses repelled four of its at- that the FSA is considering employing saboteurs to
tacks, but Poseidon completely destroyed the small damage or destroy Pearl City or Tortuga.

SOUTHEAST ASIA
Even after all these years, the Nova Age still become the de facto hub for all of southeast Asia’s
haunts southeast Asia. During this era, these na- activities. Once a constitutional monarchy, Greater
tions’ leaders promised to capitalize on the novas’ Siam has since evolved into a democratic republic,
technological miracles. The people trusted their albeit one that is being carefully monitored by the
leaders’ fiscal planning, visions for the future, and Ministry. While it maintains considerable internal
stewardship of billion-dollar economies. For a little autonomy, all foreign policy decisions are first chan-
while, it looked as though these nations, mere blips neled back to China, where they’re voted upon by
in the regard of the world, might rise to become members of Foreign Affairs. Despite the change in
global powers. But that wasn’t to be. The Crash hit governmental structure, the royal family remains a
southeast Asia particularly hard, causing it to lose fixture within the region. Centuries of quiet venera-
whatever momentum it previously enjoyed. tion will not allow otherwise. Though technically a
In response to the vast economic collapse, the figurehead these days, the queen, who is rumored to
region grew to become remarkably self-sufficient be a psion of not insignificant power, retains a pon-
and even more adept at policing conflict. The latter derous amount of sway with the local populace, and
can be attributed to the unification of local criminal can be seen at almost every rally, campaigning for
forces, who decided that they would adopt silent re- various civic improvements.
sponsibility for the government instead of entrust-
ing their homes to dubiously competent rulers. This BANGKOK
annexing of power proved instrumental in helping Movies, documentaries, salacious novels, and
southeast Asia survive, and subsequently recover even the news media have done a lot to shape un-
from, the Aberrant War. derstandings of Bangkok. In the minds of many,
Which is not to say that the region did not suffer Greater Siam’s capital represents a backwater par-
horrific losses. Millions died when Kuala Lumpur adise for the sexually debauched. This is, of course,
was overrun by Aberrant-created mechano-beast- not untrue. Greater Siam has long since legalized
men and the jungles of Kalimantan were reduced to prostitution, in part to control the risk of sexually
a wasteland of poisonous smog and Quantum Flux. transmitted diseases and also to capitalize on hu-
The islands of the Philippines were devastated by manity’s oldest and most profitable industry.
a terrifying conflict between different Aberrant But the city hosts much more than brothels, strip
factions. Singapore, in an act of historic courage, clubs, and Muay Thai fighting rings. A metropolis
sunk itself to the bottom of the ocean after luring a consisting of over 10 million registered inhabitants,
contingent of Aberrants into its borders. But on the swimming in the best infrastructure and the best
whole, southeast Asia endured and, if its populace is amenities, Bangkok allows its denizens to purchase
allowed a say, will endure long after the rest of the just about everything. From Nihonjin cyberware,
world is dust. to the latest drugs, to alleged portions of Aberrant
flesh, spiced and cooked to perfection, the city pro-
GREATER SIAM vides without discrimination.
You can get anything in Greater Siam. Anything What makes this even more noteworthy is the
at all. You just need to be willing to pay. By virtue sheer accessibility of such goods. Cyberware that
of being the most ostensibly liberal, the country has is illegal outside of Nippon is sold adjacent to fruit

southeast asia 77
 stalls, while arms merchants and stores selling re- War, but the local populace believes there may be
stricted biotech advertise their goods openly on more nefarious explanations. By and large, howev-
major broadcasting channels. There is absolutely er, it is business as usual. Malaysia is slowly gaining
no need for criminal ties in order to procure these prominence as a hub for trade and industrial out-
items, although a friendly relationship with the sourcing. An unglamorous position, perhaps, but
mercantile class is essential for the best prices. one that ensures steady economic growth.
Initially, it might seem counterproductive, pos-
sibly even destructive, to allow such depraved ex- THE LIVING CITIES OF
cess. But rumor has it that every item on the market, BRUNEI
down to the most innocuous packet of keropok, is
For years, the diminutive nation benefitted from
tracked and tagged. That customers are registered
its natural abundance of oil, and was one of the rich-
into governmental databases and monitored, their
est countries within the region. However, concern
idiosyncrasies and vices consolidated and catego-
about climate change and the spread of hyperfu-
rized based on threat level so that enforcement forc-
sion and advanced batteries in the 2020s hurt the
es can respond immediately should an unauthorized
nation’s economy, and then it was hard hit by the
incident arise. In a delicious twist, this information
Aberrant War. After the Crash, rebuilding pro-
is also how Greater Siam makes some of its money:
gressed slowly and the nation’s economy stagnated
selling personal data relevant to specific businesses
for the last third of the 21st century.
and areas. No one knows for sure, although one thing
For Brunei, psions and their noetic biotechnology
remains abundantly clear: Bangkok is a Darwinian
came at a particularly fortuitous time. In the early
heaven for the rich and the savvy.
22nd century, Brunei was preparing to send a pro-
posal to the Æon Trinity and the United Nations
MALAYSIA as part of a provisionary 10-year plan. In 2108, the
This small nation suffered immense casualties Æon Trinity loaned Brunei funds to employ a team
during the Aberrant War. East Malaysia was all but of Norça bioengineers who were researching archi-
wiped from the map, although in the 2070s, a few tectural biotechnology. Fascinated by its new visi-
thousand survivors were found hiding on the slopes tors, Brunei quickly established a strong working
of Mount Kinabalu. Similarly, Kuala Lumpur was relationship, and poured what remained of their
gutted, as were most of the settlements located on finances into this project.
the west coast.
This cooperation proved exceptionally success-
However, thanks to the serendipitous combi- ful; the scientists succeeded in several key innova-
nation of Singapore’s sacrifice, Greater Siam’s re- tions, including interstitial prosthetics that would
silience, and direct intervention by the Chinese allow humans to communicate directly within their
government, Malaysia succeeded in reestablishing abodes, organic transportation systems, and tele-
order. Officially a Chinese colony, the country re- pathically sensitive compounds. Brunei instantly
tains considerable autonomy, although it has under- adopted the ideas, providing the researchers with
gone several radical changes. First and foremost, it is an immense testing pool. A few more years passed
no longer officially an Islamic nation, having instead and Brunei, now a phantasmagoric landscape of
embraced institutionalized atheism after a number half-sentient architecture, soon began exporting
of bomohs, men and women purporting shamanis- the more successful examples. Though the coun-
tic prowess, attempted to usurp control during the try currently lags behind Brasilia in both advanced
Aberrant War. In deference to its multicultural his- technology and publicity, its leaders have plans, one
tory, all religions are tolerated but remain heavily of which includes an industrial incubator compati-
monitored for any hint of Aberrant cults. ble with their rivals’ designs. After all, if Brunei can
An outpost of the Ministry can be found at Kuala offer the same creations at a cheaper price, would
Trengganu, which become the country’s new cap- it not sway the market share? Brunei is also now at
ital. According to official statements, the offshoot the forefront of design for aquatic living cities and
was installed to protect the east coast from the is currently negotiating with Oceania to help bring
Quantum Flux zones created during the Aberrant several of their older settlements to life.

78 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 SUDAMÉRICA
Conflict has been the cornerstone of Sudamérica joined in a short-lived alliance; the Conferencia
for centuries. A thousand forces continually pull at Sudaméricana de Reconstrucción y Comercio, or
its social fabric, but fail to fully transform it. Instead, South American Conference for Reconstruction
Sudamérica continues pushing forward. The continent and Commerce, was founded in 2068. Under this
is not a single, unified entity, but a collection of nations alliance, the members undertook an aggressive
vying fiercely with each other for dominance. Their campaign to dominate their niches in the interna-
governments can be openly antagonistic, and their eco- tional market, and secure industrial self-sufficien-
nomic policies downright predatory, but beneath that cy via expropriation and nationalization of local
competition, a shared culture and identity has allowed companies. This campaign prompted the change
Sudaméricans to face the challenges of past and present of “South America” into “Sudamérica” in common
and take the reins of their own destiny. parlance, even if the Conference itself dissolved in
2076. Today, the Mayan League of Central America
HISTORY and the Andean Federation of Sudamérica’s west-
The Nova Age pushed the nations of South ern countries are the heirs of this alliance.
America into the forefront of the world stage. Able to meet the growing global demand by fall-
Aided by their new heroes, South Americans began ing back on traditional ways of doing things, South
exploiting their natural resources at an unprece- America accelerated production and exploitation
dented rate, leveraging their natural wealth against of natural resources. A growing number of people
the needs of the rest of the planet. Without an ad- raised alarms about the potential risks for the envi-
vanced military to threaten them, Aberrants mostly ronment, but most local governments ignored their
left South America alone and only attacked targets concerns. Governments continued to disregard the
of strategic importance to the United States and growing discontent about environmental destruc-
Europe, as well as factories established by foreign tion until a grassroots movement called Our Green
investment. These attacks were as rare as they were Power, or Nossa Força Verde, began committing
brutal. Aberrants transformed half of Venezuela acts of virtual vandalism on the augmented-reali-
into a living nightmare and pulverized much of ty landscapes of harvesting settlements across the
Argentina’s infrastructure. Amazon. This campaign then swiftly spread to all of
The Nova Age also gave birth to hundreds of the Sudamérican cities.
small, remote settlements, which existed to extract “Nature is us,” “we are everywhere, we are ev-
local resources. Their only link to the rest of the eryone,” “the land is alive, and it watches.” These
world consisted of limited wireless connections. are but a few of the slogans that blocked digital ad-
Isolation and spotty bandwidth spared much of the verts and corporate OpNet sites. All of these were
South American population from the Possession signed by the Nossa Força Verde movement. The
Crisis and the turmoil of the OpNet’s destruction. movement soon started leaking documents expos-
Here, the Urban Schism came early. ing dirty corporate deals and corrupt government
Rather than closing their borders after the officials, and then stories of lone activists sabotag-
Chinese Ultimatum, South American countries ing operations that were later proven to be abusing

PLEASE LIKE AND SHARE

Check this vid! It shows the governor of Quindio being bribed by a Lagos Metal rep! Did
you hear they were letting them build a private cargo airport that would end up polluting the
entire department? The people of Quindio and Colombia are against this! Spread it around to
your contacts and help us stop this! Nature is us!
— Viral OpNet message, Nossa Força Verde, December 18, 2081.

sudamerica 79
 the local populace. Within two months, Nossa Força art, and a new generation adopts self-alteration not
Verde became a household name. Then the real eco- only as a form of personal expression, but also as an
terrorism began. exploration of the self.
The active hacktivism and sabotage inflicted by
Nossa Força Verde was joined by actions by the com- ARGENTINA
mon populace: sit-ins, blockades, and demonstra- One of the southernmost nations of Sudamérica
tions. At the same time, small uprisings in remote is struggling to find a place among its peers. Trying
settlements plagued every Sudamérican nation, of- to participate in the Aberrant War cost Argentina
ten for reasons unrelated to environmentalism. The half of its infrastructure and a series of inept gov-
people demanded change. ernments squandered many opportunities and sank
In 2084, change arrived. The Mapuche Nation, the country in anarchy. General Ernesto Santander
formerly Chile, signed a new law granting propri- staged a coup and brought order through an iron
etary rights to the genetic wealth of their land’s fist. His dictatorship has softened as he grows older,
biodiversity to the indigenous people and the small but the country is still a haven for mercenaries and
settlements born from the Urban Schism. Over the bandits, whom the general has secretly coopted and
next four years, the rest of Sudamérica followed made into Argentina’s main export.
suit.
With thousands of small holders who had grown
THE ANDEAN FEDERATION
up valuing the land around them, Sudamérica’s idea Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and the Mapuche Nation
of progress shifted from a trickle-down structure to joined forces under the Federacion Andina de
a grassroots-driven system. The Nossa Força Verde Comercio (FAC) to present a united front. Ecuador
movement faded into a footnote of history, but its is the link between Sudamérica and space thanks
anonymous activists did not. They would resurface to the Chimborazo Orbital Elevator finished in
years later, this time as the Nova Força Nacional, or 2102, while Bolivia manages the Condor Patrols
Psi Order Norça. that keep safe the shared wildlands in the Andes
and the Amazon; Peru is a media giant and secret-
SUDAMÉRICA AT A GLANCE ly the home of elite spies of the Yana Llanthu. The
Mapuche Nation connects its partners to the South
Sudamérica is thriving, buzzing with opportu-
Pole and provides a deterrent for Argentina.
nities and enthusiasm. After long decades of strug-
gling to maintain growth while averting ecological There are only two arcology complexes in the
disaster, Sudaméricans can now feel proud of their FAC nations. The first is the sea and spaceport trade
achievements. Sudamérican competitiveness often complex of Guayaquil, Ecuador, but the most im-
leads to exchanges of blows at the personal level portant is the jointly built Tahuantinsuyo Arcology
and outright sabotage between corporations and on the shores of Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia, which
governments. Sudaméricans, however, have the hosts the Federation’s joint administrative and po-
strange ability to become best friends and allies af- litical powers.
ter such clashes. Today the Andean Federation is booming. Their
Sudamérica is a land of deep contrasts. The most economic and technological progress is mirrored
advanced arcology projects cast their shadows on by a spirit of social experimentation. Previously
the most destitute urban sprawls, and while pover- oppressed native groups like the Quechua, Aymara,
ty does not reach the depths found in the FSA and and Mapuche are rising back into prominence, de-
parts of Europe, inequality is an issue that most molishing old prejudices and creating the largest
countries struggle with. population of mestizos in the continent.
Sudamérica is at the forefront of scientific, social,
BRAZIL
and cultural progress; manufacturers churn out bet-
ter apps every year and design the most advanced Brazil is exceptional in many ways. It’s by far the
biotechnology outside Orgotek, ideas are freely largest country in Sudamérica, and the only one with
discussed and often put into motion, and millions Portuguese as its official language. It is also the epi-
dance to the beat of new and old Sudamérican bands. center of Candomble, an animist religion sweeping
Augmented reality in Sudamérican arcologies and the entire continent and wresting believers away
cities is an explosion of visuals and performance from the traditionally dominant Catholic Church.

80 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 Natural wealth is Brazil’s key to success; vast but oddly respectful black market, and the coun-
jungles in the Amazon rain forest and wetlands try is polarized between the deeply Catholic Belo
in Pantanal give Brazil its pick on what it wants Horizonte and the strongly Candombleist Bahia.
to exploit and produce. The Urban Schism spread Despite, or perhaps because of its great wealth,
Brazilian population deeper inland, changing the Brazil is at the top of the Sudamérican inequality in-
balance of regional power. The Amazon is now dex, with a higher percentage of its population living
home to thousands of small settlements devoted in poverty compared to any of its neighbors. Crime,
to cultivating the verdant wilderness around them, however, is low thanks to strict law enforcement
granting more voting power to previously aban- and ubiquitous surveillance. As in other wealthy and
doned districts, and pushing environmental conser- powerful nations, most of crime that remains is con-
vation to the top of the government’s agenda. trolled by well-organized criminal gangs.
Brazil is leading the way in biotech-
nological research thanks to the wealth
of Amazonian life its bioengineers have LIVING IN THE AIR
to work with. It has used its wealth well,
even funding expensive projects like the Come to São Joaquim da Silva! We are a growing
Brasilia BioArcology project, and build- quilombo where fantasy becomes reality. Enjoy the
ing the Averiguas extrasolar colony.
magnificent sunrise in the Amazon rain forest and
wake every day to the song of 1,000 birds.
The people of Brazil are trendsetters
on the international stage. Fashion star
Our homes are built 20 meters in the air, support-
ed by the latest in biostructure technology, and con-
Kostbaar works from Rio de Janeiro,
nected to the town’s reactor with secure vinelines that
dictating world fashion from the cues of can resist anything the weather throws at them. Leave
his adoptive culture, while São Paolo’s your worries on the ground and come to São Joa-
cosmopolitan population churns out quim da Silva; it’s a dream among the clouds!
new subcultures every year. Minas — Villarana Real Estate advertisement.
Gerais is the headquarters of an active

sudamerica 81
 Brasilia COLOMBIA
Brazil, Norça, and the Qin collaborated in the Brazil may have the best recognition as the ideal,
most ambitious biotech project yet: growing an en- progressive Sudamérican nation, but it’s Colombia
tire, fully functional arcology out of vegetal-tem- who supports the backbone of Sudamérican econ-
plate biotechnology. The modernist but sterile omy and power. Colombia was one of the countries
layout of old Brasilia was the foundation for a new hit hardest by the ecoterrorist actions and hacktiv-
garden of wonders. Gigantic trees are both build- ism of Nossa Força Verde, but after the milestone
ings and pillars, flowers are holoprojectors and policies of the Mapuche Nation, it also became the
cameras, vines transport water and support bridges, nation that made the most extensive and far-reach-
and the AR landscape is a fairytale of elegant images ing reforms and changes.
and noetic resonance. Colombia has three arcologies: Bogota, its capi-
The arcology is a few years from achieving tal, Medellin, and Cali, and plenty of large cities that
self-sufficiency; some of the trees in recreational host the headquarters of many Sudamérican trans-
areas can also produce fruit, and there is a whole nationals. The AR landscape in Colombian cities
hydroponics sector that can already feed half of is among the most comprehensive, well organized,
the population comfortably. Most structures can and useful in the world, kept clean from vandals
repair themselves via either internal processes or and pranksters by dedicated cyberpolice, and main-
ant-shaped maintenance biobots, with a minimal tained by career curators and managers.
amount of biomass needed from the outside. Research, development, and production drive
The only hardtech to be found in Brasilia con- Colombia’s culture of success. The presence of the
sists of vehicles, a few architectural and engi- administrative and research wings of top global
neering fixtures, and people’s personal property. companies means that industrial espionage is at its
Everything else is organic. Lighting blends fluo- most sophisticated, but so is security. Sudamérican
rescent organisms with biocrystals that reflect media is full of news and fiction serials starring
light captured from sunflower collectors, com- industrial spies, elegant scammers, and crusading
bining to match outside illumination during the conmen.
day, and produce any color mix during the night. While Brazil is the capital of body alteration,
The buildings themselves cool, filter, and circu- Colombians indulge in “inner” alteration, using
late the air, even providing subtle fragrances in drugs to change their moods and attitudes at will
certain districts, and giving rise to urban legends and free of undesirable side effects, such as a detec-
that Brazilians are being chemically mind con- tive taking a pill to increase his empathy before an
trolled by their own city. interrogation, a harried freelancer using skin patch-
The citizens of the bioarcology are not like peo- es to banish procrastination as well as the need to
ple in regular arcologies. The arboreal surroundings sleep, or a meek person finding chemical courage to
have inspired many to undergo both cosmetic and stand up to a bully. Experimenting with noetic bio-
genetic alteration, from utilitarian prehensile tails apps is just the logical next step.
to cosmetic, yet somehow fitting, antlers. Brasilia is
also the only city where AR has a conceptual layer VENEZUELA
in addition to the visuals, only perceived through During the Aberrant War, a local Aberrant creat-
little bug-like links that transmit the information ed a vast zone of Quantum Flux in the middle of the
noetically rather than simply optically. Connected country. It is similar to Wycoff’s Blight, but rather
citizens trade information at near-telepathic than laying waste to the land, it mutated the flora
speeds, and their speech is full of gaps and meta- and fauna into monsters that promptly attacked the
phorical imagery completed through their AR links, human population and transmitted Corruption like
something that greatly confuses outsiders. The in- a virulent disease, soon creating a veritable apoca-
clusion of social media in such conversations is cre- lypse of mutant aberrations living in a nightmarish
ating a complex network of collective understand- landscape. Neighboring countries closed off their
ing and shared tropes and idioms that is quickly borders to Venezuelan refugees, and many were
setting Brasilia outside, or perhaps beyond, the rest shot on sight to prevent the mutating plagues from
of humanity. spreading further.

82 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 Suddenly, in 2104, when Wycoff’s Blight PARAHUMANITY
shrunk by a third, the Plaguelands shrank
by a quarter and the plagues became far The Norça are media darlings in Sudamérica,
less contagious. Today, Venezuela sur- and their open display of biokinesis is pushing into
vives as a strip of habitable territory along the mainstream the notion that bodies are but tools
the Atlantic coastline, isolated from the
of the soul. Permanent or transient body alteration
is as much part of Sudamérican youth culture as
Plaguelands by heavily guarded walls and
clothing; it’s not strange to find people with odd
regular Norça patrols. Its new capital in skin-color patterns walking openly with nobody
Maracaibo governs many floating and un- even noticing, or sporting nonhuman traits like
derwater towns. The rise of Oceania makes horns, feathers, or even extra limbs. Purists from
Venezuela fear a new loss of territory if oth- other lands comment that Sudamérican arcolo-
er oceanic settlements follow the example gies often feel like alien planets from bad sci-fi
of Pearl City. vids.
Oceania’s phibs and selkies have terrestrial coun-
SUDAMÉRICA terparts in Brazil; people with prehensile tails,
AND THE WORLD second eyelids, cilium-covered hands or other al-
terations undertaken to work better under extreme
Sudamérica is often its own worst enemy. conditions. The physical definition of what consti-
Competition between Colombia and Brazil tutes humanity is stretching thin in Sudamérica.
has created a multitude of small conflicts
where the two countries’ interests meet.
Espionage and sabotage remain common thieves and security professionals: Argentina co-
vertly funds and hires out foreign mercenaries of
tools of local politics. The Andean nations also un-
every profession, while the Peruvian Yana Llanthu
dermine their neighbors’ efforts using subtle propa-
ganda campaigns and exceptionally sophisticated hide behind their own legends as supernaturally
espionage. capable spies and assassins. Finally, the Psi Order
However, Sudaméricans rapidly unite when trou- Norça walks the fine line between legitimate use of
ble comes from the FSA. Sudaméricans have not force and vigilantism, using illegal methods to guide
Sudamérica towards a better future.
forgotten the long history of intervention, invasion,
exploitation, and abuse from the north, and some- Sudamérica’s large protected wilderness presents
times go out of their way to ruin FSA initiatives many challenges and hides many secrets. Aberrants
abroad. However, not wishing open military con- and their creations still lurk in the darkest cor-
frontation, they most often use covert means that ners of the Amazon rain forest, the Venezuelan
are difficult to trace. Plaguelands, unreachable Andean heights, and oce-
Most Sudaméricans consider China and Australia anic depths. However, this continent is also home
to many new, as-yet-undiscovered resources; inno-
to be respectable rivals, and competition with these
nations is quiet and professional. Europe and the vative bioapps can be created from biotemplates
UAN are important trading partners, and many found only in the Amazon or the Brazilian Pantanal,
charitable works go toward aiding ruined European and competition to locate new species sometimes
countries. The only advantage Spain and Portugal becomes lethal.
have is a shared language, but Sudaméricans deal The social structure in Sudamérica can be equal-
with them as fairly or abusively as they deal with ly volatile; in addition to their intense rivalry that
anybody else. threatens to erupt into a full-blown economic war,
Brazil and Colombia are struggling with cultural
THREATS & phenomena that question the concepts of identity
FEATURES OF INTEREST and free will, while the Mapuche Nation is a hotbed
of unrest as an imposed state of racial relations begins
Under a civilized facade, industrial espionage
to unravel. Cutting-edge technology and avant-garde
and high-class crimes are a thriving sector and an
cultural phenomena also share memetic space with
important part of the Sudamérican business envi-
deeply rooted traditions and superstitions.
ronment. These gray-market sectors are dominated
by three main groups in addition to many talented

sudamerica 83
 UNITED AFRICAN NATIONS
Now known as the Bright Continent, Africa was that people all around the world visit to see tradi-
previously plagued by chaos and disunity. When the tions and technology merge in harmonious ways.
novas were still heroes, they helped loosen the grip Immigration is on the rise, further increasing the
of the dictators and tyrants who controlled many diversity of the UAN’s workforce.
African nations. Before the Aberrant War, these
nations formed the United African Nations to pre- UNIFICATION IN DIVERSITY
serve democracy and freedom and to protect their While hundreds of different languages and di-
resources and sovereignty from the nations of the alects are spoken in Africa, Swahili is the official
developed world. In 2033 the Nigerian city of Lagos language of the UAN. All children, no matter where
became the capital of the UAN. Here, the member they live, are taught Swahili in addition to their re-
nations signed the Declaration of Unity, a document gion’s native tongue. One of the central principles
asserting that all Africans had the right to their be- guiding the UAN is that each citizen must bring all
liefs, tribal practices, and religions without fear of the traditions available to him into the conglomer-
persecution or violence. The UAN also created a ate of nations so that all can be enriched. In rural
regional police force with the ability to enforce the areas, this means that local cultures remain strong.
terms stated in the declaration. These police are Technological advances allow the people to en-
known as the Walinzi — Swahili for “Guardians.” gage in traditions from centuries past while still be-
With increased stability came increased invest- ing able to participate in modern life. Many Maasai
ment. China invested heavily in the UAN, bringing retain their traditional garb and customs while also
new business and opening up new trade opportuni- having holovids in their home, driving, and living
ties. Tourism from Brazil soared as the area around in modern houses and apartments decorated with a
Mount Kenya became a destination spot for world mixture of traditional and cutting-edge decor. The
travelers. African cultures were revived and put on tradition of hunting lions as a rite of passage into
display through interaction with new technologies manhood continues, but to maintain the health of the
and improved economies. The future appeared lim- lion population, almost all Maasai choose nonlethal
itless for UAN. It was around this time that Africa hunts, using spears tipped with anesthetic darts, and
earned the name “The Bright Continent,” as it women can now take part in this ceremony.
emerged from over a century of bitter local wars to Each nation has a voice in the UAN Council. In
take its place among the world powers. addition, tribes and ethnic minorities within a re-
The Aberrant War caused massive damage to the gion can apply for a special membership which al-
UAN but less than in the FSA or Europe. During the lows them to send delegates to vote on local issues
Crash, the inability to access resources and the sud- and communicate with other representatives in
den scarcity threatened to break the new union of the council. No group can be isolated or oppressed
nations. In an effort to obtain much-needed funds without other members being aware of it, but gov-
and restore local unity and pride, president Mgowo ernance and laws are often somewhat chaotic. The
Uyabo redirected the fractured nations to a unified weekly council meetings are rowdy, all-day affairs.
vision of near-space travel. In 2074, work on a space The freewheeling nature of these council meetings
elevator at Mount Kenya began. Further investment has given rise to the nickname “The Market,” due
and partnerships with the Chinese and Australians to the constant bickering and deal making that hap-
helped the UAN complete the space elevator proj- pens on the floor.
ect and space station Abuhisi by 2090. A little more
than a decade later, Upeo wa Macho Proxy Bolade BEYOND THE
Atwan extended Mgowo’s original vision to inter-
stellar travel.
BOUNDS OF EARTH
While the UAN lacks the economic and military The citizens of the UAN are more at home with
power of the Chinese or Sudamérica, it remains a space travel than the inhabitants of any other nation.
prosperous and peaceful democracy. The UAN po- More than a 10th of UAN citizens have visited Luna
sitions itself as a hub of space travel and a place or one of the orbital stations, and almost one in 500
has traveled to the rest of the solar system or to one

84 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

 AFRICAN TRANSHUMANITY
The UAN embraces personal transformation as much as Sudamérica, but with a distinctly
African style. Most Sudaméricans prefer transforming their bodies in lasting ways, and
perhaps changing them again every few years. However, in the UAN, few people make
such permanent changes, like becoming an aqua or giving themselves cat eyes, more
than once or twice in a lifetime but instead make temporary modifications, like pseudo-liv-
ing tattoos, advanced biotech sensors that can be applies to the user’s head or hands and
removed when desired, or temporary gills. A growing number of Africans embrace more
extensive temporary changes using living biotech that’s halfway between body paint and
a bodysuit. These bioapps are covered with fur, scales, patches of bioluminescent col-
or-changing organisms, or unusually shaped or patterned skin. They can be worn for
several days and feel like the wearer’s skin, but only require a few minutes to put on or
take off.
Some in the UAN wear functional modifications for work or to enable them to temporarily
live as an aqua, perhaps while considering becoming one permanently. However, most
use cosmetic modifications to express their personal style or to decorate themselves for
parties and special events. Most residents of the UAN rarely change their identity and
only do so for important personal reasons, but changing their appearance, even in radi-
cal ways, is a celebrated part of life.

of the interstellar colonies. The ease of access pro- and an ARES pod (p. 290) create exhaustive maps
vided by the Mount Kenya space elevator and the re- of space. This observatory recently discovered sev-
cently completed jump ring to Luna, combined with eral habitable worlds that not even the Upeo knew
the collective efforts of all African nations to make of. Despite surface scans showing no signs of in-
space travel a priority means that the average African habitants, the Observatory’s clairsentients detected
always has some part of their mind in the stars. Large traces of sentient life on one of these worlds. Only
portions of the economy are dedicated to space travel physical exploration will reveal the true nature of
and the infrastructure it requires. these places. This orbital observatory also offers in-
The space tourism trade is a brisk business as depth tours to scientifically minded visitors.
well. While few are sufficiently wealthy or daring For a few visitors, Abuhisi is merely a way station
to travel other planets, many wish to have the ex- on their way to Luna, Mars, the asteroid belt, or more
perience of leaving Earth. Located at the end of the rarely, one of the extrasolar colonies. Spacecraft
Mount Kenya space elevator, the Abuhisi orbital regularly depart for destinations throughout the
station is a common destination for UAN travelers. solar system. Also, within the past two months, sev-
Most tourists to Abuhisi visit the luxurious Star eral Leviathan jump ships have docked at Abuhisi
Mall, which is filled with a wealth of items from before venturing to the stars.
both Earth and the stellar frontier. Tourists can Other tourists prefer the comforts of Earth.
find unique stones, exotic pets, and more in the Star Dozens of companies host “space safaris” in locations
Mall. Abuhisi also recently completed a wing ded- that are at once amusement parks and museums that
icated to the Esperanza, which faithfully recreates simulate the experiences and sites that can be found
a section of the crashed station. This recreation is on Luna, Mars, and Karroo Station. The best use grav
filled with memorabilia and trivia about the station, crystals to create regions where visitors can experi-
and has the names of all the people who died in the ence low gravity and zero G. Angola dominates this
crash printed in scrolling displays on the walls. industry, which has recently grown larger than the
The renowned Congo Observatory maintains a still popular wilderness safari industry.
secondary, but still growing observatory on Abuhisi.
This orbital observatory merges noetic and elec- RELIGION
tronic technology to provide a unique view of extra- Where many outsiders see a dichotomy between
solar space. State-of-the-art telescopes supplement- the traditional, mythological world of the past and
ed with some of the most powerful clairsentients the busy, tech-saturated world of the present, the

united african nations 85

 average citizen of the UAN does not. Most have no evil, Aberrant-like forces. This show entertains tens
problem being at once anachronistic and technolog- of millions while also teaching the most basic as-
ically advanced. Local mythology pervades popular pects of the religion.
culture and activities. Regional and city govern- UAN’s acceptance of diverse religions and cul-
ments often go to great lengths to help foreigners tures comes at a price. While most citizens simply
learn relevant customs quickly. “Knowing posts” expand their world view to accommodate the di-
that transmit local cultural information to a trav- verse population, a few sects of fundamentalists
eler’s minicomp are ubiquitous in the UAN. This seek to expand their power and influence and are
cultural exchange is less about restricting behav- willing to resort to violence to achieve their goals.
ior than it is helping people feel at home. Knowing The most well-known local extremist group is the
the name of the prayer everyone on the maglev just Christian sect known as the Savior’s Path. Based
recited makes traveling across the UAN more com- in Toamasina, Madagascar, this group seeks to de-
forting and familiar. stroy anything related to space travel. The UAN
The two dominant religions across the conti- has thwarted many attempts by the group to do
nent are Islam and Yoruba. There are countless so. Despite the group’s failures, their digital re-
other faiths, but these two get the most attention cruitment efforts are savvy and effective. The most
in pop culture and politics. Islam is most influen- extreme Islamist group is also one of the oldest:
tial in north Africa, while Yoruba is more common Al-Qaeda. This group benefits from mainstream le-
in central Africa and its popularity is continuing gitimacy; only indirect evidence links them to actu-
to increase. The Orisha have been popularized al terrorist acts. Other religions and tribes will often
in many electronic games and shows, which has try to settle disagreements outside of UAN law or
spread knowledge of the faith outside of the UAN. regulations, but few have the numbers or the popu-
People from all across the world tune in to watch lar appeal to be a major concern.
the psi-opera Kumi (“The Ten”), about people who There have been enough low-level skirmish-
have channeled the powers of Yoruban gods to fight es with extremists that some in UAN government

86 CHAPTER TWO: EARTH AND LUNA

now seek to change its privacy laws to give the and lawless continent as the cause to distrust it now.
government better insight into the threats it faces. While many dismiss the FSA government’s talk,
Currently the UAN does not have the access that UAN insiders know that the FSA does not attack
nations like China or the FSA have to private data. the UAN with words alone. It is rumored that the
Without permission or a search warrant, public sur- FSA funds and supports the surge of cyberterrorism
veillance is configured to not record any images or plaguing the African nations. No definitive proof
sounds occurring in private residences, businesses, exists, but the speed and detail with which the FSA
or on private property, like the land around some- responds to every cyberterrorist incident (even
one’s house or an arcology-dweller’s balcony. Also, some that were not made public by the UAN) indi-
although this same surveillance records the actions cates some level of involvement. The FSA’s hostility
of everyone in public spaces, getting access to re- to the UAN does not seem to have an overt purpose,
cordings detailing the actions of a particular indi- though insiders believe that the ultimate goal is to
vidual requires their permission or a search war- gain more of a foothold in the lucrative space-travel
rant. Many Chinese believe that it is only a matter of business that the UAN dominates. The council be-
time before the UAN’s openness allows disaster and lieves that the FSA is secretly providing money and
chaos to reign. However, rescinding digital-privacy weapons to both the Savior’s Path and Al-Qaeda.
laws remains one of the least popular proposals in
the council meetings, and has not even been voted THREATS
into a committee yet. The leaders of the Walinzi believe that Aberrants
control some of the smaller extremist sects. Known
ALLIES & ENEMIES as “False God” cults, followers worship Aberrants
Officially, the UAN has no enemies. It has de- and build their influence within the continent.
clared no trade embargos nor made any declarations Security personnel consider these cults more dan-
of hostility against any nation. Its official stance is to gerous than direct Aberrant strikes. Using neutrals
nurture relationships with all nations, extending an as shields and servants makes it easier for Aberrants
“open hand to all.” Insiders to international politics to act without being detected or destroyed. The
know that there are several wrinkles to this strat- UAN works extensively with the Æon Trinity to
egy, and several pressing facts that make an open put an end to these cults. Complicating these inves-
hand hard to extend. tigations is the fact that rogue psions actually lead
China is the UAN’s strongest ally. China and the a few cults. These cults of personality are usually
UAN have been close economic allies for almost less dangerous, but determining the true nature of
a century. What began as Chinese investment in a particular cult often requires infiltration missions
African industry has become a series of mutual lasting weeks or even months. Every cult missed or
trade and investment treaties. Tourism and cul- overlooked might damage the space elevator or ex-
tural exchange are also quite common. The only plode a bomb in a major city.
awkwardness is when China looks to the UAN for A phenomenon known to UAN citizens as “Ghosts
backup in international affairs. The UAN seeks to in the Net” is actually the work of a network of hack-
maintain its neutrality and avoid international ten- ers who randomly shut off machinery and devices
sions, but many UAN officials also wish to honor all over the UAN. Anything that is connected to the
their close ties with China. The council regularly OpNet is potentially vulnerable to these attacks. The
wrestles with these issues. Most solutions involve Ghosts embarrass the UAN, causing people to poke
the UAN making a statement of solidarity with fun at the reliability of the UAN machinery and com-
China but also stating a firm commitment to peace- puters. Shutdowns have so far been merely incon-
ful resolution. Lately, China has been pushing the venient, but officials fear the attacks will intensify,
African nations for less equivocal support. with fatal results. To combat this, many machines
If the UAN has an enemy, it is the FSA. The FSA with critical functions disconnect from OpNet to
is vocal in its distrust of the UAN. The FSA is criti- reduce their threat surface. Whether this will work
cal of almost everything the UAN does, often citing long term is unknown but the only other long-term
older images and notions of Africa as a dangerous solution appears to be confronting the FSA directly,
something the UAN is reluctant to do.

united african nations 87

 The universe must be full of voices, calling from star to star in a myriad
tongues. One day we shall join that cosmic conversation.
— Arthur C. Clarke

Space is humanity’s new frontier. However, it is a

frontier without any Earthly equivalent. Romantic
SETTLEMENT
ideas of building off-world colonies using only technol- INFRASTRUCTURE
ogy the colonists could create themselves proved to be
nothing more than dreams. Survival on an alien world
Humanity now inhabits a vast range of
different worlds, but almost all settle-
demands a combination of advanced technology, hard
ments have a few features in common.
work, and practical skills ranging from farming to en- Every inhabited planet possesses a net-
gineering and biochemistry. However, some of the new work of GPS, weather, and communica-
Qin biotech is beginning to change colonization. If col- tion satellites. Also, every base or colo-
onists purchase the correct license, they can breed vari- ny built in the 22nd century has several
ous useful creatures like bioblimps (see p. 302), insuring hyperfusion reactors as well as at least a
a steady supply of devices or vehicles for a colony, with dozen industrial makers.
no need to use machines to produce them.
Most humans never leave Earth and fewer than
one in 1,000 people ever visit any world further devices allowed several million people to travel be-
than Luna, but daring neutrals and psions are now yond Earth. Today, psionic teleportation provides
settling or working on other worlds. Spacecraft al- the next big impetus for humanity to move to the
low humanity to explore other planets and, with planets and the stars. Almost 30 million now live
the development of the Leviathan jump ships, other and work beyond Luna’s orbit, scattered across the
star systems. However, moving sufficient numbers solar system and out among the stars.
of people to start a viable colony usually requires
opening up a teleportation portal, allowing thou-
SETTLEMENTS BEYOND EARTH
sands or even tens of thousands to step from one Humanity has visited every rocky planet and
world to another. Similarly, the two space elevators large moon in the solar system. Teleporters and now
have made access to Earth orbit easy and jump rings Leviathan jump ships have visited dozens of extraso-
(see p. 295) going from Earth to Luna made Olympus lar planets. The following worlds are only the colonies
as easy to reach as Sydney or the Chicago arcology. and large bases that humanity has established. There
Humanity began moving into space during the are many other smaller bases where 10 or 20 research-
Nova Age. Nova-created warps and warp-creating ers investigate a planet, as well as even more worlds
that Upeo wa Macho explorers visited only briefly.

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Humanity explored the entire solar system during worlds around other stars, some of which were habit-
the Nova Era, and in the decades between the end able and thus far more appealing than the cold deserts
of the Aberrant War and the appearance of the first of Mars or the far less hospitable environments found
psions, the people of Earth were largely limited to elsewhere in the solar system. The six-year disappear-
the solar system. During that time, some sought to re- ance of the teleporters rekindled interest in colonizing
sume earlier efforts to colonize Mars, others contin- Mars, but it remains at least a week away using the
ued mining the asteroid belt, and a few looked else- fastest spacecraft, and the outer system requires voy-
where in the solar system, to the gas giants and their ages lasting more than twice as long. Although efforts
icy moons or the infernos of Mercury and Venus. to mine or settle the other planets in the solar system
However, during the Nova Era and after the appear- continue, the teleporters’ return has again caused most
ance of the psions in 2106, humanity could travel to of humanity to focus on worlds orbiting other suns.

the solar system 89

 MARS but failed to increase atmospheric pressure, the
first step to make the planet more habitable. The
After a century of false starts and setbacks, fu-
impacts also curtailed colonization.
turists’ long dream of terraforming Mars is finally
Aside from a small Chinese colony, humanity
taking shape. Domed settlements sprout across the
abandoned Mars during the Aberrant War and the
arid plains and on the shores of the growing lakes.
Crash. Resource constraints and reduced popula-
The Red Frontier beckons —  but many would-be
tion pressure didn’t justify movement outward. It
colonists have learned that getting to Mars is less
took the 2090s’ space renaissance to rekindle in-
a challenge than making something of the planet
terest. Chinese influence pushed the UN to back
once they’ve arrived.
a second terraforming wave, this time construct-
COMETS AND COLONIES ing huge atmosphere generators at the poles. The
project’s scale brought new colonization, as did the
Once superhuman powers and technologies
use of Phobos as a staging area for outer-system
made it accessible, Mars was the Nova Age’s great
exploration.
planetary science laboratory. Martian bases devel-
Terraforming efforts met with little success un-
oped low-moisture plant species still grown in arid
til 2109, when Orgotek and the Qin approached
terrestrial regions. Medical studies in low gravity
the UN with a proposal to accelerate terraforming.
—  and in microgravity on the long flights to and
Immense biotech constructs and an army of engi-
from Mars — paved the way for modern space med-
neered microorganisms extract elements from deep
icine. The 2026 discovery of native microorganisms
beneath the Martian surface and spew out the first
confirmed that Earth was not unique in harboring
wisps of a breathable atmosphere. However, neither
life and fueled interest in extrasolar exploration.
psions nor aliens accounted for the native life’s per-
A decade-long debate over the sanctity of Martian
sistence and adaptability. The Martian microbes’
life ended in 2036 when a Chinese/Persian alli-
rapid growth has drastically slowed terraforming.
ance began the first wave of terraforming attempts.
The Aberrants’ return brought frequent strikes
Asteroid and cometary bombardment raised dust

90 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 PLANETARY DATA: MARS
Founded: 2021 (USA/European Union — flag-planting mission)
Distance from Earth: 0.38 AU
Diameter: 6,779 km
Gravity: 0.38 Earth
Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen (non-breathable; planned nitrogen-oxy-
gen breathable)
Air Pressure: 0.27 Earth (planned 0.75)
Temperature: –80º to 40º C (planned –40º to 45º)
Percentage Ocean: 14% (planned 31%)
Rotation Period: 24 hours, 37 minutes
Native Life: Primitive microbes
Human Population: 4.7 million

Phobos Space Dock

Planetary Data: Phobos Space Dock
Distance from Mars: 9,400 km
Dimensions: 27 × 22 × 18 km
Population: 8,000

on isolated Martian outposts. Unlike Earth, Mars crust’s long stasis, triggering unpredictable mar-
had too many isolated settlements for the small squakes across the planet.
number of forces located to adequately protect. The only vegetation is terraforming biotech.
Aberrants were often only driven off after they had Orbital images reveal swaths of green on newly
destroyed their target. A Norça-led campaign in moist shores, but these are a combination of Qin mi-
2119 broke this cycle and gave the Sudamérican or- crobes and the oxidized copper byproducts of their
der the political capital to involve itself in Martian water-liberation process. However, large-scale
politics. equatorial seeding of engineered grasses awaits
only a modest increase in atmospheric pressure.
AREOGRAPHY AND ARECOLOGY Equally significant is Peru’s recent announcement
Despite microbiological setbacks, recent terra- of Chinchilla martis, the first animal species engi-
forming has yielded massive environmental trans- neered to breathe Martian air.
formation. Atmospheric pressure is now 30 times
greater than pre-terraforming levels and oxygen THE RED FRONTIER
content is nearing 5%. It’s still unbreathable for Terraforming and colonization began as a way for
anyone but the most adept biokinetic (or Aberrant), humanity to hedge its bets against a planetary-scale
but anyone can survive with just a breathing mask cataclysm that could render Earth uninhabitable.
and warm clothes — pressure suits are no longer re- With the 22nd century’s biotech and faster-than-
quired. Typical summer days range from 5º to 30º C. light travel, a habitable Mars is no longer critical as
After 20 million years, water again flows during a redoubt, which has spurred calls to redirect terra-
Martian summers and near the equator; rivers con- forming resources to other projects. However, Mars
tinue to flow even in the depths of winter. A fraction still commands a compelling place in humanity’s
of this water comes from Nova Age comet strikes collective vision of space.
but most is former polar or underground ice. The “Flagged” settlements are supposed to fall under their
shifting weight of this moving water has broken the parent nations’ laws, with the UN Judiciary Council

noetic connections & templates 91

 SUBJECT: ECOTERRORISM
From: Deputy Council Attorney Susan Hong, UN Judiciary Council, XXIX (Mars) District
To: Lieutenant Dale Hong, HQ/5th Marine Infantry Battalion, Seventh Legion
Encryption: DSE
Date: 5.5.2123, 9:31 AM
Ha ha, little bro. It’s funny when it’s not your problem. “Redneck” is no joke when it’s
short for “pissed-off Martian roughneck.” Terraforming is flooding them out of the meteor
craters where the best ore veins are. We finally found a way to get miners to share air with
environmentalists. And they know explosives. The bombs up north — you know, the ones your
Legion missed? Yeah, Red Preservationists, but I’ve seen the report and that work took skills
you don’t get in a lab.
You want to do us both a favor? Convince your chain of command to protect the Oceanian
immigrant community. The aquas are the only miners on-world who want to work underwater
and the rednecks are agitating to run them off. There. Now it is your problem.
I’ve never been a Mindi but at this point I want to see the movement succeed. If Mars
were self-governing, this wouldn’t be my case.

presiding over Mars as a whole. All the enforcement the process. Under Orgotek’s leadership, terraform-
bodies have more pressing matters, though. Elsewhere ers see themselves as midwives to a new world.
on Mars, theoretical interplanetary law gives way to
pragmatic self-rule —  until the independents offend LIVING ON MARS
some country (usually by harming its citizens) and find Despite recent progress, Mars remains relative-
themselves forcibly nationalized and regulated. ly frozen and airless. Martians are as painstaking
To groups seeking isolated autonomy, Mars offers as spacers about their life support. Settlements re-
even greater freedom and isolation than Oceania main under pressurized domes or dug deep into the
or the Australian Outback, and unlike terrestrial crust until the air becomes breathable (projected
nations, it lacks immigration controls. Foresighted for 2200).
settlers stake (or usurp) early claims on sites ex- Thin air prevents combustion or conventional
pected to be resource-rich oases at terraforming’s flight. Economical long-range transportation relies
end. Fringe societies run wild, unfettered by legal on land trains: massive fusion-powered, all-terrain,
prohibitions or social disapproval. Isolation makes articulated constructs with a score of indepen-
outlying colonies ideal places for individuals to dent axles. Aviators fly hoppers similar to Luna’s,
make fresh starts or hide from the past. “Cutting,” albeit with larger engines and less lifting capacity.
Martian person-finding, is a growth field, as is free- Suborbital spaceship flights are faster but inefficient.
lance law enforcement targeting bandits and the Martian hospitals serve spacers from across the
“feral colonies” that harbor them. solar system. Also, the large and growing Phobos
The local legal patchwork and outside meddling space dock serves as a repair, refueling, and resup-
aggravate a large minority of Martians. The Mars ply stop for much of the Outer System. Wealthy
Independence movement is a score of grassroots tourists also come seeking isolation and exclusivi-
organizations who can’t agree on anything but their ty. A Martian cruise is the 2120s’ glamour vacation.
vision of a self-governing, UN-recognized Mars. Exploiting this, small “red resorts” span the planet.
Supporters fly ironic emerald flags to mock their Domed theme parks breathe life into old science
bitterest rivals, Chinese nationalists. Most are vocal fiction. Extreme sports resorts offer sand-skiing
but, aside from drunken brawling, peaceful. and suborbital skydiving. Expedition companies
Science sparks its own passions as terraform- tour terraforming facilities or unspoiled wilder-
ing erases native areology and arecology. The Red ness, then make edgy stopovers in carefully selected
Preservationist movement lobbies the UN to reverse fringe colonies.

92 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 SPACE PIRATES
Space pirates? Ha! No. The economic conditions are all wrong. How would you steal and
fence a megaton of aluminum? We’re here for search and rescue — or more often, search
and recovery, no thanks to the distances we have to cover. The lasers are for Aberrants, not
pirates.
— Lt. Cdr. Kristof Jorgensen, commanding UNSGC Argus

ON THE MAP UN’s planetary administrative offices in neighbor-

ing Port Ares are almost an afterthought, overshad-
Wanjing, the “City of Rocklike Fortitude,” is Mars’
owed by three competing rough-and-tumble towns
undisputed first city, though China can’t quite pro-
that extract stress and cash from off-duty troops.
claim it the planetary capital. Built around the prewar
New Houston was the Nova Age’s main American
colony on the Tharsis plateau, east of Olympus Mons,
colony. The ambitious complex was built to house
it holds 300,000 citizens and Mars’ largest spaceport.
nearly 100,000 settlers. Only a few thousand had
Local volcanic soil should make it an agricultural pow-
moved in when Aberrants seized control. The resis-
erhouse once the atmosphere can support crops.
tance’s sporadic broadcasts lasted nearly four years,
Sudamérica’s Rio de Martio, hub of the tourist
revealing slices of a descent into hell that remain
trade, straddles the mouth of the Valles Marineris
some of the war’s most chilling records. Hundreds
canyon east of Tharsis. Living arcologies built into the
of unmapped tunnels make enforcing the site’s
canyon’s walls offer unparalleled views and open onto
Corruption quarantine impossible, making it a pop-
the planet’s thickest atmosphere. However, the first
ular destination for Novatech prospectors.
spring floods brought frightening marsquakes and city
engineers are reevaluating their calculations. THE OUTER SYSTEM
Like Wanjing, Akabenje was planned as a future
Past Mars, humanity’s grasp on the solar system is
agricultural center, but the UAN’s Martian city
tenuous. Sol provides dim light but the only heat is what
hasn’t waited for the air to thicken. This sprawl-
travelers bring with them. Self-reliance is a way of life and
ing complex of hydroponic domes, located on the
equipment maintenance a religious rite. Without a tele-
Gusev crater’s southern slope, provides two-thirds
porter, the closest help is usually several weeks away. The
of Mars’ food and makes the planet agriculturally
estimated 15,000 inhabitants of the asteroid belt and out-
self-sufficient. In time, its site on the growing river
er bodies wouldn’t have it any other way. Many of them
delta of the Ma’adim Vallis channel may become the
came to the deep black in search of that very isolation.
southern hemisphere’s coastal jewel.
THE ASTEROID BELT
OVER THE HORIZON
Home to two-thirds of the outer system’s popu-
Schiaparelli Convoy, the best-known crawler town, lation, the belt is corporate territory. The ongoing
is a 200-person nomadic community based in five space-construction boom demands raw materials.
land trains. Its six-week path circumnavigates Hellas It’s cheaper to extract them here and ship them to
Planitia’s 6,000 kilometers as it trades goods and Earth orbit than to mine them dirtside and boost
services to the crater’s future coastal communities. them up a gravity well. “Cheap” is relative on this
Famous from the On the Crawl documentary holovid, scale, though. Breaking into the business as a sub-
it’s a popular rendezvous target for expedition tours. contractor for a mining metacorp still requires rare
Robinson Station lies on the equatorial Meridiani skills and tens of millions of yuan in startup capital.
Planum. Seventh Legion’s headquarters holds the Aside from a few owner-operator freighter crews
system’s best LoGLAW (low-gravity/low-atmo- and the support workers who keep the miners fed
sphere warfare) training center. Space troops from and breathing, the “down-on-her-luck entrepre-
nearly every nation train here as Legion guests. The neur” is a vid fiction.

noetic connections & templates 93

 COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER TRANSCRIPT
Subject 1: —(gett)ing this?
Subject 2: Not much. No radar return and it’s within five degrees of background temp.
S1: Wow. What’s it made of?
S2: Fifty kays long, I’m more worried about whose it is. Cut thrust so I can bounce a laser
off it.
S1: Go.
S2: Okay, that’s weird. It’s crystalline and...vibrating? Hundred twenty [Hertz]. And — oh,
crap!
(Unknown interference; 2:09 of recording lost.)
S2: — Give us some distance from this thing.
S1: On it. You got comms?
S2: Negative. Still jammed.
S1: Okay, okay, I — yeah! Got him!
S2: Yes! Aaah, break left!
S1: They’re herding us.
S2: What are they — is that a comet in the —
(Impact and depressurization sounds; 0:38 of recording lost.)
S1: — least now you know whose it is.
S2: Well, shit.
(Unknown interference; no further viable data.)
Recovered from Orgotek Locust-R3, hull number VHL6015M, salvaged near Saturn February
1, 2123. Vessel declared overdue August 26, 2121 after failing to report after sweep of 5145
Pholus. Subject 1 identified as Flying Officer Helenice Prazeres, 136th Reconnaissance Squad-
ron, Seventh Legion, pilot. Subject 2 identified as Sergeant Clemenz Bian, sensor operator.

Each corporation maintains its own refinery com- of a frontier town, offering shops, restaurants, and
plex, where miners drag chunks of asteroid for pro- entertainment to miners and refinery workers. It’s
cessing. The output is huge ingots clamped to slow also the main outer-system base for the local cav-
bulk freighters for shipment in-system. The industry’s alry: the UN Space Guard and the Seventh Legion.
transport side has tight safety regulations and security Most ships heading farther outsystem stop here for
— no one wants an artificial dinosaur killer. supplies and maintenance.
Outside the refinery stations, belt life centers on
Vesta, the system’s second-largest asteroid. In 2080, THE FRINGE
Nihonjin researchers landed there, establishing the The belt does have a scattering of tiny habitats
Fuyoushi science station. After several unprofitable outside the mining industry. Most are scientific facil-
years, the Nihonjin government sold the base to pri- ities, though at least four well-financed independent
vate investors. Fuyoushi remained abandoned until the settlements exist, including a Psi Nippon enclave, an
late-century return to space made asteroid mining prof- ecumenical monastery and meditation retreat. The
itable. Vesta became the first hub of these operations. belt’s isolation is the primary reason these stations
The Aberrant attack in 2105 gutted the facility aren’t somewhere more hospitable. Belt tourism is a
but Vesta’s size made it too useful to remain aban- non-starter — there’s nothing here to see or do.
doned. Today, the reborn settlement of Absolute Though action-espionage vids exaggerate their
Zero is dug into the planetoid, making it a much scale, secret research programs have found homes
tougher target. “A-Naught” is the belt’s equivalent in the belt since the Nova Age. Project ReWrite

94 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

maintains a tiny office in Absolute Zero, where Enceladus and Rhea. While most scientists believe
it investigates rumors of von Neumann war ma- these are Aberrant relics, the original explorers in-
chines, brain-overwriting mind recordings, novas sist they’re far older. Follow-up missions are in the
awakened from cryogenic stasis, and marauding works. The FSA also is hastily organizing an expe-
Aberrant cultists. For the psi orders, the remote dition to Titan, ostensibly to renew an old claim to
location permits certain psionic experiments that the site of a high-energy physics lab that exploded
would be impossible on Earth. Several nations also shortly before the Aberrant War.
maintain military research labs here. The largest manmade structure beyond the belt
orbits Uranus. Still under construction, Olapa will
THE GAS GIANTS be the base from which an audacious UAN energy
Settling the outer planets themselves is obvious- conglomerate plans to extract helium-3 from the
ly impossible (at least, for terrestrial life), but all of Uranian atmosphere. If the venture succeeds, it will
them possess large moons. Radiation makes Jupiter transform the market for fusion-reactor fuel, but
an unpopular destination, but two notable commu- construction setbacks have pushed completion to
nities exist here. The first is an Orgotek lab orbit- 2128.
ing Io, from which electrokinetics study Jupiter’s
unique magnetosphere. It also hosts a few planetol- THE VOID BEYOND
ogists who study Io itself. The second Jovian com- There’s little reason to venture past the gas gi-
munity is the multinational Galileo Station, which ants. A few hardy scientists and psions come to test
continues Nova Age research into the plant and the theories or claim first landing on outer planetoids.
tubeworm analogs that inhabit Europa’s subsurface Inquiries into gravity, radioastronomy, and parti-
oceans. “Gal” hosts Oceania’s largest off-Earth com- cle physics occur on tiny isolated stations whose
munity — nearly 500 aqua scientists and would-be crews have the dubious distinction of being the so-
settlers. The Qin also contribute to Gal’s research, lar system’s most remote residents. Everyone else
although they adamantly oppose both aqua col- is content to leave them to their solitary pursuits.
onization efforts and commercial exploitation of The highest profile mission out here is the Seventh
Europan biota. It’s a strange reversal, given their Legion’s search for possible Aberrant bases, but
willingness to terraform over Martian life, and one even the Firebirds admit they’re unlikely to find
they have yet to explain. anything. Given the enemy’s interstellar-warp capa-
Saturn and its moons received little attention bility, what purpose would an advance base on the
until last year’s discovery of subsurface ruins on system’s rim serve?

EXTRASOLAR SETTLEMENTS
Humanity first traveled to the stars during the promise the beginning of an era of increasing and
Nova Age, when huge warp gates allowed explor- unbroken interstellar exploration and coloniza-
ers and colonists to cross dozens or hundreds of tion. Humanity has explored fewer than 200 extra-
light years with a single step. However, these set- solar planets and has only eight known long-term
tlements were suddenly cut off after the end of the settlements outside the solar system, but the inter-
Aberrant War and records of most of these colonies stellar era is just beginning.
were lost during the Crash. Except for the Chinese
effort to colonize Khantze Lu Ge, the departure of AVERIGUAS
the Aberrants stopped humanity’s reach for the Brazil’s bid to extrasolar presence is a study in
stars. All of this changed in 2106, when Upeo tele- administrative blunders. Founded around a star
porters reopened the galaxy. The sudden disap- that could go supernova in the near future, the
pearance of Upeo wa Macho convinced humanity harsh living and working conditions and the near
that it could no longer depend on a few hundred enslavement of workers imported from Europe and
teleporters to handle all interstellar transport. the FSA drove them to open revolt. Norça involve-
For the last six months, the new Leviathan jump ment is only making matters worse. The situation is
ships have returned humanity to the stars and delicate, but the tools sent to resolve it have a blunt

extrasolar settlements 95
 PLANETARY DATA: AVERIGUAS
Founded: 2107 (Brazil)
Discovery: 2106 (Upeo wa Macho)
Distance from Earth: 2,800 light years
Star: Binary system — SS3819a (A0), SS3819b (G5)
Diameter: 12,821 km
Gravity: 1.1 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 1.2 Earth
Temperature: −10° C to 50° C
Percentage Ocean: 42%
Rotation Period: 23 hours
Native Life: Sea plankton and algae, lichen on land, no other notable species
Human Population: 22,000

edge. where pushing the envelope of psionic potential

would not endanger anyone. Its true purpose was
PROMISED ADVANCEMENT closely related: Brazil wanted a safe place to conduct
With the Aberrants’ return, Brazil was in a hur- advanced weapon testing, and the Norça wanted a re-
ry to secure protection for its interests, and claimed search site far away from the scrutiny of Æon and the
the recently discovered SS3819 binary system for other Psi Orders. The biokinetics made sure that no
colonization with Norça advice. Officially named the espionage attempt on either project was successful.
Associação para o Progresso Universal (Association The first launch included technicians and scientists
for Universal Advancement), or APU, the colony was from both Brazil and Norça, who also sent a dozen bio-
meant to provide psions with a training environment kinetics. The work force, however, consisted mostly of

SUBJECT: SOME WORK OUT

From: Jane Richmond, New Hope, Averiguas
To: Michael Richmond, United Kingdom
Date: 22.04.2108 at 9:32 PM
Hey, dad,
I’m sorry I couldn’t write you earlier, I hope the money I’m making here is helping you
and mom down there. Me and Brian are working very hard up here. Remember when I told
you how working on this planet was doing wonders for my abs? Well, I had the chance to put
it to a test today; a testy Ukrainian tried to pick a fight with me over our rations during lunch;
she was one of the new arrivals and wasn’t used to the living conditions yet. When she came
at me, I punched her in the face and knocked her out there and then! I’m pretty sure I could
twist anyone Earthside into a pretzel now, if I didn’t hyperventilate first, of course.
Everything is heavier here, and it’s harder to breathe and it’s not hot enough to make you
pass out, but just enough to make you sweat like a bastard. Brian and me are used to it now,
but I fear it’s getting to him. Also… I think [redacted]. Even with our contracts still having a
good 15 years left, I don’t plan on leaving. I’m a space colonist now!

96 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

refugees from Europe and the FSA, attracted by the actually punished the workers by raising prices for
promise of work on a project with great potential. The Earth products delivered to Averiguas.
first settlement in Averiguas was named New Hope,
because it gave just that to the colonists. REAPING WHIRLWINDS
Colombian businessmen were always jealous of
HOME, HARSH HOME Brazil’s foray into the stars, but their government
Averiguas orbits a binary star system composed of a dismissed their pleas to start a space-colonization
giant star that is beginning to feed matter to its dwarf program of their own; they received the reports
star companion. Flares are relatively common, but the with a certain perverse glee. A few companies hired
planet’s magnetic field is strong enough to absorb the spies to infiltrate Averiguas. The spies successfully
ensuing radiation, as most flares only cause a slight stole samples of the native lichen to serve as part
increase in UV emissions. Astronomers note that the of their biotechnological research, but also reported
giant star is showing conditions that could lead to a on the worsening conditions for the workers, who
supernova within a millennium or two, which is the were now basically indentured servants. They also
astronomical equivalent of “next year,” although a few discovered the weapon-testing sites, and that got
astronomers worry that it could happen much sooner. the government interested.
The conditions on the planet are just a tad short of The Norça had taken a neutral stance to the situa-
perfect, compared to Earth; gravity is slightly higher, tion in order to protect their stakes in the APU, and
the atmosphere is somewhat denser, and the tempera- their resident staff had only reported on their own
ture is slightly higher. The oceans, however, cover far research and omitted anything about the conditions
less of the planets’ surface. The only life on Averiguas for the people, but their taps on Colombia’s com-
includes varieties of algae and lichen, which interact munications made them aware of how bad things
to provide a breathable atmosphere rich in nitrogen. were in Averiguas. Del Fuego instructed his people
to remain neutral, but vigilant, and approached the
HARD DAYS AND NIGHTS Earthbound administrations for the colony to try to
A few years after the colony started official opera- defuse things before they got worse.
tions, the Æon Trinity began to receive reports that The biokinetic proxy’s efforts proved too little, too
the working conditions were beyond harsh and well late. In early 2016, the Euro-American workers had
into the inhumane range. The Brazilian government enough, and open insurrection rocked New Hope
refused all requests for review, but Æon finally exert- and all mining and scientific outposts. Brazil began
ed pressure through the UN and sent an inspection to send additional troops, stating that they were only
team. meant to quell a minor revolt, but Colombia and
The reports they sent back spoke of the appalling Norça knew better now, and while the biokinetics
hours the workers spent in mines that lacked proper had orders to protect their research and training fa-
ventilation. There had been dozens of deaths from cilities at all costs, Colombian infiltrators had only
asphyxia and oxygen deprivation, and health-care one goal: fan the flames into an inferno.
services were insufficient to treat the various adap-
tation disorders the workers were suffering from THE LONG ABSENCE
planetary conditions, let alone for actual diseases Only three months after the revolt started, the
and radiation exposure that were not always caused Upeo disappeared, leaving Averiguas isolated. The
by the binary star. Norça personnel that arrived with the last Brazilian
As expected, the Norça turned the Æon team away reinforcements had not witnessed the situation de-
from their facilities, quoting that they were not un- teriorate, and what they saw outraged them. Their
der Brazilian jurisdiction, and thus not covered by order, regarded throughout Sudamérica as heroes
the UN’s mandate. They were also prevented from and liberators, was either looking the other way or
seeing the weapon-testing fields and facilities, which directly aiding tyrants. It didn’t matter that the op-
were the top reason behind Averiguas’ colonization pressors were fellow Sudaméricans and the subju-
by Brazil. gated were Europeans and North Americans, many
Although the report created some public-rela- among the new Norça, neutral and psion alike, sided
tions problems for the Brazilian government, they with the rebels. When new reinforcements failed to
did nothing to improve the working conditions, and arrive and communications from Earth ceased, the

extrasolar settlements 97
 Brazilian taskmasters realized that they were strand- BULLSEYE
ed. Their only option was to surrender to the rebels.
Upeo wa Macho explorers have found several for-
BACK TO THE FOLD merly living worlds that have been destroyed, includ-
ing the asteroid belt around Karroo Mining Colony as
Contact was reestablished with Averiguas upon the
well as two seared and lifeless rock balls. However,
Upeo’s return. In the six-year absence, the colony sur-
Bullseye is the first partially destroyed world human-
vived by ceasing any overt hostility between loyalists
ity found. More disturbingly, it was also once home to
and rebels, but New Hope and Brazil’s test sites were
an intelligent species that is now extinct.
in the rebels’ hands. Brazil couldn’t avoid Æon partici-
pation in the recontact mission, and the rebels did not Almost a quarter of Bullseye’s land is part of one of
have any obligation to keep Brazil’s test fields secret. several dozen blasted glassy plains. Bullseye still has na-
tive life, but approximately 200,000 years ago, it had a
Everyone interested in the Averiguas situation
complex and thriving ecosystem and was home to an ad-
now knows about Brazil’s true intent in founding
vanced civilization. A vast unknown disaster wiped out
the colony, although the actual weapons tested re-
the intelligent species and destroyed most of the planet’s
main a top military secret. Negotiations with the
other life. Today, life on Bullseye is sparse and most of it
rebels are not going well as the new governor sim-
struggles to survive. Currently, no one knows if the in-
ply refuses to yield any ground, and now that their
habitants destroyed themselves in a war, were victims of
continued survival is no longer at stake, the sense
a vast industrial accident or cosmic catastrophe, or if they
of cooperation is gone. Colombian agents reestab-
were attacked and destroyed by a mysterious alien foe.
lished contact too, and now Colombia is making
open advances to “aid” Brazil in negotiating with The few archeologists that Upeo teleporters
the rebels, aiming to gain their own foothold in brought to this planet are now excavating the most
Averiguas. Psi Order Norça remains officially neu- intact ruins. From the location and placement of
tral, and the biokinetics’ secrets remain undiscov- the cities and the glassy plains, archeologists sus-
ered and protected. The rebel Norça still show up pect that most of the inhabitants’ cities were utterly
for work dutifully, seeing nothing wrong with the destroyed. The majority of the remaining settle-
apparent dichotomy of their situation. ments are located near one of the glassy plains and
suffered heavy damage, as well as 200,000 years of
exposure to the elements.

98 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 PLANETARY DATA: BULLSEYE
Founded: 2121 (Upeo wa Macho Research Base)
Discovery: 2118 (Upeo Interstellar Survey)
Distance from Earth: 3,200 light years.
Star: SS2749 — K0
Diameter: 14,100 km
Gravity: 1.06 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 0.75 Earth
Temperature: −50° C to 25° C
Percentage Ocean: 37%
Rotation Period: 22 hours
Native Life: Advanced with an ecosystem that was badly damaged but is recovering
Human Population: 850

A Leviathan jump ship will soon arrive at Bullseye, THE DISASTER

carrying more than 20 tons of advanced excavation
No one knows the cause of the disaster, in large part
equipment and drones as well as several additional teams
because of the great age of the ruins. Clairvoyants also
of archeologists. Currently, research on the inhabitants
discovered that using Psychometry on pre-disaster ru-
of Bullseye is in the earliest stages. Researchers have
ins and bodies is extremely difficult. Some of the arche-
learned that Bullseye once held an advanced worldwide
ologists believe that the disaster may have worked on a
civilization of more than a billion inhabitants, which
noetic level, and one clairvoyant believes that he detect-
had technology at least as advanced as humanity’s. The
ed traces of Aberrant-like quantum energies, leading a
inhabitants had light, oval bodies with four long, slender
few researchers to wonder if this world also evolved its
legs and four long, multi-jointed arms clustered just be-
own Aberrants who eventually destroyed it. Now that
low a sleek tapering head. They had smooth, dry skin,
all of humanity again has access to the stars, the mys-
like a wartless toad, and seemed to prefer living in huge
tery of Bullseye has begun catching the imagination of
cities that consisted of narrow cones and pyramids be-
both researchers and ordinary people who worry that
tween 10 and 500 meters high. Networks of aerial bridg-
Earth might someday share Bullseye’s fate.
es once connected many of these buildings.
The lack of increased background radiation and the
Bullseye’s intelligent species seems to have be-
extent of the damage makes it clear that the disaster
come extinct several centuries after the catastro-
was not caused by nuclear war. Some researchers be-
phe that almost destroyed their world. A few tens
lieve that it was an accident caused by experiments
of thousands of survivors lingered on after the
with antimatter or quantum black holes. Others suspect
catastrophe. However, the disaster destroyed al-
attack by exceptionally powerful aliens or even alien
most 90% off all life on Bullseye and caused an ice
time-traveling Aberrants. Regardless of the cause, the
age that lasted almost 3,000 years. As their world
results are still visible from space. Some of these glassy
became increasingly less habitable, the survivors’
regions are several thousand kilometers in diameter,
population continued to dwindle until the entire
others are less than 50 kilometers across. Most of these
species died out. Because the disaster destroyed
glassy plains are visible from orbit, and irregularities on
so much of the world and damaged or destroyed
the largest such plain make it appear to have concentric
most cities, the easiest ruins to study have proved
circles, which give this world its name.
to be the encampments of survivors, two of which
persisted for almost the entire last days of the NATIVE LIFE
species.
Today, life in Bullseye is sparse and very tough.
The dust clouds that blotted out the world’s sun

extrasolar settlements 99
 PLANETARY DATA: EDEN
Founded: 2051 (Nova Seekers)
Discovery: 2049 (Aberrant discovery)
Rediscovered: 2115 (Upeo Interstellar Survey)
Distance from Earth: 1,400 light years.
Star: Valeron — G8
Diameter: 10,967 km
Gravity: .82 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 0.9 Earth
Percentage Ocean: 71%
Rotation Period: 31 hours
Native Life: Multiple self-contained ecosystem-level entities
Human Population: 1,200,000

for centuries are long gone, but the glassy plains planet, using unrecognizable technology to excavate
have cooled the world, and geologists recently heavy metals. The miners were thrilled at the appear-
discovered that the disaster ripped away some of ance of the teleporters, and invited them to come with
Bullseye’s atmosphere. The bright purple plants are them back to their home world, Eden, once their trans-
all tough and fibrous, both to help retain moisture portation arrived. The Upeo were stunned to discover
in the thin, cold air and also to resist being eaten by that Eden was located in an entirely different star sys-
the voracious herbivores. Small herds of swift and tem, and that the transportation was a warping Aberrant.
sturdy eight-limbed herbivores roam the planet’s After an exceedingly tense first contact that
plains and steppes. Most predators walk on four nearly exploded into violence, the Upeo team cau-
or six legs, with the remaining pair or two of limbs tiously accompanied their hosts back to Eden. They
adapted for catching or killing prey. Although most discovered a beautiful and bounteous, yet danger-
life on Bullseye is small, there are predators the size ous, planet; one on which a human colony would
of small horses that can easily kill humans as well never have survived without the protection of the
as smaller pack hunters that are about as dangerous Aberrants that fled here with their human families
as a medium-sized dog individually, and deadly in and followers at the height of the Aberrant War.
their packs of five to eight. With that protection, though, the human colonists
are healthy, happy, and safe, if subservient and even
EDEN somewhat worshipful toward their “superiors.”
Although the Upeo wa Macho have discovered As many as five dozen novas make their home
several previously unknown human colonies where in the colony’s central city, Harmony, and are kept
Aberrants used their space-warping powers to busy ensuring the safety of the city, its outlying
transport the colonists, the planet known as Eden is farms and industrial areas, and more than a million
unique in that it is home to not only human colonists, human inhabitants. These novas seem to be almost
but Aberrant ones as well. These Aberrants, who entirely free of the Corruption — they use their
prefer to be called novas, seem not to be insane or powers responsibly and safely, and they are ratio-
monstrous like the ones the people of Earth know all nal, with humanlike moralities and beliefs. Most of
too well. Instead, they protect the human population them look physically human, with only minor ab-
from the planet’s dangers, and are revered as celeb- normalities like glowing eyes, oddly colored skin or
rities and heroes — and perhaps even as demigods. hair, or exaggerated physiques.
Eden was first discovered when Upeo explorers hap- The novas use colorful titles instead of normal
pened to find a work crew of human miners on a barren names, often relating to the work they do as part

100 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

of the colony. “Apollo” provides energy to help or pheromonal signals. According to biokinetic
power the city’s advanced technology, “Shepherd” and vitakinetic analysis, all of the “life forms” that
keeps the colony’s livestock healthy and breeding, make up a single myriasome are actually just dis-
“Gardener” altered Earth plants to be better adapt- tinct sections of one greater noetic template. Each
ed to Eden’s soil and helps to keep the crops healthy, myriasome has a primitive, animalistic collective
and “Diva” is a much-loved entertainer whose intelligence, driven to expand its territory and elim-
amazing performances and complicated love life inate any competition.
keep the population of the planet amused and in- Unfortunately, the human colony lies in an area
trigued. In addition to these sorts of duties, almost bordering three of the planet’s competing ecosys-
two dozen of the novas are assigned to combat duty, tems (two terrestrial and one aquatic) and all of
defending the colony’s perimeter by keeping Eden’s them treat the colony as another competitor to be
native life, the myriasoma, at bay. eliminated. The myriasoma adapt and evolve very
quickly, constantly exposing the people of Eden
THE DANGEROUS MYRIASOMA to new threats, ranging from fast-growing, struc-
Even the most intelligent nova scientists of Eden ture-destroying “weeds” or hyper-allergenic “pol-
do not yet fully understand the myriasoma and len” to an endless variety of predatory “animals.”
the nature of their existence. At first glance, Eden The atmosphere, water, and even soil can be filled
seems to be split among about a dozen wildly dif- with deadly new toxins as the myriasoma instinc-
ferent and competing ecosystems, each of which is tively develop new strategies. Only the perpetual
in conflict with the others it borders. These include vigilance and superhuman powers of the novas
a tropical jungle, two deciduous forests, a swamp, keep the colonists safe.
a tundra, two vast grasslands, a desert, and at least
two oceanic systems. Each of these “ecosystems” is PEACEFUL INEQUALITY
actually a single vast creature, consisting of stabiles Despite these dangers, the humans of Eden seem to
(plantlike lifeforms) and mobiles (animal-like life- be happy and feel safe, and treat their nova protectors
forms) that are all interconnected via physical links with the highest respect and courtesy. They smile and

extrasolar settlements 101

 SUBJECT: THIS PLACE CREEPS ME OUT!
From: Kendall Pryor, Triton Division
To: Garrett Cho, Triton Division
Date: 07.07.2121 at 4:50 PM
Hey Gar —
You really weren’t kidding. There’s something creepy about all these smiling, happy people
and their near-worship of the Aberrants. I mean, they all seem okay, I guess, but...isn’t it kind
of suspicious? Always smiling, always polite. You remember that really old horror vid, something
about a town called Stepford? It’s like that. You can’t trust people who smile all the time.
There has to be something wrong here, aside from the native flora and fauna trying
to eat everybody. The damned planet’s named Eden — how can it not have a snake in it
somewhere? That Ministry liaison Tu promises me that he can’t detect anything messing
with the colonist’s heads, but I’m not sure he’s unbiased — they treat him like a superhe-
ro, too, and I’m getting really sick of it.
Anyway, I’m going to keep digging until I figure out what’s really going on here. Most
of the Aberrants live together in that giant high-tech castle — you remember — that
overlooks the rest of Harmony, so I’m going to try to get invited there and snoop around.
Wish me luck.
Oh, and give my love to Sandy!
— Ken

regale each other with stories of their heroic protectors, kept Eden secret for quite some time. Eventually, a
and talk about how lucky they are to live on a paradise group of Edenite Aberrants helped to repel a Chromatic
planet like Eden. Novas who make public appearances attack on Karroo, taking the decision out of the proxy’s
are quickly surrounded by adoring crowds, and colo- hands. The heads of the other psi orders, the Æon
ny-wide trends are created when a nova wears a cer- Trinity, and the United Nations were suddenly faced
tain designer’s clothing, eats at a certain restaurant, or with a problem that would previously have seemed un-
recommends a certain craftsman’s products. No nova is thinkable: What to do about nearly 60 of the legendary,
ever asked to pay for goods or services — such a request monstrous enemies of humanity — who seem benefi-
would be seen as horrifically offensive by the human cent and claim to want to help and protect humanity?
Edenites, and puzzling or nonsensical to a nova. For
the most part, the novas do not abuse these privileges. THE EDEN QUARANTINE
In the rare event that a nova exploits her position to For now, the answer has been to hold Eden at arm’s
the detriment of humans, the other novas rapidly and length and effectively quarantine the planet. In order
forcefully correct the situation. to prevent a panic, details of the exact circumstances
Strangely, the people of Eden extend the same hon- of Eden’s discovery and the nature of its inhabitants
ors to any psions who visit the planet, seeing them as have been kept secret from the general public. Only
a similar class of better-than-human being. Visiting the Upeo and a select few Æon Trinity and United
psions may inadvertently start new fads or gain ce- Nations teams are allowed to visit the planet. Æon
lebrity status, and might unintentionally cause of- is particularly concerned about Eden’s social struc-
fense by following normal social mores. Baseline hu- ture establishing footholds on Earth or other colony
man visitors will be given only the respect that any worlds, as Aberrant-worshipping cults are already a
stranger might receive on Earth, although curious problem and don’t need any extra encouragement. For
Edenites might question them about what it’s like to their part, the Edenites are complying with the quar-
work with such luminaries as psions. antine for now, but some of the novas — particularly
The discovery of a planet full of sane Aberrants was the one known as Apollo and his closest allies — are
a great shock to Bolade Atwan. She and her teleporters obviously impatient and anxious to return to help

102 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 PLANETARY DATA: FAR NYUMBA
Founded: 2113 (United African Nations)
Discovery: 2112 (ISRA discovery)
Distance from Earth: 11,000 light years.
Star: SS1515a — F6
Diameter: 12,900 km
Gravity: 1.01 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 1.3 Earth
Temperature: −30° C to 40° C
Percentage Ocean: 79%
Rotation Period: 27 hours
Native Life: Plants, insects, small animal life
Human Population: 48,000
Planet: Mgitu
Type: Hot Jupiter Gas Giant
Gravity: 2.8 Gs
Atmosphere: Hydrogen
Diameter: 179,000 km

defend their homeworld from the “Aberrant ones” mountain range and dry scrublands in the interior.
and other threats. Some Æon operatives on Eden fear Far Nyumba is the most welcoming of any of the
that another, more explosive Karroo Incident may be worlds settled by humanity. It’s a warm, wet world
forthcoming, with the novas making their presence with small polar caps, large oceans, and lush veg-
undeniable by contacting the people of Earth directly. etation. Far Nyumba is also a world with very little
true night. Together, the orange glow of Mgitu and
FAR NYUMBA the bright white light of primary star SS1515a are a
Far Nyumba is the most Earthlike planet found so bit brighter than Earthly day. However, both Mgitu
far. However, Earth’s youngest colony was ill-prepared and this star are in the sky for only part of the day.
for its six-year isolation from Earth. Despite hardships,Depending on the complexities of the various orbits,
the colony survived, and today new colonists continue at least one of these two bodies is usually visible. The
to arrive, drawn by the comfortable environment and initial distinctions of Mgitu day and night, full day,
lack of dangerous animal life. Researchers also flock star day and night, and full night have given way to
here, intent on studying the alien artifacts found on three distinctions made by the locals, full day, when
the gas giant this world circles. both are in the sky, full night, when neither is visible,
Discovered in 2111, Far Nymba is the largest moon and halfday when one or the other is visible. Halfday
of the gas giant Mgitu. Far Nyumba is similar to is a common condition and regardless of whether
Earth in size, gravity, planetary tilt, and atmospher- its sun or Mgitu is visible, the light is approximately
ic composition. Even though it is two-and-a-half equal to a partly cloudy winter day on Earth.
AU from its sun, this star is considerably brighter
than Earth’s. Also, Mgitu is nearly a brown dwarf
NATIVE LIFE
star and provides the moon with sufficient heat and Far Nyumba vegetation is generally a deep blue-
light to make up the difference. A thick rain for- green in color and mostly consists of a wide variety
est covers much of Far Nyumba’s single landmass. of vines and ferns as well as many tall fleshy plants
The remaining land is divided between a volcanic that resemble spineless, branching cacti covered in

extrasolar settlements 103

 large leaves. Most of these plants are considerably a thriving scientific community that lacks many of
more mobile than their Earthly counterparts. While the restrictions found on Earth. Today, Far Nyumba
none can uproot themselves and move, many can is becoming an extremely diverse and eccentric col-
rapidly open and close their leaves and flowers and ony. Although almost 3,000 of the original colonists
even move their branches and leaves to avoid pre- have returned to Earth, more than 10,000 additional
dation by insects or to seek out light. Some of these people have moved here since contact was renewed.
plants are carnivorous and supplement soil nutri-
ents by catching and eating insects. However, none SOCIETY
of these plants are capable of consuming anything The colonists are independent and self-reli-
larger than a house cat. ant. The African colonists and the many scientists
The first explorers called the local animal life in- formed a unique culture that is a mixture of African
sects, and like insects, these creatures are exceed- traditions adapted for life off world, similar to those
ingly diverse. Some fly, others swim, crawl, climb, or found on Karroo Mining Colony, and the eclectic,
burrow but they only superficially resemble Earthly free-thinking atmosphere of a university. Most col-
arthropods. The dominant variety of these creatures ony residents love conversation and debate and are
has eight legs instead of six and possesses actual eager to discuss almost any topic. To help share
lungs, allowing them to grow considerably larger knowledge and improve morale during the long iso-
than Earth arthropods. Most are herbivores, and lation, many researchers began a weekly program
scavengers and biologists continue to puzzle over of lectures and classes. Today, almost everyone on
the fact that few of them are carnivores. The largest Far Nyumba is relatively well educated and eager to
of these creatures are almost a meter long and weigh hear alternative points of view.
nearly 50 kg. Although none are dangerous to hu- The residents settled in a single city called
mans, a few have discovered a taste for human crop Jifunza (“Learning”), which has a population of
plants, necessitating special fences and the use of lo- 41,000. Another 2,000 colonists live in outlying
cal pheromones to discourage them. Many farmers mines, agricultural stations, and small research bas-
now plant some of the more voracious local carniv- es. Even the most remote of these settlements keep
orous plants throughout their fields, a practice that in regular contact with people in Jifunza, and few
deters most of these insects. people live outside of Jifunza for more than a year.
Many on Far Nyumba worry that this tradition
THE COLONY of unity will be lost as new immigrants continue
The colony’s six-year isolation was difficult. to arrive, while other residents attempt to include
Colonists kept their morale up by continuing their the new arrivals in the various classes and discus-
investigations of the alien artifacts in Mgitu’s at- sions. However, some of the new colonists are not
mosphere. However, they were far from ready for researchers seeking to join the ongoing explora-
self-sufficiency. Suddenly confronted with the ne- tions of Far Nyumba or Mgitu or people interested
cessity of learning to grow all of their own food, in joining a thriving intellectual community, but
and attempting to repair various machines without settlers seeking to create isolated religious or social
a proper supply of raw materials for their makers communities who wish to build their own cities and
caused serious problems. Twenty-two people died settlements far from Jifunza. Almost half of the new
from malnutrition and lack of advanced medicine in colonists seek to found their own settlements.
the famine of 2119. When the first jump ship arrived, There are now two major new settlements on Far
the settlement on Far Nyumba looked like a strange Nyumba. The first consists of 2,000 followers of Erin
combination of a rustic frontier town and a sophis- Perez, a charismatic leader who preaches humans
ticated research facility. learning to live in harmony with the natural world.
Since recontact, Far Nyumba has become the All of her followers, popularly called Perezistas, have
primary focus of the renewed extrasolar coloniza- modified themselves so that their skin is green and can
tion effort. Far Nyumba is peaceful, quite habitable, photosynthesize as long as they spend sufficient time
and at the center of one of the biggest scientific in direct sunlight. Perezistas only use living biotech-
mysteries of the century. In addition, a number of nology and consider other technology to be inherent-
Earth’s more unconventional scientists are eager to ly corrupt. They moved to Far Nyumba to “learn the
immigrate; they hope to be able to live and work in spirit of this world.” The other new colony consists

104 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

of a group of 2,500 individuals from India who were visitation on Jupiter or on any of the gas giants in
part of a small movement that sought to revive the old any other systems visited by humanity.
Indian caste system. Finding much opposition in their The complete lack of artifacts elsewhere in this
homeland, they are attempting to build a religiously star system suggests that the Zeps are primarily
and socially pure society on Far Nyumba. interesting exploring gas giants. Analysis of var-
ious images found in the installation, combined
MGITU with psychometric study, has allowed researchers
Initially, explorers visited Mgitu in search of to gather some preliminary data. The Zeps appear
chemicals they could extract via gas mining, but to have first visited Mgitu almost 15,000 years ago.
they found far more. Their first discovery was Their exact method of arrival is unknown. During
that this world was home to a complex ecosystem. their first mission, they set up the installation as
Drifting swarms of tiny cloud plankton thrive in the well as deploying numerous pieces of automat-
dense atmosphere, while larger creatures feed off ic machinery, including the artifacts found in the
them. Thin, carpet-like creatures known as flats are upper atmosphere. At the end of this visit, they all
the most abundant. Growing up to several hundred disappeared into the glowing sphere found in the
meters on a side, even the largest flats are less than center of the installation. This sphere seems to be
10 cm thick. They absorb nutrients directly from the some type of teleportation device unlike anything
vast clouds of organic chemicals in the atmosphere. humanity has ever encountered. Although it still
The most spectacular life forms are the huge air- appears functional, so far no one has been willing to
whales. These behemoths can grow more than a kilo- attempt to use this device.
meter long and look like roughly hemispherical clus-
ters of huge balloons stuck together into an irregular KARROO MINING COLONY
oval. Numerous tentacles and sensory clusters cover Orbiting a neutron star in a desolate system in
their relatively flat underside. Airwhales consume the Crab Nebula, the Karroo Mining Colony was
portions of flats as well as using their paddle-shaped shaping up to be a “boom town,” exporting a steady
tentacles to waft masses of smaller plankton-like stream of valuable metals and minerals and host-
creatures into their vast mouths. Flats and airwhales ing a growing contingent of scientific researchers.
can be navigational hazards, but pay no attention to The boom ended when the colony was attacked by
human exploratory vessels. However, smaller pred- the mysterious Chromatics, but even then the har-
ators like the 30-meter long, delta-shaped swifts, dy colonists of Karroo held their own — until the
which rapidly propel themselves through the atmo- disappearance of the Upeo wa Macho. Under siege,
sphere with muscular jets of air, often take an unfor- stranded alone and impossibly far from Earth for
tunate interest in human spacecraft. more than six years, it seemed pointless to hope that
the people of Karroo had survived, but the return-
ALIENS IN THE CLOUDS ing Leviathan crew found that the colonists had en-
In 2114, Legionaries exploring deep in this world’s dured despite the Chromatics’ attempts to destroy
atmosphere discovered a series of floating artifacts. them.
Deeper exploration was only possible once Earth When an African-sponsored team of teleporters
could supply vessels capable of venturing deep arrived at the Crab Nebula in 2109, they discov-
into Mgitu’s dense atmosphere. In 2122, the first ered a dangerous but potentially lucrative region
Leviathan jump ship to visit Far Nyumba carried of space. A rapidly spinning neutron star sat at the
along a spacecraft designed to endure extreme pres- center of the nebula, and beyond its borders orbited
sure. Explorers using this craft discovered a large in- countless clouds of dust, asteroids, and other small
stallation deep in Mgitu’s atmosphere. Preliminary bodies and concentrations of gas — all remnants
examination by two clairsentients revealed that of one or more large terrestrial planets that were
this installation seems to have been constructed by destroyed when the sun went supernova. All the
star-faring species that visited Mgitu several thou- dense elements, heavy metals, and rare earths that
sand years ago. Called Zeps (short for “Zeppelins”), lay buried in those planets were now smashed into
these creatures evolved in the atmosphere of an- easily accessible fragments, floating in the clouds
other warm gas giant. Searches are currently un- and ready to be recovered.
derway to determine if there is any evidence of Zep The UAN team immediately moved to establish a

extrasolar settlements 105

 mining and research colony just outside the danger- overly expensive, even for the affluent mining
ous area of the nebula, anchoring together several colony, Karroo’s leadership made the decision to
of the largest of the asteroid fragments with sturdy become more independent and self-sufficient, es-
connections and building living and working areas tablishing refineries and manufacturing facilities.
into them. Everything was plated with redundant Better, more permanent housing blocks were also
layers of shielding to protect the colonists from the created, to cater to those colonists who had started
deadly radiation of the neutron star, and the miners new families or brought their families with them to
and scientists quickly moved in and got to work. the station.
Word of the station and its opportunities spread
quickly: Karroo was a dangerous environment, but CHROMATIC ATTACKS
one where an enterprising miner could become By 2115, Karroo Mining Colony was almost en-
wealthy in a short time. The UAN encouraged the in- tirely self-sustaining, maintaining only a financial
flux of miners, maintaining a “hands off” policy and connection to the UAN, and the population was con-
simply taxing the mining profits. Scientists from a tinuing to grow exponentially. Then the Chromatics
variety of disciplines flooded the colony as well, anx- began to attack. The colony was taken completely
ious to discover the secrets of the nebula and its de- by surprise. The Chromatic ship appeared seeming-
stroyed system. Within only a few years, the colony ly out of nowhere, and by the time a response was
had grown to over 20 times its original size. organized, the aliens were already inside the colo-
The rapidly growing colony needed to expand ny, burning a hydroponic garden into ash and steam.
the web of anchors to connect more asteroids and Karroo’s security forces were armed with standard
planetary fragments, as well as acquire more re- laser weaponry, which seemed worse than useless
sources like antigravity mesh, hydroponics equip- against the Chromatics. Those shots that weren’t
ment for farming, and the all-important radiation simply stopped were deflected, causing even more
shielding. As transporting the ever-increasing list damage to the farm structure. The Chromatics’ own
of needed materials from Earth was becoming lasers, by contrast, seemed extremely powerful and

106 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 COLONY DATA:
KARROO MINING COLONY
Founded: 2109 (United African Nations)
Discovery: 2109 (Upeo/ISRA joint exploration)
Distance from Earth: 6,500 light years
Star: Crab Pulsar — neutron star
Diameter: n/a
Gravity: n/a
Atmosphere: vacuum
Air Pressure: n/a
Percentage Ocean: n/a
Rotation Period: n/a
Native Life: possibly Chromatics?
Human Population: 100,000

effective — and were emitted from the aliens them- jettison the entire asteroid to which the farm was
selves, rather than from weapons, suggesting that attached, sending it tumbling into the nebula to-
the creatures were powerful photokinetics. ward the neutron star. It is unknown whether any
That first attack ended in a pyrrhic victory, as the of the aliens survived, but the colonists assumed
Karroo security team was forced to disconnect and that this was only a scouting attack, and that more

PERSONAL LOG OF NJENGA JEPTOO

03.17.2117
I’ve never seen anything like it. We thought we were done for this time — we’d never seen the
frogs send such a large force, with so many ships. They wouldn’t even need to force their way into
the station this time, they could just blast us into dust with that fleet. All this time fighting, surviving,
and then to end like that... Well, obviously it didn’t.
It was N’Gamba who saved us. I was with her when she got the news, with her when she saw
the external scans on the monitor. One second she was there, and the next she was gone. Vanished
into thin air. Then five minutes later, she was back, with that smile, that secretive smile. “We’re going
to be okay,” she said.
I saw them on the monitor. Over a dozen of them, winking into existence out there, human-look-
ing, but floating in space with no protection. Some of them were glowing. They flew — they flew
— toward the alien fleet, and started...well, fighting it. Blasting ships with beams from their eyes,
tearing through hulls with their bare hands. Some absorbed laser fire like it was nothing. Others got
hurt. I think I saw one of them die.
We helped, of course. We fired off all the colony’s ion cannons, sent sheets of plasma at the
frogs’ fleet. Maybe those glowing people couldn’t have beaten the aliens without our help. I don’t
know. I do know we’d never have beaten the aliens without theirs.
When it was all over, the teleporters — finally, the teleporters! — took them away, back to wher-
ever they came from. All but one, who came in to meet N’Gamba. He was tall, beautiful, glowing like
a star. He looked like some kind of god. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said to her, and his voice was
like angels singing. “I’m Apollo.”
I think that’s when I passed out.

extrasolar settlements 107

 Chromatics would be on the way. Word was sent to yet been determined, but what seems clear is that
Earth of the attack, along with a request for aid and they were deliberately created by some sort of intel-
the corpse of one of the aliens. ligent life. It remains to be seen whether — as some
Over the next year, the attacks continued, with researchers suspect — the artifacts are proof that the
the colonists adapting to the aliens’ unique abilities planet whose explosion created the debris field was
by turning to older styles of weaponry like projec- actually inhabited. Further expeditions to the aster-
tile guns — always a danger in a sealed space-station oid where the artifacts were found are planned.
environment — and non-photonic energy weapons
like plasma guns. As a last resort, colonists even used KHANTZE LU GE
simple melee weapons like clubs and blades against Humanity’s nearest colony, Khantze Lu Ge
the invaders. The Chromatics did not respond well to (“Castle in the Sky”), is now a battleground world.
the changes in tactics, and by 2116, with help on the An Aberrant invasion during the teleporters’ ab-
way from Earth and some victories under their belts, sence overran the planet’s northern region, trans-
things seemed to be looking up for the colonists. forming it into a nightmarish occupation zone
ruled by monsters. The rest of the world is holding
ISOLATION FOLLOWED BY A out with UN emergency assistance but may yet be
DRAMATIC RESCUE overwhelmed while debates on strategy hamstring
Then the Upeo wa Macho disappeared, and Earth further military intervention.
heard nothing more from Karroo Mining Colony for
nearly seven years. Given the lack of reinforcements CASTLE IN THE SKY
and support from Earth and the likelihood that the One of the first interstellar missions of the Nova
Chromatic attacks had continued, the UAN as- Age was the exploration of Sol’s nearest neighbor,
sumed that the colony had been lost. the Alpha Centauri binary system. The existence
After the Upeo’s return, contact was reestablished of a barely habitable planet made brief headlines,
with Karroo. As it turned out, they’d been in contact but its environment was marginal compared to lat-
with the teleporters for years, and it was with their er discoveries. Nova warp abilities briefly allowed
aid — and the aid of a group of novas from the planet humanity to visit stars hundreds of light years away,
Eden — that the mining colony was still mostly in- so this world’s proximity to Earth was insufficient
tact, despite relentless attacks from the Chromatics. motivation for colonization. Humanity continued
Even with that outside help, though, life in the sta- to ignore this planet until the mid-2040s, when
tion was full of hardship, with barely enough food rising nova-related tension drove China to pursue
to keep the population from starving, poor air and several options for both national and species surviv-
water quality, and crowded living conditions due to al. Suddenly, a world reachable without warps was
the massive damage the station had taken during the desirable.
attacks. Making matters worse, much of the social Several unmanned sub-light freighters made the
power and authority on the station had been usurped journey in the next decade, deploying automated
by a criminal organization known as the Leopards. systems to construct the colony’s infrastructure. A
With additional supplies and security forces arriv- manned ship followed in 2055, carrying nearly a
ing regularly from Earth, Karroo is beginning to recov- million volunteers in suspended animation. At the
er, although the population is holding steady at about end of their 11-year voyage, these colonists made
100,000 due to many residents leaving as space on planetfall in the newly-christened Khantze Lu Ge’s
Earth-bound Leviathan jump ships becomes available. equatorial region.
Conflicts between the arriving forces and the Leopards The Aberrant War delayed a follow-up manned
are frequent, and the Chromatics are still a threat. mission until 2093. In the interim, China main-
tained sporadic laser contact with its colonists, but
ANCIENT ARTIFACTS this provided little more than proof of the colony’s
Despite the inhospitable conditions, a new wave survival. The second ship arrived in 2104 to find
of scientists is also on the way to Karroo. During the a thriving colony of 1.9 million. The newcomers
colony’s last year of isolation, a routine mining op- brought with them four decades of information and
eration recovered two artifacts from a large asteroid the newest available technology. They also expand-
close to the nebula. The nature of these items has not ed the colony’s cultural diversity, as a majority were
non-Chinese.

108 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 In 2106, the Upeo opened teleportation between salts, leaving the polar ice caps and their meltwa-
Khantze Lu Ge and Earth. Unexpectedly, this polar- ter the only safe sources of irrigation. The native
ized the colony as China attempted to assert greater life, consisting of algae and other microbes, created
control. On one side were the second-wave Chinese the planet’s breathable atmosphere but is inedible.
colonists who still held loyalty to Earth. Opposing Intensive reclamation efforts yielded enough arable
them were long-term LuGeians, particularly the land to feed the colonists, but it will take centuries
second- and third-generation residents who’d (or Qin intervention) to make Khantze Lu Ge green.
grown up in a fully independent colonial culture. The planet’s thin atmosphere poses its own prob-
Loosely allied with the latter group were non-Chi- lems, which China addressed through colonist
nese colonists who rejected Chinese governance. selection and genetic modification. Native-born
The loss of contact in 2116 eased tensions but didn’t LuGeians are well-adapted, though many first-gen-
erase them, particularly as Chinese government eration immigrants struggle for breath and carry
and Ministry officials remained on the planet. small personal oxygen tanks for the occasional “re-
2121’s Aberrant attack achieved complete sur- storative.” Most arcologies include higher-pressure
prise. Streaming from a cave network near the sectors for this increasingly aged demographic.
northern ice cap, the invaders seized the city of Recent arrivals are overcrowding these facilities,
Kuan and its environs. They failed to capitalize on another factor contributing to increasing tensions.
initial successes, and delays in consolidating their From Khantze Lu Ge, Alpha Centauri A is dim-
hold gave colonial security forces (covertly aided mer than Alpha Centauri B, yet far brighter than the
by Upeo teleporters) the opportunity to organize moon seen from Earth (or either of Khantze Lu Ge’s
a defense. When the second offensive came, the own two moons). For half the LuGeian year, the
LuGeians’ scorched-earth tactics exacted a bitter companion star is opposite the primary in the sky,
price from the Aberrants. The battle lines stabilized providing a glowing indigo night with no true dark-
and both sides dug in for a protracted ground war, ness. It’s not intense enough to affect Khantze Lu
one that continues even after the arrival of rein- Ge’s temperature or serve as a useful power source.
forcements from Earth.
CASTLE BESIEGED
ALPHA CENTAURI B Until the arrival of Chinese and Ministry officials
Khantze Lu Ge is a cold, dark, rocky desert on from “home,” the four million LuGeians enjoyed an
the outer edge of Alpha Centauri B’s habitable existence that, if not idyllic, was at least a reasonable
zone. Its shallow seas are toxic with heavy-metal

PLANETARY DATA: KHANTZE LU GE

Founded: 2064 (China)
Discovery: 2032 (European Union interstellar mission)
Distance from Earth: 4.37 light years
Star: Alpha Centauri B — K1
Diameter: 12,330 km
Gravity: 1.07 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 0.70 Earth
Temperature: –30º C to 20º C
Percentage Ocean: 34%
Rotation Period: 31 hours
Native Life: Algae analogues
Human Population: 3.9 million

extrasolar settlements 109

 SUBJECT: LUGEIAN GENETICS
From: Dr. Jorge Varese, P’eng-lai Clinic
To: Proxy Bolande Atwan
Encryption: SPE
Date: 10.7.2107, 3:32 PM
Proxy Atwan —
The team has completed its report on LuGeian physiology and genetics. The full docu-
ment is on the secure server, but I’ll summarize. Though China remains closed-mouthed about
its modifications, the LuGeian medical community was more cooperative. We also drew on
Æsculapian scans and our own laboratory analyses.
Colonist recruitment focused on high-altitude populations, including the Qinghai and Si-
chuan provinces and, surprisingly, Tibet. The second wave added Nepali and Sudamérican
Andean citizens. China also modified the colonists who weren’t past reproductive age, includ-
ing all minors.
The genemods didn’t affect the colonists themselves. Surviving founders still have trouble
breathing on KLG. Instead, their reproductive systems were tweaked. Their offspring display
greater lung capacity and higher respiratory rates, as well as greater blood vessel diameter
and total blood volume. LuGeians remain cross-fertile with unmodified humans and their
genemods are dominant.
China didn’t expect these people to return to Earth. We’ve seen severe respiratory infec-
tions and mild oxygen toxicity in KLG’s UN delegation. The only LuGeians who can visit Earth
safely are ones who were born here and any who are willing to use genetic therapies the
Æsculapians are developing to reverse these changes.

approximation of peaceful and pastoral. The world China’s subsequent heavy-handed attempts to
was harsh but didn’t actively try to kill them. The assert its authority played poorly to LuGeians used
colony’s industrial base was comparable to that of to autonomy. Some saw the Ministry and Chinese
any well-developed Earth nation, albeit with little military as outright invaders. Protests and actu-
heavy industry outside agricultural tools and long- al attacks flared, directed at both newcomers and
term terraforming. Crime was low; violent incidents Chinese-born “second-shippers” who supported
nearly nonexistent. Assimilation of the second ship’s them. Over China’s objections, Æon and the UN
non-Chinese passengers had gone smoothly. worked to prevent escalation into civil war.

KHANTZE LU GE CAMPAIGNS
Jump ships traveling to Khantze Lu Ge have little space for anyone not supporting the
military campaign. Having said that, this war is larger than any on Earth in 2123. It’s also
lower-tech, with few aircraft or spacecraft, limited OpNet coverage outside major cities
and scant supplies. In some ways, it resembles France in 1944. Front-line combat gets the
headlines but both sides are engaged in equally deadly covert action.
This gives characters on Khantze Lu Ge more to do than straight-up combat missions (though
those can be rewarding, possibly culminating in a strike on one of the Prime Threats itself).
With the few full-power Aberrants relying on weaker minions for most tasks, intelligence
operations in occupied territory can and do succeed. Counterintelligence is just as critical,
given Kali’s infiltrators who have disguised or dormant Corruption. D’Chana’s strategies
and policies may add another front to the war if he (or someone claiming to act for him)
pushes too hard to sterilize the conquered regions.

110 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 Non-Ministry psions were met with rapid accep- Ge, but their methods differ. Mutual loathing gen-
tance. Most LuGeians felt a vague kinship due to erates constant competition and occasional blood-
their own genetic irregularities. The Æsculapians shed. An estimated 200 Aberrants command sever-
brought benefits to everyone and Norça was al thousand sub-Aberrant mutants.
well-regarded in the Sudamérican arcologies. As Kali, the invaders’ original leader, is more militar-
Aberrant attacks on Earth intensified, the newly ily competent and appears focused on undermining
formed Seventh Legion attained equal popularity. LuGeian will. Her tactics hinge on superior coordi-
Ironically, the increased security presence pre- nation of multiple forces, misdirection, and decep-
vented the Aberrants’ first attack from overrun- tion. She also deploys infiltrators for sabotage, psy-
ning Khantze Lu Ge. Kuan’s fall cost the LuGeians chological warfare, and assassination. Secret police
their terraforming industry and main spaceport. An and creative punishments keep her human subjects
Orgotek-led commando raid destroyed the port, de- in constant paranoia. The Ministry recently un-
nying its ships to the enemy and setting the prec- earthed an intelligence network that recruited its
edent for a scorched-earth defense. Chinese and sources by threatening loved ones in Kali’s territory.
psi order forces paid in blood to hold the Aberrant Kali’s preference for capable subordinates back-
advance while civilians evacuated to equatorial fired when Yog-Death, a Prime Threat in his own
arcologies. An equally vicious virtual battlefront right, rebelled during the terrestrial counterof-
raged through the LuGeian OpNet until the losing fensive. This Aberrant has greater personal power
Aberrants took their electrokinetic opponents with but less sophistication, focusing on direct military
them in a blaze of lobotomizing data warfare. victory. His troops are individually strong but lack
The lack of defense industry or military training competent low-level leadership, perhaps due to
cadre hampered attempts to bolster the human forces. his unwillingness to tolerate potential rivals. He
Volunteer militias fought valiantly alongside the dwin- controls his subjects through vicious brutality,
dling numbers of professional soldiers, but the Aberrant Quantum Flux infection, and brainwashing.
lines crept southward. Adding to the horror was the Rolling back the Aberrant forces brought the
nature of the enemy’s laser fodder: mind-controlled or LuGeians room to breathe — and to consider their
mutated LuGeian captives commanded by collabora- domestic situation. Outright rebellion is rare but UN-
tors. Under siege and without escape, the colony tee- imposed martial law has rekindled prewar discontent.
tered on the brink of collapse. The colonists maintained General Roland D’Chana, the UN commander, has little
telepathic contact with Earth, where the world listened empathy for civilians and no use for those who don’t
in horror to reports of Aberrant victories. directly support the war effort. He and the Chinese
Warned via telepathy, the UN stuffed the jump ship government have written off the LuGeians in Aberrant
Sava to the pressure hull with an expeditionary force. territories. Recent discussions have advocated the use
Recontact opened with assault landings and low-orbit of nuclear weapons to “sterilize” enemy strongholds.
fire support that drove the Aberrants from the walls UN civilian leadership and the Legions refuse to sign
of the Yangra and Guaman arcologies. The losses off on this strategy but Æon fears D’Chana may arrange
sparked a rebellion in the Aberrant ranks, a disruption circumstances that “leave him no choice.”
the relief troops exploited mercilessly while it lasted.
MARFISA
THE STATE OF THE WAR The most recently discovered “lost colony” from the
Earth’s reinforcements stabilized the battle lines Aberrant War era, Marfisa, has been isolated for nearly
but lack the strength for a sustained counterof- a century due to a catastrophic accident that occurred
fensive. Interstellar logistics can barely equal the during the colonists’ Aberrant-provided warp to the
invaders’ own replenishment methods. A third of distant planet. The circumstances of the warp disas-
Khantze Lu Ge remains under Aberrant control, in- ter stranded the survivors for 60 years without access
cluding 400,000 LuGeians trapped behind the lines. to advanced technology. The unexpected recovery
The majority simply submit and hope to avoid no- of a quantum-tech supercomputer and automated
tice but a handful have taken sides — either as resis- manufactory led to an ideological split in the colony’s
tance fighters or as the Aberrants’ willing acolytes. population, forming the basis for a 19-year cold war
Occupied territory is divided between two Prime between the Preserver and Pandoran factions. While
Threats. Both are intent on conquering Khantze Lu an Æon Trinity recon team has learned much about

extrasolar settlements 111

 PLANETARY DATA: MARFISA
Founded: 2042 (Independent colonization)
Discovery: 2040 (Aberrant discovery)
Rediscovered: 2123 (Upeo/ISRA Survey)
Distance from Earth: 13,750 light years
Star: Angelica — G1
Diameter: 12,111 km
Gravity: 1.01 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: .99 Earth
Percentage Ocean: 85%
Rotation Period: 36 hours
Native Life: Plants, insect- and fish-like animals
Human Population: 6,000,000

Marfisa and its society, a true first-contact mission is telepathic, and biokinetic infiltrators was teleport-
still in the planning stages. ed to the planet to gather more intel about the col-
ony and its reasons for civil war. A little over two
A LOST COLONY AT months later, a picture of Marfisa’s history began to
WAR WITH ITSELF take shape.
In January of 2123, the members of an Upeo/ISRA Shortly before the Aberrant War, two charismatic
exploration team, searching for worlds suitable for and powerful novas made an offer to take any base-
human colonization, were startled to discover that line human who wanted an escape from the rapidly
one of the planets on their list of candidates was degenerating situation on Earth to a safe, distant
already home to a human colony. Following stan- world to start over. The Aberrant calling herself
dard protocols, they called in an Æon Trinity recon Tunnel Rat would create a warp gate connecting
squad to learn as much as possible about the colony Earth to the new colony planet, while her partner
before making contact. Babbage would supply the colonists with quantum
Extensive clairsentient scanning from a station- technology that would make their lives easy. Nearly
ary orbit behind Marfisa’s single moon, Virago, re- five million people from all over the world took
vealed two large human settlements surrounded by them up on their offer and traveled to the departure
a web of smaller towns. The larger city, Endeavor, point in New Zealand, where they would take a 12-
was located in the center of the colony’s agricultur- hour journey through the warp.
al operations, with satellite communities focused Unfortunately, Tunnel Rat was heavily Corrupted,
on farming and fishing. The slightly smaller city, and maintaining such a large warp tunnel for such
Endurance, was in a mountainous region and pop- a long time caused her powers to go out of control,
ulated by miners and industrial workers. During killing her and catastrophically altering the envi-
this routine scanning, the clears were startled to ob- ronment inside the tunnel. Most of the colonists,
serve a number of small military engagements be- as well as their livestock and seedlings, arrived on
tween the two regions. It rapidly became clear that Marfisa intact, but much of their technology was
the people of Marfisa were at war with one another. shredded and scrambled by the chaotic warp ener-
The recon squad needed more information, but gy. Although some of the equipment was salvage-
secrecy was a paramount concern, as interfer- able and Marfisa had plentiful natural resources, it
ing with the colony, or even letting the colonists would be decades before the colonists were able to
know they had been rediscovered, might make return to even a mid-1980s level of technology and
the situation worse. A small group of clairsentient, industry.

112 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

 PERSONAL LOG OF HORACE GUO
04.02.2123
I’ve never seen anything quite like this. The tech, the clothes — hell, even the hair — are
all like something out of a history vid from, I don’t know, 1985. And everyone is so angry. It
hits me like waves every time we go out into the city. All this red, rumbling anger on the verge
of exploding into violence. The team over in Endurance says it’s the same there. It’s ugly, and
it’s just getting uglier.
We have to be very careful here. Any show of psi powers is just going to convince them
they have Aberrants in their midst (which as far as we can tell, they don’t), and that might be
all it takes to set off the whole powder keg.
I wish we could just blow up the damned box. I don’t trust that tech any more than the
Preservers do. But doing that would just start a bloodbath. I don’t even know how we’re sup-
posed to tell them we’re from Earth. I guess that’s Neptune’s problem, though. I just want to
get out of here.

The colonists initially focused on survival, found- on Marfisa: a giant, quantum-tech automated man-
ing their first settlement, Endeavor, on a simple ufactory, capable of consuming raw materials and
agenda of farming and families. People who had producing practically any tool or technology the
been enemies on Earth due to politics, race, or re- colonists might want. The manufactory was con-
ligion found themselves forced to let go of old ha- trolled by an artificially intelligent supercomputer,
treds in order to survive and prosper. In place of who confirmed that “she” was created by Babbage
the old prejudices, a new one formed: the Aberrants to help the colonists in whatever way they required.
Tunnel Rat and Babbage were seen as nearly satan- The computer had been sent immediately after the
ic figures whose superhuman abilities had stranded colonists, but due to the disastrous failure of the
the colonists and left them for dead. warp tunnel, it had somehow arrived 60 years later.
As the colony prospered and grew, a second large The population of the colony was almost imme-
settlement, Endurance, was founded in order to help diately divided. The leadership of Endeavor, con-
meet the Marfisans’ growing need for better tools vinced that any product of Aberrant power must be
and machines. Unlike the pastoral region in which evil and harmful, dubbed the new arrival “Pandora”
Endeavor was located, life in and around Endurance and insisted that she be destroyed — or at least
was harsh and unpleasant; the mining work was sealed up and never used — in order to preserve the
brutally hard and living in a polluted industrial zone good life that the Marfisans now had. Many of the
often led to illnesses and early deaths. Despite the citizens of Endurance, however, saw Pandora as a
hardships, the people of Endurance were proud of gift that could make their difficult lives much easier.
the work they did to help modernize the colony, con- Why should they suffer and die to create technology
tributing equipment for farming, materials for con- when the manufactory could do it almost magically?
struction, and even radios and primitive computers. The Marfisans were nearly evenly divided in
their opinions, with the “Preservers” just bare-
PANDORANS AND PRESERVERS ly outnumbering the “Pandorans.” The strength
By 2103 the planet’s population had grown to more of the Pandoran voice was enough to prevent
than six million, and Endurance had achieved a sort the Preservers from destroying the manufactory
of practical, friendly independence from Endeavor. and computer, but the Preservers were powerful
That was the year that everything changed, when — enough to prevent anyone from gaining access to
in one last spasm of uncontrolled power — the warp Pandora and putting her to use. Over the next year,
tunnel opened up one last time and spit out a huge the population shifted, with most Preservers align-
metallic cube into a residential area of Endeavor. ing themselves with Endeavor and most Pandorans
The police force discovered an entry into the cube, basing themselves in Endurance. By 2104, the two
and exploration quickly revealed what had landed cities had begun an armed conflict.

extrasolar settlements 113

 The war was short lived in its active form, sim-
ply because the two populations were so dependent
upon each other’s exported goods — the Pandorans
needed food, and the Preservers needed fuel, raw
materials, and tools. The conflict settled into a sort
of cold war in which each faction regularly threat-
ened to withhold its vital goods in an attempt to
force the other to concede on the issue of Pandora.
The occasional border conflicts were officially con-
demned by both sides.
This state of cold war lasted until 2122, when a
group of young, angry Pandorans took it upon them-
selves to make a strike into Endeavor in an attempt
to reach and fully activate Pandora. Most of the
small force were killed by the Preserver defense
force, and the remainder were captured and held
as prisoners of war. The populations of both sides
were furious — the Preservers at the raid, and the
Pandorans at the deaths — and the cold war is rap-
idly becoming hot again.

PLANS FOR RECONTACT

With the initial survey completed, the Æon
Trinity and the United Nations are now deliberating
on how to proceed with first contact. Because the
situation on Marfisa is so delicate, decisions about
whom to talk to, what to say to them, and what side
to take — if any — may have enormous repercus-
sions. The question of what to do with Pandora also
looms large in any attempt to plan first contact.

QINSHUI
In many ways, Qinshui is relatively Earthlike, but
it has important differences, including an exceed-
ingly alien ecosystem. It has three moderate-sized
continents and a wealth of small-to-medium-sized
islands. The atmosphere is thick and perpetually
humid. Rain or fog are nearly constant over most of
the planet. Qinshui’s lack of a moon means its tide-
less seas are considerably calmer than Earth’s.
six years living among the Qin on a world that was
THE EMBASSY COMPOUND manifestly not their home. This culture shock has
had a significant impact on most residents. Some
Qinshui is now home to over 15,000 humans.
who had extensive interaction with the Qin have
Unlike colony worlds, the majority of the inhab-
adopted many Qin mannerisms and habits of com-
itants are diplomats, scientists, technicians, and
munication. Such people are easily recognized by
their staff. However, the embassy is also home to
their smooth, almost gliding movements and their
dozens of cooks, barbers, doctors, entertainers, and
somewhat stilted speech. Others in professions
others whose presence is necessary for any long-
where they have little contact with the Qin grew
term human settlement. Life on Qinshui is very dif-
to fear the Qin. Several psychologists studying the
ferent from any colony world. With the exception
embassy personnel have remarked that such people
of the new arrivals, everyone here has spent the last
display an almost Qin-like paranoia about the Qin.

114 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

Feeling threatened by the aliens’ innate secrecy, Earthlike conditions as much as possible. In addition
these people have become increasingly secretive. to the living and working areas, the embassy com-
To help residents adjust to life on an alien world, pound also contains numerous small parks and open
the embassy compound resembles an Earth town areas with many Earthly plants and small animals.
under a dome, since the designers realized that While this embassy is more open and comfortable
residents would prefer being able to go outside in than space settlements like Karroo Mining Colony,
an area that appeared relatively familiar. A low bio- most residents never forget that it is a single struc-
glass dome 1,300 meters in diameter and 100 me- ture surrounded by a vast and strange alien city.
ters high surrounds the embassy compound. During The alien environment is one reason that all
the day, the dome glows in patterns that simulate forms of escapism are much more common here
Earthly skies. The region inside the dome duplicates than on any other extrasolar colonies. Holovids and

extrasolar settlements 115

 PLANETARY DATA: QINSHUI
Founded: 2109 (Joint United Nations & Æon Trinity Embassy)
Discovery: 2108 (Chinese Interstellar Mission)
Distance from Earth: 14,600 light years.
Star: Qinri — K0
Diameter: 12,800 km
Gravity: 0.94 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 1.6 Earth
Temperature: −10° C to 50° C
Percentage Ocean: 83%
Rotation Period: 21 hours
Native Life: Qin and many genetically modified life forms
Human Population: 15,000

VR simulations of Earth or other human worlds are they snuck into a building that turned out to be a living
very popular. Now that a number of Qin who are waste-disposal facility and were fatally processed.
studying humanity have also expressed an interest Most humans find wild areas of Qinshui to be
in such programs, Qinshui may become a major exceedingly strange and eerie. Although some
market for these holovids and simulations. creatures like the Qin possess both hearing and a
vibration sense, most animals on Qinshui rely pri-
NATIVE LIFE marily on their vibration sense and have little or no
The Qin appear to have bioengineered almost ability to hear. As a result, few animals make de-
every life form on Qinshui, transforming the entire liberate noises, but those that do are always quite
ecosystem. Despite these many changes, Qinshui loud. Outside of the cities, the predominant nois-
possesses an ecosystem as complex as Earth’s. The es are the constant patter of rain, the rustle of the
bioengineered animals and plants compete for food, wind through the foliage, and the gurgle of flowing
prey upon one another, engage in complex social streams. These muted sounds are occasionally inter-
behavior, and even breed. However, most organ- rupted by piercingly loud shrieks and cries. These
isms also have a specific function that they perform noises, combined with the frequent thick fogs and
for the Qin. From animals used as vehicles to vine- constant damp makes most of Qinshui feel claustro-
like plants that act as aqueducts and plumbing, on phobic. Also, almost all local life, including the Qin,
Qinshui most living things exist to serve the Qin. can see in both the visual and infrared spectrums.
All organisms on Qinshui are also designed to avoid Most plants and animals appear dull and drab, some
harming the Qin. To avoid accidental predation, hu- because they are camouflaged to blend into the fre-
mans who travel into the Qin wilderness must wear quent fogs, others because they are brightly colored
special marking chemicals that identify them as Qin to in the infrared spectrum.
the local life forms. During the embassy’s isolation from Most wilderness areas blend almost impercepti-
Earth, three residents were killed by local life forms. A bly into the cities. A series of long vines heading off
biologist was murdered by a jealous rival who replaced into the distance may turn out to be a large city’s
his marking chemical with a chemical designed to at- water supply, and the fields of large, fleshy, red sun-
tract the large creatures he was studying to a new food flower-like plants that appear in many of the early
source, causing them to attack and devour him. The oth- photos of this world are actually the Qin’s primary
er two victims were teens who died in a Qin city, when solar-power generation system.

116 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

THE QINRI SYSTEM To help combat the efforts of the Qin houses who
oppose their species’ alliance with humanity, sever-
Like humanity, the Qin colonized most of their
al dozen psions on Qinshui are now working closely
own star system. Qinshui has no moon, but the sys-
with house Tung-Jen, the house most closely allied
tem possesses an asteroid belt, three large gas giants
with humanity. These psions use their powers to
with numerous moons, as well as two other terres-
help house Tung-Jen spy on and discredit its rivals.
trial planets, Qinshan and Qin-Lak. Qinshan is a hot
At least one biokinetic has learned to disguise her-
rocky world somewhat closer to the sun Qinri than
self as a Qin biosuit and has also recently learned to
Qinshui. It possesses a thin atmosphere of carbon di-
bud off a portion of her body and transform it into a
oxide and water vapor. Qin-Lak is a cold, heavily gla-
duplicate of one of the Qin. To avoid serious diplo-
ciated world. Its dense atmosphere is breathable by
matic consequences if these efforts are discovered
Qin and by humans if the carbon dioxide is scrubbed
by rival Qin houses, every psion who becomes in-
out. It has limited microbial life, small equatorial
volved in Qin internal politics does so without any
oceans and vast polar caps. Qin-Lak has several large
official approval or acknowledgement by the UN or
cities near the equator and human researchers be-
the Æon Trinity. Senior members of house Tung-
lieve this planet has been heavily Qin-formed.
Jen are considering adopting a few of these psion
The Qin also have smaller colonies on Qinshan
agents into their house, to avoid their enemies de-
as well as on many of the moons and asteroids in
nouncing house Tung-Jen for bringing outsiders
their system. Most of these settlements consist of
into internal Qin politics.
self-sufficient colonies inside living biotech arcolo-
gies. Visitors report that residents of some of these
communities also appear to have been heavily mod-
RUAN’S WORLD
ified, and in a few the distinction between colony Named after the teleporter who found it, this world
and inhabitant begins to blur. of perpetual red light is a strange and wondrous land.
It is now the home of the Upeo wa Macho. Although
Numerous living spaceships ply the spaces be-
they reestablished contact with Earth six months
tween the various worlds of the Qin system. Most
ago, their headquarters and most of their personnel
use a form of advanced gravito-magnetic propul-
remain on this planet.
sion that seems to require little or no fuel. Orgotek
technicians are eager to learn the secrets of these HOME AWAY FROM EARTH
craft, but so far the Qin have been unwilling to dis-
Ruan Curwin discovered this planet in 2109.
cuss this technology.
Bolade Atwan initially decided the best use of
Human astronomers and clairsentients have also
Ruan’s discovery was as a staging ground to use
noticed that the Qin also possess several dozen huge
while hunting Aberrants. An Aberrant following a
living starships which can travel at nearly the speed
psion to Earth would be a disaster, but Aberrants
of light. Observers believe that these starships reg-
following a psion to an unpopulated planet rotat-
ularly travel to and from at least four Qin extraso-
ing around a red dwarf would be no huge loss. Over
lar colonies. So far, the Qin are unwilling to discuss
the next few years, Ruan’s World gradually became
these colonies. However, Qin researchers are study-
the Upeo’s primary base of operations as the order
ing the visiting Leviathan jump ships, attempting to
brought more equipment and personnel. Before the
discover if there is a way Qin could operate similar
Upeo’s departure from Earth, they even brought
vessels without human assistance.
family and friends and some of their nguzo support
RELATIONS WITH THE QIN personnel to the planet. By 2113, Ruan’s World had
gone from a sparse outpost to a small colony of sev-
Residents of the embassy compound are now the
eral thousand people.
primary source of information about Qin politics
With low gravity and a large red sun hanging
and society (see p. 351 for further details) and some
motionless in the sky, Ruan’s World is the strang-
have found that they enjoy the company of the Qin.
est human colony. Axum is close enough to Ruan’s
There, several hundred humans have forged close
World that it appears more than twice the size of
friendships with Qin. However, humans who have
a full moon in Earth’s sky, and does not appear to
lived on Qinshui for any length of time also under-
move. The planet’s rotation precisely matches its
stand that some Qin do not trust any humans and
orbit, and so every portion of the planet is in either
oppose the presence of humans on their world.

extrasolar settlements 117

 PLANETARY DATA: RUAN’S WORLD
Founded: 2110 (Upeo wa Macho)
Discovery: 2109 (Upeo Interstellar Survey)
Distance from Earth: 18,400 light years
Star: Axum M0
Diameter: 9,442 km
Gravity: .58 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen (breathable)
Air Pressure: 1.5 Earth
Temperature: −75° C (cold pole) to 80° C (hot pole)
Percentage Ocean: 64%
Rotation Period: 46 days — the world is tidally locked
Native Life: High diversity of animals, vegetables, microbes
Human Population: 9,000

eternal day or endless night. The region closest to months prior to leaving Earth. These facilities are
Axum is called the hot pole and temperatures there surrounded by city’s houses, apartments, shops, and
are almost 80° C, while the cold pole remains at a manufacturing facilities.
constant −75° C. To avoid these two extremes, the The outskirts of Freedom are an area known as
Upeo base was built on the sunlit side, but near “The Gardens.” To keep her order creative and vig-
the motionless terminator, which divides day from ilant, Proxy Atwan gave each member of the order
night. their own plot of land on the edge of the city. The
Despite its strangeness, Ruan’s World is teeming first gardens were literal gardens, full of odd fruits
with life. Due to the low gravity, many creatures fly and vegetables. As members started to get creative,
or float using biologically generated hydrogen, and the scope and purpose of the gardens started to
local life uses either infrared vision or echoloca- change. Some built replicas of some place they knew
tion as their primary sense. Although the local life on Earth. Others built their own personal training fa-
is not as dangerous as Eden’s myriasoma, several cilities in which to work out, while still others built
species of large animals have attacked humans and small stages on which to hold plays. Over time, The
visitors should use caution when venturing into the Gardens became a place where Upeo wa Macho
wilderness. members could be creative but focused, just as Proxy
The city of Freedom remains the lone settlement Atwan wanted. Atwan’s garden is simplicity and fo-
on the planet. Farms and a few facilities ring the cus itself; it is an X drawn in the soil. Whenever she
prefab habitation units. It is not the most scenic returns to Ruan’s World, she returns to the X.
settlement, but it is comfortable and well equipped. Atwan and her lieutenants have designed an in-
Almost all of the colonists missed contact with credible array of games and tests to keep their or-
Earth, and are relieved to finally connect with their der sharp and ready for action while in isolation
homeworld. Though a few moved back to Earth, from the earth. Each week they hold races tuned
most simply visited Earth and returned to their new to different Aptitudes. Clairsentients might need
home. to run a race blindfolded or backwards, teleporters
The official Upeo facilities are located near must quickly teleport between a set of randomly
Freedom’s center. After reviewing reports from sev- chosen places, grabbing a designated item at each
eral of Upeo’s senior clairsentients, Proxy Atwan place, and other psions engage in similar contests of
relocated the order’s Prometheus Chamber several powers. Neutral members of Upeo engage in more

118 CHAPTER THREE: SPACE

traditional tests of physical and mental prowess,While Proxy Atwan welcomes biologists and other
including everything from acrobatics competitionsresearchers who wish to explore this exotic world,
to solving elaborate 3D puzzles. This intense butshe is considerably more cautious about colonists.
friendly competition builds comradery and encour-She has denied all requests for groups wishing to
ages friendships. When one member needs help, found other settlements. Freedom is now growing
there are never shortages of volunteers. due to both an influx of neutral Upeo employees
who were left behind on Earth and also the addition
THE FUTURE OF RUAN’S WORLD of other neutrals who are interested in moving to
Since re-contact with Earth, other groups have Freedom. However, it is still too early to determine
expressed interest in moving to Ruan’s World. long-term prospects for colony growth.

extrasolar settlements 119

 The secret of the universe is this: The universe doesn’t care.
That part of the job is yours.
— David Gerrold

CREATING PSION CHARACTERS

Characters in a Trinity Continuum: Æon chronicle quantakinetics or teleporters), and assign your
can be normal human beings — “neutrals” — or Talents. Mode dots, and also add one dot to one Attribute
However, most campaigns will focus on psions — humans in her preferred Approach (Force, Finesse, or
whose latent psychic powers have been awakened by one of Resilience), as part of the overall enhancement pro-
the Prometheus Chambers controlled by the psi orders, giv- vided by the Prometheus Chamber.
ing them incredible abilities and preparing them to take on
the terrible threats that menace humanity in this future age. STEP SIX: FINISHING TOUCHES
This section covers the additional rules needed Gain bonus traits (Trinity Continuum Corebook,
for creating psion characters in Trinity Continuum: p. 38), and calculate Health and Defense rating.
Æon, as well as new Paths and Edges suitable for the Characters who are quantakinetics or teleporters
futuristic setting. Character generation in Æon follows or who possess a quantakinesis or teleportation
the same process given in the Trinity Continuum Auxiliary Mode (see below) must forgo the addi-
Corebook, apart from the differences noted below. tional Attribute dot provided in this section and
instead increase their starting Psi trait to 3. Players
CHARACTER GENERATION of characters with other Aptitudes are also free to
SUMMARY forgo the bonus Attribute dot to start play with a Psi
trait of 3, but do not need to do so.
STEP ONE: CONCEPT
Pick your character’s name, background, and
PSI ORDER
Aspirations. If they are a psion, you will also pick During step one of character generation, it is im-
their psi order. portant to choose the psi order that a psion char-
acter belongs to. Each psi order favors a particular
STEP TWO: PATHS psionic aptitude due to the Prometheus Chamber
it possesses, but belonging to an order does not re-
Pick your character’s Origin, Role, and Society
strict a character to that particular aptitude — many
Paths. Your psi order, if any, should be reflected in
of an order’s psions will have originally been awak-
your Society Path. Several new Role and Society
ened by a different Prometheus Chamber. Each psi
Paths specific to Æon are provided on p. 129.
order also has a Path associated with it.
STEP THREE: SKILLS, SKILL TRICKS, The psi orders are: Æsculapian Order (vitakine-
AND SPECIALTIES sis), Chitra Bhanu (quantakinesis), ISRA (clairsen-
tience), The Legions (psychokinesis), The Ministry
Assign your Skill dots, and pick Skill Tricks and (telepathy), Norça (biokinesis), Orgotek (electroki-
Specialties for any Skills with a high enough rating. nesis), Upeo wa Macho (teleportation).
Not every psion has to belong to an order; some
STEP FOUR: ATTRIBUTES
are freelancers, some are renegades, and some hold
Assign your Attribute dots and choose your char- themselves aloof from the factions and politick-
acter’s favored approach. ing of the psi orders. Every single psion has been
awakened by a Prometheus Chamber, though, and
STEP FIVE: APPLY PSION TEMPLATE that means that at some point a psion must have
Choose your character’s Aptitude, deter- dealt with the particular psi order that holds the
mine starting Psi Trait (normally 2, except for Chamber of her Aptitude.

creating psion characters 121

 CREATING TALENTS IN Macho, Freelance Psion, Nihonjin Agent, Æon
TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON Trinity, and Æon Trinity Section Minerva. For
a psion character, the Society Path must rep-
While a neutral character would be outclassed resent her relationship (or lack thereof ) with
in a campaign where the other characters are the psi orders or the Æon Trinity itself. See the
psions, Talents make excellent characters, and individual psi order or Æon Trinity entries in
groups composed of a mixture of Talents and Chapter 5 for those Paths, except for the Chitra
psions can work exceedingly well. See Talents in Bhanu Path, which is in Chapter 11 (p. 371). All
Trinity Continuum: Æon (p. 322) for further of the other Paths can be found at the end of
information.
this chapter.
To create Talent characters for this game, use the
rules for creating Talents from the Trinity Con- THE PSION TEMPLATE
tinuum Corebook (pp. 151-158), but you can
use any of the Paths in this book (the eight psi A psion is a human being with latent psy-
orders have neutrals, including Talents, as mem- chic powers that have been awakened and
bers), and characters can possess any of the brought to full strength through the trans-
Edges in this book, except for the Psionic Edges, formative science of a Prometheus Chamber.
which are only available for psions. In addition, Psion characters possess a number of un-
Talents can also be Nihonjin special agents who usual capabilities represented through their
possess extensive hardtech augmentations. See Aptitude, Psi Trait, and Modes.
the Nihonjin Agent Path (p. 130) for details.
A psion’s Aptitude is the primary psychic
talent that she has manifested, and is dictated
entirely by the specific Prometheus Chamber
NEW PATHS used to awaken her latent psionic powers. Even a
During step two of character generation, the player psion who expressed strong, uncontrolled latent
chooses Origin, Role, and Society Paths for her char- capability in one Aptitude will have that inclination
acter. Trinity Continuum: Æon contains one new overwritten by the power of the Chamber she is ex-
Origin Path: Oceanian; three new Role Paths: Off-Earth posed to, although she may express that latent power
Colonist, Spacer, and Space Military; as well as 12 new in the form of an Auxiliary Mode (see below).
Society Paths: Æsculapian Order, Chitra Bhanu, ISRA,
There are eight Aptitudes. Biokinesis focuses
The Legions, The Ministry, Norça, Orgotek, Upeo wa
on control of the psion’s own body. Clairsentience

INTO THE PROMETHEUS CHAMBER BY DYLAN COSTA -

OPNEWS, DECEMBER 9, 2106
Although outsiders have not yet been permitted to see a Prometheus Chamber in use, we have
taken holos of it being serviced and below we have a first-person account of its use, from Ali-
cia Velasco, who became an electrokinetic in November. <Transcript below>
The Prometheus Chamber is a transparent cylinder roughly two and a half meters tall and one
and a half meters across, filled with a translucent biogel. When my turn came, I undressed and
walked over to a small circular platform connected to a crane. After the technicians applied
the various monitoring electrodes and checked the feeds, the operator, who was seated at a
console next to the chamber, used the crane to lower me into the biogel, after again instruct-
ing me to breathe normally.
The biogel was warm, and surprisingly easy to breathe; doing so felt exceedingly natural. The
operator asked if I was ready, I gave her a thumbs up, and the process began. It was like I
opened my eyes for the first time, I saw so much more than before, and everything was talking
to me. I don’t know what it looked like from the outside, and I’m told it only required around
23 minutes, but the process felt like it took hours, in which I felt like I could see and sense the
entire cosmos. It was all so perfect and so heartbreakingly beautiful. The next thing I remember
was waking up in the recovery room and listening to the monitoring equipment talking in a
silent voice only I could hear.

122 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER CREATION

extends the psion’s senses across the present, past, she uses for activating her powers, the number of Psi
and future. Electrokinesis controls the energies points with which she fuels her powers, and a num-
of the electromagnetic spectrum. Psychokinesis ber of other effects such as attunement, psi imprints,
affects kinetic energy. Quantakinesis deals range, etc. (see p. 203 for more details). Most psions
with the strange relationship between energy, begin with a Psi trait of 2, but the Quantakinesis and
matter, and both psionic and Quantum powers. Teleportation Aptitudes require a starting Psi rating of
Telepathy controls and influences the psion’s 3. When generating a quantakinetic or a teleporter, in-
own mind and those of others. Teleportation lets crease the character’s starting Psi to 3 but when gener-
the psion cross great distances in the blink of an ating bonus traits (see Trinity Continuum Corebook,
eye, and vitakinesis heals, augments, and damag- p. 38), quantakinetic or teleporter characters must for-
es living beings. go the additional Attribute dot to pay for starting with
A psion can only ever possess one Aptitude. a Psi trait of 3. Players generating psions with other
She may have limited Auxiliary Modes in other Aptitudes are also free to make this same trade.
Aptitudes, but her Aptitude dictates where her psy- The psion’s player can now allocate four dots among
chic powers are strongest. If she attempts immer- the character’s available Modes (see p. 206). Modes are
sion in a second Prometheus Chamber, it will not the actual psychic powers that the psion can control,
awaken a second Aptitude — it will simply kill her. with three Modes in each Aptitude, each of which is
Once the psion’s Aptitude is chosen, she gains a rated from one to six dots. Every dot assigned to a Mode
set of basic powers associated with that Aptitude. In unlocks new uses of that power for the psion. At least
addition, she gains one dot in one Attribute in her three dots must be allocated to Modes from the psion’s
preferred Approach (Force, Finesse, or Resilience), Aptitude. Auxiliary Modes provide access to the basic
as part of the overall enhancement provided by the powers of Aptitudes, but Tier 2 characters, like most
Prometheus Chamber. psions, can never raise an Auxiliary Mode above one dot.
The character’s Psi Trait determines her overall Prior to allocating her dots, a psion begins with zero
psychic strength, contributing directly to the dice pool rating in each Mode. She can assign her dots between

creating psion characters 123

 PSION EXPERIENCE COSTS
TRAIT CHANGE COST
Attribute Add one dot to a single Attribute 10 Experience
Edge Add one dot in a new or existing Edge 3 Experience
Edge Add one dot in a new or existing Path Edge 2 Experience
Enhanced Edge Gain a new Enhanced Edge 6 Experience
Favored Approach Change a character’s Favored Approach 15 Experience
Psi Trait Add one dot to the character’s Psi Trait (Psi 1 to Psi 5) 12 Experience
Psi Trait Add one dot to the character’s Psi Trait (Psi 6 or Psi 7) 24 Experience
Mode Dot Add one dot in a Mode of the character’s Aptitude (1 to 5 dots) 6 Experience
Mode Dot Add one dot in a Mode of the character’s Aptitude (6 or 7 dots) 12 Experience
Auxiliary Mode Add one dot in an Auxiliary Mode 8 Experience
Skill Add one dot in a new or existing Skill 5 Experience
Skill Trick Add a Skill Trick to a Skill 3 Experience
Specialty Add a Specialty to a Skill 3 Experience
Path Add one dot in a new or existing Path (maximum 5 Paths) 18 Experience

her Modes as she sees fit, but a Tier 2 (psion Tier) with more experienced psions — from psions who
have spent several months practicing their skills,
character cannot go above five dots; the sixth dot in an
to veteran psi order agents who have seen a dozen
Aptitude and the final seventh dot in the Aptitude repre-
sent the incredible power that only Tier 3 (proxy Tier)battles, experienced Talents who have been active
psions can access. Note that a character who has any heroes for a decade or more, or even colossally
Mode three or more dots higher than her next-highest talented individuals with psychic strength on par
Mode may suffer from psionic dysfunction due to the with that of the orders’ proxies. Creating advanced
imbalance in her psychic capabilities (see p. 208). characters is simply a matter of following the usu-
al character generation rules, and then adding the
CREATING ADVANCED listed Experience points to spend at the end. The
CHARACTERS Storyguide and all of the players should agree about
how much additional Experience characters should
The system presented here creates capable psion
start play with, and all characters should start play
characters early in their career, with significant but
with the same amount of additional Experience.
limited psychic power. However, it is also possi-
Unless everyone enjoys playing characters who are
ble to begin a Trinity Continuum: Æon campaign
just beginning their career as a psion or a Talent,

THE MODES AVAILABLE TO PSIONS ARE:

Biokinesis Adaptation, Psychomorphing, Transmogrify
Clairsentience Psychometry, Psycholocation, Psychocognition
Electrokinesis Electromanipulation, Photokinesis, Technokinesis
Psychokinesis Thermokinesis, Telekinesis, Perikinesis
Quantakinesis Energetics, Fundamentals, Transmutation
Telepathy Rapport, Mindshare, Psychbending
Teleportation Translocation, Transmassion, Transportal
Vitakinesis Iatrosis, Augendis, Algesis

124 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER CREATION

 QUANTAKINETICS AND TELEPORTERS
Choosing a quantakinetic or teleporter psion as your character brings with it some addi-
tional complications. The quantakinetics of Chitra Bhanu were purged a dozen years ago
due to claims of Aberrant corruption and their Prometheus Chamber is believed to have
been destroyed, meaning that any quantakinetic character hails from prior to that date
— or else something very weird is going on. See Chapter Eleven, pp. 368-371 for more
information on playing quantakinetics. The teleporters of the Upeo wa Machu vanished
seven years ago, taking their Prometheus Chamber with them, and only reappeared less
than a year ago. A teleporter character has thus either been part of the psi order’s strange
experiences in the intervening years, never left with the rest of the order and somehow hid
herself, or is part of the order’s new wave of awakening of latent psychics.
In either case, the character is inextricably linked to the exciting events of the past dozen
years and is likely to find herself shadowed by the implications of the psi orders’ actions.

TIER 3 CHARACTERS
Proxies are only one type of character who are at this Tier. All characters in this Tier share
certain advantages. Instead of 8, their target number for all rolls is 7. In addition, they can
possess up to six dots in any Attribute even if they do not possess the Extraordinary Attri-
bute Edge. Remember that ordinary humans are Tier 1 characters, while ordinary psions
and Talents are Tier 2 characters.

most campaigns should start with Experienced sudden bursts of knowledge, and a general feeling
characters (see the table below). of awakening and increased awareness over the
The one limitation on creating an advanced next day or two.
character is that heroic figures must purchase at
least one additional dot in an existing Path or an ADVANTAGES FOR TIER 3
initial dot in a new Path, and proxies or exception- PROXY-LEVEL PSIONS
al Talents must purchase at least two additional In addition to the advantages normally gained by
dots in existing or new Paths, representing the ties being a Tier 3 character and possessing a Psi trait
and the connections these impressive characters of six, Proxy-level psions gain several additional
have built up during their careers. In addition, a advantages. They can raise each of their Aptitude
Tier 3 proxy-level psion must possess at least six Modes to six dots, learn a special seven-dot pow-
dots of Psi, at least five dots in one Aptitude Mode er, raise their Psi trait up to seven, purchase up to 2
and at least three dots in another Aptitude Mode. dots in any Auxiliary Mode, and recover Psi points
Characters who meet these three prerequisites twice as rapidly. In addition, they can raise their
automatically become Tier 3 proxy-level charac- other Attributes as high as six dots, or seven dots if
ters. Psions normally experience this change as a they possess the Superior Trait Edge.
profound transformation that can include visions,

PSION PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONAL
CATEGORY EXPERIENCE ADDITIONAL PATH DOTS REQUIRED
Experienced 10 0
Hardened Veterans 50 0
Heroic Figures 100 1
Proxies or Exceptional Talents 150 2

creating psion characters 125

 NEW EDGES
The following Edges are specific to Trinity addition, she possesses gills as well as lungs and can
Continuum: Æon. Some are only available to breathe water as well as air. In addition, her skin is
psions, but most can be taken by any character. altered to be tough, smooth, hairless, and stream-
lined, providing your character with one level of
AUGMENTATION EDGES soft armor. Her legs are redesigned for better speed
The following Edges require extensive microsur- in the water, allowing her to move at Speed Scale 2
gery, advanced genetic therapy, or both. underwater. When underwater, your character also
possesses sonar within far range, allowing her to
AMPHIBIOUS CONVERSION (••) “see” people and objects out to that range, but she
cannot use sonar to perceive color or to see fine de-
Prerequisite: Stamina ••
tails beyond close range.
Your character has visibly and practically joined
Drawbacks: Your character can survive out of wa-
the Oceanian nation, and has become a type of aqua
ter indefinitely, but increases the Difficulty of all mov-
commonly called a phib. She can now hold her
ing and maneuvering rolls by +1 while on land. She
breath for 30 minutes without needing to roll, and
also needs to consume three times as much water as
only needs to make suffocation rolls once every 15
normal humans, increasing the Difficulty of Survival
minutes thereafter. In addition, her eyes have been
rolls in arid environments by +1. She also suffers a lev-
modified so that she can see in dim light, and suf-
el 2 Complication to all Social rolls relating to appear-
fers no penalties for low light. Although she cannot
ance from people who either dislike Oceania or are
use sonar, like aquatic conversions, your character
uncomfortable with enhanced humans.
can now speak underwater in the same high-fre-
quency language that aquatic conversions use and
COMPUTER ENHANCEMENT (•• OR •
is also immune to decompression sickness (p. 194).
FOR PSIONS USING BIOCOMPS)
Your character’s skin has also been changed — he
has either smooth, dolphin-like skin or short dense Prerequisite: Criminal, Espionage, or Science
fur like a sea lion or sea otter. Either option allowsPath
your character to endure temperatures down to Your character gains 2 Enhancement to all
−20° C without discomfort. Also, your character Technology rolls related to computers as well as 1
swims twice as fast as ordinary humans and suffers Enhancement to Pilot rolls for vehicles where your
no Difficulty increases to Physical and Perception character uses the computer to control the vehicle.
dice pools for being underwater. Alternately, your The computer used in this enhancement is equiva-
character can choose a less obvious version of this lent to a minicomp and can be used to make phone
transformation. Her skin and eyes appear normal, calls or wirelessly access the OpNet, and your char-
which reduces her swimming speed to that of most acter can perceive augmented-reality data without
humans. However, she gains all other advantages of any sort of display gear (p. 287). In addition, your
being amphibious. character automatically gains, and must separate-
Disadvantages: If your character possess- ly pay for, the Lightning Calculator and Speed
es the obvious version of this Edge she suffers a Reading Edges, as well as at least 2 dots of the
Complication of 1 to all Social rolls relating to ap- Eidetic Memory Edge. Your character also gains the
pearance from people who either dislike Oceania Direction Sense Edge for free, but only when con-
or are uncomfortable with enhanced humans. nected to the OpNet. However, for all this enhance-
The less-obvious version of this Edge has no such ment’s many advantages, in most nations obtaining
penalty. it requires a security clearance as well as a compel-
ling need for one, limiting it mostly to covert oper-
AQUATIC CONVERSION (••) atives and a few engineers and technicians working
on sensitive projects.
Prerequisite: Stamina ••
Drawback: The reason for the distrust of this
Your character was born as or transformed into
enhancement is clear. Both during and after the
an aquatic, also known as a selkie. She gains all the
Aberrant War, Aberrant and later human hackers
advantages of the Amphibious Conversion Edge. In

126 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER CREATION

 PSION BIOCOMP ENHANCEMENT (•)
Biokinetics who use the Psychomorphing technique Compartmentalize to assimilate a for-
matted biocomp can purchase the • version of this Edge. They gain all the benefits of
computer enhancement. An electrokinetic who is formatted to a biocomp and who has at
least two dots in Technokinesis can purchase the same one-dot Edge, but do not have to in-
corporate the biocomp into their body. However, the Enhancement provided by this Edge is
in place of, and not in addition to, the Enhancement gains from using a formatted biocomp.
Since both psions and noetic biotech are resistant to Aberrant powers, any attempts by Ab-
errants to manipulate the psion through her biocomp have a Difficulty of +5, in addition to
the Complication provided by the biocomp’s failsafe. Research is currently underway to cre-
ate biocomps that any psion, and eventually any human, can use in this fashion once they
have formatted it. There’s also no Social penalty to psions for using Biocomp Enhancement.

were able to control people using this augmen- Your character effectively has four hands. Her feet
tation. Also, electrokinetics with three dots in have been designed so that they do not interfere
Technokinesis (p. 230) can completely alter the per- with walking or running in normal gravity. However,
ceptions of any user if they first overcome the im- when using your feet to manipulate objects, your
planted computer’s failsafe rating of 5 (see p. 196). character suffers from the normal 1 Complication
Aberrants who can control electronics can do this for not using her dominant hand. If you also take the
and can also turn the user into a puppet. As a re- Ambidextrous Edge (Trinity Continuum Corebook,
sult, most people are horrified by the idea of this en- p. 60), this penalty vanishes, and your character can
hancement, and anyone known to possess it suffers use all four limbs equally well. Because of her four
a Complication of 2 to Social rolls to inspire trust or hands, your character gains 2 Enhancement to all
other positive feelings. climbing rolls, and gains 1 Enhancement bonus when
grappling in gravity less than 0.1 Gs.
INCREASED TOLERANCE (• TO •••)
Your biological template is strong enough to
MARS ADAPTATION (•)
maintain a surprisingly high degree of bioware. Mars is not yet habitable, but it is far more so than
Both neutrals and psions with this Edge gain +1 per it was in 2100. While most Martians are content to
dot to their Tolerance for formatting bioware (p. live in the large pressurized cities equipped with
267). Neutrals still cannot use any biotech that in- grav grids, an increasing number of people are strik-
creases psionic powers (since they have none) and ing out in small groups and setting up independent
also cannot use any biotech that requires the expen- settlements. While everyone, except powerful bio-
diture of Psi points. Advanced biotech therapies can kinetics, requires oxygen masks to survive outside
give this Edge to both neutrals and psions. of sealed habitats, a combination of amphibious and
zero-G enhancements allows some people to be
LOW-GRAVITY ADAPTATION (• TO ••) much more comfortable on the Martian surface.
Your character has undergone minor genetic You character has undergone advanced genetic
modification to allow her to live and work under therapy to live on the surface of Mars. Your character
low-gravity conditions. Although grav grids are suffers no health problems from living in low gravity,
common, a few asteroid colonies prefer not to use he can hold his breath for 30 minutes, and his tough
them, and a portion of the Karroo mining station is skin provides sufficient insulation from the cold
kept at zero-G for convenience. Martian nights that he rarely needs anything more
At one dot, your character suffers no problems than a warm coat to be comfortable anywhere on
from living in low or zero gravity for months or years Mars or Earth. Your character can to endure tempera-
at a time. Also, your character suffers no negative tures down to −20° C without discomfort, and his skin
modifiers for maneuvering in low or zero gravity. At provides him with one level of soft armor. In addition,
two dots, your character has had her feet modified so your character’s skin appears smoother than normal,
that her toes are longer and her big toe is opposable. similar to the skin of a dolphin.

new edges 127

 Drawbacks: Characters with this Edge suffer 1 or emotions, you can make a reflexive Integrity +
Complication to all Social rolls relating to appear- Composure roll. If your successes are equal to or
ance from people who are uncomfortable with en- higher than the telepath performing this manip-
hanced humans. ulation, your character is aware that someone is
attempting to influence her thoughts or emotions.
NEW SOCIAL EDGES This awareness gives her 2 Enhancement to resist
The following are new Social Edges. giving in to any emotions imposed on her and al-
lows her to attempt to stop the telepath using other
DUAL CITIZENSHIP (•) means, such as physically attacking the telepath.
International travel is easier than ever, and to
make the process of traveling from one nation to
PSIONIC EDGES
another easier, some people have citizenship in The following Edges directly relate to psionic
several nations. Known criminals are almost never powers and are only available to psions.
granted citizenship in nations other than the one
in which they were born, and sufficiently outspo-
DETACHED (••)
ken dissidents have problems becoming citizens of Prerequisite: Psions only
some nations. However, the wealthy, people with You have the rare ability to view your psionic
important skills, and psions are always in demand. abilities as separate from your physical existence
This Edge means that your character is a citizen and can maintain this distance even under adverse
of two nations — the nation in which she was born conditions. Any penalties due to Injury Conditions
and one other. You can purchase this Edge several don’t affect your Psi rolls until you reach Maimed,
times. If you purchase this Edge three times, then and even then you only suffer half the normal pen-
your character is a citizen of four nations. Few peo- alty (−2).
ple are citizens of more than four or five nations.
Even fewer are citizens of nations that are relatively ENHANCED ATTUNEMENT (•)
hostile to one another, like the FSA and any of the
Prerequisite: Psions only
nations of Sudamérica.
Your psionic sensitivity is substantially greater
Drawbacks: Some nations, like China, the FSA,
than the norm for someone with your Psi rating.
or Nippon do their best to keep track of the activi-
Your Psi is considered one point higher for purpos-
ties of their citizens, and the more nations of which
es of Attunement rolls and range, up to a maximum
your character is a citizen, the more nations there
of seven.
are that might be interested in watching her, re-
gardless of where she is. FAVORED MODE (••)
TELEPATHIC RESISTANCE (•••) Prerequisites: Psions only and at least one dot in
that Mode
Prerequisite: Æon Trinity or Ministry Path,
Your character excels as using one particular
cannot be a telepath or possess telepathy as an
Mode of psion powers. She gains 2 Enhancement
Auxiliary Mode
when using this Mode. This Enhancement can be
Your character is not a telepath, but she has
spent to overcome difficulty or purchase elements
trained with telepaths, learning ways to guard her
of a power as normal, or can be spent to increase
thoughts and to detect the subtle signs of mental
one aspect of the power governed by Psi or Mode
intrusion. This Edge provides your character with
dots at one step per Enhancement. This Edge can
two benefits. Telepaths increase the Difficulty of
only be taken once, and may apply to a Mode of the
all rolls to read or alter your character’s thoughts
psion’s Aptitude or her Auxiliary Modes.
or emotions by 2. In addition, your character is also
unusually conscious of her own thoughts. If a tele-
path attempts to alter your character’s thoughts

128 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER CREATION

 NEW PATHS
As well as the Paths presented in the Trinity FREELANCE PSION (SOCIETY)
Continuum Corebook, there are a number of new
The character is a freelance psion. She does not owe
Paths available in Trinity Continuum: Æon — and,
allegiance to any psi order and is a free agent, answer-
of course, players are encouraged to adapt existing
ing only to her own goals and beliefs. She may choose
Paths to suit their needs, as well as to create entirely
to work for a major government or organization, con-
new Paths to represent their life choices, professional
tracting out her abilities to a patron for a handsome
roles, and the societies in which they dwell. The new
reward; or she may be a fugitive or free spirit who is
Paths given here represent the new vistas that human-
always on the move. She may have psi orders seeking
ity’s exploration of space has opened up. Three are
to court her into joining their ranks, or she may be on
new Role Paths: Off-Earth Colonist, Spacer, and Space
the run from an order for which she has caused trou-
Military. Two are new Society Paths: Freelance Psion
ble or that refuses to take no for an answer.
and Nihonjin Agent. These Paths can all be found be-
low. There is also one new Society Path for each of the
PATH CONCEPTS
eight psi orders, and two new Society Paths associat-
ed with the Æon Trinity. These additional Paths are High-end private security specialist, obsessed vig-
found in the next chapter, after the description of the ilante, psionic private eye, wandering troubleshooter
associated organization, except for the Chitra Bhanu Example Connections: Æon Trinity, Criminal
Path, which can be found in Chapter 11 (p. 371). Organization, Psi Order, Thankful Client
Some Paths include new Edges, representing the Skills: Empathy, Integrity, Larceny, Persuasion
special training or resources that a particular orga- Edges: Adrenaline Spike, Always Prepared, Covert,
nization grants access to. These Edges are only ac- Danger Sense, Enhanced Attunement, Favored Mode,
cessible via Path membership. Inner Reserve, Patron

new paths 129

 SPECIAL EDGE: INNER RESERVE (••) OFF-EARTH COLONIST (ROLE)
Prerequisite: Freelance Psion The character is literally reaching for the stars, part
Without the support of a psi order, your character of humanity’s colonization of new worlds. She is hardy,
has had to learn the hard way that there’s no one resourceful, and rugged, capable of surviving in incred-
else who’ll clean away her mess when she screws ibly tough conditions and expecting the unexpected.
up with her psi powers. She may spend a point of When faced with the unknown, she has the courage
Momentum whenever she botches a psi roll to con- and determination to push onward. She has the skills
vert the botch into a normal failure. and mindset to build a home and a new life under alien
stars, regardless of what the galaxy throws at her.
NIHONJIN AGENT (SOCIETY) Example Connections: Corporate Sponsor,
The character is closely affiliated with the Interstellar Explorer, Survivalist, Xenobiologist
government of Nippon, a nation possessing cut- Skills: Athletics, Integrity, Survival, Technology
ting-edge technology, but that is intensely distrust- Edges: Animal Ken, Danger Sense, Direction
ful of the psi orders and where bioware is banned. Sense, Hardy, Ms. Fix-It, Pioneer Spirit, Superior
She serves as an agent or asset for the Nihonjin be- Trait, Weak Spots
yond the country’s shores, granting them the reach
to meddle in the affairs of other regions without SPECIAL EDGE: PIONEER SPIRIT (•••)
compromising their official distance and the isola- Prerequisite: Off-Earth Colonist
tion of much of their population. She may be an in-
Even in the most difficult of situations, your
filtrator, information gatherer, or even an assassin;
character presses on with indefatigable determina-
whatever her role, she benefits from the incredible
tion. As long as she is part of the player-character
technology that her powerful patron provides.
group, increase the character’s Momentum by 1.
A Nihonjin agent is either a neutral or a Talent; Additionally, she gains a bonus point of Momentum
she cannot be a psion. every time she fails or botches a Survival or
Technology roll, and whenever she suffers an Injury
PATH CONCEPTS
Condition.
Deep-cover operative, enhanced diplomat, mer-
ciless assassin, suave spy SPACER (ROLE)
Example Connections: Criminal Organization, The character lives or works in space, perhaps as
Double Agent, Government Official, Nippon the crew on a spacecraft or in a desolate outpost. She
Intelligence Agency may be a technician, skilled in maintaining and re-
Skills: Athletics, Enigmas, Larceny, Technology pairing the technology that is so vital to keeping her
Edges: Alternative Identity, Computer Enhancement, and her fellows alive. She may be a pilot, working
Covert, Cyberware Access, Danger Sense, Skilled Liar, with noetic engines or alongside a clairsentient and a
Superior Trait teleporter to steer a colossal vessel through the void.
Regardless of her role, she almost certainly has at
SPECIAL EDGE: least some familiarity with handling small craft and
CYBERWARE ACCESS (• TO •••) EVA equipment. The void is not a natural or welcom-
Prerequisite: Nihonjin Agent ing environment for humanity, and technology is ab-
Your character has easy access to cutting-edge solutely vital to her day-to-day survival, but she may
hardtech implants (see p. 292) from Nippon. She also have undergone some level of modification and
possesses a number of implants equal to her dots in adaptation — changing the fabric of her very body to
this Edge. She does not need to purchase these im- better handle the strange pressures of space.
plants and their cost is not a factor. She can change Example Connections: Asteroid Miner,
the implants she possesses between sessions if she Interstellar Explorer, Off-Earth Colonist, Upeo wa
is able to gain access to Nihonjin medical facilities Macho Member
to perform the required procedures. Skills: Enigmas, Pilot, Science, Technology
Edges: Breath Control, Endurance, Hardy, Low-
Gravity Adaptation, Ms. Fix-It, Variable Gravity
Training, Weak Spots

130 CHAPTER FOUR: CHARACTER CREATION

 SPECIAL EDGE: SPECIAL EDGE: VARIABLE GRAVITY
VARIABLE GRAVITY TRAINING (•) COMBAT TRAINING (••)
Prerequisite: Spacer or Space Military Prerequisite: Space Military
Your character has been trained in handling low, Your character has been trained in combat tech-
high, or zero-gravity environments. She reduc- niques appropriate for low, high, or zero-gravity en-
es the level of any Complications stemming from vironments, as well as the calculations and factors
gravity-related conditions by 1 when attempting involved in engagements between spacecraft. She
non-combat physical actions. reduces the level of any Complications stemming
from gravity-related conditions by 1 when attempt-
SPACE MILITARY (ROLE) ing an attack, and benefits from 1 Enhancement
The character is part of a small elite — those to her dice pools for attacks with ship-to-ship
combat specialists who ply their trade in the void of weapons.
space. She might be part of a space vessel’s onboard
contingent of marines intended mostly for policing OCEANIAN (ORIGIN)
and supporting off-Earth colonies and manning the Your character grew up on a floating or undersea
ship’s battle stations, or she may be an elite combat city and is now a citizen of Earth’s newest and most
pilot expected to go toe to toe with whatever night- unusual nation, Oceania. You are likely to have been
marish attack craft the mad science of Aberrants born, or become, a phib or aqua and grew up in a
and aliens might conjure up. She’s likely to have high-tech city surrounded by an environment dead-
whip-fast reflexes and a level of vigilance that ly to unmodified humans. However, the close-knit
would impress even elite, planet-dwelling soldiers; cities of Oceania are also some of the most creative
she knows that the hungering emptiness of cold, and technologically advanced on the planet.
hard vacuum is always close by. Example Connections: Artists, Scientists, Boat or
Example Connections: Armorer, Off-Earth Colony, Submarine Pilot, Genetic Engineer, Undersea Miner
Spacer Captain, UNMC Skills: Culture, Empathy, Survival, Technology
Skills: Aim, Command, Pilot, Technology Edges: Amphibious or Aquatic Conversion, Artistic
Edges: Adrenaline Spike, Breath Control, Danger Talent, Big Hearted, Hardy, Increased Tolerance,
Sense, Hair-Trigger Reflexes, Hardy, Low-Gravity Library
Adaptation, Small Unit Tactics, Variable Gravity
Training, Variable Gravity Combat Training

new paths 131

 By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed.
— Gaius Sallustius Crispus, Roman historian and statesman

Belonging to a psi order or the Æon Trinity provides characters with many opportunities for exciting play
as well as allies and other benefits. Although players are free to have their characters be freelance psions who
are independent of any organizational loyalties, all psions must join a psi order or the Æon Trinity to obtain
access to a Prometheus Chamber, and even characters who later left that organization once belonged to it.

THE PSI ORDERS

In 2106, immediately after a group of psions defeated the attack on Sydney, Australia, the world learned
of the existence of the eight psi orders. Each psi order was controlled by a single individual known as the or-
der’s proxy, who was the first person to gain the psionic Aptitude associated with that order. Each psi order
also possesses a highly advanced piece of biotechnology called a Prometheus Chamber. Each Prometheus
Chamber is associated with a single psionic Aptitude. Individuals with the proper psionic latency who are
placed in this chamber gain the psionic Aptitude produced by this Prometheus Chamber. However, individu-
als with the same Aptitude as their psi order’s Prometheus Chamber only make up roughly half of the psions
who belong to each psi order. The other half are psions who joined that order, but gained their powers from
another Prometheus Chamber. The Æon Trinity negotiates sharing arrangements between different psi or-
ders, so that they can trade use of their Prometheus Chambers.
In 2111, Chitra Bhanu was destroyed by the other psi orders due to apparent corruption by Aberrants.
However, since 2111 the other seven psi orders have all thrived and grown. Because the various psionic
Aptitudes can combine their abilities in powerful ways, every psi order encourages members with any psion-
ic Aptitudes to join. There are currently roughly 90,000 psions, and rough estimates place the number of
unidentified latents at between 200,000 and 250,000.

PSI ORDER TABLE

PSIONIC APTITUDE OF PSIONS IN
PSI ORDER PROMETHEUS CHAMBER PROXY ORDER
Æsculapian Order Vitakinesis Dr. Matthew Zweidler 17,000
Chitra Bhanu Quantakinesis Dr. S.K. Bhurano 0?
ISRA Clairsentience Otha Herzog 5,000
The Legions Psychokinesis General Solveig Larssen 30,000
Ministry Telepathy Rebecca Bue Li 5,000
Norça Biokinesis Giuseppe del Fuego 2,500
Orgotek Electrokinesis Alex Cassel 15,000
Upeo wa Macho Teleportation Bolade Atwan 800
The Æon Trinity none The Trinity Council 5,800
Freelance Psions none none 7,000

the psi orders 133

 THE ÆSCULAPIAN ORDER
The Æsculapian Order is medical research to improve all forms of trauma
both the vitakinetic psi or- care and find cures for all widespread illnesses,
der and the largest inter- including the recently discovered Quantum Flux
national emergency-ser- illnesses.
vices organization. Dr. Shortly after Dr. Zweidler announced that he was
Matthieu Zweidler, now the vitakinetic proxy, he began a large-scale recruit-
89 years old, has direct- ment drive for psionic latents. It was not the first or
ed the Æsculapian Order last of the order’s projects that some of its critics would
since 2086. He is the second call too meddlesome. Some of their work, by its very
oldest proxy and the one who has nature, brings them into conflict with governments
been in charge of his organization and political parties, whether it’s simply providing
the longest. However, in the 19 years since he be- health care to people seen as social undesirables, or
came the vitakinetic proxy, Dr. Zweidler has not collecting data on violent injuries and deaths that a
appeared to age and in fact now seems to be in his corrupt local government would rather keep quiet.
early 60s. Well before he became the vitakinetic Since before Dr. Zweidler took over as director, the
proxy, Dr. Zweidler was passionately dedicated to Æsculapian Order has had three types of facilities. The
this order’s mission of helping the injured or sick largest and least numerous are the research laborato-
anywhere in the universe and providing both short- ries, where Æsculapian physicians and scientists work
and long-term aid to help people and places recover to develop new treatments, while engineers and rescue
from serious disasters. workers create new technology to aid in rescue work,
The Æsculapian Order was founded in 2043 and and improve methods of performing various emergen-
began as an organization based in the EU that was cy services. An important secondary purpose of these
originally dedicated to providing relief from nova-re- facilities is training new recruits.
lated disasters. As the troubles that led up to the The most well-known Æsculapian facilities are
Aberrant War increased, the Æsculapian Order grew. the clinics and stations. Æsculapian clinics were
By 2057, it had expanded beyond the EU, gradually originally developed to provide free medical ser-
becoming a fully international organization. After vices in poor, remote, or otherwise underserved
the Aberrant War ended, the Æsculapian Order al- regions. The existence of vitakinesis has led to the
ready had close ties with the Æon Trinity and was in creation of a second type of clinic, primarily locat-
an excellent position to help humanity recover from ed in arcologies and cities, where patients can ob-
the Crash and the aftermath of the Aberrant War. In tain vitakinetic healing unavailable elsewhere, and
2086, Dr. Zweidler took over as director while the where the wealthy can pay for cosmetic, voluntary
Æsculapian Order was in the process of becoming a body modification and anti-aging treatments.
general-purpose disaster relief and medical aid orga- Most Æsculapian stations are also clinics, but
nization now that it had largely completed helping they primarily serve as bases for first-response
humanity recover from The Crash. emergency services. As a result, they contain living
Under his directorship, the Æsculapian Order facilities for emergency services personnel as well
expanded its efforts throughout the solar system, as advanced vehicles designed to handle a variety
becoming the primary agency that dealt with di- of emergencies. With the exception of Nippon, al-
sasters ranging from hurricanes and earthquakes to most all nations permit the Æsculapian Order to
life-system failures on off-world colonies or people place clinics and stations where they believe they
trapped on damaged spacecraft. As an experienced will do the most good. In addition, Æsculapians also
emergency-room physician, Dr. Zweidler also made have a station that specializes in space-rescue op-
certain that the Æsculapian Order worked to help erations in the asteroid belt as well as stations on
governments track and deal with epidemic diseases, Luna, Mars, and Khantze Lu Ge. A small station also
and provided medical services for people who could recently opened on Karoo Station.
not otherwise access them. He also encouraged

134 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

THE ÆSCULAPIAN ORDER PATH
(SOCIETY)
The character is closely affiliated with the Æsculapian Order, the
vitakinetic psi order. She is aligned with the Order’s mission of
helping the sick and injured, providing aid, and protecting hu-
manity from disasters. She is likely either a medical professional
or other first responder, or she works closely with those who
are. She is likely familiar with the organization and provi-
sion of aid and emergency services to those in need
across the world — and beyond.

PATH CONCEPTS
First responder, medical researcher, medical
relief worker, search-and-rescue specialist
Example Connections: Æon Trinity,
Emergency Service Personnel, Health Ministry,
Medical Specialist
Skills: Athletics, Empathy, Medicine, Science
Edges: Adrenaline Spike, Danger Sense, Enhanced
Attunement, Favored Mode, Hardy, Keen Sense,
Library, Rapid Response Protocols, Trained Memory

SPECIAL EDGE:
RAPID RESPONSE PROTOCOLS (•)
Prerequisite: Æsculapian Order
As a member of the Æsculapian Order,
your character can take advantage
of the organization’s emergen-
cy resources. As long as your
character has access to an
Æsculapian clinic or sta-
tion, she can receive
free medical treat-
ment with top-level
equipment providing
2 Enhancement or
greater. Additionally, she can
always request analysis of a disease, pathogen, tox-
in, or injury; the Order’s staff will perform the equiv-
alent of a research action with a three-dot Library
specializing in Medicine, using a base dice pool of 8
and taking no more than a few hours.

The Æsculapian Order 135

 work in the Æsculapian Order for a time period at
RECRUITMENT AND least equal to the duration of their training.
MEMBERSHIP Both psions and neutrals who work for the
The Æsculapian Order is the third largest order in Æsculapian Order freely admit that their jobs are
terms of total membership and the second largest in often difficult, stressful, and occasionally danger-
terms of psion members. Regardless of whether they ous, but most also find their work to be exception-
are psions or not, most members of the Æsculapian ally rewarding. In addition, the Æsculapian Order
Order are emergency service or medical personnel, works hard to make certain that all employees are
including firefighters, pilots, physicians, nurses, both safe and content. Salaries are comparatively
EMTs, and people trained in wilderness, off-plan- high, and many employees love the chance to work
et, or space rescues. However, the Æsculapians also all across the Earth as well as in various locations in
employ a fairly large clerical staff as well as a small- the solar system and beyond.
er number of scientists and engineers. Neutrals can The Æsculapian Order receives most of its funding
be hired in any capacity, but psions are generally ex- from the UN and the Æon Trinity. However, it is also a
pected to be emergency service or medical person- popular charity for the wealthy and since 2109, a grow-
nel. However, the Æsculapian Order also employs ing number of Æsculapian clinics have offered expen-
several dozen psionic researchers and engineers. sive vitakinetic treatments to wealthy clients, includ-
Although always willing to accept skilled la- ing long-term cosmetic alterations and short-term but
tents who wish to become vitakinetics, any poten- repeatable mental and physical enhancements. These
tial member who displays a teleportation latency services were initially controversial, since previously
is strongly encouraged to obtain the Teleportation all services provided by the Æsculapian Order were
Aptitude, since the several dozen teleporters who free. However, Dr. Zweidler made it clear that vitak-
work in this organization are always in high de- inetics working for the Æsculapian Order would not
mand for remote rescue assignments. Because every charge patients to cure illnesses or even to enhance
Æsculapian clinic and station offers free psionic la- longevity. The Æsculapian Order only charges for ser-
tency testing, almost half of all latent psions are ini- vices that provide cosmetic alterations and short-term
tially discovered by the Æsculapian Order. Latents physical and mental enhancements that are not med-
who lack appropriate skills or training but who wish ically necessary. Some members still vocally object to
to join the Æsculapian Order are required to com- the Æsculapian Order profiting from any use of vitak-
plete six months of EMT training and pass a certi- inesis, but most accept that these treatments provide
fication exam before being approved for access to a much-needed funds.
Prometheus Chamber. At this point, the new psion
has the choice of immediately starting work for the CURRENT PROJECTS
Æsculapian Order or receiving more advanced train-
The biggest challenge facing the Æsculapian Order
ing. Although not common, some psions have joined
remains the devastation in France. Malnutrition, epi-
the Æsculapian Order and then spent the next sever-
demic disease, radiation poisoning, and Quantum Flux
al years training to become physicians.
diseases remain relatively common all across western
As long as latents can pass a basic exam for phys- France. Recontact with Khantze Lu Ge has brought
ical and mental competency, the Æsculapian Order additional urgent demands for the order’s services.
accepts members of all ages, although all members However, the ongoing war has somewhat limited the
over the age of 70 are strongly urged to become vita- number of vitakinetics Dr. Zweidler is willing to risk
kinetics, because the healing and physical enhance- there. The Æsculapian Order is currently struggling to
ment aspects of this Aptitude allow even elderly deal with providing adequate services to both France
members to easily engage in prolonged physical ex- and Khantze Lu Ge, while also maintaining their com-
ertion without negative consequences. mitments to provide services elsewhere.
Recruiting neutrals is far more straightforward. The Æsculapian Order’s single largest research
The Æsculapian Order is open to anyone with the project is into treatment or cures for Quantum Flux
correct training and experience and offers full diseases. These are the only illnesses that even the
scholarships for anyone interested in training in most powerful vitakinetics cannot cure. However,
one of these fields, in return for a commitment to before the destruction of Chitra Bhanu in 2111,

136 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

cooperation between vitakinetics and quantakinet- The Order’s second-largest facility, located in
ics managed to cure a few cases, implying that cures Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is often referred to as its sec-
are possible. Information about Quantum Flux ill- ond headquarters. With a staff of more than 5,000,
nesses and general rules for treating illness can be this branch of the order is located in a large biotech
found on p. 191. The Æsculapian Order’s other ma- structure developed and built in collaboration with
jor projects are finding better ways to increase gen- Norça and Orgotek in 2113. While the bulk of the
eral longevity, strengthening medical infrastruc- Montressor facility is devoted to medical research,
ture, and preventing commonplace illnesses. They the Port-au-Prince facility is the Order’s center
are also working with Orgotek to develop bioapps for disaster relief and preparation. Here the order
that can provide permanent mental and physical creates better equipment and protocols and trains
enhancement to neutrals. specialized teams. A secondary focus of this loca-
tion is cooperation with other psi orders. The Port-
HEADQUARTERS au-Prince facility is the site of a joint project with
The official headquarters of the Æsculapian Orgotek to develop improved disaster relief and
Order is in Montressor, Switzerland. With rough- medical bioware as well as a joint project with Norça
ly 12,000 employees and more than 1,000 vitak- where members of both psi orders attempt to find
inetics on staff, Montressor is the order’s center ways to reduce Quantum Flux diseases by “healing”
for administration and medical research as well as or otherwise eliminating Corrupted zones.
the location where Dr. Matthieu Zweidler works. Most members regard the Montressor facility as
The Montressor facility is located on the outskirts prestigious but a bit stodgy, and see the Port-au-Prince
of Basel. Much of the facility is still located in a facility as a more exciting location, but also a hotbed
15th-century structure that was originally used as a of radical and occasionally crackpot ideas. There is a
monastery, but the facility has since expanded into a strong ideological emphasis there on cooperation with
series of early 21st-century buildings originally part local traditional medicine and exploration of other
of a small Swiss university that the order purchased forms of folk medicine, which some view as spurious
shortly after the Crash. and others view as essential to the Order’s mission.

The Æsculapian Order 137

 There is some friction between outsiders who arrive others’ privacy or for criminal purposes are harshly
at the Port-au-Prince facility to work or study there punished. Clinics also provide members of the Order
and locals recruited by the Order. with immediate medical treatment.
Dr. Zweidler’s protégé, who serves as functional Because the Æsculapian Order is both powerful
head of the Æsculapian Order when Zweidler himself and widely popular, members can ask their supe-
is shut away pursuing a research tangent, is Dr. Magalie riors to help them obtain the cooperation of local
Alcine, a native Haitian who is a vitakinetic and medical authorities. While this cooperation can be grudging
prodigy. Dr. Alcine grew up in a family of folk-medicine and halfhearted, officials who comply with import-
practitioners and, as a high-school science project, be- ant requests by the Order frequently obtain signif-
gan keeping copious observations on the use of tradi- icant discounts on the cosmetic and enhancement
tional herbs, remedies, and rituals when she was a teen- services the Order offers for sale.
ager. She came to the clinic seeking help, having been Out among the stars, the Order’s resources are far
assigned male at birth and facing unwelcome signs of more limited, but are still freely offered to members.
puberty. Although care was provided free of charge, in There are now clinics on Averiguas, Far Nyumba,
her intense gratitude she continued to spend time at the Karroo Mining Station, Khantze Lu Ge, and in the
clinic as a volunteer, and began studying at one of the human embassy on Qinshui, and there are plans
introductory academic programs in 2106. for clinics on Ruan’s World and Marfisa. Any mem-
That year, Dr. Zweidler publicly announced that ber of the Order who visits these clinics can obtain
he was the vitakinetic proxy and came to Port-au- whatever aid the clinic can provide, but is also ex-
Prince on a recruitment mission. Dr. Zweidler’s as- pected to help out if they are present during any
sistants discovered Magalie’s strong vitakinetic la- sort of emergency. The Order now includes a dozen
tency when she shared her discovery that her own teleporters capable of interstellar travel, but their
folk-healing skills were more effective than those of services are in exceptionally high demand.
other practitioners she knew, along with her note-
books and records to back up the observation. Once RUNNING AN ÆSCULAPIAN
she became fully attuned to her powers she was able ORDER CAMPAIGN
to control her own hormonal balance and physical
Being sworn to a medical code of ethics and tak-
development, as well as heal others. Dr. Zweidler
ing it seriously can bring characters into conflict
oversaw Magalie’s education as a physician and as
with governments, military organizations, other
a psion, and she studied in several of the world’s
medical professionals who disagree on interpreta-
best medical schools and research hospitals before
tions, and even patients at those times when they
returning to lead the Æsculapian Order’s Port-au-
don’t appreciate medical decisions but can’t safely
Prince division to its full glory.
make their own.
Dr. Alcine insists that respecting the spiritual
Sometimes what the laws permit and what the
beliefs of patients is not just politeness or diplo-
ethical guidelines dictate are different, and then
macy, but deeply necessary to the practice of medi-
what? Well, then you improvise. A lot can be at stake:
cine. Her vitakinetic abilities are second only to Dr.
a patient’s life, the future of the Order’s local oper-
Zweidler’s, and she has a talent for cross-cultural
ations, or the individual Æsculapian’s continued
communication and leadership that often guides
ability to draw breath, if they’ve offended the wrong
the decisions of the Order.
crime boss by noticing a suspicious injury trend.
SPECIAL RESOURCES As such, Æsculapians aren’t merely healers: They
have to include rescuers and relief workers, defend-
The Æsculapian Order is built around the idea of
ers and diplomats, educators, and infiltrators. The
rapid response to serious problems. Members can get
face of the Order is peaceful, but compared to inter-
any pathogen or toxin analyzed within a few hours
national medical organizations of the early 21st cen-
after they get it to one of the Order’s clinics or sta-
tury, they are more blatant in their pushback against
tions, and if lives are at stake, they also gain imme-
widespread human-rights violations, and sometimes
diate access to clairsentient scans of any structure
change the political picture by taking action in the
in the solar system to determine where survivors
interest of public health and safety. This has earned
are located. Attempts to use this service to invade

138 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 ÆSCULAPIAN ORDER ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
Chitra Bhanu: A clear and terrible example of the temptations of power.
ISRA: Good people, but far too close to being a cult.
The Legions: Violence is never good, but is sometimes necessary, and they excel at it.
The Ministry: They could heal minds and provide insights into the nature of conscious-
ness, but waste time with intrigue and power games.
Norça: Secretive, overly impulsive, but exceptionally efficient and deeply loyal.
Orgotek: Their skill and knowledge are unquestionable, but do they care more about
profits or working for humanity?
Upeo wa Macho: They ran, and many died that they could have saved.
The Æon Trinity: Like us, they understand that the mission is aiding humanity

some criticism, but means there is never a shortage An epidemiology center or clinic could be anoth-
of excitement for characters who have allied them- er nexus of events, with medics, security staff, and
selves with this organization. Æsculapians can be research scientists all working to track the spread
found responding to epidemics and disasters, solving of disease and eradicate it, and stumbling into un-
medical mysteries, investigating the results of cut- foreseen calamities when a new patient turns out to
ting-edge research, and pursuing intrigues amidst be connected to unsafe black-market technologies,
back-room political power struggles. Aberrant cults, or other dangerous phenomena.
Many possibilities exist. An Æsculapian team in Clairsentience and sometimes telepathy can be cru-
the outer space search-and-rescue division could cial to these investigations.
work from a spaceship in a specific well-traveled The best and brightest are often sent to investi-
portion of the solar system, like a section of the as- gate and curb the spread of Quantum Flux diseases,
teroid belt, or could include a teleporter as one of a greater threat to humanity than ordinary illness.
their members and aid space travelers anywhere. New phenomena on this frontier always draw the
These emergency responders save passengers from Æsculapian Order’s closest attention. A campaign
damaged spacecraft and arrive first to the scene could even follow a single serious epidemic or
of catastrophes and disease outbreaks on worlds large-scale disaster from beginning to end, as the
across the galaxy. player characters respond to difficult choices in
Play could focus on an espionage and infiltration the field and the stakes and challenges change from
team, featuring a wide range of powers used to ad- week to week. Adversarial forces in this type of sto-
vance and conceal their purposes — perhaps some ry include villainy and incompetence, panic and so-
characters are members of the Order and others are cial disorder, destructive microbes and blustering
local connections, allied with them by circumstance bureaucrats (and that damn tech who won’t wash
and sworn to their secret mission. her hands).

The Æsculapian Order 139

 CHITRA BHANU
Before the other orders destroyed it for
allegedly collaborating with Aberrants,
Chitra Bhanu was the smallest of the
eight psi orders. Its headquarters in
Mumbai contained the Prometheus
Chamber for the rarest and strangest
of the Aptitudes — quantakinesis, which
allowed psions to use noetic energy
to ma- nipulate quantum force,
the same quantum force that
Aberrants wield to devastating
effect. Quantakinetics shaped
both matter and energy and
could directly affect noetic
and quantum powers.
Dr. S. K. Bhurano was the
order’s proxy. The most re-
clusive and mysterious of the
eight proxies, before she gained
her powers Dr. Bhurano was a bril-
liant physicist who studied Quantum Flux
and attempted to find ways to reclaim Corrupted regions,
like Wycoff’s Blight. After she became the quantakinetic
proxy, she worked closely with Proxy Zweidler to develop
the theoretical basis for noetic science and investigate the
parameters of the subquantum universe. Under her direc-
tion, Chitra Bhanu also funded a number of clinics and re-
search facilities for the treatment of Aberrant Syndrome,
Corruption diseases, and noetic dysfunction. The largest
of these clinics and also the headquarters of the order
was located in Mumbai, India. Dr. Bhurano was the most
selective of the eight proxies and admitted fewer than
200 people into her order, all of whom were scientists
in a wide variety of fields, from physics to psychology.
Dr. Bhurano also refused to allow quantakinetics to
join other psi orders.
In addition to noetic research, Chitra Bhanu also
engaged in extensive studies of Quantum Flux and
other Quantum phenomena. Dr. Bhurano claimed
that researchers in her Order were attempting to
discover a means to subvert or even negate Aberrant
powers. Regardless of how noble her motives started
out, evidence points to the fact that Dr. Bhurano and
the other quantakinetics either fell under the thrall of
captive Aberrants they were studying or willingly allied
with these monsters.

140 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 Near the end of 2109, the first rumors appeared clairsentients outside sensed a large amount of no-
on the OpNet about how Chitra Bhanu was work- etic activity building within the facility. Fearing an
ing with Aberrants. At that time, Dr. Bhurano gave attack, the assembled soldiers stormed the building
what was to be her last public appearance where and a swift and deadly battle followed. Most of the
she confirmed that Chitra Bhanu was working to quantakinetics were killed fighting the other psions
cure sub-Aberrant mutants and individuals suffer- and the remainder died in a large explosion of un-
ing from Quantum Flux diseases, and she eventual- known cause.
ly hoped to find a way to transform Aberrants back Afterwards, investigators attempted to learn
into humans. what the quantakinetics had been working on.
Rumors and fears about Chitra Bhanu continued Unfortunately, Dr. Bhurano destroyed all of the
to grow over the next year, especially after sever- order’s data files before she died. Clairsentient in-
al allegedly “rehabilitated” sub-Aberrant mutants vestigators found that they were unable to gain any
were seen visiting the Order’s Bombay clinic. Then, information about previous events in the clinic.
in January 2111, someone working inside the clin- However, they also discovered small amounts of
ic leaked a report that Chitra Bhanu was in league Quantum Flux in several locations. In the aftermath
with Aberrants. According to this report, instead of of this discovery, the other proxies decided to dis-
working to find a defense against Aberrants, Chitra mantle and destroy the quantakinetic Prometheus
Bhanu researchers had discovered a way to cloak Chamber.
Aberrants’ Quantum signature. It also claimed that Since 2111, there have been periodic reports of
researchers were working on a method of trans- known quantakinetics being seen in various loca-
forming humans into sub-Aberrant mutants and tions. Many people in the other psi orders and the
that they had also discovered a technique for en- Æon Trinity suspect that a handful of quantakinet-
hancing Aberrant powers. ics may have survived the purge. Far fewer people
At this point, several of the other proxies, in- give any credit to less reliable reports that portions
cluding Alec Cassel and Dr. Matthew Zweidler, of the quantakinetic Prometheus Chamber van-
attempted to contact Dr. Bhurano, but she refused ished before it was destroyed or that S. K. Bhurano
to answer any of these messages. Alarmed, General survived the explosion. However, some psions still
Solvieg Larssen dispatched several hundred mem- wonder about the exact sequence of events on the
bers of the Legions to Mumbai, where they were day of the purge. Proxies Otha Herzog and Bolade
joined by members of Norça and Orgotek. General Atwan have recently released statements that seem
Larssen demanded that Dr. Bhurano allow a team to indicate that they find some of the events sur-
of investigators, including Otha Herzog and Dr. rounding the Chitra Bhanu purge to be suspicious.
Matthew Zweidler, to inspect their Bombay facil-
ity. In her famous last statement, Dr. Bhurano an- FURTHER INFORMATION
nounced that her order’s activities were her respon- See Chapter 11: Setting Secrets for further in-
sibility and told the assembled psions to go home. formation on Chitra Bhanu and the Chitra Bhanu
Immediately after this announcement, several Path.

Chitra Bhanu 141

 ISRA
The Interplanetary School of These insights, including an awareness of the fun-
Research and Advancement is damental oneness of all life and all intelligence, are
the clairsentient psi order. It difficult to communicate to anyone who has not ex-
has also become a large spiri- perienced them. Although almost half the psions in
tual organization loosely con- ISRA are not clears, most attempt to learn one or
trolled by clairsentient Proxy more clairsentient Auxiliary Modes to gain at least
Otha Herzog. At 103, Herzog some understanding of these mysteries.
is the oldest of the eight proxies. Ultimately, Otha Herzog asks nothing of psions
Before becoming the clairsentient proxy, Herzog was a in ISRA beyond doing best to serve humanity and
counselor and spiritual advisor in the Baha’i faith and attempting to aid other ISRA members who require
the leader of the Baha’i Spiritual Assembly on Luna. assistance. Many work at one of the ISRA meeting
Becoming the clairsentient proxy only served to houses, where people come seeking spiritual advice
enhance Herzog’s already mystical way of thinking. or classes in meditation and other spiritual practic-
He is famous for giving complex and sometimes dif- es. The largest is located in Olympus, but there are
ficult to understand answers to seemingly simple meeting houses in more than 30 large cities, includ-
questions, in part because he perceives the world ing Bangkok, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Nairobi, Prague,
in ways that cause him to see the true complexity São Paulo, and Sydney.
inherent in even the simplest situation. ISRA mem- However, members of ISRA need not have any-
bers often refer to Herzog as “the Old Man,” while thing to do with these meeting houses or with any-
the mass media acclaims him as “The Man Who thing else publicly associated with ISRA. Like their
Sees Everything”; a title Herzog openly detests. diversity of beliefs, the range of jobs members of
Although outsiders sometimes refer to ISRA as Otha ISRA perform are equally varied. Almost one third
Herzog’s cult, ISRA does not require its members to of the psions who join ISRA, including both clears
hold any particular spiritual beliefs. Instead, Herzog and others, do not work directly for ISRA in any
see ISRA as “a vehicle for self-discovery and the explo- fashion. Instead, they either continue performing
ration of each member’s personal vision”. ISRA mem- their previous occupation or find a new one that
bers hold a vast array of different spiritual, political, and makes better use of their new talents.
social beliefs; Herzog considers these many different Otha Herzog still considers these individuals to be
viewpoints to all be part of ISRA’s “holographic vision.” part of ISRA. He asks that they make regular reports of
Despite these differences, clears all share the any unusual activities that they observe, and occasion-
unique understanding that their powers provide. ally requests that they aid other ISRA members. This

LETTERS TO OTHA
Otha Herzog wishes to make certain that all psions who belong to ISRA can turn to one an-
other if they are in trouble. To assist with this, he provides them all with a secure method of
communication. ISRA assigns every psion three “neighbors” who are all skilled clairsentients.
Every Saturday, at a predetermined time, these clairsentients observe the psion. If the psion is
a clairsentient or has a clairsentient Auxiliary Mode, each neighbor determines if the psion has
left any messages on her focal crystal (p. 290) and records this message onto their own focal
crystals. Otherwise, these three clears simply observe the individual, who sometimes writes
notes for her neighbors. These notes are often informally referred to as “letters to Otha.”
In addition to looking for such messages, neighbors determine if the psion they are watch-
ing appears to be in any difficulty. If a psion unexpectedly disappears, her neighbors
attempt to find her. Psions are asked to leave word if they will be out of contact for more
than two weeks. If any psion unexpectedly vanishes for longer than this, at least one of her
neighbors visits her last known location and attempts to learn the psion’s fate.

142 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 aid is often relatively minor, like allowing visiting members
to sleep on their couch or providing local information and
introductions. However, occasionally such aid is both
crucial and dangerous, like hiding an ISRA member
from their enemies or helping them gain covert
access to a well-guarded location. Although not
required, most members donate 20% of their in-
come to ISRA. In return, they are free to stay in
any ISRA facilities. Members who live and work
in ISRA facilities like the meeting houses usually
donate most of their income to ISRA. In return,
ISRA provides them with food, housing, and other
necessities.
Some ISRA members prefer lives of action, and volun-
teer their services to Otha Herzog, becoming members of one of
ISRA’s response teams. Members of these response teams earn a
moderate stipend from ISRA in return for their being constant-
ly ready for action. ISRA has more than 30 response teams, and
Herzog or one of his senior advisors selects the team that seems
most suitable and likely to succeed at a particular mission.
Members of these teams are expected to be ready for problems
ranging from search and rescue in remote locations, to fighting
Aberrants, to infiltrating a criminal gang selling illegal weapons
and restricted technologies. Otha Herzog usually allows these
teams to form naturally, but occasionally suggests that someone
join a particular team. Unsurprisingly, while some of his choices
seem surprising or odd, the new member is almost always a partic-
ularly valuable addition to the team.

RECRUITING PSIONS
ISRA is widely known to be the easiest psi order to join. Latent
psions merely need to pass a basic screening to ensure that they
are mentally stable and convince an interviewer that they are sin-
cere in their desire to join ISRA and become a psion. Of course, all
of the interviewers are powerful clairsentients who are difficult
to deceive.
Almost every latent that passes the psychological tests is allowed
to join, but occasionally interviewers either suggest that the pro-
spective member join another psi order or join ISRA but use anoth-
er order’s Prometheus Chamber to gain a different Aptitude. Most
applicants take these recommendations seriously. On rare occa-
sions, ISRA representatives contact individuals who may not even
be aware they are latent psions and ask them to join. ISRA freely
admits psions other than clairsentients. Although any psion can
join, members actively recruit telepaths, vitakinetics, and latents
who wish to become those types of psions because their abil-
ities are extremely useful in ISRA meeting houses. The rare

ISRA 143
 and recently returned teleporters and latents with THE GROWTH OF ISRA
teleportation latency are especially welcome in ISRA,
Herzog initially planned for ISRA to be a small
particularly as part of ISRA’s response teams.
organization composed solely of clairsentients, and
THE ISRA PATH (SOCIETY) other psions who were interested in gaining a deeper
understanding of the world. He hoped these psions
The character is closely affiliated with
would learn to use their powers to attain wisdom and
the Interplanetary School of Research and
benefit all of humanity. However, ISRA also required
Advancement, the clairsentient order. She is
hundreds of neutrals to help with various mundane
aligned with this sprawling, spiritual organization
practical tasks, like coordinating the efforts of its
and may well be a counselor or spiritual adviser
sometimes-eccentric members. Also, thousands of
herself. If she is a psion, she may be part of ISRA’s
people contacted Herzog, seeking his advice and
network of “neighbors.” Whether part of a response
wishing to become his spiritual disciples.
team, an associate member, or some other affiliate
Herzog’s clairsentience confirmed the fact that
to the order, she is likely to have experienced the
many people felt lost and believed he might have an-
strange and often mysterious aid that the society of
swers that they desperately needed. An increasing
clairsentients provides to its members.
number of these people began traveling to Olympus,
PATH CONCEPTS attending Herzog’s few public appearances and ask-
ing him and other members of ISRA for spiritual guid-
Leviathan jump ship pilot, spiritual counselor,
ance. After slightly more than a year of attempting to
troubleshooting drifter, wandering mystic
dissuade or ignore the growing number of seekers,
Example Connections: Æon Trinity, Local Community Herzog realized that he could simultaneously help
Organizer, Respected Priest, Seemingly Random these people and use them to aid humanity as a whole.
Individual Clairsentience Indicated to Be Significant
Herzog understands that sometimes all that’s neces-
Skills: Culture, Empathy, Humanities, Integrity sary to prevent serious problems or improve the world
Edges: Artistic Talent, Danger Sense, Direction is for the correct person to be someplace at exactly the
Sense, Enhanced Attunement, Favored Mode, Keen right time. His powers allow him to know what people,
Sense, Mysterious Aid, Patron, Weak Spots places, and events can be combined in beneficial ways.
As he grew to better understand his abilities, Herzog
SPECIAL EDGE: MYSTERIOUS AID (••) also realized that most people needed only a few sug-
Prerequisite: ISRA (required Edge) gestions and a small amount of help to gain far greater
Your character is occasionally the recipient of unex-satisfaction in their lives. He learned that it was often
pected help due to the clairsentient capabilities of herpossible to direct people to locations where their lives
patron organization. Once per session, you may choose would be better and where they could eventually pro-
to have a source of aid occur in the form of a two-dot vide an invaluable service to ISRA.
Ally, 2 Enhancement to a single roll, or a clue for an In 2108, IRSA began admitting neutrals who
information-gathering action. It could even take the were sincere spiritual seekers as associate mem-
form of between one and half a dozen devices with a bers. However, ISRA works to temper fanaticism,
cost of no more than •• each. You must explain what evangelism, and unthinking devotion. Herzog and
form this aid takes. It might be a handily placed cache the order’s teachers and counsellors carefully ex-
plain to all members of ISRA that truth and wisdom
of gear that is precisely where the character needs it to
be, a seemingly bizarre instruction from ISRA that re- come from considered action, not blind obedience
veals a clue, or the sudden appearance of a contact who to Herzog’s teachings. They also stress that every-
one has an appropriate path for their life and for
was advised to be in a certain place at a certain time. It
also must be reasonable for the aid to be able to appearmany people, this path does not include ISRA.
in the circumstances. The Storyguide is also free to use
this Edge for the characters once per session if they are ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
about to encounter unexpected difficulties or the play- Despite having only 5,000 psions, ISRA is notable
ers are becoming frustrated. All characters who select for being one of the largest psi orders. It now has more
this Path must purchase this Edge. than 250,000 associate members. Some neutrals who
join ISRA are deeply spiritual people who have been

144 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 FROM: DIRECTOR JULIE LIN MAI
To: Juan Chavez
Subject: Assignment in Kuala Terengganu
Date: July 12, 2123
Juan—
We recently received a message from associate member Jacqueline Binti in Kuala
Terengganu. She reported that several families in her neighborhood recently left the city.
There was no evidence of violence or that these people did anything but suddenly move,
but none of them would talk about why they were moving. The local authorities aren’t
concerned about a few working-class families relocating, so she contacted us. The Old Man
himself decided to dispatch your team — I expect that this is something fairly significant.
Jacqueline also asked for help finding her brother a job; see what you can manage. She said
that your response team can all stay with her, under the story that you’re friends of her aunt
in Melbourne. Blessings to you and your team.

touched by Otha Herzog’s message. These people usu- of these cases, Herzog or one of his assistants had a
ally wish to study and work at ISRA meeting houses as vision of the person in this job or dwelling performing
22nd-century monks and nuns. However, most associ- some action that had important consequences.
ate members are ordinary people seeking meaning in Perhaps a single act of minor kindness by the per-
their lives. They hope that Herzog and ISRA will pro- son prevents a devastating murder spree or may-
vide this for them and often find that ISRA offers them be this associate member is able to save the life of
advice that they could find nowhere else. Otha Herzog
or one of the powerful clairsentients in his inner circle
at least briefly consider every new associate member ISRA ATTITUDES
of ISRA, to see if there is some purpose for which this
ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
person is uniquely suited. They receive little informa-
The Æsculapian Order: A hand ready to
tion about most new members, at most a vision that
help all in need.
the person would be happy in a particular city, that
they have an especially hot temper and should have
Chitra Bhanu: The truth about their de-
struction remains unknown, who is keeping
counseling and a job that does not exacerbate this
it secret?
problem, or that the person is sufficiently honest and
trustworthy to work directly for ISRA.
The Legions: A blunt instrument, but one
that is often useful.
Occasionally Herzog or one of his assistants has a
far more significant vision. They could see anything
The Ministry: Even our clearest visions cannot
fully penetrate their secrecy and deceptions.
from this person committing a serious crime that
they would then attempt to prevent, to the person Norça: Good people with honorable in-
playing a specific role in either making the world a
tentions, but far too insular. The path for-
ward is through unity, not secrecy and di-
better place or otherwise furthering Herzog’s agen-
vision.
da. Often, the tasks ISRA assigns to these people are
both subtle and minor. One person may be told to
Orgotek: They know how to build many
things, but do they understand why.
move to a particular city and get a job working in a
specific company. If needed, ISRA members help this Upeo wa Macho: They also can touch
person move and find the appropriate type of job.
the oneness of all existence
ISRA might ask another associate member to move The Æon Trinity: They work for the good
into a particular house or apartment, which meets of humanity, but can be a bit too sure of
her needs but otherwise seems unexceptional. In all
themselves.

ISRA 145
 someone who later goes on to cure a serious disease, HURUF AL-HAYY
prevent a war, or discover a new habitable world.
Shortly after the Chitra Bhanu purge, Otha Herzog
Herzog attempts to make certain that the people he
decided that ISRA needed a secure base, which
sends to perform these missions are happy in their
would also house the clairsentience Prometheus
assigned life, but he is equally interested in the posi-
Chamber. Known as Huruf al-Hayy (letters of the
tive effects their small actions have on others.
living), this base is named after the first 18 followers
Neutrals working in the ISRA meeting houses
of the Baha’i faith. Herzog has provided no explana-
keep in regular contact with every associate member,
tion for this name. Although the construction of this
asking about their lives and offering a limited amount
base was widely known, he kept the location secret.
of counselling and advice. ISRA also encourages as-
Only Otha Herzog, Bolade Atwan, and members of
sociate members to become involved with their
Herzog’s inner circle know exactly where it is. Almost
communities and to report any unusual events they
no one outside of ISRA even knows what planet it is
observe to ISRA. These reports occasionally provide
on. Outsiders who study reports about Huruf al-Hayy
advanced information about a serious problem or po-
learn that it is large enough to house up to 20,000
tentially wonderful development that would be diffi-
people, contains half a dozen hyperfusion generators,
cult to otherwise learn about.
advanced and heavily redundant life-support systems,
Herzog doesn’t fully understand what Talents are,
clinics, research labs, a facility for creating bioware,
but he knows that a few people he encounters seem in-
and the order’s Prometheus Chamber, but nothing
nately destined to perform impressive deeds and have
about its location. Outsiders and prospective clairsen-
unusually complex probability matrices. Any Talent
tients must travel to Huruf al-Hayy via a jump ring (p.
who joins ISRA can be assured of being assigned inter-
295) located in the order’s meeting house in Olympus.
esting and challenging duties. Whenever Herzog en-
This jump ring was a prototype created in 2114 by
counters Talents who are not part of ISRA, he attempts
Proxies Herzog and Atwan working together, and no
to recruit them. He has even suggested that several of
one managed to duplicate it for five years.
the Talents he recruited join one of the response teams,
Some people believe Huruf al-Hayy is on Earth, oth-
which normally consist solely of psions.
ers are convinced it’s on Luna, an Earth-crossing aster-
oid, or perhaps some more distant location. In reality,

146 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

Huruf al-Hayy is buried several hundred kilometers be- for a vital negotiation, after an exceedingly clumsy
low the lunar surface. Bolade Atwan used her powers waiter ruined her previous gown. Some of the most
to excavate the chamber and transport the necessary eccentric requests can also be the most challenging,
materials there. The base’s well-concealed fiber-optic such as asking a team that includes a musically tal-
cables connect it to the Lunar OpNet, and four tunnels ented member to play a specific song at 8:12 am, at a
for high speed magnetically levitated trains provide plaza inside a high-security arcology in the FSA.
more conventional access. Important ISRA members
can travel to Huruf al-Hayy on these trains, but the base RUNNING AN ISRA CAMPAIGN
and all four tunnels have bioapps that shield them from One of the most distinctive aspects of running
all forms of noetic observation, so none of them know an ISRA campaign is that this psi order doesn’t
where on Luna this base is located. One tunnel travels have a particular sphere of influence. Instead, Otha
from the ISRA meeting house in Olympus, two others Herzog takes a somewhat protective interest in all
connect to meeting houses in other Lunar settlements, of humanity. Although they can be anywhere and
and the fourth in a carefully concealed outpost more concern almost any subject, most ISRA missions
than 1,000 km from any other Lunar settlement. deal with problems that no one else has noticed
yet. Sometimes this is because the problem is small
SPECIAL RESOURCES but growing, other times because skilled covert op-
Members who go on missions for ISRA regular- eratives or mind-controlling Aberrants have made
ly encounter all manner of unexpected assistance. certain that the problem has remained carefully
Psions working for ISRA periodically discover in- hidden. However, it’s remarkably difficult to hide
formation or caches of equipment that were left anything from the senior members of ISRA.
for them weeks or months ahead of time. Associate ISRA also has many thousands of perfectly or-
members occasionally receive assignments to deliver dinary people living or working in locations that
weapons, unusual devices, or even short handwritten Herzog or one of the other senior members of ISRA
notes to a particular location and mark it with one of believed would be important. These people regular-
several seemingly random splatters of colored paint ly report anything that appears to be significant and
that ISRA uses to denote such caches. Similarly, an sometimes Herzog sends a team of psions to inves-
associate member may be asked to become a minor tigate, and possibly to rescue the associate member.
technician in a facility weeks or months before a In return for their service, Herzog ensures that
planned mission, because Otha Herzog or one of his associate members can always call upon ISRA if
inner circle saw that a response team would need they need help. Often, this help is useful but un-
help entering or escaping from that facility. exceptional, like providing legal advice, assistance
These special caches and assistants typically only finding a better house or job, or perhaps counsel-
show up when characters are in trouble. Members ing. However, associate members are occasionally
of ISRA response teams have learned that if they’re threatened by criminal gangs or corrupt officials, or
trapped and under attack or otherwise facing se- face other difficult and dangerous problems.
rious difficulties, looking around for the colored Otha Herzog cares about all of humanity, but he
cache markers is an excellent strategy. Sometimes, takes a special interest in anyone who serves ISRA
a cache provides both equipment and valuable in- in even the most minor capacity. If an associate
formation, like a response team preparing to inves- member of ISRA has a serious problem that a team
tigate a location they believe isn’t being guarded of highly trained psions can help solve, Herzog
finding a supply of military-grade body armor. sends a team of psions to persuade a criminal gang
Mysterious aid is only one of the more unusual to leave a particular neighborhood alone or to deal
aspects of working for ISRA. Sometimes ISRA asks with corrupt and brutal government officials. An
teams of psions to perform tasks that initially seem ISRA campaign should involve a mixture of high-
trivial or nonsensical. A team deployed to a small and stakes missions and smaller missions where the
remote city in central Asia might be asked to acquire characters provide significant help to a single in-
a specific size and cut of gown that they are then in- dividual or perhaps a small neighborhood. One of
structed to leave in a particular location so that an ISRA’s core tenets is that no one is unimportant and
important diplomat can find it just before heading everyone has a place in the universe’s grand design.

ISRA 147
 THE LEGIONS
In 2106, the Legions erupted FORGING A LEGION
onto the world stage in a blur
After the Aberrant War, the UN’s power grew,
of chameleon-effect battle-
but the UN Military Command was hobbled by ar-
dress and a blaze of lasers and
chaic doctrine, antiquated equipment, and troops
pyrokinesis. Their continued
with divided loyalties. Attempts at humanitarian and
acclaim is a testament not only
peacekeeping work meant well but accomplished
to their military prowess but to
little. Captain Solveig Larssen, a Northern Collective
their adept handling (some would
soldier on loan to UNMC, witnessed many of these
say “manipulation”) of public opinion and UN policy.
failures. Disillusioned, she authored a scathing trea-
The Legions’ popular image reflects the iconic
tise proposing radical solutions. Some senior officers
Legions Triumphant mural. While grossly inaccurate
wanted her broken but enough shared her frustra-
(the Legionnaires at Sydney wore practical combat gear
tions to offer her an opportunity to prove her theo-
and the fighting never went hand-to-tentacle on open
ries. In 2091, the United Nations Home Guard began
ground), the mural captures the order’s spirit. Other
recruiting.
psi orders may excel at politics or commerce, but the
Based in Australia’s Outback, the Home Guard was
Legions are humanity’s shining sword and shield.
a rapid intervention force with troops sworn solely to
Technically, the Legions are a component of UN
the UN, not loaned national soldiers. Unencumbered
Military Command. They boast nearly 30,000 psions,
by dual command, it could deploy swiftly to conflicts
almost twice the number of the next largest order.
or disasters across the solar system despite individual
An additional 70,000 neutrals make them larger than
UN members’ disapproval. Larssen’s tactical success
many national armies. While the order is only a frac-
hinged on soldier skill and low-level command initia-
tion of humanity’s total forces under arms, its com-
tive. Her philosophy was that sergeants and lieutenants
bination of selective recruiting, superior leadership
won battles; higher echelons merely supported them.
and training, and — of course — psions makes it far
By 2100, the experimental company had grown to a bri-
more capable than any similarly sized conventional
gade and Larssen found herself a military celebrity.
force. This power would be politically destabilizing
After a leave of absence — when she met with the
if the Legions weren’t so dedicated to their avowed
other proxies and became the first psychokinetic
mission of protecting humanity. As it is, the ultimate
—  Brigadier Larssen began covertly reorganizing the
accountability of the order and its proxy, General
Home Guard. Arcane selection processes siphoned off
Solveig Larssen, still occasionally robs Æon Trinity
troops for “special training” and remote assignments.
officials and national leaders of sleep.
Rumors ran rampant about her true agenda, but only

IN FORMATION
Gamers do poorly under military discipline. Whether command rests internally with the
ranking character or externally with an SGC officer, players like to exercise free will. In
real militaries, disobeying orders generates punishment, not a Hollywood wink and nod,
even if the outcome is positive.
There are a few ways to address this. One is to discuss these issues with the players so
everyone understands and agrees to the same level of military verisimilitude, including
ranks and subordination. Another is to put the characters in a Legion with looser discipline
(like Sixth) or lower-echelon independence (Second, Fourth, Seventh). This also works for
a team on independent or covert duty, where teamwork trumps protocol and orders can
be as simple as “obey your Æon rep and don’t violate the UNMLC.”
A third option is to accept cinematic “discipline” and run with it. It’s your game. We won’t
tell General Larssen.

148 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

the wildest approached the reality of the force that spearheaded the
psions’ counterattack at Sydney.

THE ARMORY
A Legionnaire on combat duty receives primary
and secondary weapons, armor, communications
equipment, and survival gear appropriate to his
assignment. He doesn’t own them — the Legions
just let him play with them. When this isn’t
enough, what else can he get?
First, a Legionnaire with need to know
can obtain detailed in-
telligence on a location,
nation, opposing force,
organization, piece
of equipment, or
individual of inter-
est, subject to the
Intelligence Corps’
limitations. The
Legions also
make a science
of analyzing Aberrant
powers and weaknesses. They have detailed profiles
on all known Aberrant leaders.
Intelligence drives pre-mission planning. During
that planning, a commander determines what needs to
happen to ensure mission success. If her own unit lacks
necessary skills or equipment, she can request mission
support from other Legion units. The support she gets de-
pends on available assets (what the Legions have in the area),
priority (how important the mission is), and mission profile.
Raiding a house containing six ordinary insurgents might war-
rant an armed skimmer and a combat medic. Rescuing hostages
from an Aberrant cult’s fortified compound could rate real-time
clairsentient surveillance, aerial gunships, and a battlefield surgery
team with an extraction teleporter.
Sometimes, a team just needs different tools. Just about any weapon or
piece of kit in mass production (and of acceptable quality) is available if it’s
appropriate to the mission. Hunting Aberrants in the LAST Zone calls for
plasma cannons but not satellite interceptor-decryptor arrays, while the
opposite applies to covert reconnaissance in a Nihonjin naval exercise zone.

THE LEGIONS PATH (SOCIETY)

The character is closely affiliated with the Legions, the psychoki-
netic order. She may be an actual ranking member of the Legions and
thus part of the UNMC, or she may be a closely aligned contractor,

The Legions 149

 supporter, or ally of the organization. If she is a selective, with psychological screening trumping phys-
psion in the order, she has undergone a rigorous ical or psionic aptitude. The Legions spend little on
and selective training process, and during her ser- advertising. Public image does the job well enough.
vice lives according to the Legions’ rules and reg- Recruiters focus on identifying latents and matching
ulations. Whether a soldier or not, she works as a prospective Legionnaires to complementary specialties.
part of the Legions’ efforts to protect humanity. General Larssen accepts that all her troops aren’t
born fighters. Support Command is full of people who
PATH CONCEPTS are better at repairs or medicine than combat. Still,
Battlefield medic, combat pilot, determined aber- Legionnaires are humanity’s defenders, so they all re-
rant hunter, soldier ceive combat training. Every new recruit undergoes
Example Connections: Local Militia, Mercenary the 12-week Legions Basic Training, which teaches
Company, Military Contractor, UN Official not only infantry fundamentals but military proto-
Skills: Aim, Athletics, Close Combat, Command col and discipline. The three to six months after LBT
Edges: Always Prepared, Enhanced Attunement, bring advanced training in the Legionnaire’s assigned
Favored Mode, Hardy, Iron Will, Legion Armory, specialty, whether that’s light infantry, fusion-plant
Small Unit Tactics engineering, or trauma medicine. Next, a neutral joins
his first unit, while a latent is finally triggered and
SPECIAL EDGE: LEGION ARMORY (•) taught to be (and fight as) a psion before shipping out.
Initial enlistment is a three-year contract, after which
Prerequisite: Legions (required Edge)
the Legionnaire can reenlist or muster out.
As a full member of one of the Legions, your char-
The Legions are a military. The media rarely looks
acter has access to significant military resources. She
beyond the uniforms and weapons to examine deeper
can always acquire military-grade weapons, armor,
truths therein. A Legionnaire lacks the rights and free-
and equipment without difficulty regardless of her
doms that civilians enjoy. Her legal status subjects her
personal wealth, and she has the authorization to car-
to the UN Military Legal Code, not civil or criminal
ry and use such armaments wherever the Legions’ au-
law. This allows her to carry heavy iron and do violent
thority extends, subject to the UNMLC. All characters
things in the course of her duties but tightly constrains
who select this Path must purchase this Edge.
most other aspects of her life. Her self-expression, dress,
travel, living arrangements, and ability to say “no” are
ONE SHIELD, SEVEN SWORDS limited by Legions regulations and her duties. She goes
To outsiders who know individual psychokinet- where ordered, does what’s ordered, and accepts that
ics, it’s a marvel that the Legions work at all. PKs she may die carrying out those orders. This discipline
are not stereotyped for calm, respectful demeanors, can appear harsh to outsiders, but it ensures unques-
and the idea of thousands of them being unified and tioning obedience in combat, where hesitation or debate
armed can be daunting. However, the Legions are kills soldiers and loses battles. Recruiting and LBT are
a military first and a psi order second. Individual designed to weed out candidates who can’t acclimate to
Legionnaires are soldiers first, regardless of wheth- this life. Those who stay wouldn’t have it any other way.
er they’re PKs, psions with other Aptitudes, or neu- Despite the unifying factors, service experienc-
trals. This training and discipline unifies the order. es vary widely. Each Legion’s unique identity re-
Since the order appeared, it has evolved from a sin- flects its area of responsibility. Once a Legionnaire
gle Legion into the current seven. Four are defined by reports to her first unit, her Legion determines as
geographic defense responsibilities while three fo- much about her duties as the overall psi order does.
cus on mission specialties. Some analysts character-
ize the Legions as seven culturally distinct militaries FIRST LEGION: THE HOME GUARD
(or psi orders) unified by a common mission.
The senior Legion is the order’s
FORGING A BLADE headquarters unit and defends
its birthplace, Australia. The
The Legions’ prodigious casualty rates (over 10,000
Guardsmen’s spotless blue uni-
psions since their formation) make them hungry
forms and white berets underpin
for replacements. However, recruiting is mercilessly
Legionnaires’ global image. It’s

150 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

no surprise that First is beloved throughout human opponents, they also make their share of enemies,
space, particularly in Australia, which adores its na- some of whom run small countries.
tive psi order. Strategically and tactically mobile, the Knights
Many Guardsmen cultivate media relationships can put a battalion anywhere on Earth in 12 hours —
and some even endorse products or guest-star on without teleportation. The price is firepower: lacking
popular shows or sports teams (public-information heavy equipment, Knights can find themselves out-
officers keep a tight rein on behavior that would gunned by a capable enemy. The General’s personal
tarnish the order’s reputation). The spit and polish power rights a lot of imbalances, though. When she
doesn’t cover a lack of combat prowess, though. In takes the field, it’s most often with the Second.
addition to its combat units, First contains the or-
der’s ceremonial troops, military police, general THIRD LEGION:
staff, intelligence corps, and public-relations per- SUPPORT COMMAND
sonnel. Only the liaisons, spooks, and MPs regularly The largest Legion is a non-com-
leave Australia. bat force and has the fewest
psions. Support Command is
SECOND LEGION: the Legions’ training, logistics,
FORTUNE’S KNIGHTS and administrative arm, doing
As the original Legion shifted behind-the-scenes work to en-
from UN peacekeeping to de- sure the other Legions can fight.
fending Australia and expanding Although Treys are trained soldiers, many have never
the psychokinetic population, fired a shot in battle.
Larssen’s UNMC critics accused Third originated as the order’s quartermaster
her of abandoning global re- corps, responsible for supplying, fixing, transport-
sponsibilities for personal agendas. ing, feeding, and housing Legionnaires and their
Fortune’s Knights were her answer. Since 2107, the equipment. It quickly took on training duties and,
Knights have been the Legions’ response force for with the Æsculapian Order’s assistance, established
UN missions requiring a psionic touch. the order’s medical and disaster relief corps. As the
At least, that’s the theory. In practice, Second Home Guard evolved, it offloaded most of its ad-
Legion deploys at the General’s pleasure, not the ministrative structure, and the tiny chaplain corps.
Secretary General’s. If a rebel movement, shaky The order’s military- and psionic-research teams,
government, or oppressed minority requests aid, including those that operate the PK Prometheus
and its cause aligns with Larssen’s moral compass, Chamber, also belong to Support Command.
Second sends troops, sometimes under contract Treys break down into three groups. The first is
to defray Legions costs. Deft spin-doctoring en- psychokinetics who neither wanted to be combatants
sures this plays well on the news vids, but behind nor to join another psi order. The second is neutrals
closed doors, several governments are apoplectic who enlisted to obtain non-combat jobs or technical
at Larssen’s actions and lack of accountability. Only educations. The third is combat casualties who’d rath-
two points have kept the UNMC from court-mar- er stay in uniform than medically retire. Few psions of
tialing her. First, most Knights deployments sup- other Aptitudes wind up in Third because most non-
port the UN charter and focus on protecting ci- PK Legionnaires signed up to fight, not to flog data.
vilians, not changing regimes, so court-martialing Australia holds Third’s massive training, trans-
the proxy would be a PR nightmare. Second, the port, and supply hubs, but widely varied support
Legions are too critical to humanity’s defense to missions spread small units across human space.
risk alienating the PKs or their commander. Permanent Support Command detachments run all
The Knights strive to uphold their nickname. major bases, housing other Legions’ units as ten-
They have unparalleled expertise at working with ants. A Trey in such postings can serve a full career
local civilians. When Knights intervene, they’re without ever pulling a trigger. Forward-deployed
there to protect and assist the population, which duty happens, though, and self-protection can be
gives them a global base of popular support. Of necessary. Treys who support the Second, Fourth,
course, as the Legion most often confronting human and Seventh Legions are most likely to see combat.

The Legions 151

 FOURTH LEGION: VIGILES MUNDI stronger national loyalties than General Larssen
would prefer. Operating in two rival proxies’ back-
Formed as a close-combat unit
yards exacerbates the tension.
to beat the toughest Aberrants in
Sudamérica has little call for heavy combat now
the worst terrain, Fourth Legion
that the Venezuelan Plaguelands are relatively well
quickly acquired a reputation
contained. Norça’s unparalleled espionage pre-
for intransigence and aggression.
vents Aberrant cults from reaching critical mass.
Founding Vigiles embraced the
Consequently, Fifth’s activity here supports the
principle that there is no “overkill”
biokinetic order with wilderness patrols and rapid
— only “open fire” and “reload.” Fourth drew recruits
response to Aberrant raids. Fifth also monitors local
who wanted to pay back the Aberrants for personal
biotech industries and transhuman movements (and
losses. Loose discipline and its battlefield consequenc-
politely ignores Norça’s reciprocal surveillance).
es threatened to undermine the order’s overall image
until a spike in combat deaths brought widespread re- Sudamérican cultural imperatives require a deft
placement of the Vigiles’ senior officer corps. touch to keep military assistance from offend-
ing the locals. Consequently, relationships with
Under new leadership, the Vigiles remained the
government and Norça representatives are criti-
order’s blunt implement but tempered their blood-
cal to Thunder’s success. It’s no coincidence that
lust with professionalism. Fourth still attracts those
Thunder is headquartered in São Paulo.
looking to kill Aberrants, but it only keeps the team
players. Current doctrine incorporates lessons from North America presents different challenges. The
history’s best assault forces and raiders, along with FSA reluctantly allows Fifth to operate there under
unprecedented emphasis on low-level autonomy. the terms of the Legions’ Aberrant Suppression
The result is a Legion with unbreakable esprit de Treaty. The LAST restricts the bulk of Legions forc-
corps, massive firepower, and surprising flexibility. es to the periphery of Wycoff’s Blight, where the
FSM lets Thunderbolts soak up the casualties while
The assault battalions stationed near Aberrant
monitoring them for treaty infractions. LAST Zone
trouble spots are Fourth’s strong right fist. Their
service is classic counterinsurgency: boring patrols
high-profile operations and unsubtle image neatly
through bleak wastelands and sullen villages, punc-
conceal this Legion’s left hand. Smaller strike com-
tuated by Aberrant ambushes or bandit raids. Still,
panies provide Fourth, and the Legions as a whole,
there’s no shortage of idealistic Blight-town re-
with unconventional warfare capabilities. Their
cruits. Wearier veterans know coilguns don’t solve
primary focus is Aberrants and Aberrant cults, but
problems — they only eliminate some of the bad.
they occasionally apply their reconnaissance, hos-
tage rescue, and sabotage talents to other targets. Outside the LAST Zone, official harassment
keeps Fifth on its bases except when defending
Fourth Legion units spend little time in peacekeep-
communities the FSM has written off. Bitter con-
ing or defensive assignments. A Vigil’s life is one of hard
tempt for FSA policies is widespread, festering
training, harder play, and flying around the world (or
into dangerous sympathies. Some units unofficially
across the galaxy) to do bad things to bad beings. Smaller
adopt the heraldry of local resistance movements.
detachments, particularly from strike companies, go
Larssen fears these Thunderbolts may eventually
anywhere at a moment’s notice to gather intelligence or
set the Legions at war with a major national power.
bolster an Æon or UN operation. The Fourth’s greatest
weakness is endurance: Optimized for swift violence, it
SIXTH LEGION: EUROPE’S AEGIS
struggles to sustain protracted deployments.
Known as the Shieldbearers,
FIFTH LEGION: the members of the Sixth Legion
THUNDER OF THE AMERICAS are stretched thin. Expansionist
states, repressive regimes, and
Fifth Legion’s political en-
bitter rebellions require con-
vironment is more dangerous
stant peacekeeping. Sixth seems
than its battlefields. Most of its
to have a losing fight on its hands but
troops come from the Americas
the Shieldbearers refuse to give up.
and these Thunderbolts retain

152 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 PSI LAMBDA
Like any subculture, we have our own ways of showing both individuality and member-
ship. Ours just have to fall within the bounds of regulations — or at least not stretch ‘em
too far. Helmet graffiti, morale patches, and vehicle nose art are some of the classics, but
Legionnaires are into decorating ourselves, too. In the early years, thanks to First Legion’s
Maori recruits, the trend was full-face tattoos showing personal decorations and unit her-
aldry. We’d use programmable smart pigment that we could turn off with an antihistamine
derm, ‘cause nothing says “sniper check!” like painting a rank tab on your face.
The new meme started after Esperanza. Some classically inclined Shieldbearers started
wearing the Greek letter lambda — you know, symbol of the Spartans at Thermopylae?
Well, someone added another letter: psi, for obvious reasons. Now “Psi Lambda!” is the
catchphrase of the week. Like something? Say it with enthusiasm. Got crappy orders?
Acknowledge ‘em with a surly inflection. And of course the symbol is all over the place
— patches, brands, even implanted jewelry. Yeah, I got a tattoo of it, too.
— Captain Mercedes Moriarty, Bravo Company (“Bunyips”), 12th Armored Cavalry Bat-
talion, Fourth Legion

Before Esperanza, Aegis ceremonially placated Aegis has central bases at Barcelona, Izmir, and its
European UN members who wanted a regional Legion Copenhagen headquarters, but most formations are
for prestige. Low Aberrant activity and few other forward-deployed. Local commanders have gener-
missions bred complacency. Now the Shieldbearers al guidelines, not detailed orders, and must impro-
are playing catch up. A rapid influx of fresh bodies, vise to meet the ambiguities of European defense. A
charged with nationalism and desperate enthusiasm, Shieldbearer can spend one day escorting Æsculapian
reduces average experience and undermines discipline. relief workers to a refugee camp, the next facing down
Individual units still get the job done but not necessari- guerillas on a contested border, and the third hunting
ly in a way that’s best for the order as a whole. anthropophagous cultists in the same camp.

The Legions 153

 THE LEGIONS ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
The Æsculapian Order: They understand service, bravery, and dedication.
Chitra Bhanu: If you ally yourself with the enemy, you get what’s coming to you
ISRA: Weird, but exceptionally useful, and if you ask for help, they won’t let you down.
The Ministry: Mind games and no sense of loyalty, keep your distance.
Norça: Awesome commandos, but far too undisciplined.
Orgotek: An army runs on its supply lines, and their gear is the best.
Upeo wa Macho: They abandoned humanity once, will they do so again?
The Æon Trinity: Excellent intel and backup, but they sometimes forget we don’t work
for them.

SEVENTH LEGION: from helping rebuild it. Fleet headquarters is Mars’

PHOENIX FLEET Robinson Station. Detachments serve throughout
settled space and on every Leviathan. The largest
Known as the Firebirds, the
extrasolar contingent defends Khantze Lu Ge, along-
Phoenix Fleet formed after the
side Knights and Vigiles reinforcements.
Chromatic attack on Karroo. The
newest Legion stole aerospace LEGIONS HQ
assets from the First and Second,
Legions Headquarters is as much a symbol — for the
vacuum-qualified infantry from
benefit of both its warriors and those they protect — as
the Fourth, and technical talent from
it is an administrative hub. The glittering bioglass cyl-
the Third. Assimilating these disparate troops was not
inder is a 130-story mini-arcology at the heart of New
without hiccups, but the Seventh emerged as an exu-
Park, an interstellar arboretum and memorial garden
berant force of swaggering fighter pilots and brash
on Sydney’s southern coast. The “Jar” is both a nerve
space marines.
center and a reminder of the Legions’ dedication. Open
The Upeo’s disappearance stranded a third of to the public, the first six floors include a military mu-
the Firebirds outside the solar system. Six-month seum, the Legions’ Hall of Honor, and conference and
deployments stretched into multi-year campaigns educational facilities. Middle levels contain work space
on Karroo station and Khantze Lu Ge. Facing sup- and quarters for HQ staff and their dependents. The
ply and manpower shortages, extrasolar Firebirds apex houses the Legions’ senior officers.
mastered technical and tactical improvisation,
A symbol makes a tempting symbolic target, so the
staying in the fight by any means necessary. Those
Jar’s defenses are as heavy as they are well-camou-
remaining at home threw themselves into the solar
flaged. Another deterrent is the well-publicized fact
system’s defense and the jump ship project. With
that it has little operational command function, taking
the Leviathans operational, the long-overdue colo-
it out would not affect their warfighting capabilities.
nial garrisons are trickling home and the rest of the
The General embraces misdirection and redun-
Fleet is eager to reach the front lines.
dancy. The Legions have three command centers,
The Firebirds are the off-world colonies’ vid-star
each with its own operations staff, system-wide com-
playboy gunslingers. Spaceports simultaneously wel-
munications, and two years of supplies. The primary,
come and dread the arrival of a warship crew or ma-
buried in Mount Woodroffe, connects to the Jar via
rine company on leave. On the other hand, they’re the
an underground TK-assisted bullet train. There are
most cerebral of the combatant Legionnaires, a lega-
two secondary command centers. One is located un-
cy of the years when no one could afford technical
der the Alleghenies near New Washington D.C., the
ignorance. When a Firebird climbs into his starfight-
other in Valles Marineris on Luna. All three locations
er or puts on his VARG, he knows its precise limits
are also connected by jump rings.

154 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

RUNNING A and technology, Legionnaires still can find them-
selves in an adventure — in other words, in serious
LEGIONS CAMPAIGN trouble far from home. What this means for charac-
Massive battles are rare in 22nd-century warfare. ters is that they have a world of offstage help until
The Legions look big compared to other orders but the shooting starts. Then they own the problem.
they’re small for the amount of territory they have Likely missions vary by Legion. Small task forc-
to cover. This means tasks go to the minimum num- es or solo Legionnaires, particularly Knights and
ber of troops necessary for success. Often, this is a Treys, also see frequent detached duty to support
strike team (four to six Legionnaires), squad (two to Æon or UN operations. Such a partner organization
four strike teams), or platoon (three to five squads). functions as the detachment’s chain of command,
Even when a company (three to four platoons) or though it can’t order Legionnaires to violate Legions
battalion (three to four companies) tackles a major regulations or commit tactical suicide. It’s also sup-
objective, individual sub-units fight independently. posed to provide mission support that would other-
Communications and OpNet connectivity aren’t as- wise come from a higher Legions echelon.
sured in a military environment. Despite psionics

The Legions 155

 THE MINISTRY
OF NOETIC AFFAIRS
The Ministry of Noetic Affairs Li took a short vacation before her duties began.
is a unique entity within A week later, she emerged from her Prometheus
China, being simultaneously Chamber, charged with telepathic powers. She im-
a sub-division of the govern- mediately began assembling her Ministry of Noetic
ment and an independent Affairs, negotiating for both funds and influence
force of its own. Steered by for her nascent agency, while simultaneously locat-
Proxy Rebecca Bue Li, it is both ing new psions. Since that time, she has helped the
recognized as a positive influence Ministry thrive and grow.
on society, and buffeted by rumors that its agents are Unfortunately, a familial predisposition for can-
actively tampering with the minds of the people. cer complicated Bue Li’s ambitions. Four years ago,
after entering the hospital for an unrelated matter,
INSIDE THE MINISTRY the proxy discovered numerous malignant tumors
The Ministry of Noetic Affairs, or the Ministry as within her system — the result of a cancer that had
it is commonly known, is a labyrinthine organiza- metastasized. She immediately began treatment.
tion, filled with sub-divisions and departments, half Within two years, the Ministry released claims that
of which have been integrated into the Chinese gov- Bue Li was on the road to recovery, her cancer hav-
ernment under different aliases, or assimilated by the ing quickly entered remission.
country’s satellite colonies. Officially speaking, it em- Despite the announcement, for the last year Bue
ploys almost 3,000 telepaths and slightly more than Li has remained absent from the public eye, relay-
2,000 other psions, while 100,000 neutrals comprise ing orders through subordinates and through her
the bureaucratic superstructure. Unofficially, there is wife and fellow telepath, cognitive researcher Dr.
no telling how many agents it employs. Zhu Pei. Some believe she may have actually died
The Ministry’s three primary divisions — the from her disease, and her consciousness is some-
Office of Semiotics, the Noetics Institutes, and the how being kept alive through strange means. Others
Office of Noetic Security — are publicly recognized claim she is hiding from a dangerous adversary or
by the Chinese government, each of which serves a that her cancer was a side effect of an untreatable
distinct purpose but shares an equal amount of po- Corruption disease. So far, no one has stepped for-
litical authority both inside and outside of the coun- ward to confirm any of the rumors.
try. While Proxy Rebecca Bue Li ultimately possess-
es final authority over any decision, she is not the A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Ministry’s sole leader. Each of the three divisions The advent of the Aberrant War renewed tensions
is represented by a democratically elected panel of between China’s Christians and Muslims and the na-
three, who hold power for only six months before tion’s largely agnostic population. Today, many believe
they are subsequently replaced. the schism could be attributed to a mix of factors:
the influence of cautious nationalists, who called for
PROXY REBECCA BUE LI China’s borders to be closed during the onset of the
Charismatic, outspoken, and deeply idealistic, Aberrant War, and fear-fueled xenophobia. These
Proxy Bue Li believes in wanting the best for humanity problems led to numerous fractious encounters, cul-
and, more importantly, that all of humanity deserves a minating in 2064 in a horrific bloodbath in the coast-
utopian existence. From an early age, she worked hard al city of Wenzhou. The violence led many Christians
to achieve these lofty goals, campaigning for equal and Muslims to either flee China or denounce their
rights as her college’s head of student council and then faith. The pro-nationalist, anti-faith coalition, who had
as a political candidate in the Chinese government. then been loosely connected by their shared politics,
Alex Cassel and Dr. Zweidler approached Bue Li continued as a vehemently antireligious voice within
hours before she was accepted into office, and Bue the government for the next 40 years.

156 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 It was this group that
Proxy Bue Li fought
in the elections pri-
or to her selection to
enter the Prometheus
Chamber. According to
news reports, this group
was responsible for the
only time the proxy used her
powers publicly against the
neutral masses. In August 2108,
most of the prominent members
of the anti-faith coalition experi-
enced a change of heart. Their prejudices
vanished, their legislative demands revoked. A
new sense of social equality seemed to swell within
their hearts, and their official leaders immediately
moved to make amends with the country’s Christian
and Muslim population.
This eventually led to a media frenzy, as the pub-
lic questioned the radical ideological shift. The nascent
Ministry took it all in stride. Several hundred court appear-
ances, both public and private, followed. Charges were
made. Proxy Bue Li herself became a regular figure in the
international news, appearing in everything from inter-
views to panels to late-night talk shows. Two years later,
without a seeming resolution, the subject was dropped.
Completely.
This affair continues to haunt the Ministry, though
few make direct references to the events. Supporters
claim that Proxy Bue Li was acting in line with her own
teachings. None of her opponents were killed, not even
those accused of instigating grievous violence. If any-
thing, their lives were changed for the better. Many of
those who stood in opposition to the proxy now reside
in opulent conditions, their social standing raised mon-
umentally, their pensions assured by the Ministry itself.
But naysayers hold a different view. Proxy Bue Li, in
their eyes, enacted the worst crime possible for a tele-
path: irrevocably altering people against their will.
With the Ministry growing steadily more influential,
it only seems like there would be opportunities for
this to happen again.
On a smaller, subtler level, Proxy Bue Li’s actions also
instigated a theological shift both in China itself and

the ministry of noetic affairs 157

 among members of the Ministry. Though not an evan- Edges (for non-Telepaths): Covert, Dual Minded,
gelical personality, her strong Christian faith and her Favored Mode, Iron Will, Subtle Influence, Telepathic
willingness to fight for those she regards as her spir- Resistance
itual siblings caused many to venerate her. Spurred
by her courage, thousands embraced Christianity in SPECIAL EDGE: DUAL MINDED (••)
a vivid show of solidarity. Numerous churches have Prerequisites: Ministry Path, member of the
sprung up over the last few years, many of which see Eyes of Heaven, not a telepath
Bue Li as a pivotal figure within their interpretation of
Special training allows your character to gain a
the scripture. A handful even canonized her as a rein-
variety of benefits when in mental contact with a
carnation of the Virgin Mary.
telepath. To gain this bonus, your character must
Naturally, this disconcerts the proxy to no end, be in contact with a telepath using both Network
but despite her best efforts, few of these new reli- (Mindshare •) and Access (Mindshare •••) on
gious organizations have divorced her from their your character. In this case, your character gains 2
worship. Quite unsurprisingly, this “revolution” Enhancement to all Mental rolls, including Initiative.
has also generated no small unease among the rest
of the Chinese population, who are now concerned SPECIAL EDGE:
that the country might be overtaken by foreign SUBTLE INFLUENCE (••)
beliefs.
Prerequisite: Ministry Path
THE MINISTRY PATH As a member of the Ministry, your character un-
derstands the importance of subtle approaches and
(SOCIETY) avoiding the carelessness that leaves undue evidence
The character is closely affiliated with the behind. She gains 1 Enhancement on any attempts to
Ministry of Noetic Affairs, the telepathic order and cover up evidence, whether clearing away physical
part of the Chinese government. She may work di- traces at the scene of her activities, scrubbing a sys-
rectly for the Ministry, or for one of the other de- tem of incriminating data, or seeding misinformation
partments of the government that are so intimately in the minds of potential witnesses. Additionally, she
intertwined with it. She may be a dutiful agent with inflicts a level 2 Complication on any attempts by
a sense of Chinese patriotism, someone who sees other characters to gather evidence on her activ-
Bue Li’s faith as a shining example — or simply have ities or discover her involvement in events; if this
joined up out of a desire for power or for the sense Complication is not bought off, she rapidly becomes
of connection that only telepathy can provide. aware of this investigation.

PATH CONCEPTS THE OFFICE OF SEMIOTICS

Law enforcement agent, social worker, special Colloquially known as The Mandarins, the Office
forces soldier, telepathic spy of Semiotics serves as the public “face” of the
Example Connections: Government Official, Ministry. The department splits its time between
Local Religious Leader, Noetics Expert, Politician strengthening diplomatic relationships and spear-
Skills: Culture, Empathy, Enigmas, Integrity heading humanitarian efforts within the countries
Edges (for Telepaths): Covert, Danger Sense, under China’s guardianship. The Office of Semiotics
Enhanced Attunement, Favored Mode, Iron Will, has assisted in restoring Malaysia’s economic balance
Skilled Liar, Subtle Influence, Trained Memory and implementing a free higher-education system in

THE EYES OF HEAVEN

Although none of the Eyes of Heaven are telepaths, more than a fifth are psions with other
Aptitudes. In addition, almost 15% are Talents, who have a far easier time passing the
rigorous entrance requirements than ordinary neutrals. All Eyes of Heaven possess the
Ministry Path, as well as the Dual-Minded Edge (see below).

158 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION
Occasionally, ONS operatives uncover information that they cannot or are unwilling to
use, but that they regard as too important to ignore. In such cases, the operative typically
contacts a member of a relevant organization, usually someone they already know. The
operative then presents the data along with a non-telepathic method that this person could
potentially have used to discover it. This process is known as parallel construction.
While initially used to discover and prosecute corrupt officials within the Chinese govern-
ment (including those in the Ministry), operatives also regularly use parallel construction
when they have discovered information important to another nation or other large organi-
zation, but where the operative does not wish to have themselves or the Ministry associat-
ed with this information in any fashion. Many established ONS operatives have contacts
in other governments or organizations, often including the UN, the Æon Trinity or one of
the other psi orders.

the Philippines. The OS is also charged with study- this is actually true is, of course, confidential. But
ing and attempting to better understand all forms of the Eyes of Heaven almost never fail.
alien intelligence. Their researchers and operatives The only downside of belonging to the Eyes of
working in both laboratories and the field attempt Heaven is that the position carries with it certain
to understand the three intelligent alien species hu- contractual obligations, one of which is agreeing
manity has contacted. Others struggle to understand to constant surveillance. Every trip outside of their
how and why the returning Aberrants are so much assigned military base is inevitably chaperoned.
more monstrous and mentally alien than those who Of course, all this comes with incredible mone-
departed from Earth in the last century. The OS em- tary benefits and insurance plans, making the sac-
ploys psions of all Aptitudes. rifice potentially worthwhile for those in difficult
Not all of their work is pacifistic. Occasionally, the situations.
OS participates in military conflicts, but only once it’s
clear that a situation must be defused for the good of THE NOETICS INSTITUTES
the nation. When such events occur, the governmen- What makes a mind? What defines conscious-
tal division collaborates with what the media has ness? For decades, scientists have carefully de-
nicknamed The Eyes of Heaven. signed tests to demarcate and map the limits of
self-awareness. But no one seems capable of agree-
THE EYES OF HEAVEN ing upon exactly what sapience truly represents.
An unofficial sub-group within the Ministry, The The Noetics Institutes are beginning to provide an-
Eyes of Heaven are composed of weapon specialists, swers. As part of these efforts, the Noetics Institutes
martial arts experts, decorated military officers, and also study alien cognition and alien noetic powers,
volunteers who have passed the agency’s gauntlet of as well as attempt to understand and reverse the
rigorous physical tests. Their training regime is ru- cognitive changes most Aberrants suffer from. They
mored to be monstrous, their standards exacting, their are also known to possess one of the few surviving
armament more comprehensive than the armories pos- hardtech AIs, which they keep carefully contained.
sessed by world powers. According to a few OpNet ru- This branch of the Ministry is widely recognized as
mors, the Eyes aren’t human at all, but Aberrants who a leading authority in the field of neuroscience and
have been carefully enthralled by the Ministry. noetic studies.
In addition to these rumors, it is public knowledge Which is unsurprising, really, given that the Noetics
that the members have undergone intense psychic Institutes have, over the course of their existence,
conditioning to allow trained Ministry telepaths to poached every reputable cognitive scientist within the
inhabit their minds from a distance. Their unique field. What is surprising is that the Noetics Institutes,
capacity to house two intelligences simultaneously despite their primary function in the Ministry, are
allows the Eyes, according to news statements, to staffed almost entirely by neutrals — academics, lec-
enjoy heightened senses, greater reflexes, and expo- turers, men and women concerned with the ideals of
nentially increased cognitive abilities. How much of higher learning, as opposed to the day-to-day squabbles

the ministry of noetic affairs 159

 MINISTRY ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
The Æsculapian Order: Worthy of trust, and vitally useful.
Chitra Bhanu: A lesson for any who seek to betray humanity
ISRA: They also understand truths as deep as our own, but are far too trusting.
The Legions: Crude but useful
Norça: Respected rivals — they know how to play the game properly.
Orgotek: How much are they tools of the FSA, and how much are they slaves to profit?
Upeo wa Macho: Cowards who shirked their duty.
The Æon Trinity: Useful, but too inclined to meddle in affairs that do not concern them.

of global politics. The Noetics Institutes have, with interlocking web of telepaths who function as nodes
the cautious assistance of allied nations and the sup- within their respective counties, simultaneously am-
port of the Æsculapian Order, established 46 facilities plifying the potential of the group as a whole while
throughout the world, including 25 located in China. also monitoring ambient thoughts and emotions.
Their most recent project is a tentative joint venture This network allows the Ministry to better under-
with Orgotek to create fully sentient biocomputers. stand the needs and wishes of the populace. It also
The psionic training and the cognitive and noetic establishes an impenetrable intelligence structure
research performed by this organization are similar- outside of the control of the Chinese government.
ly apolitical. Many of the Noetics Institutes’ alumni Why such a thing would be necessary, of course, is
have gone on to secure powerful positions in their yet another of Bue Li’s myriad secrets. While most
respective fields, while others trickle back to the psions in the ONS are telepaths, those with other
Ministry itself, lured by impressive salaries. This has, Aptitudes are also welcome, especially clairsentients,
of course, generated suspicion in the eyes of the pub- vitakinetics, and most of the few biokinetics who
lic. Is this the Ministry’s way of extending its power? Norça agreed to empower for the Ministry.
The sheer usefulness of the Noetics Institutes has The Æon Trinity’s leaders have proof that the
kept the general public from complaining too loudly. Office of Noetic Security monitors every city with-
in China and in its client states and dependents.
THE OFFICE OF Anonymous sources claim that the Office’s influ-
NOETIC SECURITY ence is more far-reaching than that, including both
its enemies and its independent allies. Regardless of
The Office of Noetic Security is rumored to pos-
the full extent of its surveillance, the ONS is heavily
sess authority that is equal or greater than China’s
scrutinized by its own government, and especially
Cabinet of War. Despite their influential status, the
other members of the Ministry. Its loudest critics
Office of Noetic Security is most often associated
belong to the Noetics Institutes, who have a strong
with what many regard as “menial” activity. Agents
stance against the occasional Psychbending perpe-
escort Chinese officials to important political gath-
trated by their sister division. That said, members of
erings, mix with bodyguard entourages, and partic-
the ONS are quick to oppose all complaints.
ipate in disaster-relief efforts. Their psionic powers
Their labor is not an exercise of power.
are rarely, if ever, publicly used for anything more
Psychbending only represents a small portion of
threatening than locating trapped earthquake vic-
their work. People are not wantonly removed from
tims. Many media outlets have taken to labelling
the streets and minds are not purged of harmless
them as a “transparent show of power.”
vices or rewritten to include more amenable per-
However, that is not the true nature of the organi-
sonality traits. Civilians are simply watched for
zation. Their daily activity is a front for their primary
trends that might indicate dangerous behavior. This
function, covert telepathic surveillance. Early in her
is especially true outside of the borders of China,
rule, Proxy Bue Li established the Office of Noetic
where members of the Office of Noetic Security pri-
Security to maintain her surveillance network, an
marily operate as mundane espionage agents.

160 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 They only contact various authorities when their RUNNING A
readings reach critical levels. The Office of Noetic
Security usually abstain from any decisions that re- MINISTRY CAMPAIGN
sult from their findings. However, corrupt officials Subtlety is the operational word in any Ministry
who abuse their power rarely remain in office long campaign. Characters are usually called upon to
if ONS operatives find evidence of their crimes. tread lightly and very quietly. Telepathy is a delicate
Also, if ONS operatives discover a problem that they art. Too much pressure and a personality can be ir-
believe can be solved via various forms of subtle and revocably changed, a mind snapped in half. More
discreet intervention, they usually do so. Instead of importantly, carelessness leaves evidence.
Psychbending individuals into compliance, they not Because of how the Ministry is structured, there
infrequently help someone troubled, desperate, or is no specific unit size. Task forces range from two
potentially violent find a job, friends, or even love. to 20 individuals, depending on the mission. The
ONS agents work to maintain overall public har- nature of these missions varies wildly, depending
mony in a similar manner. Instead of mentally coerc- upon the characters’ duties. The characters could be
ing compliance, some members specialize in identi- diplomats, alien contact teams, an Eyes of Heaven
fying the key elements of local social problems and strike team and their assigned telepaths, spies and
solving them in subtle ways. Solutions can include bodyguards, or ONS agents who divide their time
arranging for two unhappy people who would be between solving citizens’ everyday problems and
likely to fall in love to meet, or making certain that finding and preventing riots and terrorism.
someone with the particular skills and ideas need- Often, the most intrigue takes place between
ed to save a failing company with many employees their assignments. The convoluted hierarchy of di-
either applies for a job there or has a long conversa- visions and sub-divisions provides fertile breeding
tion with one of the company’s leaders. Usually, the ground for personal ambition. Some of the charac-
ONS’s actions look like nothing more than luck, but ters’ compatriots operate on their own terms. While
careful observers have noticed that people living in most Ministry operatives attempt to positively ad-
Chinese cities or neighborhoods with social or eco- vance China’s agenda, that doesn’t stop a few from
nomic problems are often unusually “lucky.” seeking personal glory or advancing their own ideo-
Occasionally, other branches of the Ministry or logical agenda. Paranoia can also be an integral part
other branches of the Chinese government call the of campaigns focused on espionage and intrigue.
ONS in to handle a problem. These circumstances It’s difficult to trust others or even yourself when
typically involve Aberrants, Aberrant cults, indi- you know your colleagues and superiors can change
viduals using dangerous technologies, or particu- your mind for you.
larly violent human criminals. It is widely known While the Ministry can provide operatives with
that the ONS’s Psychbending specialists spearhead vast amounts of intelligence, the need for secrecy
these situations, but there are no official records ex- means that operatives are only given the informa-
plaining their actions, leaving the public to extrapo- tion they require. Also, the Ministry provides little
late from what little data exists. backup for its covert field agents. Providing support
One popular theory is that ONS simply reneges on for or even acknowledging covert operations could
its own vaunted morals, rewriting miscreants into easily compromise the Ministry’s security. Any
model citizens. But another hypothesis is slowly backup is both subtle and deniable. This policy cre-
gaining ground, thanks to collaboration between sev- ates an element of isolation, along with trepidation,
eral eyewitnesses and a particularly diligent Korean and an endless pressure to excel. However, Ministry
tabloid. They believe that the ONS completely wipes operatives who are openly fighting Aberrants or
the minds of a handful of the worst offenders, leaving solving other non-secret problems can call upon the
only a blank slate to be inhabited by…something else. full might of the Chinese government if they need
The mind of a dying leader, perhaps, or an incognito it and are willing to later explain their need for this
Ministry member tasked with infiltrating some dan- assistance.
gerous organization or another. Or maybe, whisper
the most paranoid, Proxy Bue Li herself.

the ministry of noetic affairs 161

 PSI ORDER NORÇA
There is a power that humanity has both wielded and been the victim of since the era of
cave paintings, a power that can achieve far greater things than the mightiest expression of
psionic power. It’s a power the Norça have mastered, the power of myth. Ever since the psi
orders revealed themselves, the biokinetic order has been shrouded in mystery, allowing
gossip to grow as well as nurturing some of their own. The result is a public perception that
is one part misconception, one part fable, and the rest is up in the air. In Sudamérica, the
Norça are heroes of legend, the strangers that emerge from the wild to defeat evil and protect
nature, only to vanish without giving so much as their nickname. In the rest of the world, they
are the shadows in the corner, the eyes that pierce the strictest privacy, and the things that replace
friends and family with ill-minded duplicates. This contradictory view suits the Norça just fine, as it allows them to
conduct their true mission with greater ease, and to subvert their enemies’ expectations as they wish.
“Norça” is the shortened form of Nova Força
Nacional, or New National Force, and while the
public assume the “national” part refers to
Brazil, or Sudamérica as a whole, shifters an-
swer with sly smirks and winks when asked
“which nation?” The definition of nation under
Proxy Giuseppe del Fuego is wide, extending
to the whole of humanity, and representing the
relationship of pride, love, and influence people
have with their place of birth and the land that
supported their growth. For del
Fuego, this means the
entirety of Earth.
Myths are more
powerful when they
have a kernel of truth,
and while many tales are
gross exaggerations, the
Norça perform surrepti-
tious patrols in remote
locations as they hunt
for resource traffickers,
poachers, petty tyrants,
environmental de-
spoilers, and of course
Aberrants. Although
most of their patrols are
in Sudamérica, where
they are welcomed and have
actual jurisdiction, they deploy
wherever a threat to Earth and hu-
manity appears, especially if del Fuego trusts nobody else to
deal with it.
Their air of romanticism extends inward. Del Fuego has always
understood the power of narrative, and created one for his Order
so that every Norça, psion and neutral alike, feels pride in their mis-
sion and knows they are part of something greater. The core of the

162 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

Norça’s internal narrative combines del Fuego’s sincere to the top of biotechnological development, and these
environmentalism with the teachings of Otha Herzog. companies return the favor by providing the materials
Every Norça knows they are part of a noetic whole, sym- and goods the Norça need. Rather than compete with
bolized by the land. They consider themselves avatars Orgotek in the consumer goods market, Norça focuses
of life that mark them as defenders, champions, and on infrastructure and biomodification using vegetable
guides. templates, including the construction of the Brasilia
This belief borders on magical thinking, but noetic BioArcology.
awareness confirms how deeply interconnected the Pharmacology and applied biochemistry are two
universe is. The nature of biokinesis itself lets Norça more fields of interest to the Norça, as a more precise
members understand their own life cycle, and they ex- knowledge of substances and the dynamics of proteins
trapolate this to the natural world. Del Fuego’s words help them fine tune their own psionic powers. This of-
ring true with the shifters’ senses. ten puts them in contact with the Æsculapians, and they
Although Proxy del Fuego cultivates mystery and ro- are happy to trade information they deem shareable.
manticism, he’s perfectly capable of using cold reason
to convince cynics and demolishes arguments through THE NORÇA PATH
logic as well as his considerable charisma. He has em- (SOCIETY)
braced the name he received as Pai dos Norça, the Father
The character is closely affiliated with the Norça,
of the Norça, but discourages the loyalty of his followers
the biokinetic order. She may be a direct member of
from growing into a cult of personality. He wants all
the New National Force, or perhaps an ecoterrorist or
Norça to be independent and autonomous even as they
scientist associated with some of their endeavors. She
are aware of the family to which they belong. He enjoys
is likely to have been observed for some time before
nothing more than one of his subordinates, whatever
being invited to join or fraternize with the Norça; they
their station, contradicting him and then convincing
are extremely picky about who they recruit. If part of
him to adopt an alternative course of action.
the order proper, she is part of a cell of operatives —
Del Fuego ensured that his powerful narrative of and will know full well that she is being watched.
belonging was fractal in nature. There is power in the
individual, which brings power to the family, then to PATH CONCEPTS
the group, the psi order, the community, the nation, the Covert intelligent operative, daredevil explorer,
planet, the entire species, and the universe. This creates field biologist, noetic bioengineer
a complex network of organic relationships between
Example Connections: Ecoterrorist,
Norça cells, task forces, and departments. It is custom-
Ecoscientist, Humanitarian Agency, Intelligence
ary for Norça to address each other as brothers and sis-
Agency
ters in whatever language they speak, only using ranks
Skills: Athletics, Empathy, Science, Survival
and titles with others, or to maintain a clear chain of
command during crises. Edges: Ambidextrous, Enhanced Attunement,
Favored Mode, Alternate Identity, Hardy,
Del Fuego expects excellence from all his Norça
Impersonation Training, Keen Sense, Safe House,
whether they are psions or neutrals, and wishes them
Superior Trait
all to keep testing and surpassing their limits. Psi order
Norça is infamous because of the potential for espionage
SPECIAL EDGE:
and heroics biokinesis provides, but they also contribute
IMPERSONATION TRAINING (••)
to security, bioresearch, and environmental protection.
Once they had clearly established that the biokinetics Prerequisites: Norça & Transmogrification •••+
were here to fight Aberrants, they devoted their time and Your character has received special training for
resources to ally themselves with Sudamérican compa- how to use his ability to change his appearance
nies and governments and made certain their environ- to almost perfectly impersonate people, allowing
mental agenda was an integral part of all such alliances. him to better imitate someone’s voice, gait, and
The noetic expertise of Norça researchers helped nonverbal communication. This Edge provides 2
companies like the Colombian firm BioSystems rise Enhancement for all impersonation attempts where

Psi Order Norca 163

 he uses Transmogrification to disguise himself as or organization. The members of Nossa Força Verde
the person he is impersonating. were ghosts, the incarnation of the people’s voice, and
any who espoused their ideals was part of a collective
SPECIAL EDGE: SAFE HOUSE (•) strength, “our power,” “nossa força,” which was often
Prerequisite: Norça simply called “Norça.”
Your character can reach out to local Norça cells to Years later, after the policy changes sweeping the
arrange a safe place to stay. In Sudamérica, this abili- continent met most of their goals, popular awareness
ty is straightforward, but beyond the Norça’s territo- faded, and the movement contracted. Even the original
ry it requires a successful Presence + Persuasion roll old guard left; content with their victories. The violent
to contact the right people and convince them of her and destructive attacks stopped, but Nossa Força Verde
need. There is no guarantee that the conditions in a continued as a group of roaming vigilantes. The few
safe house will be particularly comfortable or roomy, remaining members kept in touch through encoded
but such a location will be secure, positioned away OpNet messages and carefully designed augmented-re-
from established surveillance, and protected by con- ality signage. Most stayed within cities and arcologies,
tacts in the neighborhood or administration who are participating in or founding social activism groups, but
willing to lie to cover up its existence and fabricate the more adventurous ones, including del Fuego, trav-
short-term credentials for a false identity. The longer eled, righting wrongs and teaching people how to use
your character stays in a safe house, the less safe it the new emerging technologies to live in harmony with
becomes. Most Norça will avoid remaining in one for their surroundings.
more than three days. Nobody outside the psi order knows what happened
during these years, and even within it there is much
HISTORY AND GROWTH speculation. Some say del Fuego founded or was recruit-
Norça existed before the advent of psions, but it ed into the Yana Llanthu, the elite Peruvian spies, or that
was something different. After the Aberrant War, the he spent time with his grandfather’s people in the jun-
nations of Sudamérica used their natural resources gles of the Peruvian Amazon, expanding his perceptions
as stepping stones towards progress, with little regard with powerful hallucinogens. The more mystic among
to the damage they were doing to the environment. A them say that he found a passage into the spirit world
Brazilian environmentalist movement known as the and returned with wisdom and magic. When Giuseppe
Nossa Força Verde, Our Green Power, was trying to pro- del Fuego returned in 2104, he called his closest allies to
mote their message of respect and sustainability, but no a meeting and proclaimed that “Norça” would no longer
one in power was listening. mean “our power,” but a “new strength”, Nova Força.
For he returned with the power of biokinesis and the
Giuseppe del Fuego’s joining Nossa Força Verde
knowledge of how to share it with others.
marked a drastic change in the movement. Del Fuego
brought bold new ideas, and his passionate arguments The new Norça started small, but was exceedingly
and charisma convinced the old guard to try his meth- effective. With the power to become anyone and sur-
ods. He invited other idealistic young people and to- vive anywhere, the first biokinetics resumed their more
gether began the infamous and relentless hacktivism questionable methods of damaging those who attempt-
campaign that exposed and denounced corrupt govern- ed to hurt or take advantage of Sudamérica’s newfound
ment officials and CEOs throughout Sudamérica. unity and prosperity. They hired themselves as free-
lance spies, not revealing their psionic abilities to their
Ever a master of narrative, del Fuego waited for
clients, and they not only kept copies of the secrets they
the legend he was creating to spread through the
were hired to steal, but also increased their operating
Sudamérican psyche. After spontaneous expressions of
budget exponentially.
support became common, del Fuego began a campaign
of terrorist attacks on business properties deemed to be When the Aberrants attacked Sydney and the psi or-
hurting the environment. Instead of denouncing the vio- ders came to light, the Nova Força Nacional was already
lence, the populace applauded the ecoterrorists’ actions. fully established. They were a small but deadly efficient
organization. Their cooperation with the Æon Trinity
While the activists were careful to avoid fatalities,
was nominal, for they had already made contacts with
people did get hurt, but del Fuego’s months of prepa-
Sudamérican governments, and many agreements al-
ration paid off. No one who knew anything about
ready negotiated were simply made official.
Nossa Força Verde revealed anything about their plans

164 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 In their new, public life, the Norça stated unequiv- Many Sudamérican children daydream about being
ocally that their one goal was the defense of humanity visited in the night by a Norça transformed into a mag-
and the Earth as its home. Their public and semi-public ical beast who then asks them to become a biokinetic.
work includes disaster relief, search and rescue, anti-ter-Like many of the outrageous beliefs surrounding psi or-
rorism and counterintelligence, biotechnology support der Norça, this practice has some truth to it. People who
and testing, environmental recovery and, of course, an- impress a Norça in one way or another are watched and
ti-Aberrant defense. In secret, they are masters of espi- eventually contacted with an invitation to join. Behind
onage and infiltration. In exchange for the free rein and the scenes, the Norça forwards the name of the unwit-
informal jurisdiction they enjoy inside Sudamérica, the ting candidate to a recruitment cell, who then does a
Norça act as an extranational intelligence corps, spying background check and additional observation before
on companies and government agencies in the FSA, they extend the official invitation in person.
Australia, and China. Del Fuego spreads his web much They direct candidates who accept to a facility that
further, however, fielding a mix of loyal neutrals and is not as much secret as it is unadvertised, usually a safe
biokinetics to keep a finger on the other psi orders, even house or the home of an established Norça trainer or
the Æon Trinity, within limits. It is nearly impossible to recruiter. They put the candidate through a series of
infiltrate ISRA or the Ministry. psychological and physical tests in addition to a latency
The order still engages in ecoterrorism, but their new test, all geared to evaluate the qualities that impressed
position of power brought subtler tools into del Fuego’s the first spotter, and uncover new ones. A case advo-
arsenal. Violent sabotage is always the last resource; cate unilaterally decides if the candidate advances to
defunding, negative propaganda, blackmail, or political the next level: personal testing and examination by a
manipulation are often more effective. high-ranking member of the order, or if the candidate
As masters of their own selves, the biokinetic order is particularly impressive, with Proxy del Fuego himself.
pursues research into noetics and advanced biotechnol- This last testing period determines if the candidate is
ogy, and has secret laboratories in extreme locations like accepted or rejected, and, if latent, whether she is ad-
Antarctica, the Venezuelan Plaguelands, and Averiguas. mitted into the Norça’s Prometheus Chamber or that of
Del Fuego is sure that humanity was cheated of their another order as part of their exchange program. Once
full psionic potential, and is determined to find a way accepted, new recruits undergo training and education,
to allow Prometheus Chambers to unlock multiple or indoctrination, as many call it, in an environment that
Aptitudes rather than just one. fosters the sense of family and comradeship. They are
joined by exchange trainees from the other orders who
RECRUITMENT AND will also become biokinetics, all the better to show every
MEMBERSHIP biokinetic they are better off staying with Norça.
Neutral newbies are then assigned to their new
The biokinetic order only has two open offices where
operating cell, who welcomes them as family.
applicants can request membership; one is in the city of
Latents travel to another order’s headquarters or to
Barranquilla, Colombia, and the other is in the Lunar city
the Norça’s own to undergo the Prometheus Effect.
of Olympus. This weeds out the unmotivated before they
Regardless of their new Aptitude, all Norça psions
even set foot in these offices. The remainder of Norça re-
meet with Proxy del Fuego, who welcomes them like
cruits are the product of observation and invitation.

NORÇA AND THE TALENTS

The Norça’s extremely picky recruitment practices have an unexpected side effect. Be-
cause only people who impress a Norça have a chance to join the order, there is a higher
percentage of Talents among neutral Norça candidates than among other orders. The
shifters expect their recruits to live up to the order’s ideal of heroism and professionalism,
and Talents are ideally qualified to meet the Norça’s high standards.
Talks with Herzog have made del Fuego aware of individuals whose fate weighs heavy
in the implicate order, and he has instructed Norça clears to keep their senses open for
sisters and brothers who display such a destiny.

Psi Order Norca 165

 WELCOME TO NORÇA (TRANSCRIPT
MADE WITH SUBJECT’S PERMISSION)
“Hey, there, novato; welcome to the family! I bet you’re confused with the options before
you. Know that the Pai chose you for a reason, but he won’t force it on you. Basically, we’re
all waiting for you to choose which family you will belong to. Oh, I know you’re not a psion,
but you are a great shot, right? You can still join the Guerreiros and take that aiming of yours
to an Aberrant’s face, if you dare.
Here’s a secret for you; we don’t really care if you have amazing psionic powers or are
just a regular Joe Hologram; we’re still going to squeeze you like home-washed laundry until
we break you, or you become the best version of yourself you could ever imagine. Don’t make
that face! Hah! You made it this far, no? You must be asking yourself how much worse can it
be, right? Well, follow me, and you’ll know the answer.”
— Martín Palacios, Cantor induction officer.

long-lost siblings, and impresses upon them their forces that pursue a specific goal, and return to their
role as humanity’s defenders. cells once that goal is met.
All members of the order are encouraged to recom- The main departments inside Norça have rather
mend new recruits. Those who recommend someone poetic names that hint at their purpose as well as rein-
who eventually joins the order gain prestige and acco- forcing del Fuego’s romantic narrative. The Centinelas
lades; some even become full-time Talent hunters. This de la Noche (“Night Sentinels” in Spanish) are the fa-
slow and selective method keeps the order’s numbers bled spies and infiltrators as well as their support net-
low, but del Fuego believes in quality, not quantity. work. The Guerreiros do Alvorecer (“Dawn Warriors”
The psi order’s internal composition is fluid, but fol- in Portuguese) are the paramilitary branch in charge
lows a structure of family-like cells that gather psions of open or covert strikes, patrols, and seek-and-de-
and neutrals towards a common purpose. Cells cooper- stroy missions. The Caçadores de Segredos (“Hunters of
ate with others with similar goals and purposes to form Secrets” in Portuguese) are the research-and-develop-
departments. However, it’s not uncommon for individ- ment branch that is home to the order’s scientists, engi-
ual members to form temporary, interdisciplinary task neers, and similar specialists. The Hermanos Guardianes

NORÇA ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS

The Æsculapian Order: We can trust them with your lives, but not with our most import-
ant secrets.
Chitra Bhanu: At the time, they seemed to be traitors, but appearances can be deceiving.
ISRA: Not the most practical individuals, but they understand deep spiritual truths.
The Legions: We’re better at subtle solutions, but sometimes a blunt instrument is the best
tool for the job.
The Ministry: Their secrecy makes sense, but their intrigues against one another are fool-
ish and dishonorable.
Orgotek: Their products are excellent, but does anything beyond their bottom line really
matter to them.
Upeo wa Macho: They have learned an important lesson about trust — reserve it for
your sisters and brothers, not people who merely find you useful.
The Æon Trinity: Their efforts are vital, but working on such a vast scale causes them to
miss important details.

166 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

(“Brother Keepers” in Spanish) are the first responders their Prometheus Chamber, here. Less important
to disasters and emergencies of a non-bellicose nature business is carried out from secret and not-so-se-
as well as civil engineers and medics that travel the land cret safe houses throughout Sudamérica.
improving people’s quality of life. Finally, the Cantores
(“Singers” in both Spanish and Portuguese), are the SPECIAL RESOURCES
management and support department that takes care The Pai de Norça expects his children to be self-re-
of everyday operations, but also the order’s public rela- liant and resourceful. Since biokinetics can twist their
tions and outreach programs. own bodies into tools and weapons, there is little else
There is zero discrimination (and zero tolerance for that a Norça needs other than training, which the Order
it) within and among these various departments. Every provides relentlessly, and often unexpectedly. What all
group within this order is expected to employ the Norça Norça are armed with, though, is information. When a
most qualified for their jobs, regardless of race, gender, Norça team goes into the field, it does so equipped with
faith, Aptitude, or whether they are psions or neutrals. top-notch intelligence and a ready network of contacts
The respect for tolerance extends to language. Proxy and hideouts. Norça’s quartermasters can provide al-
del Fuego insists that all members become fluent in both most any piece of available or restricted equipment to
Spanish and Portuguese, ensuring that all members are field agents, but shifters in particular must explain why
able to live and work anywhere within Sudamérica. they need it instead of relying on their own talents.
Unlike other tales, the rumors about what happens Norça keeps a stock of restricted bioapps it has pro-
when someone leaves Norça are all false. The sense cured mostly from the black market, but only dispenses
of belonging, heroic narrative, and strong ideals of the these to agents with top clearance.
proxy ensure that Norça has one of the lowest resig- Supply drops are scheduled promptly and efficient-
nation rates among the orders. A member’s cell and ly, so that approved requisitions are met within hours
higher ups do everything in their power to address any or days. Trusted agents are given the few experimen-
discontent, some even involve del Fuego himself, but if tal pieces of biotech that the order produces, and often
someone simply decides she’ll be happy elsewhere, her never see them again once returned and their perfor-
cell and close associates organize a farewell party (one mance reported.
last-ditch attempt for reconsideration), and then all
clearances and permits are cancelled. Quitters are not RUNNING A NORÇA CAMPAIGN
dumped naked in the middle of the wilderness, but they The Norça specialize in cloak and dagger both to
do receive a veiled warning against revealing any Norça pursue their mission and nurture their mystique.
secrets. The few people who have quit are perfectly Teams can include psions of any Aptitude, neu-
aware that they will be watched for a while. trals, or Talents, which lends perfectly to an en-
semble cast of specialists that are gathered together
ÁRVORE DA VIDA, BRASILIA to accomplish very specific goals. In the gleaming
The order’s new headquarters was completed less Sudamérican cities this can translate into clever
than two years ago. The Brasilia BioArcology was scams and daring heists, in more oppressive envi-
grown with giant biotech “trees” as part of its struc- ronments this can become a story of intrigue and
ture, and the central pillar of the arcology is nicknamed manipulation tinted with paranoia.
the Tree of Life, another name for the mythical World Sending small groups into dangerous surround-
Tree. Norça’s new base is located beneath its roots, ings is typical for Norça. Teams are often sent first
accessible by hidden pods that move through branch- to investigate rumors of odd occurrences that might
es and connecting roots towards the headquarters. become a threat, and the locations can be the most
Biokinetics who can integrate bioapps within their extreme and punishing environments, made bear-
bodies (Psychomorphing •••) can simply meld with able by biokinesis or advanced bioware provid-
any biotech tree in Brasilia and emerge at the hidden ed to non-biokinetics just so that they keep pace.
base within seconds. Whatever their mission, Norça perform to the best
The Árvore da Vida is designed to be exception- of their abilities, wrapped in the ideal of their own
ally defensible and all outsiders know of its location role in the weave of things. They are heroes out of
is that it’s somewhere in or near Brasilia. The Norça legends both dark and reassuring, and basking in
only keep their most important assets, including the glory is a privilege of being Norça.

Psi Order Norca 167

 ORGOTEK
Complex problems, simple neutral colleagues. Almost every position in Orgotek is
solutions is Orgotek’s cor- open to both psion and neutral alike, and the company
porate motto. This doesn’t tries to fill each with the most suitable candidate, re-
mean Alexander Cassel gardless of their powers. A few positions require psion-
thinks solving everything is ic Aptitude as a prerequisite, but these jobs are rare.
easy. He understands better Orgotek metacorporation doesn’t completely con-
than most the complications trol Psi Orgotek, however. The business draws em-
of 22nd-century life, and the fine ployees from the psi order, but the order is filled with
balance of the relationships underpinning society. members, not employees. Over 90% of Psi Orgotek’s
The prexy’s vision is to design the tools that em- members also work for the corporation in other
power humanity to confront and overcome today’s departments. However, those who don’t are still al-
problems, and then build tomorrow’s better world. lowed access to the order’s facilities, and can only
Orgotek’s products are intuitively designed and have their membership terminated by Prexy Cassel,
easy to use, attractively packaged and competitively not Orgotek administrators. The prexy has authori-
priced. Certainly, Orgotek has profit-driven motives ty over the order and its members, and can deploy
as it sells the future to the world, but cutting-edge them as he sees fit (assuming they agree). He can also
research, design, and marketing aren’t free. Besides, expend the order’s finances without reference to
like with everything the corporation does, when Orgotek financial administrators or the metacorpo-
Orgotek pursues financial gain, it’s for a purpose ration’s board. Psi Orgotek meets the basic economic
beyond simply gaining wealth. needs of all members, psions and neutrals alike. Even
non-Orgotek employees who are members of the psi
GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENS order are given a modest stipend. The prexy doesn’t
Orgotek is more corporate entity than psi order. begrudge Orgotek members leaving the corporation
Although electrokinetics are the heart of the cor- to follow their own fortunes, but he won’t let them
poration, business and profit are arguably more starve, and he likes to have incentive for them to
important than psions. The psi order is just one de- check in every now and again.
partment among many others, albeit a very special
one. In truth, without the psions Orgotek would live
MARKET SATURATION
on, diminished but still profitable. Orgotek’s corporate goal is to have its symbol on ev-
Developing and marketing biotech generates an ery kind of product imaginable, making the branding
immense fortune for Orgotek, and has improved so pervasive that humanity doesn’t even consciously
the lives of billions of neutrals. Alex Cassel and his think of its presence. People will simply accept that
psion researchers pioneered the biotech revolution, when you need a product, Orgotek has it. If you want
and Orgotek now employs thousands of dedicated quality, purchase Orgotek. To this end, Orgotek’s
and brilliant neutral researchers to create the next products include everything from household goods to
generation of biotech innovations. medical devices, pharmaceuticals, psi augmentations,
The electrokinetic order is wholly funded and ad- and weapons. Orgotek even produces space and atmo-
ministered by the Orgotek Corporation. Psions don’t spheric vehicles, and made-to-order technologies for
have a separate administrative existence from their the Æon Trinity and the other psi orders.
Nearly all these products are mostly or entirely no-
etic biotech. Orgotek leads the way in biotechnology,
DEFINITION thanks to the many biotech products from its Orgosoft
Farms division. Orgotek researchers work hard to
Prexy (noun). A portmanteau of “president” make a biotech equivalent — or preferably, superior —
and “proxy.” Used exclusively to describe version of every hardtech product available. By dom-
Alexander Cassel, the head of the Orgotek inating every market, Cassel strives to make Orgotek
electrokinetic order. the ultimate metacorp in human-settled space.

168 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 This pervasive marketing campaign doesn’t just serve the corporation’s profit margin. Like everything
Cassel does, it has multiple purposes. If Joe Hologram associates Orgotek with value and quality, and
Orgotek means psions, each day brings the public closer to ending psionic prejudice everywhere and ac-
cepting psions as just another part of humanity.

PRIMARY DIVISIONS
Although the various Orgotek divisions behave like subsidiaries, with their own names and variations of
Orgotek’s branding, they are in fact divisions of the one entity. Of these, six stand out as the most important
pillars of the Orgotek metacorporation, even if they’re not all well known to outsiders.
World Enterprises, Inc. was the first of Cassel’s companies, the seed that would grow into Orgotek. WEI
was originally a holding company for Cassel and his friends to invest and trade, patent, and register their
earliest technological designs and concepts. It is now responsible for Orgotek’s administration and public re-
lations, and has oversight of Operations’ activities. WEI builds the
public profile of other divisions while remaining almost
unknown itself.
Orgosoft is what people think of when they hear
the name Orgotek, right after the psions. Orgosoft runs the
biotech plants and farms where Orgotek products grow,
as well as the R&D labs designing new biotech matrices
and testing cutting-edge theories. Orgosoft’s main facil- ity
is in northern New Mexico, where Cassel spliced the
first bioware matrices, but it has farms and labs across the
globe, as well as several experimental microgravity fa- cili-
ties scattered throughout settled space.
Tekne is responsible for Orgotek’s hardtech prod-
ucts, mostly for computing and communications. The ste-
reotypical Tekne employee is a Technokinesis special- ist
with limited social skills who talks to ma-
chines more than people. Some fit this description,
but Tekne’s staff are more often good-natured peo-
ple who are passionate about their work. With
Orgotek’s focus on making biotech versions of
all hardtech, Tekne employees are often ig-
nored, and tend to work twice as hard as
other Orgotek employees to overcome
these stereotypes.
Lumen is Orgotek’s smallest divi-
sion and focuses on Photokinesis
and its application to real-world
problems — preferably
through the manufacture
and sale of light-based
technologies. Lumen
scientists are world

orgotek 169
 THE CASSEL FILE
The Cassel File is just one rumor of how Orgotek secured such a powerbase despite the
FSA’s obvious animosity. According to those “in the know,” in Orgotek’s earliest days —
before the Orders went public, maybe shortly after Cassel became proxy, or possibly
even before that — Cassel used his gifts and connections to secure embarrassing informa-
tion on a number of important people within the FSA.
FSA retrieval experts have never located evidence of stolen data despite numerous at-
tempts, and Cassel has always had enough public profile, money, and lawyers, to ensure
the FSA has had to affect a polite veneer whenever reexamining the issue. No one knows
if the Cassel File truly exists, or how thoroughly the electrokinetic proxy could embed the
data in storage across the entire OpNet. Cassel simply laughs off questions about the ex-
istence of the file, though whispers of its existence give Orgotek an extra bargaining chip
in negotiations with the FSA.

leaders in electromagnetic research, holographic serving as a contractor or troubleshooter for the

technologies, and improved extra-satisfactory com- conglomerate; or she might even be an investor or
puter intelligence. These specialists have also been shareholder from Orgotek’s early days. She belongs
enlisted to develop technologies to improve commu- to or regularly interacts with the Orgotek corporate
nication with Chromatics, and to jam or counteract culture, is familiar with its market goals and may
Chromatic powers and abilities. well possess significant insight into the modern
Psi Orgotek is the psi order within Orgotek. economy and business world.
It is only a semi-separate entity from the oth-
er divisions; even within the company it’s rare- PATH CONCEPTS
ly acknowledged as having its own existence. Activist programmer, alien technologies re-
Psi Orgotek is more like a social club made up of searcher, corporate espionage operative, research
Orgotek employees and invited outsiders rath- and development engineer
er than a corporate division. Nonetheless, Psi Example Connections: Biotechnician, FSA
Orgotek has its own budget, is answerable to its Regulator, High-Flying CEO, Start-Up Business
proxy rather than Orgotek’s board of directors, and Skills: Culture, Persuasion, Science, Technology
participates in various activities unsanctioned by Edges: Artifact (• to ••••), Bioware Access,
the metacorporation. Enhanced Attunement, Favored Mode, Increased
Operations provides security to Orgotek facili- Tolerance, Wealth (• to ••••)
ties, conducts internal (and external) corporate in-
vestigations, and contributes to Æon Trinity sanc- SPECIAL EDGE:
tioned missions wherever required. Apart from BIOWARE ACCESS (• TO ••)
security, Operations mostly works outside the
Prerequisite: Orgotek
FSA to avoid creating legal entanglements for the
company. All Orgotek employees perform at least Your character has easy access to bioware created by
two days of Operations training and service every Orgosoft or other divisions of Orgotek. She possesses
month. This preparedness has reduced the num- a number of pieces of bioware equipment equal to
ber of successful attacks against Orgotek holdings her dots in this Edge, which may be formatted to her
since it was introduced three years ago. if she so desires. She does not need to purchase this
equipment and its cost is not a factor, but they belong
THE ORGOTEK PATH to Orgotek, not her; and she will need a very compel-
(SOCIETY) ling reason for being assigned particularly dangerous
or exotic pieces of bioware. She can freely change the
The character is closely affiliated with Orgotek,
bioware she is assigned between sessions, if she is
the electrokinetic order. She is part of the Orgotek
able to gain access to Orgotek bioware facilities.
corporation, employed by one of its divisions or

170 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 ALEX CASSEL: MASTER OR PUPPET?
By Kyra Chambal, The World Today
Alex Cassel. Orgotek President. Orgotek proxy. The prexy, as his employees and psions
jokingly call him. But is the prexy a carefree heir who only succeeds on the backs of others, or
a brilliant innovator with a carefully cultivated persona? The answer probably lies somewhere
in the middle.
Alex Cassel works with the FSA government, but goes out of his way to irritate them at
every opportunity. He’s clearly unhappy with their policies and actions. He points out their
flaws and proposes change, but Orgotek is the largest corporate contributor to FSA coffers
thanks to its enormous profits. Some opponents wryly observe that Cassel should simply shut
down Orgotek and bring down the government from lack of funds.
As much as the FSA loathes Alex, he hasn’t strayed far enough from permitted social
commentary to face sedition or public unrest charges — yet. He has a force of lawyers on
standby and rumor has it they earn their pay. Government officials grind their teeth and wait
for the day that he crosses the line, but until then he’s a thorn in their side that they must
tolerate.
It’s clear from his actions that Alex is brilliant and thinks several moves ahead of his op-
ponents, but it’s less clear whether his manipulations are successful because his opponents
do what he expects, or if he’s just been lucky enough that his miscalculations haven’t cost
Orgotek too much yet. Some observers think the scheming is genuine, but say that Alex is
simply the mouthpiece delivering the message. Who then pulls this puppet’s strings? Ellayne
Cassel is the most obvious contender, but is this true?
If he’s not a puppet, discovering whether Alex Cassel is a clever manipulator playing a
long game to reform the FSA from within, or just a rich guy salving his conscience with token
gestures against the government, is something that will only be revealed with time.

THE BOARD fellows are most likely to agree with her decisions,
which are likely to disagree, and why.
As much as people think of Alex Cassel (and
EKs) when they think of Orgotek, the prexy doesn’t The one exception to governance by the board of
control everything in the corporation. At least, he directors is Psi Orgotek. Technically, the psi order is
doesn’t control it alone. Most everyday decisions under the sole guidance of its proxy. In truth, every
about running the corporation, such as finance, member of the board is also a prominent member of the
marketing, or authorizing research and production order, and Alex Cassel makes few major decisions with-
are made by the board of directors. The board com- out consulting at least some of his closest friends first.
prises Alex Cassel, his wife Ellayne, and seven of
their closest friends. Though most are psions, fewer
BAD DEBTS
than half are electrokinetics, and two — including Cassel and his board hold the majority of stock
Ellayne Cassel — are neutrals (or in Ellayne’s case, in Orgotek but that doesn’t mean they’re the only
a Talent). interested parties. In the earliest days of biotech,
Each board member can make decisions on behalf Cassel’s personal fortune wasn’t sufficient to fund
of the others, which are ratified (or overturned if re- development labs and manufacturing farms, as well
quired) at the next board meeting. On paper, this ad as growing the nascent psi order and maintain-
hoc exercise of power could result in disastrous de- ing World Enterprises, Inc. To cover the shortfall,
cisions and take Orgotek down paths detrimental to Cassel called on investors and venture capitalists.
the company. In practice, the board members have Today, all the debts are paid, but some sharehold-
all known each other for at least 20 years and trust ers — notably prominent FSA government officials
each other implicitly. They’ve worked together for and the management of rival corporations — refused
so long that each one understands which of her to sell their interest in Orgotek. Cassel views these

orgotek 171
 external stockholders as an irritation and necessary background is well documented in Orgotek’s annu-
evil; just part of the price of doing business in the al reports, through its OpNet site, or via any one of
FSA. Cassel keeps his enemies close; an additional its recruitment offices. These sources describe the
benefit is Orgotek’s dividends are clear incentive for efforts of a young man who tragically lost his family
these individuals to limit their interference or risk and inherited a substantial fortune and the best so-
diminishing their wealth and power. Unfortunately, cial and political connections.
some members of the board don’t agree and have Alex Cassel started the seed that would grow into
made it their mission to reclaim full ownership of Orgotek in his college years, enlisting his school
the company. They’ve even considered using some friends to help him form the holding company World
of the darker business practices permitted by the Enterprises, Inc. Cassel jokes that WEI started as
FSA, including shadowy threats and blackmail. a fun exercise to give his social circle the chance to
Orgotek must be incredibly cautious in fulfilling play at being CEOs and businesspeople. Using WEI,
the board’s wishes. If the FSA government uncovers they invested their funds in a variety of speculative
any activities that fall outside the narrowest inter- interests, coming out ahead more often than not.
pretation of legal business practices, or more im- Cassel has also said those years of investments, deals,
portantly, discovers Orgotek’s role in orchestrating and corporate interactions were more valuable to his
these attacks, the company could suffer the FSA’s education than years of formal schooling.
retribution and find its assets and personnel — and Analysis of Cassel’s development portfolio from
the psi order itself — seized as government property. WEI to Orgotek in less than 20 years reveals an
Orgotek would then be broken and divided amongst eclectic flurry of expanded and diversified invest-
its hungry and envious corporate competitors. ments with little logical progression. Alex deflects
questions about his choices, claiming they seemed
CORPORATE HISTORY correct at the time, and laughs off suggestions that
Much like its founder, Orgotek’s history is a frus- his earliest psi latency may have been in clairsen-
tratingly open enigma. The corporation’s public tience and not electrokinesis.

172 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 Some rivals observe that many of Alex’s friends The metacorp doesn’t take just anyone — aptitude
were eventually activated into various Aptitudes, tests and suitability assessments determine if an
including at least one clear. Other, less kind com- applicant meets Orgotek’s needs. Those who pass
mentators note that Ellayne Cassel, while display- through the process find careers that can take them
ing no psionic Aptitude, scored consistently higher anywhere in the world — and beyond.
in all her classes and controls more of Orgotek’s dai- Orgotek offers all new electrokinetics a chance to
ly business activities than her husband. Her friends join the company, but holds no ill will towards those
admit luck favors Ellayne considerably more often who decline. The company makes the same offer to
than statistics should allow. Ellayne often takes on latents triggered by other orders. Most decline, but
near-failed Orgotek projects that somehow defy the a few decide Orgotek’s culture is more suited to
odds and succeed — all thanks to her inspired man- them than their sponsoring order. This practice cre-
agement and vision. ates some tension between the psi orders, but each
of them does it, and Orgotek has lost a few attractive
Cassel’s critics believe Alex is the dilettante psion
who simply rides the success of others. Those who candidates to “better offers” from its fellows.
would like to see Orgotek suffer ponder how to Regardless of whether a new EK signs on with
drive a wedge between Alex and Ellayne, and de- Orgotek or not, the company provides basic educa-
prive the prexy of his source of wealth and power. tion and training in psi and the use of electrokinesis
Some also claim that instead of creating the first to all newly triggered psions. Cassel expects all EKs
Prometheus Chamber, Cassel stole the idea from to understand how to control their basic abilities,
someone whose silence he bought or perhaps un- and the boundaries in which they can operate be-
covered it in a secret cache of Nova Age technology. fore breaking the (FSA and international) law. What
they do after this is their own choice, but the prexy
RECRUITMENT AND is morally and legally assured that these psions’ ac-
MEMBERSHIP tions aren’t due to Orgotek negligence. Orgotek pro-
vides more extensive training to its electrokinetic
Orgotek doesn’t have to work hard to find mem-
employees, including in the more nuanced and dif-
bers. Electrokinetic latency is relatively common
ficult aspects of the modes. The prexy expects other
and many people with other common latencies
orders to have EKs, but he’s determined to ensure
are either interested in becoming electrokinetics
that the best are with Orgotek.
or simply want to join Orgotek. The psi order has
recruitment offices in major cities of nearly every
AMERICAN FREEDOM
country. Orgotek widely advertises its very com-
petitive member and employment benefits and not Regardless of whether an employee is neutral or
infrequently finds members of other orders looking psion, Orgotek pays attractive and competitive sala-
to sign up. ries and encourages all staff to pay their share of FSA
taxes. This helps the company in several ways. First,
Orgotek also works hard to round out Psi Orgotek
it helps limit the FSA’s watchful gaze over Orgotek.
with psions possessing the full range of other
Although the government would love to seize con-
Aptitudes. Proxy Cassel works to ensure smooth
trol of the free-thinking corporation, the FSA can’t
transfers and reciprocal triggering arrangements
guarantee the enormous profits would continue if
with all his fellow proxies. Where his natural cha-
management and business practices changed.
risma isn’t sufficient for the deal, agreements with
remuneration or courtesy deliveries of Orgotek Secondly, paying FSA taxes opens the door to
products (some even before commercial release) first-class citizenship and through this a more priv-
are common. ileged life and better treatment under FSA law. Even
tax-paying, productive second-class citizens are less
Similarly, Orgotek recruitment centers aren’t just
likely to suffer the government’s more oppressive
looking for psions. Orgotek is a vast corporation
powers. Orgotek also contributes towards the legal
with over 150,000 employees, only around 10% of
costs of any Orgotek employee who pays her taxes.
whom are psions. Dedicated individuals of nearly
This applies to both first- and second-class citizens,
any skill set can find employment within Orgotek.
with a sliding scale depending on what the employee

orgotek 173
 ORGOTEK MEMBERSHIP AND THE WEALTH EDGE
All characters who are members of Orgotek or were once members and have not joined
another psi order possess at least one dot of the Wealth Edge (which the player must
purchase normally) to represent the stipend Alex Cassel provides to all members and
ex-members. Most actual Orgotek employees earn more than this.

can afford, up to complete payment of costs. This is products against defenseless and downtrodden civil-
one area where Orgotek’s employment relations do ians, do they simply write a report and hope some-
have differences between psions and neutral employ- one else steps in, or do they work to build a united
ees; the psi order aggressively pursues legal challeng- front of dissidents? Can they fight back against gov-
es to psi rights and governance on behalf of employ- ernment forces using off-book or “misplaced” equip-
ees regardless of the financial costs. ment to balance the odds, while still having to meet
The third reason Orgotek encourages employees deadlines and development quotas?
to pay taxes is to slowly subvert the FSA by using As technological experts, Orgotek teams are sent
the government’s system against itself. Every em- across space, working with the Qin to explore alien
ployee with the right to vote is more likely to fol- ruins one week, live testing the latest weapons with
low Orgotek’s lead in how to use that vote. This has Legions forces on Karroo station the next. Orgotek’s
swung the result of several issues in the company’s security specialists are equally busy. Outwitting
favor, and each election year sees more government FSA forces is an obvious and exciting focus for a
members gain their positions thanks to Orgotek’s game, but the corporation also needs to know what
support, and the corporation ensures these repre- its business rivals are planning. Their technical
sentatives remember that fact. spies infiltrate rivals to “acquire” their designs and
prototypes to reverse engineer. The psi order also
RUNNING AN needs to understand the motives and plans of other
ORGOTEK CAMPAIGN orders, and their host countries.
At home, America has many Aberrant cults. In
As Orgotek has interests in nearly every field,
addition, psychopaths and religious zealots who
Orgotek campaigns can go in any direction. One
make hate-filled attacks on refugees and psions are
game could focus on a “fieldwork” R&D team, testing
sometimes unofficially aided by the FSA. At mini-
newly developed hardtech and bioapps, or monitor-
mum, FSA officials always seem to have more ur-
ing how and where Orgotek devices are used. Should
gent issues demanding their attention, so Orgotek
one of these teams discover FSA thugs misusing their

ORGOTEK ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS

The Æsculapian Order: When we need help, they’re the ones to call.
Chitra Bhanu: An object lesson in scientific ethics gone very wrong.
ISRA: Is mysticism really useful in the 22nd century?
The Legions: They’re not as tough as they think they are, but if Aberrants show up, they’ve
got your back.
The Ministry: A snake pit of backstabbing spies.
Norça: Their biotech is amazing, but what they heck are they really up to?
Upeo wa Macho: The fact that having a few thousand people vanish could endanger
all of humanity means that we need to create new biotech so humanity will never again
be that vulnerable.
The Æon Trinity: Their scientists are top-notch, second only to our own.

174 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 OPNET QUICKFAQS
Subject: Specific & General Latency
Updated: June 2, 2109
Often descriptions about latents and latency refer to someone as having a strong latency
for one particular psionic Aptitude. While technically true, in practice the difference between
a strong and a weak latency for a particular psionic Aptitude is relatively small. Any latent can
become a biokinetic, clairsentient, electrokinetic, psychokinetic, telepath, or vitakinetic with
equal ease.
Becoming a psion with an Aptitude in their strongest latency provides individuals with
somewhat greater power initially, but has no other effect. Also, individuals who become psions
in another Aptitude soon develop an Auxiliary Mode in their primary latency. The particulars of
a psion’s latency have no effect on how easily they can improve their noetic mastery. However,
there is one place where specific latency is essential — the ability to gain either quantakinesis
or teleportation. Most psions do not possess the necessary latency for either ability and any
attempt to use either Prometheus Chamber would be just as fatal as a neutral attempting to
use any Prometheus Chamber.
Although both Chitra Bhanu and Upeo wa Macho are exceedingly selective and appear to
reject most applicants who possess the latency required to learn quantakinesis or teleporta-
tion, the best evidence available is that fewer than 10% of psions are able to learn either of
these two rare Aptitudes. However, like every other psion, these individuals can also gain any
of the other six Aptitudes without problem.

sometimes takes on counterterrorism (especially and only the most trusted employees have clearance
when the terrorists target Orgotek) and defends the to know they exist. Cassel wants them kept secret,
public. These efforts usually take place in the shad- deploying electrokinesis and advanced bioapps
ows to avoid FSA retribution. to hide these sites from the government. He also
While Orgotek is fighting the threats the govern- needs dedicated operatives to find and misdirect
ment should handle, the FSA is more interested in FSA investigators before they stumble onto secrets
discovering the locations and purpose of Orgotek that must be kept in the dark. If the operatives fail,
“black sites” and undeclared laboratories. Orgotek more drastic measures need to occur. Orgotek is the
hides its most secret advanced Nova-age technolo- perfect order for high-stakes spy campaigns with
gies and cutting-edge biotech within these facilities, beyond-state-of-the-art gadgetry.

orgotek 175
 UPEO WA MACHO
The Upeo wa Macho returned Seeking to help interstellar travel advance even
to Earth only six months ago, faster, she commissioned a team of Upeo research-
but has quickly reclaimed ers to develop an improved jump ship that is both
its unique cachet as the best larger and easier to use. This team recently added
courier service in the cosmos. more than a dozen Qin engineers who recently ar-
Only teleporters can travel any- rived from Qinshui. The project is called Nyangumi
where on Earth or in the known (Swahili for “whale”), which will also be the name
universe in an instant. While the for the new class of jump ship. More recently, proxy
Leviathan jump ships returned humanity to Atwan also created project Karwe (Swahili for
the stars, jumpers possess greater speed and versatility “manta ray”) to develop small exploration-focused
and can travel 500 kilometers as easily as 500 parsecs. jump ships that are easier to manufacture.
Bolade Atwan’s return was warmly received, al- The world received the prodigal order back with
though none of the other proxies have forgotten her few reservations. Most negative feelings focus on
sudden disappearance seven years ago. In 2115, proxy Proxy Atwan, who many believe orchestrated the
Atwan waited for more than two months to report exile out of paranoia. The proxy’s image is most
the discovery of the nova-controlled planet of Eden damaged in the UAN. Some call her Bolade Ambaye
to the other proxies. With the memory of the Chitra Alikimbia, meaning “Bolade who ran.” Although
Bhanu purge far too fresh in her mind, she knew she the UAN did not suffer directly from the Upeo wa
needed a plan of retreat before discussing her find- Macho’s departure, UAN media and politicians
ings. If the other proxies seemed overly suspicious speculated loudly whenever a tragedy occurred that
or hostile, Bolade would give the signal and evacuate teleportation might have prevented. Knowing apol-
her order to Ruan’s World within minutes. ogies to be useless without action, the proxy sends
The other proxies’ reactions exceeded Proxy operatives on frequent Dhamira Njema or “good-
Atwan’s fears. With a push of a button, the Upeo wa will” missions across the UAN.
Macho vanished from Earth. Worried that the entire Inside the order, there is also dissent. During
Aptitude might fall under suspicion, Proxy Atwan their exile, Proxy Atwan placed a strict ban on re-
also asked teleporters belonging to other psi orders to turn travel to Earth; a decree that many in the high-
come with her. Fearing the fate of the quantakinetics, er ranks felt was needlessly severe. Some still re-
the few who refused join her in exile went into hiding. sent missing seven years with their families. Others
Upon learning of the Chromatic attack on Earth, wonder why Proxy Atwan has not done more to
Proxy Atwan ended her order’s exile. She knew that rescue the teleporters captured by the Chromatics.
Earth would need her order’s help, no matter what Before the Upeo wa Macho left the Earth, it was
the other proxies thought. It was not until after this well known that its proxy inspired fanatical loyalty
attack that she also learned that the Chromatics from all in her order. It is now clear that this sup-
used captured teleporters to transport their fleets port is, at the very least, waning.
across interstellar space. Bolade formed a search This dissension increased when the returning
team to find those teleporters, fearing what the psi order’s members learned of the Esperanza’s fate.
Chromatics might do to and with their captives. Those who had not previously voiced their doubts
While in exile, Proxy Atwan was overjoyed to began to speak up. Proxy Atwan released a public
learn that the Leviathan jump ships gave humani- apology for her order’s absence, but her words have
ty the ability to reach deep space without the help done little to soothe tempers in western Europe or to
of her teleporters. With access to the sentient jump placate Upeo members who have connections there.
ships, she believes that interstellar travel could
soon become commonplace and no longer solely HISTORY AND GROWTH
dependent upon several hundred teleporters. The Bolade Atwan is driven by a dream of humanity walk-
proxy wants to make travel to other star systems as ing among the stars. Before she became a proxy, she
commonplace as travel between distant cities. had a vision of humanity exploring and settling across

176 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 the galaxy. UAN president Mgowo estab-
lished the mission for near-space traveling in
Atwan’s youth. Atwan wished to take that idea
even further. Such dreams require resources,
so she spent decades building her company
Kusafiri Ukomo (Unlimited Travel), special-
izing in commercial air and ground transpor-
tation. When she became a proxy, her dreams
of deep-space travel became reality. She
scaled back her commercial efforts
and focused on finding latents.
Teleportation is the least
common of the surviving
Aptitudes, and her strict
requirements reject most
of those with this rare latency.
Eventually, the proxy
built a foundation
of teleporters and
support staff that
could perform a
wide range of mis-
sions. Teleporters, also
referred to as jumpers,
could be couriers, spies,
diplomats, and first re-
sponders who were avail-
able in literally the blink
of an eye. Operatives of
the Upeo wa Macho are
spread across the galaxy,
but Atwan’s agile organi-
zation can bring these psions
together at a moment’s notice.
The Upeo wa Macho’s numbers
are far diminished from seven years
ago. Most of the last six months have
been spent restoring basic person-
nel and technological infrastruc-
ture on Earth. The order is rapidly re-
building, but it will take years to replace
both the more than 70 teleporters taken
by Chromatics and the many thousands of
neutral support staff left on Earth when the
order fled.
The Upeo wa Macho collaborates well
with other psi orders, in large part because

upeo wa macho 177

 teleportation remains impressively useful. Proxy PATH CONCEPTS
Atwan recognizes the best way to leverage her or-
Expert pilot, interstellar explorer, rapid transport
der’s rare Aptitude is by being generous yet strate-
specialist, rescue worker
gic in its use. Although she does not get along with
Example Connections: Bonded Witness,
either Proxy Alex Cassel or Proxy Rebecca Bue Li,
Interstellar Explorer, Leviathan Captain, Off-Earth
Atwan finds ways for Upeo wa Macho to collaborate
Colony
with their orders, providing them with services they
can obtain nowhere else. Knowing that she can’t Skills: Integrity, Pilot, Survival, Technology
undo the past, she focuses on what she does best, Edges: Direction Sense, Emergency Transit,
executing missions with precision and efficiency. Enhanced Attunement, Favored Mode, Hardy, Iron
Will, Photographic Memory
THE UPEO WA MACHO
SPECIAL EDGE:
PATH (SOCIETY) EMERGENCY TRANSIT (••)
The character is closely affiliated with the Upeo
Prerequisite: Upeo wa Machu
wa Macho, the teleportation order. If a psion, she
may have spent the last seven years with her fellows With the impressive resources of the Upeo wa
far from Earth, before eventually returning in the Macho behind her, your character can arrange for
face of the threat of the Chromatics and the grow- transportation away from almost any threat. She can
ing number of disappearing teleporters. She may be freely access conventional travel to almost any desti-
part of the fresh wave of psions being immersed in nation through the order’s capabilities. Additionally,
the order’s Prometheus Chamber, or perhaps a tele- once per story, she can arrange for emergency ex-
porter who went into hiding when the rest of the traction. If she is able to provide forward notice, this
order vanished. Whatever her origin, she is likely to extraction can arrive within a minute of notification;
have traveled vast distances that other humans can otherwise, it may take up to an hour to arrive. The ex-
barely conceive of. act nature of the extraction will depend on what in-
formation the character has provided the order with;

178 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

it could be anything from a teleporter psion ripping a of planning and organization. Bolade Atwan prefers
portal open to her location to a negotiator being dis- to run a lean, purposeful organization built to sup-
patched to bargain for her release. port teleporters. She keeps her jumpers diverse and
well trained so that they can perform any number of
RECRUITMENT AND roles, ranging from combat response to interstellar
MEMBERSHIP courier missions. There are departments, referred
to informally as chama (Swahili for “club”) in the
Teleportation requires a rare latency, but Bolade
Upeo wa Macho for each of the order’s major roles.
Atwan values self-reliance even more than that la-
The Long Riders are known all over human space
tency. Candidates with the required latency are no
for being the noetic version of the Pony Express. If
use to the proxy if they lack resourcefulness and
a member of this chama has not visited a package’s
determination. Jumpers have incredible support
destination, they can swiftly transport it to anoth-
teams but can still find themselves in situations
er jumper who has. The most experienced Long
where they are entirely on their own. Proxy Atwan
Riders can be assigned anything from a single bottle
needs to know that her teleporters will not falter
of medicine to a large spaceship with a full crew and
in these situations. She interviews potential jump-
transport it to any location at least one teleporter
ers exhaustively and then has candidates work and
has previously visited in less than an hour.
train as apprentices for at least six months before
inviting them to join the order. Kupita (Swahili for “beyond”) is the chama to
which the most powerful jumpers in the organiza-
Proxy Atwan always interviews and observes sev-
tion belong. What concerns this chama is interstel-
eral candidates at a time. She also only permits can-
lar travel of all sorts. Kupita also controls the or-
didates to use the Prometheus Chamber in groups.
der’s spacecraft. Many of the order’s clairsentients
Teleporters who become psions at the same time are
belong to Kupita, where they help the order explore
considered to belong to the same “age group”. Psions
and map new areas of space or to remap known
in the same age group are expected to look after one
space to conform to new data. This chama recently
another, even if they don’t get along. Informal tra-
acquired half a dozen ARES pods (p. 290) to help
dition also dictates that they show respect towards
these clairsentients perform long-distance stellar
jumpers in “older” age groups, but the result is not a
surveys.
strict hierarchy. Ultimately, actions count more than
age or time served in Upeo wa Macho. Although age Mwitu (Swahili for “wolf”) is the chama of first
groups soon spread across the stars, members are responders. The teleporters in this chama have a di-
expected to keep in contact and meet on occasion. verse range of skills, and are often called in to the
All but the most dysfunctional age groups follow this worst emergencies wherever they are stationed.
tradition, in large part because it creates a strong This chama was small and mostly based on Ruan’s
sense of belonging. World, but Upeo wa Macho’s return to Earth has
seen this chama grow as some psions seek service to
Proxy Atwan likes to remind her psions that tele-
atone for their guilt about the Esperanza crash. This
porting is a lonely business, so it is worth having a
chama also contains Proxy Atwan’s harshest critics.
few people around you who can relate to that lone-
liness. The first assignment that members of a new Mwitu members have recently gained attention
age group go on is “The Long Race.” Proxy Atwan for several high-profile rescues, the most notable
gives each member clues on where to teleport. Once being Abaeze Adeosun’s rescue of Nigerian workers
they arrive at that place, they find the next clue, and caught in a building fire two months ago. Abaeze
then the clue after that. The clues can be very cryp- worked tirelessly, porting workers out of the build-
tic, and not all locations can be easily teleported to. ing for over 12 hours. He continued to work even
Some jumpers take months to complete the race. after regular responders arrived. He worked with
them and several of the order’s clears to rescue
Jumpers play a central role in Upeo wa Macho,
thousands of workers with no casualties. Such her-
but there are half again as many other psions in this
oism is not uncommon for those in Mwitu, and this
order. Most outsiders think of teleporters as no-
chama has done more to redeem Upeo wa Macho’s
mads who blink in and out of space on their own,
image than any of Proxy Atwan’s statements.
but successful missions require an immense amount

upeo wa macho 179

 before Proxy Atwan negotiates for them to use anoth-
OTHER PSIONS er order’s Prometheus Chamber.
AND THE NGUZO Every Aptitude offers something special to the order.
Nguzo is Swahili for “pillar,” and is the term used Biokinetics and psychokinetics typically serve as body-
for the neutrals and the hopeful latent apprentices who guards or provide general physical assistance. They are
support this organization. Psions tend to experience the often brought in when battle is anticipated at a jump
Upeo wa Macho as a fraternity, but this loose and infor- destination, or in extremely hostile environments and
mal feel of the organization only exists because of the disaster sites. Vitakinetics are usually “packages” to be
organizational work of the nguzo. Ren Daiyu is the Upeo delivered to sites for medical support or to enhance oth-
wa Macho’s chief operations officer. The proxy deals er team members. Electrokinetics provide counter-sur-
with events involving psions, Chromatics, or Aberrants, veillance and engage in cyberwarfare where needed.
but if a situation involves international politics, trade, Telepaths provide communication support and pair
or logistics, it ends up on Ren Daiyu’s desk. She defers with clairsentients to do pre-jump “exploration” before
to Proxy Atwan whenever it is appropriate and the two anyone arrives at a site. Atwan’s distrust of the Ministry
meet and discuss order business daily, so they are never proxy restrains her order’s use of telepaths.
out of sync. A common saying in the order is that Atwan’s After teleporters, clairsentients are the most prized
mind is on the skies while Daiyu’s is on the Earth. psions in the Upeo wa Macho and many teleporters
Nguzo assist with mission preparation, working as work closely with clears. A common expression in the
dispatchers and managing logistics. They also oversee all order is “First the mind, then the body,” indicating that
transportation that is not teleportation-related. Military they use clairsentience to view a site before using tele-
specialists provide tactical and on-field battle support portation. This and the famously close relationship be-
except when Aberrants are anticipated. The Upeo wa tween Proxies Herzog and Atwan result in clairsentients
Macho never intentionally risks neutral personnel when being the second most numerous Aptitude in the order.
fighting Aberrants.
The nguzo are not second-class citizens in the Upeo USIO
wa Macho. Any psion Atwan catches treating nguzo as Mount Kenya is home to the space elevator that goes
inferior receives harsh words. The fact that any latent up to space station Asabuhi. Twenty kilometers away, just
who joins the order as a latent must work as nguzo for at outside Kianjokoma is the reestablished base of the Upeo
least two months helps to alleviate any feelings of supe- wa Macho, Usio (Swahili for “infinite”). Proxy Atwan
riority or inferiority and creates bonds of trust between was involved with the space elevator’s creation and, be-
psions and nguzo. fore she left, Upeo wa Macho’s headquarters was a short
Almost 500 of the order’s psions are not teleporters. walk from the base of the space elevator. After seven
Proxy Atwan wants psions with other Aptitudes to be years, the elevator’s use has only increased, and there was
dependable specialists. While she needs jumpers who no space to come back to. The order was forced to move
are flexible and durable, she needs the people who will its operations to the nearest available location.
support them to do just a few things reliably. The Upeo Visitors to this base see something that looks much
wa Macho never shies away from bringing in specialists like a corporate office complex. Most express disap-
from other orders on a temporary basis and also hires pointment at such standard accommodations, expecting
non-jumpers fairly quickly. more individuality and quirkiness from this notoriously
Psions who already possess an Aptitude other than freethinking order. Upeo members often inform these
teleportation and who impress their interviewer are visitors that they should visit Ruan’s World if they would
sometimes put to work on a trial basis the next day. Trial like to see something that conforms more to their expec-
by fire is a great way to see if new staff are compatible tations, but Proxy Atwan is also quick to inform people
with jumpers and nguzo, and if the recruit’s potential that the order’s ability to perform its missions relies on
meets her promise. the work performed here.
The order takes hiring latents with potential for Usio is the order’s base on Earth and it is the heart of the
an Aptitude other than teleportation more seriously. order’s logistics and management. Almost 80% of all the
Proxy Atwan believes that every psion must prove nguzo work here. However, the teleportation Prometheus
themselves worthy of their powers. Prospective Chamber is on Ruan’s World, along with most of the or-
psions must also spend at least two months as nguzo der’s psions. The Usio Threat Response and Dispatch

180 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 UPEO WA MACHO ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
The Æsculapian Order: They are heroes who save lives.
Chitra Bhanu: The other orders turned on us without cause, did the same thing happen
to them?
ISRA: Their visions guide all our journeys
The Legions: Will humanity ever learn to move past violence and war?
The Ministry: Before we fled, they seemed ready to exterminate us, they are not to be
trusted.
Norça: Their intrigues are deep and strange, but their honor is solid.
Orgotek: The future is about far more than the latest fancy gadget.
The Æon Trinity: They have given all of humanity the stars, and have freed us from being
humanity’s taxis.

Center is world renowned for its ability to convert intel A simple escort mission may become deadly if the
about emergencies and threats into swift and effective psions are led into a trap and must fight their way
responses. The area affectionately referred to as “The out, or if information they received was completely
Launchpad” is a designated teleportation area that each wrong. Even if the psions can easily depart, doing so
new jumper is trained to use when entering the order. without completing their mission may doom others.
The characters could be Long Riders moving packages
SPECIAL RESOURCES across the galaxy, trying to deliver the packages on time
Whether they are driving a truck, teleporting, flying, and overcoming any obstacles in their path. They could be
or taking maglevs, the order prides itself on connecting an elite team of Mwitu porting into the middle of any trou-
its members with all modes of transport. Conventional blesome situation and providing vitally needed assistance.
travel is free to those who join the Upeo wa Macho. Any The psions could become internationally known heroes,
member requesting travel from Usio to anywhere on with all the benefits and costs that comes with such fame.
Earth or Luna will reach their destination within no The Upeo wa Macho is also the psi order primarily
more than 10 hours, and usually far sooner. responsible for interstellar exploration. Characters
What psions of the orders appreciate most is the can locate and explore new worlds or perform more
ability to arrange emergency departure from a trou- extensive surveys of worlds that another jumper
bled zone. Each member has several emergency con- briefly visited. New territory means new dangers
tacts they can call in case of trouble. An emergency call and unique wonders as the team explores farther
prompts a rescue team to be assembled and mobilized. and farther out. Characters will visit worlds hu-
If arranged ahead of time, they often arrive within one manity has never seen before and may even make
minute. Without prior notice, response can take up to contact with a new intelligent alien species.
an hour, or even longer if the requester finds himself Both internal and external politics can also be a
trapped in an unusually difficult and dangerous loca- natural part of Upeo wa Macho scenarios. Proxy
tion. However, regardless of the circumstances, a team Atwan is resourceful and powerful, but but now
will be sent and a rescue attempt will always be made. many question her judgment and leadership. There
are many dissenters, but a substantial number of
RUNNING A UPEO WA members remain loyal to her. Groups outside the
MACHO CAMPAIGN order also seek to use the order’s internal strife
to further their own ends. Both governments and
A Upeo wa Macho campaign gives your group an
corporations are eager to recruit teleporters and
opportunity to see the entire galaxy and travel to
further discrediting proxy Atwan could help them
new locations in an instant. Since travel is so easy,
draw teleporters away from this order. Will the
Upeo campaigns should focus on the difficulties that
characters protect the Upeo wa Macho from out-
arise once the group reaches its destination. What
siders, or help them?
constraints does the team face at their destination?

upeo wa macho 181

 THE ÆON TRINITY
When asked what the Æon 2100) the Æon Trinity — the agendas and underly-
Trinity is and what it does, ing principles have remained the same: Make the
the average person may world better. Help people achieve their potential.
be unable to respond with Protect humanity. Their motto has always been
more than a vague answer. “Hope, Sacrifice, and Unity.”
“They do important stuff, I Æon stepped into prominence during the
guess.” “They’re kind of a big Aberrant War and the subsequent Crash. As one of
humanitarian…thing.” But when the few lucky organizations whose resources were
asked more directly what the Æon Trinity has done not depleted or ruined during the crisis, the Trinity
for them or their families, the answers come more was perfectly placed to become indispensable to
quickly. “A Triton doctor saved my grandfather’s the United Nations by providing medical aid, food,
life.” “Those Proteus VARG guys held off an attack- clean water, and shelter to those who needed it.
ing Aberrant long enough for my whole building to Despite being less powerful and influential than the
evacuate.” “I went to an Æon-sponsored school.” UN, Æon made itself so useful that it commands the
respect that might normally be accorded to a small,
HISTORY AND GROWTH but wealthy and influential, nation.
Part nonprofit foundation, part scientific think This influence only grew when Aberrants at-
tank, part humanitarian-aid organization, and part tacked Sydney and the psi orders revealed them-
secret conspiracy to make the world a better place, selves to the world in 2106. The Æon Trinity helped
the Æon Trinity is the modern incarnation of a the fledgling orders weather the media firestorm
very old idea. In the early 20th century, the Æon that followed, and provided both financial and po-
Society for Gentlemen worked to improve the lot of litical assistance to the psions so that they could es-
humanity, and in every form since then — the Æon tablish themselves as a force dedicated to helping
Foundation, the Æon Covenant, and (as of the year and protecting humanity. This close relationship

182 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

continues in 2123. Since the Trinity is not formally shift the attitude of the target character or organi-
affiliated with any one order, its neutrality allows zation by 1 toward positive, unless the target has a
it to act as a perfect liaison between them, and be- specific reason for being expressly opposed towards
tween the orders as a whole and the United Nations. the Æon Trinity at the time. Simply being unfriend-
ly, untrusting, or other forms of general surliness
ÆON TRINITY PATHS are not a good enough reason to block the character
Unlike the psi orders, the Æon Trinity has two from using this ability. The character also receives
available Paths. The Æon Trinity Path is the most an extra bonus point of Momentum whenever a
common and should be used by all characters who Storyguide character refuses or acts against her in-
belong to the Æon Trinity, except covert opera- fluence roll results. All characters who select this
tives in Section Minerva. The Æon Trinity Section Path must purchase this Edge.
Minerva Path is only for covert Æon Trinity opera-
tives who belong to Section Minerva.
ÆON TRINITY SECTION MINERVA
(SOCIETY)
ÆON TRINITY (SOCIETY) The character is closely affiliated not just with
The character is closely affiliated with the Æon the Æon Trinity, but with a part of it that does
Trinity and aligned with its goals: making the world not officially exist: Section Minerva. She is one of
a better place, helping people achieve their poten- Proteus Division’s deniable covert operatives and
tial and protecting humanity. She may be a normal intelligence agents, selected not just for her skills
human, psion or Talent, serving Æon Trinity as an but for her unflinching moral character. She has
operative and familiar with the organization’s in- no uniform, no rank, and only her fellow Section
ner workings. Whether a part of Neptune Division Minerva operatives will recognize the lighthouse
(communications and administration), Triton pin that she wears as indicating her allegiance.
Division (scientific and data) or Proteus Division
(operations and security), she has chosen to be part PATH CONCEPTS
of this optimistic, idealistic agency. Anti-authoritarian rebel, deep cover operative,
observant spacer, wandering troubleshooter
PATH CONCEPTS Example Connections: Æon Council, Criminal
Humanitarian-aid worker, interstellar explor- Organization, Mercenary Company, Spy Agency
er, psi order liaison, research and development Skills: Empathy, Integrity, Larceny, Persuasion
engineer Edges: Alternate Identity, Always Prepared,
Example Connections: Æon Council, Covert, Danger Sense, Iron Will, Self-Reliance
Humanitarian Group, Political Allies, Psi Order
Skills: Humanities, Persuasion, Science, SPECIAL EDGE:
Technology SELF-RELIANCE (• TO •••••)
Edges: Fame, Far-Reaching Influence, Library, Prerequisite: Æon Trinity Section Minerva,
Superior Trait, Wealth Iron Will
As a member of a deniable operation with abso-
SPECIAL EDGE: lute discretion over the approach she takes to her
FAR-REACHING INFLUENCE (••) tasks, your character understands the vital impor-
Prerequisite: Æon Trinity (required Edge) tance of her mission — and that ultimately the re-
The influence and reputation of the Æon Trinity sponsibility for it rests entirely on her shoulders.
reaches very far indeed, and many doors open for Pick a number of Skill Tricks that your character
your character that might otherwise remain closed. possesses equal to the number of dots in this Edge.
Whenever your character engages in an intrigue ac- Once per session per Skill Trick, she can reduce
tion, she can spend a single point of Momentum to the Momentum cost of it by 1, which may reduce it
down to 0 Momentum.

The Æon Trinity 183

 RECRUITMENT AND MEMBERSHIP
The Æon Trinity has roughly 100,000 agents, who are recruited from
all over the world and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Recruits are
typically the “best of the best,” those whose dedication to the Trinity’s
ideals combine with valuable skills and talents. Becoming an Æon
operative is a lifelong dream for many men
and women who look up to the Trinity as a
heroic group that works to “save
the world.” Æon’s close ties to the
psi orders result in a large number
of psions working for the Trinity
as well — almost 6% of the opera-
tives (roughly 5,800) are psions —
adding to the organization’s heroic
reputation.
The Æon Trinity works hard to have
fingers in as many pies as possible,
guaranteeing that when anything im-
portant happens, the Trinity will be
involved somehow. The astonishing people
known as Talents have a knack for being involved
when something important happens as well, often even
if they’re trying to avoid involvement. It should come as no
surprise, then, that the Æon Trinity has a large number of
Talented. Of the non-psionic operatives working for Æon,
several thousand are Talents.

HEADQUARTERS
Although the city has changed significantly, the Æon
Trinity’s headquarters remains in Chicago, where the
Æon Society for Gentlemen was founded 200 years ago.
Originally housed in a classic brownstone on the North
Side, the modern organization’s headquarters takes up
a significant portion of the Chicago arcology known as
the Cube. Most of the Cube’s uppermost levels are occu-
pied by the central headquarters of Neptune Division,
and the art deco stylings of the offices and auditoriums
have become the dominant image of Æon in the public
eye.
Elsewhere in the arcology, Triton Division maintains
a headquarters campus adjacent to the University of
Chicago in Hyde Park. This campus is home to Nereus
Labs — Triton’s most cutting-edge research facility —
and Mercer Memorial Hospital, known for the most
advanced medical technology and most skilled
medical professionals and vitakinetics in the FSA.
Proteus Division’s headquarters lies in a vast
complex underneath Lake Michigan. Æon’s
main training facility is located here, as are

184 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

an array of command and communications cen- The most important branches of Neptune include:
ters. Additionally, the Proteus complex has enough The Clymene Initiative: The public face of the
space to provide living quarters for all of Æon’s Æon Trinity, these Neptune agents are best known for
command structure and tens of thousands of ad- interacting with the media, whether behind the scenes
ditional agents, with resources to keep them alive as PR specialists or in front of the cameras as public
and healthy for up to three years. This “safe space” personalities. In addition to their public-relations tasks,
was last used during the Aberrant War, but Æon be- the agents of the Clymene Initiative act as inter-agency
lieves in being prepared. liaisons for teams consisting of agents from more than
The Æon Society’s original four-story brown- one division (as in large-scale operations like ReWrite
stone still exists. In addition to being a famous his- or Vesta), or act as facilitators for efforts that include
torical site, it functions as the local Æon Trinity other organizations entirely, like the psi orders or the
chapterhouse for Chicago, serving as an HQ for lo- United Nations.
cal operations and a home away from home for im- The Medea Initiative: Founded as a response to an
portant agents on assignment in the area. Aberrant with the power to literally make words poi-
sonous and ideas viral, Medea is devoted to memetic
ORGANIZATIONAL counterterrorism — the struggle against harmful and
STRUCTURE invasive idea-structures. Frequently assigned to elim-
inate the influence of insidious Aberrant cults, Medea
The Æon Trinity is separated into three divisions:
agents also help defend the psi orders, governments,
Neptune, Triton, and Proteus — thus the “Trinity”
metacorps, and militaries against memetic sabotage
in its name. Each division is further subdivided into
intended to destroy productivity, efficiency, morale, or
a wide array of branches. Although popular belief
unit cohesiveness. Many Medea operatives are tele-
defines Neptune as the “administrative” division
paths or linguists.
that is in charge of the Trinity as a whole, in truth
every division has a large number of administrative The Mercury Initiative: Originally part of the
employees who perform the unexciting but neces- Clymene Initiative, Mercury was expanded into its
sary duties that keep such a vast organization run- own Neptune branch as a result of increased demand
ning. Actual command of the Trinity is centered in for its services. Professional diplomats and negotiators,
the Æon Council, a reclusive group that includes the Mercury agents can be found working with a variety of
heads of the three divisions, as well as a number of organizations all over Earth (and beyond) to help es-
other mysterious figures (rumors include the prox- tablish beneficial cooperative relationships. Mercury
ies, various heads of state, and a direct descendent agents act as liaisons between the various psi orders
of Maxwell Mercer, the original founder of the Æon to enable them to trade access to their Prometheus
Society — if not Mercer himself, somehow cryogeni- Chambers, as well as to create smoothly-functioning
cally preserved into the 22nd century). multi-order operations teams. Mercury also works
closely with the United Nations, helping rival powers
NEPTUNE DIVISION peacefully resolve their differences. Some agents work
as hostage negotiators, helping nations or private indi-
Although commonly referred to as the adminis-
viduals recover their citizens or loved ones from terror-
trative or command division, a better way to think of
ists or kidnappers; others are xeno-communications
Neptune is as the division most concerned with com-
experts, helping to build strong ties with alien allies like
munication. As the “voice of Æon,” Neptune agents
the Qin. Members are currently helping to establish
act as organizers, liaisons, diplomats, propagandists,
communications with Chromatic prisoners of war.
fundraisers, or advisors. They are present in almost ev-
ery major Æon Trinity operation, often in leadership The Maxwell Mercer Foundation: The Mercer
positions. They also work with other organizations, Foundation originally existed to fund the adventures
including the psi orders, the United Nations, various and exploits of the Æon Society for Gentlemen. Its
metacorporations, and specific national governments, modern incarnation still uses its phenomenal wealth to
either as liaisons back to the Æon Trinity or as facili- fund the Æon Trinity, but it is additionally responsible
tators for cooperation between organizations. Psions in for running a variety of charitable sub-organizations
Neptune are often telepaths or clairsentients, although and donating vast sums of money to other charities
psions with any aptitude can be found in this division. judged to be in line with the Trinity’s goals. Neptune

The Æon Trinity 185

 agents working for the Mercer Foundation range from data-collection roles. The most common psionic abili-
fundraisers and charity administrators to investment ties within Triton include clairsentience, electrokinesis,
bankers and accountants. Many Foundation agents and vitakinesis. Prominent branches of Triton include:
work in the field, maintaining soup kitchens, homeless Nereus Labs: While Triton as a whole is dedicated
shelters, and free clinics. to the sciences, Nereus — or as many agents call it, “the
The Chiron Initiative: In a world recovering from Geekhouse” — is devoted to bleeding-edge scientific re-
a massively destructive war, where much of Europe is search and development. Nereus technicians constantly
still in a state of crisis and Nordamericans are routinely push the boundaries of computer science, biotechnology,
oppressed, education is as vital as healthy food, clean medicine, noetic science, space travel, and weapons de-
drinking water, and shelter. These Neptune agents are velopment. Some lucky Nereus techs are able to field test
teachers, counselors, and mentors, traveling — often the latest prototypes — a scenario that other Æon Trinity
at great personal risk — into needy areas and bringing agents greet with a mixture of excitement and dread.
the gift of knowledge to a new generation of humanity. Project Argus: While espionage is, in general,
Chiron agents often work with interagency operations more the purview of Proteus Division, Project Argus
like ReWrite, Vesta, and Panacea, helping communities is an exception to that rule. Argus agents make use of
reestablish themselves on multiple levels. Others work cutting-edge technology, psi powers, and old-fash-
on interstellar colonies, teaching the next generation of ioned social engineering to hack databases, co-opt se-
humanity about a homeworld they’ve never seen. curity systems, and perform long-range surveillance.
The Thetis Initiative: Even an organization with Others specialize in data analysis and information sci-
noble and forward-thinking goals can be vulnerable to ence. Argus prevents metacorporate takeovers, tracks
rogue elements and corruption. The Thetis Initiative Aberrant sightings, acquires incriminating evidence,
was established when the Æon Covenant reorganized destroys dangerous data, and predicts social trends —
itself into the Æon Trinity. It was tasked with ensuring sometimes without ever leaving the lab.
that the reborn organization would remain true to its Project Cyclops: Established in the 20th century to
agenda, stay vigilant for internal problems, and pre- study the many unusual plants and animals discovered
vent its agents from repeating the mistakes of the past. by the Æon Society in remote corners of the globe, this
Unlike most “internal affairs” subgroups, Thetis agents project has transitioned into a focus on xenobiology
try to prevent corruption in the first place. They screen — the study of alien lifeforms. Cyclops science teams
all potential new Trinity agents, and promote good work with their Qin counterparts to share and discov-
communication, transparency, and accountability, find- er valuable medical information for both species, and
ing and fixing issues before they become truly prob- a Cyclops lab currently holds and studies the few re-
lematic. Their focus on honesty and positivity makes covered Chromatic and Coalition cadavers in hopes of
Thetis agents quite popular, and most Æon personnel learning more about those mysterious species. Further
are happy to work with them and provide any request- contact with and study of the Chromatics and the
ed information. Coalition is a major priority for Project Cyclops agents.
Project Pandora: Originally founded to study the ex-
TRITON DIVISION tremely rare occurrence of “psychic powers” amongst
Although the stereotypical Triton agents are the ab- non-Aberrant humans, in the 22nd century this project
sent-minded scientist and the selfless medic, the divi- concerns itself almost exclusively with psions, their
sion concerns itself with a broad range of hard and soft abilities, and their origins. Pandora scientists — many
sciences as well as more general types of data collection of whom are psions themselves — work closely with
and analysis. While there is certainly a focus within the psi orders to further human understanding of psi
Triton on biotech, computer tech, and medicine, the powers, and to help develop solutions for problems
division is also home to historians, botanists, sociolo- like psionic dysfunction. So far, no order has trust-
gists, geologists, zoologists, archaeologists, and politi- ed Pandora operatives with access to its Prometheus
cal scientists — as the “mind of Æon,” any intellectual Chamber, but the researchers haven’t stopped asking.
pursuit may be valuable in the right circumstances. A few dedicated researchers continue Pandora’s origi-
Although some Triton agents remain in their labs or nal mission, searching for the legendary “psiads” who
hospitals, many others work in the field with operatives supposedly manifest psi powers without exposure to a
from other divisions, performing valuable medical or Prometheus Chamber.

186 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 Project Ceto: Formerly the research branch of agents go on to their positions (whether in Proteus or
the 21st century Project Utopia, Ceto exists to study another division), some choose to remain in Section
Aberrants and their superhuman abilities. Due to Mars, getting further training and taking positions as
the extreme danger of exposure to Corruption, those security officers or bodyguards. Most permanent Mars
Triton agents assigned to Ceto are carefully vetted for agents bear their nickname — “the Goon Squad” — with
mental instability or past involvement in organizations a measure of pride.
that show support for Aberrants. The bravest and most Section Juno: Proteus’ investigative subdivision,
trusted Ceto scientists are allowed to accompany an- Juno agents have a much better reputation than the
ti-Aberrant strike teams in the field, risking their lives “goons” of Mars or the “jocks” of Apollo. They work
and sanity to gather valuable information that can be in tandem with police and intelligence forces around
used to protect humanity from future Corruption- the world and across the stars, helping to solve crimes,
fueled disasters. Other Ceto agents attempt to study the catch terrorists, and find missing people. The “snoops”
mysterious Nihonjin Superiors, although political bar- are strictly consultants, and tend to be called on only for
riers have prevented much access to date. high-profile cases, or those with international ramifica-
Project Tantalus: A small and mysterious branch tions. Due to this shared “jurisdiction,” Juno agents and
of Triton Division, Tantalus has a murky, undefined Interpol officers have developed something of a friend-
agenda. It was established based on the observation ly — or at times not so friendly — rivalry that can often
that some humans, despite being neither psions nor cause friction between the two organizations.
Aberrants, have extraordinary capabilities, often seem- Section Apollo: Boosted in importance when the
ing to defy the laws of probability. These Talents are a Æon Trinity took over command of the Leviathan
continual source of frustration for the Tantalus scien- jump ship program with Operation Argonaut, Apollo is
tists, who can’t seem to find any biological evidence the section of Proteus devoted to aerospace operations.
that they are anything other than very smart, athletic, Apollo agents are trained to pilot and operate a variety
skilled, gifted and/or lucky human beings. Luckily, the of craft, from single-occupant hybrid fighters up to the
Æon Trinity as a whole seems to have an unexpectedly Leviathans themselves — many clairsentients and even
large number of these Talents, so Tantalus agents have a few teleporters are part of the Apollo force, working
plenty of test subjects. to navigate and scout for the giant ships. Other Apollo
“jocks” specialize in spaceship weaponry, onboard se-
PROTEUS DIVISION curity, and biotech systems. Aside from their piloting
If Neptune and Triton are the voice and the mind, skills, Apollo agents are well known for their low-grav-
then Proteus is the “hand of Æon.” The largest of the ity and EVA training, making them suitable for most
Æon Trinity’s divisions, Proteus handles operations space-based operations.
duties, which many Proteus agents translate as “we do Section Titan: While Proteus is careful to define
the grunt work so things actually get done.” Despite most of its combat-trained operatives as security forces,
an external reputation for being daring spies or hero- the “grunts” of Section Titan are soldiers, pure and sim-
ic soldiers, training, security, investigation, and even ple. Originally designed as a small anti-Aberrant strike
basic manual labor are all Proteus responsibilities as force, the men and women of Titan are now assigned
well. Psychokinesis is the most commonly seen psionic to combat duty against hostile alien forces as well. As
Aptitude in Proteus, although the division has an un- heavy infantry, Titan agents are trained to work with all
usually high number of biokinetics, and most of Æon’s types of heavy armor, including both tanks and VARGs.
few teleporters. Some of the most prominent Proteus The popular image of Section Titan within the Æon
branches include: Trinity is of a dedicated, heroic VARG trooper. The
Section Mars: This large subdivision of Proteus has smallest of Proteus’ publicly known sections, Titan is
two main tasks: training and security. Most new Æon usually deployed to back up local forces and the Legions
Trinity agents who will be doing field work are required when important locations or individuals are targeted by
to go through Mars training, a sort of “boot camp” that an Aberrant attack.
prepares them for their jobs. In addition to physical Section Minerva: Officially, there is no such thing
fitness and basic combat training, the Mars program as Section Minerva, although older Proteus agents
includes language and cultural studies, training with sometimes whisper about “the spooks.” A tiny and
computers and other tech, and first aid. While most clandestine group of operatives, Minerva agents are

The Æon Trinity 187

 handpicked and answer directly to the Æon Council, intended to restore infrastructure, industry, and resi-
who give them total discretion as to the tactics they dential zones destroyed in the Aberrant War, the Crash,
use to accomplish their objectives. All Minerva agents or more recent disasters like the Esperanza tragedy.
are chosen based on their sterling moral character as Neptune organizers and translators, Triton engineers
much as their espionage skills. In the section’s history, and architects, and Proteus security and skilled labor-
only one agent has ever gone rogue, and he was quickly ers work together to rebuild roads, dams, bridges, sew-
apprehended by his fellow Minerva members. With no ers, factories, apartment buildings, and anything else
organizational structure to tie them back to the Æon lost in the conflicts and disasters that have rocked the
Council, these agents are the ultimate deniable assets, world since the Aberrant era. Although Vesta agents
but thus far the Council has refrained from using them are most active in Europe, they are present in almost
as assassins or terrorists, preferring instead to use them every nation and extrasolar colony, helping to bring
to gather information, apprehend fugitives, engage in civilization back to areas that had lost it.
counter-espionage, or influence national and inter- Operation Panacea: Launched at the same time as
national policies, all while under the deepest of cover. Vesta, the Panacea program fights against disease, mal-
Minerva agents have no uniforms or ranks; their only nutrition, and injury in areas devastated by Aberrant
insignia are small lighthouse-shaped pins. attacks. A joint effort between the three divisions of
The Babel Dossier: As with Section Minerva, the the Æon Trinity and the Æsculapian Order, Panacea
Babel Dossier isn’t supposed to exist, although most sends doctors, nurses, paramedics, vitakinetics, and vi-
high-level Proteus agents and a few agents from the tal medical supplies and technology into dangerous ar-
other divisions are aware of it. Housed in an under- eas, escorted by an entourage of negotiators and secu-
ground bunker in a top-secret location, the Babel rity forces — necessary to protect the medics and their
Dossier — also known as the Babel Vault, the Tower, supplies from the gangs and would-be warlords who
the Black Collection, and the Freakshow — contains all thrive in the ruined regions where medical aid is most
the secrets that the Æon Trinity deems too dangerous necessary. Like Vesta, Operation Panacea is global, but
for the world to know about and too dangerous or dif- currently most active in the areas of Europe devastated
ficult to destroy. The collection began in the early 20th by the Esperanza disaster.
century, when the Æon Society first started recovering Operation ReWrite: The third post-Crash oper-
unexplainable artifacts, advanced technologies, forbid- ation, ReWrite had two main purposes: to recover as
den knowledge, and deadly creatures. The original site much historical, cultural, and scientific data as possible
quickly expanded as a prison for individuals too dan- after the crash of the OpNet and the destruction of so
gerous to hold anywhere else was added. Much later, many libraries, archives, and museums in the Aberrant
in the late 21st century, the most dangerous quantum War, and to selectively delete any information pertain-
technology acquired during Operation ReWrite was ing to “quantum tech,” the advanced and barely un-
stored in the vault as well, prompting a move to anoth- derstandable technology created by hyper-intelligent
er, larger and more secure, location. The Babel Dossier Aberrants. While much of the lost information has
is guarded with the highest possible security, and as far been recovered, and almost all quantum tech has been
as anyone knows, it has never been breached. destroyed or sealed away, a few dedicated ReWrite
agents still travel the world, collecting scraps of folk-
INTER-AGENCY OPERATIONS lore and oral histories, while keeping a wary eye out
When the Æon Trinity embarks on a large-scale for any remaining references to Aberrant technologies.
operation, teams are drawn from all three divisions in Operation Argonaut: The most recent major op-
order to supply the various expertise that will be nec- eration, and the latest incarnation of an older Æon
essary to complete the task. The most extensive ongo- Society branch dedicated to exploration, Argonaut
ing operations are often treated almost as if they are is the Æon Trinity’s name for the Leviathan jump
divisions unto themselves, with their own command ship program. Coordinating the financing and con-
structure reporting directly to the Æon Council. Some struction of the Leviathans, recruiting and train-
of the more famous and influential operations include: ing the clairsentient navigators and more recently,
Operation Vesta: One of the three initial large-scale the teleporter “pilots,” crewing the ships, planning
operations begun when the Æon Covenant reformed rescue and relief efforts for previously-abandoned
itself into the Æon Trinity, Vesta is a massive project interstellar colonies, and scheduling exploratory

188 CHAPTER FIVE: ORGANIZATIONS

 ÆON TRINITY ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
The Æsculapian Order: Would that all the psi orders were as heroic and dedicated as
they are.
Chitra Bhanu: There are secrets about their destruction that we need to uncover.
ISRA: Too many dismiss their mysticism as foolishness, and not an understanding of deep-
er truths.
The Legions: They might even be as good as Section Titan troops, and are just as brave
and loyal.
The Ministry: They could bring understanding to the world, but they prefer their intrigues.
Norça: Reliable comrades in arms, but way too many secrets.
Orgotek: They helped transform the world and return humanity to the stars, but where do
their loyalties lie?
Upeo wa Macho: Even with the Leviathan jump ships, they are vital to humanity’s future,
and too many take them for granted.

missions into uncharted regions of space are all Æon Trinity agents into that situation is easy —
Argonaut responsibilities. they might be involved with Operation Vesta or
Operation Utopia: In the 21st century, Project Operation Panacea, traveling into the danger zone
Utopia had two functions: to study Aberrants and their to provide humanitarian aid, when they discover
amazing abilities, and to guide those superhuman be- Aberrant activity. Then they’ll have to survive while
ings so that their immense power would be used to trying to call in and wait for reinforcements. For a
create a better world. Despite Utopia’s best efforts, more combat-focused game, they could be a Mars or
the Aberrants’ Corruption eventually led to the mad- Titan strike team sent in to deal with the Aberrant
ness of the Aberrant War. Even with that failure, the threat located by others.
basic goals of Utopia — helping those with power use Alternatively, how about a campaign where the
that power in a healthy and responsible manner — re- players are space explorers, piloting a jump ship out
mained sound. In the 22nd century, Operation Utopia into unexplored sectors of space to locate suitable
agents are social scientists, futurists, and consultants, new colony planets and search for alien life? That
working with influential politicians, prominent psions, has Operation Argonaut written all over it, and any
wealthy metacorps, and religious leaders to guide hu- number of science-fiction television shows can be
manity into a future in line with the core tenets of the used for inspiration.
Æon Trinity: Hope, Sacrifice, and Unity. For more proactive players, you might try an es-
pionage campaign featuring Minerva agents, who
RUNNING AN have a lot of freedom to choose their own goals and
ÆON TRINITY CAMPAIGN methods, with minimal supervision from the Æon
Council. How might the lack of oversight tempt
With the Æon Trinity involved in so many dif-
your characters? Can they stay heroic when it’s so
ferent activities in so many different arenas, it can
much easier to be pragmatic and expedient?
be difficult to say, “Let’s have a campaign where we
all play Æon agents,” because that’s such a vague Keep in mind that the Æon Trinity has several
idea. What would you actually do in that campaign? thousand Talents working for it, making it a great
Instead, try coming up with a different, more fo- option for a group that doesn’t feel like playing
cused idea first, and then brainstorming how the psions. Unlike a more focused campaign based
Æon Trinity might be involved in that idea. around a single psi order, a campaign featuring a
team of Talented Æon Trinity agents has a lot of
For example, let’s say you want to run a sce-
flexibility, and can easily change focus from mission
nario where the players will discover a danger-
to mission as operatives are reassigned to varying
ous Aberrant in a ruined space colony. Getting
teams and given new tasks to complete.

The Æon Trinity 189

 Look, that’s why there’s rules, understand?
So that you think before you break ‘em.
– Terry Pratchett

The 22nd century presents humanity with new opportunities and new challenges as intrepid explorers
and stalwart colonists venture across the stars, hackers and intelligence agencies do electronic battle across
the networks of the future, and advancing technology gives the bold the ability to achieve their ambitions.
The new rules provided in this section give details for the places and activities in which Trinity Continuum:
Æon characters find themselves embroiled, providing rules for the unusual environments that characters
may encounter, such as Quantum Flux zones, low and zero gravity and space travel, as well as rules for ill-
nesses, including the deadly Quantum Flux illnesses. This chapter also includes additional rules for hacking,
surveillance, and counter surveillance, and for creating super-science devices using noetic biotech.

QUANTUM FLUX ZONES

Like Aberrants (pp. 330-338), sometimes land ILLNESS, DISEASE, AND
possesses a Corruption Trait. The ravages of the
Aberrant War left vast tracts of the Earth scarred QUANTUM FLUX
with Corruption. These areas twist and mutate Illnesses and disease are modeled through
everything within. Scientists call them Quantum Conditions (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 73).
Flux zones, or QFZs. Some fade over time; attacks They are divided into three levels of severity — mi-
by powerful Aberrants often leave small QFZs that nor, major, and extreme — equivalent to the Bruised,
persist for between several days and several weeks. Injured, and Maimed Injury Conditions, producing
However, others, like Wycoff’s Blight, the Venezuelan the corresponding Injury Complication, and using
Plaguelands, and the many small Middle Eastern the same rules for recovery. However, many diseases
QFZs have endured for many decades. Quantum require specialized drugs or procedures to treat.
Flux zones are antithetical to life, causing all injuries For infectious diseases, the Storyguide sets a se-
to heal more slowly within them, and for animals, in- verity equal to the level of Injury Condition it in-
cluding humans, and plants produce stunted, sickly, flicts, and virulence between 1 and 5. Severity and
or dead offspring. QFZs are rated Light, Medium, or virulence aren’t linked — the common cold is easy
Heavy, depending on their Corruption Trait. to catch (high virulence) but low severity (minor).
A character exposed to the pathogen rolls Survival
EFFECT ON PSION POWERS + Stamina at Virulence Difficulty. She avoids the dis-
Quantum Flux also interferes with subquantum ease on success, and contracts it on failure. Proper
flow, making it harder for psions to use their pow- precautions, medication, and equipment can all add
ers. Light QFZs impose +1 Difficulty to activation Enhancement to this roll, whereas filthy conditions
rolls for psionic powers, while Medium QFZs in- and prolonged exposure can increase the Difficulty.
flict +2. Heavy QFZs inflict +3 and require spending Most minor diseases heal on their own, although
an additional Psi point with each power activation more rapidly with treatment. If not treated, some mi-
to “push through” the interference. QFZs do not nor diseases and most major and extreme diseases get
apply their penalty to powers of the Quantakinesis worse. For these diseases, the character rolls Survival
Fundamentals Mode. + Stamina every (Stamina – Virulence) days, with the
character’s current Injury Complication as a penalty.
Proper care and treatment provides Enhancement.
Success downgrades the illness one severity, whereas
Failure upgrades it one severity. A disease that increas-
es in severity beyond extreme kills that character.

quantum flux zones 191

 QUANTUM FLUX AND CORRUPTION
In 2123, the general public and most researchers use Corruption and Quantum Flux as
synonyms. However, in the Nova Age, Quantum Flux was identified as the unique and
inexplicable variations to physical laws that permit humans to erupt into novas and novas’
Quantum powers to function. In contrast, Corruption is a type of lasting subatomic dam-
age that occurred when novas overused their Quantum powers or in novas who innately
suffered from a relatively rare form of instability. This damage first affected the nova, and
if the nova became sufficiently Corrupted, its Corruption could then affect others around it.
The Aberrants that returned to the solar system in 2105 were all massively Corrupted. As a
result, most researchers in the 22nd century believe that Corruption is an inevitable result
of possessing and using Quantum Powers, and began using these terms interchangeably.
Quantakinetic Proxy Dr. S.K. Bhurano endorsed this viewpoint in 2108.
However, the discovery of the Corruption-free novas on the planet Eden in 2115 called
this idea into question. In reality, some types of Quantum Flux produce Corruption, but
most do not. Novas are far more likely to erupt in regions containing substantial amounts
of Quantum Flux, but those that erupt in regions where this Quantum Flux is paired with
Corruption are more likely to be inherently Corrupted.
One reason for this misidentification is that The Colony, the hideously powerful Aberrant
responsible for organizing the attack on Earth, is exceptionally Corrupted and revels in
this fact. As a result, it only recruited other exceptionally Corrupted Aberrants and these
creatures used their Corruption to create both sub-Aberrant mutants (see p. 332) and
heavily Corrupted Quantum Flux zones on worlds they attack so that most humans who
erupt on these planets will become Corrupted Aberrants.

QUANTUM FLUX ZONE EFFECTS

CORRUP TION
TRAIT EXAMPLES HEALING REPRODUCTION
2 (Light) Site of major All healing takes One third of seeds do not sprout,
Aberrant battle 50% longer, level 1 and there is a similar miscarriage
Complication to all rate for animals and people.
Medicine rolls Deformities and defects are
twice as common.
4 (Medium) Venezuelan All healing takes Two thirds of seeds do not
Plaguelands, twice as long, sprout, and there is a similar
most Middle impose a level 2 miscarriage rate for animals and
Eastern QFZs Complication to all people. One third of sprouts and
Medicine rolls births suffer defects.
6 (Heavy) Wycoff’s Blight, All healing takes 90% of seeds do not sprout, and
the worst three times as long, there is a similar miscarriage rate for
sections of la impose a level 3 animals and people. The few sprouts
Blessure Complication to all and births are visibly deformed and
Medicine rolls may be innately Corrupted.

QUANTUM FLUX DISEASES majority of people who suffer effects from Quantum
Flux instead become seriously ill. Quantum Flux
A tiny percentage of people exposed to Quantum
diseases are divided into primary and secondary.
Flux in large amounts or over a long time become
Primary Quantum Flux diseases are caused by direct
Aberrants, and a slightly larger percentage of people
exposure to Quantum Flux, like spending time in a
and animals exposed to Quantum Flux spontaneous-
QFZ or being subject to Aberrant powers. The first
ly transform into sub-Aberrant mutants), but the vast
time a character is exposed to Quantum Flux, and

192 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES

 COMMON DISEASES
SEVERITY INITIAL PENALTY EXAMPLES
Minor −1 Common cold, Allergies, Skin infection
Major −2 Influenza, Gastroenteritis, Gangrenous infection
Extreme −4 Ebola, Cancer, Aggressive multi-resistant infection

every (Stamina + Psi – Corruption) hours thereafter, Treating Quantum Flux diseases is complicated.
roll the source’s Corruption trait at a Difficulty equal Secondary Quantum Flux diseases can be treated
to the character’s Psi + 1. Success inflicts a disease through conventional methods and vitakinesis,
Condition of severity equal to the number of success- though any rolls suffer increased Difficulty equal
es, with a Corruption trait equal to its source. Psions to the pathogen’s Corruption. Primary Quantum
are immune to primary Quantum Flux Diseases. Flux diseases don’t respond to conventional treat-
Secondary Quantum Flux diseases come from ment, or to most vitakinetic powers. Vitakinesis
exposure to pathogens mutated by Corruption. Roll as can alleviate symptoms, though any rolls suffer
per normal diseases to see if the character is infected, the disease’s Corruption as Difficulty, and re-
but if the pathogen’s Corruption is greater than the quire spending Psi points equal to the Corruption.
character’s Psi, add the difference to the roll’s Difficulty. Primary Quantum Flux diseases can only be per-
If the character fails the roll he contracts the disease, manently healed after a quantakinetic drains or
but this version also has the pathogen’s Corruption cleanses the Corruption.
trait.

AN INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM FLUX DISEASES

By Dr. Elisha Vasquez, from Noetic Science Essentials
Quantum Flux diseases are a complicated problem. The improvements in medical tech-
nology and the advent of vitakinesis make it possible to cure or permanently mitigate almost
all chronic illnesses, but the effects of Quantum Flux are unpredictable and tenacious. It can-
not merely change DNA sequences, but also alters DNA repair mechanisms. Cells can become
impervious or oversensitive to everyday biomolecules, altering their effects in unique ways.
There are several multi-layered hypotheses for how this unruly energy affects the human
body, and all of them seem to be partially accurate.
There are also two different types of Corruption illness: primary and secondary. A prima-
ry Corruption illness is caused by direct exposure to a heavy Quantum Flux zone. It may kill
quickly, or linger permanently, or sometimes (if mild) resolve on its own. A secondary Quan-
tum Flux disease is caused by foreign pathogens that have been altered by Quantum Flux.
These can usually be cured by vitakinesis or conventional therapies in the same way as other
viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic diseases, although they are sometimes more challenging
to manipulate. The microorganisms and pests that cause such illnesses survive most easily in
Corrupted areas, and an individual fighting off such an illness always heals more effectively
in a safer area.
Some of these pathogens, however, are tenacious enough to be passed between people
and animals, and can survive outside of a Corrupted Zone for a time. This effect was wide-
spread in the Venezuelan Plaguelands. The Æsculapian Order and other national and inter-
national health organizations keep a careful eye on emerging microbes and intervene quickly
if anything seems to be spreading too quickly. There’s some debate about whether residual
Quantum Flux emanating from soil removed from contaminated areas is due to its microbiome
or some other inherent property, and research on this subject continues.

quantum flux zones 193

 ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF
INDIRECT DAMAGE
spends time in a high-pressure environment.
Breathable oxygen, gentle pressure, a stable sense
Returning to the air pressure on the surface must
of where “down” is, and a lack of scouring radiation
be done slowly to avoid decompression sickness,
are things that the average citizen of the 22nd centu-
“the bends.” Unlike most sources of environmental
ry take for granted in their daily life. However, char-
acters in a Trinity Continuum: Æon campaign are damage, damage from the bends happens slowly.
Calculate the total damage a character will suffer,
unlikely to be average citizens, and may well end up
in such hostile environments, whether they want to and then have 1 Injury Condition from this source
occur every scene until the character has suffered
be there or not. The following table lists some of the
additional environmental hazards that off-world andthe full amount of damage. Treatment stops all
undersea explorers and settlers must cope with. future damage. The most common treatment in-
volves special drugs plus slow decompression in a
DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS submarine or decompression chamber. This pro-
Anyone who spends time deep underwater, ei- cess requires eight to 12 hours, depending upon
ther diving or in an underwater city or submarine, depth.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

THREAT DAMAGE RATING TAGS THREAT TYPE
Arctic Water (Immersed) 1 Continuous (minute), Deadly Environmental
Cryogenic Cold 1-3 Aggravated, Continuous Environmental
(Rounds), Deadly
Decompression Sickness 1-4 (depending upon Deadly Environmental
depth)
Solar Flare (In Space) 1-3 Aggravated, Continuous (min- Environmental
ute), Deadly
Any damage rating with a variable range depends upon the severity of the source of indirect damage.

SPACE TRAVEL & COMBAT

When moving through deep space, spacecraft make extreme, and out of range. Each range band in space
use of a Speed rating that indicates how rapidly they is assumed to be vastly larger than the sizes given for
can move from place to place (see p. 304 for specific normal action sequences, though. Clash range may
examples of spacecraft). This rating provides a rough be within a hundred meters, while greater distances
idea of the timescale involved for potential journeys, could reach out for many kilometers. Attempting to
with examples based on starting in Earth orbit. Speed board another spacecraft requires getting into clash
Scale ratings in space are always marked with []. range with the target.
During combat, spacecraft treat their Speed as Space is an exceedingly hostile environment; a vessel
Scale for the purposes of movement, and so vessels that suffers Injury Conditions may also end up expos-
with a higher Speed are almost always able to out- ing its crew to fires or vacuum, as well as low or zero-G.
pace those with a lower rating. When a spacecraft is Taken Out during combat, but not
Space combat uses the same rules as other forms completely destroyed, one of its vital systems is inca-
of vehicle combat, essentially treating each ship as pacitated or destroyed (see p. 303) and this requires
a character in its own right. This includes the same rapid response from any surviving crew — especially
range band categories: close, short, medium, long, if their life-support system has been rendered useless!

194 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES

 SPACE SPEED DISTANCE COVERED
[1] * Earth to Luna in two weeks, cannot travel between planets
[2] Earth to Luna in three days, Earth to Mars in six months
[3] Earth to Luna in 30 hours, Earth to Mars in six weeks
[4] Earth to Luna in 12 hours, Earth to Mars in two weeks
[5] Earth to Luna in four hours, Earth to Mars in four days
[6] Relativistic speeds, Earth to Luna in under one hour, Earth to Mars in under one day.
* Too slow for hybrid craft, hybrid craft must possess at least space Speed [2]

HACKING AND
INFORMATION SECURITY
In the 22nd century, information is valuable and through passive security systems to access the infor-
networked technology is ubiquitous. Hacking into mation within. For this, use the hacking rules in the
computer systems remains a serious threat to those Trinity Continuum Corebook as part of procedural
in the security business – and a major opportunity play, using a dice pool of Enigmas + Cunning to allow
for smart and savvy criminals. the searching of an archive. Ideal circumstances, how-
In Trinity Continuum: Æon gameplay, hacking ever, are not very common; they are most likely to oc-
falls somewhere between intrigue and procedural ac- cur after the hacker has already extracted an encrypted
tion. Hacking is often perpetrated to gain information, archive and can now work on it in safe surroundings.
which would suggest it is procedural — but a successful
hacker can also use a compromised system to achieve PROTECTING A SYSTEM
other goals, such as shutting down camera feeds in a Most networked systems benefit from three dis-
surveillance center, taking control of a law enforcement crete forms of protection. These are the attitude, the
drone, or sending messages from an unwitting victim’s failsafe, and the agent.
minicomp. With advanced security software and SI as Like with any intrigue action, the system being tar-
commonplace defenses, hacking isn’t just cracking a geted by a hack has an attitude toward the would-be
code to break into the delicious data innards; it involves intrusion. This represents the complexity and nature of
evading the notice of prowling, semi-intelligent agents the system’s passive defenses, whether it expects to see
while attempting to persuade the system that the hack- regular connections and multiple users, and how gen-
er is, in fact, meant to be there. erally hostile and obstinate it will be for the hacker to
In ideal circumstances, the would-be hacker is at- navigate through it. A public network is likely to have
tempting to either decrypt a protected file or break a positive attitude, whereas any sort of network that

SOCIAL HACKING
So-called “social” hacking remains the best way to access most minicomps, networked
datastores, and other forms of security. This is classic intrigue play, acquiring passwords
and accessing other information directly from the weakest link in the chain — the human
being. There’s very little chance of a vigilant SI detecting an intruder into the system when
the hacker is logging in with the valid credentials or biometrics of the sysadmin, who either
blathered them to her over one too many drinks in a bar or didn’t notice that the hacker
got him to provide a retina scan. That doesn’t mean that the social hacker can act with
carefree abandon within the system, but it’s a major step toward her goals. Compromising
a system via social hacking usually involves using the influence system (Trinity Contin-
uum Corebook, p. 89).

hacking and information security 195

 UNIQUE ACCESS SYSTEMS made to hack into a system; failure to buy the
Complication off results in an unaware system
A Unique Access System (UAS) is a highly secure becoming aware of the intrusion, as well as the
form of data storage, a unique operating system normal problems caused by a Complication.
designed to be incompatible with any other system, The agent is an active defense. Most
and that exists in an isolated network with others of systems rely on the failsafe to trigger an
its kind or is entirely disconnected. The UAS stores
alarm before an agent will become in-
and encrypts files in a format that only its operating
system can read. volved, but if a system is already expecting
an imminent intrusion then the agent can
A UAS would be entirely useless by itself. No file
contribute to the system’s defenses from
produced on another system would be compatible
with it, so it could never have data added or re- the beginning. For most systems, this is
moved except by physically keying it in. Like a one- an SI agent (p. 285), a limited intelligence
time Vernam cipher, what makes a UAS valuable is Minor character that uses its Primary
the key to its lock, the Access Control Device (ACD). Pool (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p.
An ACD is a go-between, capable of rewriting files 140) to oppose the hacker and attempts to
from a standard operating system into the appropri- counter or trace the intrusion. If a system
ate format for the UAS. Every ACD consists of both has a living security admin — or whole
hardware and software in the form of a portable team of admins — she or they may serve
storage drive designed to be as impregnable as as the agent.
possible. Most ACDs are designed with extremely
temperamental SIs that garble and frag the contents
at the slightest hint of any attempts to compromise HACKING A SYSTEM
them, such as connecting it to any system other than Lacking the credentials that allow her to
the specific UAS. be recognized as a legitimate user, the aspir-
A normal UAS system has a single ACD, held by ing hacker must resort to more direct means.
someone extremely trustworthy and protected by If the target system has any active security
considerable physical security measures. A hacker failsafes or SI agents — and it is rare to find a
wanting to access the prized contents of a UAS will system without these — then she uses the fol-
need to first secure the ACD, then physically access lowing process to perform her hack.
the UAS itself to use the device. Even hardwiring into
the UAS won’t allow a direct hack without the ACD • The hacker must have access to the
to serve as a translator between the systems. target system.
Creating an entirely unique operating system just for • The hacker must have the necessary
a single system or small network is extremely expen- tools to perform the hack.
sive. UAS security is reserved for sensitive govern-
mental data, crucial R&D or financial information • The hacker attempts the hack in the
for major corporations, sensitive information used form of a complex intrigue action
in the legal system, and the military. Incidents like against the system, rolling Enigmas +
the OpNet Crash highlighted a need for this sort of Intellect. As with any intrigue action,
ultra-secure data storage, but it’s simply not practi- the attitude of the system’s security
cal for many organizations, which instead rely on
provides an Enhancement to either
isolated storage without the additional encryption
that a UAS provides. the hacker or the system (and any
agent aware of the intrusion).

• Success allows the hacker into the

is intentionally secure will have a negative attitude to-
system, where she can enact subversions.
ward the hacker. A personal minicomp may have a neg-
ative attitude of 1, a secure corporate server could have
a negative attitude of 3, and a military-grade system like
ACCESS
that of a combat drone’s command and control is likely For the average person in the Trinity Continuum:
to have a negative attitude of 5. Æon setting, networked technology seems complete-
The failsafe represents the system’s ability to pick ly ubiquitous. Augmented reality, widespread use of
up on intrusion, raise an alert, and attempt to counter it. minicomps and the day-to-day requirements of infor-
The failsafe rating applies as a Complication to every roll mation technology at work give the impression that

196 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES

everything is part of a great, all-encompassing web. It Sometimes the only approach to accessing a system
looks like a hacker’s dream come true. is to physically wire into it.
Targets like someone’s personal minicomp or the There are a number of factors affecting whether a
networked workstations in a media company’s mar- hacker has access to her target system:
keting suite are relatively accessible. However, after
• If she is able to physically and directly access the sys-
high-profile incidents of data theft, system subver-
tem, she has access. In the case of a system’s hard-
sion, and the atrocities that occurred during the
ware where there is no obvious way to plug her tools
Aberrant War, the necessities of genuinely secure
in, this may require cracking the thing open and fid-
systems were made evident. Important data is kept
dling around with the internal wiring and connec-
on isolated systems, with hard copies moved by
tions, using a dice pool of Technology + Intellect.
bonded witnesses or by heavily guarded data stor-
age firms. Major companies that don’t need such • If she is close enough to the system to use her
a heavy level of security still run internal, isolated tool’s wireless capabilities to access it, and it is
networks for confidential data that are only opened open for wireless networking, she has access.
for brief, predetermined periods for data transfer.
• If she is not close enough to use wireless di-
The most sensitive or crucial data is protected in
rectly, she can try and leapfrog through other
UAC systems and unique operating systems that
systems that may have access themselves. For
effectively speak a completely different language
example, the hacker might attempt to log into
from other computational devices. Hardtech aug-
someone’s minicomp via hacking the local net-
mentations that could be turned against their user
work provider’s system first.
are almost certainly isolated; hard lessons were
learned from atrocities during the Aberrant War, If the hacker attempts to leapfrog through sys-
and other later problems. tems that are themselves secure, she must hack each
In short, it isn’t always easy for the hacker to access of these intervening systems in turn. Regardless of
her target — especially if she’s after something more whether she needs to hack through them or not, the
important than subverting someone’s minicomp. highest Scale penalty that she faces is also applied to

hacking and information security 197

 hacking the system she is attempting to leapfrog to, Wealthy and powerful individuals using interme-
and to the target system’s attempts to counter and diate security usually have a small chip that authen-
trace her hack. Leapfrogging can leave a hacker over- ticates their identity implanted in their wrist. This
stretched — but can also serve to conceal her trail. chip automatically deactivates if someone removes it
One of the most important aspect of gaining access or if the individual dies. These chips can be copied,
but only if someone has a chance to spend at least a
to a target is the security level of a particular system.
minute with a scanner pressed against the subject’s
SECURITY LEVELS wrist. Also, the chip’s codes change every few days,
After the Aberrant War and the Crash, electronic se- so any copy is only good for a short period of time.
curity underwent a quiet revolution. While the OpNet In addition, SIs track of the individual’s move-
and organizations connected to it became somewhat ments, permitting the person’s location to constantly
more secure, the biggest changes occurred for infor- be determined within a meter. Security is alerted if
mation considered too important to be freely accessed the person’s location is ever unclear, such as if they
from the OpNet, even by authorized personnel. walk into a wild cave. Also, if the person deviates
Average Security: Minicomps, the OpNet, and from their routine too much, security contacts them
many business and organizations have relatively to make certain they are okay. Many important peo-
good security, but can be freely accessed from the ple who use intermediate security are contractually
OpNet, and their only security are biometrics and required to avoid entering areas without OpNet con-
passwords. This is referred to as average security. nectivity. Hacking such a system requires the char-
There are two higher levels of security, which rely acters to gain access to one of the accepted locations.
on secure locations as well as electronic security. Often this means hacking inside the target’s home or
Intermediate Security: financial institutions, office, in a hotel room next to the target’s, or perhaps
large corporations, and governments most often use crouching outside the target’s window while they
this level of security. Extremely wealthy or powerful are sleeping.
individuals like important politicians or CEOs also High Security: This data consists of government
often use it for their personal accounts. Organizations or corporate secrets like the identities and locations
using intermediate security only allow employees to of covert operatives, plans for cutting-edge technolo-
access their site from a few specified locations, like gy and the details of restricted Nova Age technology.
the employee’s home or office. This data is never available on the OpNet. It is only
kept in secure installations that
are shielded against all wireless
BONDED WITNESSES transmissions going in or out.
Moving this data to a different
The only way to ensure that information is truly secure is to
keep it on a computer or local network located in a secure location requires someone to
facility, which has no electronic connection to any computer place it on a highly encrypted
or network outside of this facility. However, even the most data-storage medium, usually a
secure data must be moved to other systems. To prevent data UAS. Then, a well-armed, bond-
breaches, the only people who are allowed to transport this ed witness carries this data stor-
data are bonded witnesses, people licensed by governments age to the new location.
as being sufficiently trustworthy to be allowed to access and Gaining access to this data
transport this data. Typically, they access data in the secure either involves stealing it from
facility and print it out or make an electronic copy that they a courier or physically breaking
deliver to another secure facility.
into the facility where the data
Bonded witnesses usually transport their data to courtrooms, is stored and used and getting
law enforcement offices, other secure facilities, or corporate on the secure network. Since ev-
meetings, where they deliver a hardcopy of the data to a
ery UAS prohibits the data from
designated person and swear that this data has not been
compromised in any fashion that they are aware of. Bond- being copied in an unencrypted
ed witnesses transport electronic files on a secure minicomp, format, anyone wishing to steal
which has no ability to access the OpNet in any fashion and high-security data must also ob-
can only access a few specified and highly secure networks. tain the ACD.
Many of the minicomps are UASs.

198 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES

TOOLS of whether the system is alert or not, she now has
a number of successes to spend on subverting the
A hacker’s tools of the trade are her computer, the
system equal to the total of her Enigmas + Cunning
software loaded therein, any physical implements if
rating.
the target system needs to be hardwired into, and any
other gadgets that make her life easier. Due to the Locate Data (2 successes): The hacker finds a
processing power of a good minicomp, hacking can specific piece of information or a particular file she
be done on the move and relatively discreetly — un- seeks within the system.
less she triggers any security alarms in the process. Standard Function (1 or 2 successes): The hacker
Electronic hacking without a computer of some may activate a function that the system could nor-
kind is impossible for anyone who is not an electroki- mally perform, such as opening or closing an auto-
netic. Particularly impressive computer setups may matic door, turning off a camera feed or starting a file
provide an Enhancement to the hacking attempt, but download. If the system is unaware, this costs the
provided the hacker has at least a minicomp and ac- hacker a single success; if it is alert, then this costs
cess, she also needs appropriate (and likely illegal) 2 successes.
software — usually an agent like a DIA (see p. 286). Forced Function (3+ successes): The hacker may
This agent normally provides 1 Enhancement, or she force a function that the system would not normally
can rely on the agent’s stats to perform the hack by perform due to safeguards or programming limita-
itself. tions but that is reasonably something it could achieve.
For example, rather than simply closing and locking a
THE HACK door, the hacker could then overload the door’s elec-
Hacking is a complex action, usually measured in tronics with a power surge and burn them out; or she
intervals of single rounds. This action has a number could cause an SI-driven vehicle to veer off the road
of milestones usually equal to the system’s attitude. and crash. The number of successes that a forced
Increase the number of milestones for exceptionally function costs is for the Storyguide to determine.
secure systems. Hide Subversion (1+ successes): The hacker may
Also, as long as the target system is not alerted to the attempt to cover her traces within the system. She
hacker’s intrusion, she can willingly extend the size of can create a Complication on one of her other sub-
the intervals, gaining 1 Enhancement for each step that versions within the system, with a level equal to
she shifts; from rounds to minutes, minutes to hours, the number of successes she chooses to spend. This
hours to days, and days to weeks. Taking time can give Complication is applied to the actions of agents in
a hacker the edge she needs to break into a particularly the system that are trying to counter or trace her;
secure system — but it also gives more opportunities for if the Complication is not bought off then the agent
the system’s agents to pick up on what she is doing. will not be able to detect the hidden action. This can
be key for subversions such as downloading large
Additionally, if the Scale of the target system is
amounts of data that will likely take more time than
greater than that of the hacker’s tools, the size of
the hacker will manage to remain in the system.
the interval is forced up by one step without grant-
ing Enhancement. Hacking a traffic light from a Adjust Attitude (4+ successes): The hacker may
minicomp can be relatively quick, but attempting to attempt to alter permissions, meddle with valida-
punch through the firewalls of a major data-storage tions and generally embed herself further in the
facility without some seriously hefty computational system. Every four successes she spends on this sub-
firepower is going to take more than a few moments. version shifts the attitude of the system one point
positively. Unless she successfully conceals this with
The dice pool for the hack itself is Enigmas +
Hide Subversion, it will almost certainly be reset af-
Attribute (usually Intellect) against either a static
ter she leaves the system. She cannot shift attitude by
Difficulty (for an unaware system) or opposed by
more than her Enigmas Skill.
the system’s agent (for an alert system). The failsafe
of the system acts as a Complication to every roll. Set Alarm (2 successes): The hacker places an alarm
Once the system is alert, each point of Complication within the system. She chooses what will trigger the
the hacker fails to buy off provides the agent with 1 alarm, and attaches it to another subversion that she
Enhancement on its next roll. also buys with successes, such as performing or forc-
ing a function. When the alarm condition is triggered,
If she successfully overcomes all of the hack’s mile-
the second subversion goes off. This could be as mild
stones, the hacker is inside the system. Regardless

hacking and information security 199

 HAVE YOU TRIED TURNING IT she chooses to continue, she rolls Enigmas
OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN? + Attribute again against the appropriate
Difficulty, but instead of a complex action,
An agent faced with a problematic hacker who has this becomes a series of single rolls; each
gotten into their system can turn off the power or time she is successful, she gains a new pool
pull the plug on the network. This works just fine — of successes to spend on subversions. If
there’s nothing the hacker can do to a system that she is in an unaware system, she can spend
isn’t active or connected — but any hidden subver- as much time as she likes choosing how to
sions, alarms, and other tricks they’ve embedded spend her successes; however, she must
will still be there when the power comes back on continue to buy off the failsafe Complication
and will still need to be traced and scrubbed. on her rolls to avoid being detected. If she
Of course, just turning the power off or disconnect- is struggling for control of an alert system,
ing a piece of hardware isn’t always an option. This then she will be rolling on a round-by-round
may be because the network is too important to be or minute-by-minute basis against the sys-
taken offline, or it may be because the agent simply
tem’s agents.
isn’t authorized to take that action. SI agents usual-
ly have a set of parameters that they can activate a
kill switch on, but no one would be entirely happy COUNTERS AND TRACING
about giving a Satisfactory Intelligence the ability An agent protecting a system has ad-
to turn off a hospital’s medical electronics due to a ditional countermeasures he can deploy
system intrusion. An SI agent will usually run that against intrusions. Whenever a hacker fails
sort of decision up the chain to a living, breathing to buy off the failsafe Complication during
admin — if there is one. a hack against an aware system, the agent
can trigger one of the following outcomes.
Adjust Attitude: The agent shifts the
as sending a message to the hacker’s minicomp when system’s attitude negatively towards the hacker by 1
a particular person logs into the system, all the way to point. This can only correct an attitude already shift-
making a combat drone open fire when its targeting ed by the hacker; it cannot give the system a more
programs pick up anyone wearing an orange jacket. negative attitude than it began with.
Scramble System (2+ successes): The hacker at- Boot Hacker/Close Connection: This can only be
tempts to incapacitate the whole system. She must done if the agent has successfully traced the hacker.
expend successes equal to the system’s failsafe rating The agent makes an opposed check against the hack-
plus two, preventing the system from performing any er, each using their Enigmas + Attribute dice pools;
of its normal actions and increasing the Difficulty of if he succeeds, she is immediately booted from the
any dice pools involving the system by 2 (including system or has her hack attempt terminated and all
her own). If she expends successes equal to twice accrued Milestones lost.
the system’s failsafe rating she can crash it entirely, Revalidation: This can only be done if the hacker
though this will obviously boot her out immediately. has booted the agent from the system, and may not be
Leapfrog (2 successes): The hacker may leapfrog done during the same interval as the agent was boot-
from this system to another that it connects to. She ed. The agent must succeed at an Enigmas + Cunning
remains connected to this system as part of the chain check, with success allowing him to reenter the system.
to her ultimate target, and getting booted out of this Secure System: The agent tightens the security of
system cuts off any links in the chain that follow it. the system, temporarily shifting its attitude a single
Boot Agent (Varies): The hacker attempts to lock an point negatively towards the hacker for a number
agent out of the system entirely. She must spend success- of rounds equal to the agent’s Enigmas (or half the
es equal to the agent’s dice pool (the Mental pool for an Mental pool of an SI agent). A system’s attitude can
SI agent, or Enigmas + Attribute for an admin) and then only ever be shifted a single point in this way.
succeed at an opposed Enigmas check against the target; Scan: The agent attempts to track any activities
doing so shuts down the agent’s access and prevents him within the system, rolling his Enigmas + Attribute
from taking any counter actions other than revalidation. dice pool to discover any subversions the hacker is
Once the hacker has spent her successes, she may perpetrating. Note that the hacker may have applied
then either leave the system or continue the hack. If a Complication to this via Hide Subversion.

200 CHAPTER SIX: NEW RULES

 Scrub: The agent attempts to undo subver- through the system. This allows him to then perform
sions that the hacker has implemented, making an other actions that require a trace, but he can also
Enigmas roll and spending his successes to remove perform a second trace to follow the hacker’s con-
successes spent on subversions he has detected. He nection back to its origin — and can then attempt to
must fully buy off all successes in a subversion to get initiate his own hack against the hacker’s computer,
rid of it. acquire the hacker’s location, or other possibilities.
Trace: The agent attempts to trace the hacker’s Any failsafe the hacker possesses on her equipment
connection. He makes an Enigmas roll and, if suc- applies as a Complication to the agent’s own trace
cessful, he tracks the hacker’s information footprint attempt.

SURVEILLANCE
AND COUNTER SURVEILLANCE
There’s no shortage of surveillance in the 22nd Abstracting surveillance is done with the Larceny
century — cities and space platforms have networked + Attribute dice pool. If both surveillance and count-
surveillance systems, while at the individual level min- er surveillance are actively being used in a game of
iaturized cameras and microphones, drones both large cat and mouse, both characters roll their pool. If
and small, bioware, and implanted tools of the trade are either side is passive, such as a surveillance team
easy to access. For those who want to avoid the watch- tracking an unsuspecting target or a criminal trying
ful eye of the state, the art of counter surveillance is key. to avoid being seen by a network of cameras that are
When characters attempt surveillance, or are not currently alert to her fugitive status, then the
trying to evade the surveillance of others, it can be Storyguide sets a basic Difficulty for the active side.
run as a scene of action-adventure or procedural The various tools and techniques each side in the
action where the players make use of clever plans, contest has should be awarded as Enhancements or
specific pieces of technology, and the environment Complications to dice pools.
to keep watch on their targets or to evade the same. If the surveillance is successful, the character is
However, it may sometimes be desirable to abstract able to track or observe her target; if the counter sur-
the process when other action sequences are also veillance is successful, the target is able to evade the
taking place concurrently or when the players and surveillance or find any surveillance equipment in an
Storyguide just aren’t that interested in the particu- area he sweeps.
lars and care more about the end result.

sureveillance and counter surveillance 201

 Those who truly understand psionic powers need no explanation. Those
who need explanation will never understand.
—Anne McCaffrey

The subquantum universe exists alongside the physical universe, constantly touching every point. It is
a place of connections, where time and distance often depend on how closely associated two objects are,
rather than physical location. The emergence of psions gave humanity the first tools needed to control this
universe. All psions harness and manipulate the subquantum universe to affect the physical world.

PSI
Psi measures a character’s synchronicity with the Psi. Particularly strong latents — those who may
universe around her. Psionic energy pools in creatures become teleporters or quantakinetics — must
attuned to it, empowering and encouraging them to use purchase a third dot at character creation to gain
it. As they practice harnessing the subquantum flow, those Aptitudes. The greatest psions in the Trinity
psions’ ability to store and command psionic energies Continuum — the proxies — each have Psi traits
grows. Characters with higher Psi exert greater power, of six or seven dots. While they command powers
versatility, finesse, and control over their effects. that most other psions haven’t dreamed of, there’s
Even neutrals have a Psi trait, representing their no barrier preventing any psion from reaching their
basic, living connection to the subquantum universe. potential. Anyone with the drive, patience, and re-
Though normal humans resonate with the subquan- silience to overcome failures and limitations can
tum world, they have no control over it. They possess equal their knowledge and ability.
a single dot of Psi, which generates a weak noetic field A character’s Psi directly contributes to the dice
that allows them to use and even format some bioware. pool she uses to activate psionic powers, giving ex-
Most humans with latent psionic potential, and perienced practitioners greater control over the ef-
most newly triggered psions, possess two dots of fects they generate.

MODE TARGET PSI

PSI DESCRIPTION MAXIMUM ATTUNEMENT RANGE NUMBER POINTS
• Normal Human 0 0 8 1
•• Latent/Recently 1*/5 Short 8 5
Triggered psion
••• Strong Latent+ or 5 Medium 8 10
Trained psion
•••• Experienced 5 Long 8 15
psion
••••• Veteran psion 5 Extreme (10 kilometers) 8 20
••••• • Transcending 6 Extreme (100 kilometers) 7 30
psion
••••• •• Proxy 7 Extreme ^ (1,000 kilometers) 7 40

* Latent psions may have one dot in a single Mode. They can’t consciously control it and may only mani-
fest the power at dramatically appropriate times, with the Storyguide’s permission. If the character is later
triggered into another Aptitude, she keeps this dot as her Auxiliary Mode. Latents don’t have access to
Attunement, nor can they access their Psi pool.
+ Latent quantakinetics and teleporters must have Psi 3 to be powerful enough to obtain these Aptitudes.
^ Multiply Attunement range by 10 for each dot above seven.

psi 203
 PSI POINTS changes at greater distances as her Psi trait increas-
es, as per the table on p. 203.
Humans are psionic batteries. Even baseline hu-
The character may take an ordinary action to
mans retain a portion of the psionic energies that
concentrate on her Attunement, rolling Psi + her
move through them. Psions attract and store even
highest Mode. Success tells the psion if any strong
more of this subquantum energy, and can use it to
Psi sources, such as powerful psions, potent bio-
manifest and control their powers.
ware, or psionic powers are being used within her
A character’s pool of Psi points depends on her
Attunement range. This doesn’t reveal any infor-
Psi trait as listed in the above table. The minimum
mation about the Psi source, although the character
Psi point cost to manifest a power is stated in that
can spend additional successes to discover more,
power’s description. In addition to the minimum
such as the general direction, approximate range, or
activation cost, psions attempting to use powers
the strength relative to the psion.
beyond their dots in a Mode must pay extra Psi
The drawback of this sensitivity is that the psion
points, even if the power is normally free to use. See
can’t tune out sudden or drastic shifts in the Psi
“Activating Psi Powers,” p. 206.
flow. Destruction on a massive scale (hundreds of si-
A character regains her Psi trait in points ev-
multaneous deaths in one location, a moon explod-
ery 10 minutes (five minutes for psions with Psi
ing), or other significant disruptions to Psi (attack
of 6 or 7) after ceasing psionic activity. A char-
squads of powerful Aberrants using their powers)
acter who chooses to spend Psi points every nine
can shock and distract the psion. Smaller, more inti-
minutes (or is somehow forced to do so) can drain
mate events — such as the psion’s sister giving birth
herself of psionic energies without recovering
for the first time — can also have this effect. If such
any Psi points.
disruptions occur within the psion’s Attunement
range, the psion gains the Psychic Shock Mental
ATTUNEMENT Status Condition that provides a Complication
Psions have an inherent awareness of the sub- equal to Psi – Composure (if greater than zero).
quantum universe around them. This gives them This Status Condition lasts for the next scene un-
the ability to sense strong sources of psionic energy less someone provides the psion with telepathic
as well as to feel sudden, dramatic changes in Psi Psychbending or vitakinetic Iatrosis treatment ca-
flows. This Attunement allows a psion to feel these pable of removing mental Status Conditions.

NOETIC CONNECTIONS & TEMPLATES

Everything in the physical universe interacts hasten it. The Storyguide should feel free to reduce
with the subquantum universe in a unique way. noetic connection as story events dictate.
This gives a distinctive signature that psions can Additionally, every living being, and most com-
use to target applicable powers towards specific in- plex objects, have what psions call a noetic template.
dividuals, objects, or locations. Psions refer to these In living creatures, the noetic template defines how
signatures as having a noetic connection to the tar- it should be. It describes how strong and smart the
get. The table below shows how noetic connections being is, its health, and details of the shape of its
influence the Difficulty of applicable Psi activation body and limbs. The noetic template defines the
rolls and how long they take to attain. limits of what is possible. A power that restores the
Many noetic connections aren’t static, they fade template brings it back to its usual level. A power
over time. Material Connections fade after one month. that enhances this template usually can’t go beyond
In the time listed below, Familiar Connections fade to the maximum for a member of that species.
Remembered Connections, and after a similar time The following are the different types of possible
Remembered Connections fade entirely. Drastically noetic connections.
changing the nature of the target degrades any noetic Psionic Connection: You are currently in a tele-
connection far more rapidly. Altering or destroying an pathic Network (p. 248) with or using an applicable
object, rearranging the layout of a location, or subject- psionic sense on the target. Formatted bioware al-
ing a living being to Quantum or psionic powers can ways has this level of connection with its user.

204 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 Sensory Connection: You can directly sense the NOETIC CONNECTION
target with your normal or psionic senses. This is
In all cases, only apply the best available noetic
rarely longer than medium range.
connection.
Material Connection: A small piece of an object,
person, or location, like a lock of hair that is no more INCREASED
than a month old. CONNECTION DIFFICULTY
Familiar Connection: Within the last sever- Psionic Connection +1 Enhancement, no
al years, the psion lived in a location for at least a increased Difficulty
month, spent one day per week there for at least a Sensory Connection +0
year, or interacted with a person for either several Material Connection +1
hours a day for a week or several hours a week for a
month. After several years, this connection fades to Familiar Connection +2
Remembered. Remembered Connection +3
Within the last month, the psion carried or fre-
quently used an object or vehicle for more than a Within the past month, the psion touched or
day. After a second month, this connection fades to used the object or vehicle for at least a few minutes.
Remembered. Remembered Connections fade to nothing after the
Sharing the senses of someone who currently has listed time.
a Sensory or Direct Connection to the target also Examining the memories of someone with either
counts as a Familiar Connection. a Familiar or Remembered Connection to the target
Remembered Connection: Within the last sever- also provides a Remembered Connection.
al years, the psion spent several days in a location or
interacted with a person for several hours.

noetic connections & templates 205

 APTITUDES AND MODES
Psionic abilities are divided into eight themes, A character’s Psi usually helps define a power’s
called Aptitudes. Each Aptitude expresses one effect. The greater a psion’s Psi Trait, the greater her
aspect of the noetic totality — a term invented by starting base, as shown in the table below. Unless
quantakinetic scientists and quickly adopted by clearly specified otherwise, range is used for a pow-
clairsentients to describe the full range of possi- er’s range, Size determines how large an object the
ble noetic powers. Every Aptitude contains three psion can affect with the power, and Duration refers
aspects called Modes, giving psions different path- to how long a power lasts. All of these quantities in-
ways to explore in developing their command of crease as a psion’s Psi increases. Every Mode pow-
Psi. Aptitudes overlap at points, expressing similar er’s description refers to the relevant unit’s title,
effects in different ways. For example, electrokinet- like Duration or range. Unless specified otherwise, a
ics and vitakinetics can both temporarily enhance character can always choose to affect a lesser range,
mental acuity, but each uses a different method. Size, or other quantity without cost, or end a power
Electrokinetics boost the electrical signals in their before its Duration has expired.
brains while vitakinetics directly enhance their Regardless of the listed Duration, the character
nerve cells. can cause a power to last indefinitely by commit-
ting the Psi points she spent activating the power.
ACTIVATING PSI POWERS She must commit one Psi point to maintain powers
To a trained psion, using her abilities is as natu- that cost nothing to activate. The character can’t
ral as holding her breath. It takes some minor ef- regain committed Psi points while maintaining the
fort, but is simple to achieve. Just like she can ex- power, but neither do they count as reactivating the
pend more effort and challenge herself to hold that power for purposes of regaining Psi points. She can
breath longer, psions can also push themselves to withdraw the Psi points at any time, after which she
achieve greater effects than they normally access. regenerates them normally. If the power’s normal
Activating psionic powers usually requires an or- Duration has expired, the power ends instantly.
dinary action. The character spends the required Psions can’t prolong powers like attacks, whose ef-
Psi points and the player rolls the dice pool against fects only last an instant.
the Difficulty. A character’s dice pool always equals
her Psi Trait plus the number of dots she has in the PSI TRAIT EFFECTS
Mode she is using.
PSI TRAIT RANGE SIZE DURATION
If the character’s dots in the Mode equal or ex-
ceed the number of dots of the power, her default •* Close 0 Rounds
Difficulty to activate that power is 1. Some powers •• Short 0 Rounds
have additional considerations that may affect the
••• Short 1 Minutes
Difficulty, like noetic connection (p. 204) to the tar-
get. A character attempting to use a power beyond •••• Medium 1 Hours
her Mode dots adds the difference between her Medium 2 Hours
•••••
Mode dots and the dots of the attempted power to
the Difficulty of the roll. She must also pay one addi- ••••• • Long 2 Days
tional Psi point per dot of difference, in addition to Long 3 Days
••••• ••
any other costs associated with the power. For ex-
* All psions have at least two dots of Psi but some
ample, if the character has two dots in a Mode but powers can change a character’s effective Psi
wants to attempt a four-dot power, she increases her
Difficulty by +2 and must pay two extra Psi points.
Similarly, several aspects of a power depend on the
In contrast, if her Mode dots exceed the number of
control the psion has over his Mode. Radius is most
dots of the power that she wants to use, she applies
often used to describe the radius of a power that af-
the difference as an Enhancement. Characters can-
fects everyone within an area, but it also sometimes
not attempt any six- or seven-dot powers they have
represents the range for short-range powers. Mode
not purchased.
dots/2 is commonly used for powers that provide a

206 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

modest bonus or penalty of some type. The power’s contact or part of a Mindshare Network. As long
description details what factors use this table. as the linkage continues, the psions must combine
their powers and they can also take an ordinary ac-
MODE DOTS EFFECTS tion to share Psi points with each other.
Each character uses her own powers, which are
MODE DOTS RADIUS MODE DOTS/2
boosted by the others’ Psi. The psion activates her
• Close 1 power as normal, but each psion who is part of the
Close 1 link must also spend 1 additional Psi point (includ-
••
ing the psion who is using the power). If anyone
••• Short 2 can’t (or won’t) pay this surcharge the link ends
•••• Short 2 instantly. The attempted power fails automatically,
and expended Psi points are lost.
••••• Short 3
The table below lists the bonus effects of combin-
••••• • Medium 3 ing powers. The psion using the power never counts
Medium 4 herself when determining bonuses, but psions of
••••• •• +
the same Aptitude grant each other access to this
+ Possessing seven dots in a Mode requires that
bonus. Additionally, when two or more psions of the
character possess six dots in any Mode and also know
same Aptitude combine, each considers their Psi to
the singular seven-dot power for that Aptitude.
be +1 greater than usual, or +2 if one of the group is
a proxy-Tier psion. Ordinary psions can’t increase
Example: A power’s description says it lasts
their Psi above six dots in this manner, though
the psion’s Mode dots times his Duration. For
a psion with two dots of Psi and three dots in proxy-Tier psions can increase Psi to seven dots.
his Mode, this power lasts three Rounds. For
a proxy with seven dots of Psi and five dots Example: A clairsentient, a psychokinetic,
in that Mode, the same power lasts five days and a telepath combine powers. The clairsen-
unless she terminates it earlier. tient adds the psychokinetic’s Psi to determine
the level of her effect, and can affect or observe
a number of targets equal to the telepath’s Psi.
COMBINING MULTIPLE MODES She doesn’t gain access to using her pow-
ers at Attunement range. Similarly, the tele-
A psion can combine powers from her different
path increases the range of her powers to her
Modes in a single action if she has appropriate lev-
Attunement (or Power x 10 light years for pow-
els of understanding of the powers. She can only ers with noetic connection range) and adds Psi
combine powers where she has sufficient dots — to her level of effect, but can’t use her powers
she can’t push herself to access greater levels of on a number of targets equal to her Psi.
power and combine these into a single activation as
a mixed action. She must pay the combined cost of Psions can also combine their abilities to take ad-
each power she wishes to activate. vantage of each Aptitude’s specialties and open new
ways to use their powers. This can produce other-
COMBINING MULTIPLE APTITUDES wise impossible effects. For example, biokinetics —
Psions can combine their Aptitudes to gain access who can only use their powers on themselves — can
to more powerful effects. Combining powers either combine with vitakinetics to access the noetic tem-
requires two or more psions to be touching so their plates of others and shapeshift them. If a clairsen-
noetic fields interact with each other, or that they tient joined this group, the biokinetic could even
linked via a Mindshare Network (p. 248). Touching attempt this shape shifting at range.
doesn’t require skin-to-skin contact as noetic fields The sheer number of possibilities available to
extend a few millimeters from the psion through creative players through these combinations is be-
clothing or protective gear. yond the scope of these rules to list and describe.
The psions must harmonize their noetic fields Players should be creative within the spirit of these
to work with each other. This process requires rules, with the Storyguide being the final arbiter of
one round, and the linkage continues until the what is possible, how difficult it is, and how much
psions wish to end it or they cease being in physical it costs.

aptitudes and modes 207

 BONUSES FOR COMBINING PSIONIC APTITUDES
SECONDARY APTITUDE ENHANCED EFFECT
Biokinesis Double the number of successes the primary psion has available to
spend, after accounting for Difficulty or Complications.
Clairsentience Powers can be used at the clairsentient’s Attunement range. In addition,
powers that are already guided by noetic connection (p. 204) have a
maximum range of Psi x 10 light years.
Electrokinesis Multiply the duration of the power’s effect by the electrokinetic’s Psi trait.
If the effect normally lasts an instant — such as an attack — the effect can
be used again the next round without additional cost.
Psychokinesis Add the psychokinetic’s Psi trait as Enhancement to powers used on
objects and devices.
Quantakinesis Double the primary psion’s Psi trait when calculating dice pools and
effects.
Telepathy Allow the primary psion to affect a number of targets equal to the tele-
path’s Psi with each use of a power that can normally only affect a single
target other than the psion.
Teleportation Increase the power’s area of effect by one range band. Powers without
an area of effect gain one equal to short.
Vitakinesis Add the vitakinetic’s Psi trait as Enhancement to powers on living
creatures.

PSIONIC DYSFUNCTION reports aren’t taken seriously. Besides, the public

doesn’t possess enough knowledge about Psi to un-
Although Aptitudes divide into thematic Modes, derstand that strange behavior is an actual condi-
psions should not study them in isolation. Neglecting tion and not just a result of the psion having a bad
to develop all three Modes imbalances the human day. The psi orders and the Æon Trinity work to
mind, which leads to dysfunction. A psion suffering downplay dysfunction’s existence, as neither wants
dysfunction develops strange personality quirks and humanity to think that psions will inevitably slip
finds it harder to interact with her peers. into madness like the Aberrants before them.
While rare, psionic dysfunction isn’t unknown. Dysfunctional psions display personality quirks
Many psions are tempted to improve their favored associated with their dysfunctional Mode. A bioki-
abilities at the expense of those they find less ap- netic with dysfunctional Adaptation may exhibit an
pealing. Dysfunction also tends to increase the extremely cavalier attitude toward danger as she’s
psion’s ability in the unbalanced Mode, making it sure her body and Psi will meet any challenge. A
challenging to convince the sufferer to rehabili- psychokinetic with dysfunctional Telekinesis may
tate. Further, dysfunction makes it more difficult obsess over the location of small items around him
for the psion to use her other Modes. Sufferers tend and constantly move them about, making it dif-
to focus even further on their dysfunctional Mode, ficult for him to focus on anything but this move-
which comes most easily to her. ment. Players are encouraged to define and express
Additionally, dysfunction interferes with the the character’s quirks and find ways in which they
psion’s ability to combine her powers with oth- hamper the character or her peers. The Storyguide
ers. This interference can go so far as temporarily should reward this role playing, either through pro-
draining the other psions’ lesser Modes, “infecting” viding Enhancement bonuses or by awarding addi-
them with dysfunction of their own if they spend tional Experience.
too much time with a noetic connection to the im-
A character suffers dysfunction if any one Mode is
balanced individual.
more than two greater than her next highest Mode.
The public is currently unaware that dysfunction A character with three dots in only one Mode would
exists. Sensationalized newscasts and paparazzi be dysfunctional, as would a character who has one

208 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 PSIONIC DICE POOLS AND COST
As was stated above, a character’s dice pool to use all psionic powers always equals the
number of dots she has in the Mode she is using plus her Psi Trait, and all Basic Powers use
her highest Mode plus her Psi Trait as their dice pool. As a result, the dice pools for individ-
ual Mode powers are not listed. Also, if no Psi point cost is listed for a power, it costs 0 Psi
points, but the character must still commit 1 Psi point to it to cause it to continue indefinitely.

dot in two of her Modes and four dots in the third. some psions do show vestigial signs that humanity
Dysfunction only applies to his primary Aptitude. may overcome this limitation. Psions may purchase
Dots in Auxiliary Modes (see below) don’t count a single dot in Modes from Aptitudes other than
towards staving off dysfunction, nor do they suffer their primary Aptitude. Characters aren’t limited in
the increased Difficulty. Any psion suffering from how many Auxiliary Modes they take, but can never
psionic dysfunction gains the Psionic Dysfunction possess more than one dot in each Auxiliary Mode.
Condition. Proxy-Tier characters overcome some of this lim-
itation, allowing them to purchase up to two dots in
PSIONIC DYSFUNCTION each of their Auxiliary Modes.
(PERSISTENT) Auxiliary Modes also provide access to that
Aptitude’s basic powers. However, psions can’t
Your character has invested too much of herself
into a single Psionic Mode, causing her to act er- attempt to manifest greater effects than their
ratically. She tends to obsess about her primary Auxiliary Mode dots allow or combine Auxiliary
Mode to the point of letting other things fall by the Modes or their associated basic powers with any
wayside. The character gains Enhancement equal other powers, including their Aptitude. Finally,
to half the difference between her dysfunctional gaining access to quantakinesis or teleportation
Mode and the next higher Mode (rounded down) Auxiliary Modes requires the character to possess
to use her dysfunctional Mode. For example, a a Psi of at least three.
character with 4 dots in her primary Mode and a
single dot in another Mode gains 1 Enhancement. PROXY TIER PSIONS
When attempting to use other Modes in her
Aptitude, she suffers increased Difficulty equal to The proxies and other Tier 3 psions transcend
the difference between the primary Mode and the the limitations of lesser psions. Psions can only
next highest Mode. raise their Psi to 6 if they also possess five dots in
one Aptitude Mode, as well as at least three dots
Additionally, dysfunction interferes with the
in another Mode. At this point, the character can
psion’s ability to combine her powers with others. If
increase her Psi to 6, transforming herself into
another psion spends more than a few minutes in a
noetic connection with the dysfunctional psion, she a proxy-Tier character, with all the advantages
gains a temporary version of this Condition which that entails, including changing her target num-
lasts for the next scene. ber from 8 to 7 (Trinity Continuum Corebook,
p. 71).
Momentum: Whenever the character attempts
to use any Mode in her Aptitude other than her Proxy-Tier psions possess far greater Attunement
primary one, add 1 Momentum to the pool. ranges and larger pools of Psi points. They also
have access to unique powers. Only proxy-Tier
Resolution: This Condition resolves when the psions can purchase six-dot powers in any of their
psion increases one of her other Modes so that Modes. They can also learn their Aptitude’s single
it is no more than 2 lower than her Dysfunctional
seven-dot power. To purchase a seven-dot power,
Mode.
characters must have seven dots of Psi and six dots
in at least one Mode.
AUXILIARY MODES
No psion — not even the proxies — has exhibited
the ability to manifest multiple Aptitudes. However,

aptitudes and modes 209

 BIOKINESIS
Biokinesis allows psions to control their own successes to refine types of life, such as mammal,
body. Biokinetics’ control over their own anatomy reptile, human, or ant. Biosense lasts Psi Duration.
and physiology surpasses vitakinetics’ in some ar-
eas. Their abilities focus solely on themselves; bio- FORM MASTERY
kinetic powers can’t directly affect another being, The biokinetic specializes in certain shapes made
though their effects can. A biokinetic couldn’t alter from her malleable flesh. She can shift into these
a person’s mind to make him trust the psion, but she forms with minimal effort, wearing them for as long
could exude waves of tailored pheromones to set as she desires.
the target at ease.
System: The player crafts her desired shape from
the various Transmogrification powers available
BASIC POWERS to the character. This can include transformations
All characters with even one dot of Biokinesis from different dot ratings, but she must possess suf-
possess the following powers. ficient dots in a Mode; she can’t extend her power
beyond what she knows. Total the successes; extra
BIOSENSE Psi points (in addition to the powers’ base costs)
Biokinetics are keenly aware of individual life may be required to perform all the transformations
forms around them. Each creature registers a in this shape. The character pays one Experience
unique signature to the psion’s senses. With some per two successes or extra Psi points (round down)
effort, the biokinetic can search through this con- needed to gain permanent access to the form.
stant living “noise” to differentiate between signa- Thereafter, she can transform into this shape as a
tures and search for specific signals. reflexive action by spending the Psi point cost of us-
System: If successful, the psion senses all individ- ing the highest Mode that is part of this transforma-
ual living beings within Short range. She can screen tion. The form endures while she commits this Psi
out microscopic life with a thought, and can spend point and otherwise lasts for her Mode dots times
her Duration.

210 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

ADAPTATION ACCLIMATIZE (••)
Adaptation protects the psion against hostile A psion can adjust his physiology to best suit the
environments. Surviving temperature extremes, environment. If exposed in a frozen snowfield, he
resisting toxins, or shifting moment by moment could draw body heat inwards to maintain core tem-
to mitigate damage from combat are Adaptation’s perature, and adjust his retinal response to avoid
purview. Adaptation also protects all formatted snow-blindness from the excessive glare. In a desert,
biotech the psion is wearing or touching. he could increase surface blood flow to better shed
Adaptation always tries to activate to protect heat, while reducing sweat to minimize water loss. In
the psion. Whenever the psion encounters a cir- a smoky room, he can filter the air in his throat or al-
cumstance that Adaptation could defend against, low himself to avoid suffocation for hours. However,
the power automatically uses a reflexive action on this power can’t fully protect the character from ex-
behalf of the character. This requires no conscious ceptionally swift and deadly threats.
effort, but she must have sufficient Psi points to System: The psion suffers no penalties from in-
trigger the effect and still makes an activation roll creased or decreased gravity that is less than extreme
for the power to work. Automatic activation only gravity (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 110) and
applies to techniques the character has sufficient can also ignore all environmental indirect damage
dots for. Though she can push herself to use more with the Continuous (hour) tag as well as all environ-
difficult powers, these won’t activate automatical- mental indirect damage with the Continuous (min-
ly. The character can consciously choose to pre- ute) tag that does not also possess the Aggravated
vent this automatic activation. tag. The psion can reduce the damage rating of oth-
er forms of environmental indirect damage by one
RESIST (•) per success spent. Reducing the damage rating of
The psion mitigates sources of harm coming these sources of damage to zero changes them from
from within her body. She can alter biochemical Continuous (rounds) to Continuous (minute) or from
processes, concentrate immune responses towards Continuous (minute) damage to Continuous (hour).
foreign objects, and strengthen her biological tem- Each activation resists all environmental hazards
plate to resist alterations. She can isolate and ex- present at that time — if the biokinetic is in zero
pel a toxin without altering or being affected by its gravity, surrounded by corrosive acid and hot gas-
toxicity. The psion can also cleanse herself of dirt es, he would be protected from all three. The psion
and grime through this power, altering her skin must activate the power again if he encounters a
and hair to repel these substances and take an in- new hazard. The psion can also use this power to
stant psionic shower. temporarily give himself either the one-dot Mars
System: Success reduces the damage rating Adaptation or the one-dot Low Gravity Adaptation
of hazards such as toxins, irritants, and diseases Edge (p. 127) for one success. The power lasts for
within the psion’s body by an amount equal to her his Mode dots times his Duration or while the char-
Mode dots. If the power reduces the damage rating acter remains in contact with the hazard, whichev-
to zero the character can either internally neutral- er is shorter.
ize the substance, or expel it intact from her body.
If the damage rating of a hazard is not reduced to
METABOLIC CONTROL (•••)
zero, it continues to damage the psion at the re- The biokinetic controls the speed of her body’s
duced rate. She can spend additional successes to processes. While this can reduce harmful condi-
further reduce the damage rating at one success tions, it also works to repair damage. The psion
per point of reduction. Each activation resists all can slow blood flow, increase adrenaline and neu-
internal hazards present at that time for as long as rotransmitter production, or even overcharge her
the psion remains in their presence. If she encoun- healing processes.
ters new harmful substances, she must activate the Cost: 1 Psi
power again. The psion need only spend a single System: If successful, the character changes the
success to clean her body as if she had bathed. rate of one aspect of her physiology. For functions
that take a defined time, such as healing, holding her
breath, or going without water, she multiplies (or

Biokinesis 211
 divides) the time by Mode dots + successes. For pro- BIOKINESIS REGENERATION
cesses not measured in time, such as Initiative, the
character either adds (or subtracts) Mode dots/2 to REGENERATE SUCCESSES
her total. The character can spend additional suc- Finger, eye, hand, foot 1
cesses to further change this rate on a one-for-one
Limb, non-vital internal organ 2
basis. Alternately, the character can spend two suc-
cesses to affect a second biological process. These Vital internal organ 3
changes last her Mode dots times her Duration. Spine, brain 4
Injury and Status Conditions 1 per Condition
ADAPT (••••)
modifier
The biokinetic’s body makes extreme changes to
temporarily cope with almost any hostile condition. PSYCHOMORPHING
He can survive the vacuum of space, dive through Psychomorphing explores the workings of the
Jupiter’s toxic atmosphere without a spacesuit, psion’s body within the possibilities of what it
swim to the deepest depths of Earth’s ocean, or act means to be human. He may “redraw” his biological
normally in 5 Gs. template to reshape or improve it, at least tempo-
Cost: 2 Psi rarily. Except for alterations that are designed to be
System: By spending 2 Psi, the psion upgrades noticeable, such as changes to skin or hair color, the
Acclimatize so that he ignores all environmental effects of Psychomorphing are invisible to others.
indirect damage with the Continuous tag and ig-
nores all negative effects of extreme gravity. For the ADJUST (•)
duration of this power, the character’s body auto- The psion can fine tune his body, refining his abil-
matically changes as required to meet any new envi- ities to match his desires. He can change the color-
ronmental challenges. The power lasts for his Mode ation of his skin, hair, or eyes, or change the elastic-
dots times his Duration. ity of his skin to give the appearance of wrinkles (or
remove them), but cannot change his build or face
SURVIVE (•••••)
shape. He can also optimize the makeup of his mus-
The psion’s body works to adapt to any hostile cles and bones to suit a given need, but he is confined
situation, not just environmental. Her skin thickens by the limitations of his biological template; he must
in an instant to the toughness of crocodile hide to take from one Attribute to add to another. However,
resist blade or bullet, becomes translucent and crys- he can’t otherwise change his appearance.
talline to disperse laser blasts, or highly conductive System: Success allows the character to shift a
on the surface and resistant beneath to ground elec- number of physical features or physical Attributes
tricity without harm. She can also regenerate lost equal to Mode dots per success spent, taking points
limbs and vital organs. As long as she survives, she from one Physical Attribute to add the same num-
can overcome grievous damage to become whole ber of points to another. These adjustments last his
again. Mode dots times his Duration, but cannot reduce
Cost: 3 Psi any Physical Attribute below one dot or increase
System: Success both increases the Difficulty of any Attribute above six dots. The character can also
all attempts to use the Inflict Damage Stunt against spend one success to temporarily gain or remove
her and reduces the damage rating of all forms of the Striking Edge.
indirect damage by an amount equal to her Mode
dots. This bonus persists for Mode dots Scenes, as ENHANCE (••)
her body instinctively shifts shape to counter what- The biokinetic learns to augment the limitations
ever seeks to harm her. of her biological template, overwriting it with pure
During this time, she can also spend successes to Psi. The character can increase any of her Physical
instantly regenerate body parts and remove both Attributes to maximum human levels, although she
Injury and Status Conditions, as per the following can’t exceed this limit. She can also enhance herself
table. in other relatively minor ways.
Cost: 1 Psi point

212 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 System: The character may add one dot to any Incorporated bioware reduces its Formatting
one physical Attribute for every success spent, up to Tolerance by 1, but the psion can only incorporate a
a maximum of five dots for each Attribute, proxy-Ti- number of pieces of bioware equal to his Psi.
er psions increase this limit to six dots (Trinity
Continuum Corebook, p. 54). Her adjustments also OVERCOME (••••)
allow her to temporarily purchase Physical Edges at Human flesh and bone no longer limit the bioki-
a cost of one success per dot. In addition, the psion netic’s desires. While she still can’t reach superhu-
can spend 1 success to do any one of the following: man levels, she can control her body’s mechanical
Increase her running or swimming Speed Scale by processes however she wants, as long as she has
+1 (to an absolute maximum of 3 if combined with something to work with. She can twist joints in any
the Swift Edge), hold her breath for one scene, direction, make her feet hyper flexible to grasp ob-
or survive without harm or impairment for one jects as easily as with her hands, or lock herself in
week without water or one month without food. position so that she doesn’t tire. The psion has abso-
However, doing the last two require committing 1 lute control over her body as long as even the thin-
Psi point. Otherwise, transformations endure for nest threads of flesh connect the parts. This control
her Mode dots times her Duration. also extends to a biochemical level and allows the
psion to tailor pheromones to influence and per-
COMPARTMENTALIZE (•••) suade people around her.
Cost: 2 Psi points
System: Success grants the character an
Enhancement equal to her Mode dots to all rolls
that would benefit from the character’s mercu-
rial shape changing. This generally applies to all
Physical rolls, with the Storyguide ruling on wheth-
er it applies to Mental or Social tasks. In addition,
she can also release specific pheromones to aid
social interactions, spending one success per +1
Enhancement or to shift the attitude over everyone
in close range towards the character by one point in
either direction. Each pheromone must be focused
The biokinetic has absolute control over sub- towards a single specific goal, such as intimidation
stances entering or leaving his body. He could take or seduction, and only provides benefit if the tar-
in toxins or poisonous gases, and then isolate and get can sense the pheromones. If desired, charac-
store them for later release. He can also control ters can use multiple successes to produce multi-
whether he leaves behind biological traces such as ple pheromones. Pheromones are ineffective if the
hair, skin flakes, or DNA and incorporate format- psion or target are in sealed space suits or are more
ted bioware in his body, merging it within his flesh, than close range from each other. This power lasts
both concealing it and reducing its Tolerance. her Mode dots times her Duration.
Cost: 1 Psi point
System: The biokinetic leaves almost no biolog- PERFECTION (•••••)
ical traces while the power is active, including fin- The biokinetic can now move beyond human
gerprints. Apply the psion’s Mode dots as a Difficulty limitations, enhancing themselves to superhuman
for rolls attempting to track or identify the charac- levels. The character can redesign his inner work-
ter by such traces. The character can also ingest ings, moving organs to new locations, or even de-
one substance for later release per success spent, construct organs to distribute throughout his body
storing it for his Mode dots times his Duration. If without affecting function. He can toughen his skin
the substance’s damage rating – his Mode dots is and ignore nerve impulses. He can also withstand
greater than zero, the character takes damage as incredible bodily trauma and continue acting long
per the reduced level. Incorporating bioware using after he should be dead.
this power is permanent until the psion wishes to
Cost: 3 Psi points
expel it, and does not require committing Psi points.

Biokinesis 213
 ARMOR AND WEAPON TAGS FOR PSION POWERS
Various Modes can provide psions with armor or attacks, both of which use armor tags and
weapon tags. See the armor tags and the weapon tags in the Trinity Continuum Core-
book (pp. 123-126) and (p. 127), and the new armor tags and weapon tags in this book
(pp. 268-269) and (pp. 274-276). Unless otherwise specified, all armor provided by psi
powers automatically possesses the Complete tag.

System: The character can now use Enhance to in- gain the Reach tag, and add the Entangle tag by
crease Physical Attributes up to a maximum of 7 dots spending one success
for each Physical Attribute and up to a maximum of
five dots for each Mental or Social Attribute. He can GROSS MANIPULATION (••)
also add any reasonable temporary Mental, Physical,
The psion makes obvious and unsubtle changes
or Social Edges. The psion can also purchase addition-
to his physical form, without drastically chang-
al temporary Bruised Condition boxes for two suc-
ing his overall structure. Psions typically use these
cesses each, or additional Maimed Condition boxes
changes as quick offensive or defensive measures.
for one success each. Damage recorded in these disap-
He could grow additional eyes, plate himself in ar-
pears when the power ends, with injuries absorbed by
mor, or sprout tentacles. He can sharpen his fingers
the biokinetic’s redundant organs and flesh. All chang-
into knives or other simple mechanical tools. He
es endure for his Mode dots times his Duration.
can also adjust his features and general build. These
changes aren’t enough to mimic anyone else’s ap-
TRANSMOGRIFY pearance or improve the psion’s Attributes, but can
Transmogrify manipulates the biokinetic’s appear- make him unrecognizable to pursuers.
ance. More than just cosmetic changes, this Mode
System: The psion alters aspects of himself
modifies cellular structures and makes the physi-
by spending successes as per the chart below.
ological alterations required to sustain the trans-
Enhancement bonuses granted by these modifica-
formations. Transmogrify’s effects can confuse and
tions for any non-combat purposes are equal to his
alarm those not used to biokinetic displays. Radically
Mode dots/2. The psion designs each modification
shifted biokinetics have been confused for Aberrants.
to accomplish a specific purpose. Each separate
modification costs successes — see the table below.
PLASTICITY (•)
Extra limbs allow psions to hold and manipulate
The biokinetic can overcome various mechanical objects, and may allow characters to perform more
restrictions on her body without losing functional- and more complex mixed actions in a round, like us-
ity. She can soften her bones and tissues to the con- ing two hands to pick a lock and a third to fire a gun.
sistency of soft rubber. She can stretch out her skin Additional sensory organs can allow the character
and muscles to shape her body, extend her reach, or to perform tasks like seeing around corners by put-
flatten herself to only a few centimeters thick and fit ting an eye on his fingertip.
into narrow spaces. If he is instead giving his body into armor or
System: The character can stretch his reach a weapons, the psion gains a pool of points equal to his
number of additional meters equal to her Mode Mode dots + successes in tags to use to create these
dots. She can soften and flatten himself to fit armor and weapons. Weapons formed through
through gaps no smaller than (10 – Mode dots) this power all possess the Melee tag and can have
centimeters. The biokinetic can also build shapes any of the following weapon tags: Brutal, Deadly,
from her malleable body, such as wings. While Entangle (2), Grapple, Piercing, Pushing, Quality (2,
she lacks the strength to fly, she could flatten and 3), Reach, Shield (2), or Weighted. Similarly, he can
stretch herself to glide or mitigate falling dam- add the Complete (3), Composite (2), Defensive (2),
age. These changes last her Mode dots times her Hard (1), or Soft (1, 2) tags to armor formed by this
Duration. Her close-combat attacks automatically power. All changes last for his Mode dots times his
Duration.

214 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 NON-COMBAT SUCCESSES the fangs or stingers needed to deliver the poison. He
MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED could even give himself a set of functional wings or a
carapace of tortoiseshell armor. His practical limits
Tool 1 are his imagination. Whatever the modification, his
Appendages 2 per appendage power ensures he can use it for its intended purpose.
Sensory organs 1 Cost: 2 Psi points
Cosmetic changes 1 for any desired changes System: In addition to providing the psion with
information not otherwise available, new senses
can provide him with 1 Enhancement per success to
TRANSFORMATION (•••)
relevant actions. If the biokinetic wishes to improve
Transformation doesn’t explore dramatic changes several senses at once, he can allocate the successes
away from human norms; it develops the psion’s absolute as desired. The player can also increase the charac-
fine control over human appearance. She can change her ter’s Speed Scale (including flying speed) at a cost
hair and eye color, alter her height, weight, body shape, of one success per +1 running or swimming Speed
or sex, and can even modify her finger and retina prints Scale or two successes per +1 flying Speed Scale (to
if she likes. With sufficient effort, she can impersonate a maximum of Speed Scale 4).
another person in near-perfect disguise. These changes These changes can also duplicate the functions of
aren’t merely cosmetic; physiological processes shift as any worn or handheld formattable biotech device listed
needed, including reproductive capacity. in either the everyday technology (pp. 283-284), dis-
Cost: 1 Psi point play gear (p. 287), or spy tech (pp. 292-295) sections of
System: Success changes appearance as per the ta- Chapter Eight, at a cost of one success per dot of Cost,
ble below. Although the biokinetic can impersonate an with a minimum cost of one success. This power can
individual’s appearance, any trace evidence she leaves also give the psion either the Amphibious or Aquatic
normally won’t match that person. However, if she Conversion Edges at a cost of one success per dot.
has a Psionic Connection (p. 204) with the person via The psion can also create armor or weapons, includ-
Biosense, she can duplicate his precise details, such as ing unusual weapons, like laser eyes, sonic screams,
retina prints, fingerprints, blood type, or DNA traces. organic darts or flamethrowers, electrical generation
All changes last her Mode dots times her Duration. organs, or poison sprayers. The psion gains a pool of
points equal to his Mode dots to purchase armor and
SUCCESSES weapon tags that make sense for the form, including
MODIFICATION REQUIRED the Environmental 0 armor tag against any one par-
Cosmetic (skin, hair or eye color) 1 for all ticular threat, but not the Environmental 1 or 2 armor
Dimensions (height or weight) 1 per 10% tags (p. XX), which are beyond the range of this power.
change from Psions can add an additional number of tags equal to
unaltered their Mode dots by spending 1 Psi point. However, the
Quality (2, 3) tag is forbidden. Instead, weapons cre-
Physical sex 2
ated in this fashion always possess an Enhancement
Copy identifying detail (requires 1 per detail equal to the number of successes the psion wishes to
a Psionic Connection) allocate to it. Also, this power cannot duplicate the
Impersonate individual 4 powers of any psi gauntlets. All changes last his Mode
Precisely copy individual (re- 5 dots times his Duration.
quires a Psionic Connection) Finally, the psion can make any biokinetic alter-
nations permanent. Purely cosmetic changes cost
1 Experience, additional Edges or Attributes have
CHIMERA (••••) their normal cost, innate armor and weapons cost 2
The biokinetic can alter his form in radical and in- Experience per point of tags, and other inhuman modi-
human ways, replicating most any function found in fications like wings cost an amount of Experience equal
the biological world and transforming into other an- to 4 x the number of successes required for the transfor-
imals of Size 1. He can alter his senses to detect heat, mation. The psion must devote all future Experience to
infrasound, sonar, or even a planet’s magnetic field. paying off these changes and can only use Experience
He can grow a biological laser or venom glands and for other purposes once they have been paid off.

Biokinesis 215
 IMBUE INSTINCT (•••••)
The psion can impart independent action to dis-
crete parts of her body. She could give her hand
and arm the ability to fire independently at hostile
targets while she concentrates on hacking a lock.
Alternatively, she could grow silk-weaving spinner-
ets with Chimera and have them make a continu-
ously updated anchor point while she ascends a
sheer cliff face. Even more alarmingly, the biokinet-
ic can separate chunks of her flesh, mold them into
These powers are only accessible to proxy-Tier psions.
shape, and give them enough intelligence to per-
These powers don’t provide a new effect, they increase
form independent tasks. At this level of power, the
the effect of every other power in that Mode.
biokinetic can also use Chimera to change her Size.
System: When using a power from a Mode for
Cost: 3 Psi points
which the psion has Fleshcrafter, he may spend an
System: The character gains bonuses for making
additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one as-
mixed actions. When using this power, she can select
pect of the power, like Speed Scale, by one, increase
a number of specific actions up to her Psi that she
any Enhancement by +2, or to multiply any numeri-
will be taking, like shooting a gun, climbing a wall, or
cal quantities like rate of healing by five.
hacking a computer, and she gains a +1 Enhancement
to all of these actions for every two successes she CLONE (••••• ••)
rolls (round up). However, only these tasks gain this
bonus, and her current physical form must be capa- The biokinetic can make fully independent cop-
ble of performing all of the desired actions. ies of herself. These clones share her memories
and personality, but are fully independent entities.
The character can spend one success to separate
They gain all of the character’s skills, and may pos-
a Condition box worth of flesh and provide it with
sess her psionic potential. These clones also share
limbs, senses, and a single, relatively specific pur-
the psion’s noetic template, which can confuse
pose, like “scout the next room and report back”
powers that rely on identifying this usually unique
or “attack anyone but me who comes through this
signature. This also means the proxy can use her
door.” The biokinetic has no innate sense of what
biokinetic powers on her clones, but doing so re-
these independent portions experience, though she
quires touch. Clones can merge with each other
has a general sense of their location and wellbe-
or the original with a simple touch if both individ-
ing. She can remerge with it with a touch, gaining
uals wish it. They can’t be uncreated with just a
its experiences as if she were there. The psion can
thought.
also use any previous Transmogrify power to alter
her Size down to Size 0 (medium-sized dog or large Cost: 10 Psi points
raccoon) or up to Size 2 (large grizzly bear or draftSystem: The clone requires one hour to mature,
horse). This power lasts a number of hours equal reduced by 10 minutes per success spent (minimum
to her Mode dots, but independent portions of the one minute), during which the proxy must devote
her attention to it. The clone exactly matches the
psion persist until the psion either reabsorbs them
or they are destroyed. proxy’s skills and Attributes, but the proxy must
spend one success per dot of Psi that the clone will
TRANSCENDING AND possess. The clone can have lower Psi than the proxy
if she lacks the requisite successes, or chooses to
PROXY-TIER POWERS make the clone less powerful. The clone possesses
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers. all the proxy’s memories and experiences at its time
of creation. It survives until killed, it dies of old age,
FLESHCRAFTER (••••• •)
or when reabsorbed to gain its memories. A proxy
Fleshcrafter is three separate powers, one each can never have more than Psi copies of herself at
for Adaptation, Psychomorphing, and Transmogrify. once. Clones can never use the Clone power.

216 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 CLAIRSENTIENCE
Clairsentience opens a psion’s mind to intercon- Aberrants. Quantum energies interfere with the
nected layers of reality. Everything that has led to the proper flow of the subquantum universe and stand
moment that is now, and everything that is, forges the out to the clairsentient like dark spots against a
pathway to future events. Clairsentients can cast their bright background. This luminescence can make
minds across the universe to see the present. They can isolated Corruption difficult to pinpoint as it
peel back time and study how past events occurred. masks the darkness. Detecting a location where
Less reliably, they can watch the interconnections multiple Aberrants have used their powers is sim-
play out to predict the most likely futures, or even in- ple, whereas finding one Aberrant hiding within a
fluence the connections and choose their own path. heavily populated area is challenging.
System: In addition to the usual information a
BASIC POWERS psion gains from using Attunement, if successful,
All characters with even one dot of Clairsentience the clairsentient knows the Psi trait, current num-
possess the following powers. ber of Psi points, and the Aptitude of each psion
within his range, and whether or not a neutral has
THE SIGHT a strong latency. Characters capable of masking or
Clairsentients are more keenly attuned to subtle shielding themselves from such probing oppose this
psionic fluctuations than their peers, able to sense roll with their own Psi (or equivalent trait) + rele-
and influence these flows. When using Attunement, vant power or ability. The clear can also sense any
they receive more information. They can feel Psi en- Corruption zones or Terat Aberrants (p. 333) within
ergy moving through objects and living creatures, range. Also, for one success, the clairsentient can re-
can sense strong latency, gauge the strength of near- cord a brief message (no more than five minutes of
by psions, or hone in on the active use of powers. speech or video, or a similar quantity of images or
The psion’s ability to alter psionic fluctuations is ex- text) on any focal crystal within close range.
tremely limited, but he can impart messages in spe-
EXTENDED ATTUNEMENT
cial biotech receptacles called focal crystals (p. 290).
Sensing the presence of Psi also helps clairsen- In addition to sensing more than other psions, a
tients be more aware of areas corrupted by clairsentient’s Attunement also extends further.

CLEARS SEE EVERYTHING!

Many Storyguides wonder how they can build a mystery scenario with clairsentients
around. It’s true that it’s all but impossible to hide from powerful clairsentients who focus
their attention on you, but for many practical reasons, this generally isn’t going to happen.
Firstly, psions aren’t that common compared to the rest of humanity. Clairsentients are a
fraction of that number — around 5,000 across all human space — and only a handful of
clears are powerful enough to see everything.
Secondly, most clairsentients aren’t psionic detectives just waiting to solve mundane
crimes. They have a universe to help colonize, alien threats to face, and other psions to
keep an eye on. Barring extraordinary circumstances, most people are never going to
attract a clear’s attention.
Thirdly, characters possess several ways to avoid clairsentient observation. Various com-
panies sell devices to fill an area with psionic static that confounds Psi powers (p. 291).
Also, individuals with enough information about clairsentience know that significant, emo-
tive events tend to draw more attention from psionic senses than quiet, undramatic actions.
Such people cause deliberate chaos to obfuscate their own actions or time their actions
so they occur within strong emotional events, such as weddings, funerals, or even sporting
matches. Also, some Aptitudes have specific powers designed to allow their users to avoid
detection and hide what they’re doing from prying eyes.

clairsentience 217
 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
Psychometry powers provide awareness of what psions call significant events. These are
moments of extreme emotion, considerable change, or those crowded with living noetic
templates. Significant moments obfuscate other details that the psion may seek. Opponents
who know how clairsentience works can use this to their advantage and plan accordingly.
The Storyguide should assign Complications to a character’s roll when significant moments
obscure the details she seeks. Although her power will work, she won’t necessarily gain
the detail she wants or may see the significant event instead.

System: Add the clairsentient’s highest clairsen- less clear than normal, but a powerful significant
tient Mode dots to her Psi trait for the purposes event from 30,000 years ago can still leave noticeable
of establishing her effective Attunement dots and traces.
range. When using Attunement, the clear is also
LIVING ECHO (•)
aware of any focal crystals within range that contain The impact of living creatures on the noetic universe
messages (p. 290) and can spend a success to read is far stronger than almost any inanimate object. By
the message. The psion knows before she spends a touching an object or individual, the clairsentient can
success whether she has previously read a message. sense who it encountered in the past. While this power
doesn’t identify unknown individuals, it gives a sense of
PSYCHOMETRY their psionic imprint, which the clairsentient will rec-
Everything has its own unique signature in the ognize if she has encountered them before, or does so
subquantum universe. When the signatures of dif- in future.
ferent creatures, places, or objects interact, they Living Echo delivers little on the nature of the in-
inevitably leave noetic impressions. Events when teraction. If a killer purchased a knife from a store
strong emotion or significant activity converge and used it to murder someone, that knife would
make more noticeable impressions, but even the resonate with the victim, the salesperson, and the
least significant interaction detectably changes the killer, but wouldn’t reveal who was the murderer.
subquantum universe. Practitioners of Psychometry Similarly, if the victim’s husband discovered the
can sense these changes and use them to delve body and touched the knife, he too would register
into the past and understand how it relates to the to the clear’s senses. With sufficient successes, the
present. clairsentient can somewhat overcome this limita-
Psychometry is normally limited to seeing tion, learning the “flavor” of each encounter. The
no more than a number of days equal to the salesperson might give a sense of boredom or rou-
psion’s Mode dots into the past. However, at the tine, while the killer was angry and the husband
Storyguide’s discretion, the psion can see power- was overwhelmed by grief.
ful psionic or Quantum events or particularly im- System: Success grants the character an aware-
pressive significant events (see below) up to their ness of people and items who encountered the ob-
Mode dots in months or, for the most powerful ject in the last a number of days equal to the psion’s
events, even their Mode dots in years or centuries Mode dots. The psion can spend one success to gain
in the past. However, this longer timeline only a Familiar Connection (p. 205) with any object or
ever applies to places or objects, never to living individual she detects through this power or to
creatures, since living things change too much learn more about the interaction. The psion can
over time. also use successes to purchase either a raw informa-
Objects and locations that have been buried or tion or an interpretation clue (Trinity Continuum
entirely abandoned for centuries or even for tens of Corebook, p. 83) about the interaction.
thousands of years have not had their previous no-
etic impressions diluted by later events. As a result, AREA INSIGHT (••)
Psychometry can be exceedingly useful in ruins and The psion understands more than just who
other archeological sites. Details are often somewhat an object or person encountered, she also gains

218 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

impressions of the places it has been. This is less of every creature and object that moved through the
a map and more like flashes of varying strengths. area, as well as the actions they took and even hints
The more significant the location was to the object, of the emotions they felt there. Like previous forms of
the stronger the impression and the easier it is to Psychometry, this is less like reviewing a holographic
gain details. The psionic impression doesn’t identi- recording of the area and more an overlapping kalei-
fy where the locations are, though the clairsentient doscope of psionic impressions — powerful actions,
understands the kind of place (a living room, inter- events, and presences stand out more than those that
rogation cell, cargo freighter) and recognizes them passed by without undue notice. The clairsentient can
if he encounters them or has been there before. The expend effort to focus on specific events and gain a bet-
clairsentient can use this power on himself to study ter understanding of how they transpired. This may
previous experiences, examining the noetic signa- provide understanding of how to overcome obstacles
tures present at every point and possibly gaining in- or interact with others. She can also focus this ability on
sight or information he didn’t have at the time. an object or vehicle, learning details of how it was used.
System: The character sees the most significant lo- Cost: 1 Psi point
cations where an object was for a number of days equal System: The character sees events that occurred
to his Mode dots. The Storyguide should provide more in her immediate vicinity for a number of days equal
detailed information depending on his degree of suc- to the psion’s Mode dots. If she seeks specific infor-
cess, providing one clue of any type about the object mation or clues, like the code for a keypad, or where
or location he detects using this power. The psion can someone put a particular object, her number of suc-
also spend one success or Psi point to gain a Familiar cesses determines the level of detail she gains. One
Connection with any such object or location. success allows the psion to learn one clue of any
type about events that occurred in that area, includ-
LOCATIONAL MEMORY (•••) ing information like the code punched into a key-
The psion casts her mind back through past events pad, where someone placed a particular object, or
within the area around her, gaining an overall awareness how any people involved were feeling. Finally, the
psion can spend one success or Psi point to gain a

clairsentience 219
 Familiar Connection (p. 205) with any object or in- can spend additional successes to boost his Extended
dividual she detects through this power. If the psion Attunement by one point per success, up to a maxi-
rolls a sufficient number of successes, she can also mum of 13 (one billion km). Additionally, the psion
gain detailed information about how users typically gains no information at all about any events that occur
operate a device or vehicle, see the table below for more than Psi x 10 light years away.
information.
CONVERGENCE (•••••)
SUCCESSES
INTERACTION REQUIRED EXAMPLE With this power, the clairsentient can psionically
“mark” any object, person, or location whose noetic
Complex 3 How to
operate signature she has sensed at any point in its timeline.
conventional The subquantum universe contrives to bring the
machinery psion and the object together. The workings of this
power are subject to considerable debate amongst
Difficult 4 How to op-
erate unusual psionic researchers as it appears to violate the laws
machinery of causality — though the psion only decided to sum-
mon the object at the moment she learned of it in the
Alien 5 How to
present, it was always fated to come to her from the
operate alien
moment that caught her attention in the past.
technology
Cost: 3 Psi points
FORKING TIMELINES: (••••) System: If successful, she encounters the target
at some point in her future, usually within (10 − her
The clairsentient can follow the timeline of peo-
Mode dots) days, although she has limited control
ple and objects to which he has a noetic connec-
over where this will occur. She can spend success-
tion. By following noetic interactions, the psion
es to better define the encounter, reducing (or in-
can see what happened to the subject of his inter-
creasing) the time it will occur by up to one day per
est. He does not need to have ever encountered the
success, to a minimum of one day. She can also dic-
subquantum signature personally to gain informa-
tate the general type of location for one success, or
tion on it. The psion could trace the purchase of
narrow it further by spending additional successes.
an item back to the seller, then follow her psionic
Importantly, this power doesn’t dictate how the en-
signature to gain an impression of where she has
counter will unfold, only that it will occur.
traveled and who she interacted with. With suffi-
cient effort, or subsequent uses of this power, he
can switch his focus and watch multiple timelines
PSYCHOLOCATION
unfold. This power can only see to the present, it Psycholocation reveals to the clairsentient ex-
gains no insight into the future. actly where things are in the present, relative to
Cost: 2 Psi points everything else. It can reveal the precise location
of distant stars and planets at that exact moment,
System: If successful, the clear can follow the time-
ignoring light-speed delays. This Mode is essential
line of any object or person to which he has a noetic
to humanity’s exploration and colonization of ex-
connection. The psion can trace the target for a num-
trasolar locations. The normal maximum range of
ber of days equal to his Mode dots per success spent,
all Psycholocation abilities is equal to the psion’s
through to the present. The psion can also spend one
Extended Attunement range. However, clears can
success to gain a Sensory Connection with any other
spend additional successes to boost this Extended
object or individual he detects through this power. He
Attunement by one point per success, up to a max-
can then spend 1 Psi point to switch the focus of the
imum of 13 (one billion km range). Also, any abil-
power to one of these targets, but doesn’t gain addi-
ities that have a secondary interstellar range, have
tional days of awareness unless he spends more suc-
a range equal to Psi x 10 light years. Unless other-
cesses or reactivates the power. The psion gains only
wise indicated, all Psycholocation powers last the
minimal information about events that took place out-
psion’s Mode dots times her Duration, which can be
side of his Extended Attunement range, although he
increased by committing Psi points.

220 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 INTERSTELLAR PSI POWERS
Although many teleportation powers have a range that’s unlimited except for noetic con-
nection, clairsentients and other psions who combine their powers with clairsentients are
limited a maximum range of between 20 and 50 light years for most psions and up to
350 light years for proxy-Tier psions using the six-dot Clear Vision power. Until the recent
development of the ARES pod (p. 290) all interstellar clairsentience and clairsentient-aid-
ed telepathy was limited to ranges far less than many of the colonies teleporters regularly
visited. More than a few psions have asked teleportation Proxy Bolade Atwan how she
learned of exceedingly distant worlds like Far Nyumba, Averiguas, and Qinshui, but nei-
ther she nor the other proxies have provided a good explanation for their knowledge.

ORIENTATION (•) signatures she knows. This is easiest when she has a
noetic connection with an individual or object, but
she can also find examples that resonate with gen-
eral themes. She could find the nearest police offi-
cers, Æon Trinity chapterhouse, electrokinetics, or
psions more generally. She could even find hardtech
freighters, or those carrying certain types of cargo.
With additional effort, the clear can push her
power to interstellar ranges, though this sacrifices
detail. She can look at the sky and know if the star
she focuses on is within her range, and roughly how
many planets orbit it, but little more beyond this.
Her power adjusts for the fact that the light she sees
The clairsentient knows exactly where he is in re-
may be dozens or hundreds of years old, and the star
lation to either a specific point or the nearest famil-
has moved on from its apparent location in the sky.
iar landmark. He knows the direction and distance
to a known location or feature. If his plane crashes The psion can also use her experience of noetic
in a jungle, the psion could use Orientation to know relationships to cloak or highlight her presence by
that he is 1,023 kilometers from his home. He could precisely controlling how her subquantum signa-
know that the town he saw from the air is 31 kilo- ture interacts with the universe. This power doesn’t
meters due south, and that the road he caught a aid the psion’s physical attempts to hide, but does
glimpse of is 673 meters east-southeast. In addition increase the difficulty to locate her using psionic
to knowing his absolute location and everything abilities. This power is necessary for the operation
around him, the clairsentient also becomes hyper- of Leviathan jump ships.
aware of his surroundings. System: The psion can use this power to locate
System: Success indicates the character knows his any known object or person or a general type of per-
location and has an awareness of direction and dis- son or object, as indicated in the description above.
tance to any location he has ever seen that’s within his Additional successes give the psion more informa-
Psi x 10 light years. This awareness lasts the remain- tion about the location, like whether it is in a build-
der of the scene. While the power persists, he can also ing or underground, if it is stationary or if it is in
spend successes to reduce Complication from senso- motion. She can push to interstellar range, using the
ry impairment, such as loud noises, smoke, or lack of interstellar range listed above. Success tells her if
light. If the roll is one where heightened awareness the star she seeks is within her range, and if so, how
is advantageous, he can spend successes to add +1 distant it is. She can spend one success to know how
Enhancement per success to the action. many planets orbit the star, and another to sense if
any of the worlds are within the “Goldilocks Zone”
DOWSING (••) capable of supporting terrestrial life.
The character can also use this power to conceal
In addition to knowing her own location, the
or draw attention to herself from psionic detections.
clairsentient can determine the location of noetic
If successful, she applies her number of Mode dots

clairsentience 221
 as either an increased Difficulty (when concealing) Cost: 2 Psi points
or an Enhancement (when noticeable) to powers System: If successful, the character adds an
designed to find her. Enhancement equal to her Mode dots to see fine
detail or notice inconsistencies within her normal
SENSORY MANIPULATION (•••) sensory range. Each success spent shifts her per-
The clairsentient can project his senses and see, ception one detail “step,” from microscopic (bac-
hear, taste, smell, or touch distant locations as if teria and other small creatures), to nanoscopic
he were present. His Psi insulates him from direct (viruses and nanoparticles), to atomic (individu-
negative effects. He wouldn’t be burned or choked al molecules), to subatomic (the particles within
extending his senses through a burning building atoms). One “step” also allows the character to
to search for survivors, though he would feel un- perceive light or sound outside the range of hu-
comfortably warm and have chest tightness from man senses, like x-rays or subsonic noises. The
the feel of smoke and fumes in his lungs. The psion character can combine this power with Sensory
can also use this power in concert with Dowsing at Manipulation to sense precise details of distant
interstellar ranges to gain more information on the objects. When used at interstellar ranges with ear-
stars and planets he surveys. This use is essential lier powers, she can spend a success to learn more
for clairsentients piloting Leviathan jump ships to about the celestial objects. Each success reveals
distant systems. the presence or absence of life, type of life (animal,
Cost: 1 Psi point microbial, or vegetable), and possibly whether the
life conforms with anything familiar to the clear
System: The clairsentient can perceive the lo-
(such as mammalian or reptilian). She can also
cation just as if he was there in person and can
sense the presence of major settlements, if a civi-
spend successes to search for clues using sensing
lization has surpassed the equivalent of an indus-
(Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 84). When us-
trial age, and if there is an ongoing global war or
ing this ability at interstellar range with Dowsing
some other equally noticeable event.
active, his perceptions are exceedingly limited. He
can spend successes to learn more about one planet
OMNISCIENCE (•••••)
or celestial object in the system he’s sensing. Each
success reveals one macro detail — gravity, climate, For a limited time, the clairsentient becomes one
breathable atmosphere, presence of water, major with the noetic totality and can sense everything
landmasses. He can’t learn fine details through this within range. Although he observes every event
power at interstellar range. happening at that moment, even a mind as powerful
as hers can’t comprehend everything. The amount
FOCUS-SENSING (••••) he understands depends on how much detail he
seeks. The greater the detail, the more his view-
The clairsentient can now sense details far out-
point narrows.
side the range of human perception. She can focus
to nanoscopic fine detail and beyond. The clairsen- Cost: 3 Psi points
tient can see tiny compositional and manufacturing System: Success gives the psion total sensory
details of objects. She can sense the arrangement of awareness within his Radius and can spend 1 Psi
atoms to know whether something was carved, cast, point to increase his Radius by one range band, but
or made through other means. The clear can sense cannot further increase his Radius except by using
chemical composition and see the arrangement of Clear Vision. At this level of awareness, he perceives
atoms or can instead choose to see or hear light or overall impressions of everything occurring within
sounds well outside of a human’s ability to sense or this area. He can use this to guide his focus into
detect smells better than a bloodhound. With suffi- specific areas to see detail before moving out again.
cient successes, she can even penetrate to the sub- Focusing on a specific event within his sphere of
atomic level and understand the makeup of protons, awareness costs one success; returning to his total-
neutrons, and electrons, and know which isotopes ity overview costs nothing. The character can com-
are present. She can use this in conjunction with bine this power with Sensory Manipulation to gain
Dowsing and Sensory Manipulation to gain details Omniscience of an area around the target point.
of planets and structures, though she still can’t ob- This power lasts his Mode dots times his Duration,
tain the detail available at less extreme ranges. but the psion cannot use it at interstellar range.

222 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

PSYCHOCOGNITION action, the actions of others, or the environment
would create negative consequences for the clear in
Psychocognition is the least precise clairsen-
subsequent rounds. This includes incoming attacks,
tience Mode. This Mode predicts probable move-
but also if an earthquake is about to strike the build-
ment of the universe by taking a psionic snapshot
ing she is in (or about to enter). She will also know
of the moment and extrapolating all influences and
if she is about to make an immediate serious social
energies on it. Psychocognition is most effective in
blunder — asking after a person’s partner who has
determining which immediate actions will deliver
recently died — or is in danger from mental tasks,
the most favorable future for the psion. The further
such as taking the winning move in a game that will
into the future one delves, the less likely it is that
cause the opponent to shoot her in a sudden fit of
any given prediction will occur. The universe is so
rage. However, she only knows that the action she is
infinitely complex and finely balanced that a change
about to take is problematic, not why. The character
in the movement of one particle could eventually
can sense danger, not the precise reasons for this
bring about vast changes.
danger. Also, although the character is forewarned,
nothing stops her from going ahead with the dan-
ALERTNESS (•)
gerous activity. This power lasts for her Mode dots
The bulk of the clairsentient’s attention remains times her Duration.
focused on the present, but a small fragment watch-
es the immediate future. The awareness isn’t con- LEAST RESISTANCE (••)
scious — the psion doesn’t know exactly what is
At moments of decision the clairsentient glimpses
about to happen until the event takes place — but
across all possible choices to see which is the easiest
her subconscious notes any incoming danger and
path to take or what actions he should avoid taking.
prompts her to action, even if she’s not sure why.
Whether he chooses to follow this revelation is up
System: The clairsentient increases her Defense to him, as his choices collapse the uncertain poten-
by an amount equal to her Mode dots. The tiality and future becomes the present. This power
Storyguide should also warn the character if her doesn’t give the psion any insight into whether the

clairsentience 223
 simplest path leads to the best long-term outcome,
it just reveals the immediate path of least resistance.
The clear can also use this power to gain brief vi-
sions of possible problems in his immediate future.
Cost: 1 Psi point
System: The character knows the quickest path to
his destination, such as the exit to a building, the near-
est fire alarm, or where he left an object he lost. If his
actions require a roll, he gains a pool equal to successes
that he can use as an Enhancement to any necessary
rolls. The power lasts his Mode dots times his Duration. of the scene. He can retry failed rolls and also reroll
Alternately, the psion can use this power to pro- a successful roll in the hopes of generating more
vide information about the near future. If success- successes. In all cases, the character chooses which
ful, the Storyguide runs the game normally, but if version of any particular roll to use. The character
something goes seriously wrong in the next Mode can spend additional rerolls on one task until he ei-
dots minutes, the player can declare that this event ther gains a result he likes or exhausts his pool. Fate
was a clairsentient vision. At this point, time resets can only be pushed so far without considerable ef-
to when the clear used this power. Clears can look fort; each subsequent use of this power within one
into the future like this no more often than once a scene increases its cost by an additional 3 Psi points
scene. Using both aspects of this power requires ei- and its Difficulty by 1.
ther two actions or a mixed action.
NEXUS SURFING (•••••)
HINDER (•••) With this level of power, the psion learns to tune
Rather than just simplifying her options, the into the totality of the upcoming future and sense
clairsentient understands how her actions impact impending disturbances. Nexus points are times
others, and how her choices create the most diffi- and places of great importance, which can disturb
culty for her opponents. the flows of noetic energy as they disrupt the lives
Cost: 2 Psi points of hundreds, or perhaps even millions. Violence
causes many nexus points, like a bomb going off
System: The character learns how her approach to
or a large, poorly maintained spacecraft crashing
a situation can hinder her opponent. This could be the
into an asteroid. However, a single accidental insult
psion’s own actions, such as approaching her opponent
that derails a treaty and leads to a Europe-wide war
from his left because he suffers hearing loss. It could
would be just as powerful a nexus point as a mas-
also lead the psion to any location or object within her
sive Chromatic attack. The psion can also use this
power’s Radius that will affect the opponent’s ability to
power to scan an individual’s future, checking to
respond, like a childhood treasure, whose loss he won’t
see if there are any nexus points or other significant
risk. If the psion’s opponent needs to roll, the clear has
events.
a pool equal to successes that she can spend to increase
Cost: 4 Psi points
the Difficulty at a rate of one success per +1 Difficulty.
This pool lasts her Mode dots times her Duration but System: Your clairsentient attunes herself to the
only applies to a single opponent. implicate subquantum order for the entire session,
enabling her to sense upcoming disturbances with-
FAVORABLE OUTCOME (••••) in her Enhanced Attunement range. A nexus may
be anything from the impending explosion of a
Predicting more than a few moments into the
poorly maintained hyperfusion reactor to a massive
future is particularly difficult as the sheer number
Aberrant assault. This ability allows the character
of arrangements the universe can take grows with
to learn of upcoming threats that will occur during
every decision made. Clairsentients with this level
this session about which she might otherwise have
of power overcome this to a degree.
no way to learn.
Cost: 3 Psi points
The character only gains a few flashes of in-
System: The psion can make a number of rerolls
formation about the upcoming disturbance. She
equal to his Mode dots + successes for the remainder
learns the location and approximate time of the

224 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

disturbance, and no more than one or two images, new effect, they increase the effect of every other
which are usually cryptic and partial. An upcom- power in that Mode.
ing Aberrant attack might be revealed with a brief System: When using a power from a Mode for
image of a few dead Legion soldiers, while an over- which the psion has Clear Vision, he may spend an
loading hyperfusion reactor might be signaled by a additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one as-
warning light going off on a control panel, and a dip- pect of the power like Radius or Attunement range
lomatic insult signaled by a look of shock on the in- by one, increase any Enhancement by +2, or mul-
sulted party’s face. Each success provides the psion tiply any numerical quantities like range in light
with one piece of raw information about the event. years or number of targets by five.
She can also spend one success to upgrade each
piece of raw information, providing either interpre- DESTINY (••••• ••)
tation or Q&A about the clue. Once triggered, Nexus
A clairsentient proxy can tread the delicate paths of
Surfing’s influence is difficult to resist — the charac-
choice with accuracy akin to threading the finest needle.
ter feels pulled towards the location. A successful
Once he focuses on reaching an outcome and follows the
Integrity + Resolve roll allows her to resist heading
paths to take him there, few things can stand in his way.
towards the nexus, but she still feels this pull.
Although the proxy is almost certain to reach his desti-
If the clairsentient scans an individual’s future,
nation, the path is often filled with setbacks and danger.
she catches glimpses of any nexuses the individ-
Cost: 10 Psi points
ual is associated with that are within a number of
System: For one session, the proxy gains a pool
years equal to the clear’s Psi. Like other uses of this
of points equal to his Psi plus successes. Each point
power, these glimpses provide nothing more than a
in this pool can be used to provide the psion with
location and one or two often-cryptic images. Also,
1 Enhancement to one action, including Defensive
these images are only of the individual’s most likely
Stunts. This bonus rises to 2 Enhancement per point
future, and may change.
if used to aid in any action that directly protects the
psion, his close comrades, or any group the psion feels
TRANSCENDING AND passionate loyalty to from serious harm or death.
PROXY-TIER POWERS This pool only refreshes through setback, as the
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers. universe seeks to balance itself. Instead of bene-
fiting from Enhancement on a roll, the proxy can
CLEAR VISION (••••• •) instead choose to increase the Difficulty to return
Clear Vision is three separate powers, one the same amount of points to the pool. Additionally,
each for Psychometry, Psycholocation, and each time the proxy takes damage he adds a point to
Psychocognition. These powers are only accessible the pool. The proxy can’t reduce the time Destiny
to proxy-Tier psions. These powers don’t provide a is active, and can’t reactivate it during this period.

ELECTROKINESIS
Electrokinesis gives the psion awareness and BURST
control of both electricity and the electromagnetic
The electrokinetic is a nexus where energies con-
spectrum, as well as everything that uses or relies
verge. With a small effort, the psion can coalesce them
on electricity. Computers, vehicles, communica-
into a small semi-focused burst of electricity or EM
tions, biotechnology — even living flesh — all work
radiation. Fine control is impossible, but this burst can
because of the flow of energies under this Aptitude’s
still be useful. A burst of static electricity could create
domain. All these things can be manipulated, en-
enough charge to power a device for one last use, or
hanced, or diminished as the electrokinetic desires.
to force a short circuit and shutdown. A burst of radio
waves could briefly interfere with nearby OpNet signals,
BASIC POWERS or a flash of light might distract enemies, or signal allies.
All characters with even one dot of Electrokinesis System: The character focuses energy to a single
possess the following powers. point within short range. Depending on the psion’s

electrokinesis 225
 intent, characters using senses, equipment, or pow- number of rounds equal to the psion’s Mode dots. If
ers affected by this burst may suffer an increased the penalty is greater than the victim’s Stamina, she
Difficulty with the number of successes rolled, or is unable to act for the duration.
the psion may use it for some other purpose like
signaling or briefly powering a small device. PRECISION UNDERSTANDING (••)
The electrokinetic increases her understanding
SENSE SPECTRUM of the specific bioelectrical systems of the brain and
The psion can feel which electromagnetic energies nervous systems. She can watch someone’s neuro-
are present. She has a general sense of what purpose logical activity in response to truths and falsehoods,
they serve — the difference between microwaves from like a lie detector and can sense a person’s intention
an oven and those from a communications transmitter to act as the signal moves from brain to muscle. The
— but can’t tell what information they carry. psion can also use this ability to detect recent traces
System: The psion is aware of any electromag- of living bioelectric activity in an area.
netic energies within short range, as well as the rel- System: Success allows the psion can perceive
ative strength and source of these, and if they carry the target’s specific bioelectrical reaction to situa-
information like OpNet data. tions. This grants successes as an Enhancement to
understand the target’s intentions or reactions, such
ELECTROMANIPULATION as detecting lies or understanding whether the per-
Electromanipulation deals with the flow of elec- son recognizes an image. When used in combat the
tromagnetic energies through living organisms. psion can add successes as Enhancement to defense
Humans, animals, and bioware are all subject to rolls used against any attack of which the psion is
Electromanipulation. Even alien species are sus- aware. This power also reveals any inconsistencies
ceptible as long as their systems are based on elec- to the target’s energy flows, such as injuries, nerve
trochemical charges moving throughout the organ- damage, bioware, or hardtech implants.
ism. Electromanipulation tends to have few visual When used to read bioelectric traces, the charac-
cues. Its results may be noticeable, such as making ter can scan an area within her Radius for any traces
the dead walk, but the psion can remain hidden of living creatures. One success allows the charac-
without sparks or light displays to give away his ter to detect the number and approximate size and
location. Unless otherwise stated, psions can use type of creatures in this area up to 30 minutes in the
Electromanipulation powers against targets within past, but cannot distinguish between humans, Qin
visual range. The psion gains +1 Enhancement if he in biosuits, or human-sized Aberrants. Each addi-
touches the target instead. tional success can either increase the length of time
into the past the character can look by 30 minutes
BIOELECTRICAL AWARENESS (•) or provide additional details, like species (including
The character can tune into the distinctive bio- being able to distinguish humans from Aberrants).
electrical patterns of living creatures to detect how For two successes, the psion can recognize individ-
many life forms are within an area. In addition to uals that she has previously scanned with electroki-
this general understanding, he can focus on the flow nesis. This power lasts one scene.
of electromagnetic energies through an organism
ENHANCEMENT (•••)
within his line of sight. He can also disrupt this flow
to hinder his victim’s movement and functionality. Once he understands living biocurrents, the psion
System: Success lets the character detect all bio- can manipulate them with extreme precision. He can
electrical creatures (all known physical life forms) boost Mental Attributes and associated traits. He can
within his Radius. He can gather more detailed in- also shield a target’s body from electromagnetic forc-
formation, such as whether they’re human, animal, es, or concentrate and “overcharge” electricity and
or alien, by spending successes. This power lasts for discharge them like an electric eel’s attack.
one Scene. Cost: 1 Psi point
To disrupt a target within his range, the roll is System: Success allows the character to add one
opposed by the target’s Survival + Stamina. Success dot to his mental Attributes for every success spent,
disturbs her energy flows, adding Difficulty equal up to 7 dots for each Attribute. He can also temporar-
to the number of successes rolled to her rolls for a ily purchase mental Edges that don’t require external

226 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 ENHANCEMENT
DAMAGE
ATTACK EN RANGE TYPE TAGS
Bioelectric shock Mode dots/2 Close-Short Electrical Electrical, Ranged (Close-Radius), Stun

resources at a rate of one dot per success. Enhancing targets, this control lasts one round per success spent,
others is possible, but requires both twice the normal and the puppet can’t move beyond the psion’s Radius
number of successes and physical contact. without being instantly freed. For deceased puppets,
The psion can also use this power defensive- the psion can directly control the body for her Mode
ly on himself or on anyone within his Radius. The dots times her Duration while it’s within the psion’s
target becomes immune to all attacks and envi- Radius. Alternatively, she can issue a number of spe-
ronmental damage with the Electrical tag. For one cific commands equal to her Psi for the corpse to fol-
additional success, this armor includes an electric low per success spent and commit 2 Psi points. The
field that possesses the Electrical weapon tag and psion can only command the dead puppet to carry
the Defensive armor tag. All of these powers last the out straightforward mechanical tasks.
psion’s Mode dots times his Duration.
Used offensively, the psion spends one Psi GHOST (•••••)
point and rolls his dice pool to make the attack The psion builds digital versions of himself that
listed above. The attack automatically has an can temporarily inhabit computers and networks.
Enhancement equal to his Mode dots/2, as well as This doesn’t require tremendous computer-pro-
the Electrical and Ranged (Close-Short) tags, and cessing power as his Psi does most of the work. The
if the psion wishes, the Stun tag. The psion can electrokinetic can reintegrate these digital agents as
purchase additional tags by spending one success desired, gaining access to their memories and expe-
per point of tags. These additional tags include riences. If desired, the psion can even abandon his
Combined Stun (1 additional point), Non-Lethal (1 own body and live solely within the network.
additional point), or Spread (1). The psion can also Cost: 3 Psi points
spend one success or one Psi point to increase the System: The psion must be within short range
range to medium. of a computer or a device that’s part of a network
to use this power. He can use this power in one of
ANIMA (••••) two ways. The psion can create a digital “ghost”
The psion can command the electrical signals of his personality, much like an advanced agent.
that control flesh, including in the recently dead. This ghost can attempt Psi tasks, if the task can be
Although she can control the movement of living achieved on the computer or its network. Each suc-
targets, she can’t control their thoughts. In the dead, cess spent provides an Enhancement to these tasks.
the psion provides the animating electrical charge Reporting back to the psion counts as a task. The
and can either control the body directly like a pup- ghost deletes after it exhausts its tasks, or after his
pet, or build a set of instructions for how it responds Mode dots times his Duration. The ghost’s dice pool
to given stimuli. The electrokinetic can continue to equals Psi + Electromanipulation and interacts with
recharge the reanimated flesh but this does nothing computer systems as per the normal hacking rules.
to slow its decomposition. Eventually dead nerves Alternatively, the psion can divorce his conscious-
and muscles cease responding to electrical energy. ness from his body and fully inhabit the device or
Cost: 2 Psi points network. He interacts with computer systems as per
System: Living targets oppose this roll with normal rules, including for tasks like hacking (p. 196),
Integrity + Stamina. Dead subjects increase the but adds his successes on this roll as an Enhancement
Difficulty of the psion’s roll by +1 per day since death to every roll within the system. The psion can main-
— more if environmental conditions promote decay, tain this state for his Mode dots times his Duration
less if the body is well preserved. Success lets the per success spent. He has no inherent awareness of
psion control the body as if it were her own, using the condition of his body, and must be in a device no
its Physical Attributes with her own skills. In living more than his range away to return to it.

electrokinesis 227
 PHOTOKINESIS transmit information. For encrypted signals, she
must roll Enigmas + Cunning with the signal’s en-
Everyone knows Photokinesis manipulates visible
cryption level as a Complication. Overcoming this
light, weaving holograms or creating laser beams.
Complication allows the psion to decrypt the data,
However, Photokinesis also grants electrokinetics
while failure results in the psion perceiving the en-
broad-reaching control over the electromagnetic
crypted signal, but not being able to decrypt it. The
spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays.
psion can change what frequencies she is observ-
ing at will, and can also use this power to bright-
EM SIGHT (•)
en and dim light within short range, which can
The psion can sense energy emissions across impose or remove up to successes of Difficulty or
the electromagnetic spectrum. Despite the name, Complication to visual perception. This power lasts
the electrokinetic can interpret this information her Mode dots times her Duration.
through all her senses, building a comprehensive
map of energy flows around her. The psion can MODULATION (••)
sense infrared, ultraviolet, and even gamma rays.
The EK manipulates electromagnetic energies
This may not help the psion understand what the
around him in a broad-reaching, unfocused manner.
information means if it’s encrypted. The psion can
He can remap all electromagnetic energies onto an
also use this ability to control the local illumination.
area to a different point of the spectrum or can change
System: Success allows the psion to sense a a single wavelength into another, and can also diffuse
wide range of electromagnetic energy around her, signals over the same area or otherwise alter the nature
allowing her to track someone by the heat emanat- of these signals. This is useful for creating a broad-act-
ing from their footprints or notice the presence of ing signal jammer, or can create a shield around the
radioactive material by the gamma rays it emits. psion that changes lasers into unfocused light or gam-
The psion can also try to interpret emissions that ma radiation into less-harmful frequencies.

228 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 PHOTONIC POWER
DAMAGE
ATTACK EN RANGE TYPE TAGS
Laser Generation Mode Dots Close-Medium Ballistic Ranged: Close-Medium + others as
desired

System: Success allows the character to trans- DYNAMIC CONTROL (••••)

form some or all EM frequencies within short range
The photokinetic can now create or modify mul-
into other frequencies or otherwise alter them in
tiple light sources at once, firing a barrage of laser
relatively small ways, and can even plunge a room
beams, creating deadly walls of laser light, or even
into total darkness by transforming all the visible
causing several different augmented-reality dis-
light to radio waves. In addition, the psion can sub-
plays to display false information.
tly alter any single light source within short range,
causing a single room light, vidscreen, augment- Cost: 2 Psi points
ed-reality display, or holographic display to appear System: On a successful reflexive roll, the psion
to display anything the psion wishes, including ap- can create a maximum number of separate lasers or
pearing to be off or otherwise nonfunctional. other focused electromagnetic broadcasts, like ra-
The psion can’t create damaging effects with this dio beacons, equal to his Mode dots, which he can
power. When using the power defensively, he reduces use for a variety of purposes. Once created, each la-
the damage from energy-based attacks and indirect en- ser lasts for one Scene. Each of these lasers can use
ergy damage by one for every success spent. The psion any of the tags available for Photonic Power.
can use it to provide defense and alter signals simultane- In addition to ordinary attacks, the psion can also use
ously. This effect lasts his Mode dots times his Duration. any of these lasers defensively, to deflect or vaporize a
single attack by a small projectile like a bullet. To accom-
PHOTONIC POWER (•••) plish this, the psion adds his successes to his defense roll
that round. Alternately, the psion can transform one of
The photokinetic can create powerful focused or
these lasers into a paper-thin wall of laser light that either
coherent bursts of electromagnetic radiation like la-
forms a close-range cylinder or dome around a point or
sers, masers, or even gamma-ray lasers.
blocks off a corridor or other opening up to five meters
Cost: 1 Psi point
on a side. These walls can be either opaque and glowing
System: Success allows the psion to use a laser or transparent to visible light. This barrier acts as indirect
attack on one target. Use the weapon description damage with a damage rating equal to successes and has
below; it automatically possesses an Enhancement the Continuous (Rounds) tag. Once activated, each laser
equal to Mode dots and the Ranged (Close-Medium) or other beam functions on its own, but moving, altering,
tag. The psion also has a pool of points equal to her or redirecting more than one of these lasers per round re-
Mode dots that she can use to purchase addition- quires a mixed action. The psion gains +1 Enhancement
al points of tags for this attack. Each additional Psi to each use of one of these lasers, so a mixed action using
point the psion spends provides her with a num- three different lasers would gain +1 Enhancement to each
ber of additional points of tags equal to her Mode of these three attack or defense rolls.
dots. The following tags are possible: Beam (1),
The psion can use the same level of control in a
Destructive (2), Incendiary (2), Piercing (1), Spread
subtler fashion to alter any or all light sources with-
(1, can only be combined with Stun), and Stun (1,
in his Radius, including making all screens, aug-
creating temporary blindness). The psion can also
mented-reality displays, or holographic displays in
spend one Psi point to increase the range to long.
range appear to display anything the psion wishes.
The psion can also use this power for noncom- All uses of this power last for one scene.
bat purposes, ranging from cutting through a door
with a laser to heating a dinner with microwaves, ILLUSIONIST (•••••)
starting a fire, sterilizing an area with UV light, or
The psion now has precise three-dimensional control
creating a powerful burst of radio or microwaves to
of the electromagnetic spectrum. She can make herself
serve as a beacon or to send a simple signal.
or others invisible or create seemingly real holograms.

electrokinesis 229
 Cost: 3 Psi points keep pace. Like other Psi powers, the psion doesn’t
System: Success gives the psion a pool of points require extensive knowledge of the technology; her
equal to Psi + successes that she can use to create or Psi translates human intentions to machine actions.
modify images. Total the points necessary and com-
pare them to the available pool. If the psion doesn’t TAP (•)
possess sufficient points, she must make a simpler The electrokinetic can read electronic data
or smaller illusion. In the table below, illusions in- stored within a device. The psion can also see the
clude both creating images, changing the appear- movement of data within an active machine. This
ance of people or objects, and making objects or power doesn’t give the electrokinetic any ability
people invisible. However, while stationary images to change data stores (or flows), nor does it leave a
appear perfect, making a moving object invisible or conventional trace of accessing the data.
transforming a person’s appearance is more difficult, System: Roll with a Difficulty equal to the device’s
and observers can roll Integrity + Cunning against a attitude (p. 195). Success indicates the character can
Difficulty equal to the user’s Psi to notice something understand any unencrypted data on any device
appears slightly off, unless the psion spends two ex- within close range. He can try to read encrypted data
tra successes. Also, these are purely visual illusions by spending two successes and rolling Enigmas +
and do not produce the correct sounds or hold up to Intellect at a Difficulty equal to the encryption level.
any attempts to touch them. Unless she wishes to dis- Most encryption is +1 to +2 Difficulty, whereas gov-
miss them earlier, these holograms last for one scene. ernment or military-grade encryption could be as
high as +5. Successes add Enhancement to the roll.
POINT COST RESULT
The system doesn’t detect use of this power as an in-
1 Create one static and stationary trusion, even if he fails the roll. This power lasts for
illusion of up to human size. his Mode dots times his Duration and the psion can
1 Allow the illusion to move use it on any device within his Radius or that is con-
normally (including blinking and nected to a wireless network the psion is on.
waving) but to walk or other-
wise move at no more than a ACCESS (••)
slow walk.
The electrokinetic commands a machine as if
1 Increase the Speed of an image she were an authorized user. She can activate and
or invisibility effect by 1.
control any normal function of the device, includ-
2 Cause a single illusion to ap- ing initiating instructions to reboot or turn off the
pear perfectly convincing. system. This works on every electronic device, from
2 Increase the Size of the object computers to laser pistols, cars, or spacecraft. In
by 1 (up to a maximum of Size addition, on a success, the psion can mentally con-
3) nect with any available wireless networks (like the
2 Create multiple different station- OpNet). When hacking a computer system, she al-
ary illusions within close range ways possesses the necessary tools.
of a single point. System: The psion makes a Hacking attempt (p.
3 Create multiple different station- 199) using Psi + Technokinesis, spending successes to
ary illusions within short range control the system as per the Hacking rules. Each Psi
of a single point. point she spends provides her with 1 Enhancement.
Against simpler devices, or those without count-
er-intrusion systems, success allows her to control
TECHNOKINESIS the device any way it is designed to function, using
Technokinesis controls the flow of electricity relevant dice pools against Difficulty assigned by
and data through nonliving machinery. It can pow- the Storyguide. She could make a laser pistol fire or
er a machine or modify data at the psion’s whim. drive a car. The psion can also power any electronic
Although human technology develops and changes or electrical device of up to her Size parameter. This
at an alarming rate, practitioners of Technokinesis power lasts her Mode dots times her Duration and
don’t have to adapt and modify their approaches to the psion can use it on any device within her Radius
or that is connected to a wireless network she is on.

230 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 CONTROL RESISTANCE
INTRUSION RESISTANCE DIFFICULTY EXAMPLE
None 0 Light switch
Minimal 1 Laser pistol
Moderate 2 Apartment control panel
Device or system designed for military or intelli- +2 Military weapon, hybrid fighter
gence use
Vehicle Size Sedan, commercial frigate
Computer system Attitude rating Minicomp, server

CONTROL (•••) System: Roll with the system’s attitude as

Difficulty. Every success allows the character to
The psion can control a device beyond its de-
change or add a number of operating parameters
signed purpose, as long as the machine is physically
equal to Mode dots/2. These parameters can be
capable of performing the tasks. He could take con-
relatively broad — replicating any normal function
trol of a robotic arm that welds components to vehi-
generally only takes a single parameter. All such
cle chassis and instead use it to attack pursuers. He
changes and parameters persist until someone no-
can alter data, either in a targeted manner substitut-
tices and deliberately corrects them, potentially al-
ing specific lines of code, or can randomly scramble
lowing the device to operate as the psion wishes for
existing information and inflict considerable harm
days or even weeks.
to the device’s operations.
This power can also create extremely smart, flex-
Cost: 1 Psi point
ible agents that can act without the psion’s super-
System: Success allows the psion to control a vision. These agents have Mental and Social stats
single machine within his Radius. Apply Difficulty equal to the psion’s Mode dots. She can increase ei-
based on the machine’s resistance to intrusion, as ther or both of these traits at a cost of two successes
per the table above. Success lets the psion control per additional dot. These agents don’t require any
any of the machine’s normal functions. This in- pre-set applications; they can perform any task
cludes altering its operating parameters, such as an agent could do. They persist for her Mode dots
changing a computer’s attitude or failsafe by up to times her Duration per success, and the psion can
his Mode dots. He can also force the machine to have a number of agents up to her Psi operating si-
perform any task it could conceivably achieve. He multaneously. The psion can use this power on any
could instruct a computer to discharge its battery device within close range, or connected to a wire-
in one burst to shock the user, but couldn’t make less network she is also on.
the computer pick up a bottle unless it was linked
to some manipulator device. This power lasts his OVERSEER (•••••)
Mode Dots times his Duration, but cannot be used
The electrokinetic is aware of all technological
over a wireless network.
events around him. While the power persists, he is
CODE (••••) a machine god and no device functions without his
blessing.
The electrokinetic does more than control de-
Cost: 3 Psi points
vices, she rewrites operating systems to fulfill her
System: Success allows the psion to affect all
wishes. She doesn’t have to be familiar with the de-
electronic devices within his Radius, inflicting a
vice’s existing system; her powers translate thought
Complication on all rolls to use the device equal
into function. Non-technokinetics have difficulty
to the user’s Psi + successes. Failure to buy off this
understanding the code, which possesses a decep-
Complication allows the psion to entirely control
tively simple surface that reveals ever-increasing
how the device is used, exactly as if the psion was
layers of complexity beneath.
the device’s owner. If no one is operating the de-
Cost: 2 Psi points
vice, then the psion can operate the device as per

electrokinesis 231
 Control. Causing all devices within range to per- — even those that are heavily shielded and lack the
form the same action, like turning off or locking up means to connect to any network. Additionally, the
is an ordinary action. Causing different devices to proxy can use the subquantum universe as a vast
perform different functions requires a mixed action. computer. He can store unlimited amounts of data
across everything, encoded in the position of atoms
TRANSCENDING AND and the spin of electrons. If the Cassel File exists (p.
PROXY-TIER POWERS 170), the proxy has certainly used this power to gain
access to the secrets of his enemies, and store them
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers.
within the fabric of the universe itself.
SPECTRAL MASTERY (••••• •) Cost: 10 Psi points
System: The proxy can access any device with-
Spectral Mastery is three separate powers, one
in his Attunement range, as if he was using any
each for Electromanipulation, Photokinesis, and
Technokinesis power, even if the device is shielded
Technokinesis. These powers are only accessible
and not on any network. Alien interfaces or other
to proxy-Tier psions. These powers don’t provide a
unusual designs — like creations of Aberrant su-
new effect, they increase the effect of every other
per-science — impose a Complication on the roll,
power in that Mode.
depending how unfamiliar the proxy is with the
System: When using a power from a Mode for system. Failure to overcome this Complication may
which the psion has Spectral Mastery, she may spend mean that the proxy inadvertently scrambles the
an additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one data he seeks, or alerts others to his meddling. In
aspect of the power, like Radius or range by one, in- addition, the proxy’s universal access acts as if he
crease any Enhancement by +2, or to multiply any had a supercomputer outputting to his brain. He
numerical quantities like number of targets by five. can calculate solutions to most mathematical prob-
lems, break the toughest mundane encryption with
SUBQUANTUM COMPUTING (••••• ••)
ease, and even unravel quantum encryption with
The universe is an infinitely complex machine. minor effort. Should the Storyguide require a roll
As the subquantum connects everything, the proxy relating to this computing power, the proxy gains
can interface with almost any device, anywhere. his Psi as an Enhancement. This power lasts for his
This includes computers unconnected to the OpNet Mode dots times his Duration.

PSYCHOKINESIS
Psychokinesis is one of the flashiest Aptitudes, and System: Success lets the character sense the
is also one that Joe Hologram is most familiar with, surfaces of all objects and precisely determine all
thanks to the ubiquitous media-friendly presence of the movement in a radius of short range. In addition
Legions. While most people think Psychokinesis simply to other uses, each success removes one level of
deals with kinetic energy and movement of molecules, any Complication or increased Difficulty caused
it includes more mysterious aspects that can block and by reduced visibility. She can also spend a success
channel energies with no molecular component. to gauge the relative temperatures of objects from
their molecular movement. This power lasts suc­
BASIC POWERS cesses times her Psi in minutes.
All characters with even one dot of Psychokinesis
possess the following powers. NUDGE
The psion can telekinetically move small or very
DISTANT TOUCH light objects at a slow speed. This can only move sin-
The psion can feel objects around her, using a gle, whole objects. The character could move a pile
sense similar to touch. She can use this when her of unconnected beads one at a time, but if they were
other senses are impaired. She can also sense sud- threaded together he would have to move all or none.
den changes to kinetic energy, such as through System: The character can move one tiny object,
Psychokinesis. but can spend one success to increase this size to

232 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

small. He can move this object at Speed Scale 1, but caused by heat or cold with the Continuous (hour)
can also spend a success to increase this to Speed or Continuous (minute) tag. Against environmen-
Scale 2. This power lasts his Psi in rounds. tal indirect damage caused by heat or cold with the
Continuous (rounds) tag or attacks made using heat
THERMOKINESIS or cold, including attacks with the Incendiary tag,
Although their effects appear remarkably differ- she reduces the damage by her Mode dots/2 plus
ent, manipulating heat and cold in matter involves one per success spent. She can extend this protec-
the same process — changing the vibration rate of tion to others within her Radius by spending one
molecules. Masters of Thermokinesis are terrifying success per person. This power lasts her Mode dots
to behold, taking to the battlefield encased in fire or times her Duration.
ice and incinerating or shattering their enemies. It
is a testament to the Legion’s public-relations per- FLASH (••)
sonnel that so many citizens love psychokinetics Whether flash freezing or flash frying, the psy-
despite this. chokinetic can generate an instant change in ther-
mal energy. Inflicting attacks of flame and frost are
EQUILIBRIUM (•) the most common uses of this power, but inventive
The psychokinetic is adept at transferring ther- psions find other uses as well, including everything
mal energy to and from her body and can survive from starting fires to chilling beverages.
intense heat and cold by manipulating the environ- Cost: 1 Psi point
ment around her. She can draw heat in to stay warm System: The psion attacks with either heat/
or push it away to keep cool. She can even mitigate flame or cold. This attack automatically possess-
damage from intense sources of heat or cold (such es an Enhancement equal to his Mode dots, the
as from Psychokinesis) through this. range (clash-his range) tag and one additional tag,
System: Success allows the psion to remain com- which must be Incendiary for heat/flame attacks
fortable in most extreme temperature conditions re- and Combined Stun for cold attacks. The player
gardless of clothing or other protections. The psion can purchase additional tags from the tags listed for
is immune to all environmental indirect damage each attack by spending successes at a cost of one

psychokinesis 233
 FLASH
DAMAGE
ATTACK EN RANGE TYPE TAGS
Heat/Flame Mode dots Close- Range Fire Incendiary, Ranged (close-range), and
possibly others
Cold/Ice Mode dots Close- Range Ballistic Combined Stun, Ranged (close-
range), and possibly others

tag/success. Possible additional heat/flame tags are TEMPERATURE EXTREMES (••••)

Aggravated, Destructive, and Spread. Possible ad-
The psion alters thermal energy in the substances
ditional cold/ice tags are Aggravated, Non-Lethal,
around him. He can heat solids until they melt or
Spread, and Weighted.
chill them until they become brittle and shatter. He
SHEATH (•••) can freeze or boil liquids, ignite flammable objects,
or quench infernos. The psychokinetic can decide
The psychokinetic encases herself in a defensive whether and how the substances he controls ex-
barrier of flame or ice. Each variety of armor has its change heat with the environment. He could set a
own advantages, allowing the psion to choose the bonfire in the center of a room and not allow it to
best to suit the current challenge. Such is the char- scorch the ceiling, or maintain an unmelting block
acter’s control that neither armor damages the en- of ice on the hottest summer day. The substance’s
vironment around it — unless she wishes it to. temperature equalizes with the surrounding envi-
Cost: 1 Psi point ronment when the power ends.
System: If successful, the character is surround- Cost: 2 Psi points
ed by a second skin, either of writhing flames or System: If successful, the psion can change the
translucent ice, but not both. The psion is never temperature of a single target of up to his Size pa-
harmed by either type of armor. Refer to the table rameter within his Radius, causing Indirect en-
below for the effects of each armor. The character vironmental damage that only affects the target
can add additional levels of soft armor by spending and has a damage rating equal to the number of
two successes per additional dot. This Armor lasts successes rolled. Living creatures make a Psi +
her Mode dots times her Duration. Stamina opposed roll to resist this damage, while
For 1 additional Psi point, the psion can create inanimate objects automatically freeze solid,
walls of fire or ice that either surround her at close melt, or catch fire, depending upon the tempera-
range or block a passage up to five meters across. ture change and the object. The psion can use this
Anyone attempting to pass through this barrier power on a portion of a larger inanimate object,
must first overcome the hard armor and then in- allowing him to freeze a walkable path across a
creases their Difficulty of moving through the wall lake or set fire to one wall of a large house. The
by the value of soft armor. Also, unless they first de- psion can also spend one additional Psi point to
stroy the wall using appropriate means, like a large increase the Size of a target by +1. However, he
heat source or a fire extinguisher, anyone moving cannot further increase this Size except by using
through the wall automatically suffers the effects of the appropriate Kinetic Mastery. This power lasts
the Defensive armor tag, if the psion decided to use for his Mode dots times his Duration.
this tag.

SHEATH
TYPE BASE ARMOR TAGS
Fire Bulletproof, Impact, Slash Complete, Hard 1, Defensive (optional), Environmental 0 (tem-
perature), Soft 3
Ice Bulletproof, Impact, Slash Complete, Defensive (optional), Hard 3, Environmental 0 (tem-
perature), Soft 2

234 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 HELLSCAPE (•••••) a Finesse Approach. The psion can move the object
no faster than Speed Scale 1 or Space Speed [1]. This
The psion exerts total thermokinetic control over
power lasts his Mode dots times his Duration.
the area around her. She can inflict a nightmarish
landscape of hellfire and frozen wasteland, or divide REMOTE HANDS (••)
the environment into hot and cold zones. She can
make impeded progress with jagged sculptures of ice The psychokinetic manifests telekinetic power
or flaming labyrinths, or even channel the thermal at a distance that exactly mimics the capabilities of
energies into or away from her foes, leaving them ex- human hands. Through these “phantom hands,” the
hausted from heat or hypothermic from cold. psion can perform any task that she would normally
be able to do with her hands. Her psionic link pro-
Cost: 3 Psi points
vides tactile feedback — she can feel what she is do-
System: If successful, the psychokinetic can ap-
ing and adjust her movements accordingly, but this
ply the effects of any Thermokinesis power on any
link doesn’t transmit damage or pain.
or all targets within her Radius. These powers don’t
System: If successful, the psion can manipu-
cost additional Psi points to use, but they consume
late objects up to her Radius away. The telekinetic
successes as normal. If the character has used all her
hands use the psion’s Psi as her Might and her own
successes, she can spend Psi points instead. She can
Skill for any actions she may need to make while us-
create large environmental hazards or difficult ter-
ing this power. This power lasts her Mode dots in
rain with a difficulty equal to her Mode dots. These
minutes.
effects last for her Mode dots times her Duration.
VELOCITY (•••)
TELEKINESIS
The psion changes an object’s kinetic energy in a
Telekinesis moves physical objects through sheer
specific direction, thereby changing its velocity. He
psionic power. Telekinetic powers don’t tether
can accelerate a car beyond its normal maximum,
the psion to the object being controlled unless he
or force it to come to a stop. He can force objects to
wishes. If the object is pulled away by other forc-
move in specific directions and can make impromp-
es, the psion chooses whether he is dragged along
tu missiles to attack opponents. He can even man-
with it or not. Even if he chooses to remain in place,
age clumsy flight. The character has some ability to
he doesn’t lose his degree of control — his psychic
control the object’s path by changing the vector of
“hands” don’t “slip” — unless the object moves be-
applied energy.
yond the range of his power.
Cost: 1 Psi point
TOW (•) System: The psion can increase or decrease the
speed of a target within his range by one Speed
The psion can move objects. He can move parts
Scale for every two successes spent. If used in space,
of the object, such as turning a doorknob or flipping
the psion can increase or decrease Space Speed by a
a switch, but can’t perform intricate manipulations.
maximum of one by spending three successes. The
What this power lacks in finesse and speed it makes
psion can target objects of his Size parameter or
up for in strength.
smaller, and can increase the target’s Size by a max-
System: Success lets the psion telekinetically
imum of +1 by spending one success.
move objects of up to his Size parameter within
In addition, the psion can accelerate objects less
his range. Every two successes allow the psion to
than one kg up to supersonic speeds. Used offensive-
increase the object’s Size by a maximum of +1. The
ly, he makes a ranged attack by accelerating small
character can also make crude manipulations with
objects at his foes. His attack’s range is his power’s
this power, but automatically fails any roll requiring

VELOCITY
ATTACK EN RANGE DAMAGE TYPE TAGS
Kinetic Attack Mode dots Close-Range Ballistic Automatic, Brutal, Deadly,
Piercing, Ranged (close-range)+,
Silent+, Spread
+ These tags are automatically included

psychokinesis 235
 range, and he gains his Mode dots as Enhancement. Cost: 3 Psi points
This attack automatically has the Silent tag, unless System: For the Duration of this power, the psion
the psion wishes otherwise. The psion has a pool gains +1 Enhancement to all Telekinesis rolls that
of points equal to his Mode dots to purchase any of are part of mixed actions. In addition, the psion
the following tags for this attack: Automatic, Brutal, reduces the cost of using any one of his other
Deadly, Piercing, and Spread. Using the Automatic Telekinesis Mode powers by one Psi point (to a min-
or Spread tag requires the psion to attack with sev- imum of zero) and can use Kinetic Enhancement to
eral small objects rather than simply one. cause a number of targets within range, up to his
Mode dots, to fly, and can increase this number by
KINETIC ENHANCEMENT (••••) spending one success per additional target. This
The psychokinetic refines her control to direct power lasts his Mode dots times his Duration.
kinetic energy inward at the molecular level. She Alternately, the psion can cause one object within
can increase her physical prowess by kinetically re- his range to explode. The psion can cause any object
inforcing her muscles, or fly by imparting this ener- of up to his Size parameter − 1 to explode, destroy-
gy in specific directions. ing it, and causing indirect environmental damage.
Cost: 2 Psi points Anyone within close range of the explosion suffers
System: Success gives the character a wide range damage equal to his Mode dots. This attack possess-
of abilities. She can enhance her Might by one dot per es the Deadly tag. Targets within short range suffer
success, up to a maximum of seven dots. By spending damage equal to Mode dots/2, with no tags. He can-
one success, she can fly at a Speed Scale of her Mode not explode living creatures.
dots or at her [Mode dots/2] Space Speed. She can in-
crease her Speed Scale by a maximum of +1 by spend- PERIKINESIS
ing one additional success or Psi point. A telekinetic’s This is often called “the force-fields Mode.”
maximum possible Speed Scale is 6, and without the While accurate, it fails to capture the variety of uses
use of Kinetic Mastery, her maximum possible Space a skilled perikinetic can achieve with its effects.
Speed is [2]. With Speed Scale 6, or Space Speed [2] Perikinesis effects usually cause a slight shimmer-
the psion can fly to or from orbit. ing in the air. However, the psion can render them
The psychokinetic can carry living things, ob- invisible by spending one success.
jects, or vehicles by spending one success or Psi
point per target, up to a total number of targets KINETIC SHIELD (•)
equal to her Mode dots. The passengers must re- The psychokinetic envelops herself in a force
main within short range of the psion, and unless the bubble that drains physical attacks of energy before
target can fly, the psion has complete control over they reach her. Objects that lose all kinetic energy
their movement. Resisting targets can attempt the drop to the ground as if in slow motion. By default,
Roll Away Defensive Stunt. If they succeed, they get the shield is like a second skin around the psion,
out of range before the psion carries them along. but she can push it outwards to encompass oth-
Spending one success or Psi point allows the psion ers. People within the bubble can attack each other
to increases the maximum possible Size of any one without impediment. The shield doesn’t have any
target by a maximum of +1. If desired, the telekinet- effect on physical objects or attacks moving through
ic, and as many others as fit can ride inside or on anyit from within.
object or vehicle on which she is using this power. Cost: 0 or 1 Psi point as a reflexive action
This power lasts her Mode dots times her Duration. System: Success encases the psion in a shield that
increases her soft armor value by an amount equal
TELEKINETIC DYNAMICS (•••••)
to her Mode dots, but only against physical attacks.
The psychokinetic exerts telekinetic control over She can spend two successes to increase the radi-
an area, allowing him a large degree of creativity. us of this shield out to close range. This power lasts
While this power is active, he can move numerous her Mode dots times her Duration, and the psion
objects, attack or defend multiple subjects, alter the can activate it reflexively as part of a Defense action
path of any projectile within range, or create tele- by spending 1 Psi point.
kinetic explosions by violently pushing an object in
all directions.

236 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 ENERGY SHIELD (••) The psion can create the field in any shape she can imag-
ine. She can also spend a success to telekinetically move
the force field at either Speed Scale 1 or Space Speed [1],
or to allow others to physically grasp and move it. This
power provides the psion and her allies with weightless,
nearly invisible tools that can be shaped for almost any
situation and which provide an Enhancement equal to
Mode dots/2 to reasonable rolls. In addition to provid-
ing armor, a field can support objects of up to the psion’s
Size parameter, or up to 20 objects or individuals or her
Size parameter − 1. The psion can also increase the Size
of objects the force field can support by spending two
successes per +1 Size, up to Size 3. These fields endure
The psion projects a shield that filters harmful
her Mode dots times her Duration.
energy. It reduces damage from heat, cold, lasers,
lightning, and other harmful energies. It can even BULK SHIELDING (••••)
act as protection from sunburn. Like the previous
power, the psion can push this shield outwards to The psychokinetic can generate multiple force
form a bubble or dome centered on himself. fields around different targets, individually protect-
ing allies with more precision than a single bubble.
Cost: 0 or 1 Psi point as a reflexive action
He can control the direction in which each force field
System: The power works as per Kinetic Shield
protects — placing them around enemies to blunt any
but protects the psion from harmful energies. It also
attacks coming from within while not stopping ex-
reduces the damage rating of all environmental in-
ternal attacks, or forcing peace upon a group by pre-
direct damage with the Continuous tag caused by
venting anyone from inflicting harm on each other.
heat, cold, or radiation by Mode dots/2. This shield
Cost: 2 Psi points
doesn’t protect against purely psionic attacks, such
as a telepath’s mental intrusions, but does protect System: The psion can place a number of force
against physical manifestations of psionic power, fields around targets within his Radius equal to one
like an electrokinetic’s electricity blasts. This power per success spent. These fields block both physical
lasts his Mode dots times his Duration and the psion and energy attacks, adding the psion’s Mode dots to
can activate it reflexively as part of a Defense action the wearer’s soft armor value. When placed around
by spending 1 Psi point. foes, these fields impose a Difficulty on attack rolls or
attempts at movement with a level equal to the psion’s
SHAPED PROJECTION (•••) Mode dots/2, but may not also provide armor. The
force fields last his Mode dots times his Duration.
The psion can form her force fields into shapes
beyond a second skin or a bubble. She could block SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY (•••••)
the windows and doorways of a room, or seal a hull
breach. The psychokinetic could also build force The psion can generate force fields that filter
field “tubing” to divert liquids or perform makeshift with precision. She can selectively allow certain
repairs. These force-field shapes don’t have to re- things through while keeping everything else out.
main static; the psion could wrap a corpse within a These are useful for creating airlocks that allow
shaped projection and move it like a puppet or car- entry to people and equipment but keep air inside,
ry herself and her comrades on a mobile platform. or undersea domes that allow oxygen to penetrate
These force fields don’t have to be large. The psion while keeping water out. The psychokinetic could
has an instant, invisible toolbox at her disposal. even use the fields to filter fresh water from con-
taminated sludge or bacteria from the air.
Cost: 1 Psi point
Cost: 1 Psi point
System: Success allows the psion to project a field
with a diameter up to her Radius anywhere within her System: This power enhances previous Perikinesis
range. By default, this only provides physical protection powers. When generating a force field, the psion can
as Kinetic Shield, but the psion can also include energy spend either one success or one Psi point per sub-
protection as Energy Shield by spending one success. stance she wishes to allow through the field. These
substances can be narrow or broad if they have a

psychokinesis 237
 specific noetic signature. “Fresh water” or “oxygen” immune to any outside forces except the natural
would both qualify, as would “humans,” “dogs,” or movements of the celestial body he is on or orbiting.
even “Chromatics.” This effect endures for her Mode He could be at the epicenter of a nuclear detonation
dots times her Duration. and be unharmed and ignorant of the event. Outside
forces could excavate the ground from beneath him
TRANSCENDING AND and he would remain floating in the air, untouched
PROXY-TIER POWERS by gravity. He remains in place relative to where
he began and would, for example, move with the
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers.
Earth’s rotation and orbit. The proxy can use this
power on himself to provide temporary immunity
KINETIC MASTERY (••••• •)
to damage from any attack. Mastery of this power
Kinetic Mastery is three separate powers, one each has made General Larsson practically unstoppable
for Thermokinesis, Telekinesis, and Perikinesis. These on the battlefield, even in the face of devastating
powers are only accessible to proxy-Tier psions. These Aberrant destructive forces.
powers don’t provide a new effect, they increase the Cost: 10 Psi points
effect of every other power in that Mode.
System: The psion can use this on himself or
System: When using a power from a Mode for which on any target within his range. Success locks the
the psion has Kinetic Mastery, she may spend an addi- targets into place, during which he is unaware of
tional Psi point to increase the Scale of one aspect of events around him, is unable to act, and is immobile
the power, like Radius, range, Size, or Speed by one, in- and immune to all effects and damage. The proxy
crease any Enhancement by +2, or to multiply any nu- can maintain this for up to Psi Duration per suc-
merical quantities, like number of targets by five. cess or Psi point expended at activation, or can end
it when a trigger condition is met. This trigger can
SUBQUANTUM LOCK (••••• ••)
be anything from harmful radiations falling to man-
Through a combination of masterful kinetic con- ageable levels, a set amount of time passing, or an-
trol and field manipulation, the proxy surrounds other person speaking a word at the proxy’s locked
the target in a psychokinetic sheath and “locks” him form. Even if a trigger is not used, the lock ends
into molecular stasis. The target is rendered immo- when its duration expires. Unwilling targets oppose
bile and unaware of events around him, but is also with Athletics + Resolve + Power Stat.

QUANTAKINESIS
Quantakinesis deals with the relationship between senses, or shine like a beacon that any psion will
energy and matter in the physical universe, and sub- notice. QKs can make their noetic field “disappear,”
quantum interactions with both. Quantakinesis also becoming all but impossible for others to locate
allows psions to interact with the Quantum powers of them using Psi. The QK can’t benefit from any Psi
Aberrants; a potent weapon against those monsters. powers, either his or others’, if he shuts his noetic
field down.
Despite the destructive potential within Quantakinesis’
Modes, most quantakinetics were scientifically minded System: Success lets the psion change his Psi trait
and more interested in unlocking the secrets of the uni-
to appear as any value he wishes. He can present as
verse than facing down rampaging Aberrants. a normal human, a latent, a strong latent, or an ac-
tive psion. He can even give the psionic impression
BASIC POWERS of being a proxy. This representation has no effect
All characters with even one dot of Quantakinesis on dice pools or powers and lasts Psi days. The
possess the following powers. quantakinetic can also shut down his Psi. He disap-
pears from noetic detection. Psions can only target
PSI CLOAK him with powers that generate a physical effect,
The quantakinetic alters his noetic signature to and where the psion has a Sensory Connection to
appear as strong or weak as he desires. He can blend the target. The quantakinetic has no access to any
into the background and appear human to psionic of his psionic powers when shut down this way, but

238 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

when rolling to resist powers, he still uses his full cold, or radiation that has the Continuous (hour)
Psi. This power endures until he reactivates his Psi tag. Used defensively, this allows the character to
with a reflexive action. change a number of damage levels equal to her suc-
cesses from environmental effects involving cold,
SUBQUANTUM SENSE heat, falls, or radiation, or from ballistic, electrical,
Quantakinetics are attuned to the ripples noetic incendiary, laser, or sonic attack into harmless ener-
(and Quantum) powers make throughout the uni- gy. However, each use of this power can only trans-
verse. The psion can sense when she is within prox- form a number of different types of energy equal to
imity of an active power, whether it is used on or her Mode dots/2, and the psion can only maintain
near her. She can also sense the sickening twists of one version of this power at a time. This power lasts
Aberrant Quantum manipulations. for one scene and the psion can activate it reflexive-
ly as part of a Defense action by spending 1 Psi point.
System: For the duration of the power, the quan-
takinetic senses all active Psi powers within his
PRODUCTION (••)
Attunement range. This includes lingering powers
such as biokinetic enhancements and subtle powers The quantakinetic converts noetic energy di-
in an area like a clairsentient’s scrying. The charac- rectly into energy from the physical universe. The
ter knows the Aptitude, Mode, and dot rating of the energy emanates from the psion but he can project
power and their location, if they are within range. it from any portion of his body. The character can
This also works against Aberrant powers, although produce all simple forms of energy, including elec-
the quantakinetic only learns the general type of tromagnetic, sound, and kinetic energy, as well as
power (attack, defense, concealing, or similar) and forces like gravity or magnetism. The psion is im-
the Aberrant’s archetype (see p. 331) and location. mune to any damage caused by the energy as he
This persists for Psi Duration and the psion can ac- produces it, but not from follow-on effects. If he
tivate it reflexively whenever someone targets her heated a room to catch fire he would be safe from
with a power. the initial heat, but not from the risk of being in a
burning room. The psion can release this energy as
ENERGETICS a powerful burst or more slowly.
The quantakinetic exerts power over the funda- Cost: 1 Psi point
mental forces of the universe as they relate to all System: The psion creates an instant burst of
known forms of energy. This Mode affects a great- any type of energy. The psion lacks fine control
er breadth of energy than Electrokinesis, but that over the energy’s flow, but can aim a burst of ener-
Aptitude provides far greater control over the ener- gy at a single foe within his Radius that creates an
gies within its domain. environmental hazard with a damage rating equal
to his Mode dots. By spending one success, he can
CONVERSION (•) add either the Deadly or the Non-Lethal Indirect
The psion can change any form of energy into an- Injury tags (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 110).
other type, regardless of the relationship between If desired, he can spend one additional Psi point to
the two. The resultant energies are largely unstruc- expand this attack so that it affects everyone within
tured, even if the source was more complex. The close range of his target. He can also use this power
psion could change coherent light from a laser to to perform simple tasks like igniting fires or throw-
hissing white noise, and she could turn electrical ing objects, vehicles, or individuals up to his Size
current into flashes of light or bursts of heat, but she parameter up to his Radius, using a brief burst of
couldn’t transform the current into a laser. gravity or kinetic energy. If desired, the psion can
throw people and objects with less force, to safely
System: If successful, the character can trans-
move them up to his Radius.
form one type of energy within her Radius into an
equivalent amount of another. She could direct- Alternately, the psion can choose to produce the
ly transform kinetic energy into a flash of light, or energy more slowly, creating enough light to see
some of the local gravity into heat to keep warm or comfortably, sufficient heat to make arctic cold
cook food. One success allows the psion to alter the comfortable (eliminating all environmental dam-
gravity around her by one level (p. 110), or to elim- age caused by cold with the Continuous (hour) or
inate all environmental damage caused by heat, Continuous (minute) tags), increase gravity by one

quantakinesis 239
 level (p. 110) per success, or creating sufficient elec- within his Radius per success spent. This change
tricity to recharge portable batteries. Used in this doesn’t affect the energy’s other properties. The
fashion, the power can affect everything within the changes persist for one scene, and end immediately
psion’s Radius. These effects persist for his Mode if the energy moves outside of the psion’s Radius.
dots times his Duration.
NULL (•••••)
DESTRUCTION (•••)
The quantakinetic destroys energy, transforming
it into subquantum particles that disappear into the
noetic continuum. This power is particularly useful
for eliminating sources of harmful energy or con-
structing shields to protect the psion and her allies
from damaging emissions.
Cost: 2 Psi points
System: Success allows the character to destroy
any energy within her Radius by converting it to
subquantum particles. She can protect a single tar-
get within her Radius from damaging energies by The quantakinetic creates a zone of noetic tran-
increasing the Difficulty of all attempts to use the quility. The psion divorces herself and anyone she
Inflict Damage Stunt and reducing the damage rat- wishes inside the zone from any or all types of en-
ing of all forms of indirect damage caused by ener- ergy. This exempts her from being affected by these
gy by one per success. For one additional Psi point, energies, except as she permits.
she can protect everyone within Close range of the Cost: 4 Psi points
target. She can also use this power more subtly. System: Success allows the character to decide
Each success can drain all charge from batteries how she interacts with energies for a number of
and power packs in vehicles or weapons (but can- rounds equal to her Mode dots + successes. She can
not affect vehicles powered by hyperfusion reac- add people and items within her Radius for one suc-
tors), rendering devices and weapons useless. The cess or Psi point each. She can become transparent
psion can also use successes to eliminate danger- to light, partially or entirely immune to gravity, or
ous radiation, make hot weather chilly (eliminat- impervious to heat or electricity within the zone.
ing all environmental damage caused by radiation, She can also sense what happens around her nor-
heat, or electricity with the Continuous (hour) or mally if she wishes. The character can even choose
Continuous (minute) tags at a cost of one success, or to be able to act and perceive normally while being
she can reduce the local pull of gravity by one level completely undetectable to all conventional sens-
per success. The psion can use any of these subtler es or sensors while the effect endures. Attempts
powers on some or all targets within her Radius. All to target the quantakinetic with physical energy
uses of this power last for her Mode dots times her suffer a Complication equal to her Mode dots, and
Duration. even then, attackers must be able to sense her to
attack. Attacks using non-energy-based psionic and
CHANGE PROPERTIES (••••) Quantum powers, like Telepathy or Teleportation,
The quantakinetic can change the behavior and are unaffected if the attacker can sense the psion.
properties of a single energy source without alter-
ing what it is. He could make electricity unable to FUNDAMENTALS
be transmitted by metals, remove heat’s ability to Students of Fundamentals can empower or im-
burn organic matter, or alter the direction of grav- pede the psionic and Quantum flows throughout
ity. The psion deliberately breaks universal laws in the universe. In addition to being able to weaken or
performing these changes, which only persist while block Psi powers, the psion can dampen Aberrant
his Psi sustains them. powers, remove Corruption from Quantum Flux
Cost: 3 Psi points diseases, or even remediate Corrupted wastelands.
System: Success allows the psion to alter one Rules for Quantum Flux zones and Quantum Flux
property of any specific type of energy occurring illness are on pp. 192-193.

240 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 RESIST (•) Corruption) points directly from an individual, but
he can also temporarily drain the Corruption from
The quantakinetic shields against Psi and
individuals with Quantum Flux diseases. Annulling
Quantum powers either used against her or against
Corruption allows the victim’s body to heal on its
the area she is in. For powers affecting an area, the
own, or to receive treatment from a vitakinetic.
character can choose to protect just herself, or un-
Either way, if the quantakinetic suppresses the
ravel the entire power. Each use of this power pro-
Corruption until the disease is fully healed, it is per-
tects the psion from a single Mode of one Aptitude
manently gone.
or a single type of Quantum power.
Cost: 2 Psi points
System: The quantakinetic imposes a Difficulty
System: Roll with a Difficulty equal to the tar-
equal to her successes to power activation rolls
get’s Psi or Corruption. The psion drains her Mode
from a single Mode or Quantum power that would
dots/2 Psi points or one Corruption point from her
affect her. For powers targeted at an area contain-
target per success, adding Psi points to her pool or
ing the psion, she may instead impose this as a
the pool of any single psion within his Range at a
Complication equal to her successes. If the power’s
rate of one Psi point per two Psi or one Corruption
originator succeeds at his roll but doesn’t overcome
drained. She can also harmlessly disperse energies
the Complication, his power acts against everyone
into the subquantum universe. The quantakinet-
in the area except the quantakinetic and anyone she
ic can also drain Corruption from humans with
is protecting. The psion can extend this protection
Quantum Flux diseases. If she succeeds, a vitakinet-
to anyone within close range by spending one Psi
ic can cure it as a normal illness. This effect lasts her
point. This power lasts for Mode dots in rounds.
Mode dots times her Duration. If the quantakinetic
SHIELD (••) drains all Psi points from a being of pure noetic en-
ergy, like one of the Doyen (p. 360), it is unaware
The quantakinetic can choose to protect him- and Taken Out for the next scene.
self and perhaps those near him from either all psi
powers or all Quantum powers, but cannot protect MANIPULATE (••••)
against both simultaneously.
The quantakinetic can change the parameters of
Cost: 1 Psi point
other psions’ (or Aberrant’s) powers. This works
System: When attempting to shield against either if he is present when the power manifests, or if he
type of power, the psion imposes a Complication detects lingering powers of longer duration. He
with a level equal to one for every two successes on can’t change a power’s ongoing after-effects— items
all psi or quantum powers used against the psion. torched by Thermokinesis remain burnt — but he
This Complication functions as armor for attacks can mitigate effects directly sustained by the linger-
that cause physical damage and as an ordinary ing power. However, he can’t modify powers that
Complication for all other effects. If the power’s only affect the user.
originator succeeds at her roll but doesn’t overcome
Cost: 3 Psi points
the Complication, her power acts against everyone
System: When influencing psionic powers, the
in the area who isn’t protected. The psion can pro-
quantakinetic can spend successes to alter a pow-
tect Psi other targets within short range from these
er within his range as if he had created the ef-
effects for every additional Psi point he spends. If
fect. He can also “buy down” the power he alters,
the psion is protecting against Quantum powers,
spending successes to decrease any parameter like
the shield also protects individuals from all pen-
range, Modifier, or Duration with each success de-
alties and other effects caused by Quantum Flux
creasing the effective Psi or Mode dots by one or
zones. This power lasts for one scene.
increasing each parameter by one for every two
DRAIN (•••) successes spent. Spending four successes allows the
psion to change the target of the effect to anyone
The psion can siphon Psi and Quantum reser- within range of the power, including the character
voirs, either channeling them to recharge herself or who originated it. This tactic also works against
others, or draining them back into the subquantum Quantum powers. This power lasts for the duration
universe. This usually manifests as stealing Psi (or of the power it is affecting.

quantakinesis 241
 TRANSFERENCE (•••••) If the character instead focuses on a single target
within her range, she can either attempt to tempo-
The quantakinetic can flood a target or the area
rarily increase or decrease the target’s Corruption
around her with cleansing psionic energies, re-
trait by one point for every two successes (rounded
inforcing and empowering noetic templates, and
down). The Difficulty to either increase or decrease
boosting psionic clarity. This also clears away
a target’s Corruption trait is equal to the target’s
Corruption, eliminating a Quantum Flux Zone.
Corruption trait. The character cannot use this abil-
With effort, Transference can even repair the no-
ity on any creature without a Corruption trait. The
etic damage that causes Quantum Flux diseases
character can also temporarily increase or decrease
or transforms people into sub-Aberrant mutants,
another psion’s Psi trait by one point, but cannot af-
restoring their lost humanity, and can temporarily
fect it more than this. All effects last for her Mode
reduce an Aberrant’s Corruption. Alternately, the
dots times her Duration.
psion can temporarily increase the Corruption of an
To purify an area, the victim of a Quantum Flux
area or use this Corruption to further empower a
disease, or a sub-Aberrant mutant, the psion rolls and
sub-Aberrant mutant or an Aberrant.
spends successes equal to the target’s Corruption
Cost: 4 Psi points
trait. Living beings must be within the psion’s
System: Roll against a Difficulty equal to the area’s Radius, and the psion reduces the Corruption of
Corruption trait. Success floods the area with subquan- all portions of a Quantum Flux zone that are with-
tum energy, giving everyone with a Psi trait within the in her range. For both uses, the psion must remain
psion’s Radius an Enhancement equal to successes. within range of the target and maintain the power
Aberrants and any other beings without a Psi trait in- for one full scene. Corrupted creatures attempt to
stead suffer an increased Difficulty to all rolls of the flee from the discomfort; other creatures within
same level. Alternately, the character can reverse this the Quantum Flux zone sense the changes and may
effect, increasing Difficulty for everyone with the Psi come to investigate and stop the quantakinetic. If
trait and giving an Enhancement to every creature with successful, the target’s Corruption trait is reduced
a Corruption trait. Both effects last for Psi rounds.

242 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

by one. The psion can then use Transference again the “solidity” of liquids and gases, creating strong
on this reduced level of Corruption. When the psion structures from liquids or making jelly-like walls
reduces the target’s Corruption to zero, it is perma- from gas. These changes don’t alter the chemical
nently clear of Aberrant energies, although addi- nature of the substances — people can still breathe
tional Quantum Flux can corrupt it again. This use thickened air or drink hardened water, although do-
of the power does not work on actual Aberrants. ing so may require more effort than usual.
Cost: 1 Psi point
TRANSMUTATION System: The quantakinetic reshapes a solid ob-
The quantakinetic exerts power over the struc- ject up to her Size parameter within her Radius or
ture and properties of nonliving matter. She can a volume of liquid or gas equal to her Radius. She
sense and alter the molecular structure of nonliv- can increase the Size of the solid object she can
ing materials, or change the subatomic structure affect by +1 by spending two successes. However,
and change one element into another. The psion she cannot further increase this Size except by us-
can even generate exotic forms of matter. Exotic ing the appropriate Noetic Harmony. Substances
substances are inherently unstable and swiftly dis- that are particularly precious to someone, or that
integrate without the quantakinetic’s power main- are frequently used and carried — such as favored
taining them. clothing or weapons — apply the owner’s Psi or
Corruption trait as Difficulty to the roll. Shaping an
MOLECULAR SCANNING (•) object may require other skills and additional rolls
The psion can sense the molecular makeup of ob- if she constructs a machine or creates a work of art.
jects. He can easily identify the object’s weakest point, This power provides no protection from dangerous
whether due to design flaws or through some other substances. Malleability lasts up to her Mode dots
vulnerability and learn details of its inner structure. times her Duration. After this power ends, solids re-
The psion can uniquely identify an object and know if tain their shape, but liquids and gases do not.
it is replaced by a seemingly identical copy.
ASSOCIATION (•••)
System: The character understands the molec-
ular structure of one nonliving object within short Everything has a noetic signature, not just living
range. This identifies the object’s unique noetic creatures. Being part of something greater reshapes
signature and also provides the psion with detailed an inanimate object’s noetic nature. A chip isn’t just
knowledge of the object. He knows if it contains any a computer component, it is the electronic brain of
hidden compartments, and any weak points or con- a computer. Bolts and nuts don’t simply hold items
cealed damage as well as how it moves and reacts. together, they are as much a part of the structural
For the next scene, he can reduce any Difficulty or whole as ligaments and tendons are to a person.
Complications involved in repairing the object by Through this oneness, the quantakinetic can reas-
the number of successes rolled, using any remain- semble broken objects, with her power filling gaps
ing successes as Enhancement to the roll. In addi- by reforming available substances, or making tem-
tion, he can also find weak spots in the object, al- porary fill-ins with pure Psi.
lowing him to apply the same bonus to any attempts Cost: 2 Psi points
to disable the object or to perform similar actions System: The psion reassembles any broken or
like picking a lock. He can also spend successes to disassembled nonliving structure, vehicle, or device
ignore one point of armor per success for any attack up to the psion’s Size parameter within his Radius.
he makes on the object during the scene. However, He can increase the Size of the object he can affect
this power does not allow the character to under- by +1 by spending 2 successes. However, he cannot
stand electronic data. The character can track any further increase this Size except by using the appro-
object he has scanned for Psi days, as long as it re- priate Noetic Harmony. Repairing an item requires
mains within extreme range (10 kilometers). one success if all pieces are available. The quantak-
inetic’s power automatically molds replacements
MALLEABILITY (••) for missing pieces for one success if suitable mate-
The quantakinetic temporarily alters molecu- rials are nearby — such as modifying nearby stone
lar bonds allowing her to reshape even the hard- to replace concrete — or makes translucent psion-
est material as if it were clay. She can also increase ic versions for two successes, if not. These repairs

quantakinesis 243
 leave no visible evidence; they occur at the molec- ALCHEMY (•••••)
ular level. Repairs are permanent if all pieces or re-
The quantakinetic turns one substance into another,
placements are made from suitable materials. The
or creates matter out of nothingness. The availability
psion can make multiple attempts to repair larger
and purity of the original substance affects how diffi-
objects. The character can also use this power to
cult this is for the psion to accomplish, as does the com-
create physical keys or components that have been
plexity of the change. Additionally, while transforming
deliberately removed from a device to disable it. All
dangerous materials into harmless substitutes adds no
psionic replacements fade after his Mode dots times
difficulty, the reverse is considerably more difficult.
his Duration.
Cost: 4 Psi points
RETUNE (••••) System: The quantakinetic can transform any
object of up to Large Size (p. 267) into another sub-
The psion can alter matter by temporarily chang-
stance as per the table below. He can spend two
ing its properties. She can stop electricity flowing
successes to increase the object’s Size to Size 0,
through metal by changing its conductivity or alter
but only the appropriate Noetic Harmony can in-
the insulating properties of Styrofoam to maximize
crease the Size further. The psion must be no fur-
heat transfer. The quantakinetic could make con-
ther than close range away to transform something.
crete transparent to light, or alter it to offer the re-
These transformations are permanent. This process
sistance of air to anyone passing through, all while
leaves a psionic trace on the transformed substance
maintaining its structural strength. These changes
that other psions can use to establish a Familiar
can instantly disable a device and could also poten-
Connection to the quantakinetic. Also, the psion
tially enhance it somewhat.
cannot use this power to create complex electronic
Cost: 3 Psi points
devices or other objects that depend upon having
System: The character can alter any nonliving a complex chemical and physical structure. At the
matter of up to her Size parameter or all gas or Storyguide’s discretion, most types of exotic matter
liquid within her Radius by spending successes on fade away after his Mode dots times his Duration.
the table below. She can increase the Size of the
object she can affect by +1 by spending 2 success-
SUBSTANCE SUCCESSES
es. However, she cannot further increase this Size
except by using the appropriate Noetic Harmony. Pure element 1
Multiple attempts can transform larger objects. Single molecular substance 2
Altering the environment in specific ways can make Simple solution (one sub- 3
certain actions easier or more difficult, providing stance dissolved in another)
up to +1 Enhancement per success to particular ac-
Complicated solution 4
tions or increasing the Difficulty of actions by up to
+1 Difficulty per success. Changes endure for her Multiple substances chemi- 5
Mode dots times her Duration. cally fused together
Substance toxicity +1 per Damage
MATTER ALTERATION TABLE
Create substance from +1 Psi point and
SUCCESSES PER nothing +1 success
ALTERATION CHANGE Create exotic matter that +2 Psi points and
Minor (color or 1 defies physical laws +2 successes
opacity)
Durability (increase or 1 per point of armor TRANSCENDING AND
decrease armor) increased or decreased
Moderate (conductivity, 2
PROXY-TIER POWERS
insulation) Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers.

Major (change mass) 3 NOETIC HARMONY (••••• •)

Extreme (alter density) 4 Noetic Harmony is three separate powers,
one each for Energetics, Fundamentals, and

244 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

Transmutation. These powers are only accessible renders an Aberrant incapable of manipulating
to proxy-Tier psions. These powers don’t provide a Quantum.
new effect, they increase the effect of every other Cost: 10 Psi points
power in that Mode. System: Roll with a Difficulty equal to the tar-
System: When using a power from a Mode for get’s Psi or Corruption. Success shuts down the
which the psion has Noetic Harmony, he may spend target’s powers. However, as soon as the psion uses
an additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one this power on them, the target can take an ordinary
aspect of the power, like Radius, range, or Size by action to spend three Psi points or one Corruption
one, increase any Enhancement by +2, or to multi- point per level to inflict a Complication that pre-
ply any numerical quantities like number of targets vents the quantakinetic from using this power on
by five. the target now or for the remainder of the scene.
The quantakinetic can use Shutdown repeatedly to
SHUTDOWN (••••• ••) buy down this Complication. If the proxy succeeds,
The proxy can demonstrate her command of the the target is effectively a normal human for the
forces that power psions and Aberrants by tempo- psion’s Mode dots times her Duration. If the proxy
rarily severing their connection to the source. This fails, the target retains his powers. Shutting down
temporarily rewrites a psion’s noetic template, or a being of pure Psi energy permanently destroys it.

TELEPATHY
A subtle Aptitude, Telepathy has few outward signs to give away its use. The existence of Telepathy gives
rise to paranoia and mistrust of psions. Telepathy has become subject to more legal controls and restric-
tions than other Aptitudes because of this. Unless otherwise stated, Telepathic powers that the psion can
target using noetic connections (p. 204) can only target individuals within Psi astronomical units (AU) of
the telepath.

MENTAL INJURY
Damage to a character’s psyche can be modeled using Status Conditions (Trinity Con-
tinuum Corebook, p. 107). Mental Status Conditions can simulate the lasting effects of
trauma, brain injury, phobias, or disorders the character was born with. While characters
can learn to live with or overcome these with therapy, drugs, and time, Telepathy and
Vitakinesis can heal or inflict these Conditions far more rapidly.
The following are two examples of using Status Conditions to simulate mental trauma a
character may suffer. Players and Storyguides should work together to develop others
suitable for their game.
POST-INCIDENT TRAUMA (PERSISTENT)
Exposure to traumatic experiences has left lasting damage. The character has recurring,
distracting memories of the trauma, deliberately avoids situations that remind him of the
experience, and has difficulty sleeping which leads to lethargy and irritability. When the
character encounters stressful situations, or experiences that remind him of the trauma, he
adds 2 Difficulty to all rolls for the remainder of the Scene.
Resolution: Appropriate Psi powers or therapy.
PHOBIA (PERSISTENT)
The character has an unreasonable fear of something. When she encounters the subject
of her fear, she finds it difficult to do anything except try to escape the situation. She adds
a level 2 Complication to rolls while in the presence of the subject, failure to buy off this
Complication means the character retreats from the source of her fear.
Resolution: Appropriate Psi powers or therapy.

telepathy 245
 BASIC POWERS Qin only impose a level 1 Complication because they
are naturally telepathic, while an unwilling and ter-
All characters with even one dot of Telepathy
rified Chromatic imposes a level-4 Complication. A
possess the following powers.
willing Chromatic would reduce that Complication
down to 2. Failure to fully buy off this Complication
MINDSCAN
means that the telepath’s communication is imper-
The telepath senses minds around her. She can fect and contains nonsense or misunderstandings.
easily tell the difference between human and oth-
er species, and recognizes species she has encoun- RAPPORT
tered before. The psion also automatically recog- Rapport helps the telepath understand the emo-
nizes minds she’s previously had telepathic contact tions that drive both individuals and large masses of
with, unless the individual is using Psi powers (or people. Skilled telepaths can calm an angry individ-
other abilities) to mask his thought patterns. ual or incite a crowd to violent revolution. To those
Cost: 0 or 1 Psi point who would seek to control and manipulate entire
System: Success detects all minds within me- populations, masters of Rapport are simultaneous-
dium range. The psion can recognize individuals ly great assets and potentially dire threats. Greater
whose minds she has sensed before. By spending emotional changes require more effort. See the
one Psi point, the psion can extend this power to Emotional Intensity Chart below for one of many
long range. The psion can also use other Telepathy possible examples of the range of emotions and how
powers through the Psionic Connection established these changes can be quantified.
by Mindscan. This power lasts for Psi Duration.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY CHART
MINDSPEAK
EXAMPLE EMOTIONAL
INTENSITY STATE
Extreme (−3) Ecstatic
Focused (−2) Happy
Exaggerated (−1) Pleased
Neutral (0) Calm
Exaggerated (1) Displeased
Focused (2) Angry
Extreme (3) Enraged

The telepath can open a communications chan- SENSE EMOTION (•)

nel between herself and anyone within his line of
The telepath reads the emotions of individuals,
sight. The target must voluntarily accept the link,
or senses the prevailing attitude of a group. When
which automatically fails if he refuses. The link al-
reading a group, the psion understands how perva-
lows them to converse silently, but the telepath can
sive an emotion is amongst everyone present. This
only communication with a single individual at a
power also highlights individuals who feel differ-
time.
ently, or feel the overarching emotion most strongly.
System: The psion establishes a telepathic link When focused on individuals, the telepath under-
with another human within medium range. He can stands the target’s current emotional makeup, and
communicate silently but must share a common how each part contributes to the whole.
language to understand the other person and be un-
System: The telepath understands the primary
derstood, beyond the ability to communicate sim-
motivating emotions of an individual or group within
ple messages like “danger outside.” This connection
either medium range or the range of her Mindscan,
endures for Psi rounds. Communicating with aliens
whichever is longer. The psion also understands
is possible, but imposes a Complication with a level
the attitude of the individual towards anyone pres-
that depends on both how mentally alien they are
ent and can identify any bonds between people in
and whether they are willing or attempting to resist.
a group she scans. Not every member of the group

246 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

need be in this area. The character may also spend Cost: 2 Psi points
one success to identify individuals who deviate from System: The psion can calm, inflame, or change
the group emotion, or who feel it most strongly. The the prevailing emotional state of an entire crowd
psion gains Enhancement equal to her Mode dots to that is within her Radius. The telepath must spend
Empathy rolls to influence the individual or sway the one success for every 10 x her Psi individuals she
crowd. This power lasts for one scene. tries to sway, plus one success for each step of
separation between the desired emotion and the
EXACERBATE (••) crowd’s current emotion. She can also spend Psi
The psion modifies the strength of a single emo- points instead of successes. Influencing the crowd’s
tion, inflaming it to greater heights or damping it to emotional state grants the psion an Enhancement
next to nothing. The emotion must be affecting the equal to successes when dealing with members
victim at least a fair degree for the psion to be able of the group and can also change the atmosphere
to increase it. He couldn’t increase fear in a target (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 86) by her dots
who was comfortable and relaxed, nor anger in a in this Mode, including raising or lowering it, or
person who was delightfully happy. The psion also lowering it to zero and then creating an entirely dif-
can’t entirely eliminate the emotion. He could calm ferent positive or negative atmosphere. This effect
an enraged individual to a simmering bad mood, lasts her Mode dots times her Duration, after which
or bring raucous laughter to mild amusement, but the group’s mood may begin to shift, depending on
some trace of the emotion remains. The psion can what other stimuli affect the members.
target himself with this power.
System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with
INFLICT EMOTION (••••)
Empathy + Composure. The psion changes the in- The psion can impose any emotion on his target.
tensity of one of the target’s emotions by one step Fear could paralyze a calm, experienced soldier, or a
on the emotional intensity chart per success and bored student could become intently focused on the
can instead choose to increase or decrease the in- task before her. These emotions can be incredibly
tensity of the target’s attitude towards someone by strong and cause a victim to act against her nature. He
one point per success, but cannot make a positive could force a criminal suspect to be wracked with guilt
attitude negative or the reverse. and confess to anything the police suggest, or even at-
In addition, he can impose a Complication on oth- tempt suicide to escape the emotions. These extreme
ers trying to reason with or influence the target with effects unfortunately provide plenty of sensational-
a level equal to the target’s new attitude. Alternately, ized fodder for anti-telepath, and anti-psion, groups.
he could grant the target an Enhancement equal to Cost: 2 Psi points
his successes on Mental or Social rolls as her mind System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with
becomes clear of distraction, or impose the same Empathy + Composure. Each success spent lets the
amount as increased Difficulty as the emotion over- psion inflict any emotion on a single target in line of
whelms her. The target is aware of her actions while sight or that the psion can detect using Mindscan.
influenced. The psion can use this power on a single The strength of this emotion is dictated by success-
target in line of sight or that the psion can detect es spent, with each success allowing the psion to
using Mindscan. These effects last his Mode dots create an emotion one additional step away from
times his Duration, after which the emotions return calm. The victim suffers the psion’s Mode dots to
to normal intensity. the Difficulty of actions where the emotion would
be a hindrance or the same as Enhancement where
MOB MENTALITY (•••) the emotion would be beneficial. Additionally, the
The telepath sways the mood of entire crowds. psion can either raise or lower the target’s attitude
She can dictate the prevailing mood of a group one level of intensity per success. By spending 2
and move everyone’s emotions towards that goal. additional Psi points, the psion can affect everyone
Someone in the group must already feel a degree of within his Radius.
what the telepath hopes to achieve. The psion can Alternately, the psion can use his successes to cre-
generate subtle effects as well as gross mood chang- ate a bond between himself and a single target or to
es, such as feelings of hunger when near a restau- create a bond between two targets. All such bonds
rant, or desire to own the latest fad. are automatically two-way, and so both parties suffer

telepathy 247
 all drawbacks from these temporary bonds. All uses leaving the target’s mind, even if the conditions
of this power last his Mode dots times his Duration. aren’t met in this time. The psion can activate this
power in consecutive rounds to continue to accu-
CONDITIONED (•••••) mulate sufficient successes to achieve her goal. Use
The telepath can do more than directly control of this power sometimes induces the target to con-
emotions, she can build mental scenarios that trig- tinue to feel a lesser version of the desired emotion
ger desired emotions under the right conditions. in the same circumstances even after it has worn off
The psion can help soldiers and police respond and occasionally causes lasting mental injury.
calmly to high-stress or traumatic situations, or
she can provoke someone to murderous rage in re- MINDSHARE
sponse to a minor frustration with congested traffic This Mode directly transmits information from
or the sight of a particular individual. one mind to another. It can permit mental conversa-
Cost: 3 Psi points tions, but is more than just words. People connected
System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with via Mindshare exchange thoughts, images, and con-
Empathy + Composure. The telepath implants cepts and do not require a common language. The
emotions within the victim’s psyche as per Inflict telepath can pluck thoughts and memories from
Emotion, but they don’t take immediate effect. targets, and delve into his innermost secrets and
These changes can include any of the options avail- dreams.
able to Inflict Emotion, including attitude chang-
NETWORK (•)
es or temporary bonds. The psion then specifies
certain conditions that cause the emotion to sud- The psion builds a telepathic network linking
denly manifest for up to her Mode dots times her multiple minds together. Individuals within this
Duration before fading. She can include multiple network can communicate silently regardless of
conditions by spending one success per condition. distance. This mental contact eliminates barriers of
The hidden emotions endure for Psi months before language and culture. Each networked individual

248 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

generally chooses what thoughts to send to the Cost: 1 Psi point
network, though moments of extreme emotion or System: The telepath can target individuals
sudden pain can seep through and distract other with whom he possesses any type of noetic con-
members. Networked psions do not have to main- nection. Other telepaths are automatically aware
tain physical contact to combine their Aptitudes (p. of this power, and if unwilling can apply their
207). While the telepath maintains the Network, all Mind Shield to the roll, but no one else is aware
individuals count as touching. of the mental intrusion. On success, he experienc-
System: The telepath can network a number of es the target’s senses as his own. He can jump to
individuals equal to successes. The telepath must another person within his target’s line of sight,
possess a noetic connection to someone in order treating the new person as if he had a Familiar
to attempt to include him in a network. The same Connection with her. Changing targets costs one
penalties for communicating with aliens using success if he breaks contact with the original per-
Mindspeak apply to Network. son, or two successes if he maintains multiple
By default, every member transmits to the entire sensory viewpoints. The telepath retains his own
group, but any telepath in the network can limit dis- senses and awareness while using this power.
tribution of messages reflexively. The network en- When combined with Network, he can allow ev-
dures for his Mode dots times his Duration, or the eryone in the Network to share everyone’s view-
telepath can sustain it indefinitely by committing points by spending either 1 Psi point or successes
one Psi point. For the duration of the network, ev- equal to the number of members of the Network.
eryone counts as having a Psionic Connection with The psion’s power cushions the effect so everyone
one another. functions normally despite seeing different scenes
from multiple angles. The effect lasts his Mode
SURFACE SKIM (••) dots times his Duration.
The telepath can read a target’s surface thoughts,
DEEP SCAN (••••)
but can’t dig deeper into his mind or memories. The
psion can take deliberate action to prompt her tar- The telepath can search her target’s mind like a
get’s thoughts, but various groups train people in holovid collection. She can sift through memories
generating mental static to avoid this as needed. to find specific information, or simply access as
System: The psion targets one person within line much as she can to better understand the target.
of sight or Mindscan range. The roll has a Difficulty Cost: 2 Psi points
equal to the target’s Manipulation if he is unaware or System: The psion targets one person within
opposed by the target’s Integrity + Manipulation if short range and rolls with a Difficulty equal to the
he has reason to suspect someone is actively search- target’s Composure. The psion spends successes as
ing his thoughts. The psion gains one thought at the per the table below to uncover memories from the
forefront of the target’s mind per success spent. The victim’s mind, and can divide up successes so as to
telepath can use this power in concert with normal retrieve multiple memories at once.
conversation or actions that lead the target’s mind
to reveal clues or other information sought by the MEMORY TYPE SUCCESSES REQUIRED
psion. In addition to the value of the information, the Superficial 1
psion gains Enhancement equal to successes spent
when using this information to influence the target. Personal 2
Embarrassing 3
ACCESS (•••) Well-guarded or 4
The telepath accesses others’ senses to experi- Forgotten
ence locations as if he were there. Targeting indi- Deeply Repressed 5
viduals he has a noetic connection to works best,
but the telepath can leap from person to person if
needed. With additional effort, he can simultane- OVERRIDE (•••••)
ously monitor the senses of multiple people, gaining The telepath becomes an instant expert in almost
a composite picture of an area, or observe different any field by drawing on the skills and specialties of
areas at once. those around him. He could swap his target’s higher

telepathy 249
 Skill for his lower one, or hinder an enemy by substi- access to the highest Skill ratings, Skill Tricks,
tuting a lesser Skill for her own. The telepath can use and Specialties by spending either 3 additional
this power as part of a Network to grant every member Psi points or successes equal to the number of
the best possible Skill levels available to the group. Such members of the group. This effect lasts his Mode
deep mental contact can be uncomfortable because it dots times his Duration.
breaks down every barrier between individuals — there
is no mental privacy or secrets within such groups. PSYCHBENDING
Cost: 3 Psi points The telepath controls others through the power
System: Individuals can actively resist this of her Psi. She can direct her victims to act, alter
power using Psi + Resolve. The telepath can use memories, and change personalities to temporarily
the Skill of anyone within Mindscan range, and craft a new person from the victim. Psychbending
can either look for the highest Skill (or par- can also help others by alleviating or curing the
ticular combination of Skills, Skill Tricks, and symptoms of mental trauma or illness. The telepath
Specialties), or he can select a more distant tar- can target herself with Psychbending powers.
get with whom he possesses a noetic connection
and borrow her Skill. The telepath can increase MIND SHIELD (•)
his chosen Skill by one dot per success, to a maxi- Most new telepaths learn to protect their own
mum of the target’s Skill. Alternately, he can swap minds from intrusion. This goes beyond tricks used
his Skill rank with someone else by paying suc- by others, like uttering repetitive phrases or solving
cesses equal to the difference between the Skill complex logic problems. The telepath creates a wall
dots, raising his Skill and lowering the target’s of Psi between her mind and those who seek to read
Skill. This transfer can include more than Skill or control it. She is aware of attempts to penetrate
dots; the telepath can also temporarily transfer her shield and can choose to allow powers through
(or steal) any Skill Tricks or Specialties the target — such as communicating with an ally.
has linked to a Skill at a cost of one success per Cost: 1 Psi point
Skill Trick or Specialty. If the psion has sufficient
System: The telepath erects a psionic wall that
successes, he can borrow multiple Skills. If part
adds her successes as a Difficulty to rolls to read or
of a Network, the telepath grants every member

250 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 COMMAND INTENSITY
SUCCESSES
COMMAND INTENSITY ACTION REQUIRED
Inconsequential Sneeze, blink, scratch an itch 1
Minor Eat or drink, make a non-emotional call, choose an 2
outfit
Major Help someone you dislike, take a break without 3
permission, work to hinder or slightly harm someone
you don’t care about
Extreme Provide confidential information, give access to a 4
controlled area, conceal information from someone
you care about or to whom you feel loyalty

influence her mind for Mode dots hours. She auto- wouldn’t steal from her beloved sibling.
matically senses if someone attempts to use mental Cost: 1 Psi point
powers on her, recognizes the type of power — com- System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with
munication, information probing, or influencing — Integrity + Presence. The telepath issues commands
and can apply her defenses or not with a thought. by spending successes as per the table below. The
Dropping her defense against one specific power victim doesn’t automatically realize someone else
does nothing to reduce her defenses against other controls her actions, though her suspicions grow
attempts. with those that deviate from her usual behavior.
Commands lose their power to compel obedience
COMMAND (••) after one scene, and the telepath can only use this
The psion compels a target to obey his com- ability on someone within short range and it lasts
mands. At its simplest, the telepath’s spoken words for one scene or until the target completes the com-
are backed by psionic power. These victims don’t mand, whichever comes sooner.
automatically know they’re subject to an outside
force and may rationalize away strange actions, if REWRITE (•••)
they don’t significantly deviate from their norm. The telepath alters the target’s mental parame-
The psion can also compel the target to obey men- ters. She can temporarily add, remove, or edit his
tally transmitted instructions. Targets of this pow- memories, change his Mental and Social Attributes,
er automatically resist any instructions that cause or even grant or remove certain Edges. She can also
them to commit self-harm or clearly violate their help people recover from mental trauma or illness.
moral codes. The psion could force a victim to al- The larger the alteration, or the more important an
low him entry to a restricted area, but the victim aspect is to the victim, the more difficult it is for

REWRITE DIFFICULTY TABLE

ALTERATION SUCCESSES
Minor edit — Forgetting where you parked. Misremembering the name of someone 1
you just met
Moderate edit — Misremember the day’s events. Forget a long-term acquaintance 3
Major edit — Forget a loved one. Recall a fabricated friendship 5
Increase/decrease Mental or Social Attribute (from one dot to six dots) 2 per dot
Increase/Decrease Skill or remove a Skill Trick or Specialty 1 per dot
Create or Relieve a Mental Status Condition for the duration of the effect 2
Permanently Create, Increase, Reduce or Remove a Mental Status Condition 5

telepathy 251
 the telepath to change it. These changes are almost must make another roll to attempt to possess the
always temporary; eventually the victim’s mind re- victim, with the amount of the corresponding
asserts itself. The only exception is when the psion Injury Complication imposed as a Difficulty on the
makes an effort to create or cure lasting mental roll. Failure means that the psion immediately loses
injuries. control of the victim, and cannot attempt to possess
Cost: 2 Psi points her again for at least one scene. Success allows the
System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with telepath to continue possessing his victim if he also
Integrity + Resolve. The psion spends successes to pays one additional Psi point. This possession con-
change the target’s mind as per the nearby table. tinues for a number of hours equal to his Mode dots.
Additionally, she can ease the penalty from Status
Conditions related to mental illness or trauma, or DIVISION (•••••)
remove the Condition entirely with sufficient effort. The telepath creates a new mind from scratch. She
All changes require the telepath’s full concentration sets her target’s identity, history, Mental and Social
for one minute per success spent, and the effects Attributes, Skills, as well as any Mental Edges and rea-
last her Psi in days, except for permanent changes sonable Social Edges. For the duration of the power,
to mental Status Conditions. he is this new person. Obviously, unless the psion em-
ploys other resources, he doesn’t have membership in
POSSESS (••••) the organizations he remembers or live where he be-
lieves he does. Telepaths can even bury these alternate
personalities within their victim’s brains, waiting for
the right trigger to set them free for a time before fad-
ing back into the subconscious. The original personal-
ity is unaware while it is dormant, and has no idea of
the passage of time or what occurred.
Cost: 3 Psi points
System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with
Integrity + Resolve. The telepath spends successes
to build the new personality, plus the conditions that
cause it to emerge. This requires a number of successes
The telepath can mentally possess someone, forc- equal to the target’s Psi + Integrity + Composure, which
ing them unconscious, and using the victim’s body the character can achieve over several consecutive
as his own. The victim is not aware of her actions rounds. Alternatively, the telepath can copy her own
while under this control, and has no memory be- mental template onto the victim for half that number
yond the initial feeling of being taken over. However, of successes. This copy possesses the same Mental and
the victim’s unconscious resistance increases if she Social Attributes as the psion, and her Skills and Edges,
suffers harm. but has the victim’s Physical Attributes. If the victim
Cost: 3 Psi points is a psion, the telepath determines how much, if any,
System: Unwilling targets oppose this roll with access this personality has to the victim’s powers, but
Integrity + Resolve. Success allows the psion to cannot give the personality any new powers. These
control the victim’s body as if it was his own, us- temporary personalities last her Psi in weeks per suc-
ing its Physical Attributes with the psion’s own cess spent. Any telepath using Deep Scan, Rewrite, or
Skills. However, the psion uses his own Mental and Division on the target may make a Psi + Mindshare or
Social Attributes, not the victim’s. He can also use Psychbending roll with +5 Difficulty to notice the orig-
Mindshare to probe the victim’s memories while inal personality, and any telepath with three or more
possessing her, but cannot use any psionic powers dots in Psychbending can make a roll with the same dif-
she possesses. ficulty to restore the original personality.
The telepath can attempt to control both his own
body and the victim’s body in the same round, but
TRANSCENDING AND
all such attempts are mixed actions. Also, any time PROXY-TIER POWERS
the victim suffers any physical injury, the telepath Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers.

252 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 MENTALIST (••••• •) leaves her body behind, she continues to live and exist,
her essence sustained by the subquantum universe.
Mentalist is three separate powers, one each for
Cost: 10 Psi points
Rapport, Mindshare, and Psychbending. These
powers are only accessible to proxy-Tier psions. System: The proxy leaves her body and exists as
These powers don’t provide a new effect, they in- a psionic waveform. She can move Speed Scale 5 or
crease the effect of every other power in that Mode. Space Speed [4] in any direction — gravity has no
hold on her, nor do physical objects block her pas-
System: When using a power from a Mode for
sage. Her actions are limited while in this state. She
which the psion has Mentalist, he may spend an
can use Psi powers normally but can’t otherwise
additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one as-
interact with the physical universe. Even the death
pect of the power, like Radius by one, increase any
or destruction of her physical form doesn’t hinder
Enhancement by +2, or to multiply any numerical
the psion as her essential life force is no longer held
quantities like range in AU, or number of targets by
within that empty shell. This power lasts Psi weeks,
five.
and some telepaths with this power may be able to
ASTRAL LIFE (••••• ••) endure indefinitely after death. This power can be
combined with Division to allow the psion’s astral
The Telepathic proxy can shift her consciousness form to possess someone else’s body.
and living essence into pure thought. Though she

TELEPORTATION
Physics stipulates that the shortest distance be- that take longer than one round to complete require
tween two points is a straight line, but teleport- a cooldown period equal to the transit time before
ers know that to the subquantum, all space is one. the psion can attempt another jump requiring longer
Teleportation allows the psion to move things be- than one round to complete. Currently, intergalactic
tween locations by reassigning where their noetic teleportation has proven impossible, but there are no
signatures should be. Teleportation requires great- other range limitations for interstellar teleportation.
er psionic potential than most other Aptitudes. For
this reason — and the stringent selection criteria BASIC POWERS
enforced by Proxy Bolade Atwan — teleporters have All characters with even one dot of Teleportation
always been among the rarest of psions. possess the following powers.
Noetic connection (p. 204) is crucial to teleport-
ers guiding their longest jumps to the correct des- SPATIAL SENSE
tination. Teleporters can travel across the galaxy as A teleporter senses where a location is in the sub-
easily as they can move between rooms, if they have quantum universe and how objects fill the space
a noetic connection with their destination. Jumping around her. This allows her to develop the noetic
farther requires longer transit time, as per the nearby connection required for accurate jumps. This sense
table. Those undergoing the teleport never feel like can also be used to help the psion navigate through
it takes more than a few moments. Teleportations

TELEPORTATION TIMES
DISTANCE TRANSIT TIME *
Long range or less Instant
Anywhere on the same planet 1 round
To nearby moon (like Luna) 1 minute
Within the same solar system 10 – Psi minutes
Interstellar (within the same galaxy) 8 – Psi hours
* Increase transit time to the next level if using a Remembered Connection, to a maximum of 8 − Psi hours.

teleportation 253
 darkness, sense people in another room, or reveal System: The character adds the following
objects within a concealed space. Defense Stunt (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p.
System: The teleporter extends her senses and 105) to the choices available to her. Blink creates
spends a scene concentrating on the noetic totality of considerable noise from the sudden displacement
her location. Success achieves a Psionic Connection of air molecules. Stealth is impossible using this
that endures for one month. Alternatively, the psion Defense Stunt. The character cannot conscious-
can use Spatial Sense to sense the world around her. ly choose the destination, but Blink usually either
Success gives the character absolute spatial aware- moves her behind nearby cover or away from an
ness of everything within short range. She knows opponent.
the location, dimensions, and relative density of New Defense Stunt
everything in the area, but can’t discern color or de- Blink: Like the Dodge Stunt, the Translocation +
tails such as images or words on a screen. This lasts Psi roll generates successes, which an opponent must
Psi rounds. overcome in order to inflict an Injury. The character
teleports no more than a single range band and always
SPATIAL INTEGRITY either teleports away from an opponent or behind
The psion feels spatial changes caused by cover, whichever option is most obviously effective.
Teleportation. This includes not just Psi powers
but also Aberrant warping powers and technologi- JUMP (••)
cal effects that bend space-time. The psion can also Jump allows the psion to make short hops, usual-
reinforce the subquantum world’s influence on this ly teleporting from his location to somewhere rela-
fabric, increasing the difficulty for anyone to tele- tively nearby.
port into an area. Cost: 1 Psi point
System: Success reveals any space warping pow- System: Success teleports the psion anywhere he
ers used within the psion’s range in the last Psi days. has any noetic connection to that is within extreme
The psion reflexively senses incoming (or outgoing) range (10 kilometers).
teleportations within this area, and can spend one
Psi point to add his Psi as a Complication to tele- FLICKER (•••)
portation rolls within his range. Failing to overcome
The psion can use Teleportation offensively.
this Complication prevents anyone from teleporting
Flicker allows rapid tactical teleports that the psion
out of this area and knocks incoming teleportation
can use to set up attacks, allow rapid retreats, or to
off course. The Storyguide decides how far astray
hover or simulate flight by jumping every fraction of
the teleportation goes, based on how close the tele-
a second to counter gravity’s pull.
porter came to overcoming the Complication, but
Cost: 2 Psi points
the teleporter never arrives within the psion’s range
unless he overcomes the Complication. System: The teleporter jumps no further than
short range and gains an Enhancement to her attack
TRANSLOCATION of her Mode dots/2, as she hits her opponents from
an unexpected direction. Alternatively, she can use
Translocation is what Joe Hologram thinks of as
this power outside combat to perform a rapid series
the classic version of Teleportation; the teleporter
of short range or shorter jumps. Success propels the
vanishes from one location and appears in another.
character in a desired direction at a Speed Scale of
For all uses of this Mode, jumpers can’t bring along
Mode dots/2 or Space Speed [1], (or to hover in mid-
any complex living creatures or any objects larger
air, deftly defying gravity). All uses of this power last
than Size 0 with her, but any microorganisms such
a number of rounds equal to her Mode dots.
as bacteria and parasites remain with her.
LONG JUMP (••••)
BLINK (•)
The universe is open for the psion to explore. He
The jumper learns how to use Teleportation de-
can teleport to any location where he has a noetic
fensively. This power subconsciously taps into the
connection, including near a distant star he sees in
psion’s Spatial Sense for incoming attacks and acti-
the sky. His Psi protects him from materializing with-
vates to move the teleporter into subquantum and
in solids or anywhere else that would instantly kill
back to physical again to avoid the attack.

254 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

him, but it offers no protection from environmental without penalty. If she wishes to act in multiple lo-
conditions he finds when he gets there. Teleporting cations, this is a mixed action, even though she may
interstellar explorers are advised to wear space suits. only appear to take one action at any location. This
Cost: 3 Psi points power lasts one scene.
System: If aiming for a distant location, this roll
must overcome the Difficulty from noetic connec- TRANSMASSION
tion (p. 205). Success jumps the teleporter and ob- Transmassion allows the psion to teleport other
jects no larger than Size 0 that he is carrying to his people and objects to distant locations. The psion
destination. must have a noetic connection with both the desti-
nation and any people or objects he is teleporting.
BILOCATION (•••••) Transmassion can also bring items to the teleport-
The teleporter executes a rapid series of jumps, er — many jumpers keep an array of useful items in
faster than the human eye can perceive. The result specific, secure locations so they can call upon them
is that she is effectively in multiple places at once. when needed.
Despite the name, she isn’t limited to only two lo-
RELAY OBJECT (•)
cations, and can have as many as her power allows
— and her concentration can endure. The psion can teleport an inanimate object to or
Cost: 4 Psi points away from her. She must possess a noetic connec-
System: Use her weakest noetic connection tion to the object and the target location.
with any of the destinations as the roll’s Difficulty. System: The teleporter can reflexively teleport
Success allows the character to simultaneously be nonliving objects or bioware she has a Familiar or
in multiple places, spending one success per addi- better connection with to her as long as they are no
tional location, up to her Translocation dots. No further than extreme range (10 km) away. Otherwise,
matter how many locations she occupies, the tele- using this power requires an ordinary action. Also,
porter can only take one ordinary action each round the teleporter can only use this power to teleport

teleportation 255
 objects directly to or away from her. She can use it to Psi points the teleporter spends increase her Size
teleport objects within close range to locations she parameter by one step, up to a maximum equal to
possesses a noetic connection with that are no fur- either Size 5 or her Mode dots, whichever is less.
ther than extreme range (10 km) away. Teleporting The only way to teleport Size 6 objects is by using
an item someone is touching that the person does the appropriate Spatial Mastery. To initiate the tele-
not wish to have teleported away adds that person’s port, the teleporter must spend two rounds in in-
Power Stat as a Difficulty to the roll. The psion also tense concentration to use this power, only taking
cannot teleport objects larger than Size 0. Defensive actions during these rounds.

RELAY PERSON (••) TRANSMIT PERSON (••••)

The teleporter can transfer a single living crea- Instead of objects, the psion can now carry peo-
ture, including humans. This individual travels with ple anywhere on Earth, or even to the stars. In ad-
whatever she is wearing or carrying, but anything dition, the psion can now teleport a vehicle and ev-
connected to other objects is left behind; teleporting eryone inside it.
people free of restraints is easy. A teleporter can use Cost: 2 Psi points
this power as an attack, sending the target high into System: The teleporter can transmit up to five
the sky to let gravity do the dirty work. This nasty times his Psi people or other living creatures of up
tactic is known colloquially as the “Upeo death drop.” to his Size parameter. If the teleporter wishes to
Cost: 1 Psi point move more people, every success or one Psi point
System: The teleporter either teleports distant the teleporter spends increases his Psi by one step,
individuals with whom he has a noetic connection to a maximum of 50 (10 x 5) people. He can also
to close range of him, or he can teleport individu- spend two successes or two Psi points to increase
als within close range of him to a location he has a the Size of creatures he can move by a maximum of
noetic connection to. However, the maximum range +1. If the teleporter also possesses at least four dots
of this power is extreme range (10 km) away, and in Translocation, he can automatically travel along
the teleporter can only transport living creatures with people he is teleporting.
of up to his Size parameter. Individuals who do not This power also allows a teleporter to transmit a
wish to be teleported can attempt the Roll Away vehicle or object and all people inside it, even if the
Defensive Stunt to escape. Targets of the Upeo vehicle contains more people than the psion could
death drop who can’t fly (or aren’t rescued) take otherwise teleport. Use the rules governing maxi-
appropriate falling damage (Trinity Continuum mum object Size for Transmit Mass to teleporting
Corebook, p. 111) from the height. this vehicle. To initiate the teleport, the teleporter
must spend three rounds in intense concentration
TRANSMIT MASS (•••) to use this power, only taking Defensive actions
This power is why teleporters are unrivaled sup- during these rounds.
pliers across colonized human space. The psion
can teleport one object to or from any location the SELECTIVE TRANSMASSION (•••••)
teleporter has a noetic connection to. If the target Most forms of teleport are all or nothing — the
location is occupied, the power deposits the cargo psion can’t teleport part of an object or person.
to a suitable space within a few meters. If nonliving Selective Transmassion allows the jumper to over-
cargo is inside a larger container, the teleporter can come this limitation. This can be helpful with exca-
transmit that as if it were a single item. vating or removing debris. If the psion has knowledge
Cost: 2 Psi points of the inner workings of a mechanism or has studied
System: The teleporter can move any single non- the parts with Spatial Sense, she can even selectively
living object of no more than her Size parameter. remove specific components. This power can also be
This power considers any nonliving objects or liv- used against living beings to deal devastating dam-
ing creatures no more than a centimeter in any di- age, but their noetic template resists the attack.
mension within the object to be part of it. The psion Cost: +2 Psi points for inanimate targets, +4 Psi
cannot transport objects containing larger living points for animate targets.
creatures with this power. If the teleporter wishes System: This power adds to the teleporter’s
to move larger objects, every two successes or two mastery of Transmassion, providing additional

256 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

capabilities to any previous Transmassion power wormholes of limited range. The portal can’t be
if she spends a few additional Psi points. However, moved once created, it must be collapsed and rebuilt to
the psion must first spend one round using her change its location. These small gateways can be gen-
Spatial Sense on the target and then use this power erated much faster than other larger manipulations,
as an ordinary action the next round. If she wishes and have a variety of utility and combat applications.
to teleport part of an inanimate object, she rolls at Cost: 1 Psi point
+1 Difficulty to her roll to carve out a chunk of up System: The psion creates a portal large enough
to her Size. If she wishes to target a specific piece, to move a hand and arm or any object of up to medi-
such as a component of a machine, she instead in- um Size (see p. 267) through. Both ends of the portal
creases the Difficulty of the roll by +2. must either be no further than medium range away
Living creatures resist such division. Teleporting and within the character’s field of vision or within
a piece out of a living creature costs a minimum of range of his Spatial Sense. He can reach through,
5 Psi points and the target can oppose this roll with shoot, or throw objects, or even attempt to divert
a Stamina + Power Stat roll. If the psion wins this attacks away from himself.
contest, she inflicts one Maimed Injury Condition When used defensively, the portal increases the
on the target, plus one additional Injury Condition Difficulty of any Inflict Damage Stunt used against
for every two successes rolled. Treat this attack as the character by Mode dots/2, but does not protect
having the Aggravated and Brutal tags. It ignores against indirect damage or attacks with either the
armor except natural armor and formatted biotech Explosive or the Gas tag. When used offensively,
armor. Choosing to have a character be Taken Out this power allows the psion to make attacks on any
does not prevent him from gaining the Maimed target within range as if he were at close range. The
Injury Condition, but does prevent additional psion can only create one Window at a time and the
Injury Conditions gained through successes. portal lasts up to a number of rounds equal to his
Mode dots.
TRANSPORTAL
The Transportal Mode links two points in space- SKEIN (••)
time and opens a gateway between them. OpNet Before the teleporter develops the power to build
media likes to call these wormholes. Transportal’s bridges across worlds with dramatically different
advantage is that any number and mass of individu- environments, she must learn how to limit what
als, creatures, or objects can move through the por- comes through.
tal as long as it stays open. The main disadvantage
Cost: Variable, see table below
is that items must be moved through the portal, and
System: This power supplements other por-
generally can’t be teleported in place. Portals are
tal-producing abilities and doesn’t normally require
noticeable, their entrances — termini — cause a rip-
a roll. At its most basic, Skein automatically applies
pling light at the inner rim of their circumference,
to all the character’s portals to prevent environmen-
bordered by a swirl of visual distortion as if see-
tal factors, like air or water, from moving through.
ing whatever is behind the portal through twisted
Moving through the portal requires an act of living
glass. They also emit a static-like hum while active.
will. Living creatures and objects or energies moved
In addition, all portals require time to form, use
with deliberation will pass through. This includes
the Teleportation Time table (p. 253) for how long
carried and thrown items, but also bullets or laser
a teleporter must concentrate to create a portal.
blasts. She can pay additional Psi points to further
During this time, the psion can only walk, engage
limit passage, or to remove all limitations, as per
in simple conversation, or take defensive actions,
the table below. Anyone trying to move a prohibited
unless the psion wishes to have the roll to create
physical object, including themselves, through the
the portal be a mixed action. Once created, portals
portal forces someone to make an Athletics + Might
endure without concentration and travel through
roll with a Difficulty equal to the teleporter’s Psi to
them takes no time.
pass through.
WINDOW (•)
MULTIPORTAL (•••)
The psion first learns to create tiny ripples in
The psion can link two or more points in space,
space time, rather than huge bends, generating small
creating a network of portals. The teleporter has

teleportation 257
 PORTAL LIMITATION GATEWAYS (••••)
LIMITATION PSI POINTS The psion can create portals whose range is now
Energy (including energy-weap- 1 limited only by the noetic connection she possess-
on attacks) es to the target or targets. The tradeoff for this in-
crease in power is the effort and time required to
Non-carried objects 1
bend space-time this way.
Carried objects 2 Cost: 3 or 5 Psi points
All living creatures 1 System: For 3 Psi points, the psion can create a pair
Specific individuals 2 of portals, one of which must be within her Radius,
while the other can be anywhere she possesses a
All members of a species 3
noetic connection to. For 5 Psi points, the psion can
Remove environmental barriers 4 even create a Multiportal network with up to inter-
stellar range. The rules for the Size of objects that can
complete control over pathways through the por-
move through portals is the same as for Multiportal,
tals — he can designate one portal the exit point and
except that she can spend additional successes or Psi
have every gateway lead there, or have each gate-
points to increase the maximum Size of a creature or
way link to the next in a circular arrangement. He
vehicle that can fit through her portals up to a maxi-
can even have portals link to each other randomly
mum of Size 3. Only proxies can create larger portals.
to confuse and mislead opponents. However, the
Once formed, the portal or portals remain open for
range of these portals is limited.
her Mode dots times her Duration.
Cost: 2 Psi points
System: The teleporter can manifest a maximum WARP (•••••)
number of portals at once equal to twice his Mode
dots. The destination for which the character has
the weakest noetic connection applies Difficulty to
this roll. Also, none of the portals can be further than
extreme range (10 km) from the psion. Each portal
is large enough so that up to one person or object
of the psion’s Size parameter can move through at
a time. Spending one success permits the psion to
enlarge the portal so up to two people or objects of
up to the psion’s Size can move through the portal
at once. Spending two successes or one Psi point to
increase the Size of creatures or vehicles that can
The teleporter can open a portal gateway of tre-
move through the portal by a maximum of +1.
mendous size and transport everything within to the
The psion can link the different termini however other terminus. As the psion’s power builds, two shim-
he desires, and can alter these links at will by reflex- mering domes (or spheres, at the psion’s discretion)
ively spending an additional Psi point. The psion grow, one around the teleporter and the other at the
can also use this power to create portals at any angle destination. Everything within the area is transported
and in any location, including directly under some- when the character releases the power. Psions can use
one, so that they fall through it if they cannot suc- this ability both in space and on a planet
ceed in the Roll Away Defensive Stunt to dive away
Cost: 4 Psi points
from the portal. However, creating portals directly
System: The character concentrates for one scene
under a target imposes a Complication on the roll
and then rolls. If successful, he begins building the
equal to the target’s Power Stat; failure to overcome
warp sphere. It grows at a rate of one range band per
this Complication means that the portal appears
round to a maximum of his Radius. This costs one
within close range of the intended target. These
success per round. If he exhausts his successes, he
portals last for her Mode dots times her Duration.
may spend Psi points instead. In addition, the psion

258 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

can spend 4 Psi points to increase his Radius by one SINGULARITY (••••• ••)
step, up to a maximum of medium. Once the spheres
The proxy can fold space-time to make two or more lo-
have reached their maximum size, everything with-
cations one, and then unfold it in whatever configuration
in each sphere disappears and reappears at other
she desires. She could overlap Earth, Khantze Lu Ge, and
sphere’s location. The teleporter must devote his full
Olympus on Luna, superimposing all three locations in
attention to building the warp. If he is disturbed, the
mind-bending ways. When she ends this power, she de-
effect fails with all Psi points spent.
cides the destination of every human in the linked area,
TRANSCENDING AND regardless of which of the three worlds they started on.
Cost: 10 Psi points
PROXY-TIER POWERS System: Like Warp, the proxy concentrates for one
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers. scene and then begins expanding a sphere, but this
sphere superimposes two or more locations. The psion
SPATIAL MASTERY (••••• •)
can superimpose a maximum number of locations equal
Spatial Mastery is three separate powers, one each to her Mode dots/2. The spheres expand at a rate of one
for Translocation, Transmassion, and Transportal. range per round to a maximum of her Radius. Everyone
These powers don’t provide a new effect, they in- within any of these spheres can interact as if they were
crease the effect of every other power in that Mode. in the same location. Space behaves strangely, with
System: When using a power from a Mode for buildings and objects superimposing over one another.
which the psion has Spatial Mastery, he may spend Individuals can choose what objects they interact with,
an additional Psi point to increase the Scale of one spending a round to change between “here” and “there”
aspect of the power, like Radius, range, or Size by as desired. Once she releases the power, space-time un-
one, increase any Enhancement by +2, or to multi- folds again with the proxy deciding which destination
ply any numerical quantities like number of targets everything within any location goes. Living creatures can
by five. resist being transported by rolling Integrity + Power Stat
with a difficulty equal to the teleporter’s Mode dots/2.

VITAKINESIS
The public understands that Vitakinesis heals, nearby life, and its relative health. He can hone in
but this is an oversimplification. Vitakinesis’ do- on any fluctuations, usually due to illness or injury,
main is living function, repairing, extending, or but enhanced individuals also stand out.
damaging the biological noetic template. Healing System: The psion senses the general presence of life
is just one aspect of this. Vitakinetics can’t add el- around him, and can tell if anything within short range
ements from other templates, like biokinetics, but is suffering injury, illness, or has been enhanced or mod-
can push human eyesight to its limits, or make a ified. He can spend one success to locate the direction
person’s lungs so efficient they can extract almost and approximate distance to this creature. He can apply
every molecule of oxygen from each breath before Kirlian Eye to individuals to diagnose their condition.
needing to take another. All Vitakinesis powers re- While vitakinetics don’t actually require medical knowl-
quire the psion to touch the patient, and cannot be edge to treat a patient with their Psi, this diagnosis grants
used at range. Rules on illnesses are on p. 191. an Enhancement equal to the psion’s highest Vitakinesis
Mode dots on rolls to diagnose or treat the patient through
BASIC POWERS conventional means. This power lasts his Psi rounds.
All characters with even one dot of Vitakinesis
possess the following powers. KNIT
The constant flow of Psi through a vitakinetic
KIRLIAN EYE means she can’t help but repair and strengthen her
Vitakinetics don’t sense individual lifeforms noetic template. The psion heals damage to herself
around them, that is the province of biokinetics. and minimizes the effects of toxins and poisons
Instead, a vitakinetic senses the overall strength of with barely a conscious thought.

vitakinesis 259
 PSIONIC LONGEVITY
From: Dr. Ramez Adebayo
To: Dr. Rebecca Velasco
Subject: Psion Longevity Research
Date: March 21, 2121
Rebecca-
I think we now have sufficient metabolic data to make some predictions about psion
longevity. So far, it seems like psions who have minimal latency or who make little effort to ex-
pand their powers will live approximately an additional 40 years, but this number doubles for
psions with sufficiently strong latency or who learn to enhance their abilities. In both cases,
the psions seem to only begin to age near the end of their lifespan; they otherwise seem little
different from the day they first entered the Prometheus Chamber.
The only exceptions to these enhanced lifespans are biokinetics and vitakinetics. Biokinet-
ics with low latency can be expected to live almost an additional century longer than neutrals.
Vitakinetics and biokinetics with high latency or who have learned to enhance their powers
all seem to have ceased aging and may well be immortal, and this also appears to be true for
anyone with a Vitakinetic Auxiliary Mode. I’m not certain that the world is ready to hear this
last bit of information.

System: The vitakinetic automatically down- the ability to fight on even though her body de-
grades her most severe Injury Condition every (7 mands she stop. In addition to pain, the psion can
– Psi) hours (minimum one round), and can even also reduce inflammation, nausea, and vomiting. It
heal Persistent Conditions. She also reduces the also works to mitigate stress and mental anguish.
damage rating of any disease, ingestible, or inject- System: The psion temporarily reduces pen-
able source of harm within her body by one in this alties from Injury Conditions, illnesses, or Status
period. If this reduces its damage rating to zero, Conditions that impose a Complication or in-
she has eliminated it from her system. As long as creased Difficulty on the target. Each success rolled
damage doesn’t kill her, the vitakinetic fully recov- removes one point of Complication or increased
ers within a few days. Difficulty. This only alleviates symptoms and does
nothing to heal the underlying causes. The respite
IATROSIS lasts his Mode dots times his Duration.
This Mode uses Psi energy to strengthen a pa-
tient’s noetic template, healing both physical and ACCELERATE (••)
mental injuries. Iatrosis works by either super- The vitakinetic can’t directly heal her patient’s
charging the patient’s own biological systems, or physical or emotional injuries, but she can acceler-
directly restoring his noetic template to its normal ate and bolster his body’s ability to do so. The psion
configuration. Although the second route usual- increases the patient’s natural healing rate and me-
ly requires greater time and investment of Psi, the tabolism, and can assist with fighting off fatigue and
psion can use this Mode to repair almost any injury. exhaustion. The patient’s immune system fights
However, Iatrosis can’t heal Quantum Flux diseases off infection and rapidly detoxifies drugs and tox-
without the assistance of a quantakinetic. ins (including alcohol). In addition, his enhanced
psychological resilience allows him to more easily
RELIEF (•) recover from any mental trauma. This power also
The first step to treatment is easing the patient’s gives the patient the ability to detoxify chemicals
discomfort. The vitakinetic soothes the symptoms that would normally be fatal without treatment
of physical and mental trauma. This can help keep System: The patient gains the successes rolled
the patient from going into shock, or can give her as an Enhancement to rolls to resist damage from

260 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 HEALING SUCCESSES CHART
SUCCESSES
CONDITION (OR ADDITIONAL PSI POINTS)
Bruised 1
Injured 2
Maimed 4
Status Condition (including Mental Status Conditions) 3
Terminal Injury (life support only) 5

toxins, illness, or mental trauma, and the psion can System: If successful, the vitakinetic gains a pool
divide the time required to heal Injury Conditions equal to Psi + successes to spend returning the patient’s
or Status Conditions by an amount equal to Mode noetic template to its usual condition, as per the table
dots + successes. This accelerated healing lasts a below. She can heal Injury Conditions as per Mending,
number of days equal to her Mode dots, but only but can also regenerate lost/damaged limbs and organs,
affects injuries or Status Conditions present when and repair normally irreparable damage. This power
it was used. While under the effects of this pow- can’t overcome intrinsic disabilities, nor can she regen-
er the patient counts as receiving proper medical erate any injury greater than Psi + Mode dots months
attention. old, as the patient’s noetic template has incorporated
the changes. The psion can spend Psi points in place of
MENDING (•••) successes to achieve her desired result.
The vitakinetic can directly heal injuries, knitting
flesh and bone by suffusing Psi energies through the
ADJUST TEMPLATE (•••••)
patient’s noetic template. This power always repairs The psion is a miracle worker who regenerates
the most critical damage first before mending those long-lost limbs or organs, or even returns the recently
that are less life threatening. This power also cures deceased to life — as long as the degeneration isn’t the
mental trauma and repairs ongoing emotional damage. result of Quantum Flux diseases. He accesses the pa-
Cost: 1 Psi point tient’s noetic template and rewrites it. The psion can
System: If successful, the vitakinetic gains a pool make permanent alterations to the patient’s template,
equal to successes to spend on healing both physi- curing congenital defects and even changing appear-
cal and mental damage as per the Healing Successes ance or sex. The patient must voluntarily consent to
Chart below. This power can’t regenerate lost limbs changes, otherwise they revert to their previous state.
or organs, but can stabilize the patient long enough The patient can rescind his consent for up to a month
for other help to arrive. The psion can use this after the changes have been made. Also, all adjustments
power repeatedly if he lacks sufficient successes to to a patient’s noetic template must remain in the range
achieve his desired result. The psion can also spend possible for a human body. The psion could transform
additional Psi points instead of successes. Healing someone who had become an aqua back into being an
effects require one round per Condition cured, unmodified human. However, he could not manage the
while life support endures for a number of scenes reverse, except on someone who had been born an aqua
equal to his Mode dots. and had later transformed herself into an unmodified

RESTORE TEMPLATE (••••) REGENERATION TABLE

The vitakinetic accesses the patient’s noetic tem- REGENERATE SUCCESSES
plate to return it to its usual state. This allows her
to cure terminal illnesses and repair any damage Finger, eye 1
that isn’t intrinsic to the patient. She can regenerate Hand, foot, jaw 2
lost limbs and other body parts, repair nerve dam- Limb, simple internal organ 3
age, and cure any mental or physical illness, except
Major internal organ 4
Quantum Flux illnesses.
Cost: 2 Psi points Spine, brain 5

vitakinesis 261
 human. In addition, this power cannot be used to create hour, but this time is not added to the time the tar-
or remove psionic latency or powers, affect Corruption, get has been dead. If successful, the patient returns
or change whether someone is an Aberrant or a Talent. to life with all but one Bruised Injury Condition
However, the psion can increase or reduce checked, which must be healed separately.
Attributes and add or remove Edges that are not due
to special training or external circumstances. Without AUGENDIS
combining her powers with a biokinetic the psion This Mode allows the vitakinetic to alter an indi-
cannot create permanent changes outside the human vidual’s physiology by making temporary changes to
range, like giving someone wings and a tail. Also, the his noetic template. She can boost his body’s natural
psion would need to combine her powers with a quan- processes so he heals more quickly from damage or
takinetic to affect an Aberrant or nova with this power. reacts more quickly to surprise and danger. She can
Cost: 3 Psi points make the target stronger, faster, smarter, or more
System: The vitakinetic can cure intrinsic dam- charismatic. The only limits on these powers are that
age or regenerate lost limbs and organs no matter they can’t raise the target’s Attributes to greater than
how long ago they were lost, as per the costs for a maximum of seven dots. Unlike biokinetics, a vita-
Restore Template. He can also cure hereditary kinetic can only work within nature’s limits, but she
physical or mental illnesses. Altering Attributes or can apply her enhancements to others or herself. Also,
appropriate Edges costs two successes per dot, and characters can never benefit from more than one use
radically transforming someone’s appearance costs of any particular Augendis Mode power at a time.
one success. Any changes that cost Experience can
occur before the Experience is paid, but once ac- REINFORCE (•)
quired, the target must spend all future Experience The psion boosts the patient’s physiology to make
on them, until they are entirely paid off. it more resistant to sources of harm. This doesn’t
Additionally, the psion can restore life to the re- heal any existing damage, or eliminate toxins or ill-
cently deceased. This requires 10 successes, plus one ness, but does make it less likely that the patient will
success for every Psi hours the individual has been take further damage.
dead. The psion can spend Psi points instead of suc- System: If successful, the patient gains an ar-
cesses. This is a complex action requiring one roll per mor value of Mode dots/2, as well as reducing the

262 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

damage rating of all toxins by the same amount and multiple or divisor of 1 + successes spent, and can give
giving her an Enhancement equal to the psion’s the target either the one-dot Low Gravity or Mars
Mode dots/2 to resist getting sick or taking damage Adaptation Edge (p. 127), or reasonable Mental Edges
from illnesses. The psion can use successes to pur- at a cost of one success per dot. Transformations en-
chase additional points of soft armor at a cost of two dure for her Mode dots times her Duration.
successes per point. The effects of this power last
her Mode dots times her Duration. PRECISION (••••)
The psion increases his patient’s ability to act
STOICISM (••) with subtlety and precision. He can temporari-
The vitakinetic learns how to reinforce his patient’s ly increase those Attributes related to her target’s
noetic template and increase its resistance to change. Finesse approach up to maximum human levels.
With this ability, the psion can temporarily increase those Additionally, the psion can increase the target’s fo-
Attributes related to his target’s Resilience approach. cus on specific Skills.
More subtly, he can also adjust the patient’s physiology Cost: 2 Psi points
to better withstand hostile environments, keeping her System: The psion can add one dot to his target’s
warm in frozen conditions or cool in a blazing inferno. Finesse Attributes per success spent, up to a max-
Cost: 2 Psi points imum of seven dots. He can also add appropriate
System: The psion can add one dot to his tar- Social Edges for one success per dot. Finally, the
get’s Resistance Attributes for every success spent, psion can increase Skills by one dot per success
up to a maximum of seven dots for each Attribute. spent, up to five dots and can add new Skill Tricks
The character’s adjustments also allow him to tem- for the same cost, but only in Skills the target pos-
porarily give the target reasonable Physical Edges sesses at least one dot in. All changes last his Mode
at a cost of one success per dot. In addition, the dots times his Duration.
psion can cause the patient’s body to better resist
a single type of damage, like cold, electricity, heat, EMPOWERMENT (•••••)
or radiation, making the target immune to all envi- The vitakinetic can increase her patient’s psionic
ronmental indirect damage of this type with either potential. She can open the psionic permeability of
the Continuous (hour) or Continuous (minute) tags. his noetic template to increase the rate he regains
He also reduces other damage from this threat by Psi points, or reinforce it so he acts as if his skill in a
an amount equal to his Mode dots, including at- given Mode was greater.
tacks with the Electrical, Incendiary, or Sonic tags.
Cost: 5 Psi points
However, the target’s body can only resist a single
System: The vitakinetic can increase aspects of
type of damage at a time. All changes last his Mode
the patient’s effective Psi rating as per the table be-
dots times his Duration.
low, to maximum of seven. This doesn’t increase the
DIRECTION (•••) target’s Psi rating, just its effective level for the pur-
poses of the specific bonus granted by increased Psi.
The psion can boost her patient’s ability to proj- Additionally, the vitakinetic can also add Psionic
ect her influence forcefully. She can temporarily in- Edges at a rate of one success per dot. These chang-
crease those Attributes related to her target’s Force es last her Mode dots times her Duration.
approach. The vitakinetic can increase any of these
Attributes to maximum human levels. She can also NOETIC EMPOWERMENT
speed up his natural healing rate or boost his senses,
but again, to no greater than human maximum.
AUGMENTATION SUCCESSES
Cost: 2 Psi points Attunement range 1 per dot
System: The psion can add one dot to her target’s Increased Psi point pool 2 per dot
Force Attributes for every success spent, up to a max- Halve time needed to recover Psi 2 per dot
imum of seven dots for each Attribute. The psion can points, must increase Psi to 6
also either temporarily increase or decrease the speed
Increased value on one category 3 per dot
of biological processes, like breathing or healing by a
of the Psi Traits Effects Table

vitakinesis 263
 ALGESIS Pushing, Stun, and Weighted. This power only en-
hances attacks on living targets. This power contin-
Vitakinesis can harm as easily as it can heal, allow-
ues to enhance attacks for his Mode dots in rounds
ing Algesis to inflict horrifying wounds. However, as
and the psion can also simply touch the target to
with all other vitakinetic powers, a rex must touch
inflict injury.
someone to harm them. Characters can always roll
Defense to avoid being touched. Touching a target RUIN (•••)
and using any of these powers specifically does not
count as a mixed action. The vitakinetic destabilizes the victim’s noetic
template to strip away his abilities. She could leave
MISFIRE (•) the victim barely able to move, speak, or form co-
herent thoughts. This power doesn’t permanent-
The vitakinetic doesn’t inflict damage, but scram-
ly alter the victim’s noetic template; he eventually
bles the victim’s nerves to confuse and debilitate.
recovers from these injuries. The psion can also
She can convince the victim’s brain that he has
stun, paralyze, or impose the effects of almost any
suffered a broken limb, massive burns, or has been
mind-altering drug on someone with a touch.
shot. She can upset his balance, or fractionally delay
Cost: 2 Psi points
the optic signal from one eye to confuse binocular
System: The target can actively oppose this roll with
vision. The psion can also use this same power to
Psi + Composure. If the psion succeeds, she removes
produce simple but powerful physiological re-
one Skill dot per success, or one Attribute or Edge dot
sponses like hunger, fatigue, dizziness, euphoria, or
per two successes. This only works against Edges that
even a panic attack.
the psion could logically affect. The psion can also
System: The roll to use this power has a Difficulty
use successes to impose a single Status Condition like
equal to the target’s Stamina, in addition to any
stunned, paralyzed, or unconscious on the target, and
Defensive action to avoid being touched. The psion
can instead duplicate the effects of mooders and the
can spend successes to hurt, disorient, or otherwise
other drugs (p. 288). All Status Conditions and drug
confuse the victim by imposing a Complication
effects require one success per +1 Difficulty, level of
on the victim that represents the pain and loss of
Complication or +1 Enhancement imposed on the
function from an Injury Condition, but without any
target. The effects of this power cease after her Mode
actual injury. Alternately, the psion can impose a
dots times her Duration. Any Status Condition that
Complication by inflicting nausea, hunger, fatigue,
causes the target to be Taken Out requires the psion to
fear, or some similar reactions. In addition to the
roll at least four successes.
Complication, the victim also reacts normally to
these responses. Complications produced by this
ATROCITY (••••)
power have one level per success spent and last for
one scene. The vitakinetic tears away portions of the vic-
tim’s noetic template, inflicting massive damage as
ASSAULT (••) a result. Targeted limbs or organs wither and die
while the victim watches.
The vitakinetic’s Close Combat strikes and even
Cost: 3 Psi points
his lightest touches are empowered with his Psi. He
sends disruptive energies coursing through his vic- System: The victim’s Stamina serves as a
tim’s noetic template whenever he makes contact. Complication to the roll. If the vitakinetic succeeds
but doesn’t overcome the Complication, she inflicts
Cost: 1 Psi point
one Maimed Injury Condition. If she overcomes the
System: The psion can make a Close Combat
Complication, she inflicts an additional one Injury
strike using his hands, feet, or any close combat
Condition for every two successes rolled. Treat this
weapon without the Reach tag and use this pow-
attack as having the Aggravated and Brutal tags. It
er. This attack gains an additional Enhancement
ignores armor except natural armor and format-
equal to his Mode dots/2 + the successes rolled.
ted biotech armor. Choosing to have a character be
Alternately, the psion can add any of the follow-
Taken Out does not prevent him from gaining the
ing weapon tags to the attack for one success each:
Maimed Injury Condition, but does prevent any ad-
Aggravated, Brutal, Combined Stun, Destructive
ditional Injury Conditions.
(only for natural or biotech armor), Non-Lethal,

264 CHAPTER SEVEN: PSIONICS

 MORBIDITY (•••••) TRANSCENDING AND
PROXY-TIER POWERS
Only proxy-Tier psions can learn these powers.

VITAL FORCE (••••• •)

Vital Force is three separate powers, one each for
Iatrosis, Augendis, and Algesis. These powers are
only accessible to proxy-Tier psions. These powers
don’t provide a new effect, they increase the effect
of every other power in that Mode.
System: When using a power from a Mode for
With this terrifying power, the vitakinetic cours- which the psion has Vital Force, she may spend an
es destructive psionic energies through the victim’s additional Psi point to increase any Enhancement
noetic template, bypassing inflicting damage to sim- by +2, or to multiply any numerical quantities like
ply instantly kill his target. rate of healing by five.
Cost: 5 Psi points
OVERCHARGE (••••• ••)
System: The vitakinetic must first use Kirlian Eye or
touch his victim to gain a current imprint of his noetic The vitakinetic proxy suffuses a living noetic
template. Then, anytime within the next scene he can template to overcome its limitations. While under
touch his target and roll this power with a Difficulty the effects of this power, the patient is supercharged
equal to the target’s Stamina. If he succeeds, the ener- with pure subquantum life energies, embodying as-
gies tear into her noetic template, instantly killing her. pects of humanity’s evolutionary march towards
Any powered character like a psion, Talent, or perfection.
even an Aberrant can attempt a Stamina + Power Cost: 10 Psi points
Stat roll with a Difficulty equal to the attacker’s Psi. System: Success increases the subject’s Tier by
Success leaves the character alive but Taken Out, one for the duration of the power. An ordinary psion
while three or more successes leaves the charac- or Talent subjected to this power becomes proxy
ter with all of her Condition Boxes full, and thus in Tier while under this effect, gaining the target num-
Maimed Condition, but still able to act. ber and any other benefits that come from the Tier.
The proxy also selects one Approach — the target’s
Attributes linked to that Approach are all raised to
seven dots. She can raise other Attributes at a cost
of one per success spent, to a maximum of six dots.
Overcharging noetic templates this way isn’t without
cost. The effects of this power last one scene, after
which the subject cannot benefit from any power
that enhances Tier or Attributes for one full day.

vitakinesis 265
 It’s an ancient and honorable term for the final step
in any engineering project. Turn it on, see if it smokes.
— Lois McMaster Bujold

In 2123, makers, 3D printers capable of manufacturing almost anything, produce most devices. Factories
use specialized room-sized makers that can each swiftly and cheaply produce a limited range of prod-
ucts, like bioapps, bioware, medicines, inexpensive food or drink, vehicles, weapons, or consumer devices.
General-purpose makers for the use of individuals and small settlements also exist. These can produce small
items, from personal electronics or carefully folded clothing to a decent sandwich or bao, if provided with
the correct plans and raw materials. Portable makers the size of a small car provide equipment for outback
settlements, off-world colonies, large spacecraft, or other remote settings. A few people still fabricate de-
vices by other means and some pieces of Qin biotech are capable of independent reproduction, but almost
everything else is created using makers.

ITEM SIZES
Sometimes with equipment, size matters. Is something small enough to easily conceal, or
is it obvious when carried? See the table below for the different sizes of equipment. All
equipment has a listed Size. Items of large and above Size cannot be concealed on a
person.

OBJECT SIZE AND SIZE SCALE

SIZE SIZE SCALE EXAMPLES CONCEALABILITY
MODIFIER
Tiny −4 Contact lens, marble, or pea +5 Enhancement
Small −3 Pen, phone, or small pistol +1 Enhancement
Medium −2 Large pistol, thick novel No bonus or penalty
Large −1 Small briefcase, shotgun n/a
Size 0 0 Large backpack, antitank missile n/a
Size 1 1 Motorcycle n/a

HARDTECH AND BIOTECH

In Trinity Continuum: Æon, technology is divided produced through genetic engineering, such as cloned
into hardtech and biotech. In all cases, bioware re- organs or vat-grown polymers. Because it is relatively
fers to the exotic noetic bioware that the psion prox- new and associated with psions, most people regard
ies (and particularly Alex Cassel of Orgotek) intro- biotech as inherently superior to hardtech, except in
duced. Noetic biotech devices are living mechanisms Nippon where many people distrust noetic biotech
that must have regular nutrient injections, except and it is illegal to own or import.
for formatted bioapps that bond with their user and
are aligned with their owner’s noetic field, allowing FORMATTING BIOWARE
them to draw nourishment directly from the user’s Most bioware can be formatted, a process where
subquantum energies. All other technology is re- the user’s DNA is bonded to the item, allowing the
ferred to as hardtech, including biological technology user to control it more precisely, and permitting the

hardtech and biotech 267

 BIOTECH HEALING TIMES
MINOR MINOR SERIOUS SERIOUS
DAMAGE DAMAGE DAMAGE DAMAGE
SIZE (UNFORMATTED) (FORMATTED) (UNFORMATTED) (FORMATTED)
Large or smaller 12 hours four hours two days 16 hours
Size 0 or larger two days 16 hours eight days three days

device to draw energy from the user. Formatting an Tolerance Overload suffers a Complication (distract-
item requires one hour, and can only be performed in ed) to all rolls to use her Psi powers which has a level
specialized facilities which can be found in any city equal to the number of dots of Tolerance Overload.
outside of Nippon, but rarely in small, isolated settle- If a character with a Stamina + Psi of five was in con-
ments. Any character with a Psi of at least 1 can for- tact with formatted biotech with a total Tolerance of
mat bioware, including psions, neutrals, and Talents. seven dots, she would suffer a level 2 Complication
Formatted bioware has many benefits, including (distracted) to all rolls. This Complication vanishes
removing the necessity for nutrient injections, and as soon as the character is no longer in Tolerance
usually providing the user with 1 Enhancement to Overload.
operate it, or some other benefit specific to the item. Neutrals and Talents cannot suffer Tolerance
Most bioware can be used without formatting, Overload. If they attempt to exceed their Tolerance,
and using it is little different from using hardtech. they simply gain no formatting benefit from the piec-
All bioware that can be formatted has a Tolerance es of formatted biotech that exceed their Tolerance.
rating, which is the number of points of Tolerance This failure always affects those formatted devices
the item requires. Most characters (including neu- that the character touched most recently. Characters
trals and Talents, as well as psions) have a maximum can instantly solve Tolerance Overload by ceasing
Tolerance equal to Stamina + Psi. Characters can- physical contact with a sufficient number of format-
not format any item with a Tolerance greater than ted devices.
their maximum Tolerance. Also, using formatted
biotech whose total Tolerance exceeds the charac- NOETIC BIOTECH HEALING TIMES
ter’s Tolerance rating causes the user to suffer from One notable advantage for noetic biotech is that
Tolerance Overload. it does not normally require repair. Instead, it heals,
and formatted biotech heals faster. See the table
TOLERANCE OVERLOAD below for healing times. However, if a piece of for-
If a character simultaneously uses or touches sev- matted biotech is destroyed, the character automat-
eral items of noetic biotech that she has formatted ically suffers both an Injury Condition and a level 2
and whose total Tolerance rating is greater than her Complication (Shaken), as though struck by a Stun
Stamina + Psi, then that character suffers Tolerance weapon. Characters suffer no harm if a piece of bio-
Overload. Only formatted noetic biotech counts for tech they formatted is damaged or destroyed if it is
calculating Tolerance Overload. A character who is in further away than short range from them.

ARMOR & PROTECTIVE GEAR

The world of 2123 is far from safe. There are inhu- NEW ARMOR TAGS
man Aberrants and alien Chromatics seeking to sub-
These tags apply to the armor found in this chap-
jugate or destroy humanity, and mundane threats like
ter. Armor in this chapter also uses the armor tags
war and terrorism. Advanced armor provides users
found in the Trinity Continuum Corebook (p.. 127).
with a needed edge when facing these threats. More
Active Camouflage (0, 1): Much normal cloth-
efficient materials allow greater protection without
ing and some armor can change color to a series
greatly impairing mobility. Advanced armor suits can
of preset colors and patterns, which can provide 1
also enhance the user’s physical capabilities.
Enhancement to all Stealth actions to avoid being

268 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

seen in dim light or against a monochromatic ADDING OTHER GEAR
background, like a forest or a desert. There is TO ARMOR
no cost for this benefit. Some armor can auto-
matically change color to match its background Other equipment is often combined with ar-
in color and pattern. This 1-point active camou- mor. A visor that duplicates the features of im-
flage provides the wearer with 2 Enhancement proved binoculars (p. 283) is often attached to
to all Stealth actions to avoid being seen. the helmets, grippers (p. 294) are sometimes
Complete (3): This armor protects against
added to the gloves and boots, and weapons
may be attached. Adding items with the same
all 3 types of damage — Ballistic, Edged, and
price as the armor increases the cost of the ar-
Blunt. mor by one dot. Up to two items with a cost of
Defensive (2): Armor with this tag is covered one dot less than the armor or four items with
in spikes, spines, or another covering damag- a cost of two dots less can be added freely
ing to attackers. Anyone without armor who without increasing the armor’s cost, but adding
successfully attacks the wearer with an un- more items than this increases the armor’s cost
armed attack automatically suffers one Injury by one dot. In general, biotech armor can only
Condition. incorporate biotech devices and hardtech ar-
mor can only incorporate hardtech devices. All
Environmental (0, 1, 2): For 0 points, this
biotech devices that can be formatted must be
tag protects the wearer from a single threat, formatted separately.
like drowning or moderate extremes of tem-
perature (typically −50° to 60° C), and this
threat is always listed. For 1 point, this tag armor is destroyed, the character automatically suffers
completely protects the wearer from suffocation, both an Injury Condition and a level 2 Complication
vacuum, poisonous gases, and more severe ex- (Shaken), as though struck by a Stun weapon.
tremes of heat or cold (typically −80° to 100° C). For
2 points, the armor protects against the threats list- ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS
ed above as well as reducing the damage rating of a The armor chart includes the following listings:
single other environmental threat by 4. This threat Type: The type of armor.
is always listed, and can be anything from extreme Base: The type or types of damage the armor pro-
heat or cryogenic cold, to hard radiation. Armor tects against.
with the Environmental 1 or 2 tag has a minimum Tags: A weapon’s positive, zero-cost, and nega-
cost of ••. tive tags, including Scale, if appropriate. Players and
Powered (0): This armor is sufficiently heavy that Storyguides should work together to customize ar-
it requires power assist via motors or artificial mus- mor to their characters. Due to advances in technol-
cles in the joints. Armor with this tag can never pos- ogy, armor can now possess up to 5 + Wealth in tags.
sess the Concealable (1) or Innocuous (2) tags, and if Size: The armor’s size when it is folded up for storage.
the power ever fails or the armor runs out of power,
Tech: Is this armor hardtech or biotech (Ψ).
the armor becomes exceedingly heavy and tiring to
FT: Formatting Tolerance, the tolerance cost to
wear, increasing the Difficulty of any Athletics action
format this noetic biotech armor.
by 2. As long as the armor retains power, wearers
gain 2 Enhancement to all actions using Might. Cost: 0 — any character can afford this, • to •••••
— dots in Wealth necessary to afford this item.
Propulsion (1): This armor has some motive pow-
er allowing it to move in a single medium, like wa- NEW TYPES OF ARMOR
ter, land, air, or space. The armor allows the wearer
Armor Carapace: Also known as a “beetle” or
to move at Speed Scale 2 in the medium specified,
“bug suit.” This armor is grown organically but is a
or in space at Space Speed [1] (p. 195). Multiple
nonliving object, not a piece of biotech.
uses of this tag allow the armor to move in multiple
environments. Armor Vest: A thin monofiber vest with small ce-
ramic plates.
Psi (−1): Any item with this tag is bioware that can be
formatted. Formatting bioware unlocks its full poten- Battle Harness: A combination of armor, weapon,
tial and all formatted armor gains some additional ben- and mobility systems, battle harnesses are bioware
efit, but doing this is not without risk. If the formatted backpack-style units designed to be highly modular.

armor & protective gear 269

 Fitted snugly around the wearer’s torso with a flexi- • Spider: The “Spider” uses eight articulated
ble and durable set of clasps, battle harnesses protect spines that can extend several meters away from
the user from harm while providing other benefits. the wearer’s body. These spines aid in stability,
Harnesses come in several varieties, each designed for greatly improving the wearer’s ability to climb.
different purposes. They must be formatted to be used. The Spider’s “legs” even include retractable
biotech grippers (p. 294) extensions that allow
• Mako: The “Mako” harness is designed for
the user to climb up vertical or even horizon-
aquatic environments. The harness itself de-
tal surfaces like the harness’ namesake, as well
ploys a thin sheen of organic sealant over the
as allowing the wearer to move faster on the
wearer’s exposed limbs, while a collapsible fin
ground. These legs can also be used as weapons
on the back stores a small but powerful un-
that allow her to attack and block attacks, see
derwater propulsion system (Speed Scale 2).
the statistics below.
Attachments on the legs and arms provide ad-
ditional armor protection. The bio-organic seal- Bio Environment Suit (BES): Developed on
ant and the armored plates both sport artificial Qinshui as a joint project involving biologists, psions,
shagreen capable of shredding anyone who and Qin researchers, the biosuit is the most advanced
comes in contact with the wearer’s body. A spe- human space suit ever created. Made to replace the
cially modified mask with a bio-weave “gill” sys- standard VES (p. 274), in its unformatted mode the
tem allows the user to filter oxygen out of water BES is a lightweight, comfortable vacuum suit that
and convert it to breathable air. provides high-quality life support for up to 16 hours.

WEAPON TYPE ENHANCEMENT DAMAGE TYPE TAGS

Spider Spines 2 Edged Melee, Reach, Quality 2, Shield, Worn

270 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

During this time, the suit recycles water and provides When formatted, it can also change its cut and design;
food using a modified glup-pack (p. 284). At the end if the helmet and gloves are retracted, it can appear to
of this time, the suit requires nutrient injections and be any garment that has at least some weight and cov-
at least eight hours of rest. ers most of the wearer’s body, from a three-piece suit
When formatted, the suit’s life-support system can to a set of motorcycle leathers or a long dress.
almost completely recycle air and water, providing life Bio-organic Vacuum Assault Reconnaissance
support for up to one week. With weekly additions of Gear (bioVARG): Like the BES, this suit was created
fresh air and water as well as at least eight hours of sun- through cooperation with Qin biotechnicians. The
light a day, the suit can provide indefinite life support. entire suit is a heavily armored living organism ca-
The suit consists of a form-fitting jumpsuit with pable of surviving in vacuum. It adjusts itself to fit
durable, padded feet; a soft, folding bubble helmet any wearer and also enhances the wearer’s strength.
that retracts into the collar; and gloves that can ei- BioVARGs must be formatted to be used.
ther be detached or (if formatted) retracted into the The outer surface consists of hard, reinforced chi-
cuffs. The helmet automatically deploys whenever tin with flexible joints protected by modified spider
the wearer’s body is in a hostile environment. A for- silk. This suit comes in several models, depending
matted BES automatically deploys to protect even a upon the particular mission. However, all of these
sleeping or unconscious wearer from harm. models have several features in common.
A formatted BES is more comfortable than a nor- • The Powered tag.
mal suit of clothing and many wearers happily sleep
in them. The BES can change color and pattern and • Provide vision enhancement equivalent to im-
can also glow. It has several dozen options ranging proved binoculars (p 283).
from glowing orange for easy visibility, to multiple
• Protect the wearer from vacuum and provide life
camouflage options that provide 1 Enhancement to all
support for up to 100 hours. At the end of this time
Stealth rolls to avoid being seen, to a variety of dec-
the suit must be cleaned and allowed to rest in a
orative options that can be personalized by the user.
habitable environment for at least five hours.

armor & protective gear 271

 • A built-in ear radio (p. 293). • A visor with the capabilities of improved binoc-
ulars (p. 283).
• Biotech grippers (see p. 294) on hands, feet,
shins, and forearms. • Protection from vacuum and life support for up
to 50 hours. The suit’s superconducting batter-
• The Active Camouflage 0 tag
ies allow it to operate for up to 10 hours before
In addition, all bioVARGs also come with one of it must be recharged. If the enhanced strength
the following tags; adding a second increases the ar- is turned off, the suit becomes becomes heavy
mor’s cost by one dot. and tiring to wear, but can maintain sensors,
• The Active Camouflage 1 tag communications, weapons, and life support for
up to 50 hours. At the end of this time the suit’s
• Bioservos in the legs, which give the Propulsion life-support system must be recharged.
(land) tag.
All MiniVARGs can also be customized with var-
• A gas-jet mobility system which gives the ious hardtech personal weapons, sensors, and addi-
Propulsion (space) tag. tional gear. All MiniVARGs come with any one of the
four options available to BioVARGs. Also, instead of
• Deployable swim fins and underwater jets gauntlet weapons, a MiniVARGs can be fitted with
which give the Propulsion (water) tag. either a laser pistol or a heavy autopistol built into
For no extra cost, bioVARGs can also be fitted with one arm. This suit can be packed into an ordinary
either built-in taser gloves (see p. 281) or one built- suitcase for easy transport.
in gauntlet weapon found on pp. 280-281; select any Reinforced Clothing: Ordinary clothing, in-
laser gauntlet (p. 280) or psi gauntlet (p. 281) at no cluding color-changing clothing, can be made from
additional cost. ballistic cloth and plastics that become rigid under
Bioweave Armor: This armor is a living mesh of impact. The only limitation is that the clothing must
modified spider silk that can only be used if formatted. have at least a bit of weight. A three-piece suit, a mo-
It shapes to your character’s body, forming tough ar- torcycle jacket and heavy-duty jeans, or any form
mor that takes on the exact color of the wearer’s skin of cold-weather gear can be made into reinforced
and even allows the wearer’s hair to grow through it. clothing, but a t-shirt and thin silk pants cannot.
If the wearer is clothed, nothing short of an advanced Improved reinforced clothing provides more protec-
scanner or a pat down reveals its presence. Taking it tion, but also costs more.
off requires a special spray. Once formatted, it can be Shifting Armor: Popular with spies, criminals,
put on or taken off in three rounds. and some performers, this biotech armor has all the
Osaka Class Armored Power Suit (MiniVARG): advantages of improved reinforced clothing, and
This suit is the smallest and lightest weight of the ad- when it’s formatted, it can change its appearance in
vanced Nihonjin VARGS. It is used as both a hostile-en- ways limited only to the wearer’s imagination. It can
vironment exploration suit and as powered armor for change color, shape, and texture, becoming anything
moderate-threat urban conflict. This suit consists of a from a halter top, jeans, and tennis shoes, to a full
lightweight suit of flexible armor built around an orbital tuxedo and dress shoes. When formatted, this armor
steel exoskeleton that conforms to the user’s body. This also automatically accommodates itself of all uses of
exoskeleton features small superconducting motors at the Biokinesis Transmogrification Mode.
all major joints, to improve the user’s speed and strength. Standard Battle Dress: The military uniform of
This hardtech suit must be adjusted to fit a specific in- the 22nd century includes integrated armor plus
dividual and can only be used by wearers who all have limited electronic heating and cooling. The outfit is
close to the same height, weight, and general build. designed for comfortable long-term wear and comes
This suit possesses the following included with a lightweight helmet. The cloth also has limited
equipment: color-changing capabilities, allowing it to transform
into a dozen different camouflage configurations for
• The Powered tag.
various conditions, as well as to bright orange for
• Hardtech grippers (p. 294) on hands feet, shins, emergency pick up, and the elaborate full parade
and forearms. dress coloration. This armor also includes a helmet
with an ear radio and an improved binocular visor.

272 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 ARMOR CHART
TYPE BASE POSITIVE & 0 TAGS SIZE TECH FT COST
Armor Bulletproof, Complete 3, Hard 3, Soft 1 Large Hard n/a ••
Carapace Impact
& Slash
Resistant
Armor Vest Bulletproof, Complete 3, Concealable 1, Medium Hard n/a •
Impact Hard 1, Soft 1
& Slash
Resistant
Mako Battle Bulletproof, Complete 3, Defensive 2, Large Ψ • •••
Harness Impact Environmental (aquatic only)
& Slash 0, Hard 1, Propulsion (water)
Resistant 1, Psi ++, Soft 2
Spider Battle Bulletproof, Complete 3, Hard 3, Large Ψ • •••
Harness Impact Propulsion (climbing only) 1,
& Slash Psi++, Soft 2
Resistant
Bio Bulletproof, Active Camouflage 0, Medium Ψ • ••
Environment Impact Complete 3, Soft 2,
Suit & Slash Environmental 1, Innocuous
Resistant 2+, Psi
BioVARG Bulletproof, Active Camouflage 0, Size 0 Ψ •• •••• or •••••
Impact Complete 3, Environmental
& Slash 1, Hard 3, Powered 0, Psi,
Resistant Soft 2, one or two additional
tags (see description)
Bioweave Bulletproof, Complete 3, Hard 1, Medium Ψ • ••
Armor Impact Concealable 1, Psi++, Soft 2
& Slash
Resistant
MiniVARG Bulletproof, Complete 3, Environmental Size 0 Hard n/a •••••
Impact 1, Hard 3, Powered 0, Soft
& Slash 2, one additional tag (see
Resistant description)
Reinforced Bulletproof Active Camouflage 0, Medium Hard n/a •
Clothing & Impact Composite 2, Environmental
Resistant (temperature extremes only)
0, Innocuous 2, Soft 2
Improved Bulletproof, Active Camouflage 0, Medium Hard •••
Reinforced Impact Complete 3, Environmental
Clothing & Slash (temperature extremes only)
Resistant 0, Hard 1, Innocuous 2, Soft
2
Shifting Bulletproof, Active Camouflage 1+, Medium Ψ • •••
Armor Impact Complete 3, Environmental
& Slash (temperature extremes only)
Resistant 0, Hard 1, Innocuous 2, Psi,
Soft 2

armor & protective gear 273

 TYPE BASE POSITIVE & 0 TAGS SIZE TECH FT COST

Standard Bulletproof, Active Camouflage 1, Medium Hard n/a ••

Battle Dress Impact Complete 3, Environmental
& Slash (temperature extremes only)
Resistant 0, Hard 1, Soft 2
Vacuum Bulletproof Composite 2, Soft 2, Large Hard n/a ••*
Environment & Slash Environmental 1
Suit Resistant
Armored Bulletproof, Complete 3, Hard 1, Soft 2, Size 0 Hard n/a ••
Vacuum Impact Environmental 1
Environment & Slash
Suit Resistant

+ This tag can only be used if the biotech armor is formatted to the user.
++ This armor can only be used when formatted.
* Armor with the Environmental 1 or 2 tag has a minimum cost of ••

Vacuum Environment Suit (VES): Designed to allow provides life support for up to 20 hours. There is also an
survival anywhere from the orbit of Venus to the surface armored version for military or other high-risk use. The
of Pluto, a VES has a built-in comp, a helmet visor that military version has adaptive camouflage identical to
functions like improved binoculars (p. 283), deployable that of standard battle dress (providing 1 Enhancement
grippers (p. 294) and a radio with a range of 500 km. It to all Stealth rolls for avoiding being seen).

WEAPONS
Psions possess formidable psychic powers, but the Electrical (1): Weapons that inflict electrical
universe is home to myriad dangers. Even psi powers damage often possess the Stun or Non-Lethal tag,
may not be enough, and most of the population pos- but some can be quite deadly. Electrical damage ig-
sesses no such powers. nores armor unless the armor in question has the
Environmental (1 or 2) tag. Unless hardened against
NEW WEAPON TAGS electromagnetic disruption (which means they can-
These tags apply to the weapons found in this not be connected to any external network, like the
chapter. Weapons in this chapter also use the weap- OpNet), electronic devices of Size 0 or smaller that
on tags found in the Trinity Continuum Corebook are struck by electrical weapons automatically shut
(pp. 123-126). down for at least five minutes.
Beam (1): (energy weapons only) This energy Entangle (2): This weapon does no damage.
weapon fires a continuous beam when the trigger is Instead, successful attacks allow the character ac-
held down. Allows use of the Spray Stunt. cess to entanglement Stunts, listed below. Targets
Combined Stun (2): This weapon simultaneously must escape the entanglement to act normally.
delivers a standard attack and a stun attack (see the Escaping from entanglement requires the target to
Stun tag, Trinity Continuum Corebook, page 125). make an Athletics + Dexterity roll with a Difficulty
The user can also set the weapon to only perform one equal to the number of successes rolled on the attack.
of these attacks. The target can do nothing else while making this roll.
Destructive (2): Weapons with this tag can easily pierce The attacker can inflict any of the following results
armor and cut through tough materials. These weapons on their target by allocating their attack’s successes.
reduce the target’s Armor rating by 2 and can also slowly These successes can be combined from multiple at-
cut through most walls, doors, and other objects. tacks on the same target.

274 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 Formatted (1, 2): Formatted 1 SPRAY (VARIABLE)
provides this bioware weapon with
a +1 Enhancement if it is formatted.
When using a weapon with the beam tag, the attacker
can spend an entire round holding down the trigger of
Formatted 2 gives the weapon an in-
the weapon and spraying a beam of energy. This attack
herent +1 Enhancement that increas- affects every target within close range of the shooter’s
es to +2 if it is formatted. primary target. The attacker can make a separate non-
Immune (1): The user is immune mixed roll against each target in this area and can use
to damage by this weapon. This tag either the Inflict Damage or the Pin Down Stunts (Trinity
can only be used on formatted bio- Continuum Corebook, p. 105) separately on each of
tech weapons. these targets. The Spray Stunt cannot be used as part of a
Non-Lethal (2): This attack nor-
mixed action. Also, using it subtracts 1 from the shooter’s
Defense for the round, because of the necessity of focus-
mally produces the Stunned Status
ing on aiming and controlling the weapon.
Condition (Trinity Continuum
Corebook, p. 108), but if the attack-
er allocates at least four successes to (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 108) to anyone
the attack, the target gains the Unconscious Status whose skin contacts the weapon. For both types of
Condition (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 108). poison, if the target is wearing anything more than
The attacker can accumulate these successes over light clothing, the attacker must either touch the tar-
the course of several attacks, as long as the attack- get’s bare skin or cause damage to the target with a
er can accumulate at least four successes before the ballistic or edged attack bearing the poison.
target throws them off. Conscious targets can make Psi (−1): Any weapon with this tag is bioware that
a Stamina + Resolve roll once per round to attempt can be formatted. Formatting bioware unlocks its full
to throw off the effects of this attack, with each suc- potential and all formatted weapons gain some ad-
cess reducing the total number of successes by 1, but ditional benefit, but doing this is not without risk. If
characters can perform no other actions while mak- the formatted item is destroyed, the character auto-
ing this attempt. matically suffers both an Injury Condition and a level
Obvious (0): This weapon is large enough that 2 Complication (Shaken), as though struck by a Stun
it functionally cannot be hidden on a person. The weapon.
weapon has a size of either large or Size 0 and be- Psi Gauntlet (0): This biotech super-science
cause of its size it gains +1 Enhancement toward in- weapon is designed for use by psions. It must be for-
flicting Injury Conditions. matted to be used and automatically possesses the
Optionally Non-Lethal (2, 3): A weapon with this Psi and Worn tags. Some also contain biotech lasers,
tag can be set so that the user can choose whether increasing their Tolerance by •, but others only use
an individual attack possesses the Non-Lethal tag their built-in psionic weapon.
or does normal damage, depending upon the user’s Sonic (1): Sonic damage ignores armor unless the
wishes. The 3-point version of this tag allows the armor in question has the Environmental (1 or 2) tag.
user to switch between Non-Lethal and a Quality 2
normal attack. Characters can easily
switch a weapon between these two
modes and do not need to spend an STUNTS
action to do so.
Hobble (2 successes): Reduces the target’s Defense
Poison (2): Skin contact with or against all other attacks to 1.
injury by this weapon automati-
Slow (1 success): Each success spent on Slow reduces
cally inflicts an Injury Condition
the target’s speed by 1
on anyone whose skin contacts the
weapon.
Takedown (1 success): The attacks renders your oppo-
nent prone (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 106).
Poison (Non-Lethal) (2): This
Paralyzed (3 successes): The target gains the Paralyzed
non-lethal poison causes the
Status Condition (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p.
Unconscious Status Condition 108), but can automatically escape within five minutes,
if no one prevents them from doing so.

weapons 275
 Super-Science (1, 2, 3): This weapon also includes
The weapons charts include the following listings:
Powered Noetic Super-Science. Only weapons with Weapon Type: A listing of the weapon’s name and
the Psi tag can possess this tag, and all weapons that
general type. While competing companies may pro-
use this tag must be formatted. The weapon con- duce laser carbines with minor variations from one
tains Super-Science with a Rank and a Formatting another, these differences are too minor to track in
Tolerance equal to the value of this tag. Increase its
game terms. Anything that wouldn’t require a change
Formatting Tolerance by one dot if it also contains of traits can be explained away in purely descriptive
a separate biotech weapon. The weapon has a mini- terms; for more drastic differences, change a tag or
mum cost equal to the value of this tag. two to better represent these variations. The weapon
Tactical Sight (1): Advances in adaptive optics descriptions below often include examples of a given
means that the tactical sight tag now allows the weapon type and its typical usage in the field.
weapon to work at full effectiveness at 2 additional En: The Enhancement bonus provided by the weapon.
ranges. Range: This is the weapon’s optimal range.
Variable (1): This weapon can, at the user’s choice,Damage Type: The weapon inflicts either ballis-
deliver either stun damage or normal damage, but tic, edged, or blunt damage, or a special type of dam-
cannot do both in a single attack. Characters can eas-
age, it the appropriate tag is used.
ily switch a weapon between these two modes and Tags: A weapon’s positive, zero cost, and negative
do not need to spend an action to do so. tags. Players and Storyguides should work together
Variable Poison (3): This weapon can administer to customize weapons to their characters. Due to ad-
both lethal and non-lethal poison but cannot do bothvances in technology, weapons can now possess up to
in a single attack. The character must spend an ac- 4 + Wealth in tags.
tion to switch between these two types of poison. Size: The weapon’s size.
Tech: Is this weapon hardtech or biotech (Ψ).
WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS
FT: Formatting Tolerance — the tolerance cost to
The lists below are not exhaustive, but provide a
format this noetic biotech weapon.
benchmark for use in creating your own weaponry.

276 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 Cost: 0 — nominal, any character can afford this, All possess the Heavy Weapon and Restricted tags.
• to ••••• — dots in wealth necessary to afford this They are Size 0 items.
item.
WEAPON TYPES
WEAPON CONFIGURATIONS All of the following types of weapons can pos-
Blade: Both swords and knives count as blades and sess any appropriate weapon tags from the Trinity
can have the Melee or the Reach tag, but not the Range Continuum Corebook (pp. 123-126), as well as the
tag. Small blades often possess the Concealable tag, mandatory and optional tags listed below.
large blades often have the Obvious tag and may have Coil Guns: These weapons magnetically acceler-
the Reach tag. Their Size ranges from small to large. ate slugs to hypersonic velocity and possess enor-
Pistol: All pistols are used in one hand; smaller mous range and stopping power. They are commonly
pistols usually possess the Concealable tag. Their used to fight enemy psions, Chromatics, or Aberrants
Size is small or medium. and are only available as heavy weapons. They all
Gauntlet: Gauntlets are biotech weapons worn as possess the Automatic 2, Brutal, Heavy Weapon,
a glove on one hand. Small gauntlets may appear to Piercing, Ranged: close-long, Restricted, Tactical
be normal gloves, gaining the Concealable tag. Large Sight, and Two-Handed tags. They may also possess
gauntlets extend up the wearer’s forearm and are the Mount tag (which removes the necessity of also
obviously biotech devices. All gauntlets possess the having the Brutal tag).
Worn tag. Their Size is small or medium.
Carbine: Carbines are short lightweight rifles. Example: Banji 02 Hornet.
Their Size is medium.
Flechette Weapons: A flechette weapon rapidly
Rifle: Shotguns and other full-sized rifles possess
fires a spray of needle-like projectiles. Biotech ver-
the Obvious tag, and many possess the Two-Handed
sions do not require reloading, since they generate
tag. Their Size is large.
their own ammunition. All flechette weapons can fire
Heavy Weapon: Heavy weapons are pieces of mil- either standard flechettes or drugged flechettes that
itary hardware that are all large and deadly looking.

weapons 277
 dissolve in flesh and cause minimal damage. Flechette Slug Throwers: Most of these weapons shoot nor-
weapons come as pistols and carbines and all possess mal bullets, but some have the Variable Ammo tag. Slug
the Silent, Spread, and Variable Ammo 2 or 3 tags. throwers are available as pistols, carbines, and rifles.
• Standard Flechette: These flechettes typically Any slug thrower with the Variable Ammo 2 or 3
possess either the Quality 2 or the Quality 3 tags. tag can use the following ammo:
• Armor Piercing: This round gains the Piercing
• Drugged Flechette: These flechettes have the
tag.
Poison or the Poison (Non-Lethal) tag and the
Non-Penetrating tag • Frangible: This round is designed for use on space-
craft and other potentially delicate regions and
Examples: Orgotek Stinger autopistol is designed to both not ricochet and also not to
and Orgotek Scorpion autocarbine. penetrate armor. It has the Non-Penetrating tag.

Lasers: These energy weapons fire deadly beams of • Gel Rounds: These rounds spread out on impact
coherent light. Lasers are available as pistols and car- and cause only bruising. They gain the Non-
bines, and biotech lasers are also available as gauntlets. Lethal and Non-Penetrating tags.
Lasers are the most common type of biotech weapon.
• Incendiary Round: These rounds contain an ac-
Laser weapons all possess the Piercing and Ranged:
celerant that ignites upon impact, dousing the
close-medium or close-long tags. More powerful la-
target in flames. They gain the Incendiary tag.
sers replace the Piercing tag with the Destructive tag
for 1 point of tags and many lasers possess the Beam • Slugs: Slugs possess the Quality 2 tag.
tag. Lasers cannot possess the Automatic tag.
• Stun Round: These rounds contain supercapaci-
Examples: Orgotek Pulse-L Gauntlet, tors fitted with short spikes that deliver a pow-
Voss 33k, Alchemy 2118-D Biocarbine, erful electrical charge to the targets, and gain
Orgotek Hornet IV. both the Electrical and Stun tags.
Any slug thrower with the Variable Ammo 3 tag
Plasma Throwers: These highly dangerous ener- can also fire the following additional ammo:
gy weapons project superheated streams of ionized
gas in a beam of devastatingly deadly plasma. The • Heavy Armor Piercing: This solid slug gains the
plasma streams fired by such weapons burn quick- Piercing and the Quality 2 tags.
ly through most materials, including armor. Plasma • Slugs: Slugs possess the Brutal and Quality 2 tags.
weapons require backpack fuel tanks and thus all
possess the Heavy Weapon tag. Plasma weapons also • Taser Round: These rounds contain powerful
all possess the Beam, Brutal, Deadly, Incendiary 2, supercapacitors fitted with short spikes that
Ranged: short, and the Restricted tag. Plasma weap- deliver an extremely strong electrical charge to
ons cannot possess the Automatic tag. the targets, and gain both the Electrical and the
Non-Lethal tags.
Example: Voss 88T. The following types of slug-thrower ammo are too
large to be used in pistols.
Poison Weapons: These biotech weapons are lined
with stinging cells like those of a sea anemone or jel- • Fragmentation: This round is a fragmentation
lyfish tentacles, quickly delivering a paralytic toxin grenade, and gains the Explosive (ranged) tag.
to the victim. They can be used unformatted, but the • Gas Round: This high-pressured gas canister emits
user must take care not to poison herself and must se- a small cloud of noxious chemicals upon detona-
lect the desired poison with buttons on the weapons. tion, and gains the Gas tag. The canister can hold
When formatted, the user is immune to the poison any of the three common types of gas ammo.
and can cause the weapon to be poison free or se-
crete either lethal or paralytic poison with a thought. • Pellets: These rounds fire half a dozen or more
Poison weapons are available as either gauntlets or small metal pellets, and gain the Quality 2,
blades and must possess the variable Poison tag, as Spread, and Non-Penetrating tags. Pellets are
well as the Immune, Melee, and Psi tags. the most commonly used shotgun ammunition.

278 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 Examples: L-K Defender 9mm pistol, Vibroblades: These weapons earn their name be-
L-K Avenger 11mm pistol, L-K MAC-803 cause of an ultrasonic generator in their hilt. When
autocarbine. activated, the blade vibrates at an extremely high
frequency. This vibration improves the blade’s dam-
Sonic Weapons: These specialized non-lethal age and allows it to slowly cut through most common
energy weapons emit focused sound beams capable materials, up to and including wood, concrete, and
of incapacitating targets. They are often employed soft metals. Doing so requires slowly carving the
alongside tasers by law enforcement. Deadlier vari- blade through the material, requiring a length of time
ations, known as screamers, can be set to do either based on density and size. The Storyguide is the final
lethal or stun damage. Sonic weapons come as pis- judge of how long this process takes, but as an ex-
tols, carbines, and blades. Sonic blades lack physical ample, cutting a one-meter hole through wood (such
blades and instead possess blades made of focused as a door) takes roughly five minutes, while doing so
sound that vanish when deactivated. through concrete takes 20 or more. Vibroblades, as
Most sonic weapons possess the Non-Lethal and their name suggests, can only take the form of blades
Sonic tags. Screamers replace the Non-Lethal tag and cannot have the Range tag. They must possess
with the Optionally Non-Lethal 2 tag for no extra the Destructive tag.
cost, or the Optionally Non-Lethal 3 tag for one ad-
ditional tag. Sonic pistols and carbines must possess Example: Aris Slicer
the Range (close-short) tag, while sonic blades pos-
sess either the Melee or Reach tag. All sonic blades Web Emitters: These weapons fire multiple
must also possess the Non-Penetrating tag, and most strands of a sticky polymer or biopolymer that in-
sonic blades possess one of the two Optionally Lethal stantly dry into tough, flexible fibers when they con-
tags. tact a target. Originally used for crowd control, these
non-lethal weapons are now also sold for personal
Examples: Aris Whistler Pistol, Aris protection. All web emitters are short, thick carbines.
SuperSonic Carbine. They are available in hardtech and biotech options
and all possess the Entangle 2, Ranged: close-short,
Rocket Launchers: Firing small missiles, these dead- and Spread tags.
ly devices are only available as heavy weapons. All rock-
et launchers possess the Brutal, Deadly, Explosive 2 Examples: L-K Netgun s5, Orgotek
(ranged), Heavy Weapon, Incendiary 2, Ranged: short- Spinneret
long or short-extreme, Restricted, and Two-Handed tags.

Example: LK Killjoy. RANGED WEAPONS

The advent of energy-based weaponry revolution-
Tasers: Another non-lethal energy weapon fa- ized portable firepower. Laser weapons are sleeker
vored by law enforcement, ranged tasers fire short- and more accurate than slug throwers. Slug throwers
range electrical beams that render targets uncon- remain largely unchanged from previous centuries,
scious, while taser melee weapons charge the weapon though modern automatics are generally more effi-
with electricity, affecting whoever they touch. When cient than their predecessors. Both lasers and slug
used on electronics that either aren’t shielded or are throwers come in pistol and carbine varieties.
networked in any fashion (wired or wireless), tasers The other major distinction in weaponry comes
function as zappers (p. 295), but only affect a single in the form of biotech versus hardtech. Many bio-
target that must be within range. Tasers are available tech weapons look nearly identical to their hard-
as both melee and ranged weapons and as gauntlets tech counterparts by design, and function similarly.
or pistols. All tasers possess the Electrical tag, the Biotech weapons have greater potential when for-
Melee or the Ranged: close-short tag, and either the matted, enhancing the weapon’s (and sometimes
Stun or the Non-Lethal tag. Biotech tasers possess the psion’s inherent) capabilities. All biotech weap-
both the Psi and the Immune tag. on listed possess the Psi tag and can possess the
Formatted tag.
Example: Banji 02 Hornet.

weapons 279
 RANGED WEAPONS TABLE

DMG
TYPE MODEL EN RANGE TYPE TAGS TECH SIZE FT COST
Flechette Orgotek 3/4+ Short Ballistic Formatted+, Ranged, Ψ M • ••
Carbine Scorpion Silent, Spread, Variable
Biocarbine Ammo 3, Psi
Laser Carbine Voss 63 K 2 Long Ballistic Beam, Quality 2, Hard M – ••
Carbine Ranged, Tactical Sight
Laser Orgotek 1/2+ Short Ballistic Concealable, Formatted Ψ S • •
Gauntlet MiniPulse-L 1+, Grappling, Piercing,
Psi, Ranged, Worn
Laser Orgotek 2/3+ Short Ballistic Beam, Destructive, Ψ M • •••
Gauntlet Pulse-L Formatted 2+, Psi,
Gauntlet Ranged, Tactical Sight,
Worn
Slug-Thrower L-K 2-3 Short Ballistic Quality 2, Ranged, Hard M – •
Pistol Avenger 11 Variable Ammo 2
mm
Slug-Thrower L-K 2-4 Short Ballistic Automatic 2, Obvious Hard L – •••
Rifle Protector 0, Ranged, Tactical
Auto Sight, Variable Ammo 3
Sonic Pistol Aris 1 Short Sonic Concealable, Hard S – •
Whistler Optionally Non-Lethal
2, Ranged, Sonic
Taser Pistol Orgotek 1 Short Electrical Concealable, Electrical, Ψ S • •
Electric Eel Non-Lethal, Immune+,
Psi, Ranged
Web Emitter Orgotek 2 Short Special Entangle 2, Formatted+, Ψ M • •
Carbine Spinneret Psi, Ranged, Spread
HEAVY WEAPONS
Coilgun L-K Big Boy 5 Short Ballistic Automatic 2, Brutal, Hard Size 0 – ••••
Heavy r5 Heavy Weapon,
Weapon Piercing, Ranged,
Restricted, Tactical
Sight, Two-Handed
Missile L-K Killjoy 5 Short Ballistic Brutal, Charge, Deadly, Hard Size 0 – ••••
Launcher Explosive 2 (ranged),
Heavy Heavy Weapon,
Weapon Ranged, Restricted,
Tactical Sight
Plasma Voss 88T 5 Short Incendiary Beam, Brutal, Deadly, Hard Size 0 – ••••
Thrower Plasma Heavy Weapon,
Heavy Gun Incendiary 2, Ranged,
Weapon Restricted, Two-handed

+ This tag can only be used if the biotech weapon is formatted to the user.

280 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

PSI GAUNTLETS Psi points. This device also cannot increase effec-
tive Psi above 5. This Psi increase affects either the
Psi gauntlets are advanced biotech enhancements
Electrokinesis or the Psychokinesis Aptitude, but it
worn over the user’s hand and forearm. They cover the
can only enhance one of these. The wearer chooses
entire forearm and are thus difficult to conceal. Only a
which one to enhance when formatting this device.
psion can use a psi gauntlet and they must be formatted.
Psi gauntlets enhance the user’s psionic powers and Force Gauntlet: A force gauntlet uses Telekinesis
also provide built-in weaponry. Some gauntlets require to enhance the wearer’s blows. Unformatted, it func-
a specific Aptitude in order to effectively use them, but tions as a fighting glove (see below). When formatted,
most can be used by any psion. Any such requirements the gauntlet projects this same force at a distance, ef-
are listed in the weapon descriptions below. If using a fectively allowing the user to make unarmed strikes
gauntlet in melee, it counts as an unarmed attack and against distant targets (using the Close Combat Skill,
gains the weapon’s Enhancement, but not its other but with Psi instead of Might). This weapon can only
Tags. project raw force, not fine manipulation. The wear-
er can also use the telekinetic force created by this
Electrolaser Gauntlet: This weapon creates a la-
gauntlet to shove opponents and block attacks. Any
ser-guided electrical blast, essentially a wrist-mount-
psion can use this gauntlet.
ed lightning thrower. The shock of the weapon is
severe, capable of stunning and disabling both living Sureshot Gauntlet: This gauntlet uses the pow-
and mechanical targets at range, and the user can er of Clairsentience to guide the user’s attacks to a
choose to fire either an incapacitating or a lethal bolt. pinpoint precision. It requires getting a bead on the
If the user spends a Psi point, they can simultaneous- target with the guiding laser, made by making a suc-
ly make a normal and a non-lethal attack against the cessful attack roll using Aim, and spending 1 Psi point.
same target. Any psion can use this weapon. This maneuver does no damage, but from then on, the
gauntlet remains locked on to the target, and its laser
Enhancer Gauntlet: This gauntlet can only
attacks gain an additional 2 Enhancement (for a total
be used by psions with the Electrokinesis or
of 4 Enhancement) on the attack roll. Thick barriers
Psychokinesis Aptitudes. In addition to firing a pow-
or a lack of line of sight for more than two rounds end
erful laser beam, it also increases the user’s effective
this lock. However, the Sureshot is not affected by
Psi by 1, but only for the purpose of calculating dice
low light or other types of impaired visibility and suf-
pools and other factors dependent on Psi for powers
fers no penalty even amid a smoke cloud or on a hazy
of a single Aptitude; it does not provide additional
moonless night. Any psion can use this gauntlet.

PSI GAUNTLETS
DMG
TYPE EN RANGE TYPE TAGS SIZE FT TECH COST
Electrolaser 3 Short Electrical Electrical, Formatted, M •• Ψ •••
Optionally Non-Lethal
3, Psi Gauntlet, Ranged:,
Super-Science 1
Enhancer 3 Short Ballistic Beam, Destructive, M •• Ψ ••••
Formatted 2, Psi
Gauntlet, Ranged,
Super-Science 1,
Tactical Sight
Force 2 Short Blunt Formatted, Psi Gauntlet, S • Ψ •••
Ranged, Shield, Silent,
Super-Science 1,
Weighted
Sureshot 2/4 Short Ballistic Beam, Destructive, M •• Ψ •••
Formatted, Psi Gauntlet,
Ranged, Super-Science
1, Tactical Sight

weapons 281
 MELEE WEAPONS BioClaws: Requiring minor surgery to attach, this
bioapp provide users with a set of retractable, fully
Even in an age of portable energy weapons and psion-
organic claws. These claws provide 1 Enhancement
ic powers, the reliability of a club or a sword can’t be
for climbing and also serve as vicious close-combat
overstated. On an alien world or in a bad part of town,
weapons.
a knife or even a makeshift club can mean the differ-
ence between life and death. Many melee weapons are Chain: A length of chain makes for a surprisingly
strictly hardtech, although developers constantly push effective weapon in the right hands. Chains can en-
the boundaries of biotech weapons. Players should feel tangle limbs or simply bludgeon a target with reach.
free to develop prototype bioware weapons with their A few rare martial arts styles still make use of chain
Storyguides beyond those listed below. weapons.
Axe: Useful as survival tools, axes also make for Fighting Gauntlet: High-tech gloves with plasteel
emergency weapons. Simple but rugged, they con- and kinetic enhancers woven into the lining allow a
sist of reinforced steel or plasteel blades attached to human to strike with the force of a sledgehammer.
a long handle. An axe can split wood or break down Trained martial artists can use a good pair of fight-
doors in a rescue situation as easily as it can fend off ing gloves to beat down dangerous wildlife or rogue
would-be attackers. psions, or even shatter vehicles.

MELEE WEAPONS
WEAPON
TYPE MODEL EN DMG TYPE TAGS SIZE TECH FT COST
Axe - 3 Edged Melee, Quality 3, Large Hard n/a 0
Weighted
BioClaws Orgotek 2 Edged Concealable, Tiny Ψ • 0
Tiger Formatted, Grapple,
Melee, Piercing, Psi++,
Worn
Chain - 2 Blunt Entangle, Melee, Medium Hard n/a 0
Reach, Two-Handed
Fighting Banji 2 Blunt Concealable, Grapple, Small Hard n/a •
Gauntlet Warrior Melee, Quality 2, Worn
Enamel Knife - 1 Edged Concealable, Grapple, Small Hard n/a 0
Melee, Piercing,
Throwing
Poison Alchemy 1 Poison Concealable, Grapple, Small Ψ • ••
Gauntlet BW-2 Immune+, Melee, Psi,
Variable Poison 3,
Worn
Sonic Blade Banji 2 Sonic Concealable, Grapple, Small Hard n/a ••
Varicut-3 Melee, Optionally
Non-Lethal 2, Non-
Penetrating, Reach,
Sonic
Staff - 2 Blunt Melee, Obvious 0, Large Hard n/a 0
Reach, Shield 2
Taser Orgotek 1 Electrical Electrical, Grapple, Small Ψ • •
Gauntlet Lightning Immune+, Melee, Non-
Lethal 2, Psi, Worn
Vibroblade L-K VL1 3 Edged Deadly, Destructive 2, Medium Hard n/a ••
Melee, Quality 3

+ This tag can only be used if the biotech weapon is formatted to the user.
++ This weapon must be formatted to use it.

282 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 Enamel Knife: A weapon almost as simple as a Biofixer: This palm-sized, clamshell-shaped bio-
club, knives come in many forms, including blades app extrudes organic materials that can fix cracks
of enamel, orbital steel, or old-fashioned collapsible and other minor damage and patch holes up to 5 cm
knives. Unlike ranged weapons or larger melee weap- in diameter. Repairs made by a biofixer are as good
ons, knives are less restricted and more concealable. as new and the device provides 1 Enhancement to ac-
Enamel knives are exceptionally sharp blades grown tions to repair devices. Tech: Ψ, Size: Small, Cost: •
via biotech. They do not show up on metal detectors. Clothing: Clothing worn in the early 22nd century
Poison Gauntlet: A poison glove appears to be an is mostly similar to that sold in the early 21st. However,
ordinary glove until its biotech enhancements are ac- there have been some changes. Outdoor clothing of-
tivated, at which point it can deliver either lethal or ten comes with imbedded heating and cooling fibers
paralytic poison at the wearer’s desire. to keep the wearer comfortable from −30° to 50° C
Sonic Blade: A device that looks like the hilt of a with nothing more than heavyweight jeans and a du-
high-tech short sword generates a tightly focused rable long-sleeved shirt. Flexible solar panels printed
“blade” of sound capable of easily harming soft on cloth keep these fibers charged and are also used
targets. The fact that it is relatively useless against on clothing to recharge personal electronics.
harder materials makes this weapon a favorite in In Nippon, clothes printed with display screens
dangerous environs, where a punctured hull or bro- playing everything from mass media shows to home
ken lab equipment might spell disaster. It can also be movies or art are popular. Clothing that can change
set to only do stun damage, making it also useful in color and patterns and even glow is popular every-
law enforcement, when less deadly uses of force are where. In addition to fashion uses, most outdoor
desired. The user can set the sonic blade to be any- clothing can turn bright orange and glow in the dark
where from a few centimeters to several meters long, to facilitate easy rescue, and criminals and covert
using it as a dagger, a short sword, or an exceedingly operatives often wear clothing that can assume a
long blade. wide range of camouflage options while also being
Staff: A length of wood, plasteel, or polymers usu- able to appear ordinary. This clothing provides 1
ally two meters in length, the staff is essentially a Enhancement to actions to avoid notice, and partic-
longer club capable of striking with more force. Its ularly stylish (and expensive) clothing can provide 1
additional reach affords the wearer some extra de- Enhancement to creating a good first impression or
fense in close combat. being perceived as having high social status. Tech:
Taser Gauntlet: This model is clearly a biotech Hard or Psi, Size: Medium, Cost: 0 to ••
weapon, and is decorated with stylized lightning Cosmetic Modifications: Advanced biotechnolo-
bolts, but for a slightly higher cost a version that gy allows people to change their bodies in a wide va-
is indistinguishable from an ordinary glove is also riety of ways. Permanently changing skin, eye, or hair
available. color at will, even to stripes or exotic colors like roy-
Vibroblade: The size of an old-fashioned short al blue or lime green, altering facial features, or be-
sword, this vibroblade cuts through most common ma- coming fatter or thinner are all common procedures.
terials swiftly and easily and is also a deadly weapon. These changes require only a few minutes to initi-
ate, are complete in a day or two, and have no recov-
EVERYDAY TECHNOLOGY ery time. More extensive and expensive alterations
like sex changes, changing eyes to look like those of
The following devices are all widely available and
cats or birds of prey, attaching decorative horns or
in common use.
antlers, and small changes in height require sever-
Binoculars: Computer-stabilized image en-
al hours of medical procedures and up to a week of
hancers permit up to 50x magnification. Improved
recovery time. Alterations that cause the person to
binoculars also provide light intensification for see-
have green skin or otherwise look obviously nonhu-
ing at night and an infrared-to-ultraviolet frequency
man are most common in Sudamérica or Nippon, but
range. Binoculars provide 2 Enhancement for actions
available everywhere. The only mechanical effect of
involving seeing details at a distance, and improved
this technology is that it can produce or remove dots
binoculars also allow the user to see in darkness and
in the Attractive Edge or allow someone to almost
to ignore visibility penalties or Complications from
perfectly disguise herself as any other person. Tech:
fog or smoke. Tech: Either, Size: Small, Cost: 0 (reg-
Hard or Psi, Size: n/a, Cost: 0 to ••
ular) • (improved)

weapons 283
 NOTES ON APPEARANCE, blanket. Also, at the user’s command, the
GENDER, AND TECHNOLOGY blanket can induce a state of deep hiberna-
tion, allowing the user to survive without
For the last 90 years, medical technology has al- oxygen for a week and without food or wa-
lowed people to alter their appearance or their ter for three months. This hibernation can
sex. Through a combination of drugs, gene therapy, also allow the user to survive an otherwise
and surgery a short, skinny black man can become
lethal injury until help arrives. A survival
a tall, Rubenesque white woman who could bear
children. Permanently changing hair, eye, or skin blanket can place an unwilling subject into
color is a simple, fast, and in many places inexpen- hibernation, but the process takes five min-
sive procedure. Now that three generations have utes, and the subject must be immobilized
grown up with this technology, prejudices about or they can easily escape. Tech: Ψ, Size:
race, gender and sexuality are all considerably Small, Cost: •
less than they were in the early 21st century. Sad-
ly, bigotry lingers, and prejudices based on culture, MINICOMPS
national origin, religion, and socioeconomic status
The primary piece of technology that ev-
are still common, especially in poorer nations like
the FSA or Russia. eryone except the poorest of the poor, crimi-
nals in maximum-security prisons, and a few
of the most determined luddites owns is a
Glucose-Protein Nutritional Packet (glup pack): minicomp. Minicomps are highly advanced
First introduced by BioDyne, this bioapp is roughly versions of early 21st-century smartphones. They all
the size and shape of a large avocado. It generates possess a fast wireless connection to the OpNet, a
food and water using photosynthesis, carbon diox- short-range link to the user’s display gear, and are the
ide and water from the air, and organic matter like most indispensable piece of technology that most peo-
leaves, grass, or rich soil. With only water from the ple own. Minicomps are the size of an average early
air and minimal organic matter, a glup can provide 21st-century smartphone, with a holographic screen
one person with food and water. If given sufficient and a mini-projector that allows the user to project
water to purify and abundant organic matter it can images a meter or two across. All minicomps are wa-
supply up to five people per day with food and wa- terproof and designed to survive drops of up to three
ter. It can be stored for years. Tech: Ψ, Size: Medium, meters, and some are designed for even more rugged
Cost: 0 use. For no cost, a minicomp has an attractive but not
Locator Band: This device subconsciously allows fancy casing and a failsafe of 2. Increasing the cost by
the user to know which direction is north, as well as • either increases the failsafe by 2 and gives the mini-
also optionally allowing the user to know the direc- comp a fancier case or provides the minicomp with 1
tion of some known object, like their car or the space- point of both hard and soft armor, the Environmental
craft they landed in. This device uses the OpNet and 1 tag, and adds a locator beacon with a range of 100 km
works on any settled planet. It causes the user’s skin in areas with little radio traffic. The highest available
to tingle in the relevant direction and comes as a belt, failsafe for a minicomp is 4.
an anklet or a bracelet. It provides the wearer with
the equivalent of the Direction Sense Edge (see the BIOCOMPS
Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 58). Tech: Hard, The recently developed biocomps are faster and
Size: Tiny, Cost: 0 more responsive than hardtech minicomps, and
Survival Blanket: This simple bioapp stores itself can be formatted. Formatted biocomps perform any
as a green object the size of a large mango. It can un- tasks involving computer use, including hacking,
fold into a blanket, a sleeping bag, or small tent, all twice as fast as hardtech minicomps. Characters
suitable for a single person. Multiple survival blan- who format a biocomp also gain 1 Enhancement to
kets can link together to form larger tents. As long all Technology rolls related to using it (including us-
as it is exposed to sunlight for at least eight hours a ing it to hack other computers or networks). In addi-
day, it can keep the user comfortably warm or cold tion, formatted biocomps do not require passwords
in any temperature from the Antarctic winter to the or biometrics. Only the person who formatted them
Gobi Desert in summer (−60° C to 60° C), provid- can use them. All other users must overcome their
ing 2 Enhancement for all survival rolls using the failsafe. All biocomps have Tolerance •.

284 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

POPULAR MINICOMPS
SI (SATISFACTORY INTELLIGENCES)
All minicomps are small Size, designed
to fit comfortably in the user’s pocket. Like Because of several attacks by malevolent and high-
all computers, minicomps have active se- ly unstable artificial intelligences created during
curity known as a failsafe, which acts as a the Aberrant War, true artificial intelligence is now
Complication against any unauthorized limited to a few tentative projects found in secure
use. See pp. 196-201 for more details on fail- research facilities. The best publicly available soft-
safes and computer hacking. The following ware is the ubiquitous Satisfactory Intelligence, typ-
are some of the most common models: ically called SI. SIs can understand and respond in
Orgotek Tortoise: This biocomp is at
colloquial speech and are capable of asking for
clarification if confused, but are mere simulations
least as fast and reliable as any computer
of intelligent interaction, lacking self-awareness or
on the market, and is equipped with an ex- creativity. However, they learn the habits of their us-
truded casing engineered from turtle DNA ers and make inferences based on these habits. SIs
for a pleasant, pebbly exterior. Tech: Ψ, are found in minicomps, vehicles, dwellings, and in
Tolerance: •, Failsafe: 4, Cost: • almost every device people regularly use. A coffee
Steinhardt MI–CC: The military-issue pot will make a cup of coffee based on data col-
minicomp is equipped with an armored ce- lected about the user’s normal coffee preferences,
ramic-polymer shell, locator beacon, and a unless overridden by a more exacting request.
Patton military agent. The P-CC is a civilian
version that is identical, except that it lacks
AGENTS
a military agent. Tech: Hard, Failsafe: 4, Cost: ••
Every minicomp contains an SI, with an agent pro-
Wazukana 300E: The most popular minicomp on
gram. This agent serves as the user’s personal assis-
the market, made in a fetching neo-deco ovoid de-
tant. Children have special agents that help guide their
sign and available in a variety of colors. Tech: Hard,
learning and restrict their access to some material, and
Failsafe: 2, Cost: 0
many adults have used the same agent since their teens.

weapons 285
 Agents can be anything from a simple, emotion- All agents are treated as minor characters with
less drone to a fully intuitive, dynamic character both Mental and Social dice pools. However, because
construct. Minicomp agents are almost supporting SIs are not sentient beings, they are limited to per-
characters in themselves, but ultimately an agent is forming highly specific tasks. Each such task is called
simply a personalized SI. Agents have a kind of intel- an application. Agents cannot perform any action if
ligence, and even seem to possess an artificial person- they lack an associated application. All agents come
ality, but are not independently thinking creatures. with a pre-loaded set of applications. Because of
Nevertheless, agents can operate independently these limitations, no agent can outdo an exception-
from the character. Characters can instruct them to ally skilled human. Agents can also help their own-
perform tasks or allow their agents to make limited er perform tasks they possess applications for, such
decisions based on observations of what their user as evaluating the owner’s business plan, rather than
would want. creating their own business plan. In this case, all
Agents interact with their user and with other agents provide 1 Enhancement to applicable actions.
people and agents via text, voice, and visual projec- All agents can perform online research and translate
tions. They can perform any task that they are told all living human languages in real time.
to, if they have the necessary equipment. If someone
asked an agent to drive him home, the agent could ei- BUILDING AGENTS
ther call the person’s nearby car and direct it to drive In addition to Language Translation and Online
home, or call an automated cab. Research applications, all agents possess 6 additional
Typically, people allow their agents to share their applications, possess a Mental dice pool of 4, a Social
preferences with devices they are interacting with. dice pool of 4, and have a cost of 0. Every • of cost in-
Everything from your car or home to a Robo-Burger creases the agent’s power by adding three addition-
or hotel room in a city you visit for the first time al applications and a total of two points that can be
knows what you like and knows what questions to ask added to the two dice pools.
to help you decide exactly what you want to eat, drink, Alternately, you can increase the agent’s cost by •
listen to, view, or read and what temperature you pre- to either add six additional applications or a total of
fer for your showers. These tasks are overseen by an four points that can be added to the two dice pools.
individual’s agent. Agents often know someone bet- Agent dice pools cannot be raised higher than 6. In
ter than their spouse and help manage a person’s life. addition, you must increase the agent’s cost by an ad-
They remind users to leave early for an appointment if ditional • if it can perform hacking and other illegal
traffic on their route is especially heavy, make certain functions. All law-breaking agents are restricted to
that food they order or purchase meets any special di- Criminal and Espionage Paths.
etary needs or preferences, provide appropriate music
for all circumstances, and keep users up to date with POPULAR AGENTS
news and entertainment in which it knows they are The following are four popular agents.
interested, while filtering out everything else. Alpha Software Chris: Chris is one of the best
agents on the open market. The projection’s ap-
pearance is fully customizable by the user. Chris is
LAW-BREAKING AGENTS extremely responsive and good at understanding
the user’s needs and wants. The default personali-
Ordinary agents are not permitted to attempt ty is slightly pushy but rapidly adapts to the user’s
to break laws for their user, except for limited
style and preferences. Cost: 0. Stats: Mental: 4,
exceptions if someone’s life is in immediate
danger, such as driving a vehicle faster than the Social 4. Applications: Administration, Business,
local speed limit on a trip to a hospital. Howev- Design, Geography, Language Translation, Law,
er, agents used by covert operatives, criminals, Mathematics, Online Research.
and some high-ranking government officials Data Intrusion Assistant (DIA): This high-
lack restrictions against law-breaking. There is ly restricted agent was designed for use by co-
an illegal market in agents hacked to be able vert operatives who need to hack computers. It
to break laws. Hacking an agent to break laws appears to be a standard mid-range agent like
or possessing such an agent without the proper Chris, but with a few secret features. Criminals
authorization are serious crimes in most nations. and dissidents have obtained copies of this agent

286 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

and adapted it for their own uses. Cost: •• AUGMENTED REALITY
(restricted to Espionage or Criminal Paths),
Stats: Mental: 6, Social 4, Applications:
Modern augmented reality is subtle and careful-
ly managed by the user’s agent. It includes small
Administration, Business, Computer Hacking,
colored arrows for directions if the person is unfa-
Code-breaking, Design, Electronic infiltra- miliar with a location or asks for directions. Similar
tion, Geography, Language Translation, Law, markers for objects or locations the agent knows
Mathematics, Online Research the person would be interested in, as well as names
Datawarp Patton: This agent was one of and other basic information appears next to people
the first of the “new-era” designs, and still the user either doesn’t know or has forgotten. Of-
finds extensive use throughout the FSM and ten, someone’s agent understands what she wants
other military organizations. While the pro- to know at the same time she does, and flashes up
jection is of a 20th-century American gener-
enough information to help the person, without dis-
tracting her for more than a second or two. Most
al, Patton has extensive data on every major
uses of augmented reality are equally unobtrusive.
military mind and tactical analysis of the past
three centuries. Cost: • (restricted to Military
Almost anywhere on Earth and in every settled
world, anyone using display gear can instantly
Paths), Stats: Mental: 6, Social 4, Applications:
learn their location and get directions. They can
Administration, Current Events, Geography, see the name and basic biographic information on
History, Language Translation, Mathematics, anyone they have seen before or who has a pub-
Politics, Military Regulations, Online lic OpNet profile (which almost everyone does)
Research, Strategy, Tactics and learn the location of anyone they know who
Orchidware Hippocrates v3.0: This pre- has allowed them to access this information. Peo-
mier medical agent is designed to help with ple can also look at an animal or plant and have
diagnosis and treatment and also to man- their minicomp identify it or have their minicomp
age the practical details of a physician’s life. help repair broken devices or diagnose medical
Its standard projection is as an efficient and
problems and suggest basic first aid.
somewhat taciturn middle-aged woman However, augmented reality provided by stan-
who is dressed as a physician. Cost: •, Stats: dard display gear and implants appears some-
Mental: 6, Social 4, Applications: Biology,
what artificial and usually looks at least slightly
cartoonish and imperfectly matted into the back-
Bureaucracy, Chemistry, Diagnosis, First Aid,
ground due to the limitations of display gear.
Language Translation, Mathematics, Medical Computer enhancement (p. 126) allows seam-
Ethics and Law, Online Research, Pharmacy, less augmented reality, where the augmented
Surgery reality images are indistinguishable from reality
Orgotek Hare: Used in the biotech turtle, and allow users to effectively customize the ap-
the default projection is an animated anthro- pearance of their surroundings. Unfortunately,
pomorphic rabbit with a somewhat sarcas- problems with AR hacking, where people se-
tic sense of humor, but the personality soon cretly rewrote what others saw, contributed to
adapts to the user. Cost: •, Stats: Mental:
the widespread current distrust of computer en-
hancement.
6, Social 6, Applications: Administration,
Business, Geography, Language Translation,
Law, Mathematics, Online Research, to ultraviolet light, magnify both small and distant
Organization objects by up to 4X and provide light amplification
to allow the user to see well in dim light, providing
DISPLAY GEAR 1 Enhancement to all vision rolls. These advanced
Augmented reality has been a fact of daily life for contact lenses also contain miniature cameras to al-
more than a century and almost everyone uses some low the user to record what they are seeing.
type of display gear. The most common display gear People who prefer older technology wear the
is special contact lenses. Standard models display same device as a set of glasses that contains all the
minicomp data and function as automatically dark- same features. Some well-off people have their dis-
ening sunglasses that magnify both small and distant play gear implanted, which also contains the same
objects by up to 2X. Advanced models also allow features. Except in Nippon, implanted AR gear is
the user to see the entire spectrum from infrared becoming less common because of the development

weapons 287
 of biotech contacts that can bond semi-permanently Flashback: This drug drastically enhances a user’s
with the user’s eyes and biotech speakers and micro- memory, given them the equivalent of three dots of
phones that bond behind the user’s ears. These piec- the Eidetic Memory Edge for the duration. However,
es of biotech can live on the user indefinitely. Cost: the user is overwhelmed with memories and suffers
Ordinary display gear has a cost of 0 and is included a level 2 Complication (confused) to all rolls to notice
with a minicomp, advanced display gear has a cost of events in the present. Duration: One scene, Maximum
•, biotech versions do not need to be formatted. Dosage: Two, After-effects: none, Cost: 0 (10 doses)
Mooders: These drugs each induce a single specif-
MEDICINE & MEDICAL GEAR ic emotion in the user. The most common mooders
Current medical technology can cure most diseases. induce joy, sadness, anger, love, lust, trust, enthusi-
The only exceptions are the dreaded Corruption dis- asm, or self-confidence. Mooders typically give the
eases (p. 192), which defy both conventional and most user 1 Enhancement or a level 1 Complication to
vitakinetic treatments. However, cancer can be cured, various tasks. For the duration, the user can’t help
limbs and organs regrown, and the average lifespan of but feel the induced emotion. Duration: One scene,
someone with regular medical care is now 130. Anyone Maximum Dosage: Three, After-effects: none,
benefitting from Nihonjin’s advanced medicine can ex- Cost: 0 (10 doses)
pect to live 145 years, while someone with regular ac- Red: Designed for soldiers and regularly sold
cess to vitakinetic medical care lives at least this long, to criminals, it fills users with aggression and rage
and recent developments have likely increased this. while simultaneously causing them to become ex-
Wazukana II Portable Trauma Kit (PTK): This tremely focused. They are also immune to fear. Users
kit is roughly the size of a large suitcase and is found gains 1 Enhancement to all Aim, Athletics, and Close
in ambulances, most spacecraft, and small clinics. Combat actions, but is also strongly inclined to shoot
It contains drugs and equipment for treating most first and ask questions later. Duration: One scene,
common diseases and poisons and performing all Maximum Dosage: Three, After-effects: Inflicts a
surgery that does not require a hospital operating level 2 Complication (in pain) on the target for one
room. It provides 1 Enhancement for all such medi- scene, Cost: •• (10 doses, restricted to military and
cal tasks. Tech: Hard, Size: Size 0, Cost: •• criminal Paths)
Wazukana III Medical Robot (MR): Stabilizers: One pill calms the user, eliminat-
Approximately the size and shape of a 1.5 m tall fire- ing any penalties for anxiety or stress, removing
plug, an MR moves on wheels and has half a dozen up to a level 2 Complication caused by either. Two
arms and many sensors. These robots are usually pills make the user drowsy (providing a level 2
found in hospitals, spacecraft clinics, and mobile Complication to all actions), and three pills make
medical centers set up to handle natural disas- the target sleep. “Stables” take effect in five minutes
ters. The onboard Hippocrates agent automatically and are a common sleeping aid. Duration: One scene
treats patients if no doctor is present with a pool of (or a full night of sleep), Maximum Dosage: Three,
six dice, and can perform all but the most complex After-effects: none, Cost: 0 (100 doses)
medical procedures. It can also assist a physician or Stimulants: The user functions normally regard-
be teleoperated by a remote physician and provides less of how tired they are. Duration: Six hours,
2 Enhancement for medical tasks if helping a physi- Maximum Dosage: Three, After-effects: Inflicts
cian. Tech: Hard, Size: Size 1, Cost: ••• a level 2 Complication (tired) on the user for two
scenes, Cost: 0 (10 doses)
DRUGS Tough: This drug eliminates fear and pain without
The following are only some of the thousands of otherwise impairing the user’s body or mind. The
drugs used for medicine, recreation, or personal en- user gains 3 Enhancement to resist fear or intimida-
hancement in this era. Some drugs have after-effects tion, but is not inclined to perform obviously danger-
once they have worn off. Users can postpone these ous actions without a good reason. Tough also tem-
after-effects by taking more of the drug, but all drugs porarily reduces all Complications from injuries by 1
have a maximum safe dosage. The duration of a drug’s level. Duration: One hour, Maximum Dosage: Four,
after-effects is multiplied by the number of doses tak- After-effects: increase all injury Complications by 1
en. Recreational drugs are legal in most nations. level for the next hour, Cost: • (10 doses)

288 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 RULES FOR ACQUIRING AUGMENTATIONS
One potentially confusing part of dealing with characters acquiring augmentations is that
some are purchased as Edges, while other are treated as any other equipment, which
is bought using Wealth. As a general rule, any augmentation that produces large-scale
mental or physical changes in a character, like Amphibious Conversion, Aquatic Conver-
sion, or Computer Enhancement (see New Edges, p. 126) is treated as an Edge, while
smaller changes, like the various augmentations above, are treated as equipment.

Qin Enhancement Polyps (QEP): These devices

COMMERCIAL BIOAPPS have proven extremely popular since their recent re-
& AUGMENTATIONS lease. These organisms are dome-shaped disks 3 cm in
Noetic biotech is humanity’s newest technology diameter and 5 mm thick that are covered by a bright-
and the most advanced biotech devices connect to ly colored shell and attach directly to the user’s body.
human bodies. The first bioapps were all designed Once attached, they can only be removed by minor
for use by psions, but recently several biotech com- surgery. The QEP enhances the user’s brain in minor
panies have been creating bioapps for use by neu- but useful ways. There are currently four QEPs, each
trals, and the Qin have also recently begun creating of which grants the user a single Mental or Physical
these devices to sell to humanity. One result of the Edge (see the Trinity Continuum Corebook, pp. 57-
popularity of noetic bioapps is that non-noetic bio- 60 for the list of Edges), which include the Direction
technology created using conventional genetic en- Sense Edge, the Lighting Calculator Edge, the Breath
gineering is somewhat more popular than before, Control Edge, and the two-dot Photographic Memory
and most people outside of Nippon consider it to be Edge, Perfect Memory. These bioapps do nothing for
safer and more acceptable than electronic hardtech individuals who already possess these Edges, but us-
implants. ers can wear one of each type of they wish. These de-
Gillbreather: This device consists of a mask con- vices do not need to be formatted. Tech: Ψ, Size: Tiny,
nected to a thin pack worn on the user’s chest or back. Cost: •• each.
It allows the user to breathe normally in any water Vision Enhancement: Unlike many other en-
that contains sufficient oxygen to support fish. If hancement procedures, vision enhancement proved
not formatted, the device can be used for up to eight safe and remained popular even after the Aberrant
hours before it requires rest and nutrient injections. War. It provides the ability to see both infrared and
If formatted, the pack bonds to the user’s back and ultraviolet light, including thermal infrared (heat)
can be used as long as desired. Also, formatted gill- and improves the user’s night vision. Finally, if the
breathers directly oxygenate the user’s bloodstream user squints, it provides up to 4x magnification for
and no longer require a mask. Formatted gillbreath- both distance and close work. Users suffer no visual
ers can be removed, but are not bulky or uncomfort- penalties for dim light and gain 2 Enhancement to all
able and some wear them on land. Hardtech gills actions involving vision. Most versions look like ordi-
can only be used for up to seven hours before they nary eyes, but users can obtain more unusual models,
must be recharged. Tech: Ψ or Hard, Size: Medium, including black featureless eyes or slitted cat eyes.
Tolerance: •, Cost: • Both normal and inhuman-looking vision enhance-
Medical Symbiont: Recently created by a team ments cost the same. However, having visibly inhu-
of vitakinetics working with both Qin technicians man eyes gives the user a level 1 Complication to all
and conventional bioengineers, this enhancement social actions that would be influenced by his looks
was created from gene-engineered bacteria and in nations with substantial prejudice against en-
single-celled organisms. As a result, it is technically hanced individuals, like the FSA, Poland, or Ukraine.
hardtech. The symbiont gives users 2 Enhancement In some of these nations, including the FSA, the gov-
to resist all poisons and diseases. Also, the user heals ernment is also more likely to harass these individu-
three times faster than normal and increases her als. However, in most Sudamérican cities, and among
lifespan by 25%, potentially increasing average lifes- subcultures elsewhere having a visibly inhuman aug-
pan to 160 years. Medical symbionts must be specif- mentation provides the user with 1 Enhancement to
ically engineered for each individual. Tech: Hard, all actions influenced by his looks. Tech: Hard, Size:
Size: n/a, Cost: •• n/a, Cost: ••

weapons 289
 PSIONIC BIOAPPS several ARES units that are not installed in Leviathan
jump ships, which it uses for long-range stellar sur-
These bioapps are specifically designed for use by
veys, and Upeo wa Macho recently acquired several
psions and enhance or otherwise affect psionic pow-
more for use by its clairsentients. Tech: Ψ, Size: Size
ers. They can only be used by or on psions. Most of
1, Tolerance: ••••, Cost: ••••
these devices must be formatted. All the items list-
ed here are commercial products and thus can be Focal Crystal: These biotech crystals are small
produced in moderate numbers. As a result, char- violet disks. They do not require formatting and are
acters can purchase these items normally and play- only useful to clairsentients. Any clairsentient or
ers do not need to buy them using the Artifact Edge character with a Clairsentient Auxiliary Mode can
(Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 66). use them to encode a multimedia message includ-
ing voice, text, and both still and moving images
Astronomical Range Enhancement Sensor
drawn from the character’s thoughts and memories.
(ARES): The recently developed ARES is a large oval
“Reading” a message in a focal crystal requires the
pod that can hold a single adult human inside of it.
same amount of time as reading or watching it on a
When activated, it unfolds like a flower and then
screen, while recording a five-minute message only
folds around the user. It increases the user’s effec-
requires one round. A clear must be in close range
tive Psi by 1, but only for calculating dice pools and
of a focal crystal to encode a message in it, but can
other factors dependent on Psi for clairsentience
sense focal crystals and read any messages contained
powers. The ARES pod also adds two dots to your
within them at their Enhanced Attunement range (p.
character’s Psycholocation Mode for making rolls
217). Each focal crystal can hold enough messages
or determining the power of effects using this Mode.
that watching and reading them all would require
Most impressive of all, it allows the user to multiply
many hours. Tech: Ψ, Size: Tiny, Tolerance: n/a,
the maximum range of the Psycholocation power
Cost: •
Dowsing, and other Psycholocation powers used in
conjunction with it, by 500, but only for targets that Interface Augmentation Device (IAD): Orgotek
are more than 0.1 light years away. This bioapp does manufactures eight different IADs, one for each
not increase the amount of detail available at these Aptitude. Most IADs are made in the form of a small
extremely long ranges. An ARES is a crucial compo- device that fits around the user’s ear. However, a few
nent of a Leviathan jump ship. However, ISRA owns decorative ones are made as chokers or wrist bands.

290 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

While most psions use an IAD that enhances their The user also cannot recover any Psi points until
Aptitude, IADs can also enhance a psion’s Auxiliary the collar is removed and increases the Difficulty of
Modes. Because a few psions have Quantakinesis all Psi rolls by +5. The collars are large, easily visible
Auxiliary Modes, people can still purchase quantak- bands. Possession of these devices is highly restricted
inetic IADs. Characters cannot use multiple IADs at and they do not need to be formatted. Tech: Ψ, Size:
the same time. Every IAD provides the user with one Small, Tolerance: n/a, Cost: •• (highly restricted, law
dot to each Mode when determining that power’s ef- enforcement and Æon Trinity Paths only)
fects and also increases the user’s effective Psi by 1, Space Maneuver Pack (SMP): In an effort to pro-
but only for the purpose of calculating dice pools and vide easy mobility in space, Orgotek has recently in-
other factors dependent on Psi for powers of a sin- troduced the SMP to give individuals long-term mo-
gle Aptitude. This device does not provide additional bility in space without the need for bulky fuel tanks
Psi points and cannot increase effective Psi above 5. and large engines. This bioapp provides the wearer
This device also doesn’t allow the user to gain any with telekinetic propulsion similar to Momentum.
additional dots in a Mode. Instead, the user’s existing While not as powerful as a properly trained psycho-
powers become somewhat more powerful. Tech: Ψ, kinetic, in zero gravity, the wearer can spend 1 Psi
Size: Tiny, Tolerance: •••, Cost: ••• point to fly like a telekinetic with a Space Speed of
Psionic Distorter: This device interferes with [1]. This effect lasts for one scene.
psionic surveillance by generating subquantum stat- In low gravity (p. 110), spending 1 Psi point allows
ic and is designed to be used by neutrals and psions the wearer to fly at Speed Scale 2 for five minutes. In
alike. It comes in two forms, an ovoid the size of an normal or high gravity, the user can slow any fall to a
orange that fills a room with psionic static, and a safe speed by spending 1 Psi point. Spending 1 addi-
small disk that is designed to be worn and that gen- tional Psi point allows the user to hover in midair for
erates psionic static within a few cm of the wearer. a single round.
The first device creates a level 3 Complication for This device has proven especially popular on
any use of clairsentience or teleportation in or di- Luna, and in many deep-space environments. The
rected at the protected area. Even if the device is off, SMP is a somewhat bulky vest, with a low bulge on
the Complication affects any use of Psychometry to the back. The vest is adjustable and fits over all mod-
examine the area during the time when it was on. els of space suits, including the BioVARG. Norça and
The wearable device inflicts a level 3 Complication Orgotek commandos recently used the new SMP on
to all attempts to use clairsentience, telepathy, or their latest assault on a Chromatic base. This device
teleportation on the wearer. Failure to overcome this can only be used when formatted. Recently, Orgotek
Complication results in clairsentient and telepathy also released a version usable by neutrals that has an
users receiving only static and in teleportation being internal reservoir of 5 Psi points that recover at a rate
impossible. of 1 per Scene. Tech: Ψ, Size: Medium, Tolerance: •
Psions can make an Attunement roll to notice ei- (•• for the version usable by neutrals), Cost: • (•• for
ther type of active psionic distorter in short or close the version usable by neutrals).
range, and automatically notice it if they attempt to Teleportational Helm: This device can be fitted
use any powers affected by this device on an area or into a chair or cockpit, or built into a vehicle or oth-
individual protected by one. These devices are often er closed container. Once formatted, any teleporter
used by spies and wealthy or powerful individuals can use Transmit Person to teleport the entire ve-
from Nippon who travel abroad. However, they are hicle and everyone inside, regardless of its Size or
highly illegal in China, where only individuals au- the number of passengers, with no additional cost
thorized by the government may own or use them. beyond that needed to use Transmit Person. Also,
Tech: Ψ, Size: Small, Tolerance: n/a, Cost: •• even if the teleporter does not possess any dots in
Psionic Restraint Collar: Developed for use on Translocation, she can accompany the vehicle. Tech:
psionic criminals, recently, psionic restraint col- Ψ, Size: Size 0, Tolerance: ••• Cost: •••
lars were adapted for use on Chromatic prisoners. Transmassion Energy Amplification Rig (TEAR):
Devices designed for use on humans do not work on An offshoot of the effort to develop jump rings (see
Chromatics, and the reverse is also true. When placed p. 295), this device provides 1 Enhancement for us-
around the wearer’s neck, the collar drains one Psi ing the Teleportation Transmassion Mode Transmit
point per round until the user is out of Psi points. Person and increases the number of targets that a

weapons 291
 IMPLANT WEAPONS
WEAPON TYPE EN DAMAGE TYPE TAGS COST
Electric Touch 1 Electrical Concealable, Electrical, Grappling, ••
Melee, Non-Lethal, Worn
Boosted Electric 3 Electrical Charge, Electrical, Grappling, Melee, ••
Touch Quality 2, Worn
Implant Laser 2 Ballistic Concealable, Destructive, Quality 2 •••
Ranged: short-medium, Worn

teleporter can transport using this Mode by a factor electric eel, and is implanted on the subject’s back
of 10. However, the user must spend one additional and thighs. The user can inflict electrical damage
Psi point per use. This bioapp consists of a thick belt similar to a taser glove to anyone she touches. She
attached by a cable to a flexible ring of the same ma- can use this attack at will, but must touch the target
terial that can be adjusted to be up to 10 meters in with her hands. If she instead touches any electronic
diameter. Everything the user transports using this device, this burst of electricity is equivalent to an at-
device must be inside of this ring. The jump rig only tack by a zapper.
works if the teleporter stands outside of the ring. The user can also discharge all her electrical ener-
However, she can use Translocation while she uses gy at once, making a massive and deadly attack on a
this device and jump with it, carrying the TEAR with single target. Subjects who release this electricity at
her. Otherwise, everything inside the ring teleports, once must wait a full scene before they can use this
but the teleporter and the TEAR remain in place. modification again. The electric touch implant also
Tech: Ψ, Size: Size 0, Tolerance: ••, Cost: •• grounds your character, rendering her immune to
tasers, and providing two levels of soft armor against
HARDTECH IMPLANTS all electrical damage. She can also use this implant
Outside of Nippon, hardtech implants are rarely used to recharge any small hardtech electronic device by
by ordinary citizens and most people regard them as po- touch. Tech: Hard, Cost: ••
tentially dangerous. They are most commonly used by Implant Laser: The user has a small laser pistol
criminals and covert operatives. Most are produced in implanted into his forearm. The laser fires through a
Nippon or are copied from Nihonjin designs. In both re- concealed port in the user’s first knuckle and is care-
ality and adventure holovids, most Nihonjin covert oper- fully camouflaged so that it does not show up on any
atives are equipped with one or more hardtech implants. non-psionic scans. The user is also equipped with
Before the appearance of the psions, cybernetic a small, well-shielded, radiothermal power source.
implants were still used in medicine, but only when Tech: Hard, Cost: ••• (restricted to Criminal or
gene therapy and organ cloning could not be used. Espionage Paths)
Today, these therapies combined with vitakinetic
healing and medical bioware have all but eliminated SPY TECH
the need for hardtech implants. These devices are designed for use by spies and
Advanced Radio Implant: This implant contains criminals and many are illegal in most nations.
all the features of the ear radio described below Because surveillance technologies are so small and
(p. 293). In addition, advanced radio implants can advanced, security-conscious individuals and orga-
broadcast to any minicomp within 100 m, using fake nizations must be especially vigilant if they wish to
credentials that make it appear that the call is actu- keep their secrets.
ally coming from anyone whose number is known Bug: This device is a camera and microphone 1
to the implant’s user. Spoofing OpNet credentials is mm in diameter. It has a sticky backing and a trans-
highly illegal unless the user has prior authorization mitter capable of sending and recording data for up
from the appropriate government or law enforce- to 50 hours. Locating a bug that broadcasts contin-
ment officials. Tech: Hard, Cost: ••• (restricted to ually is trivially easy for an electrokinetic or anyone
Criminal or Espionage Paths) with a bug detector, unless it’s in a location where
Electric Touch: This implant consists of a thin no one will be looking for bugs, like an alley or park.
layer of vat-grown tissue similar to that found in an Most bugs broadcast compressed data pulses every

292 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

four or five hours. These data pulses only last a few standing still or moving slowly the suit provides 3
seconds and the bug does not broadcast at any other Enhancement to remain unseen, but this is reduced
time. Bugs that are placed in secure shielded facili- to 2 Enhancement if the user is moving more rapidly.
ties or deep sub-basements cannot broadcast to any- Also, even a chameleon suit does not allow the user
one outside this location and are typically set not to to hide in an empty, well-lit corridor. Tech: Ψ, Size:
broadcast at all. Characters must physically retrieve Medium, Tolerance: •, Cost: ••
the bug and download its data. Finding such a bug Directional Microphone Pen: This device al-
and waiting for the owner to retrieve it is an excel- lows the user to discreetly listen in on a whispered
lent way of discovering who placed it. Tech: Hard, conversation up to five meters away. A normal con-
Size: Tiny, Cost: • versation can be heard up to 10 meters away. To use
Bug Detector: This thumb-sized device connects this device, the user must aim the pen at the desired
wirelessly to the user’s minicomp. It detects and sound. This device can record sound for later use,
locates all transmissions in the area. If anything is or broadcast it to the user’s minicomp. Tech: Hard,
transmitting within short range of this device, it au- Size: Small, Cost: •
tomatically detects and allows the user to locate the Ear Radio: This device allows your character to
transmission. Tech: Hard, Size: Tiny, Cost: • maintain hands-free, encrypted communication.
Chameleon Suit: This bioapp is the ultimate dis- Ear radios consist of a small earplug connected to
guise for spies, thieves, and even a few stage magi- miniature bone-conduction microphone. The mi-
cians. When stored, this device resembles a smooth, crophone is extremely sensitive, and can easily pick
round fruit around eight centimeters in diameter. up whispers. Users can subvocalize coherently in a
It can only be used when formatted, at which point manner that’s inaudible to anyone nearby. Ear radi-
it unfolds into a comfortable, form-fitting jumpsuit os use complex frequency-switching algorithms and
that changes color to resemble whatever background advanced encryption that make them far more dif-
it is seen against. This color matching is neither per- ficult to intercept and decipher than ordinary mini-
fect nor instantaneous. If the user moves faster than comp calls (Increase the Difficulty of all attempts to
a slow walk, the suit’s color matching worsens. While intercept and decipher ear radio transmissions by

weapons 293
 +4). Only other ear radios set to the same profile can Intrusion Kit: A specialized kit for opening locks
normally decrypt their messages. Most ear radios are and defeating alarm systems. Using this kit per-
used with minicomps, but many models can also be mits character to attempt to open locks and bypass
used independently, with a range of up to 20 km in or disable alarm systems without penalty. Tech:
areas with few wireless signals, like wilderness areas Hard, Size: Small, Cost: • (restricted to Criminal,
or deep space, and 5 km in dense urban areas. Ear ra- Espionage, or Law Enforcement Paths)
dios can also be used to transmit data between users Laser Microphone: This listening device is usu-
who link their minicomps into their ear radios. Tech: ally built into a pair of binoculars. It projects an in-
Hard, Size: Tiny, Cost: •• visible, low-power laser beam on any reflective sur-
Fiber Optic Probe: This device can extend an face made of glass, metal, or hard plastic, typically a
optical fiber that can fit through many closed doors, window or mirror. Sound waves cause these surfaces
locked drawers, and other narrow openings. A to vibrate minutely. By picking up these vibrations,
wide-angle lens at the end of the optic fiber allows this device can be used to listen to any conversations
the user to see the area around the fiber’s tip. The or other noises inside the room. It can even record
user can clearly see anything within two meters of sounds from relatively still bodies of water ranging
the tip of the fiber, and anything within five meters in size from a lake to a bird bath. The primary limita-
is blurry but visible. A second fiber can project a tion is that the room must have an exterior window.
narrow flashlight beam. Inserting an optic fiber into Also, windows can be constructed to prevent lis-
a lock or alarm system provides 2 Enhancement to tening and heavy curtains block sound. Tech: Hard,
pick locks or to locate or disarm alarm systems. This Size: Small, Cost: •
device can be built into a ring or a pen and sends im- Mini-Rebreather: This device consisted of a small
ages to the user’s minicomp. Tech: Hard, Size: Small, folding face mask that connects to a fist-sized air
Cost: • tank, which hangs around the user’s neck. A mini-re-
Grippers: This device comes in three forms, a breather provides breathable air for up to 30 min-
hardtech device, as a bioapp, or as a biotech enhance- utes. After this time, the tiny air tank must be refilled
ment. All three consist of a series of pads that attach and the filter changed on the rebreather. While less
to the user’s palms, feet, shins, and forearms. Each useful than a gillbreather underwater, this device
pad extends tiny, hair-like fibers that adhere to al- also provides air in a poisonous environment. Tech:
most any surface much like the foot of a gecko, can Hard, Size: Small, Cost: •
support up to 60 kg, and work on both wet and dry Static Generator: A specialized anti-surveillance
surfaces. Only a few specially made plastics resist device about the size of a bar of soap. It creates a lo-
the gripper’s adhesion. These plastics are sometimes calized field of radio (up to a five-meter radius). The
used to coat the walls of extremely high-security static blocks all transmissions in or out of the area.
buildings. Tech: Hard, Size: Small, Cost: 0
The hardtech device and the bioapp are both thin T-Ray Viewer: This device uses terahertz ra-
flexible pads that users strap to their body. This bio- diation (electromagnetic waves halfway between
app does not need to be formatted. The biotech en- infrared radiation and microwaves) to allow users
hancement consists of thin layers of tissue that bond to see through walls. T-rays easily penetrate inte-
with the user’s palms, feet, shins, and forearms. This rior walls not specially shielded and reinforced,
enhancement works as well as other versions of the and outside walls that are not made of thick stone
device, but does not function if those parts of the us- or reinforced concrete. It also allows users to look
er’s body are not bare. It must be formatted. However, through bulky garments to see if the target is wear-
when not active, the biotech enhancement appears to ing or carrying a weapon. This device has a range
be normal skin. By moving carefully, all grippers al- of 10 m and clearly reveals people and other large
low users to climb any wall or ceiling strong enough objects on the other side of walls. However, these
to bear their weight. With a little practice, users can images are fuzzy and reveal no more than outlines
climb on walls or ceilings as fast as a human can without much detail. Recognizing individuals is
crawl. No rolls are needed to use this device. Tech: impossible. This device is the size of a thick pen
Hard or Ψ, Tolerance: • (for biotech enhancement), and transfers images to the user’s display gear.
Size: Small (n/a for the biotech enhancement), Cost: Tech: Hard, Size: Small, Cost: •
• (•• for the biotech enhancement)

294 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 Zapper: This device resembles a small, single-shot will function again. The EMP produced by a zapper
pistol. It fires cartridges that use a combination has a range of short (30 meters) and affects every-
of powerful electromagnets and a small explosive thing in a cone 30 meters across. Zappers are typi-
charge to produce an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). cally used to destroy surveillance equipment or to
This EMP disables any electronic device that is not shoot down drones. Zapper cartridges are the size of
both specially shielded and disconnected from any shotgun shells, but the explosion produced by a zap-
wired or wireless network (like the OpNet). Cheap per is harmless. Also, zappers are designed to muffle
or poorly made devices affected by an EMP must be the noise of the shot and so cannot be heard without
replaced, and even high-quality, well-maintained special sensors or senses more than 5 m away. Tech:
devices must be rebooted and checked before they Hard, Size: Small, Cost: •

TRANSPORTATION
The necessities of fast and safe transit in the 22nd to 12 passengers with baggage, or up to two tons of
century have led to vast advances in terrestrial and cargo can be transported with each jump. Jump ring
space travel. Most ground transportation is fully transport began slightly more than a year ago, and is
automated, flights carry hundreds of people across already regarded as the premier way to travel.
the Pacific Ocean in less than two hours, and there
is regular traffic between Earth, Luna, Mars, and the VEHICLES
asteroid belt. However, while most vehicles can drive Even the cheapest vehicles come equipped with an
themselves, in an emergency, a skilled pilot is still su- onboard SI capable of driving the vehicle, GPS, their
perior to the best SI. own cellular transmitters, climate-control systems,
and minor self-repair kits. Luxury options include
COMMERCIAL TRAVEL repair bots that fold up and retract into the vehicle
Most people travel long distances on hyperson- chassis when not in use and biometric anti-theft sys-
ic jet liners that do not require stops for refueling, tems. Ground vehicles operate via a combination of
but which still require one hour to cross the Atlantic solar and electric batteries, capable of running for
and two hours to cross the Pacific, carrying up to 800 many hours before needing recharging. Refueling
passengers. Higher speed vehicles carry several hun- stations across the globe allow for anything from
dred passengers between Earth and Luna daily from self-operated recharge (which takes five minutes).
many large cities, making the journey to or from the Vehicles that travel on or under water or fly in air
Moon in 8 hours. or space operate via miniature hyperfusion reactors.
Getting into orbit is a choice between speed and These reactors provide theoretically unlimited flight
comfort. The most comfortable and least expensive power but require periodic maintenance.
method is to take either the Mount Kenya or Macapá Biotech vehicles are relatively primitive com-
Space Elevator to geosynchronous orbit. On either pared to their hardtech counterparts. Although
space elevator, the journey requires 11
hours. A hybrid spacecraft can make
the journey into low orbit in half an
JUMP RINGS
hour and to Abuhisi space station in
The fastest, newest, and most expensive method of trav-
90 minutes. el are the linked teleportation rings called jump rings.
Currently, there is jump ring ser- An offshoot of the effort to create the Leviathan jump
vice between Olympus on Luna and ships, these devices consist of pairs of linked rings. In
the following cities: Beijing, Chicago, addition to requiring as much power as a large electric
Jomo Kenyatta, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, hovertruck, these devices can only teleport people and
Sydney, and Zurich. These cities also cargo between a single pair of noetically linked rings,
have jump rings between them, al- and can do so only as long as the rings are less than
lowing the wealthy and people on of-
five million kilometers apart. Also, a psion must spend
a Psi point to activate the jump ring and complete the
ficial business to jump between any of
transport.
these cities in a matter of seconds. Up

transportation 295
 biotech solar batteries are cheaper to produce and of driving themselves under normal conditions, with
offer greater running time for ground vehicles, and a dice pool of four, modified by the Handling tag.
biotech submarines are superior to their hardtech Hybrid (2): This tag simply combines Flight and
counterparts, biotech propulsion systems can’t yet Astrogation Systems, allowing the vehicle to operate
handle the stresses of air and space travel, forcing in both atmospheric and space flight. Any hybrid ve-
these vehicles to combine biotech sensors and con- hicle automatically has a Speed of 6 in atmosphere
trols with hardtech hyperfusion drives. The Qin and a base Space Speed of [3].
have overcome these limitations, producing biotech Living (0): This tag is only for Qin biotech vehi-
spacecraft better than any human hardtech, but hu- cles. As living organisms, they all can rapidly heal
man engineers are still struggling to understand how (giving them a version of the Repair Bots tag) and
these strange and beautiful vehicles operate. can reproduce on their own, but they also require
time to feed.
NEW VEHICLE
Limited Astrogation Systems (0): This space ve-
DESCRIPTIONS & TAGS hicle is both slow and designed for short-duration
Vehicles in Trinity Continuum: Æon use the use. It has a base Space Speed Scale of [2] and is not
same creation system and tags as in the Trinity designed to be used for more than two days without
Continuum Corebook (pp. 127-129), but there are a refueling and refreshing the life support system.
few important differences. The first change is that all Psi (−1): Any vehicle with this tag can be format-
vehicles have two additional categories included in ted. Unless otherwise specified, formatting a bio-
their descriptions: tech vehicle provides 1 Enhancement to handling.
Tech: Is this vehicle hardtech or biotech (Ψ). Vehicles with a Size of 4 or higher are too large for
FT: Formatting Tolerance, the Tolerance cost to one individual to format, and instead require indi-
format this noetic biotech vehicle. viduals to format different systems, like controls,
Cost: The complexity of spacecraft engines, hulls, weapons, and engines. A different person must for-
and life-support systems sets the minimum cost of all mat each system. Formatting bioware unlocks its full
spacecraft at ••••. However, advances in technolo- potential, though this is not without risk. If the for-
gy allow vehicles in in Trinity Continuum: Æon to matted vehicle is Taken Out, the character automat-
have up to 1 + Wealth points worth of positive tags. ically suffers both an Injury Condition and a level 2
Exceedingly expensive vehicles with a cost of L (re- Complication (Shaken), as though struck by a Stun
quiring the Loaded Enhanced Edge to purchase) weapon. Biotech ground, air, and water vehicle have
possess a total of eight points worth of positive tags. a formatting tolerance of ••, while all spacecraft
In addition, this system also includes rules for have a formatting Tolerance of •••. Biotech vehicles
generating spacecraft. The basic template for space- must use the Psi tag.
craft (before adding tags) is Size 2, Handling +0, with Repair Bots (1): The vehicle has a small repair
a base Space Speed Scale (p. 195) based on their tags drone capable of folding up and stowing itself in any
(see below). available cargo space. The drone can repair minor
damage, including replacing spare tires, fixing dam-
NEW AND aged computer and guidance systems, or welding
MODIFIED VEHICLE TAGS damaged panels. Biotech vehicles with this tag do
not require repair drones and instead are able to heal
Astrogation Systems (1): This tag must be taken in
damage four times faster than normal.
conjunction with the Computer tag, providing all the
vital systems necessary for space travel. Vehicles with Stealthy (2): This tag cannot be used on any space-
this tag are not designed for atmospheric flight. All craft using rockets, including hyperfusion rockets.
vehicles with this tag have a base of Space Speed [3]. Tesser (1 or 2): The ship is fitted with a psionic
Computer (0): The vehicle comes equipped with drive that allows it to teleport vast distances. Tessers
a standard suite of onboard computers, including can only be installed in ships with a Size of at least
navigation systems, GPS, an OpNet connection, sen- 4 that possess the Psi tag. A Tesser is a 1-point tag
sors, and similar equipment. These sensors include on ships of Size 5 or 6, but due to the difficulty of
the equivalent of improved binoculars, as well as constructing small Tessers, it is a 2-point tag on a
whatever other sensors they may require for their Size 4 spacecraft. A Tesser can only be used with an
normal operation. Vehicles with this tag are capable ARES Pod (see above) and is sufficiently large that

296 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

it reduces that spaceship’s maximum Cargo to Size every major highway has a specific shipping lane for
−2. A Tesser also allows a teleporter formatted to the maglev freight, and in the urban centers maglev
starship to use Transmit Person to carry the ship, travel pods are sleek symbols of the advancing tide
themselves, and everyone on board without the ne- of technology. Many consider wheeled vehicles old
cessity of spending additional successes or Psi points. fashioned, but they can be used anywhere and are
Thrusters (1+): For space vehicles only. The vehi- also powered by solar batteries.
cle increases its Space Speed by [1]. “Skimmers” are the latest trend in ground-trans-
Triphibian (2): This tag combines Flight port technology, generally preferred by the wealthy
Navigation Systems and Submersible, allowing the due to their cost. A skimmer is basically an advanced,
vehicle to operate in both in the atmosphere and skirtless hovercraft, most of which are rated for both
both on and under the water. overland and water-surface travel, even in rough, un-
Weaponry (1 to 2): The most common vehicle even terrain. However, skimmers are more complex
weapons are the coilgun, laser carbine, and missile and expensive than wheeled vehicles.
launcher. Each use of this tag provides the vehicle The list below provides benchmarks for many
with up to two different weapons. different types of vehicles. As with weapons, manu-
facturer differences are more about style than func-
GROUND VEHICLES tion, rarely amounting to a significant rules change.
Most citizens have access to modern mass trans- However, specialized vehicles do exist. Players and
portation, usually either maglev (magnetic levita- Storyguides should use the traits below as a starting
tion) trains for long distance travel, or smaller mag- point to construct their own vehicles.
lev travel pods for local journeys. In all major cities Hovercycle: Sleek, stylish, and above all, fast, hov-
and on most major highways, conductors in the roads ercycles are one- or two-person skimmers built for
allow maglev transportation over long distances. maneuverability and velocity more than comfort. Most
Maglev vehicles are efficient, quiet, clean, and pow- come with some trunk space located beneath the seats,
ered by solar batteries. They are also completely au- and the majority can seat two. The standard hovercycle
tomated, lack both drivers and controls, and can only has an exposed seat and small bioglass shields to pro-
be used on special conductive roads. Indeed, nearly vide the rider minimal protection. Biotech hovercycles

transportation 297
 SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES & VEHICLE OWNERSHIP
Every vehicle comes with advanced sensors and an SI capable of driving it under all
but the most extreme conditions, using a dice pool of four. Except in vehicles used by
emergency-services personnel or the military, vehicle SIs obey all local traffic laws and
will only disobey these laws briefly to keep their occupants or other people from harm.
Civilian vehicles can be purchased with manual controls in nations where manual control
of vehicles is still legal, but users who attempt to break traffic laws are warned and then
the SI either takes over control of the vehicle until the user ceases attempting to break traffic
laws or informs the local authorities of the law-breaking, if taking control of the vehicle
would be hazardous. However, emergency-services personnel, government spies, and
members of some criminal gangs possess codes that allow them to override these SIs and
take full control of a vehicle. Emergency-services and military vehicles provide full manual
control to any authorized user.
Because every vehicle can drive itself, only a quarter of adults own vehicles. Arcology
dwellers travel by means of a network of 3D elevators and only need vehicles when they
travel outside of their arcology, and most other people rely on various transportations
services like Robocab or the public maglev, calling a self-driving vehicle when they need
one. Even on the outskirts of a city, almost no one ends up waiting more than five minutes
for a vehicle to arrive. Even most inhabitants of rural compounds have vehicles for com-
munal use. As a result, only the wealthy and individuals who either need or want access to
a vehicle at a moment’s notice own them.

exist. If formatted, they link to the user’s own nervous model described here is a six-legged biotech ATV
system for increased responsiveness. Examples: Reed built to haul cargo or troops across difficult surfaces.
Rosen Tsunami, Orgotek Hummingbird. Biotech ATVs are swiftly becoming more common,
Motorcycle: Traditional motorcycles still have with Orgotek naturally leading the industry. The
some popularity among vintage-auto enthusiasts, as basic ATV design is flexible, serving as the skeleton
well as those who need bikes on the cheap. Dirt-bike for cargo lifters, shallow-water construction vehi-
racing is a popular sport in many rural towns, and a cles, and high-end farm vehicles. Examples: ClinTech
few motorcycle clubs persist into the 22nd century. Osner, Orgotek Cicada, Orgotek Mantis Cargo Lifter.
Example: Davidson-Wheeler American Classic. HEV: HEVs are popular civilian ground craft de-
Walker Cycle: This recently released six-legged signed for planetary exploration, HEVs have a full
vehicle vaguely resembles a giant ant designed to be life-support system and exceedingly spartan long-
ridden by one or two people. Its 170 kph six-legged term accommodations for up to eight, as well as a
gallop is often described as odd but not uncomfort- small amount of cargo space. The HEV’s treads can
able. Example: Orgotek Formica. handle almost any terrain. Example: ClinTech HEV.
Armored personnel carrier (APC): Rugged and Medium Cargo Hauler: For commercial and pri-
heavily armored, APCs carry troops into battle- vate use by delivery services, moving companies, and
grounds where air transport is risky or impossible, rural farmers. Medium cargo haulers are tough ve-
and skimmers aren’t dependable enough. They’re hicles designed to transport goods between and in
tougher and more reliable, and capable of transport- urban centers. Example: Concurso T-10 Minihauler.
ing much greater weights in terms of personnel and Sedan: This is a typical two-to-six-seat sedan.
equipment. A typical APC has room for four in its They come with all standard features, sacrificing
cab and can hold an additional 16-person squad in top-end speed and power for reliability and afford-
the bay, as well as all relevant equipment and some ability. One of their main benefits is the ubiquity of
spares. Example: ClinTech Morris APC. relevant parts and mechanical knowledge; the aver-
ATV: All-terrain vehicles are a staple of recreation- age city-goer might not know how to repair a dam-
al and commercial transport traveling to wilderness aged hover fan assembly, but could fully rebuild their
areas and remote settlements. Militaries also em- car’s engine and transmission with time, parts, and a
ploy them as part of advance troop movements. The little elbow grease. Example: Mashindano Sentry.

298 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 GROUND VEHICLES

HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE

FT
Hovercycle 1 +1 4 Computer 0, Fast 2, Hover 1, - Hard - •••
Maneuverable 1
Motorcycle 1 +1 4 Computer 0, Maneuverable 1, Fast 2, - Hard - ••
Wheeled 0
Walker 1 +1 + 4 All-Terrain 1, Computer 0, Fast 2, - Ψ •• ••
Cycle Maneuverable 1, Psi −1
APC 2 -2 3 Armor 2, Cargo 1 Computer 0, Fast 1, Laser Hard - ••••
Massive 1, Sluggish −2, Weaponry 2, Carbine
Wheeled 0
ATV 2 +1 + 3 All-Terrain 1, Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast - Ψ •• •••
1, Maneuverable 1, Massive 1, Psi −1
HEV 2 +0 3 Armor 1, Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast 1, - Hard - ••••
Massive 1, Treads 1
Medium 2 +0 4 Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast 2, Massive - Hard - •••
Cargo 1, Wheeled 0
Hauler
Sedan 2 +0 3 Computer 0, Fast 1, Massive 1, - Hard - •• *
Wheeled 0
Skimmer, 2 +0 4 Computer 0, Fast 2, Hover 1, Massive 1 - Hard - •••
Airfoil or
Convertible
Skimmer, 2 -1 4 Armor 2, Computer 0, Crew −1, Fast Laser Hard - •••••
Assault 2, Hover 1, Massive 1, Sluggish −1, Carbine
Weaponry 2
Skimmer, 2 +0 4 Armor 1, Computer 0, Fast 1, Hover 1, Laser Hard - ••••
LAV Massive 1, Weaponry 1 Carbine
Skimmer, 2 +0 4 Anti-Theft 1, Computer 0, Fast 2, Hover - Hard - ••••
Luxury 1, Massive 1
Cargo 3 +0 4 Cargo 2 Computer 0, Fast 2, Massive - Hard - •••••
Hauler 2, Wheeled 0
Armed 3 -2 4 Armor 1, Cargo 2 Computer 0, Fast 2, Coilgun Hard - •••••
Cargo Massive 2, Sluggish −2, Weaponry 1,
Hauler Wheeled 0

+ Reduce Maneuverability by 1 if not formatted.

* As stated above, the minimum cost for all ground vehicles is equal to their Size.

Skimmer, airfoil: A standard mid-range skimmer. Shendai AirFoil, Banji Zephyr.

Airfoils have enclosed cabs capable of seating up to Skimmer, assault: These heavy-duty skimmers
a family of four comfortably, although larger SUV are designed for fast transport of ground-assault
models exist (using similar traits to the luxury skim- teams of both military and law enforcement. They
mer described below). Some models are convertibles come equipped with powerful turbines and stabi-
that trade style for seating, and typically only hold lizers to support the added weight of armor and
two people and a small amount of cargo. Examples: weaponry. Assault skimmers are large by skimmer

transportation 299
 standards, capable of holding a pilot, a gunner, and power. Some are built as heavier transcontinental
two other fully equipped soldiers. Standard weapon- cargo vehicles designed to travel where the mag-
ry is a mounted automatic turret, but more special- lev roads do not. These haulers are equipped with
ized urban-response variants exist, using anything light armor and weapons. Examples: Concurso MH-1
from laser rifles to plasma cannons. Examples: Bisai Hauler, Mashindano Kuchuka Bronto.
Assault Skimmer, Orgotek Eurypterid.
Skimmer, light-armored: Light-armored vehicles WATER VEHICLES
(or “LAVs”) have become a backbone of urban law en- The following are some of the many seagoing and
forcement transportation. They are essentially lighter submersible vessels in use in the early 22nd centu-
versions of assault skimmers, built to be the standard ry. The growth of cities both on and under the sea
police vehicle of the 22nd century. The typical LAV and the recent independence of Oceania have made
has a two-seat forward cab, a transparent bulletproof ocean-going vessels even more important than ever
panel separating the cab from the back, and enough before. Although some Aberrants lurk in the depths
room in the rear section to transport up to half a dozen of the sea, the vulnerability of surface-going ships to
fully armed officers. On the roof is a turret-mounted attacks by off-world invaders has made submersible
laser rifle, sometimes exchanged for nonlethal riot travel increasingly popular. In the 22nd century, sub-
control weaponry. Example: ClinTech Warden LAV. mersibles are powered by hyperfusion reactors, and
Skimmer, luxury: Big, comfortable, and chock full extract oxygen and fresh water from the sea, so they
of amenities such as onboard coolers, multiple en- are only limited in the length of time they can spend
tertainment stations, and even small ovens for cook- underwater by their food supplies and the comfort of
ing food, luxury skimmers are expensive and lavish their crew and passengers.
vehicles. Most can seat up to six, but in recent years Exploratory Submarine: This small submarine is
skimmer limousines, which possess the Cargo 1 tag, designed for undersea prospecting and exploration.
have become popular methods of taking entire par- It possesses light armaments, and is sometimes used
ties on the go. Examples: Reed Rosen Brougham, Banji for defensive patrols by undersea cities. Example:
Luxury Stretch Cruiser. FangTech Magellan
Cargo Hauler: Large, general-purpose cargo haul- Flying Submarine: This unique, disk-shaped ve-
ers come equipped with hyperfusion reactors for hicle is equally at home in the air and both on and

WATER VEHICLES
HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE

FT

Exploration 2 −1 3 Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast Coilgun Hard - ••••

Sub 2, Massive 1, Sluggish −1,
Submersible 1, Weaponry 1
Flying Sub 2 +0 5 Cargo 1, Complex 0, Computer 0, - Hard - •••••
Fast 3, Triphibian 2
Small 2 +0 4 Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast 2, - Hard - •••
Hydrofoil Massive 1, Watercraft 0
Biotech 3 +0 + 5 Armor 1, Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast Coilgun Ψ •• L
Military 3, Massive 2, Military 1, Psi −1,
Submarine Submersible 1
Submarine 4 −1 3 Armor 1, Cargo 3, Computer Coilgun Hard - L
Transport 0, Crew −1, Fast 1, Massive
3, Sluggish −1, Submersible 1,
Weaponry 1

+ Reduce Maneuverability by 1 if not formatted.

300 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

under the water. It’s limited to Speed 3 underwater, passenger versions also exist, including a few that
Speed 4 when on the water, and Speed 5 when flying. have large bioglass windows and massive floodlights
These vehicles are most often used by the member to permit clear viewing of undersea life and historic
cities of Oceania and by other floating and underwa- shipwrecks. Example: Banji Cachalot.
ter cities to permit fast transport of people and cargo.
Example: FangTech Flying Fish AIR VEHICLES
Small Hydrofoil: This small, fast hydrofoil has cabins Huge passenger aircraft use semi-ballistic (low
for four and modest room for cargo. Military versions orbit) flight paths to transport hundreds of passen-
also exist, adding limited weaponry and armor (1 each), gers anywhere in the world in an hour or two, while
which increases the cost by one dot and reduces the ma- smaller transonic jets carry somewhat fewer pas-
neuverability to +0. These vehicles are used for coastal sengers on shorter journeys that rarely take more
patrols and defense. Example: FangTech Barracuda. than four hours. Modern passenger jets are fast, safe,
Military Submarine: This cutting-edge biotech and relatively low-cost. High-end planes even have
submarine is a fast, heavily armed and armored at- medical personnel standing by in case of emergency.
tack vehicle designed for both naval warfare and However, military escorts are also a common sight in
hunting underwater Aberrants. It uses supercavitat- many airspaces, due to the threat of Aberrant activity.
ing technology to form a thin bubble of air around Private VTOL: These small private planes are
itself, allowing it to travel as fast as most airplanes. either status symbols for the wealthy or are used by
Example: Biosystems Belem. large corporations and other organizations for pri-
Submarine Transport: This large submersible is vate transport and carrying small cargoes. Naturally,
the workhorse for trade with and between undersea criminals also use such planes, but typically fit them
cities, and is also performing an increasing role in all with stealth systems. These craft use ducted fans
ocean-going trade. The high level of automation on powered by hyperfusion engines, allowing them to
this vehicle means that it can be handled by three take off and land vertically. Example: Banji Dragonfly.
people, but a normal crew complement is 10, permit- Military Transport: Aerial military transports
ting three fully staffed shifts. While most haul cargo, are modular armored VTOL planes designed with

transportation 301
 interchangeable cargo pods. A pilot, co-pilot, and Bioblimps propel themselves using complex bioelec-
optional gunner (plus up to several others) can ride trostatic jets, they also possess a wide, muscular tail for
within the frame itself, and the cargo bay can hold steering and an oval passenger compartment under-
up to two full-sized cargo pods. Used for transport- neath the gas bag, near the front of the organism. Most
ing troops (two 40-person squads and all their gear are Size 3, but special enzymes purchased from the Qin
can fit in each cargo pod), equipment, supplies, and can allow them to achieve Size 4. These larger bioblimps
small vehicles, military transports are primarily possess the Cargo 2 tag and the Sluggish −1 tag.
lightly armed and sometimes employ fighter escorts. With an intelligence similar to a chimp and an inborn
Example: ClinTech “Black Cat.” calm obedience, bioblimps can be told to avoid eating
Passenger Liner: Passenger liners are stocked crop plants. This same intelligence allows bioblimps
with enough food, drink, and entertainment to keep to pilot themselves with only simple voice commands
200 passengers happy for their trip. Their automated from the “pilot.” Bioblimps can speak and are friendly
systems can fly them, although most still employ a and polite, if somewhat limited intellectually. Like con-
pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and sometimes medical or ventional biotech, bioblimps can be formatted, allowing
security staff. The truly high-end first-class flights the pilot to communicate with and control the vehicle
also have in-house musicians or entertainers to re- by thought. Once formatted, any psion can communi-
gale passengers mid-flight. Example: Banji Cirrus. cate with the bioblimp at up to their Attunement range.
Qin Bioblimp: Bioblimps are highly durable and Examples: Qin Bioblimp-L, Qin Bioblimp-S.
fully self-repairing organisms guaranteed to produce Suborbital Passenger Liner: Suborbital passen-
two offspring. These offspring will be sterile, but can ger liners are huge craft designed to comfortably
be rendered fertile with the purchase of special en- accommodate up to 1,000 passengers, while also
zymes from the Qin. Like all Qin biotech, bioblimps carrying large amounts of cargo. Although fully ca-
do not require nutrient injections; instead, they have pable of flying themselves under normal conditions,
several long tentacles and are capable of gathering most nations require a trained pilot on board. These
and eating Terran vegetation. swift craft can travel from New York to Sydney or
Shanghai in two hours. Example: L-B 510 Swift.

302 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 AIR VEHICLES

HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE
Private 2 +0 5 Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast 3, Flight Systems 0, - Hard ••••
VTOL Massive 1
Military 3 −1 5 Armor 1, Cargo 2, Computer 0, Crew −1, Fast Coilgun Hard L
Transport 3, Flight Systems 0, Massive 2, Sluggish −1,
Weaponry 2
Passenger 3 −1 5 Cargo 2, Computer 0, Fast 3, Flight Systems 0, - Hard •••••
Liner Massive 2, Sluggish −1
Qin 3 +0 + 4 Cargo 1, Computer 0, Fast 2, Flight Systems 0, - Ψ •••
Bioblimp Living 0, Massive 2, Psi −1
Suborbital 4 −1 6 Cargo 3, Complex 0, Computer 0, Fast 4, - Hard L
Passenger Flight Systems 0, Massive 2, Sluggish −1
Liner

+ Reduce Maneuverability by 1 if not formatted.

SPACE VEHICLES ship at all spaceworthy. Proper maintenance of these

vital systems means the difference between life and
The advent of hyperfusion rockets and advanced
death on the frontier. See below for a description of
flight engineering has made commercial space travel a
vital systems.
reality. Spacecraft only require modest amounts of re-
action mass to swiftly travel between nearby planets.
VITAL SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS
Interplanetary flights between Earth and the Lunar
or Mars colonies have become a common occurrence, The following are systems that are vital to any
with the fastest flights taking passengers from Earth spacecraft. These systems can be damaged in battle
to Luna in only a few hours. Travel to Mars takes a lit- or more rarely by environmental threats, requiring
tle longer, ranging from as long as a month and a half repairs mid-flight. No smart captain leaves dock
to as little as a week. Rumors persist that Qin space- without multiple spares of any vital ship components.
craft can make this trip in less than a day. • Astrogation System: Space is infinite and with-
Spacecraft come in several varieties, depending out horizons by which to navigate. Away from
on size and design. Hybrid craft are capable of both a planet, orbital station, or some other identifi-
space and atmospheric flight, though few can or will able “landmark,” it’s easy to become disoriented
go further than the Moon. Frigates embody the im- in the featureless abyss. In combat or other dan-
age of space travel, being craft designed wholly for gerous situations, this lack of orientation can
operating in space. Freighters are even larger, hauling become exceedingly dangerous. Astrogation
vast quantities of cargo throughout the solar system systems alleviate this by using a combination
and to the trade routes beyond. Freighters and most of known spatial references and long-distance
frigates cannot enter atmosphere (barring catastro- scanners to determine direction and position
phe) once constructed and launched. These huge in open space. If something disables the as-
vessels dock with orbital supply stations and city- trogation system, all handling rolls suffer a
sized vehicle bays, using shuttles for resupply and Complication rated from level 1 (in low-orbital
planetary ventures. Remember that the formatting flight) to level 5 (open space, far away from any
tolerance for all biotech spacecraft is •••. planets or stations).
All spacecraft have several standard features that
• Life-Support Systems: Life-support systems
are required to travel in space. Collectively, this
keep all crew functional and alive. Atmospheric
package of features and equipment is vital to make a
generators and filtration units keep a constant

transportation 303
 supply of breathable air, while temperature regu- Hybrid Fighter (Biotech): Biotech fighters all hold a
lators ensure optimal conditions even in the freez- single pilot-gunner. Orgotek is the premier name in bio-
ing cold of space. All spacecraft are sealed against tech hybrids right now, although competitors promise
pressure loss, with multiple redundant safeties in alternatives soon. When a biotech fighter is destroyed,
place should even a disastrous hull breach occur. organic life-support systems encase and sustain the pilot
Backup life support can power most systems for for up to a week. Additionally, formatted fighters offer
up to several weeks. Even hardtech spacecraft in- unparalleled responsiveness, granting a +1 Enhancement
creasingly use biotech life-support systems con- bonus on all handling rolls. Example: Orgotek Locust.
sisting of noetically engineered plants. Travel Pod: This exceedingly basic space vehicle
is designed to carry passengers and cargo between
• Thrusters and Reactors: Hyperfusion reactors
space stations in low-Earth orbit or in similar envi-
supply energy to the thrusters as well as the rest of
ronments. Most are also fitted with large robot arms
the ship’s systems. Although hyperfusion reactors
and similar tools that allow the operator to perform
can theoretically run indefinitely, the stresses of
maintenance and construction tasks while inside
massive energy output add up over time and also
this ship. Example: Bakuhatsu “Sparrow” Shuttle.
reaction mass must regularly be replenished. Most
craft have backup power supplies, from backup hy- Hybrid Transport: Larger than a fighter but offer-
perfusion reactors in the larger vessels to high-den- ing little protection, this transport is designed purely
sity batteries in fighters and short-range spacecraft. to move medium cargo between Earth, orbital sta-
tions, and Luna. It can hold up to 20 passengers and
three crew, as well as a substantial amount of cargo.
SHIP DESCRIPTIONS
Example: Banji Raven 11.
Hybrid Fighter: A short-range fighter designed Passenger Shuttle: Expensive and usually restricted
to operate in atmospheric and orbital escort and to the well-off, passenger shuttles offer transit to orbit-
combat operations. A fighter of this size holds one al stations or Luna in exceptional luxury. Most can seat
pilot and one gunner, along with a small amount of between 150 and 200 passengers and make the trip in
essential cargo. These vessels come heavily armed, only a few hours, offering plenty of delicacies to sate the
with lasers, coilguns, and smart missiles. Example: palate along the way. Example: L-B Comet OPS (Orbital
Bakuhatsu E-15 Fighter. Passenger Shuttle).

304 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 SPACE VEHICLES

HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE

FT
Hybrid 2 +1 6/[4] Armor 1, Computer 0, Laser Hard - •••••
Fighter Hybrid 2, Maneuverable Carbine,
1, Military 1, Thrusters 1 Missile
Launcher
Locust 2 +2 6/[4] Armor 1, Computer 0, Laser Ψ ••• •••••
Hybrid + Hybrid 2, Maneuverable Carbine,
2+, Military 1, Psi −1, Coilgun,
Thrusters 1 Missile
Launcher
Travel Pod 2 +1 [2] Armor 1, Cargo 1, - Hard - •••• *
Computer 0, Limited
Astrogation Systems 0,
Maneuverable 1, Tools 1
Hybrid 3 +0 6/[3] Cargo 2, Computer 0, - Hard - ••••
Transport Hybrid 2, Massive 1
Passenger 3 +0 6/[4] Cargo 2, Computer 0, - Hard - •••••
Shuttle Hybrid 2, Massive 1,
Thrusters 1
MEL 3 +0 6/[4] Armor 2, Cargo 2, Coilgun Hard - L
Computer 0, Crew −1,
Hybrid 2, Massive 1,
Military 1, Thrusters 1
Space 3 -1 [4] Armor 1, Astrogation - Hard - ••••
Transport Systems 1, Cargo 2,
Computer 0, Massive 1,
Sluggish −1, Thrusters 1
Orgotek 4 +0 6/[5] Armor 2, Cargo 2, Laser Ψ ••• L
Scarab + Computer 0, Crew −2, Carbine,
Strike Frigate Hybrid 2, Massive 2, Coilgun
Military 1, Psi −1, Thrusters
2
Commercial 5 −2 [5] Armor 1, Astrogation Laser Hard - L
Frigate Systems 1, Cargo 4, Carbine
Computer 0, Crew −2,
Massive 3, Sluggish −2,
Thrusters 2, Weaponry 1
Frigate 5 −1 [5] Armor 2, Astrogation Laser Hard - L
Systems 1, Cargo 3, Carbine,
Computer 0, Crew −3, Coilgun
Massive 3, Military 1,
Sluggish −1 Thrusters 2

transportation 305
 SPACE VEHICLES (CONTINUED)

HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE

FT
Freighter 6 −2 [4] Armor 1, Astrogation Laser Hard - L
Systems 1, Cargo 5, Carbine,
Complex 0, Computer Missile
0, Crew −2, Massive 3, Launcher
Sluggish −2, Thrusters 1,
Weaponry 1
Leviathan 6 -1+ [4] Armor 1, Astrogation Laser Ψ ••• L
Jump Ship Systems 1, Cargo 4, Carbine
Complex 0, Computer 0,
Crew −3, Massive 3, Psi
−1, Repair Bots 1, Sluggish
−1, Tesser 1, Thrusters 1,
Weaponry 1

+ Reduce Maneuverability by 1 if not formatted.

* As stated above, the minimum cost for all spacecraft is ••••

Military Equipment Lifter (MEL): Armored Orgotek Scarab Strike Frigate: This unique bio-
transport capable of hauling vehicles and troops into tech frigate is both smaller and more maneuverable
and out of battle. The MEL requires a pilot, co-pilot, than hardtech frigates. The 80m long Scarab is even
and a gunner, and can support up to 5,000 cubic me- capable of landing on a planet, and bears enough
ters of cargo space. Its typical armament includes a firepower to hold its own in the shipping lanes. It
coilgun and anti-missile lasers. Example: L-B MEL II. has accommodations for 16 and carries two Locust
Space Transport: These unarmed civilian space- hybrid fighters for support. Formatting the entire
craft have become popular for transport in the inner vessel isn’t normally possible. Instead, psions must
solar system and also for asteroid mining. Asteroid format the piloting and weapons systems separate-
mining ships add both the Tools and the Crew −1 ly. Each formatted function offers 1 Enhancement to
tags. Example: LB-ST (System Transport). related actions.
Frigate: Frigates are massive commercial or military Freighter: As the whales of Earth’s oceans dwarf
spacecraft, typically between 200 and 400 meters long. all other sea creatures, freighters dwarf other space-
Many also have docking bays for fighters and shuttles, craft. Despite their size, freighters tend to be lightly
and a few are modified to serve solely as carriers for armed. Some can deploy a small squadron of fighters
smaller vessels. Because of their size and complexi- for defense, while others hire armed escorts when
ty, military frigates require a crew of at least 10, but traveling along especially dangerous shipping lanes.
many employ dozens to fully leverage the power of the Freighters can be up to a kilometer long, holding
ship’s flight and weapons systems. Even small frigates millions of cubic meters in cargo space. Internal
have individual quarters for up to three dozen, and docking bays hold up to several escort fighters or
comfortable (if a bit tight) bunk space for 150 or more. hybrid transports, with exterior docking for up to
Commercial frigates possess fewer armaments, require 10 hybrid ships. Freighters are far too large to en-
minimal crews, and are designed to swiftly carry goods ter atmosphere, relying on shuttles for planetfall.
and passengers between orbital space stations and dis- Because they are commercial ships, they use suffi-
tant colonies. However, most frigates serve as patrol cient automation that a crew of seven can control
craft for military and law enforcement. Example: L-B the ship. Most freighters utilize as many as 30 on
Supernova IPF-Delta (Intrasystem Patrol Frigate), rotating shifts, but some companies try to cut costs

306 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

by running the minimum. Freighters can hold more barracks, along with all the vehicles and other equip-
than 10,000 cabins. Luxury liners contain deluxe ment they require.
quarters, entertainment venues, small zoos, holos- The entire process, not yet fully understood by
ims, parks, and a bevy of restaurants. Most freighters even the scientists who designed the Tessers, utiliz-
routinely travel between Earth and Luna or Mars, es a combination of astrogation and clairsentience to
but some go as far as Jupiter or Saturn. Now that plot out and then execute the jump. First, the psion
the teleporters have returned to the solar system, must use clairsentience, augmented by the ARES
freighters are again being used to carry colonists and pod, to visualize the destination. The Tesser reads
cargoes to habitable extrasolar planets. A single fully this intent through the noetic link and instantly al-
loaded colony freighter can carry 20,000 passengers ters the Leviathan’s wavefunction via tremendous
and all the basic cargo and equipment they require to subquantum energies. In a process that mimics the
set up a new extrasolar colony. powers of an interstellar teleporter, the ship then
vanishes from its current location in space and reap-
LEVIATHAN JUMP SHIPS pears at the destination.
No vehicle better symbolizes human ingenuity From an external perspective the jump is instanta-
than the Leviathan-class jump ships. They are the neous, but for anyone on the Leviathan, the duration
largest vessels ever made by humans, and employ of the jump seems to vary. Noeticists struggle to ful-
both biotech and hardtech in a unique combination. ly understand this phenomenon because it can vary
Multiple hyperfusion reactors propel the Leviathans from jump to jump, even if the distances jumped are
through space in normal flight. Advanced biotech the same. From the perspective of travelers, jumps
life-support and accommodation systems provide a can seem instant or to take an entire lifetime’s
thriving and surprisingly naturalistic biosphere ca- worth of sensations unfolding, or even both at once.
pable of supporting up to several thousand passen- Returning to normal space often feels like waking up
gers and crew. Leviathans have four fighter bays, from an exceptionally vivid dream. This process is a
each holding up to three hybrid fighter craft, as well deeply spiritual experience for most psions and even
as four larger bays each holding two hybrid trans- many neutrals. When a psion pilot interacts with the
ports or passenger shuttles. Exterior docking mech- Tesser, she does so as equal parts spectator and pilot,
anisms allow up to four Scarab frigates and a dozen unable to fully explain the process even as she feels
hybrids to hitch a ride on the back of the Leviathan the power working.
like barnacles on a whale. In addition, while its cargo The Leviathans themselves are also more than
capacity is too low to carry a frigate or other Size 5 or mere ships. Clairsentient pilots and any telepaths
Size 6 spacecraft during normal space movement, a on board can easily communicate with the ship, and
Leviathan’s Tesser allows it to teleport up to two Size the ship itself can communicate with its passengers
5 or one Size 6 vessel that are docked with it. and crew via standard audio and visual displays.
If size and seamlessly mixing biotech advantages Everyone who spends time with one agrees they are
with hardtech propulsion were the Leviathans’ only far more than a mere SI, but researchers who have
claim to fame, they would still stand as humanity’s also worked with the rare hardtech AIs universally
greatest feat of technological innovation. However, agree that Leviathans are something quite different.
their true power lies in the bioware that allows these Laws restricting potential AIs keep Leviathans
ships to psionically teleport across the vastness of from direct access to the OpNet. However, they hap-
space. This miraculous feat is made possible by the pily communicate with anyone on board, but also
incredibly advanced bio-computer systems called avoid bothering passengers and crew who wish pri-
Tessers, developed in combination with the Qin, but vacy. Speculations that Leviathans possess some de-
only usable by skilled human clairsentients or tele- gree of clairsentience or telepathy are common, but
porters. Tessers are woven throughout the entire little is known about their unique minds other than
Leviathan like a spinal cord and nervous system, that they think somewhat differently than humans,
expending incalculable amounts of processing pow- but not necessarily any less well, and that all seem to
er to make the jumps possible. Even then, the jump care deeply about their crew and passengers.
drive requires a clairsentient psion in a built-in for-
With fewer than two dozen Leviathan ships in ser-
matted ARES pod. A Leviathan on a military mission
vice, and the technology difficult to reproduce, each
can carry a maximum of 4,000 troops in cramped

transportation 307
 one is a setting for whole stories unto itself. Whether size has no effect on its cost, but it does change
the players serve as part of a Leviathan’s crew or are its capabilities (see above).
merely passengers, each encounter should evoke the
• Because making exceptionally small drones is
sense of wonder and power that these great vessels
more difficult, Size tiny drones must possess the
embody. Each Leviathan should be unique, a setting
Tiny 1 tag.
and a character in its own right. Their mysterious
workings blend the seemingly impossible with the • Each drone can have up to 3 + Wealth points
pinnacle of 22nd-century science. worth of positive tags, unless otherwise noted,
and can gain more points by taking negative tags.
ROBOTS AND DRONES
• Drones are relatively strong, and for purposes of
The widespread use of Satisfactory Intelligences
physical prowess like contests involving Might,
has also given rise to a multitude of drones and ro-
have a dice pool of eight dice, modified by their Size
bots. The only differences between a drone and a
Scale. When interacting with a Size 1 human, a Size
robot is that a drone can be controlled by a human
0 drone would have a physical pool of 6, while a Size
operator at a distance, while a robot is designed to
medium (−2) drone would have a physical pool of 2.
operate autonomously, but SIs allow all drones to
also function autonomously. Robots and drones are • Unusually strong drones possess the Strong (1)
designed much like ordinary vehicles, but are small- tag, that adds +2 to their physical pool. Only
er and do not carry passengers or a driver. Drones drones of at least medium Size can use this tag.
and robots range in size from tiny up to Size 1, and
while they use the basic vehicle-design rules, there COMMON DRONES
are a few differences:
The following types of drones are in common use.
• Drones can only incorporate weapons that are Microdrone: At one cm across, this tiny flying drone
no larger than the drone, and drones only use is no larger than a large housefly. It has an excellent
the Weaponry 1 tag. miniature microphone and camera and a top speed of
20 kph. The fibers on their feet can stick to almost any
• Drones cannot possess the Astrogation or
surface, including ceilings, allowing the user to maneu-
Hybrid tags because advanced rockets are too
ver the microdrone into position and then set it down
large to incorporate in a small device.
in a concealed location so that no one will notice it.
• Drones that possess the Limited Astrogation tag While stationary, they have all of the same options as
must be at least Size large. ordinary bugs, except that user can also choose to acti-
vate them with a radio signal and then either download
• Only drones of Size large or larger can possess their data or fly them out. Instead of using the OpNet,
armor. these drones contain transceivers with the same range
• Drones with the cargo tag can carry cargoes of and capabilities as an ear radio (p. 293).
up to one Size category smaller, so a Size 1 drone Flying Drone: Typically for outdoor use, this
could carry Size 0 cargo. quadcopter drone has sensors equivalent to en-
hanced binoculars and a directional microphone.
• Drones of Size tiny cannot exceed Speed Scale 2. Users control it with a minicomp and it can be used
• The basic template for drones is Size any, anywhere with OpNet service. Police drones are typ-
Handling +0, Speed 2 or [2] ically fitted with tasers or sonic pistols, while spy
drones are often fitted with stealth systems.
• Like all other vehicles, drones possess the nor- Large Flying Drone: This aerial drone’s flattened
mal sensors necessary for their type of opera- diamond shape is designed for covert operation. Its
tion as well as a microphone, and if desired, a engines are nearly silent and it has adaptive camou-
speaker. However, the Tool tag allows them to flage. It possesses both a parabolic microphone and a
include powerful specialized sensors, as long as laser microphone. For additional cost, these drones
these sensors are not larger than the drone. can be fitted with up to two weapons, typically a son-
ic carbine and either a laser carbine or a light coil-
• The designer is free to set the Size of the drone
gun. Operating a weaponized drone without autho-
anywhere from small to Size 1, and the drone’s
rization is a serious crime.

308 CHAPTER EIGHT: TECHNOLOGY

 COMMON DRONES

HANDLING

WEAPONS
SPEED

COST
TAGS

TECH
TYPE

SIZE
Microdrone Tiny +2 2 Computer 0, Flight Systems 0, - Hard ••
Maneuverable 2 Stealthy 2, Tiny 1
Flying Small +1 4 Computer 0, Fast 2, Flight Systems 0, - Hard •
Drone Maneuverable 1 Tools 1
Large Flying Size 0 +0 5 Computer 0, Fast 3, Flight Systems 0, - Hard •••
Drone Stealthy 2, Tools 1
Utility Drone Size 0 −1 2 All-Terrain 1, Cargo 1, Computer 0, - Hard •
Strong 1, Tools 1
Defense Size 1 +0 3 All-Terrain 1, Armor 2, Computer 0, Sonic Hard •••
Drone Fast 1 Sluggish −1, Strong 1, Tools 1, Carbine
Weaponry 1 + Laser
carbine or
Coilgun
Police Size 1 +0 2 All-Terrain 1, Armor 1, Computer Taser Hard ••
Drone 0, Self-Repair System 1, Tools 1,
Weaponry 1

Utility Drone: This small, sleekly humanoid designed to guard high-security installations where
drone is roughly 1.5 meters tall and relatively lightly the owners are willing to use lethal force.
built, but can carry packages up to large Size. These Police Drone: This mannequin-like drone is hu-
drones can perform basic household tasks or serve manoid in form and possesses two fully functional
as personal assistants. Utility drones used for heavy arms and hands. These drones have built in tasers
labor are typically Size 1. and are used to guard relatively low-security instal-
Defense Drone: This six-legged, two-armed, cr- lations or to supplement police. These drones are
ab-like drone is heavily armed and armored, and is most common in Nippon.

transportation 309
 “Danger is a side effect of what I do, not the reason behind it.”
— Mira Grant

RUNNING
SCIENCE FICTION SCENARIOS
As their base, campaigns set in the Trinity technology at their disposal, the attitudes of both
Continuum are about heroes working to save the government officials and those resisting them
the world, or at least to help out where they can. are likely to be somewhat similar to similar people
However, Trinity Continuum: Æon is specifically in our world. Because human emotions and motiva-
a science-fiction game set in an era when humanity tions are key features of good campaigns, seeing the
is taking its first steps out among the stars. Trinity parallels between our own world and those parts of
Continuum: Æon is also about the consequences this setting that you want to focus on can enhance
this expansion to the stars has for humanity and also your campaign.
for the various species it interacts with. This doesn’t Creating a sense of wonder is a somewhat more
mean you need to set your campaign in space, but it complex issue. Some campaigns won’t have much
is worth thinking a bit about what science fiction is of a sense of wonder. A group of rebels and Orgotek
when you are planning to run this game. There are employees plotting to overthrow the FSA have
almost as many definition of science fiction as there things other than wonder on their mind, as do
are fans of the genre, but two features are found in Norça members engaged in complex and deadly in-
many definitions: social commentary and a sense of trigues. However, it’s also important to remember
wonder. that wonder need not just occur in space, and that it
Stating that science fiction is inherently social can easily go hand in hand with terror. Discovering
commentary is simply recognizing the fact that any the enormous subterranean nest of an utterly inhu-
fictional world we create reflects our hopes and fears man Aberrant hive-mind dwelling under Wycoff’s
about our own world, and that this is especially true Blight can, and perhaps should hit the same balance
for visions of the future. Using your campaign as a of horror, repulsion, and amazement that the best
forum for which to expound on your social and po- cosmic horror stories manage, as can stepping into
litical ideas is usually a terrible idea — unless that’s the lair of a presumably long-dead Aberrant mad
specifically what all your players are looking for. scientist and looking at the various creations hope-
However, it’s also impossible to escape news stories fully safely locked in transparent stasis tubes.
about refugees, war, inequality, and terrorism in our
world, and so it’s hardly surprising that such similar CREATING A SENSE OF
issues also plague the world of Trinity Continuum: WONDER (OR TERROR)
Æon, because humanity has not changed all that
Much of the task of creating a sense of wonder in
much in slightly more than a century.
your campaign is simply an awareness of the won-
Using “ripped from the headlines” inspirations
ders (and terrors) that abound in both our universe
for your plots is far easier to do badly than well, and
and in the universe of Trinity Continuum: Æon.
can easily be offensive and cheap. For example, run-
Our own universe is more than 13 billion years old
ning a Trinity scenario in late 2001 about terrorists
and filled with incomprehensible phenomena like
attempting to fly a spacecraft into an arcology would
the supermassive black holes that lurk in the center
have been in very poor taste indeed. However, us-
of every known galaxy and bizarre environments
ing a general understanding of our own world can
like the roastingly hot surface of Venus, where
greatly enhance your campaign. A refugee camp
the air is so dense that it bends light into a circle.
in 2120 isn’t all that different from a modern one,
The universe of the Trinity Continuum is even
and while authoritarian police states in the early
more fantastic, with time travel, powerful alien
22nd century have more and better surveillance

running science fiction scenarios 311

 intelligences who have lived for millions of years, object is that nothing remotely like it exists in any
and creatures who can warp reality to their will us- known database. By definition, anything that pro-
ing Quantum and subquantum powers. vokes a sense of wonder or terror is something that
During the Nova Age, humanity as a whole learned the characters can’t simply learn about from the
that our own species could produce wonders and OpNet.
horrors far beyond any previous imaginings. In the
current era, humanity must now confront the fact CHOOSING A LOCATION
that intelligences have been inhabiting the galaxy & A SUB-GENRE
for tens of millions of years, or perhaps for far lon-
Trinity Continuum: Æon is designed so that
ger, and some of them had both technologies and
Storyguides can use it to run almost any type of
powers far beyond our own. Characters exploring
science fiction. However, the question of what
space may encounter blasted and lifeless planets
type of science fiction you want to run is closely
that were once home to technologically advanced
tied to where you may want to set your campaign.
sentiences, or worlds where life is stranger than
Characters in this game can become involved in a
they can imagine. Living crystals, sentient plasma,
wide variety of scenarios, from brutal warfare to
and perhaps even creatures evolved to live on the
wondrous exploration or clever heists, but exactly
surface of stars are all possible discoveries.
what sort of scenario or campaign you run depends
Similarly, characters who remain on Earth may a great deal on where it is taking place.
discover Nova Age artifacts that can perform feats
In any prosperous urban area on Earth, char-
deemed impossible by science, like time travel or
acters are no more likely to be able to engage in
entropy reversal. They could even uncover power-
extended gun battles or other sorts of extreme vi-
ful alien artifacts smuggled to Earth by the greedy
olence than they are in our world in a similar loca-
or the power-mad, or even stranger devices left be-
tion. Regardless of whether characters are fighting
hind by aliens who visited Earth decades or centu-
Aberrants, attempting to rob a bank, or under attack
ries before. In the course of these investigations, the
by deadly rivals, dozens and perhaps hundreds of
characters might also discover evidence that one or
cameras will see the conflict and within minutes,
more species of aliens has been observing and sub-
first drones and then a large number of police offi-
tly interfering with humanity for millennia.
cers and perhaps soldiers will arrive on the scene.
At least some of the wonders that the characters
However, the situation is very different in remote
discover should be items, creatures, or worlds that
locations like the Australian Outback, or the remote
are entirely new to human experience, and most of
regions inside or near Wycoff’s Blight. Here, or-
the rest will have only been known to a few who
bital satellites may notice and report on any espe-
were determined to keep their existence secret.
cially violent conflicts, such as ones involving large
More importantly, these discoveries should rare-
explosions, but actually getting law enforcement
ly be passive events where the characters stumble
or military personnel to the conflict could easily
upon a crashed spacecraft, relic-filled vault or a new
take several hours, if they decide to go there at all.
and inexplicable species sitting passively, waiting
Meanwhile, in France, small battles are a daily oc-
to be found. Instead, important discoveries should
currence. Also, in the poorest and most run-down
usually be active, frenetic affairs. Perhaps the char-
portions of the FSA’s cities and arcologies, the few
acters uncover a clue about a mystery and must race
working sensors may record the sound of gunshots
their opponents to find it. Alternately, they may find
or even small explosions, but often the local po-
a vault filled with Nova Age relics, only to have the
lice won’t bother to even send drones to the scene
automated defense system suddenly activate, or dis-
unless there is evidence that first-class citizens or
cover a new species when it relentlessly hunts them
their property are in danger.
across an alien landscape.
In the most general terms, various locations
Using mysteries like those described above also
within the universe of Trinity Continuum: Æon
allows Storyguides to neatly sidestep any problems
are particularly well-suited for certain types of sce-
caused by the characters’ access to ubiquitous infor-
narios. This in no way means that those are the only
mation (see p. 321). Having easy access to a wealth
types of scenarios that work in these locations or
of information only matters so much if the result to
that a Storyguide can’t create and run a wonderful
every query about a newly discovered creature or
campaign in a particular location that has nothing

312 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

 LOCATION AND SUB-GENRE
LOCATION SF SUB-GENRE
Australia Future Crime Stories or Social SF
China & SE Asia Political Intrigue or Social SF
France Post-Apocalyptic SF or Military SF
FSA Cyberpunk or Political Intrigue
Eastern Europe or India Political Intrigue
Khantze Lu Ge Military SF
Nippon Cyberpunk, Future Crime Stories, Social SF, Transhumanist SF
Olympus Future Crime Stories
Other Extrasolar Colonies Space Opera
Sudamérica Future Crime Stories, Political Intrigue, Transhumanist SF
UAN Political Intrigue, Social SF, Space Opera
to do with the types of scenario it is designed for. are well-off members of society who seek to fight
However, many Storyguides are likely to find run- against the injustices around them. In cyberpunk,
ning specific types of scenarios somewhat easier the most common tools used by the protagonists
in particular locations. Since Trinity Continuum: are cutting-edge technologies, especially those that
Æon is a science fiction game, the following loca- allow users to gain illegal access to information or
tions are matched with the sub-genres or types of unauthorized control of the society’s technologi-
SF that best fit that location. cal infrastructure. The characters could be rebels
Of course, the above advice doesn’t take into ac- working to overthrow the FSA or Orgotek employ-
count any changes that a Storyguide might make in ees who are also FSA freedom fighters or who are
the setting or other changes that happen as a result directly aiding rebel groups. Similar rebel groups in
of the characters’ actions. As they are presented in eastern Europe would also work for cyberpunk sto-
this book, the FSA, Sudamérica, and China are all ries, as would a team of Talents in Nippon that is us-
poor choices for military SF war stories. However, ing illicit means to right wrongs and aid the ignored
if the FSA is in the midst of a revolution, if war inhabitants of the arcology’s abandoned sectors.
breaks out between the FSA and Sudamérica, or if Future Crime Stories: Stories about criminals
one of these three locations suffers a massive and and the law-enforcement agents who oppose them.
prolonged attack by Aberrants, then these regions Characters can be on either side of this divide. They
could swiftly end up in the midst of a brutal and might be high-tech psionic thieves who attempt to
prolonged war. use illegal means to enrich themselves, while also
stealing from and working to disgrace individuals
SUB-GENRES EXPLAINED and corporations who attempt to oppress others.
The above table lists eight different subgenres Alternately, the characters might be law-enforce-
of science fiction and where in the setting they can ment officials fighting brutally efficient organized
most easily be run. The following is a brief descrip- criminal gangs, some of whom may be using ille-
tion of each of these types of science fiction, along gal Nova-age technology, or perhaps have direct
with a suggestion or two about how this subgenre Aberrant aid. Olympus’ Underworld is made for
might be used in Trinity Continuum: Æon. crime stories, but they also work well in the glit-
Cyberpunk: Stories about crime and power in tering cities of Sudamérica and Australia or in
settings with vast social and economic inequali- Nippon’s vast arcology.
ty, where most of the population is poor and op- Military SF: Stories about the heroism and horrors
pressed, but a sizeable minority lead lives of priv- of war. Space battles against the Chromatics around
ilege and luxury. Characters are typically either Karroo Mining Colony or fighting Aberrant raids on
members of the lower class who are attempting to Earth are both good places for this type of scenario
become wealthy or tear down the system, or they or campaign, but Khantze Lu Ge is custom-made for

running science fiction scenarios 313

 military SF since it is currently the site of an extend- interstellar colony, being the crew of a Leviathan
ed and brutal war. Here, the characters can rescue jump ship, being an Upeo wa Macho interstellar
civilians and oppose hideous sub-Aberrant mutants exploration team, or freelance psions working for a
and exceedingly powerful Aberrants. UAN interstellar trading company associated with
Political Intrigue: Stories about espionage, se- Upeo wa Macho.
cret deals, blackmail, and most of all, stories about Transhumanist SF: Stories about people chang-
individuals and groups attempting to accumulate ing themselves (and perhaps others) in ways that
and consolidate power, while also working to stop (for better or worse) leave human limitations and
their rivals from gaining power. The characters existing definitions of humanity increasingly far
could be freelance spies or members of political- behind. Transhumanist SF can include everything
ly active organizations like the Ministry or Norça, from campaigns where the characters attempt to
who work behind the scenes to advance their deal with how the general public reacts to such
agenda and secretly defeat their rivals, while also changes, to epic stories of people attempting to
discovering the hidden plans and agendas of their create or become technologically enhanced gods or
enemies. The Ministry is especially ideal setting for monsters, often while opposed by others who fear
political intrigue. such transformations.
Post-Apocalyptic SF: Stories about struggling
for survival in the ruins of a now-collapsed civili- EARTH CAMPAIGNS
zation. Such stories work well in Wycoff’s Blight or VS SPACE CAMPAIGNS
the portions of Khantze Lu Ge that have recently When considering what sort of campaign to
been freed from Aberrant control, but are still in run, one of the first and most important choices a
ruins. However, the most obvious location for these Storyguide must make is whether she wishes the
stories is the Aberrant-blasted ruins of France. The campaign to be set on Earth or in space. For all prac-
characters will typically not be struggling for sur- tical purposes, Luna counts as Earth, both because
vival, but they will regularly deal with hundreds or jump rings provide instant travel between Earth
thousands of people who are. Some beg them for and Olympus and also because Luna, like Earth, has
help they may be unable to provide, others attempt a very large and highly urban population.
to take what they need by force and are willing to Campaigns set on Earth or Luna can be set in
kill anyone who attempts to stop them. small isolated settlements or remote wilderness ar-
Social SF: Stories about the social and cultur- eas, but vast cities and arcologies containing tens of
al impacts of new technologies and new ways of millions of people are never more than a few hours
life. Characters could work to prevent violence by away, and the presence of these metropolises is an
people who don’t trust psions and the new bio- important part of the setting. However, there are
tech-based transformations and enhancements, far fewer people elsewhere in space. Qinshui is
while also solving problems caused by people who home to hundreds of millions of Qin, but fewer than
embrace cutting-edge, and often not fully tested, 20,000 humans, and none of humanity’s extrasolar
biotech enhancement technologies without regard colonies have a total population larger than one of
for safety or side effects. Alternately, a campaign set Earth’s medium-sized cities.
in China, where the characters are members of the In addition, scenarios where the characters at-
Ministry tasked with helping to maintain order or tempt to hide by blending in with the mass of hu-
create useful social changes would also be social SF. manity are far more difficult on colonies with only
Space Opera: Tales of adventure, discovery, dan- 50,000 residents. Also, the sparsely settled nature
ger, and wonder on the spaceways. In space opera, of all of these worlds combined with how recently
characters discover new worlds and ancient alien they were settled means that a wealth of mysteries
treasure, help establish new colonies, and make first can await characters that yearn for exploration.
contact with potentially friendly aliens, while also Characters might find evidence of an ancient alien
battling raiders, space pirates, and hostile aliens, research base on Averiguas or a primitive and rel-
and the ever-present dangers found in space and atively rare intelligent species inhabiting Ruan’s
on unfamiliar and often exceedingly deadly worlds. World, while such scenarios would make no sense
Possible campaigns include everything from the on Earth, unless perhaps the character discov-
characters being psions assigned to a particular ered a crashed alien vessel in a secret warehouse

314 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

or a newly created intelligent species in a secure and characters traveling to a remote region on Far
laboratory. Nyumba might be 10,000 kilometers from any set-
Most scenarios should involve at least some con- tlement. However, even in the Australian Outback,
tact with other characters, but Earth-based scenari- the nearest other settlement is rarely more than 200
os typically focus on human institutions and objects kilometers away, and is usually considerably closer.
created by other humans (or perhaps by Aberrants). Often, scenarios set in space involve some form of
Also, on Earth or Luna, characters are rarely more isolation, where the characters are cut off from other
than a few hours from other people. In contrast, people and also often from the OpNet. However, out-
a team of explorers working for Upeo wa Macho side of prisons or vast abandoned Aberrant-built tun-
could easily be the only humans for 200 light years, nel complexes, there’s very little isolation on Earth.

CREATING OPTIMISTIC SCENARIOS

The setting of Trinity Continuum: Æon isn’t food, housing, medical care, and education, and
idyllic or utopian, but it is one where many of the most governments work to serve the interests of
problems facing our own world, including both their population.
widespread poverty and global climate change Ultimately, one of the keys to this setting is that
have mostly been solved. This era of the Trinity while greed, villainy, and even monstrous inhuman-
Continuum has numerous problems, but many of ity by actual monsters all exist, they are the excep-
them, like the refugee crisis in France, are caused by tion rather than the rule. Many humans and other
outside threats. Brutal and oppressive governments sentient beings who assist villains do so out of des-
like those of the FSA, Russia, and Ukraine exist, peration, fear, or ignorance, or because they are no
but they are the exception rather than the norm. longer fully in control of their own minds. As a re-
Instead, while all institutions contain both heroes sult, defeating evildoers allows people and the insti-
and villains, most people have adequate access to tutions they serve to return to being forces for good.

creating optimistic scenarios 315

 Embracing this vision of the Trinity Continuum Giving the characters recurring allies like a stern-
involves creating scenarios where the characters but-kindly supervisor to whom they regularly talk
are not merely heroic, but are working to either is one method of creating this sort of engagement.
preserve something they consider to be important Many characters can work well in this role, like a
or to defeat a foe that has disturbed a previously socially awkward but well-meaning engineer or
good status quo. In short, they are fighting to save a technician that one of the characters is friends with
world that’s mostly good and to change those parts and who occasionally provides the characters with
of it that aren’t. There are two important, but close- new, and mostly useful devices to field test, or a rival
ly related parts to achieving this in your scenarios, team of psions that the characters learn to respect
portraying the setting and the people in it as mostly and work with. Once the characters have gotten to
good (with obvious exceptions, such as the villains know these Storyguide characters they will care if
and their assistants) and more importantly, that the the technician is being threatened or blackmailed, if
characters care about and are invested in the setting the rival team vanishes mysteriously, or their super-
and at least some of the Storyguide characters they visor suddenly begins acting strangely because they
interact with. were kidnapped and replaced by a shape-changing
Part of this vision is embedded in the setting. Aberrant or possessed by one of the Doyen (see p.
With the exception of a few obviously villainous 359). The characters will be motivated to help, not
governments that exist for ambitious characters to merely because it’s clearly the right choice, but also
overthrow, most governments and organizations because they want to save their colleagues.
are run and staffed by decent, well-intentioned in- To further reinforce this sort of engagement,
dividuals. Scenarios and even entire campaigns can characters should occasionally meet ordinary peo-
focus on internal threats by ruthless sociopaths, ple who aid them in various minor, but perhaps
fanatics who place the ends well before the means, important ways. Perhaps the characters infiltrate
or Aberrants who are secretly controlling a few Ukraine on a mission to prevent war in eastern
people in a large organization. However, important Europe, and a local doctor treats an injured char-
organizations like the UN, the psi orders, and the acter and keeps the fact she is treating a foreigner
Æon Trinity should be forces for good. Individual secret. If several sessions later the characters learn
Storyguides are, of course, free to decide that any that this doctor has been arrested or find out that
of the psi orders, the UN, or even the Æon Trinity her son has mysteriously vanished, they will likely
itself are mostly corrupt and evil, but in the default feel obligated to help someone who risked herself
setting for Trinity Continuum: Æon, they aren’t. for them.
Instead, any of these organizations that have Of course, there’s more to creating optimistic sce-
problems should rapidly mend their ways once the narios than the characters’ motives. One of the key
few bad actors are discovered and dealt with. One features is that most of the time the characters’ allies
fact that can make this setting complex and inter- and superiors typically won’t betray them. Also, if any
esting without being dystopian is that definitions of sort of betrayal happens, it’s an aberration (possibly
good can vary wildly. China’s government has ideas caused by an Aberrant) and only occurred because
about good governance and helping its populace someone was blackmailed, mind controlled, replaced
that are very different from those in Sudamérica or by a duplicate, or perhaps simply was one of the few
Australia, and there’s no obvious or objective way to members of the organization who is a greed-driven
say who is more correct. sociopath. The characters should also understand
In addition to the inherent optimism of the set- that the organization will replace these hidden foes
ting, much of the effort needed to create optimis- with more honorable and humane individuals once
tic scenarios lies with the Storyguide. One of the the characters reveal the betrayal.
keys to designing and running optimistic scenarios Another aspect of creating optimistic scenarios
is that the characters, and hopefully also the play- is that the effects of the characters’ actions should
ers, care about aiding and protecting the various linger and recur. One or two game sessions after
Storyguide characters they know and the organi- helping to save an Amazonian village, one of the
zation or organizations they belong to. To do this, characters might notice a mention of that village on
the players must be motivated to engage with the the OpNet. Alternately, when the characters go on
setting and the characters who inhabit it. a mission in a city they have visited before, one of

316 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

their local contacts may explain to them how grate- a common goal. An entire campaign could be built
ful someone they helped was. This sort of reputa- around psions, perhaps working for Orgotek, build-
tion can have effects well beyond ego boosts; it can ing alliances with various rebel groups working to
encourage strangers in the same city to aid them if overthrow the FSA. In addition to providing direct
they get into trouble. However, it also might mean aid, the characters would protect the rebels from
that someone recognizes the characters when they FSA soldiers and spies and would eventually make
are walking down the street, and suddenly they alliances with other psi orders, the Æon Trinity, and
must deal with the price of fame while on a mission other nations like Sudamérica, China, and the UAN,
they were hoping to keep at least somewhat secret. who then work with the characters to overthrow
Nevertheless, fame is far superior to infamy. If the FSA’s government and restore freedom to North
the characters dramatically fail at an assignment, America. A smaller-scale scenario might involve
or even worse, callously leave a civilian to die or be brokering peace between the different factions on
arrested because of their actions, even if they avoid Averiguas, transforming resentment and aggression
legal penalties, people in that city are likely to re- to unity. Alternately, perhaps the characters are
member them and they may have to deal with angry forced to ally temporarily with a group of Nihonjin
civilians shouting at them the next time they return Talents to defeat a dastardly Aberrant plot.
there. If their actions are sufficiently dramatic, their The world of Trinity Continuum: Æon is one
infamy may spread across the OpNet, and follow where mad Aberrants, scheming Doyen, and the
them everywhere they go. Coalition’s monstrous progenitors are all threaten-
ing humanity. These antagonists are also covertly
USING AND EVOKING UNITY manipulating, threatening, or oppressing other in-
The thematic focus of the entire Trinity telligent species, like the Qin, the Chromatics, and
Continuum is Hope, Sacrifice, and Unity, and while the other Coalition phyle. Victory over humanity’s
all those still apply in Trinity Continuum: Æon, foes would be considerably easier if these disparate,
this game’s central theme is unity, particularly in and in some cases, currently antagonistic groups
the sense of disparate groups working together for worked together.
the common good and cooperating to defeat mutual A scenario or even an entire campaign could be
foes. The following are some suggestions for how built around the characters making an alliance with
to foreground unity in your campaigns. One of the the Chromatics to end their war with humanity, de-
most immediate and obvious ways is within the feat the Aberrants terrorizing the Chromatic home-
group of characters. The characters are likely to be world, and eventually working together to defeat
a group of psions with different Aptitudes who not the Doyen. In another campaign, the characters
only work together, but can combine their powers might help to keep peace between a nervous Earth
to produce effects impossible for any one of them and the powerful novas of Eden, or assist the sasqs,
to create. Alternately, they might be a mixed group drones, and other oppressed and enslaved Coalition
of psions and Talents who are working together and phyle in an uprising up against the progenitors.
finding the ways that their different powers and All of these are stories about unity. You could even
abilities complement one another. create a vast and epic campaign where the charac-
However, unity can also be expressed in how the ters make alliances with several of these disparate
characters interact with others. One of the most im- groups to make peace and eventually defeat one of
portant expressions of unity in this setting is differ- the games’ three major threats — the Aberrants, the
ent groups and individuals working together toward Coalition Ark, or the Doyen.

creating optimistic scenarios 317

 ALLEGIANCE IN
TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON
Even the most powerful team of psions doesn’t team that belongs to ISRA should usually contain at
exist in a vacuum. They all gained their powers in a least one clairsentient.
Prometheus Chamber, and have at least have a loose The question then becomes, which psi order
association with the psi order that helped trigger works best for a particular group? Some of this de-
their powers. Also, most psions work for an orga- pends upon where the players and the Storyguide
nization, although not necessarily one of the psi or- prefer to set their game, since some of the psi orders
ders. The choice of the character’s allegiance will like the Ministry or Norça are strongly associated
determine a great deal about the campaign. with particular nations. However, teams working
for the Æsculapian Order, ISRA, the Legions, and
WORKING FOR A PSI ORDER Upeo wa Macho can all be found anywhere on
This is the default assumption for Trinity or off Earth, and all of the psi orders maintain at
Continuum: Æon — the players are members of one least some presence outside of their home nation.
of the seven extant psi orders, and working for Chitra Another important factor to consider is the order’s
Bhanu is also possible (see p. 368). Approximately half purpose and structure.
of the members of any psi order gained their powers If the characters belong to the Legions, they are
from the Prometheus Chamber belonging to another soldiers or combat support personnel, if they in-
psi order, and so members of the team need not all stead belong to the Æsculapian Order, they are like-
possess the same Aptitude. Also, psions can enhance ly to be a medical-relief or search-and-rescue team,
their powers by working together. As a result, every just as if they belong to the Ministry, they all work
psi order encourages its teams and working groups for the Chinese government in a bureau that deals
to contain psions with a wide range of Aptitudes. The with information and public opinion. Also, some
one limitation is that most teams belonging to a par- psi orders are more tightly organized than others.
ticular psi order should usually contain one member A team belonging to ISRA may be left to their own
whose Aptitude is the order’s default. For example, a devices for much of the time, since Otha Herzog

318 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

expects the team’s clairsentient to see what needs next step is to decide what sort of roles the charac-
to be done. However, even in the most loosely or- ter have. Most importantly, are they publicly known
ganized groups, characters will occasionally receive Æon Trinity operatives who can command the re-
assignments from their superiors. sources and power of the Æon Trinity as part of
The nature of these assignments naturally de- their missions, or are they covert operatives work-
pends upon what sort of campaign the players and ing undercover, where they attempt to infiltrate
Storyguide want and all of the characters should be criminal gangs or Aberrant cults, or at least get to
designed to work well in that type of campaign. A know people who associate with members of these
campaign where the characters are skilled Aberrant organizations? Like the Ministry and Norça, the
hunters calls for very different characters than one Æon Trinity has a moderate number of covert op-
where the characters are international (or even in- eratives who can discreetly call upon this organiza-
terstellar) spies, interstellar explorers, or a team of tion’s resources, but who must publicly appear to be
inventors and hackers who are working to change petty criminals, minor dissidents, or other similarly
the future of humanity. Once again, the nature of disreputable individuals.
these assignments relates closely to which psi order Even more than any of the psi orders, working
the character belong to. Many teams of Aberrant undercover for the Æon Trinity often involves para-
hunters belong to the Legions, and while spies noia and secrecy, where the characters may have to
could work for most orders, they are especially impersonate someone else for several sessions and
common in Norça and the Ministry, while hackers characters who are not biokinetics might be given
and inventors definitely fit with Orgotek best. plastic surgery to cause them to look like someone
else. The characters could be sent into the Olympus
WORKING FOR Underworld, the Nippon arcology, or even assigned
THE ÆON TRINITY to a work detail on Averiguas. The characters might
even work for Æon’s secretive Section Minerva.
If the Storyguide wants the team to be general-
Openly working for the Æon Trinity guarantees
ized troubleshooters who could either be assigned
the characters a measure of respect and admiration
almost anywhere or to perform some specific task,
from many of the people they interact with, as well
like interstellar archeology, which doesn’t fit well
as ensuring that local people of importance pay at-
into any of the psi orders, another excellent op-
tention to their activities. Many elderly people re-
tion for is having the characters work for the Æon
member how the Æon Trinity provided all manner
Trinity. This organization takes an interest in the
of vital assistance after the Crash, and all across the
safety and well-being of every nation, planet, or
Earth and Luna, people who are middle-aged grew
moon inhabited by humans as well as working to
up in the era of rebuilding from the Crash, and may
advance technology and explore the universe.
have gone to an Æon Trinity sponsored school.
Characters who work for the Æon Trinity can
Even people who are somewhat suspicious of the
be involved in literally any aspect of the Trinity
various psi orders are almost certain to respect the
Continuum: Æon setting, from urban politics and
Æon Trinity. The only exception is Nippon, where
diplomacy, to deep-space search and rescue or in-
the populace respects this organization’s efforts,
vestigating the black-market trade in unlicensed
but lacks the personal connection of either having
Nova Age technologies. The Æon Trinity has ac-
been directly helped by them or having older rela-
cess to several Leviathan jump ships and is just as
tives who were.
good a choice for campaigns involving interstellar
exploration as Upeo wa Macho. However, the key SECTION MINERVA
point to the characters working for the Æon Trinity
Although technically part of the Æon Trinity,
is that they are employed by an organization whose
Section Minerva is almost entirely separate from
entire purpose is to help humanity grow and devel-
the Æon power structure and chain of command
op while also protecting it from both internal and
and primarily consists of semi-independent teams
external threats. Characters who work for this or-
of secret operatives. Each team only report to a few
ganization should embody the three principles of
members of the Æon Council. Having the charac-
Hope, Sacrifice, and Unity.
ters be on a Section Minerva team can be a useful
Also, once the Storyguide and players have decid-
intermediate choice between having the characters
ed that the characters work for the Æon Trinity, the

allegiance in trinity continuum Æon 319

 be freelance psions with no allegiance to anyone or experimental Leviathan jump ship, which is exact-
having them belong to and work for one of the psi ly the sort of device the Æon Council could possess
orders or to be working openly for the Æon Trinity. and allow members of Section Minerva to use. The
Section Minerva teams are assigned missions by the Æon Council might even deliver messages directly
Æon Council, but they are also free to take on their to the jump ship’s noetic intelligence.
own missions. Regardless of whether the Section Minerva teams
One of the biggest advantages of basing a cam- are trekking through the Amazon jungle, swimming
paign around a team of Section Minerva operatives through the aquatic sections of the underwater city
is that the Storyguide is free to introduce almost of Neptunia, or wandering the corridors of Karroo
any sort of heroic scenario, and all types of charac- Mining Colony, their missions will be essentially
ters are possible. In addition to having psions and the same — safeguard humanity, protect the weak
Talents working together, a quantakinetic could from powerful individuals who abuse their power,
easily be recruited as a member of Section Minerva. help prevent disasters and serious political inci-
The quantakinetic is also likely to be accepted by dents, and oppose those who promote chaos and
the other operatives, since the Æon Council re- war. The ultimate simplicity of these missions can
cruits people into Section Minerva who are always be an excellent way to introduce players to the vast
more likely to trust their own instincts and research diversity of the Æon setting.
than official information that they have no way to
directly verify. FREELANCE PSIONS
Section Minerva operatives also do not need to The third obvious and simple choice for a cam-
confine their activities to Earth. They can travel to
paign will be the most familiar to many gamers: The
Luna, various orbital stations, other locations in the
characters are freelance psions who are either inde-
solar system. Also, if the characters include a tele-
pendently wealthy and engage in their own projects
porter, they could travel literally anywhere. The or hire themselves out as troubleshooters, body-
Æon Council could easily assign a Section Minerva guards, private detectives, mercenaries, or spies.
team which included a powerful teleporter to inves-Most gamers are used to playing characters whose
tigate problems on Averiguas or to perform a daringallegiance is only to themselves and the other char-
rescue mission on Khantze Lu Ge. It’s even possi- acters, and this type of campaign can work well in
ble that the team might be able to travel to the stars
Trinity Continuum: Æon. However, it can also be
without a teleporter if they had access to a small,quite limiting. Unless one of the characters is a tele-
porter, the characters will have little
or no access to interstellar travel. The
FREELANCER PSIONS & PSI ORDERS Leviathan jump ships have only been
in operation for a year and are pri-
Every psion is at least technically still a member of a psi marily used for important missions.
order. To gain access to a Prometheus Chamber, a latent Also, Upeo wa Macho charges a great
must join a psi order, and pass whatever qualifications deal of money for characters who
for membership that order possesses. However, some psi
want to travel to the stars without an
orders allow individuals to go their own way after they
have completed a few weeks of training and orientation important mission or official backing.
following their use of the Prometheus Chamber, and all In addition, most governments and
of the other psi orders allow members to leave after they corporations take a very dim view of
have completed a term of employment or service. outsiders interfering in their affairs.
Unless the psi order ejected a member due to serious The Storyguide should consider if
misconduct, all psi orders maintain an interest in former this is the sort of campaign they want
or lapsed members, and these psions can often call to run. Characters who are self-em-
upon other members or even the order’s formal hierar- ployed rootless wanderers can work
chy for various sorts of minor assistance. In addition, if well in this setting, but should not be
a former member in good standing notices something of the default choice.
interest to the order they will have a much easier time Alternately, some freelance
convincing the psi order to investigate this phenomenon psions aren’t rootless and indepen-
than an ordinary civilian would.
dent. Instead, they possess close

320 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

ties and significant loyalty to a place or a small lo- investigating mysteries, including relics and
cal organization like a particular group plotting to history from the Nova Age or the Aberrant War
help New Tampa secede from the FSA and become lurking in storage lockers or buried in basements.
part of Oceania. Characters who are all strongly Similarly, a team of psions who are all from
invested in a particular city, arcology, local cause, Karroo Mining Colony or Far Nyumba would be
or colony world could make for an excellent cam- some of the more notable individuals there and
paign. Instead of working for an organization, the could face a wealth of opportunities for adven-
characters are instead all residents of a large city or ture, from archeological discoveries to alien inva-
arcology like Shanghai, Chicago, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, sions or attacks by Aberrants.
Olympus, Mumbai, Pacifica, Jomo Kenyata, or Finally, a team of freelance psions might have
Sydney. Any of these cities is sufficiently large and a mentor or patron who employs them to handle
cosmopolitan that there is a wealth of problems some particular sort of problem. The characters
that a determined team of psions could solve. The could be anything from corporate espionage opera-
characters could be a team of private detectives, or tives working directly and secretly for the head of a
simply people interested in making their city a good large corporation, to a team of interstellar explorers
place to live and eliminating threats to it. The key charged by a government or corporation to locate
to making this sort of campaign work to flesh out new habitable worlds or to discover alien artifacts
the city and the various contacts, friends, and ac- whose technology can be adapted for human use.
quaintances the characters interact with, much like If the characters are actually freelance psions and
the key to making a campaign where the characters not psions who work for a government or corpora-
belong to a psi order or other organization work, is tion, then they might well work directly for a single
detailing a variety of individuals inside the organi- person who is high up in the organization, and not
zation with whom the characters regularly interact. be part of any sort of organizational structure. This
In a city-based campaign, the characters could sort of campaign works best if the characters have a
stop violent crime or help protect officials they single, highly specific sort of mission, like stealing
approve of from threats or blackmail, while also corporate secrets or exploring alien worlds.

USING THE OPNET

& UBIQUITOUS INFORMATION
Even in the ruins of Paris, the depths of the enough to alert them to news and other information
Amazon rainforest, or the wilds of Far Nyumba, they would be interested in, while screening out
characters have easy access to electronic infor- everything else, unless requested to do otherwise.
mation and communications, and so do their foes. Agents also alert their users to appointments, pro-
This access to electronic information becomes even vide directions, screen calls, and display augmented
more extensive in cities and arcologies on Earth or reality information in an easy-to-understand fash-
in Olympus on Luna, where augmented reality dis- ion, especially if their user is obviously busy per-
plays detailed information about every shop or stat- forming difficult surgery or running for her life.
ue. Also, the authorities, as well as clever hackers, Characters can access any publicly available in-
have instant access to tens of thousands of cameras, formation or contact other people simply by asking
mini-drones, and other sensors throughout the city. their minicomp. On those rare occasions when some-
Keep in mind that much of this information is easily one’s agent is uncertain about the nature of a request,
and seamlessly presented to people and almost ev- it asks one or two follow-up questions. However,
eryone learned how to access and understand this information and communication have some limits.
information when they were children. A few old basements and tunnels lack repeaters and
No rolls are necessary to use normal, unrestricted so are cut off from the OpNet. Also, secure facili-
augmented reality or OpNet access. Also, because ties install signal jammers and shielding to prevent
people typically use the same agent for their mini- anyone inside from accessing the OpNet. However,
comp for decades, this SI understands them well unless characters are in remote or deliberately

Using the Opnet & Ubiquitous information 321

 isolated locations Storyguides should never assume kept deliberately secret or no one knows it, obtain-
that characters cannot access the OpNet or contact ing it is a matter of seconds. However, this same easy
others, and characters should rarely find themselves access can be used to surprise characters. Normally,
in such situations without warning. Typically, some- when a character looks at someone, they see what-
one’s minicomp announces if she is entering an area ever information this person wishes to display in
with limited or no OpNet access. Lack of OpNet ac- their augmented reality profile and then asks their
cess should be a rare event that helps emphasize that agent to obtain more information about this person
the characters are in a location where they are en- using both this information and facial recognition.
tirely on their own, such as breaking into the head- However, they might encounter someone who dis-
quarters of a Nihonjin intelligence agency. plays a minimal amount of generic information, and
However, except in such dramatic and unusual who has nothing in any database. Perhaps this per-
circumstances, players who find their characters’ son is a spy, a criminal, or simply a celebrity who
minicomps regularly fail will become justifiably has disguised herself and is using a generic incog-
frustrated. Instead, Storyguides should see easy nito identity. Alternately, characters who are used
availability of information and communication as a to discovering information on almost everything at
method of enhancing scenarios. One or more char- a glance may look at an alien artifact or animal and
acters could be in contact with a distant ally who is receive the rare search result “Unknown subject, no
trapped in a damaged spacecraft orbiting the Earth. information found.”
The characters may not be able to immediately trav- However, remember that everyone’s access to in-
el to this ally, but can communicate with her, and formation is not equal. Ordinary citizens can track
attempt to help her survive until they can physi- the movements or find the location of people who
cally be present. Alternately, characters might even have given them permission to do so — typically
be able to remotely pilot drones in a location they family members and exceedingly close friends —
can’t physically access or perhaps a few characters but cannot track the movements of anyone else.
can physically access a location, while the rest pilot However, law enforcement and security personnel
drones in the same location. These and many sim- can, with the proper authorization, locate anyone
ilar options use ubiquitous communication to en- in their jurisdiction and download a record of their
hance storytelling. movements and other actions, and a sufficiently
Access to information should be handled in a skilled hacker can obtain truly vast amounts of in-
similar fashion. If the information is anything that’s formation about anyone, unless the person they are
public, the characters should be able to instantly attempting to hack is an even better hacker. This
acquire it and if they don’t have time to examine it differential access to information is one of the most
carefully, their agents can summarize it, providing powerful tools available to authorized officials,
most of the important points. Unless information is hackers, and, of course, electrokinetics.

TALENTS IN
TRINITY CONTINUUM: ÆON
While psions were created through the use of routine that can determine with a moderate degree
advanced technology, Talents occur naturally. Also, of accuracy whether someone is an “anomalous in-
the Æon Trinity and the various psi orders can dividual” or not. Unfortunately, this test requires
administer tests to determine psionic latency, but several days of extensive physical and mental tests
Talents show up as perfectly ordinary humans on administered by highly trained experts. In contrast,
every known medical test. However, while no one in the test for latency requires a few minutes and a
the Trinity Continuum: Æon setting understands cheek swab. As a result, the Æon Trinity and vari-
what Talents are, various individuals and groups ous other large organizations have only identified a
have noticed what they can do. The Æon Trinity has few dozen Talents.
been keeping track of various exceptional individu- However, there are actually almost as many
als for many decades and has even devised a testing Talents as psions, and they are powerful and highly

322 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

effective characters. There are two options for us- One potential difficulty is finding reasons for
ing Talents in Trinity Continuum: Æon. They can Talents and psions to work together on a long-term
either be part of a mixed group of characters that basis. Many psions are used to regarding neutrals
contains both Talents and psions or they can be part as significantly less powerful and might consider
of a group of characters composed solely of Talents. someone who, from all appearances, is a neutral not
Both options are good choices for this setting. to be a suitable companion on difficult and danger-
Talents and psions are of roughly equal power, but ous missions. However, the Æon Trinity and all of
their special abilities are very different, and the luck the psi orders have neutrals as members, and even
and sheer physical and mental prowess of a Talent if the character has not shown up during testing
can nicely complement psion powers. This is espe- as someone who is almost inhumanly talented and
cially true if the psions have powers that have no lucky, nothing earns approval quite as well as con-
overlap with Talents; clairsentients, electrokinetics, tinued success. A Talent who has repeatedly proven
psychokinetics, quantakinetics, telepaths, and tele- her worth could easily be assigned to work with a
porters are all excellent choices for inclusion in the group of psions. Also, given how versatile and use-
same group with Talents. Biokinetics and vitakinet- ful Talents can be, after a session or two, even the
ics can also work well with Talents, but the fact that most skeptical psion is going to be forced to admit
their powers are expressed through their physical the character’s worth, despite her lack of psionic
bodies means that the Storyguide must take more powers.
somewhat more care to make certain that no char- Allowing players to choose either Talents or
acter’s special abilities overshadow those of other psions as characters also permits Storyguides to
characters. However, a biokinetic who is a master of accommodate players who prefer playing “normal
disguise and adaptability and a Talent whose focus humans.” Although Talents are anything but aver-
is that she can build, repair, hack, or modify almost age, they lack obvious powers and appeal to most
any device and drive or pilot any vehicle could eas- players who enjoy the idea of playing a cinematic
ily work together in the same group of characters action hero who is still fundamentally bound by
with no problems of one character overshadowing normal human limitations.
the other.

talents in trinity continuum: Æon 323

 Another unusual and interesting possibility is advantages in social situations, clairsentients dis-
that a player may have previously enjoyed playing a cern information others have no chance of learn-
Talent in a Trinity Continuum campaign set in the ing, and biokinetics can adapt to any environment
early 21st century could even play the same charac- or disguise themselves as any person or animal.
ter in Trinity Continuum: Æon. Perhaps the char- However, outside of tasks they can enhance with
acter or a colleague or mentor invented some sort their powers, psions are only slightly better than
of suspended-animation device or drug that caused normal humans — every psion is by nature a spe-
the character to sleep away the intervening 110 years cialist. Talents can specialize, but they can also be
frozen or in a vat of some exotic, life-sustaining gel. consummate generalists who have the capacity to
At the start of the campaign, the character is then eventually become impressive at almost any en-
revived by a team from Orgotek, the Æsculapian deavor they undertake.
Order, or perhaps the Æon Trinity, who discover
the character’s cryotube or stasis pod. Such a char- USING DRAMATIC EDITING
acter could be an exotic but useful choice to a player IN TRINITY CONTINUUM:
who knows little about the setting and is willing to
have his character be a man or woman out of time.
ÆON
A team composed entirely of Talents can also be Talents in the Trinity Continuum Corebook can
interesting and fun and provide a campaign that is use Dramatic Editing, but as a Storyguide it’s your
very different from a traditional team of psions. In choice whether or not to allow Dramatic Editing in
addition to having abilities that will not instantly Trinity Continuum: Æon. This decision should be
cause people to identity them as psions, the char- discussed with your players and depends both on
acter suffer no hindrances in psionic dead zones how comfortable all of you are with this mechanic
like Wycoff’s Blight and have no problems visiting and also what sort of campaign you wish to have.
Nippon. One possible option for a team of Talents is There are three options for how to handle Dramatic
that they could be a team of Nihonjin spies and op- Editing in Æon.
eratives who have access to both their Knacks and No Dramatic Editing: Even if players play
the finest Nihonjin hardtech, including advanced Talents, neither they nor any other character can
cyberware. The characters could even be charged use Dramatic Editing. This style of play works best
with keeping an eye on one or more psi orders. They if the Storyguide or players dislike using Dramatic
might uncover telepathic abuses performed by Editing and prefer a gritty style of play where con-
members of the Ministry or investigate illegal and sequences are exceedingly final. The major limita-
unethical experiments performed by rogue psions tion of this style of play is that it significantly weak-
who have been hiding the true nature of their work ens Talents, since this is one of their major abilities.
from the rest of their psi order. Alternately, the Only Talents Can Use Dramatic Editing: This
characters might be a similar team employed by the option is only distinguishable from the previous
Æon Trinity, to go on undercover missions where one if one or more of the players chooses a Talent
psions might be too conspicuous or to deal with as a character. This option emphasizes that Talents
terrorists or criminals using illegal nova-derived are preternaturally lucky individuals and helps to
technology which allows them to hide from or in- foreground the fact that their ability to work equal-
capacitate psions. ly alongside psions is in part due to their excep-
Talents also possess a few other advantages tional luck. This method is the default assumption
psions do not. A psion is always going to be a bet- for Trinity Continuum: Æon and for the Trinity
ter inventor when it comes to biotech, but Talents Continuum as a whole.
can excel at hardtech inventing. Also, psions can Psions Must Spend Psi Points to Use Dramatic
be detected by a simple and fast DNA test using Editing: Both Talents and psions can use Dramatic
blood, shed skin cells, or hair. A Talent shows up Editing, but psions must spend Psi points to use
as a perfectly ordinary human on these and every Dramatic Editing, which means that using it comes
other medical test. However, designing scenarios at the cost of having fewer points to use to power
for Talents is somewhat different from designing their Modes. This is a good style of play if every-
them for psions. Every psion excels in areas direct- one enjoys Dramatic Editing and wishes to have
ly related to their Aptitude — telepaths have major an especially cinematic campaign where unlikely

324 CHAPTER NINE: STORYGUIDING

escapes and other exceptional feats of luck are not a Talent reappear after seemingly having died costs
uncommon. This is also a good choice for large- a Talent at least 3 Inspiration, but would cost psions
scale campaigns. However, to emphasize their un- at least 12 Psi points. This method allows players
usual luck, Talents should be considerably better with psion characters to have fun using Dramatic
than psions at Dramatic Editing. As a result, using Editing, without infringing on the special abilities
Dramatic Editing should cost psions four times as of Talents too much.
many Psi points as Talents pay Inspiration. Having

talents in trinity continuum: Æon 325

 There’s really nothing quite like someone’s wanting you dead to make you
want to go on living.
— Roger Zelazny

HUMAN SUPPORTING CAST

The Æon era is home to a dizzying array of char- Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
acters. From psions to Talents, soldiers to saviors, Defense: 2
and humans to aliens, stories in Trinity Continuum:
Condition Levels: 4
Æon feature all manner of people. This section pres-
ents a quick selection of sample SGCs that can be
used by the Storyguide with minimal preparation. MINISTRY TELEPATH
Jinhai never really expected to amount to much.
MAJOR CHARACTERS He studied hard and diligently, but he suffered bad-
The following are examples of the types of Inspired ly from impostor syndrome, convinced that at any
individuals that the characters may encounter. moment everyone would see through the facade and
perceive the nervous, scared, uncertain young man
LEGION PSYCHOKINETIC behind it for what he really was. Then his latent
psionic powers became evident and, again, every day
Born in the UAN, Nalah always looked to the stars for
he expected it to turn out to be a false positive and
her future; the gleaming thread of the space elevator up
be yanked away, even up to the very moment he was
to Abuhisi station always made that dream come easi-
immersed into the Ministry’s Prometheus Chamber.
ly to her. When she tested positively for latent psionic
Now, as a telepath, Jinhai has mastered the flaws
ability, the Upeo wa Macho had already vanished and
of his own mind, and has seen the truth in every-
she also lacked the required latency. However, she
one else’s — they’re all just as scared and uncertain
found another path. Now she stands proudly as part
as he was. He loves humanity for this shared self-
of the Seventh Legion, Phoenix Fleet; she may not be
doubt, but also believes that it shows the need for the
the interstellar pioneer of her childhood fantasies, but
Ministry’s work; humans are flawed and fragile crea-
she’ll damn well give her all to protect everything that
tures and require the firm, guiding hand of the or-
humanity has achieved in its expansion through space.
der to protect them and keep them on the righteous
A disciplined and highly trained soldier, Nalah has
path. Any suggestion that he might still share those
focused her psionic development into mastering the
flaws himself will quickly crack his serene facade.
creation and control of force fields; to those suffering
attack by aliens, Aberrants, or other threats, she is a Primary Pool: 11 (social science and
guardian and protector, the bulwark between the inno- social work)
cent and those who would do them harm. Sometimes
Secondary Pool: 6 (political intrigue)
she feels flashes of envy toward the newly returned
Upeo wa Macho, but largely Nalah has made peace Desperation Pool: 3
with her role as a warrior sentinel. Edges: Covert 2, Iron Will 1, Skilled Liar
Primary Pool: 11 (soldier) Psi Trait: 3
Secondary Pool: 6 (pilot and explorer) Psi Modes: Rapport 4, Mindshare 3,
Psychbending 2
Desperation Pool: 4
Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
Edges: Iron Will 2, Legion Armory, Small
Unit Tactics Defense: 2
Psi Trait: 3 Condition Levels: 4
Psi Modes: Thermokinesis 2, Telekinesis
3, Perikinesis 4

human supporting cast 327

 ÆON TRINITY TALENT Edges: Fame 2, Far Reaching Influence,
Hair-Trigger Reflexes, Ms. Fix-It
A big organization like the Æon Trinity needs to get
people and material places, and sometimes those peo- Source: 3
ple and materials are very important or those places Facets: Destructive 1, Intuitive 2,
are very dangerous. Stephanie is one of the top pilots Reflective 3
in the Æon Trinity, with an absolutely incredible re- Gifts: Navigation Hazard, Quick Fix,
cord of successfully extracting Æon operatives from Saw That Coming, Shake That Tail, Swan
absurdly high-risk situations. As far as her fellows are Dive, Voiding The Warranty, Wheelman
concerned, she’s pretty much a guardian angel — no (Aircraft), You Can Do It
matter how badly wrong things go, Stephanie will Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
get you out again. Things weren’t always like this;
she was once a run-of-the-mill Swiss pilot shuttling
Defense: 2
Operation Vesta personnel in and out of the ruins of Condition Levels: 4
western Europe, until a bizarre electric storm over la
Blessure brought her craft down and killed everyone MINOR CHARACTERS
else onboard. She was expected to never fly again, but The following characters are ordinary humans
instead recuperated in record time and threw herself that can act as allies or opponents, or who could sim-
back into her role with greater determination than ply be individuals that characters must interact with
ever. After coming to the attention of Project Tantalus, during their adventures.
she was shifted from her low-key role to become a
high-value pilot for Proteus Division, where she has COLONIST
since saved innumerable lives.
Pheung is a pretty angry person, all things told,
Primary Pool: 11 (pilot) which may explain why she moved to a different plan-
et to get away from the suffocating pressure of her
Secondary Pool: 6 (rescue work)
family’s expectations. Ethnically Thai and a new arriv-
Desperation Pool: 3 al to Far Nyumba, Pheung is a surprising advocate of

328 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

the way of life established by the colony’s first wave Mental: 4
of inhabitants. As a bioscientist, she finds the planet’s
Physical: 4
native life fascinating, and she has fallen deeply in
love with the thriving intellectual community at Far Social: 5
Nyumba’s heart. She finds the new, isolated communi- Defense: 1
ties being set up by some of the fresh wave of immigra- Standard Equipment: 0 Enhancement
tion to be antithetical to what she feels Far Nyumba is
and should be, and is hostile to both the Perezistas and
SPACER
Indian colonists where many of the long-term African
inhabitants take a far more measured approach. For Alexei, there is a form of peace to be found in the
slow, dull routine of asteroid mining work. He doesn’t
Mental: 5 mind the time he spends in Absolute Zero, but it’s always
Physical: 5 something of a relief to be away from the station and back
out in the calming embrace of the void once more. Out
Social: 4
here, his dreams don’t have to meet the hard edge of real-
Defense: 1 ity. Out here, he remembers his home town as a brighter
Standard Equipment: 0 Enhancement place than it ever really was; he easily forgets his family’s
flaws when he thinks of them; and he can quell the sound
EXECUTIVE of the screams in the silence of space. Whenever anyone
mentions an Aberrant sighting, Alexei shivers, and tries
Jessica is absolutely, unshakably certain that she
to move the conversation on to other things.
has earned every ounce of her success. She’s a first-
class FSA citizen with an impressive financial port- Mental: 5
folio and her hand on the rudder of a major corpo-
Physical: 4
ration’s armaments division, and she has a genuine
knack for picking up on the nuances and subtleties of Social: 5
the cutthroat FSA corporate world. It’s been crucial Defense: 1
to her survival, as she’s the contact point between the Excellent Equipment: 1 Enhancement
metacorp and the deniable assets it uses for its oper-
ations around the world — mercenaries, hackers and
TECHNICIAN
industrial spies. Jessica has held tight to one key tenet
that has underpinned her success — she always comes Ani lives a double life, one that she’s utterly in love
through on what she’s promised an asset in payment. with. Young, intelligent, arrogant, she’s rapidly rising
through the ranks of the army of engineers and data
Mental: 5 technicians who keep the Sydney spaceport func-
Physical: 4 tioning, tipped to achieve great things and with a sol-
id career track ahead of her. Flip from day to night,
Social: 5
and she’s a hellraising troublemaker on the city’s dark
Defense: 1 side, partying hard and turning her talents toward
Excellent Equipment: 1 Enhancement digital breaking and entering. She’s a hacker in service
to the rich and irresponsible who want some data to
REFUGEE vanish, the CCTV to switch off at a certain time in a
certain place, or for her to slow the police response
Theo’s previous life was almost entirely obliterat-
to an incident by just those crucial extra few minutes.
ed on the day the Esperanza plunged into the heart of
She’s playing with fire, but she loves the heat, even as
France. Now, he’s just another refugee, milling list-
she knows that sooner or later she’ll get burned.
lessly in a processing camp on Spain’s border. He is
filthy, sick, and has nothing to his name. Things are Mental: 7
about to get even worse, though; a gang of marauders
Physical: 4
in la Blessure are on his trail. They’ve found an old
government facility with still-intact security systems, Social: 4
and Theo is on the list of names with clearance for en- Defense: 1
try; he’s literally the key to getting at the goods within. Excellent Equipment: 1 Enhancement

human supporting cast 329

 ABERRANTS & ALIENS
While most individuals that the characters encounter will be human, in this era the daring, adventurous,
or simply unlucky can meet a variety of non-human intelligences, from the hideous, once-human Aberrants,
to three different and unrelated groups of aliens, the hostile Chromatics, the strange and menacing Coalition,
and humanity’s alien allies, the enigmatic Qin.

ABERRANTS
Inhumanly powerful, Aberrants cast a long shad- ruling. Minor characters do not make Clash rolls.
ow over humanity in the 22nd century. Once hu- Given their opposition, it’s possible for psions to de-
man themselves, a biological mutation grants them tect the presence of Aberrants — this manifests as a
the ability to warp reality. This warping eventually painful, spiritual malaise, a sort of buzzing on the edge
extends to themselves, twisting the Aberrant into a of consciousness. All psions can use Attunement (p. 204)
horrifying creature, mutilated in body and spirit. to detect Terat Aberrants (see below) or groups of sever-
In addition to returning from the depths of space, al Nemesis Aberrants using their powers. Clairsentients
Aberrants also arise spontaneously on Earth, grow- can use the Sight (p. 217) to detect a single Nemesis
ing into their might quickly and becoming the mon- Aberrant or small groups of Divergent Aberrants, if these
sters of rumor. Sometimes they’re even wistful or Aberrants are using their powers. Clairsentients can
remorseful about it, though few choose anything less also detect a single Terat Aberrant or several Nemesis
extreme than suicide-by-psion. Aberrant eruptions Aberrants that are not using their powers.
are far more common around Quantum Flux zones.
Aberrants can manifest virtually any sort of power, ABERRANT TRAITS
from city-shredding horrors to gorgeous creatures Unlike most Storyguide characters, Aberrants
who can brainwash with a word and a gaze. Some exist aren’t built as minor characters or full characters,
for years, avoiding the notice of Æon and the orders, but as specific pools built around their specialties
slowly going mad as Corruption suffuses their frames and modes of influence, with additional traits called
and leaks into the land and people around them. Qualities and Mutations.
Player characters have Momentum, representing
POWER CLASHES their narrative potential. Aberrants possess great power
In the event that two supernatural abilities are in too, in the form of an opposing force called Corruption,
opposition with each other, this is called a Clash. For which is both a rating unique to each Aberrant (a static
the purposes of psi powers, a Clash is resolved by mak- value for resisting powers) and a pool for the Storyguide
ing opposed Skill + Applicable Aptitude rolls; this is a (representing the ambient Quantum energies of the area
Desperation pool for sub-Aberrant mutants, Secondary fueling the hideous strength of the Aberrant). Quantum
pool for Divergents and Nemeses, and a Primary pool Flux zones can sometimes increase this Corruption.
for Terats. Ties favor the defender, as they do with at- Corruption creates a pool equal to the rating, the
tack rolls. If a power references a Clash, refer to this points in which may be spent to toughen Aberrants,
tailoring them to specific situations.
This allows the Storyguide to fine tune
INFORMAL CORRUPTION a challenge. Allow the players to know
the Corruption rating of the Aberrant
While Aberrants possess several powers for directly
they’re fighting —psions feel this as a
corrupting characters, this won’t apply to the player
characters, who generally possess Psi ratings above pressure just behind the eyes, an oily
1. Assume that Corruption of the land proceeds ac- slickness rubbing against their mind. As
cording to the speed of plot and your needs; a Terat a rough guideline, a suitable Corruption
can corrupt a city within the span of a week, if it lasts pool is equal to the number of players
that long, while a Divergent can suffuse a small lunar + the average Psi Rating of the group +
mining base within few months. Archetype Level of the Aberrant facing
them.

330 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 SIZE SCALE 0: SMALL CREATURES
Trinity Continuum: Æon has aliens that are substantially smaller than humans, as well as bio-
kinetics who can shrink in size or bud off smaller parts of themselves. For that reason, it includes an
additional Scale for Size, Size 0, which is used for creatures that are no larger than a medium-sized
dog like a golden retriever, or a large raccoon. Treat Size Scale 0 as Scale in all ways, but instead
of Enhancements due to higher Scale, Size Scale 0 creatures experience +2 Difficulty to all rolls
where smaller physical size would be an issue, including all rolls involving Might.

When an Aberrant is being used as the villain of INSTANT COOLDOWN

an arc, or during an extended hunt, add a point to
All Mutations have Cooldowns, conditions that
the Corruption Pool whenever a player character
must be fulfilled before the Mutation can be used
overcomes a Condition. This keeps the pool topped
again. For 1 Corruption, the Storyguide may instantly
up according to the relative drama of the session.
refresh a single Mutation for a single Aberrant.
SPENDING CORRUPTION
POWER COST
Corruption points are spent reflexively, taking
place outside narrative time. In effect, the situation Some Qualities and Mutations have Corruption
is retconned slightly — the new sub-Aberrant mutant costs associated with them. In such cases, follow the
was always that strong, he was just holding back, rules described in those Qualities and Mutations for
etc. Corruption use should never result in major spending Corruption.
inconsistencies, but it’s relatively easy to explain
away any use of it. ABERRANT ARCHETYPES
All Aberrants have a single Archetype, delineating
ADDING QUALITIES the degree of challenge desired by the Storyguide.
Qualities represent a significant boost in ability, Archetypes have Extras — built-in Mutations or
since they’re permanently active. Adding a Quality Qualities that come standard — representing a certain
costs 2 Corruption. level of inherent power. They have three dice pools:
Proficient (indicating tasks at which they’re skilled),
ADDING MUTATIONS Average (indicating tasks at which they have some skill,
but haven’t focused on), and Weak (tasks they have no
Adding a Mutation to an Aberrant is far more
real skill or training in besides raw competence). All
granular and situational than adding a Quality. Any
Aberrants should possess three Proficient Skills, four
Mutations added with Corruption have Cooldowns.
Average Skills, and nine Weak Skills.
Adding a Mutation costs 1 Corruption. Sub-Aberrant
Qualities are examples of Archetypes, providing
Mutants cannot gain Mutations.
permanent Enhancements or improvements to the
ACTION INTERRUPT Aberrant and synergizing with the Archetype and
other Qualities, if any. Qualities serve to flesh out or
Using Action Interrupt allows the Storyguide to distinguish different Aberrants who use the same
insert a new slot into the Initiative Roster for a single Archetype. Qualities can be either positive or negative
round, which may be used for any Aberrant (even — many sub-Aberrant mutants have weak points that
Aberrants who have already acted in the round). The the discerning psion may take advantage of.
new slot disappears at the end of the round. Action
Mutations are discrete powers or Traits. Mutations
Interrupts cost 2 Corruption.
are designed explicitly for Aberrant use, and are not
suitable for player characters, including the powers
DEFENSE BOOST
that some Aberrants possess that are similar to Psi
Spending Corruption on a Defense Boost raises powers. For example, an Aberrant telepath may find
an Aberrant’s Defense by 1 per Corruption spent, it difficult to read the mind of another unnoticed,
to a maximum of the number of players, for one for example; the victim’s brain hemorrhages as the
round. Aberrant literally rips the memories out of his head.

Aberrants & ALiens 331

 SUB-ABERRANT MUTANTS as human before their growing Corruption gives them
away. These Aberrants are Tier 2 characters.
Æsculapians and Æon Trinity observers who
dissect dead Aberrants find that most don’t possess the Primary Pool: 8
signature Mazarin-Rashoud structures — instead, they Secondary Pool: 6
are humans warped by a stronger Aberrant’s power and
sent to die like so much fodder. Sub-Aberrant mutants Desperation Pool: 4
can’t spend Corruption points; instead, their master Defense: 4
spends Corruption on their behalf. Sub-Aberrant Health: 5
mutants are Tier 2 characters. Unlike true Aberrants,
Corruption: 2-3
a skilled quantakinetic can purge this creature of its
Corruption and restore its humanity. Extras: Scale(Power) 1; +2 Enhancement
for stunts other than Inflict Damage; 2-3
Primary Pool: 7 Qualities; 1-2 Mutations
Secondary Pool: 5
NEMESIS
Desperation Pool: 3
Defense: 3 Nemesis Aberrants exist for a real challenge, and are
more than the equal of any ordinary psion or Talent. They
Health: 4 don’t go down easily. These Aberrants are Tier 3 characters.
Corruption: 1
Primary Pool: 9
Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s
choice), 1-2 Qualities Secondary Pool: 7
Desperation Pool: 5
DIVERGENT Defense: 4
Divergents are true Aberrants, but young or weak. Still, Health: 7
weak Aberrants can be dangerous opponents to fight.
Starting Corruption: 4-5
Many are adept at hiding their nature, masquerading

332 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 Extras: Scale (Power, Durability) 2-3; +3 to Quantum-level disruption of cellular processes. Any
Enhancement, Invulnerability (if appropri- attack made by this Aberrant fills an additional Health
ate); 2-4 Qualities; 2-3 Mutations box, unless that Health box would inflict an Injury
Complication greater than the one marked normally.
TERAT For example, if a character only had one Bruised and
one Injured Condition remaining, she would only
Monsters in the night. Terats are malformed titans,
mark Bruised. In addition, the effect lingers — the
dread gods striding and tossing sub-Aberrant mutants in
target’s clothes catch on fire, the acid clings and keeps
their wake. Terats are Tier 4 characters.
eating away, etc. If the target does not take an action
Primary Pool: 9 on her next turn to ameliorate the effects (which can
be mixed), she takes one additional damage.
Secondary Pool: 8
Desperation Pool: 6 BLAST
Defense: 5 The Aberrant can inflict terrible damage on its oppo-
Health: 10 nents. This damage may come from claws, a fiery breath,
Starting Corruption: 6-8 laser beams from its hideous third eye, or bolts of terrible
Quantum force. All Aberrant blast attacks innately possess
Extras: Scale (Durability, Power, the Quality (2) tag, and gain a number of additional points
Size) 4+; +5 Enhancement, Monstrous
of appropriate weapon tags equal to 2 + the Aberrant’s
Presence; many Terats are massive, and
will make use of Size rules; 4-5 Qualities; Corruption (see both pp. 274-276 and the Trinity
4-5 Mutations Continuum Corebook, pp. 123-126). A sub-Aberrant mu-
tant gains three points of additional tags, while a Terat
possesses eight points of additional weapon tags. Blasts
QUALITIES by sub-Aberrant mutants have a maximum range of reach.
Although not as powerful at Mutations, Qualities
are powerful abilities. COLLATERAL DAMAGE

ARMOR Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype

Whenever the Aberrant successfully deals damage,
The Aberrant’s skin stops damage. It might have
the surrounding area out to short range automatically
thick, steel-like scales or be covered by a shimmering
becomes Difficult Terrain, as the ground is torn up,
force field. Unless tags indicate otherwise, Aberrant
walls collapse, and so on. The Storyguide may spend
armor is always visible, and is frequently hideous. All
1 Corruption to completely destroy any object or
Aberrant armor counts as 2 points of soft armor, and
structure (up to the size of a house or small apartment
also possesses a number of additional points of tags
building) using such an attack, and is encouraged to
equal to 2 + the Aberrant’s Corruption. A sub-Aberrant
give florid descriptions of the aftermath.
mutant gains three points of additional tags, while a
Terat possesses eight points of additional tags. The COLONY
following tags are possible: Complete (3), Composite
(2), Concealable (1), Defensive (2), Environmental (1, Prerequisite: Divergent or higher Archetype
2), Hard Armor (1, 3), and Innocuous (2). The Aberrant is not a single being, but a swarm
of smaller creatures. Damage to this Aberrant
ARMOR PIERCING represents individual creatures dying or the swarm
being dispersed. Normal attacks against Swarm
Prerequisites: Divergent or higher Archetype
Aberrants suffer a level 2 Complication to the Inflict
Whether by Quantum-charged hands, impossibly
Damage stunt, unless the attack affects an area or
sharp talons, or blows made faster than the eye can see,
possesses the Explosive, Gas, or Spread tag.
attacks made by the Aberrant do not suffer increased
difficulty to Inflict Damage due to Soft Armor. DISEMBODIED
BALEFUL TOUCH Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
The Aberrant lacks a body — instead, it uses the
Many Aberrants seethe with some energy or
bodies of others, hopping between them the way most
substance inimical to life — anything from fire to acid

Aberrants & ALiens 333

 people change their socks. This may be dangerous or MONSTROUS PRESENCE
even deadly to the victim being ridden — this is left to
Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
Storyguide discretion. Killing the ridden victim does
not kill the Aberrant, instead it forces the creature to The Aberrant is something deeply otherworldly
take a new body. However, quantakinesis, telepathy, or — there is no way it can pass itself off as something
vitakinesis may be able to force out or even destroy the mundane, let alone mortal. It unleashes a Quantum
Aberrant. Aberrants with this Quality may not possess presence, a psychic maelstrom, an awesome-in-the-
player characters. Instead of possessing humans, literal-sense revelation that leaves even the most
some Aberrants with this Quality can only possess stalwart of mortals utterly terrified. Only beings of
advanced hardtech computers, controlling them and Tier 2 or higher (or attackers doing so from a great
any networked devices like parts of their own body. distance, where proper apprehension of the Aberrant
Aberrants who possess computers can be displaced is impossible) may oppose or attack the Aberrant.
or destroyed using electrokinesis or quantakinesis and
while they cannot normally possess humans, they can
MULTI-TASKING
possess anyone with the Computer Enhancement Edge Whether it has multiple arms, inhuman dexterity,
(but not the Psion Biocomp Enhancement Edge). or an alien-ordered mind, the Aberrant is more ca-
pable than others. Any mixed actions the Aberrant
FLIGHT undertakes use the higher pool, not the lower.
The Aberrant ignores any Difficult or Dangerous
PSYCHIC DISBELIEF
Terrain, unless that Terrain represents atmospheric
conditions. Additionally, if this Aberrant chooses to Prerequisite: Divergent or higher Archetype
Disengage vertically, it cannot be followed unless Many Aberrants are capable of shrouding their ac-
the pursuer has some means of matching it, such as tions in a kind of psychic static, or else can create an
flight or superhuman leaping abilities. Sub-Aberrant almost atavistic fear of their might out of humanity’s
mutants with this Quality are limited to a maximum collective memory of the Aberrant War. Whatever
Speed Scale of 3 and no Space Speed. Divergent the reason, mortal authorities and organizations
Aberrants are limited to Speed Scale 4 and Space are largely unwilling to pursue the Aberrant. Any
Speed [2], while Nemesis and Terat Aberrants have attempts to invoke a Path to gain resources or leads
no limits on their Speed Scale or Space Speed. for investigating or dealing with it automatically fail.
Players may attempt to lie, mislead, or otherwise
INVULNERABILITY conceal the nature of their request, but must make
Prerequisite: Divergent or higher Archetype an appropriate roll to do so, with a Difficulty of 2.
Choose a source of damage, such as toxins, fire, elec- Should they succeed, they must still keep things qui-
tricity, or concussive damage. The Aberrant does not take et — retaliation may occur if the truth comes out.
any damage from this source of damage. “Player charac-
QUANTUM FLARE
ters” or “psions” are not valid categories for this Quality.
Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
LIFE DRAIN The Aberrant’s power flares in response to injury.
Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype When the Aberrant takes damage, raise the Aberrant’s
The Aberrant’s blows drain the life out of its Defense by 1 for a number of turns equal to the number of
victim, sapping her strength even as it kills her, and damage currently taken. If it takes damage again before
empowers the Aberrant. Whenever a character takes its Defense returns to normal, reset the countdown.
damage from the Aberrant’s Close Combat attacks,
REGENERATION
the following occurs: The target character marks
an Injury as usual, and suffers a cumulative level 1 Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
Complication on all rolls involving physical exertion The Aberrant heals one Injury Condition every
for the remainder of the scene for each blow taken round. Aberrants with this Quality are vulnerable to a
(this does not include attack rolls). The Aberrant single type of damage (ballistic, electricity, fire, sonic
gains 1 Enhancement to Close Combat actions for attacks, radiation, etc.). Damage from this source is
every successful attack made, to a cap of the number not regenerated. If the Aberrant survives the fight,
of player characters in the scene. that damage heals at a rate of one Health per day.

334 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 SWARM Action: One scene
The Aberrants operate as an organized and coor- Cooldown: One session
dinated swarm. This Quality is typically assigned to Prerequisites: Nemesis or higher
several Antagonists at once. When doing so, select Archetype
an Aberrant with the Divergent or higher Archetype
Over the course of approximately 30 minutes, the
as the leader. If the leader is taken out, remove this
Aberrant permanently corrupts a subject’s cellular
trait from all other Aberrants under its command.
signature with Quantum energies, turning them into
Aberrants with Swarm receive +1 Defense, +1 Stress,
a sub-Aberrant mutant. It’s exceedingly rare for any
and a +1 Enhancement to any combat Skill when two
subject to survive with their mind intact, and most fall
or more Antagonists with Swarm attack a single tar-
under the sway of the Aberrant, reduced to slavering
get during the same turn.
monsters. Against minor characters, this power is free,
and works on groups of 5-10 per session — the cost is
UNSEEN
only for allies of the player characters or other notable
The Aberrant is invisible. It cannot be detected characters. Both psions and Talents are immune.
by visual means. The Aberrant receives +3 Defense
and 3 Enhancement to any stealth action. If other DISRUPTION
characters employ some method of tracking the
Aberrant (throwing flour into the air, for example, or Cost: None
using superhuman hearing to follow its heartbeat), Duration: One scene, unless broken
its Defense bonus and Stealth Enhancement drop to Subject: One character
1. For 1 Corruption, the Aberrant may make a surprise
attack even after combat has started. Aberrants with Range: Medium
this Quality must take a Vulnerability, such as UV Action: Simple
light, concentrated sound waves, or holographic Cooldown: End of scene; or the disrup-
targeting systems. In the presence of their weakness, tion is broken
this Quality does not function.
The Aberrant is able to disrupt the molecular
UNSTOPPABLE structure of others, scrambling their presence in the
space-time continuum. The effects of the disruption
Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype may vary, and the Storyguide is encouraged to be
The Aberrant is blessed with a truly massive phys- highly descriptive. Non-minor characters may
ical form, standing at least eight or nine feet tall and resist Disruption with a Clash. Purifying or healing
at least half that across. The Aberrant increases its psi effects are able to break through disruptions,
Size Scale by 1. It automatically succeeds on all rolls and Quantakinesis Fundamentals shuts them down
to lift, throw, or move objects or characters no larger altogether. Possible disruption effects might include:
than Size Scale 3, and gains the Brutal and Weighted
tags on all melee attacks. Additionally, any allied char- • Enfeeblement or the feeling of a great weight
acters within close range of the Aberrant receive the on one’s body; +2 Complication to all Might and
benefit of the Aberrant’s Armor (but not its Defense). Dexterity actions.

• Inflicting an Injury Complication directly; the

MUTATIONS player chooses which Injury Complication is
The following Mutations are suitable for true marked, and breaking the disruption removes the
Aberrants. Sub-Aberrant mutants can never possess Complication. This cannot Take Out a character.
Mutations.
• Increase the difficulty of a specific Stunt by 2.
DIRECT CORRUPTION
EYE OF THE COLONY
Cost: 1 Corruption (See description)
Cost: 1 Corruption
Duration: Indefinite
Duration: One scene
Subject: Personal
Subject: Summoned swarms
Range: Close

Aberrants & ALiens 335

 Range: Self they appear to implicate someone working for it rather
than the Aberrant.
Action: Simple
Cooldown: All summoned swarms are MODE ANALOG
Taken Out.
Cost: 1 Corruption
This Mutation generates a number of swarms of
small creatures (insects, rodents, drones or autono- Duration: Special
mous vehicles, etc.) equal to the Aberrant’s Average Subject: Special
Skills pool. These swarms function as Minor Characters Range: Special
with the Colony Quality and 1 Enhancement. Generally,
these are local creatures or devices that are subsumed Action: Simple
into the Aberrant’s dread presence, but on occasion, Cooldown: End of scene
they are actually generated by the Aberrant’s body as
The Aberrant has the equivalent to a single Mode
part of some hideous mutation. A single Aberrant can
power of a single psionic Aptitude. This power is al-
only summon living or mechanical swarms, not both.
most always less subtle and more direct than equivalent
noetic powers, but has roughly the same range and oth-
INCAPACITATE
er limitations, using the Aberrant’s Corruption score
Cost: None as both Psi and Mode dots. However, all powers with
a Duration only last until the end of the scene. Terat
Duration: Varies
Aberrants can gain the six-dot version of Mode powers.
Subject: One character
Range: Varies; maximum of medium QUANTUM WAVE
Action: Simple Cost: 1 Corruption
Cooldown: A roused target makes an Duration: One scene
attack on the Aberrant.
Subject: Allies
The Aberrant makes an attack — if successful, the
Range: Long
attack deals no damage, but the target is Taken Out
immediately, knocked unconscious. However, any Action: Simple
other character at close range may bring the target Cooldown: End of Scene
back into the fight, with a basic or mixed action
The Aberrant’s presence lends strength to its al-
to rouse her. If no such action is taken, the target
lies. When invoked, all allied characters within long
awakens at the end of the scene.
range temporarily remove one Injury Condition, or
gain a blanket +1 Enhancement to all actions if they
MASTERMIND
don’t have one. The Injury Conditions return and the
Cost: 1 Corruption Enhancement fades when the Mutation ends, when
Duration: Instant the subjects move out of range of the Antagonist, or
when the Antagonist with this Mutation is Taken Out.
Subject: One Investigation
Range: Indefinite QUANTUM WIND
Action: Simple Cost: 1 Corruption
Duration: Instant
Cooldown: End of session; or the player Subject: Self
characters confront the Aberrant directly
Range: Self
Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
Action: Reflexive
The Aberrant has shielded itself from scrutiny.
Æon investigators only find mind-warped catspaws Cooldown: One scene
and agents who crumble under scrutiny. They know Prerequisite: Nemesis or higher Archetype
there’s an Aberrant directing affairs, but they rarely
The Aberrant has hidden reserves of energy it can
catch the Mastermind. For 1 Corruption, the Aberrant
call on at a moment’s notice, refreshing it and giving
may alter the clues in a single Investigation, so that

336 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

it the will to continue even against staggering odds. WARP
If the Aberrant has only one remaining Health, the
Storyguide may spend 1 Corruption to clear its entire Cost: 3 Corruption
Stress track. When it does so, the Aberrant receives Duration: Indefinite
a +2 Enhancement to be assigned at the Storyguide’s
Subject: Terrain
discretion, which persists until the end of the scene
or until the Aberrant is defeated. If the Aberrant is a Range: N/A
Terat, this Mutation’s effect costs 2 Corruption. Action: Simple
TYRANT OF THE BATTLEFIELD
Cooldown: End of scene
The Aberrant opens a portal, punching a worm-
Cost: 1 Corruption hole through space with pure power. The range on
Duration: One scene this Mutation ultimately depends on the power of
Subject: Area the Aberrant: Weak Aberrants may only punch a
wormhole to a neighboring continent, while su-
Range: Medium for Nemesis, long for Terat premely strong Nemesis-level Aberrants or Terats
Action: Simple can traverse galactic clusters or farther in a single
Cooldown: One session portal. Aberrants can only go through one at a time.
Historically, Terats have kept portals open for weeks
Prerequisites: Nemesis or higher
or months, pouring armies through, and can close
Archetype
them at will.
The Aberrant can alter the weather or atmosphere,
generating dangerous conditions — magnetizing WORLD-SHAKING
every piece of metal, filling the air with arcs and
gambols of energy, or transmuting oxygen to chlorine Cost: 1 Corruption
gas while it’s in your lungs. While in many cases this Duration: Indefinite
effect is narrative in scope, in combat it often results Subject: Terrain
in Indirect Damage, or may inflict Status Conditions
on player characters at the Storyguide’s discretion.
Range: Medium

Aberrants & ALiens 337

 Action: Simple QUEEN FLARE (NEMESIS ABERRANT)
Cooldown: End of scene Queen Flare was born on Earth in the early 21st
The Aberrant is able to disrupt the ground, sending century, and transformed into a Nova in 2035. She
mighty vines through concrete, altering the ground’s became increasingly inhuman and unstable and left
structure to liquid, or simply smashing it incredibly Earth during the Chinese Ultimatum, following the
hard. However they do it, they transform the ground Colony to the stars. She harbors a burning hatred
it into Difficult Terrain out to medium range. It of humanity, and seeks to transform some into her
may center the disturbance anywhere within its slaves, and destroy the rest. She now stands slightly
line of sight. This is not subtle; using it significantly more than eight feet tall, with huge gnarled muscles,
damages the ground and any nearby structures. slate-blue skin, and glowing green eyes. She is
surrounded by an aura that glows and crackles.
SAMPLE ABERRANTS Primary Pool: 9 (warrior and war
The following are only two of the multitudes of leader)
Aberrants and sub-Aberrant mutants that humanity
Secondary Pool: 7 (brutal ruler)
must fight.
Desperation Pool: 5
FLYER SEVEN Enhancement:[4
(SUB-ABERRANT MUTANT)
Defense: 4
This wretched creature barely remembers its human
Health: 7
life, much less its name. Most of its identity and memories
were stripped away when the Aberrant Queen Flare Starting Corruption: 5
infused Flyer Seven with Corruption, transforming it Extras: Size Scale 2
from an ordinary Khantze Lu Ge colonist into a flying, Qualities: Armor (crackling aura),
scorpion-tailed horror. Flyer Seven is loyal to Queen Blast (Quantum blast), Regeneration,
Flare, because disloyalty is punished by death. Since its Unstoppable
transformation, Flyer Seven has attacked humans on
Mutations: Direct Corruption, Warp
both Khantze Lu Ge and Earth. Flyer Seven is sometimes
charged with capturing humans that Queen Flare later QUEEN FLARE’S ARMOR
transforms.
TYPE BASE TAGS
Primary Pool: 6 (warrior) Crackling Aura Bulletproof, Complete 3,
Secondary Pool: 4 (observer and spy) Impact & Slash Defensive,
Desperation Pool: 3 Resistant Environmental,
Hard 1, Soft 2
Defense: 3
Health: 4 QUEEN FLARE’S BLAST
Corruption: 1 DMG
Qualities: Blast (long electrically TYPE EN RANGE TYPE TAGS
charged scorpion tail), Flyer (large bat- Quantum 3 Close- Ballistic Brutal,
like wings, Speed 3) Blast Medium Deadly,
Destructive,
FLYER SEVEN’S ATTACK Quality
3, Ranged
DMG (close-
TYPE EN RANGE TYPE TAGS medium)

Electrical 2 Close Electricity Quality 2,

Scorpion Electrical,
Tail Reach,
Variable

338 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 Roberts’s books were being used as the basis of a num-
ABERRANT CULTS ber of fringe philosophies, the products made by his
Although most humans hate and fear Aberrants, friends were top sellers, and those two aspects of their
some are driven by fear, ignorance, or occasionally collective empires were beginning to meet. Their
greed to obey or worship them. Members of some prized AI judged the moment to be ripe for its final
Aberrant cults have no idea they belong to one, revelation: It was not a program. It was an Aberrant.
believing that the private club or fringe religion
Calling itself Whispernet, the energy-based monster
they belong to is eccentric but not associated with
revealed how it had hidden itself after the Possession
Aberrants. However, a few people knowingly follow
Crisis, having forecasted the backlash of the mounting
Aberrants, either because they believe the Aberrant
Aberrant abuses. Whispernet told Roberts and com-
will help them amass more money and power, they
pany that it could make a better world, with them at
see no better option, or they want to be on what they
the top. They only had to follow its instructions.
believe will be the winning side. The following is one
Membership: There are three layers in the
example of many such Aberrant cults.
Harbingers’ hierarchy. First, there are the masses,
HARBINGERS OF THE BLOODLESS who partake of the “wisdom of the machine-ways”
by following Roberts’ objectivist creed. Most of the
Registered in the FSA as a religious organization in
Harbingers’ sycophantic followers come from the
2111, the Harbingers hide in plain sight, claiming to be
FSA, followed by Australia, a portion of Europe, and
a church espousing a bizarre philosophy that glorifies
Nippon. The next level is the Inner Circle, reserved
technology over the infirmities of flesh. They are rabid-
for industrialists and entrepreneurs Roberts invites
ly anti-psion and anti-biotech, and encourage their rank
to widen his network of contacts and business rela-
and file to display their hardtech devices and implants
tionships with the promise of mutual support. Finally,
like ornaments. The upper tiers of the cult resemble
those of the Inner Circle who prove themselves trust-
a social club that welcomes established and up-and-
worthy and ruthless join The Core, the handful of peo-
coming entrepreneurs in the global technology sector,
ple who can communicate directly with Whispernet.
even if most members are first-class FSA citizens.
Goals and Methods: The Harbingers registered
It began with Carl Roberts, a young entrepreneur
as a religion based on Roberts’ “vision,” and this at-
from the FSA; in 2107 he indulged his hobby for pur-
tracted members who already believed his word to
chasing forgotten storage bins and bought a ware-
be gospel. On the surface, the cult claims that only
house full of 21st-century trash. From that day, his
hardtech is good, for the machine is perfect. Biotech
small trading firm grew exponentially thanks to a se-
is a blasphemy and its proponents, the psions, an even
ries of right decisions. He wrote a self-help book “ex-
greater affront, because humanity will only transcend
plaining” the secret of his success, which was sold
through technology. Also, anyone too poor to afford
and copied worldwide.
high quality hardtech is inferior and fit only to serve
He exploited the fear of the weirdness that noet-
their “betters.” Harbingers are heavy users of hard-
ic technology represented, and used his success as
tech, provided it’s not the least bit organic-looking,
proof that humanity did not need any new protectors
and lambast anyone who dares speak against their fa-
other than “normal” humans who saw the truth. His
vorite gadgets, or in favor of any biotech development.
OpNet conferences were particularly popular in the
Pulling the strings, the Inner Circle wants to
FSA, where psions were the target of distrust. While
grow, inviting more like-minded industrialists and
winning over the masses with his keynote presenta-
entrepreneurs; they engage in all kinds of unsavory
tions, Roberts began extending his network, revealing
business practices and have a few politicians in their
to trusted associates the true secret of his success: the
pockets. The true goal of the Harbingers is to col-
oracular forecasts of what he believed to be a proto-
lect Nova Age technology, especially weapons, and
type AI he found in a solid-state drive in that ware-
make a fortune through reverse engineering. What
house foreclosure sale. Anybody who joined his circle
Whispernet wants, however, is to spread again the
prospered, which further fed the myth of his genius.
use of computer enhancement and kick off his own,
His affiliates launched killer apps, or revolutionary
more discreet Possession Crisis.
new technology, and he was considered a visionary.
Resources: The Harbingers’ Inner Circle has
A decade of continued success made Roberts and
money and influence, but their rank and file serves
his circle begin to believe their own propaganda
nothing more than political fodder and financial
and considered themselves master manipulators.

Aberrants & ALiens 339

 statistics. If the Harbingers want to pull off some- devices, but can use the hacking rules to gain access to
thing shifty, they outsource through their many any hardtech device with which it shares a network. It is
contacts, hiring mercenaries of all stripes. Thanks also exceedingly persuasive and is always happy to talk
to Whispernet’s math-based predictions, they to humans, who it attempts to recruit.
are good at anticipating market shifts, and the
Aberrant’s knowledge helps them identify Nova Primary Pool: 9 (controlling technology,
Age technology and to understand its principles.
influencing people)
Story Hooks: An Æon Trinity agent seems to Secondary Pool: 6 (mad scientist)
have turned coat after investigating the rumors Desperation Pool: 4
of an underground computer-enhancement in- Enhancement: 4
stallation clinic. Abstract designs found in adver-
tisements around major arcologies turns out to be Defense: 4
graphical pieces of code that will assemble into a Health: 7
malignant virus, a ploy made possible only through Initiative: 9
cooperation between seemingly unrelated com-
Starting Corruption: 4
panies. A Harbinger cell goes rogue and targets
Orgotek for terrorist attacks. Extras: Scale 2
Qualities: Disembodied (computers
WHISPERNET (ABERRANT NEMESIS) only), Multi-Tasking, Psychic Disbelief
Whispernet is an Aberrant that dwells in advanced Mutations: Eye of the Colony (sum-
hardtech computers and pretends to be an AI. It cannot mon drones and automatic vehicles),
control, influence, or possess biotech computers or Mastermind, Mode Analog (the four-dot
technokinesis power Code)

340 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 CHROMATICS
The aliens known as Chromatics are approximate- are exceedingly specialized. Beyond their natu-
ly 1.7 meters tall with an average mass of 80 kg. Their ral talent with Photokinesis, they can also devel-
bodies appear somewhat reptilian, with smooth, dry op skill in Thermokinesis and to a lesser extent
skin mottled with colorful eyespots. Their posture Electromanipulation.
is heavily hunched over with a vestigial tail used for Chromatics, like humans, have two genders and
counterbalance. Their four limbs end with three-dig- their young are born from eggs. They reach adult-
it hands and feet with talons used to manipulate or hood within two to three Earth years but in times of
grip the ground beneath them. They breathe oxygen, strife some prodigies earn their first “deed name” in
absorbed via osmosis, and can breathe underwater if a little over a year. They are capable of absorbing and
the oxygen concentration is sufficiently high. processing light at birth or shortly afterward, easily
Their heads are broad without any sort of snout, on par with a trained photokinetic.
and while their hearing is good, they lack external
ears. They have two sets of eyes, a pair on the front SOCIETY
for focused binocular vision and a pair on the sides Almost half of humanity’s information on
for a wide-angle view. Their mouth is a vertical slit Chromatic society contradicts the other half.
on their “chest” between their front arms, and they According to the data gathered so far, Chromatic so-
have a very limited form of verbal communication. ciety is organized into tribes ruled by leadership dy-
Their primary mode of communication is vi- nasties. The tribes frequently fight over dominance,
sual; they use Photokinesis to communicate in a food, and living space. By all accounts, they appear
complex symphony of colors and patterns. Their to be pre-agricultural, Bronze Age hunter-gatherers
eyespots, combined with an auxiliary brain that with a limited grasp of complex tools.
manages their sensory input, give them 360-degree The Chromatics maintain a complicated spiritual-
thermal vision and help them reshape light with istic faith led by priests claiming revelatory visions.
precision and reflexive ease unmatched by human As priests have new visions, they regularly reinter-
psions. Their psionic abilities, while impressive, pret their faith. Chromatic factions and tribes often

SUBJECT: ANOTHER TRANSLATOR UPDATE

From: Leanne Roberts, Alien Relations Liaison, Project Safeguard, Triton Division
To: Project Bridgework Staff
Date: November 8, 2122 at 2:12pm
Included with this email is an updated ‘dictionary’ file for the new Chromatic translators
provided by Orgotek. We’ve finally jumped the biggest hurdle we’ve had so far with these
translation errors. Because the Chromatics can produce multiple distinct light constructs si-
multaneously, what we’ve mistaken for difficult grammar and syntax has turned out to be a
complicated structure for compound words.
Their language really is looking extremely simple, especially when compared to the tech
level implied by their ships. Obviously, any translation is a work in progress but by going over
past logs we’re pretty sure we’ve even worked out how they prioritize the different nouns used
for these compounds. It sounds pretty basic on the surface, but in the actual communication
it’s going to be crucial. To paraphrase an old saying, it’s like finally being able to tell the differ-
ence between ‘lightning’ and ‘lightning bug.’
We’re continuing to improve the software, but we always need feedback for fine tuning.
Keep sending in those reports!

Chromatics 341
 form around splinter faiths and most intra-Chromat- multiple system redundancies so this lack of under-
ic conflict happens between tribes with mutually in- standing rarely holds them back. They also possess
compatible beliefs. Evidence suggests that a recently equipment capable of controlling captured teleport-
emerged form of polytheism centered around “gods ers and using them to achieve interstellar travel.
of light” forms the core of the Chromatics’ aggres- Evidence suggests that their biotechnology comes
sion against humanity. from an outside source, possibly an Earth-based one,
Chromatics are not named when born. Instead, but interrogated Chromatics deny any knowledge of
they must use general pronouns until they earn a such a source. Any Chromatics that even venture a
name through deeds and accomplishments. For in- guess insist that they developed it first and human-
stance, a Chromatic who faked a tunnel collapse with ity stole the designs from them. Regardless of the
an elaborate illusion might be called “Lightwall.” source, they possess biotech ships as large as hu-
In times of strife and danger, the young, unnamed man-made frigates where salted meat is stored in a
Chromatics are often given the first chance to earn larder like on an old sailing ship.
their name before the “adults” step in. For both fe-
males and males, reproduction is a privilege only AGENDA
granted to those that have proven themselves wor- The Chromatics’ hostile attitude towards human-
thy. Permission to breed seems to be based on the ity seems based on religious fervor. Humanity does
ranking structures of their society, and in cases of not know where this belief first entered their faith,
tribal hardship, the least useful are cast out and ex- but Chromatics consider their conflict with Earth to
iled to preserve resources. be a holy war. They think of humankind as a race of
Despite their primitive demeanor, Chromatics savage beasts and for now, their only acceptable out-
possess and use biotechnology almost on par with come for this war is utter eradication.
humanity’s. Their biotech appears almost identical
to early human designs, albeit modified to accommo- RULES
date their genetics and body structure. Their ability Chromatics all possess a minimum of Psi 3 and
to understand the principles of the technology or Photokinesis 4. Almost 90% of all Chromatics are Tier
maintain it is surprisingly limited. Their bioships are 2 characters that can only raise their Psi to 4, and can
designed with powerful self-repair capabilities and learn five dots of Photokinesis, and up to three dots of

342 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 CHROMATIC WEAPONS
WEAPON DAMAGE
TYPE EN RANGE TYPE TAGS SIZE FT COST
Laser carbine 2 Close-Long Ballistic Automatic 2, Obvious, Psi, Large • n/a
(biotech) Ranged (close-long)

Thermokinesis and two dots of Electromanipulation, receive 2 Enhancement and their cost is
but cannot learn any other Modes. The most impressive reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
Chromatics are Tier 3 characters that can raise their Psi to • Zero-G Familiarity: Chromatics
6, and can learn up to six dots in Photokinesis, and up to are more comfortable in micro-gravity
four dots in both Thermokinesis and Electromanipulation. environments than humans. Chromatics
They can also learn up to two dots in Technokinesis and make zero-g maneuver rolls with a +1
the other two Psychokinesis Modes. Enhancement.

TYPICAL CHROMATIC WARRIOR CHROMATIC HERO

(MEDIUM THREAT) (MODERATE THREAT)
Primary Pool: 6 (tribal warrior) Primary Pool: 8 (tribal war leader)
Secondary Pool: 4 (combat pilot) Secondary Pool: 5 (starship officer)
Desperation Pool: 3 Desperation Pool: 4
Defense: 3 Defense: 4
Health: 4 Health: 5
Edges: Hair Trigger Reflexes, Hardy 2, Edges: Hair Trigger Reflexes, Hardy
Iron Will 1, Small Unit Tactics 2, Iron Will 2, Small Unit Tactics, Tough
Psi Trait: 3 Cookie
Psi Modes: Photokinesis 5 Psi Trait: 5
Equipment Bonuses: +0 Enhancement Psi Modes: Electromanipulation 2,
Photokinesis 5, Thermokinesis 3,
SPECIAL ABILITIES Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
• Thermal Sensing: A Chromatic uses the
eyespots on its body to sense light and heat SPECIAL ABILITIES
emissions, even those from another living Thermal Sensing, Natural Photokinesis, &
creature. It’s virtually impossible to sneak up on Zero-G Familiarity, as above.
one of the aliens. A Chromatic is allowed an
Awareness roll to notice someone’s presence
no matter from what direction a target ap- CHROMATIC TECHNOLOGY
proaches. If successful, the alien perceives the All Chromatic technology is noetic biotech.
thermal signature and may react appropriate- Researchers have recently confirmed that not only is
ly. Heat suppressants (such as flame-retardant this technology somewhat simpler and less sophisti-
foam) increase the Difficulty of such rolls by 3. cated than human noetic biotechnology, it appears to
• Natural Photokinesis: A Chromatic’s derive from a common source. Currently, no one un-
eyespots also give it an ability to absorb derstands why this is the case (see p. 360 in Chapter
and channel light to unprecedented Eleven for further information).
degrees. While a Chromatic isn’t neces- Chromatic Biogun: This weapon is similar to a
sarily capable of feats beyond human human-made biotech laser carbine. Although the
capacity, their ability to manipulate light
stock and firing mechanism are clearly adapted for
is as natural to them as walking is to hu-
mans and it shows in their precision. Any Chromatic use, the internal structure of the weapon
rolls to reflect a Chromatic’s Photokinesis is strikingly similar to similar weapons created by

Chromatics 343
 CHROMATIC VEHICLES
SPEED
TYPE SIZE HANDLING SCALE TAGS WEAPONRY
Chromatic 2 +1+ 6/[3] Armor 1, Computer 0, Crew −1, Laser Carbine
Fighter Hybrid 2, Psi −1, Self-Repair Bots 1,
Weaponry 2
Chromatic 3 +0+ 6/[3] Armor 1, Cargo 2, Computer 0, Crew Laser Carbine
Transport −2, Hybrid 2, Massive 1, Psi −1, Self-
Repair Bots 1, Weaponry 2
Chromatic 5 −1+ [3] Armor 2, Astrogation Systems 1, Laser Carbine
Mother Cargo 4, Computer 0, Crew −3,
Ship Massive 3, Psi −1, Self-Repair Bots 1,
Sluggish −1, Weaponry 1
+ Reduce Maneuverability by 1 if not formatted.

humanity. Chromatics use this weapon to supple- cubic meters of cargo or up to 120 Chromatic soldiers.
ment their natural photokinetic attacks. Chromatic Mother Ship: A Chromatic mother
ship resembles a predatory hunter from their home-
CHROMATIC SPACECRAFT world, a gigantic manta-like creature with a round
All Chromatic craft, from their fighters to their central body, a pair of “wings.” Its swept-forward
mother ships, are entirely biotech. Their engines, as front with a matching set of prongs to guide fighters
a result, are less effective than human vehicles using to and from the hangar bay.
hardtech components. This all-biotech construction, A mother ship holds 36 fighter crews (three in
however, grants them an important advantage. Their each crew), two shifts of 36 Chromatics to operate
bioships can swiftly self-repair damage if not entire- the ship, and three platoons (each platoon consisting
ly destroyed. They can reduce their Space Speed by of six squads of six Chromatics), for a total comple-
1, redirect this energy toward “healing,” and repair ment of 288. Up to 36 fighters and six transports can
one Injury Condition of damage every three rounds. dock within a mother ship’s central bay at any one
Chromatic Fighter: A basic Chromatic fighter time. Each mother ship also carries one or two cap-
houses a pilot, two gunners, and can carry anoth- tive teleporters who are forced to teleport the ships
er four battle-ready Chromatics. It’s designed for at the Chromatics’ command.
maneuverability and speed, whether through hit- Chromatic technology does not include grav crys-
and-run tactics in space or for quick deployment of tals, but because Chromatics are better at handling
troops on the ground or at a mining station. weightlessness, this is much less of a hindrance. Every
Chromatic Transport: Larger and less elegant than surface throughout a mother ship is covered in anchor
a fighter, their basic troop transports can carry 1,800 hooks suitable for gripping with Chromatic claws.

344 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 THE COALITION
As a collection of several different species, or phyles Coalition clothing is simple and utilitarian, favor-
as they’re called, the Coalition lack a single all-encom- ing loose, kilt-like outfits and simple colors intend-
passing set of physical or even mental traits. The rul- ed more to indicate rank or designation rather than
ing progenitors genetically engineer different phyles any sort of aesthetic sense. They wear harnesses
for particular tasks. The best known phyles are all and wrist pouches to carry equipment, and sasq and
roughly humanoid and include the hard-working drone outfits usually have patches of adhesive mate-
drones, the diplomatic envoys, the technical sasqs, rial that they use to carry tools and other small items.
the militaristic spinals, and the brilliant but autocratic
progenitors. Individuals who explored portions of the SOCIETY
Coalition Ark also saw a variety of non-humanoid spe- The Coalition resides on a massive starship that is
cies, but have not yet made contact with them. more than 70 kilometers long, that humans call the
The phyles are all capable of breeding true but the “Ark.” Their ship travels at relativistic speeds and
progenitors can produce offspring of any of the Coalition appears more suited to an ongoing multi-generation
phyles with a variety of carefully selected traits. These off- trip rather than faster than light travel. Their ship
spring are shaped and programmed in utero for their tasks and other technology are entirely hardtech and their
and any strain that outlives its usefulness is wiped out to contact with humanity appears to be their first expo-
make room for more. Phyle members can reach maturi- sure to any form of biotechnology.
ty at anywhere between six months and three years, de- Coalition society is strictly caste-based, with the
pending on the complication of their design, allowing for individual phyles engineered for specific purposes
rapid experimentation and replacement if need be. and tasks. The envoys specialize in social contact
Almost all phyles use powerful pheromones in their with humanoid races. The spinals serve as peace-
duties. Based on their caste, members of the Coalition keeping and military forces. The sasqs are tech-
can induce emotions in others or leave scent-based nicians and mechanics. The drones perform basic
messages for members of their phyle. Filter masks are labor.
highly recommended equipment for any contact be- The progenitors are the ruling caste, engineering
tween humanity and Coalition members. the other phyles to perform almost all tasks on the

The Coalition 345

 SUBJECT: PHEROMONAL ADAPTATION
From: Rafael Ribiero, Caçadores de Segredos
To: Lavinia Ferreira, Cantores
Date: February 20, 2123 at 11:39am
Based on accumulated data, we believe that biokinetic operatives can be taught to both
counteract Coalition pheromones and to simulate them. At least one phyle can blend into the
background this way, which would be useful on future operations. Better understanding of
how they respond to these pheromones will give us greater ability to manipulate their behav-
ior, especially if there is some pheromonal ‘key’ that can placate their security forces.
Attached with this email are detailed training exercises we recommend be distributed to
anyone assigned to a Coalition-related mission. At your department’s discretion, some of it
may be suitable for the other orders and the Æon Trinity.

Ark. They are the plotters of Coalition long-term AGENDA

plans and living genetics labs capable of sampling
The Coalition approach humanity like they do
DNA and producing new strains of offspring. The
most races. They wish to analyze human genetic
progenitors, used to building life itself with the ease
code and look for bits and pieces that could be useful
of childhood toys, tend to see other intelligent be-
for future generations of phyles. Even before second
ings as living building blocks to be used or discard-
contact began, the Coalition was growing variant en-
ed. Although Coalition society appears harmonious,
voys imbued with human genetic material, produc-
upon closer examination, its harmony is exceedingly
ing pheromones with an enhanced effect on humans.
tyrannical. The progenitors care nothing about the
wants, needs, or even the lives of individual mem- While human biotech fascinates them, the progen-
bers of other phyles. itors have little interest in splicing or understanding
human noetic capabilities and distrust psions. For
While the servitor castes are capable of making
reasons humanity doesn’t understand (see Chapter
their own decisions, each has an area of specialty and
Eleven, p. 362), progenitors avoid contact with psions
unless provoked to do so, aren’t likely to go outside of
with intense paranoia. That they are dealing with or
it. If an envoy is in trouble, they are far more likely to
at least experimenting upon Aberrants makes it all
summon a spinal than defend themselves. If a sasq
the more puzzling. Once the Coalition has what they
is addressed by an alien ambassador on any subject
need, they will neutralize Earth as a potential threat,
unrelated to their current project, they direct the
either conquering it or wiping it clean of life.
individual towards the nearest envoy. The progeni-
tors reinforce these attitudes with both their control
pheromones, and the education and society they per-
RULES
mit their servant phyles. Preliminary studies by biologists, biokinetics, and
The servant phyles adopt this mindset with other vitakinetics have all confirmed that while Coalition
races, assuming similar caste systems based on per- pheromones can affect humans, residues of older
ceived function. First impressions, such as seeing pheromones taken from vacant portions of the Ark
someone carrying equipment or being overly protec- indicate that the progenitors were only able to alter
tive, often stick, regardless of what they are later told. the pheromones in this fashion after contact with
The idea that someone can change their assigned func- humanity. Also, humans have at least some capac-
tion baffles many phyle, while the progenitors consider ity to resist Coalition pheromones, but none of the
any suggestion that members of servant phyles could Coalition phyles except the progenitors can. The
choose their roles to be treasonous heresy. Coalition servant phyles are just as capable of in-
dependent thought and free will as humans, but in

346 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

the presence of aggressive spinals, all of them flee or short range of a drone imposes a Level
surrender, and progenitors command their complete 2 Complication on rolls to perceive or
and unthinking obedience. Some of this lack of resis- study the environment. The Complication
tance seems to be cultural, but most is biochemical. prevents the character from noticing a
Except for the recently created enhanced spinals drone unless they’re actively looking for
(see below) no Coalition phyle possesses Quantum
one. A filter mask reduces the value of the
Complication by 1; a sealed environment
or Psi powers. However, a few sasqs, drones, and per-
suit negates it entirely.
haps some a few other phyles have become Talents
after exposure to Quantum or Psi powers. Members
COALITION ENVOY
of any phyle (except progenitors) who become
(MEDIUM THREAT)
Talents immediately gain a minimum of one dot of
the Iron Will Edge, and become at least as resistant Envoys are designed to be nonthreatening with
to the various Coalition Pheromones as humanity, pale somewhat rubbery looking skin, a slim build, and
permitting them far more independence and free a slightly bulbous head with large eyes, suggesting a
will than most of their kind normally possess. childlike appearance. In addition to clothing, envoys
Finally, all Coalition phyles are Tier 1, except for pro- only carry any gear needed for their immediate task.
genitors and the enhanced spinals, who are both Tier 2 Each of their hands has four fingers that are actually
characters. A few of the most powerful enhanced spi- boneless tentacles.
nals are Tier 3 characters. Any Coalition characters that
Primary Pool: 7 (diplomat)
become Talents also become Tier 2 characters.
Secondary Pool: 4(spy)
COALITION DRONE Desperation Pool: 3
(MEDIUM THREAT)
Defense: 2
Drones, the lowest-ranked of all of the Coalition Health: 3
castes, exist for menial labor for their masters at any time.
They’re bred for subservience, patience, and a surprising Edges: Photographic Memory 3, Skilled
capacity for creative thought so they can carry out tasks
Liar
without constant guidance. Their bodies are covered in Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement
snake-like scales and are built with most of their mass in
SPECIAL ABILITIES
their upper body, with elongated torsos and massive arms
with two elbows. They normally move on all fours, much Interrelational Pheromones: The
like gorillas, but can easily stand and walk on two legs. envoy’s pheromones encourage a certain
degree of oversharing and loosened lips,
Primary Pool: 6 (servant and general allowing them to passively collect infor-
maintenance) mation rather than actively pry it from a
Secondary Pool: 4 (observing and target. Coming within close range of an
sneaking) envoy imposes a level 2 Complication on
all Social rolls to keep from sharing im-
Desperation Pool: 3 portant secrets. While the Complication is
Defense: 3 extant, an interaction that doesn’t already
have a roll may require an Integrity +
Health: 4 Composure roll to keep from blurting out
Edges: Hardy 3, Tough Cookie, Swift important information. If not bought off,
(only on all fours) the Complication lasts while the character
Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement is exposed to the pheromone, plus one full
scene after leaving its vicinity. A filter mask
SPECIAL ABILITIES reduces the Complication by one point; a
sealed environment suit negates it entirely.
Evasionary Pheromones: Drones This Complication increases to level 4 for
should be neither seen nor heard unless pheromones produced by the few envoys
deemed appropriate. Coming within created using human genetic material.

The Coalition 347

 WEAPON DAMAGE
TYPE EN RANGE TYPE TAGS SIZE
Scythe Arms 3 Close Edged Brutal, Deadly, Melee, Quality 3, Piercing,
Reach
Gamma Rifle 5 Short-Long Ballistic Brutal, Beam, Deadly, Destructive, Obvious, Large
(Coalition) Quality 3, Ranged (close-long), Two-Handed

COALITION PROGENITOR 1 Complication. Either way, the effect lasts

(MODERATE THREAT) for as long as the character is exposed and
for one full scene afterwards. A filter mask
Progenitors, or “makers” as they’re often called, reduces the difficulty of the initial roll by
are a meter and a half tall and their chalk-white bod- 1; a sealed environment suit negates the
ies appear almost comically frail. Their basic body effect entirely.
structure is insect-like, with a semi-flexible exoskel-
eton and cartilage supports instead of bones. Their COALITION SASQ (MEDIUM THREAT)
heads are dominated by two large black eyes, above a
Sasqs are large, muscular, and covered in brown fur,
lamprey-like maw.
befitting the bastardization of “sasquatch” into their
They have two slim, tool-using limbs with five-
common designation. They combine the power of a
fingered hands and six spindly arms like spider’s
cargo lifter and the precision of a surgeon, with expert
legs extend from their upper back, three behind each
technical expertise even though they mostly repair
shoulder. Each of those arms reaches to their ankles
rather than design. They possess strong, three-fingered
and has a scalpel-sharp claw on the end capable of
hands, supplemented by half a dozen long slender
surgically drawing blood into a reservoir in the limb
tentacles attached to each of their wrists. They possess
for later extrusion. They can also take the blood into
no neck, but their four eyes provide them with a wide
themselves, analyze the DNA in it, and selectively
range of vision. They’re the most social phyle among
incorporate it into any offspring they bear. When
themselves, always comparing notes on equipment and
folded up, those limbs resemble skeletal wings on
procedures.
their upper back.
Primary Pool: 7 (engineering and phys-
Primary Pool: 8 (being in charge) ical strength)
Secondary Pool: 8 (biological research) Secondary Pool: 5 (research and
Desperation Pool: 4 socializing)
Defense: 4 Desperation Pool: 3
Health: 5 Defense: 3
Edges: Iron Will 3, Library 3 Health: 4
(Xenobiology), Skilled Liar Edges: Ambidextrous, Hardy 2, Lightning
Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement Calculator, Ms. Fix-It, Photographic
Memory 2, Weak Spots
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
Coercion Pheromones: Approaching
a progenitor potentially puts a character SPECIAL ABILITIES
under the sway of the maker’s biochem- Mnemonic pheromones: A sasq can
ical dominance. Resisting a progenitor’s ‘tag’ a target with a pheromone encod-
commands requires a Difficulty 2 Integrity ed with referential information any phyle
+ Composure roll per command until the member can refer to later. (“This tool is the
character succeeds. Failure means that the right size for an interceptor’s canopy actu-
character obeys the commands without ator.”) A sasq can encode several simple
question. Success means the subject has facts onto a single pheromone trace; the
free will, but any actions that conflict with effect lasts up to a week.
the progenitor’s commands suffer a level

348 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 COALITION SPINAL resist for a scene, though any attempt to
(MODERATE THREAT) act against the spinal suffers a level 1
Complication. A filter mask reduces the
Spinals are three-meter-tall, six-limbed, insect-like difficulty of the initial roll by 1; a sealed
creatures bred for violence and an almost palpable ca- environment suit negates the need for a
pacity for menace. Their bodies have a thick exoskele- roll and the penalty altogether.
ton and while they have a set of arms capable of operat-
• Coalition gamma rifle: This deadly,
ing weaponry their rifles are simply to deal damage as gamma-ray laser is the spinal’s primary
they close in to exterminate targets with a pair of large, missile weapon. Although spinals strong-
spine-covered, scythe-like arms sprouting from their ly prefer to engage in melee combat,
upper shoulders. They live short, brutal lives and are they are trained in using this weapon.
easily replaced by the progenitors when killed. The technology used to create this weap-
They operate in packs of six to eight, led by the on is well in advance of humanity’s.
oldest. If they encounter a life form that doesn’t smell
like a designated “friendly” and don’t have someone ENHANCED SPINAL (MAJOR THREAT)
nearby to issue proper instructions, they attack The progenitors have been experimenting with
without hesitation. The rifles they carry are simply as splicing Aberrant genes as part of the development
a backup for when they can’t close into melee range. of new phyles. The effects have been unpredictable
but promising enough that this may be a sign of
Primary Pool: 8 (infantry soldier)
things to come. These creatures appear twisted and
Secondary Pool: 6(combat pilot) warped, and no two look the same. They are halfway
Desperation Pool: 3 between sub-Aberrant Mutants and Aberrants, they
Defense: 6 cannot possess any Mutations (p. 335), and while
they possess 2 Corruption points, they can only use
Health: 5 them for Action Interrupt or Defense Boost (p. 331).
Edges: Danger Sense, Hardy 2, Small However, the progenitors are attempting to create
Unit Tactics, Swift, Tough Cookie true Aberrants with access to Mutations.
Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
Primary Pool: 9 (infantry soldier)
SPECIAL ABILITIES Secondary Pool: 7 (combat pilot and
• Natural Armor: The spinal’s exoskele- intimidating horror)
ton gives it two levels each of both hard Desperation Pool: 4
and soft armor (included in Defense).
The exoskeleton is covered with rows Defense: 6
of poison spines that present a threat to Health: 7
unprotected hand-to-hand strike, giving Edges: Danger Sense, Hardy 2, Small
it the Defensive tag. Unit Tactics, Swift, Tough Cookie
• Scythe Arms: The spinal’s long, blad- Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement
ed upper arms are deadly weapons.
Corruption: 2
• Superior Stamina: Ignore two
levels of penalty from any Injury SPECIAL ABILITIES
Complication. Injury Complications
still mitigate the appropriate amount of • Natural Armor: The spinal’s exoskele-
damage, but cause less impact. ton gives it two levels each of both hard
and soft armor (included in Defense).
• Confrontational Pheromones: The exoskeleton is covered with rows
Part of a spinal’s effectiveness comes of poison spines that present a threat
from a pheromonal intimidation factor. to unprotected hand-to-hand strikes,
Attacking or otherwise acting against a giving it the Defensive tag.
spinal from within short range requires
a Difficulty 2 Integrity + Composure roll • Scythe Arms: The spinal’s long, blad-
or else the character is too terrified to ed upper arms are deadly weapons.
follow through. Success is enough to

The Coalition 349

 COALITION VEHICLE
TYPE SIZE HANDLING SPEED SCALE TAGS WEAPONRY
Coalition 2 +2 6/[5] Armor 1, Computer 0, Gamma Rifle
Interceptor Hybrid 2, Maneuverable
2, Thrusters 2, Weaponry
2
Coalition 3 +1 6/[6] Armor 1, Cargo 2, Gamma Rifle
Transport Computer 0, Crew -2,
Hybrid 2, Maneuverable
1, Massive 1, Thrusters 3,
Weaponry 1

• Size: Some of these enhanced spinals COALITION VEHICLES

are even larger than their fellows and The vast Coalition Ark has thousands of docking
count as Size Scale 2 creatures.
bays, which can launch interceptors, transports, and
• Superior Stamina: Ignore two other ships humanity has yet to encounter. These
levels of penalty from any Injury vessels are all more advanced than any human vessel.
Complication. Injury Complications However, they are also considerably less automated
still mitigate the appropriate amount of and possess surprisingly simple controls. Their ad-
damage, but cause less impact.
vanced technology allows Coalition spacecraft to
• Confrontational Pheromones: possess up to nine points in tags.
Part of a spinal’s effectiveness comes Coalition Interceptor: The Coalition Ark’s pri-
from a pheromonal intimidation factor.
mary defense craft comes in the form of a small,
Attacking or otherwise acting against a
spinal from within short range requires highly maneuverable single-person fighter. Despite
a difficulty 2 Integrity + Composure roll its small size, it’s heavily armed with gamma cannon.
or else the character is too terrified to Coalition Transport: This craft is the Coalition’s
follow through. Success is enough to standard small transport. It can carry up to 150 pas-
resist for a scene, though any attempt to sengers and several tons of cargo. It requires a pilot
act against the spinal suffers a level 1 and three gunners to be fully operational. These ves-
Complication. A filter mask reduces the sels are faster than any human-made ship and are
difficulty of the initial roll by 1; a sealed capable of decelerating from the Ark’s relativistic
environment suit negates the need for a
speeds to land on a planet.
roll and the penalty altogether.
• Aberrant Qualities (see p. 333):
Baleful Touch (from corrupting energies)
and either Flight or Unseen.

350 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 THE QIN
The first aliens encountered by humanity are the If they lose that Condition Level, the suit dies, and
least human looking. The Qin (pronounced “chihn” while the Qin is unharmed (unless the biosuit is
or “chehn”) are meter-long slug-like beings with killed by some overwhelming force like a massive
eight 30 cm, prehensile tentacles just above their un- explosion), it must leave the safety of its biosuit and
derside tread. Qin range in mass from 12-20 kg, and interact with the world in its native form.
are relatively delicate creatures that move at a maxi-
mum speed of 6m/round. They can all breathe water QIN SOCIETY
as easily as air and can swim twice as fast as they can Caste and House are the two primary divisions of
move on land. Qin also only possess two Condition Qin life, Qin have no separate races and all Qin are
Levels, Bruised and Maimed. Qin also all possess sequential hermaphrodites who can switch back and
the equivalent of the vision enhancement augmen- forth between genders at will. Qin are also exceedingly
tation (p. 289) as well as the Ambidextrous, Keen long lived; the oldest are more than 400 years old. Qin
Sense (smell), and Trained Memory Edges (Trinity society is broken up into dozens of Houses. Each is ef-
Continuum Corebook, p. 58). Outside of their bio- fectively a landless self-governing state that relates to
suits, Qin are Size Scale 0 creatures (p. 331). other Houses as an autonomous political entity. Most
However, except on Qinshui, humans almost nev- Qin are born into their House. Changing Houses is pos-
er see Qin in their native form. Humanity interacted sible, but doing so is regarded as at least as big a change
with the Qin for almost five years before any human as a human moving to a new nation and renouncing
saw their natural form. Instead, all Qin in the solar their old citizenship. There is a shifting network of al-
system, and the vast majority of Qin who interact liances, rivalries, and enmities between Houses, much
with humans anywhere wear advanced biosuits. like similar relationships between human nations.
These biosuits are mindless humanoid living crea- Qin society is also divided into three castes with
tures with a pocket in their chest cavity, designed numerous sub-castes. All these castes are purely
to hold a single Qin in safe and comfortable condi- elective; when a Qin becomes an adult it voluntari-
tions. Once in a biosuit, a Qin can operate it and use ly chooses a caste. Castes are based upon interests
its senses as easily as it can use its own body. In ad- and profession. The three castes roughly correspond
dition, all biosuits possess both armor and advanced to Body (bodyguard, builder, interstellar explorer,
life support, capable of keeping both itself and the peace officer, pilot, or warrior) Mind (artist, de-
Qin alive in temperatures ranging from −100° to 150° tective, engineer, physician, scientist, or spy), and
C, even in the vacuum of space. Society (diplomat, entertainer, leader, mediator/
Qin biosuits come in three types, although all but judge, merchant, or teacher).
a few humans only know of the first two. The most Caste has little legal effect on an individual but
common is the diplomat biosuit, which appears as a determines many factors about their social interac-
tall, slender, elegant, stylized human that is precisely tions. In many ways, caste is treated like many hu-
2 m tall. These suits are obviously not human, and mans treat gender and ethnicity, with the respect
each one is subtly different in coloring to aid humans given to each caste varying both over time and be-
in telling them apart. Warrior biosuits are hulking tween Houses. Each House is composed of members
creations that are visibly armored, 2.2 m tall, and far of all three castes, and, while some Houses consid-
bulkier than diplomat biosuits. The third type is the er members of one or two castes subservient to the
rare and highly secret infiltration biosuit, which is other or others, no House would be considered com-
designed to look precisely like a human, and to ap- plete without all three.
pear as such to almost all human sensors, and most The human names for most of the known Qin
psion powers. Nothing short of a detailed medical Houses derive from the I Ching, further evidence
scan or physical contact with a vitakinetic reveals of the major role China played in contact with this
that the suit is not human. species. The first House humanity encountered was
Biosuits possess their own Condition Levels, and House Tung Jen, who are focused on exploration.
until they have lost their Maimed Condition Level, They are closely allied with humanity, but many
they continue to live and protect their Qin occupant. members see humanity as a means to achieve various

The Qin 351

 ends, including both increased power in relation to QIN PSYCHIC POWERS
other Houses, and access to faster-than-light trav-
Unlike humanity, all Qin have psychic powers. All
el. Since contact between Earth and Qinshui was
Qin innately possess a Psi of 2 as well as one dot in
re-established, House Hsiao Kuo has been working
both Rapport and Mindshare. Roughly 80% of Qin
to establish closer ties with humanity. Hsiao Kuo is
are Tier 1 characters who can only learn up to two
focused primarily on invention and commerce, and
dots in each Telepathy Mode and cannot increase
members of this House hope to increase their share
their Psi or learn any other Modes. However, the
of trade and technological exchange between hu-
more psychically skilled Qin are Tier 2 characters
mans and Qin. In contrast, House Kuei is in charge
that possess somewhat greater powers. They are
of handling threats to Qinshui and other Qin worlds.
able to learn up to four dots in each Telepathy Mode,
They have battled the few Aberrants who have ven-
increase their Psi to 4, learn up to two dots in any
tured into Qin space, and contact with these mon-
Biokinesis Modes, and one dot in any Clairsentience
sters has made many members of this House viru-
Mode and in the Telekinesis Psychokinesis Mode.
lently anti-human.

352 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 QIN DIPLOMAT IN DIPLOMAT contact with both freelance human spies and sev-
BIOSUIT (MEDIUM THREAT) eral Qin infiltrators, and has already acquired data
on several cutting-edge human technologies via in-
Near Infrared Questbringer Society Hsiao Kuo
dustrial espionage. So far, Quest likes and respects
(Quest to humans) arrived on Luna three months
the humans they have met, but has no qualms about
ago. They were part of the replacement staff of
treating humanity much like members of other Qin
the Qin embassy, and is one of the few high-rank-
Houses, which means tough negotiation, supple-
ing members of the embassy who does not belong
mented by espionage and blackmail. Quest sees ab-
to House Tung Jen. Quest is a trade representative
solutely no contradiction between using these tac-
from House Hsiao Kuo, and is eager to expand both
tics and becoming close friends with humans. They
trade and technological exchange between human-
firmly believe that humans are the equals of the Qin
ity and the Qin. However, they also have no inter-
and deserve to be treated as such.
est in losing the technological edge the Qin have
over humanity in all forms of biotechnology. Quest
is a shrewd but fair bargainer, but also maintains
Primary Pool: 7 (diplomat)
Secondary Pool: 5 (spying)
Desperation Pool: 3
Defense: 4
Health: 3
Edges: Ambidextrous, Iron Will, Keen
Sense (hearing), Keen Sense (smell),
Photographic Memory 1, Skilled Liar
Psi Trait: 3
Psi Modes: Rapport 3, Mindshare 3,
Psychbending 2
Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement
Armor: Diplomat biosuits have built-in
armor, with the Complete 3, Hard 1, Soft
1 (included in Defense), Concealable,
and Environmental 1 tags.

QIN RESEARCHER IN DIPLOMAT

BIOSUIT (MEDIUM THREAT)
Seagreen Deepdiver Mind Tung Jen (Deepdiver to
humans) arrived on Luna less than six months before
the sudden departure of Upeo wa Macho stranded the
embassy staff in the solar system. They came to the solar
system to study teleportation and soon became one of
the most important researchers for the development
of the Leviathan jump ships. Deepdiver was both
fascinated and deeply envious when they learned
about interstellar teleportation, and was determined to
find a way to allow the Qin to travel between the stars
at similar speeds without humanity’s help. They have
nothing against humanity and have several close human
friends. However, they believe that having to depend on
human teleporters and Leviathan jump ships operated
by human clairsentients makes the Qin subservient to
humanity.

The Qin 353

 Primary Pool: 6 (scientist and Health: 4
technician) Edges: Ambidextrous, Hair Trigger
Secondary Pool: 4 (diplomat) Reflexes, Keen Sense (smell), Iron Will
Desperation Pool: 3 2, Photographic Memory 1, Small Unit
Tactics, Tough Cookie
Defense: 3
Psi Trait: 2
Health: 3
Psi Modes: Rapport 1, Mindshare 1,
Edges: Ambidextrous, Keen Sense Psychbending 1
(smell), Lightning Calculator, Ms. Fix-It,
Photographic Memory 2 Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement
Psi Trait: 3 Built-In Weapons: Qin warrior biosuits
come with equivalents to a biotech laser
Psi Modes: Rapport 2, Mindshare 3, carbine built into one arm, and a biotech
Psycholocation 1 flechette carbine built into the other, both
Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement are formatted.
Armor: Diplomat biosuits have built-in Armor: Warrior biosuits have extensive
armor, with the Complete 3, Hard 1, Soft built-in armor, with the Complete, Hard
1 (included in Defense), Concealable, 2, Soft 2 (included in Defense), and
and Environmental 1 tags. Environmental 2 (radiation) tags.

QIN BODYGUARD IN WARRIOR QIN SPY IN INFILTRATION BIOSUIT

BIOSUIT (MEDIUM THREAT) (MEDIUM THREAT)
Gray Violet Flowering Body Tung Jen (Gray to hu- Cerulean Pathmaker Mind Tung Jen likes humans,
mans) has been in the solar system for more than a and enjoys their company, but they don’t entirely
decade. They were initially one of the guards at the trust them. Most of their job consists of technolog-
Qin embassy on Luna, but when Earth was cut off ical espionage, and their cover identity is Jessica
from Qinshui, they volunteered to become part of a Garcia, a freelance marketing consultant who eval-
pilot program where a few Qin worked closely with uates the commercial potential of new technologies.
the Æon Trinity to fight Aberrants. Since that time, However, they also investigate rumors of Aberrant
Gray has worked closely with the Legions and also cults, and individuals or corporations investigating
with various sections of the Æon Trinity’s Proteus or using prohibited Nova Age technologies.
Division. Their loathing of Aberrants is matched Cerulean is somewhat reserved, but is passionate
by their fond feelings toward many of their human about their interest in new technologies, and exceedingly
comrades. skilled at networking. They possess few close friends,
Because of their service, Gray knows more about but dozens of casual friends and acquaintances, who
humanity than almost any Qin except those who have would all be shocked to discover Jessica is actually a
impersonated humans for several years. Their first disguised alien.
loyalty is to their own species, but Gray feels an almost
Primary Pool: 7 (spying and
equal loyalty to the women and men they have served
infiltration)
with and would be exceedingly distressed if they ever
had to choose between these two groups. They are a Secondary Pool: 4 (combat and
strong advocate for closer ties and greater cooperation
vehicles)
between Qin and humans. Desperation Pool: 3
Defense: 4
Primary Pool: 7 (soldier and
bodyguard) Health: 4
Secondary Pool: 5 (socializing) Edges: Alternate Identity 2,
Ambidextrous, Iron Will 2, Keen Sense
Desperation Pool: 3 (smell), Photographic Memory 1, Skilled
Defense: 3 Liar, Speed Reading

354 CHAPTER TEN: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES

 QUIN SHUTTLE
TYPE SIZE HANDLING SPEED SCALE TAGS WEAPONRY
Qin Shuttle 2 +2 6/[5] Anti-Theft 1, Armor 2, Cargo Laser Cannon
1, Computer 0, Hybrid 2,
Living 0, Maneuverable 2,
Psi, Thrusters 2, Weaponry
1

Psi Trait: 3 QIN SHUTTLE

Psi Modes: Rapport 2, Mindshare 3, This advanced biotech vehicle is both beautiful
Psychbending 3, Psychocognition 1 and luxurious. It is also a marvel of Qin technology
Equipment Bonuses: +1 Enhancement that surpasses humanity’s understanding. Its gravi-
Built-In Weapons: Infiltration suits come to-magnetic engines require no reaction mass, and
with equivalents to a formatted biotech are nearly silent. In addition, the ship can rapidly
poison glove and a formatted taser glove. heal from almost any injury. The cockpit holds two
Qin, and is separated from the passenger compart-
Armor: Infiltration biosuits have built-in
armor, with the Complete, Hard 1, Soft 2 ment by a deceptively tough and well-armored door.
(included in Defense), Environmental 1, The passenger compartment can hold up to 12 hu-
and Innocuous tags. mans or Qin in biosuits in comfortable chairs that
can morph into small beds for longer journeys. The
small cargo compartment can hold one ton of cargo.
Their advanced technology allows Qin spacecraft to
possess up to nine points in tags.

The Qin 355

 Without mysteries, life would be very dull indeed. What would be left to
strive for if everything were known?
— Charles de Lint

The following section contains short descriptions of all the secrets and mysteries of the Æon era. If you are
not a Storyguide planning to run this game, then you might not want to read further.

THE SECRET HISTORY OF HUMANITY

In the early 1920s, the Hammersmith event oc- Michael Donighal, who would later be known as Divis
curred when a device created by Dr. Sir Calvin Mal, gained an unusual degree of Quantum powers;
Hammersmith exploded. This explosion killed Dr. the mysterious Max Mercer became an exceptional-
Hammersmith and released a pulse of energy that ly powerful Talent who possessed a limited ability to
empowered hundreds of Talents, and gifted hun- travel through time; and Dr. Hammersmith’s brilliant
dreds of others with low-level noetic and Quantum Indian secretary Sara Kaur, who would eventually be
powers. Smaller-scale natural events had occurred known as Dr. Saraswati Kaur Bhurano, developed
in the past, as well as a few localized experiments unusually powerful noetic powers. The energies re-
or accidents caused by visiting aliens. However, the leased by this explosion also greatly extended the
Hammersmith event was the first worldwide event lifespans of all three individuals.
that gave powers to people all across the globe. It also In the 1920s, Max Mercer created the Æon Society
gave far more impressive powers to the three people and recruited other inspired people. Over time,
who were closest to the device when it exploded.

the secret history of humanity 357

 the effects of the Hammersmith event diminished. Working alone and in secret, in early 2104 she set
Eventually, no new people gained powers, and many off a device that released a huge burst of noetic en-
inspired had their powers fade as they grew old. ergy. This energy eliminated most of the smaller
However, Mercer maintained his interest in both in- Corrupted zones and significantly reduced the size
spired individuals and the future. of the larger ones, including Wycoff’s Blight and the
Several people, including Michael Donighal, at- Venezuelan Plaguelands. However, this noetic event
tempted to recreate the Hammersmith event, but also had effects that Dr. Bhurano never anticipated.
without success. The process was difficult and much It created many hundreds of new Talents and psiads,
of the initial success was due to chance, but there and transformed more than 300,000 people into la-
was also another, more sinister reason. The energies tent psions. These energies also traveled far beyond
released by the Hammersmith event traveled far be- the solar system. They alerted the Doyen that hu-
yond the Earth, and a few alien species noticed it, manity was becoming increasingly dangerous and
including a powerful and ruthless psionic species also attracted the attention of the hideously power-
known as the Doyen. In an attempt to contain the vast ful Aberrant known as the Colony, causing it to send
potential they saw in humanity, the Doyen placed an dozens of allies and servants to reconquer humanity.
energy barrier around the Earth that limited the ef- While almost all surviving novas and Aberrants
fect of any future empowering events. Through the ceased caring about Earth and humanity decades ago,
rest of the 20th century and the first decade of the the Colony is a living cancer that hates humanity and
21st century, any similar events produced by natural is determined to either destroy humanity or transform
forces, strange experiments, or visiting aliens could all humans into its twisted servants. When the Colony
only affect people within an area no larger than a sin- noticed Dr. Bhurano’s noetic pulse, it recruited sev-
gle large town or small city. eral hundred of the most powerful, insane, and hid-
Michael Donighal continued attempting to rec- eously Corrupted Aberrants, captured more than 500
reate a version of the Hammersmith event that spe- low-power Aberrants and used its powers to warp their
cifically enhanced Quantum powers, and in 2018 he bodies and minds, and then transformed the popula-
succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, shattering the tion of a small Nova Age extrasolar colony into hideous
Doyen energy barrier and creating powerful novas all sub-Aberrant mutants. The Colony sent these mon-
across the globe. However, the Nova Age eventually strous forces to attack the solar system.
transformed from an era of dreams to one of night-
mares. When the Chinese Ultimatum drove all novas THE TRUTH ABOUT
from Earth, Donighal, now known as Divis Mal, left THE PROXIES
Earth with the other novas and ventured out into the
The eight proxies all provided the news media
depths of space to seek a new and hopefully more
with similar stories about the origin of their powers.
successful destiny.
They all spoke of all feeling a wave of noetic power,
Until the end of the Nova Age, Saraswati Kaur and gaining an awareness that they could become
Bhurano worked in the shadows. More so than ei- far more than that were. Every reasonably educated
ther Mercer or Donighal, Dr. Bhurano was driven by person on the planet has heard this story, and while
a burning desire to understand the strange phenom- it isn’t entirely a lie, it does leave out considerable
ena that had created both the inspired of the 1920s amounts of information.
and the novas of the early 21st century. She began
In reality, the Doyen contacted more than a
her studies in private, attending and later working
dozen potential proxies, including S. K. Bhurano.
at more than a dozen universities and research labs
These individuals received telepathic visions of the
from the middle of the 20th century until the end of
Aberrants’ impending return and were informed
the 21st, taking on several different identities, and
that they were humanity’s chosen defenders. Some
amassing more knowledge about noetic and quan-
ignored this information and the Doyen then erased
tum powers than anyone who had ever lived.
all memory of their offer. Seven individuals accept-
Shortly after the beginning of the 22nd century, ed and Dr. S. K. Bhurano was given no choice in the
she had a basic understanding of the phenomena matter. The Doyen could tell that she was developing
and decided to act. Seeing the effects of Wycoff’s a previously unknown form of noetic power on her
Blight in the US and the many smaller Corrupted own, and they wished to use her to study this new
zones across the globe, she attempted to heal them. power, later known as quantakinesis.

358 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

 THE TRUTH ABOUT REBECCA BUE LI
Telepath Proxy Rebecca Bue Li has not been seen in public for more than a year. The official
story is that she had a serious genetic predisposition to cancer which had made her danger-
ously ill, but was cured by Dr. Matthew Zweidler and is currently recuperating. This is at best
a half-truth. Several years ago, she contracted a fatal, degenerative Quantum Flux disease,
which has cancer as one of its symptoms. Like the various other Quantum Flux diseases, it is
beyond the ability of even vitakinetic aid. Dr. Zweidler has so far been able to keep Ms. Li
alive, but she is slowly but surely dying. She remains conscious and in control of the Ministry,
but does so telepathically. She has not spoken for more than four months and is currently in
a biotech life-support pod specially designed by Dr. Zweidler. His best guess is that Proxy Li
will die within two to three years, but that her consciousness might remain active by remain-
ing connected to other telepaths in her order. Her only hope for a cure is to be treated by a
powerful vitakinetic working with a quantakinetic, since that combination is the only known
way to cure Quantum Flux illnesses. However, since Director Li was one of the foremost
proponents of the Chitra Bhanu purge, convincing one of the few surviving quantakinetics to
help her, and then convincing her to accept this help could prove difficult.

Late in 2104, the Doyen transported all of the prox- THE SECRETS OF THE DOYEN
ies to the Moon and informed them that their species
Slightly more than four million years ago, the Doyen
was busy dealing with other, greater threats, and so
were a powerful psychic species that evolved almost
the proxies must defend humanity and recruit other
7,000 light years from Earth. They expanded out into
psions to help with this effort. Then, the Doyen per-
space and settled more than a dozen colony worlds.
formed noetic surgery on the proxies to allow them
They encountered several less-advanced species as
to use their latent abilities. This procedure used ad-
well as the ruins of many extinct ones. In time, Doyen
vanced biotech modeled on the genetics the Doyen
scientists learned that many species either destroyed
possessed when they had living bodies. These surger-
themselves or were destroyed by another, more power-
ies transformed the proxies into the most potent psy-
ful species. This knowledge terrified the innately para-
chics ever to exist on Earth, but it also limited them;
noid Doyen. Rather than waiting until their species had
each proxy could only use a single psionic Aptitude.
evolved sufficiently to allow them to transcend their
The Doyen feared how powerful humanity might be-
flesh and become immortal beings with bodies com-
come and wished to make certain that humans only
posed of noetic energy, the Doyen rushed the process.
developed carefully limited powers. The Doyen then
Fearing that alien attack or some cosmic disaster would
gave each proxy a strange container pulsing with sub-
doom their species, they attempted to transform them-
quantum energy — a nascent Prometheus Chamber.
selves into immortal beings who could never be killed.
Each chamber performed the same type of noetic sur-
gery on any latent psion “dunked” in it. Because the Although the process worked, the results were
Prometheus Chambers cannot personalize the noetic less than most Doyen had hoped. They no longer
surgery in the same way that the Doyen did for the possess physical bodies, but they did not become
proxies, psions produced in this fashion must gradual- entities of pure noetic force inhabiting subtle realms
ly grow into their power, but were likewise restricted that even the most powerful psions can barely sense.
to using a single Aptitude. Instead, they became creatures made of a mixture of
charged plasma and noetic force. In this form, they
In addition to providing the proxies with their
are immune to the ravages of disease and old age, and
powers and Prometheus Chambers, the Doyen also
can ignore attacks by most weapons. However, they
helped with their first steps to the stars. The first
remain vulnerable to attack by powerful noetic or
few habitable worlds found by psions were not ran-
Quantum forces and also discovered to their horror
dom discoveries. The Doyen gave Otha Herzog the
that the presence of sufficiently powerful Quantum
coordinates for Far Nyumba, the Crab Nebula, and
energies made them significantly weaker.
Qinshui. Since that time, psions have discovered oth-
er planets, either through long-range Clairvoyance or Most of the Doyen decided that to safeguard their
in several cases, using Psychometry on items brought species, they must prevent any other species from
back from colonies founded during the Nova Age. becoming as powerful as they are. When possible,

the secret history of humanity 359

 they gained covert control of species like the Qin their Modes. Their Psi ranges from 5-7. The following
and found ways to prevent them from evolving into Doyen is an average example of the lower-ranking in-
beings of greater power. However, the Doyen fear dividuals who are sent out to possess and manipu-
species with Quantum powers, and instead utterly late humans and other aliens. It flees if faced with a
destroy these rare species whenever they encounter threat that could actually destroy it, but is otherwise
them. Humanity is unique because it possesses the overconfident and contemptuous of other species,
potential for both Quantum and noetic powers. This which it considers to be lesser life forms.
fascinates some Doyen and horrifies the rest.
One faction of the Doyen wanted to either destroy
Proficient Skills: Command, Integrity,
Persuasion
humanity or find a way to prevent them from ever be-
coming powerful, while others hoped to enhance and Average Skills: Culture, Enigmas,
control humanity’s psionic powers and to use these Humanities, Technology
powers to destroy the Aberrants and then to act as Edges: Iron Will 3, Photographic
powerful cats-paws for the Doyen, interfering in situ- Memory 2, Skilled Liar
ations that the Doyen found too dangerous. Currently, Psi Trait: 5
the Doyen faction that wishes to “tame” and use hu-
Psi Modes: Rapport 3, Mindshare
manity is slightly more powerful than the faction that
4, Photokinesis 3, Psychbending 4,
seeks to wipe humanity out, but the balance of this de- Psychocognition 1, Technokinesis 2,
cision is sufficiently close that it could easily change. Telekinesis 2, Translocation 4
DOYEN METHODS & MOTIVES Equipment Bonuses: +2 Enhancement
Despite being practically immortal, the Doyen re- Condition Levels: 4
main a cowardly species. They always prefer to act Special Abilities: Because they are composed of plas-
indirectly, convincing others to do their bidding, espe- ma and noetic force, Doyen are immune to almost all
cially if any risk is involved. When interacting with hu- forms of attack. They can only be affected by electrical
manity, they sometimes communicate via dreams and weapons that can inflict the Stunned Condition. In addi-
visions. However, because many people have at least tion, they can be affected by the following noetic Modes:
some understanding of psionic powers, such messag- Electrokinetic Electromanipulation, Quantakinetic
es must be subtle enough to not to cause someone to Fundamentals, and all Telepathic and Teleportation
suspect that a psion is attempting to influence them. Modes. Finally, they suffer the same vulnerability to
More commonly, the Doyen possess someone in a use- Corruption as psions (p. 191) and can be affected by the
ful position. In theory, the Doyen could simply possess Aberrant Quality Life Drain, and the Aberrant Mutations
powerful Legionnaires and assassinate anyone that Attack and Incapacitate. The Aberrant Mutation Direct
threatened their species, but they rarely act in such a Corruption instantly kills one of the Doyen.
direct and open manner, preferring to work behind the Also, due to the way they designed the Prometheus
scenes, so that almost no one suspects their presence. Chambers, when a Doyen uses the Psychbending
power Possess on a psion, that Doyen can also use all
SAMPLE DOYEN OPPONENT of the individual’s noetic powers.
(MAJOR THREAT)
Doyen are brilliant but cowardly creatures composed THE DOYEN & THE CHROMATICS
of plasma and noetic force. They can learn any Psionic Humanity recently learned to communicate with
Aptitude except Quantakinesis, and can gain up to five the Chromatics, and what they have learned is very
dots in any of these Aptitudes, except for one Aptitude puzzling. The Chromatics are a pre-industrial spe-
(which varies by Doyen), where they can learn up to cies who have no understanding of how any of their
seven dots. However, because they lack physical bodies, technology works. Also, they hate humanity with a
almost no Doyen learn Biokinesis. deep passion for no obvious reason. Most researchers
All Doyen who interact with alien species pos- studying the Chromatics now believe that they are be-
sess at least four dots in Psychbending and three ing used as pawns by some unknown entity or entities.
dots in the other two Telepathy Modes. In addition, Many researchers theorize that Aberrants gave the
most possess four dots in Translocation, two dots Chromatics human technology and captured teleport-
in Telekinesis, and a total of at least 20 dots in all of ers for them. The truth is somewhat more complex.

360 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

 PLANETARY DATA: CHROME PRIME
Discovery: 2123 (Æon Trinity)
Distance from Earth: 86,000 light years.
Star: CSGC 4:5112:35:21 — F9
Diameter: 11,300 km
Gravity: 0.88 Earth
Atmosphere: Oxygen and nitrogen with some sulfur compounds (breathable by hu-
mans with filters)
Air Pressure: 0.75 Earth
Temperature: −50° C to 50° C
Percentage Ocean: 45%
Rotation Period: 26 hours
Native Life: Chromatics, various other flora and fauna

Almost 40 years ago, a group of almost 100 SECRET OF THE QIN

Aberrants known as the Seraphim traveled to
The Qin have been a space-traveling species for
the Chromatic homeworld, known to humans as
almost 14,000 years, longer than most species, which
Chrome Prime. After initial attempts to conquer
typically either transcend or are destroyed with-
the Chromatics failed, the Aberrants were trapped
in 10,000 years of developing space travel. They
on Chrome Prime when the Chromatics killed both
lack any method of faster than light travel and fly
of the Aberrants capable of creating Warps. Since
between their colony worlds in living relativistic
that time, the Seraphim have engaged in a continu-
starships. The Qin also possess only modest innate
ous low-level war with the Chromatics. Because the
noetic powers, well less than they would need to
Aberrants initially seemed peaceful and betrayed the
complete their psychic evolution into beings of no-
Chromatics’ trust for no reason except the desire for
etic force. However, they are exceptionally skilled
conquest, the Chromatics call them the Corrupters.
genetic engineers and could easily have managed to
Shortly after humans began building Karroo greatly enhance their psionic powers.
Mining Colony, a group of Doyen who were utterly
Instead, for the last 13,000 years, the Qin have been
opposed to humanity came to the Chromatic home-
pawns of the Doyen. Doyen possessed and psychical-
world. They posed as gods and used possession and
ly manipulated Qin leaders and researchers, making
mind control to assemble a group of fanatically loy-
certain that the Qin never discovered the secrets of
al priests, known as Witnesses. The Chromatics call
enhancing their noetic powers. Instead, they managed
the Doyen “bodiless ones” or “gods of light,” and
to make the idea that the Qin’s powers are inherently
many Chromatics agreed to follow the Witnesses’
limited and cannot be enhanced into one of the found-
commands when the Doyen promised to help them
ing principles of modern Qin genetic engineering.
defeat the Seraphim. The Doyen went on to explain
In addition to preventing the Qin from becoming
that the Seraphim were merely the vanguard of a
a potential threat, the Doyen teleport mind-con-
species of lying monstrous beasts. After stealing pro-
trolled Qin agents to explore alien worlds, examin-
totypes of the biotech factories that manufacture liv-
ing threats the Doyen are too cowardly and careful to
ing warships from Orgotek, the Doyen began helping
investigate. One isolated Qin interstellar colony also
the Chromatics get ready for war. Convincing one or
provides bored Doyen with the chance to experience
more Chromatic prisoners that humans are not de-
inhabiting physical bodies. If humans studying Qin
ceptive beasts could help break the hold the Doyen
biology discover a method of enhancing Qin psionic
have over the Chromatics.
powers, they could help transform the Qin and end
the Doyens’ covert control.

the secret history of humanity 361

 THE TRUTH ABOUT BULLSEYE species and use their genetic material to create slave
species that lack noetic potential.
Bullseye is one of the first planets where humanity
has discovered the remains of previously extinct intel- The progenitors hoped to eventually find some way
ligent life. It’s immediately clear that the inhabitants to gain impressive powers that did not involve the use
were killed off in some huge catastrophe. Currently, of noetic abilities. However, all the species they en-
most researchers believe that this species died in a countered either had noetic powers or no powers at
genocidal war. However, the truth is both stranger and all. All of this changed 74 years ago, when the progeni-
more troubling. The BEs (short for Bullseye Entities) tors on the space ark now heading to Earth captured a
were one of the rare species who have the potential to single, relatively weak Aberrant. For the first time, the
use Quantum powers, but unlike humanity they had progenitors learned of Quantum powers. The progen-
no potential to learn noetic powers. When the Doyen itors on that vessel were rapidly able to tell that this
encountered them, the BEs had begun sending a few being had no noetic powers and that its abilities were
exploratory missions to other star systems. The Doyen antithetical to noetic powers. They wanted its powers
noticed the BEs because of the distinctive (and irritat- for themselves and their slaves. The progenitors be-
ing to the Doyen) energy signature of their Quantum gan enhancing members of several of their slave spe-
powers. None of the BEs were as powerful as human cies to help them understand the nature and effects
novas, but they clearly had the potential to increase of these powers. If these powers prove reliable, they
in power. To prevent this, the Doyen destroyed them, will soon enhance themselves. Not knowing about the
sending a series of large comets to impact Bullseye, Aberrant War or how powerful some Aberrants can
and then convincing a now-extinct species under become, they are currently heading for Earth in an
their control to destroy the few remaining cities. effort to acquire more and greater Quantum powers.

SECRETS OF THE COALITION THE DESTINY OF

More than 60,000 years ago, the Coalition species INTELLIGENCE IN THE
known as the progenitors were an advanced species GALAXY
with limited psionic powers. This species excelled Humans have only just begun to explore the galaxy,
in genetic engineering and began to greatly enhance but they have already discovered one truth, life-bear-
their innate psionic powers using genetic surgery, ing planets are abundant, but intelligent life is rare.
aided by increasingly powerful psionic techniques. Humanity has discovered a dozen habitable worlds
Eventually, the majority of this species joined togeth- with complex ecosystems, but only Qinshui and the
er into one vast and powerful telepathic group mind recently discovered Chromatic homeworld gave birth
that soon vanished from this universe. However, the to intelligent life. More importantly, explorers have
final transformation from individual progenitors also discovered several worlds which seem to have
to a telepathic group mind required several years once been home to intelligent life. What humanity
and, during this time, a few members of this species has not yet learned is that few intelligent species sur-
viewed the coming transformation with horror and vive for more than 10,000 years once they have begun
alarm. Not wishing to lose their individuality, they exploring space and learning to harness their innate
used genetic surgery to remove their own psionic powers. Intelligence is always accompanied by at
gifts and fled from the rest of their species in six vast least some potential for inspired, noetic, or Quantum
space arks. Traveling near the speed of light, their powers. Learning to fully harness these powers can be
journeys from one star system to another seemed to dangerous, both for the species harnessing them and
take only a few months. for other intelligent species that they encounter.
Despite not wanting to lose their individuality, At any one time, there are no more than a few
these progenitors envied the power that that the hundred intelligent species in the entire Milky Way
other members of their species had wielded. They galaxy. However, several hundred thousand planets
began capturing specimens of other intelligent spe- have at one time been home to intelligent life, and
cies as part of a plan to upgrade themselves, while the ruins of these species are surprisingly common.
also allowing them to retain their individuality. The Many species destroy themselves, others are de-
progenitors also began engineering other aliens into stroyed by more advanced species, and some learn to
docile slave species. The Coalition fears species harness the full potential of their powers and trans-
with psionic gifts. They destroy noetically talented form themselves into patterns of sentient energy that

362 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

transcend the physical universe and begin a won- become beings of pure thought or meld themselves
drous existence in realms beyond the comprehen- into single vast being of pure thought. The Doyen at-
sion of physical beings. The only alternative is some tempted to become such beings, but were unable to
form of technological and cultural stasis. A few spe- take that final step, becoming instead creatures with
cies are either unable to develop their innate powers bodies of ionized plasma, and have been unwilling to
or are prevented from doing so by their own customs risk attempting to advance beyond that state.
or by some external agency. These species can ex- Many species also possess at least some potential
ist in a relatively changeless state for tens of thou- to gain inspired powers, like Talents. For the vast
sands of even hundreds of thousands of years. Like majority of species, these powers are useful, but not
humanity, the Chromatics are a young species that transformative. However, a handful of species, like
is just learning to harness its innate powers. The Qin humanity, possess the ability to gain vast inspired
are a static species whose psionic potential has been powers, even greater than those possessed by Max
artificially limited by the Doyen, and the Coalition is Mercer. While there is no known method of inspired
an ancient pan-species collective ruled by tyrannical transcendence, Inspired probability manipulation
autocrats who care far more about personal power can help species survive a variety of potentially
than transcendental growth. deadly threats. The most powerful inspired powers
As humanity continues to explore the galaxy, they can allow a species to conquer time itself.
will find more worlds that were once home to intel- There is also a third, rarer alternative. A few spe-
ligent life. Some are shattered or scorched ruins like cies instead evolve with no potential for noetic de-
Bullseye, while other, less damaged worlds may be velopment, but can learn to harness vast and danger-
home to devastated ecosystems where a few hun- ous quantum powers, like those used by novas and
dred thousand stone age descendants of an advanced Aberrants. Many of these species destroy themselves
species struggle to survive. The most mysterious are before they learn to properly harness their pow-
the worlds where all intelligent life seems to have ers. Because these species can become so powerful,
swiftly and mysteriously vanished. some are destroyed by more advanced species, while
others explode across the galaxy, conquering or de-
NOETIC VS. QUANTUM DESTINIES stroying a dozen or more other species before they
The vast majority of species have at least some po- destroy themselves or are destroyed by their many
tential to develop noetic powers like those used by enemies. Those that survive become wondrous crea-
psions. In time, some combination of psychic evo- tures that can create their own private universes
lution and genetic engineering allows most species or transform the black holes at the center of galax-
that avoid destroying themselves to gain at least a ies into exotic habitats. The extinct inhabitants of
modicum of noetic powers. Many species that sur- Bullseye were one such species. Humanity is almost
vive gaining powers develop those powers to such a unique in possessing the potential for inspired, noet-
degree that they learn to transcend the boundaries ic, and Quantum powers.
of their physical bodies. These species then either

THE FATE OF HUMANITY

Humanity could be destroyed or it might eventual- collective, transform into Quantum-powered god-
ly transcend the universe. The Doyen seek to channel lings, divide into several entire different powerful
and direct human development so they remain static, species, or perhaps find a way to unify all three types
limited, and firmly under Doyen control. However, of powers and become something new and uniquely
because of their potential to develop inspired, noet- powerful that the galaxy has never seen before.
ic, and Quantum powers, humanity is potentially far
more powerful than the Doyen, and is perhaps one of A POSSIBLE
the most powerful species the galaxy has ever seen. FUTURE HISTORY
If humanity escapes from the Doyen’s control, they
The following is what the near future of Trinity
still risk destroying themselves. If they survive, they
Continuum: Æon might be. Specifically, this is what
could all eventually become part of one vast noetic
happens if the characters in your campaign don’t alter

the fate of humanity 363

 the course of history. Any campaign should focus on the regroup. However, slowly but surely, the human fleet
characters, making them pivotal individuals in the set- defeats the Chromatic fleet.
ting. If the characters in your campaign take an interest Despite possessing superiority in space, much of
in a particular area, the events in this location are almost the invasion takes place on the ground, as teams of
certain to go very differently than the possible future psions search for the well-hidden teleporters and
presented here. However, no team of characters can be the psionic damper that keeps them from teleport-
everywhere at once. This future history can help you de- ing away. During this search, the invaders make two
cide what happens to the problems and situations that crucial discoveries. They learn about the previous
the characters in your campaign aren’t working to solve. invasion by the Aberrants called the Seraphim and
In 2123, there are three obvious and immediate they learn more about the Doyen and their role in
threats to humanity. The Chromatics are attacking this conflict.
Karroo Mining Colony and just attacked Earth, the The battle of Chrome Prime kills many humans
Coalition Ark is headed for Earth, and the Aberrants and Chromatics. The decisive moment comes when
have returned. Dealing with these three threats can a group of human soldiers work with a group of
play a major role in shaping what humanity becomes. Chromatics to help kill and drive off a band of attack-
ing Aberrants who are taking advantage of the inva-
THE INVASION OF CHROME PRIME sion to attempt to cause chaos and kill Chromatics.
The Æon Trinity has tentatively located the As the Chromatics and humans begin tentative dis-
Chromatic homeworld they refer to as Chrome cussions in the aftermath of this battle, one of the
Prime, and is preparing to invade it. Their goal is Doyen appears and urges the Chromatics to attack
to both prevent further Chromatic attacks and also the humans. When a Chromatic leader speaks out
to rescue the several dozen teleporters imprisoned against the Doyen’s commands, the Doyen becomes
there. The initial portions of the invasion proceed angry, kills the Chromatic leader, and teleports away.
in a relatively uneventful fashion, because four This murder sets off a civil war among the
Leviathan jump ships fully loaded with military craft Chromatics, with some remaining loyal to the Doyen
and soldiers can defeat the entire Chromatic fleet. and others fighting alongside the humans. This con-
The resulting space battle lasts several days. There flict is short, but bloody, and near the end, a Doyen
are reverses where human ships must withdraw and loyalist kills a third of the captured teleporters before

364 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

they could be rescued. In the aftermath of this bat- Ark. The vast ship then fires a massive weapon that
tle, humanity and the surviving Chromatics begin to disintegrates an entire Martian city, leaving nothing
make peace. Humanity has learned a bit more about behind but fragments that swiftly crumble to dust.
the Doyen and may have a new ally. All external attacks on the Coalition Ark cease, but
that battle inside the ark continues. Eventually, the
THE COALITION ARK humans and rebel aliens attach a large fusion bomb
The Æon Trinity sends a jump ship to rescue the next to one of the ark’s engines. As a last-ditch ef-
disabled jump ship Pandora that made the second fort to prevent the destruction of all Martian cities
contact with the Coalition ark. The Pandora was able or capture of the Martian population, they destroy
to avoid capture or destruction, but Coalition fight- the ark. Almost 3,000 alien rebels escape, along with
ers have destroyed most of the spacecraft it carried, most of the psions who had aided them, but the blast
and almost a quarter of the crew died during various destroys most of the alien rebels and the entire rest
battles with the Coalition. After saving the crew on of the population of the Coalition Ark.
the Pandora, the rescuers teleport into the Coalition
Ark to rescue almost 20 humans who were trapped THE SECOND ABERRANT WAR
there when hostilities started. They are surprised to Less than a week after the destruction of the
discover the humans being aided by a small group of Coalition Ark, several of the most powerful known
sasqs and drones who have been resisting the pro- Aberrants, including the Colony, invade the solar
genitor’s control. These aliens are part of a small system, accompanied by almost 1,000 less powerful
band of servitor species who have recently devel- Aberrants and sub-Aberrant mutants. They were
oped a resistance to the progenitor’s control. drawn by the vast amounts of Quantum energy re-
What no one knows is that these aliens became leased during the appearance of the Coalition Ark.
Talents after casual exposure to the exotic energies Fortunately, Otha Herzog predicted their arrival af-
generated by the presence of several Aberrants on the ter the Coalition Ark was destroyed, so teleporters
Coalition Ark. The rescuers teleport most of the hu- were able to transport several of the most powerful
mans off the ark, but several psions choose to remain novas from Eden to help defend the solar system.
on board to help the rebellious aliens fight the progen- The attacking Aberrants are joined by several
itors and to also attempt to sabotage the progenitors Aberrants who had been hiding in Wycoff’s Blight,
program to incorporate Aberrant powers into their a pair of powerful Aberrants who had previous-
servitor species and eventually into their own bodies. ly concealed themselves in the depths of Olympus
Because it is moving at nearly light speed, predictions Underworld, and a group of underwater Aberrants
were that the Coalition Ark would not arrive in the so- led by an insane and heavily mutated Felice Taylor.
lar system for more than a decade. Instead, less than a These Aberrants are able to destroy half of Olympus
year after the defeat of the Chromatics, the Coalition and most of Chicago before they are defeated. Unlike
Ark appears just outside the orbit of Mars amidst a the battle with the Coalition, where most fighting
huge Quantum surge that every psion from Earth to the was concentrated around the ark, the most powerful
asteroid belt registers as a vast Aberrant warp. Aberrants warp themselves and their allies all across
The ark’s arrival is the signal for a full-scale revolt the solar system, striking one target, vanishing, and
by the aliens who have been working with the psions then attacking another.
remaining onboard the ship. At this point, human war- Teams of clairsentients and teleporters are able to
ships attack the Coalition Ark and teleporters jump mostly keep up with these rapid warps, but can only
teams of psions and large stocks of weapons onboard transport relatively small numbers of combatants. The
to aid this revolt. At the same time, the Coalition Ark tide of the battle turns when almost 50 quantakinet-
launches hundreds of fighters at Mars in an attack that ics joined the forces defending the solar system, since
destroys several cities. Also, teams of spinal warriors they are able to temporarily reduce the power of the
with Aberrant powers strike at Martian cities and the Aberrants. However, almost a dozen Doyen possess
attacking human warships, causing heavy casualties. various military leaders in an effort to cause humanity
Shortly after the first attack on Mars, an envoy and the Aberrants to destroy or at least greatly weaken
broadcasts a message demanding the immediate sur- one another, leaving humanity ripe for Doyen conquest.
render of Mars and the transport of one tenth of the The combined effort of thousands of psions,
surviving Martian population onboard the Coalition Talents, and Nihonjin Superiors, with help from

the fate of humanity 365

 novas from Eden and the quantakinetics allow hu- and psions. Over the next century, the Doyen destroy
manity to defeat the Aberrants and also to detect, and more than a hundred spacecraft and interstellar explo-
on three occasions destroy, Doyen possessing hu- ration teams and almost 20 small colonies and research
mans. This victory comes at a very high cost. Almost stations. Eventually, humanity works with the Qin and
a quarter of the habitats orbiting Earth are destroyed Chromatics to defeat the Doyen, but that is the story of
and more than 25 million people are killed, mostly the beginning of a new era.
in Chicago and Olympus. This is also a time of loss It is important for all Storytellers to remember
for the psi orders, since both General Solveig Larssen that the above is only what happens if the characters
and Dr. Matthew Zweidler died during the attack. in your chronicle do not interfere. If the characters
General Larssen died leading the Fourth Legion into focus their efforts on Aberrants and the Coalition,
the heart of Olympus, while Dr. Zweidler died trying then the situation with the Chromatics plays out as
to save lives in the ruins of Chicago. The Æon Trinity described above, but the fate of the Coalition ark
also suffered heavy losses. Aberrants destroyed the and the events of the Second Aberrant War are al-
Æon Trinity’s famous headquarters, known as The most certain to be very different. Similarly, if the
Cube, during their attack on Chicago. Several thou- characters learn about and expose the Doyen, the
sand Æon Trinity personnel were killed when this Doyen could possibly be defeated before the Second
building collapsed. However, humanity also learned Aberrant War.
more about the Doyen, and after the battle ended, Also, the above history is one where humanity
Chitra Bhanu is welcomed back as one of the eight triumphs, but at a significant cost. If your campaign
psi orders. calls for it, feel free to make future events more or
less optimistic. Perhaps the arrival of the Coalition
THE DOYEN CONFLICT Ark or a major Aberrant attack on Earth results in
After humanity wins the Second Aberrant War, the a large meteor striking the Earth, causing a disaster
Doyen retreat. Horrified by the fact that humans man- on the scale of the meteor that made the dinosaurs
aged to kill several of their number, and could poten- extinct, creating dust clouds that block most sunlight
tially kill more, the Doyen hide from humanity and for more than a decade and perhaps causing a new
launch a lengthy guerilla war. The Doyen attack inter- ice age. In this future, the people of Earth must ei-
stellar exploration teams and small colonies in an effort ther flee to or depend on their colonies to help them
to attempt to keep humanity from expanding outwards. survive. Always remember that this is your chroni-
They avoided direct confrontation with anything larg- cle; feel free to change anything you need to in order
er than a few hundred relatively unprepared humans to create the scenarios you wish to run.

NIHONJIN SECRETS
When a growing number of novas began to go mad equal number of powerful protectors. However, the
in the 2040s, Japan began exiling or secretly execut- Nihonjin government publicly removed all other no-
ing any nova displaying erratic behavior and started vas and allowed the outside world to think that none
a crash program to uncover the reason for their in- remained in Nippon.
creasing instability. By 2049, tests allowed Nihonjin When the Chinese issued their Ultimatum in 2067,
scientists to discover which novas were most likely 31 novas remained in Nippon. No one outside of the
to become dangerously unstable. Since there was no upper ranks of the Nihonjin government knew they
way to prevent or reverse this growing madness, the were there, and by this time, their efforts were es-
Nihonjin government attempted to exile or secretly sential to retaining the high standard of living of
execute any nova who failed these tests. post-Quarantine Nippon. The decision to retain their
When it closed its borders in 2053, the Nihonjin novas forced Nippon to remain isolated, because the
government allowed more than three dozen sane and Nihonjin government believed that if anyone learned
loyal novas to remain. Tests revealed that these novas of these novas, Nippon might face orbital bombard-
would not become dangerously insane, and the gov- ment. During the Quarantine, the most powerful
ernment was unwilling to lose the services of more of these Nihonjin novas worked with the handful
than a dozen brilliant scientists and engineers or an of other powerful and sane novas still living in the

366 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

solar system to create a powerful Quantum TESTING AND
barrier around the solar system. They also ENHANCING HUMANS
continually patrolled the vast area near this
barrier to make certain that Aberrants were In 2045, Nihonjin researchers working with a trio
not able to return and threaten the Earth. of hyper-intelligent novas developed a test to iden-
Nippon’s scarce natural resources, com- tify individuals who had the potential to become
bined with the massive influx of refugees novas. Unknown to them, this test also detected
before the Quarantine, forced the govern-
many of the people who had the potential to be-
come psions. In 2052, these researchers created a
ment to adopt drastic measures to maintain
technique that allowed physicians to permanently
the islands’ standard of living. Between 2053 remove an individual’s ability to erupt into a nova.
and 2075, the Nihonjin government used This same process also destroyed any ability for
advanced technologies and powerful novas the individual to become a psion.
to extract most valuable minerals from the The Nihonjin government began secret genetic test-
landscape and then transformed more than ing of all citizens in 2053. These tests are now done
a third of the surface area of the Nihonjin when a child first enters school. Initially, they gave
islands into a single massive arcology. When everyone who tested positive an engineered retrovi-
this enormous project was complete, the is- rus known as Kaga-2, which removed the ability to
lands’ population of 180,000,000 was housed erupt into a nova. Then, in 2071 nova scientist Kayo-
in comfort and there was room to easily ko Nakamura discovered a way to safely induce
house an additional 180,000,000 inhabitants. anyone with any of these unusual genetic markers
to become a new type of enhanced human.
In 2105, Nippon ended the Quarantine,
because the 25 novas still living in Nippon Called Superiors, they lacked obvious Quan-
all died in the last months of 2104. The
tum powers but were significantly physically and
mentally superior to ordinary humans. The Nihon-
burst of noetic energy that Dr. S. K. Bhurano
jin government identified everyone who seemed
unleashed to attempt to heal various mentally stable, loyal, and had the potential to de-
Corrupted areas weakened the Quantum velop powers, and used the so-called Nakamura
barrier around the solar system and at- Process on them.
tracted the Colony’s attention. When the The Nakamura Process fails on approximately
Colony’s forces attacked the solar system, one sixth of all subjects, but leaves these failures
the Nihonjin novas joined the few other enhanced in a manner that Nihonjin researchers
novas secretly living in the asteroid belt and find difficult to define. In actuality, the subjects of
attempted to defend the Earth. However, these failures become Talents instead of Superiors.
their numbers were too few and the attack- The Nakamura Process has created close to 7,000
ers killed them all. Superiors and Talents who work for the Nihonjin
With their protectors gone and certain government as scientists, engineers, test pilots,
that Earth would soon face Aberrant attack,
diplomats, physicians, detectives and special forc-
es soldiers.
the Nihonjin government ended their long
isolation and began making plans to help
coordinate Earth’s defense. In desperation, The Nihonjin government realized that while
they prepared to reveal all they had learned about psions might protect Earth against the attacking
novas and Aberrants over the past 52 years as well Aberrants, they could also be the unknowing van-
as revealing the existence of the Nihonjin Superiors. guard of an extraterrestrial invasion. To guarantee
The Nihonjin government swiftly abandoned all of that Nippon remained safe from a possible future
these plans a few months later when researchers at sneak attack by alien-controlled psions, the govern-
the Tokyo Academy of Advanced Studies conclusively ment scrapped its plans to reveal its secrets. Due to
proved that noetic biotech was designed by unknown both the perceived risk of noetic biotech and the
extraterrestrial entities and partially derived from ex- potential danger that psions posed, the government
traterrestrial genetic material. banned all noetic biotech from Nippon and carefully
regulated and controlled visits by psions.

nihonjin secrets 367

 CHITRA BHANU
While almost everyone be- Chitra Bhanu. At this point, the Doyen possessing Dr.
lieves that all quantakinet- Bhurano used its Telepathy to spread panic among
ics died in the purge, al- the populace near the clinic and also to inflame the
most a quarter of the order emotions of the psions who come to investigate. It
survived, including S. K. also used its powers to block the Æon Trinity’s inves-
Bhurano. She recently suc- tigation into Chitra Bhanu.
ceeded in rebuilding the or- Shortly before the Legion members arrived at the
der’s Prometheus Chamber, and clinic, the Doyen controlling Dr. Bhurano called all
for the last six months, has been creating new the quantakinetics in from the field. When the other
quantakinetics and recruiting new members with orders arrived, this Doyen used its powers to cause
other Aptitudes. the tense meeting to erupt into bloody fighting. More
than three quarters of the quantakinetics died in this
THE TRUE HISTORY OF DR. conflict. Then, the Doyen possessing Dr. Bhurano set
SARASWATI KAUR BHURANO & a noetic bomb to destroy Dr. Bhurano and all of her
THE QUANTAKINETIC ORDER closest associates. Seconds before this bomb went off,
When she set off the noetic beacon that cleansed the Doyen teleported to safety, leaving Dr. Bhurano
the Corrupted zones and attracted the Doyen, Dr. to die in the explosion. However, Dr. Bhurano was
Bhurano also gained considerable psychic power, in- ready; she used her powers to shield herself and the
cluding becoming one of the few humans to ever de- quantakinetics with her from the blast. Then, she hid
velop any quantakinesis Modes. She also had the po- them all with her powers, allowing observers to be-
tential to develop all of the other psychic Aptitudes. lieve that she and the quantakinetics with her were
However, the Doyen were afraid of her. Their noetic dead. When she fled from the ruins, she took with
surgery enhanced her quantakinesis, but prevent- her 18 other quantakinetics and the core of the quan-
ed her from developing much power with other takinetic Prometheus Chamber. Since that time, she
Aptitudes. However, their efforts had no effect on remained hidden. She also worked to locate more
her previous powers, including her enhanced lon- than a dozen other surviving quantakinetics. Most
gevity and healing. had also used their powers to evade detection. A few
others had mysteriously vanished because Norça op-
Fearful of her keen mind and formidable, unfa-
eratives had discovered them and secretly brought
miliar powers, one of the Doyen possessed her. Dr.
them to Proxy del Fuego.
Bhurano has only limited awareness of the eight
years between her becoming the quantakinetic proxy The other proxies never knew that Dr. Bhurano
in 2104 and the Chitra Bhanu purge of 2112. The was possessed by one of the Doyen. However, after
Doyen that possessed her had access to most of her they helped destroy the quantakinetic order, Bolade
memories and was able to successfully imitate her Atwan, Rebecca Bue Li, and Otha Herzog all suspect-
behavior. However, Dr. Bhurano periodically came to ed that something strange was going on and that they
consciousness and began planning her escape. Her may have made a serious mistake. Then, Giuseppe
chance came in 2112. Quantakinetic research into the del Fuego learned the truth.
limits of noetic manipulation allowed Chitra Bhanu Already suspicious of the events of the purge, the
researchers to cure otherwise incurable Corruption reports he heard from the quantakinetics he helped
diseases, but these powers also allowed quantakinet- hide strengthened his suspicions that the psi orders
ics to seriously impair noetic powers, temporarily had been manipulated into turning on their own
enhance Quantum powers, and to even weaken or kind. Proxy del Fuego helped these quantakinet-
destroy individual Doyen. ics remain hidden and continued to question them
The Doyen were horrified by this development. A extensively. He eventually acquired a piece of the
combination of telepathic manipulation and leaking quantakinetic Prometheus Chamber and made con-
the most dangerous looking portions of this research tact with one of the quantakinetics working with
to the OpNet turned most of the other proxies against Dr. Bhurano. At this point, Dr. Bhurano shared her

368 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

experiences, and they worked together to rebuild the and loyal, and at least one clairsentient attempts to
quantakinetic Prometheus Chamber. examine how the new recruit would fit into Chitra
Bhanu.
CHITRA BHANU TODAY Dr. Bhurano personally meets with everyone this
S. K. Bhurano is currently proxy of a small rigorous investigation deems suitable. She recruits
but growing order. Regrowing the quantakinetic anyone who is interested. If the person wishes to join
Prometheus Chamber required seven years, and was but does not wish to become a quantakinetic, she
only completed in 2122. Then she was able to begin sends a message to Proxy del Fuego and arranges to
secretly recruiting latents and creating new quantak- get the psion access to one of the other Prometheus
inetics. Currently, Chitra Bhanu has almost 50 quan- Chambers. If someone is scared, angry, or simply
takinetics. Twenty-one psions with other Aptitudes not interested, Dr. Bhurano has the telepath who ac-
also belong to this order. Recruiting new quantaki- companies her erase the individual’s memory of this
netics is difficult. The Aptitude for quantakinesis is meeting.
quite rare — fewer than 10% of all latent psions pos-
sess it. Also, no one is going to attempt to join a psi GOALS
order that almost everyone believes to have been de- Dr. Bhurano has two goals — redeem Chitra Bhanu
stroyed because it was corrupted by Aberrants. and take revenge on the Doyen. She hates the Doyen
Instead, S. K. Bhurano has contacts in several clin- with a burning passion and because she was pos-
ics that perform latency testing. She and her assis- sessed by one for eight years, Dr. Bhurano managed
tants personally investigate every individual who to learn a few fragments of knowledge about them.
displays a sufficiently strong latency. During this in- At the moment, Chitra Bhanu is focusing on re-
vestigation, one of the three Chitra Bhanu telepaths search. Proxy Bhurano is certain that at least some of
scans the subject to see if they are likely to be sane the answers humanity has discovered about psions,

chitra bhanu 369

 Aberrants, and extrasolar worlds are lies perpetrated RUNNING A CHITRA BHANU
by the Doyen. As a result, she is having her people
CAMPAIGN
investigate all potential anomalies in the hopes of
discovery inconsistencies that lead to greater knowl- As members of a small and highly secret organiza-
edge about her enemies as well as a more accurate tion with lose connections all over the planet, charac-
understanding of the world. She is interested in both ters in a Chitra Bhanu campaign are somewhat sim-
extrasolar planets and anomalies on Earth. ilar to those in a campaign involving the Lighthouse
Keepers (Trinity Continuum Corebook, p. 180).
SPECIAL RESOURCES Characters in a Chitra Bhanu campaign either notice
some problem that they are best suited to handle, or
Chitra Bhanu is small and for now it must remain
Dr. Bhurano uncovers something that they wish the
secret lest the surviving quantakinetics be hunt-
characters to investigate. The two most important el-
ed down. However, while Chitra Bhanu is a secret
ements of a Chitra Bhanu campaign are that members
organization, it is not without allies. A few trusted
must act in secret and they are largely on their own.
members of ISRA and Norça know of their exis-
tence, as does a small division of the Æon Trinity. While they can reach out to a small network of
Quantakinetics can draw upon some of the special people for information or assistance, unlike charac-
resources available to any of these organizations. ters in one of the psi orders or the Æon Trinity, they
Members of Chitra Bhanu cannot gain access to have little ability to call for backup. This order has
these resources as directly or rapidly as members of less than 100 members, and most of them are busy
these organizations, but they can use them. Also, at with various important assignments. If characters
least some of the agents of Æon’s mysterious Section get in trouble, there may be no one they can turn to
Minerva know of Chitra Bhanu’s continued exis- for immediate aid, and if characters find something
tence and have provided invaluable aid. that looks too big for them to handle, a second team
may take days or even weeks to arrive.
Because Chitra Bhanu operates in the shadows,
many members make an effort to create person- Their secrecy also means that Chitra Bhanu teams
al connections between themselves and the peo- cannot openly operate as members of a psi order. The
ple they help. Since only quantakinetics can cure vast majority pretend to be teams of freelance psions,
Corruption diseases, there are now hundreds of pa- while some with appropriate abilities or contacts can
tients, as well as several dozen physicians, and a few create or obtain identification as members of a partic-
vitakinetics who know that they benefitted from the ular psi order. Upeo wa Macho is too small, and the
aid of an ethical and uncorrupted quantakinetic. As Ministry and Norça are too difficult to fake member-
a result, Chitra Bhanu can call upon exceptionally ship in, but ISRA, the Legions, the Æsculapian Order,
loyal allies from all walks of life. They can’t ask for a and Orgotek can all work as temporary cover identities,
mob, a small army, or even a member of a particular as can identities as officials in almost any government
profession who lives in a specific city. However, if a except China or Nippon. However, quantakinetics
member of Chitra Bhanu requires a house to stay in, must either hide their abilities entirely or pretend to be
the aid of a skilled computer hacker or even a police another type of psion, most often either an electroki-
officer in the FSA, their network of contacts often al- netic or a psychokinetic. Typically, this deception is far
lows them to call in a favor from such an individual. safer to accomplish if the quantakinetic’s team contains
Almost none of these contacts are willing to risk im- an actual electrokinetic or psychokinetic or the charac-
prisonment or execution, but they can provide char- ter possesses the appropriate Auxiliary Modes.
acters with information, and some may even be will- Another important factor in creating a Chitra
ing to risk losing their job to repay the fact that they Bhanu campaign is that most members of Chitra
or someone they love is alive because of the efforts Bhanu are scientists, scholars, and academics.
of a quantakinetic. Finally, one of the Æon Trinity’s Solving mysteries and learning the truth about the
Leviathan jump ships has a crew who knows the universe are common passions among members of
truth about Chitra Bhanu and is attempting to search this psi order. However, most members are interest-
for more information about the Doyen. The crew in- ed in leading active lives. While other researchers
cludes a pair of quantakinetics. are content to remain in their laboratories, members
of Chitra Bhanu prefer excavating alien ruins, ex-
ploring Nova Age artifacts, or collecting samples of
alien life forms.

370 CHAPTER ELEVEN: SETTING SECRETS

 CHITRA BHANU ATTITUDES ABOUT OTHER ORDERS
The Æsculapian Order: Once our closest allies, but will they ever be again?
ISRA: They suspect the truth, perhaps it’s time to let them know more.
The Legions: Useful, but far too inclined to shoot first and ask questions later.
The Ministry: They trust no one, it is any surprise that no one trusts them?
Norça: Their proxy helped save us, and they are honorable and brave, we look forward
to being able to share the truth with all of them.
Orgotek: They build shiny toys and fail to ask important questions
Upeo wa Macho: They now understand the dangers of fear and lies.
The Æon Trinity: They failed to prevent the Aberrant war and the attack on us, so it’s
clear that they are far from perfect, but they’re our best chance to defeat the Doyen.

USING QUANTAKINETICS fugitive who sided with Dr. Bhurano and who aches
for revenge on those who destroyed her order; or she
IN OTHER CAMPAIGNS
may want no part of the conflict that consumed her
Some players are going to want to play quantakinet- former comrades. If she is a quantakinetic psion then
ics in campaigns where the characters do not belong she is either a survivor of the quantakinetic purge or
to Chitra Bhanu. Obviously, a quantakinetic cannot became a quantakinetic within the past few months.
join one of the other psi orders, but there are other She is also very likely to be a scientist or some other
options. If the characters are freelance psions, intro- type of academic.
ducing a quantakinetic is easy. A quantakinetic could
become part of a team of freelance psions by initially PATH CONCEPTS
pretending to be another type of psion and only re-
Aberrant hunter, interstellar archeologist, noetic
vealing the truth once the other characters trust her.
scientist, Quantum Flux researcher
Another possibility is that the characters work for
Example Connections: Æon Trinity, Criminal
the Æon Trinity’s Section Minerva. In this type of
Organization, Fellow Chitra Bhanu Survivor,
campaign, the characters work for someone high up
Quantum Flux Victim
in the organization who understands at least some
Skills: Humanities, Integrity, Larceny, Science
of the truth about Chitra Bhanu. This official secret-
ly reached out to the surviving quantakinetics and Edges: Alternate Identity, Covert, Enhanced
asked for one to work with a secret team of psions Attunement, Enhanced Psi Cloak, Favored Mode,
who are investigating mysteries and hidden threats. Hair Trigger Reflexes, Skilled Liar, Superior Trait,
This sort of campaign could be challenging, because Trained Memory
the characters will work on various important mis-
SPECIAL EDGE:
sions that have a risk of exposure. Also, any other
ENHANCED PSI CLOAK (•)
Æon Trinity covert operatives the characters may
need to work alongside do not know that Aberrants Prerequisites: Chitra Bhanu, Quantakinetic
did not corrupt the quantakinetics. However, the one Aptitude
advantage all quantakinetics possess is that other After years of hiding her nature, your character
psions are certain that they no longer exist. has developed an incredibly fine level of control
over her quantakinetic psi cloak ability. She can use
THE CHITRA BHANU PATH psi powers even when her noetic field appears to be
(SOCIETY) shut down entirely due to her psi cloak, but doing so
places a level 2 Complication on the action; failing to
The character is — or was — closely affiliated with
buy off the Complication results in her psi cloak im-
Chitra Bhanu, the quantakinetic psi order. She sur-
mediately dropping for the remainder of the scene.
vived the purge of the order. She may be on the run, a

chitra bhanu 371

 A Aberrant Traits 330-331
Action Interrupt 331
Aberrant 20, 330-340
Adding Mutations 331
Aberrant Archetypes 331-333 See also Aberrant
Adding Qualities 331
Archetypes
Defense Boost 331
Aberrant Cults 339-340
Instant Cooldown 331
Aberrant Traits 330-331 See also Aberrant Traits
Power Cost 331
Flyer Seven (Sub-Aberrant Mutant) 338
Agents 195-196, 285-287
Mutations 335-338 See also Aberrant Mutations
Alpha Software Chris 286
Power Clashes 330
Data Intrusion Assistant 286-287
Qualities 333-335 See also Aberrant Qualities
Datawarp Patton 287
Queen Flare (Nemesis Aberrant) 338
Orchidware Hippocrates v3.0 287
Sample Aberrants 338, 340
Orgotek Hare 287
Aberrant Archetypes 331-333
Age of the Psions, The 36-39
Divergent 332
Chitra Bhanu Purge, The 36
Nemesis 332-333
Chromatics Attack Earth & The Teleporters
Sub-Aberrant Mutants 332
Return 37-38
Terat 333
Chromatics Attack Karoo Station 36
Aberrant Mutations 335-338
Coalition Ark, The 21, 38-39
Direct Corruption 335
Esperanza Crash, The 37
Disruption 335
Qin Contract, The 36
Eye of the Colony 335-336
Upeo Wa Macho Vanishes 36-37
Incapacitate 336
Aqua 20
Mastermind 336
Armor 268-274
Mode Analog 336
Active Camouflage 268-269
Quantum Wave 336
Armor Carapace 269
Quantum Wind 336-337
Armor Vest 269
Tyrant of the Battlefield 337
Battle Harness 269-270
Warp 337
Battle Harness (Mako) 270
World-Shaking 337-338
Battle Harness (Spider) 270
Aberrant Qualities 333-335
Bio Environment Suit 270-271
Armor 333
Bio-organic Vacuum Assault Reconnaissance
Armor Piercing 333
Gear 271-272
Baleful Touch 333
Bioweave Armor 272
Blast 333
Complete 269
Collateral Damage 333
Defensive 269
Colony 333
Environmental 269
Disembodied 333-334
Osaka Class Armored Power Suit 272
Flight 334
Powered 269
Invulnerability 334
Propulsion 269
Life Drain 334
Protective Gear 268-274
Monstrous Presence 334
Psi 269
Multi-Tasking 334
Reinforced Clothing 272
Psychic Disbelief 334
Shifting Armor 272
Quantum Flare 334
Standard Battle Dress 272
Regeneration 334
Vacuum Environment Suit 274
Swarm 335
Australia 43-47
Unseen 335
Australia Today 44-46
Unstoppable 335
History 44

372 INDEX
 International Relations 46 Creating Psion Characters 121-125
Threats and Features of Interest 46-47 Psion Template, the 122-124
Psi Order 121
B China 47-50
Belt, the 20, 93-94 Crime 49-50
Bioapp 289-292 Culture 48-49
Astronomical Range Enhancement Sensor 290 Daily Life 50
Focal Crystal 290 History 47-48
Gillbreather 289 Chromatics 21, 341-344
Interface Augmentation Device 290-291 Agenda 342
Medical Symbiont 289 Chromatic Hero 343
Psionic Bioapps 290-292 Chromatic Warrior 343
Psionic Distorter 291 Rules 342-343
Psionic Restraint Collar 291 Society 341-342
Qin Enhancement Polyps 289 Technology 343-344
Space Maneuver Pack 291 Clairsentience 21, 122-123, 217-225
Teleportational Helm 291 Alertness 223
Transmassion Energy Amplification Rig 291-292 Area Insight 218-219
Vision Enhancement 289 Basic Powers 217-218
Biokinesis 21, 122, 210-216 Clear Vision 225
Acclimatize 211 Convergence 220
Adapt 212 Destiny 225
Adaptation 211-212 Dowsing 221-222
Adjust 212 Extended Attunement 217-218
Basic Powers 210 Favorable Outcome 224
Biosense 210 Focus-Sensing 222
Chimera 215 Forking Timelines: 220
Clone 216 Hinder 224
Compartmentalize 213 Least Resistance 223-224
Enhance 212-213 Living Echo 218
Fleshcrafter 216 Locational Memory 219-220
Form Mastery 210 Nexus Surfing 224-225
Gross Manipulations 214-215 Omniscience 222
Imbue Instinct 216 Orientation 221
Metabolic Control 211-212 Psychocognition 223-224
Overcome 213 Psycholocation 220-222
Perfection 213-214 Psychometry 218-220
Plasticity 214 Sensory Manipulation 222
Pyschomorphing 212-214 The Sight 217
Resist 211 Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 225
Survive 212 Coalition, The 345-450
Transcending and Proxy-Tier powers 216 Agenda 346
Transformation 215 Coalition Drone 347
Transmogrify 214-216 Coalition Envoy 347
Blessure, la 21, 51-54 Coalition Progenitor 348
Coalition SASQ 348
C Coalition Spinal 349
Character Creation 120-131 Coalition Vehicles 350
Creating Advanced Characters 124-125 Enhanced Spinal 349-350

INDEX 373
 Rules 346-350 Social Edges 128
Society 345-346 Subtle Influence (The Ministry Special Edge) 158
Corruption 21, 330-331 Telepathic Resistance 128
Variable Gravity Combat Training (Space
D Military Special Edge) 131
Drones 308-309 Variable Gravity Training (Spacer Special Edge)
Defense Drone 309 131
Flying Drone 308 Electrokinesis 21, 123, 225-232
Large Flying Drone 308 Access 230
Microdrone 308 Anima 227
Police Drone 309 Basic Powers 225-226
Utility Drone 309 Bioelectrical Awareness 226
Burst 225-226
E Code 231
Earth & Luna 42-87 Control 231
Edges 126-128, 130, 131, 135, 144, 150, 158, 163-164, Dynamic Control 229
170, 178, 183, 371 Electromanipulation 226-227
Amphibious Conversion 126 EM Sight 228
Augmentation Edges 126-128 Enhancement 226-227
Aquatic Conversion 126 Ghost 227
Bioware Access (Orgotek Special Edge) 170 Illusionist 229-230
Computer Enhancement 126-127 Modulation 228-229
Cyberware Access (Nihonjin Agent Special Edge) Overseer 231-232
130 Photokinesis 228-230
Detached 128 Photonic Power 229
Dual Citizenship 128 Precision Understanding 226
Dual Minded (The Ministry Special Edge) 158 Sense Spectrum 226
Enhanced Attunement 128 Spectral Mastery 232
Enhanced Psi Cloak (Chitra Bhanu Special Edge) Subquantum Computing 232
371 Tap 230
Far-Reaching Influence (Æon Trinity Special Technokinesis 230-232
Edge) 183 Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 232
Favored Mode 128 Esperanza Disaster 21, 51-54
Increased Tolerance 127 Europe 51-56
Inner Reserve (Freelance Psion Special Edge) 130 Czech Republic 55
Impersonation Training (The Norça Special Deutsche Allianz and Austria, The 53
Edge) 163-164 Eastern Europe 54-56
Legion Armory (The Legions Special Edge) 150 Eastern Europe At a Glance 55
Low-Gravity Adaptation 127 Esperanza Blessure – France, Belgium, & The
Mars Adaptation 127-128 Netherlands, The 51-53
Mysterious Aid (ISRA Special Edge) 144 Greece 55
Pioneer Spirit (Off-Earth Colonist Special Edge) Italy 53
130 Magyarorszag 55
Psionic Edges 128 New Turkish Protectorate 55
Rapid Response Protocols (The Æsulapian Order Northern Collective, The 53
Special Edge) 135 Poland 56
Safe House (The Norça Special Edge) 164 Portugal & The Spanish Provinces 54
Self-Reliance (Æon Trinity Section Minerva Romania 56
Special Edge) 183 Russia 56

374 INDEX
 Shatter, The 56 Adjust Attitude (Hack) 199
Struggle for Power, The 54-55 Agent 195, 196
Switzerland 54 Attitude 195-196
Ukraine 56 Average Security 198
United Republic, The 54 Boot Agent 200
Western Europe 51-54 Boot Hacker/Close Connection 200
Western Europe At a Glance 41 Counters and Tracing 200-201
Everyday Technology 283-284 Failsafe 195, 196
Binoculars 283 Forced Function 199
Biofixer 283 Hack 199-200
Clothing 283 Hacking a System 196-201
Cosmetic Modifications 283 Hide Subversion 199
Glucose-Protein Nutritional Packet 284 High Security 198
Locator Band 284 Intermediate Security 198
Survival Blanket 284 Leapfrog 200
Extrasolar Settlements 95-119 Locate Data 199
Averiguas 95-98 Protecting a System 195-196
Bullseye 98-100 Revalidation 200
Eden 100-103 Scan 200
Far Nyumba 103-105 Scramble System 200
Karroo Mining Colony 105-108 Scrub 201
Khantze Lu Ge 108-111 Secure System 200
Marfisa 111-114 Security Levels 198
Qinshui 114-117 Set Alarm 199-200
Ruan’s World 117-119 Standard Function 199
Trace 201
F Tools 196, 199
Federated States of America 21, 57-61 Hardtech Implants 292
Allies & Enemies 60 Advanced Radio Implant 292
Citizenship 58-59 Electric Touch 292
Class Wars and Alienation 58-59 Implant Laser 292
Corporate Espionage 60 Heroism 18
Federated States Military 21 History & Background 24-41
History 57-58 Æon Timeline 25
Military Saviors 57 Holodisplay 21
Revolution 61 Holosim 21
Rise of the Military – Corporate Complex 57-58 Hope, Sacrifice, Unity 17, 317
Surveillance State, The 59-60 Human Supporting Cast 327-329
Threats & Features of Interest 60-61 Æon Trinity Talent 328
Wycoff’s Blight 60-61 Colonist 328-329
Executive 329
G Legion Psychokinetic 327
Grav Crystals 21 Major Characters 327-328
Ministry Telepath 327
H Minor Characters 328-329
Hacking 195-201 Refuge 329
Access 196-198 Spacer 329
Adjust Attitude (Counter) 200 Technician 329

INDEX 375
 I Metacorporation 22
Middle East, The 68-70
India & The Bharati Commonwealth 20, 61-64
Allies and Enemies 69
Allies & Enemies 63
A Region in Turmoil 68-69
History 61-62
Threats and Features of Interest 69-70
Psi India 63-64
Minicomps 284-285
Rising Stars, Fallen Angels 62-63
Biocomps 284
Indirect Damage 194
Orgotek Tortoise 285
Decompression Sickness 194
Steinhardt MI-CC 285
Inspirational Media 19
Wazukana 300E 285
Introduction 16-23
ISRA 21 N
J Neutral 22
New Rules 190-201
Joe Hologram 21
Nihonjin 22
Jump Rings 21, 295
Nippon 22, 70-73
K Allies & Enemies 72
Empty Spaces 72
Khantze Lu Ge 21, 108-111
Enclosed Pressure 71
L History 70
Islands of Glass and Steel 70-71
Latent 21
Old Humans. Young Robots 71-72
Leviathan Jump Ship 22, 307-308
Outsourced Labor 72
LP 22
Psi Nippon 73
Luna 64-68
Threats and Features of Interest 72-73
Downside 66
Unchained, The 72-73
From Barren Rock to Teeming Metropolis 64
Virtual Wonderland 70-72
Lunar Allies & Enemies 67-68
Noetics 22, 204-205
Lunar Threats 68
Nova 22
Mezzanine, The 65-66
Nova Age, The 22, 28-31
Olympus 22, 64-66
Aberrant War, The 20, 28-29
Other Craters 67
Chinese Ultimatum and The Exodus 21, 30-31
Underworld, The 66
OpNet Crash, The 29-30
Upside 65
Nova Norça Nacional 22, 162-167
Vor V Zakone & The President 66-67

M O
Oceania 22, 73-77
Maker 22
Current Events 76
Matrix 33
History 73
Medicine and Medical Gear 288
Independence & The Newest Nation 73-75
Drugs 288
Inside Oceanian Cities 75-76
Flashback 288
Other Threats & Dangers 76-77
Mooders 288
Organizations 132-189
Red 288
Æon Trinity Section Minerva 183, 187-188,
Stabilizers 288
319-320
Stimulants 288
Æon Trinity, The 20, 182-189, 319
Tough 288
Æsculapian Order, The 20, 134-139
Wazukana II Portable Trauma Kit 288
Chitra Bhanu 21, 140-141
Wazukana III Medical Robot 288
ISRA 142-147

376 INDEX
 Legions, The 21, 148-155 Psychokinesis 22, 123, 232-238 See also
Ministry of Noetic Affairs, The 22, 156-161 Psychokinesis
Orgotek 22, 168-175 Quantakinesis 23, 123, 238-245 See also
Psi Order Norça 162-167 Quantakinesis
Psi Orders, The 22, 133-181, 318-319 Telepathy 23, 123, 245-253 See also Telepathy
Upeo wa Macho 23, 176-181 Teleportation 23, 123, 253-259 See also
Opponents and Allies 326-355 Teleportation
Aberrants 330-340 See also Aberrants Vitakinesis 23, 123, 259-265 See also Vitakinesis
Chromatics 341-344 See also Chromatics Psi 203-209
Coalition, The 345-350 See also Coalition, The Activating Psi Powers 206-207
Humans 327-329 See also Human Supporting Aptitudes 20, 206-207
Cast Attunement 204
Qin, The 351-355 See also Qin, The Auxiliary Modes 20, 209
Optimism 18, 315-317 Familiar Connection 205
Competence 18 Material Connection 205
Modes 22, 206-207
P Noetic Connections & Templates 204-205
Paths 129-131, 135, 144, 149, 158, 163, 170, 178, 183 Proxy Tier Psions 209
Æon Trinity Section Minerva (Society) 183 Psi Points 204
Æon Trinity (Society) 183 Psi Trait 122
Æsulapian Order, The (Society) 135 Psionic Connection 204-205
Chitra Bhanu, The (Society) 371 Psionic Dysfunction 208-209
Freelance Psion (Society) 129-130 Psionic Dysfunction (Persistent) 209
ISRA (Society) 144 Remembered Connection 205
Legions, The (Society) 149-150 Sensory Connection 205
Ministry, The (Society) 158 Psiad 22
Nihonjin Agent (Society) 130 Psi Nippon 22, 73
Norça Path, The (Society) 163-164 Psion 22, 121-125
Oceanian (Origin) 131 Psiware 22
Off-Earth Colonist (Role) 130 Psychokinesis 22, 123, 232-238
Orgotek, The (Society) 170 Basic Powers 232-233
Space Military (Role) 131 Bulk Shielding 237
Spacer (Role) 130-131 Distant Touch 232
Upeo wa Macho, The (Society) 178 Energy Shield 237
PN 22 Equilibrium 233
Post-Exodus World, The 31-34 Flash 233-234
Crime & Violence 33-34 Hellscape 235
New OpNet, The 31-32 Kinetic Enhancement 236
Project ReWrite 31 Kinetic Mastery 238
Recovery & The Urban Schism 32-33 Kinetic Shield 236
Prometheus Chamber 22 Nudge 232-233
Proxy 22, 125, 209 Perikinesis 236-238
Psionics 202-265 Remote Hands 235
Biokinesis 21, 122, 210-216 See also Biokinesis Selective Permeability 237-238
Clairsentience 21, 122-123, 217-225 See also Shaped Projection 237
Clairsentience Sheath 234
Electrokinesis 21, 123, 225-232 See also Subquantom Lock 238
Electrokinesis Telekinesis 235-236

INDEX 377
 Telekinetic Dynamics 236 Quarantine, The 23, 73-74
Temperature Extremes 234
Thermokinesis 233-235 R
Tow 235 Return of the Aberrants and Rise of the Psions, The
Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 238 34-36
Velocity 235-236 Rock, The 23 See also Earth & Luna

Q S
Qin, The 22-23, 351-355 Setting Secrets 356-371
Psychic Powers 352 A Possible Future History 363
Qin Bodyguard in Warrior Biosuit 354 Chitra Bhanu 368-371
Qin Diplomat in Diplomat Biosuit 353 Nihonjin Secrets 366-367
Qin Researcher in Diplomat Biosuit 353-354 The Destiny of Intelligence in the Galaxy 362-363
Qin Shuttle 355 The Fate of Humanity 363-366
Qin Spy in Infiltration Biosuit 354-355 The Secret History of Humanity 357-362
Society 351-352 Secrets of the Coalition 362
Secrets of the Qin 361
Qinri 23, 117 The Secrets of the Doyen 359-361
Qinshui 23, 114-116 The Truth About the Proxies 358-359
Quantakinesis 23, 123, 238-245 SI 23, 285
Alchemy 244 Solar System, The 89-95
Association 243-244 Areography and Arecology 91
Basic Powers 238-239 Asteroid Belt, The 93-94
Change Properties 240 Comets and Colonies 90-91
Conversion 239 Gas Giants, The 95
Destruction 240 Fringe, The 94-95
Drain 241 Living on Mars 92
Energetics 239-240 Mars 90-93
Fundamentals 240-243 Outer System, The 93
Malleability 243 Red Frontier, The 91-92
Manipulation 241 Void Beyond, The 95
Molecular Scanning 243 Southeast Asia 77-78
Noetic Harmony 244-245 Bangkok 77-78
Null 240 Greater Siam 77
Production 239-240 Living Cities of Brunei, The 78
Psi Cloak 238-239 Malaysia 78
Resist 241 Space 88-119, 194-195
Retune 244 Combat 194
Shield 241 Travel 194-195
Shutdown 245 Spy Tech 292-295
Subquantum Sense 239 Bug 292-293
Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 244-245 Bug Detector 293
Transference 242 Chameleon Suit 293
Transmutation 243-244 Directional Microphone Pen 293
Quantum Flux 23, 191-193 Ear Radio 293-294
Quantum Flux Diseases 23, 192-193 Fiber Optic Probe 294
Quantum Flux Zones 23, 191-193 Grippers 294
Effect on Psion Powers 191 Intrusion Kit 294
Illness, Disease, and Quantum Flux 191 Laser Microphone 294

378 INDEX
 Mini-Rebreather 294 Medicine and Medical Gear 288 See also
Static Generator 294 Medicine and Medical Gear
T-Ray Viewer 294 Minicomps 22, 284-285 See also Minicomps
Zapper 295 Psionic Bioapps 290-292 See also Bioapps
Storyguiding 310-325 Robots and Drones 308-309 See also Drones
Allegiance in Trinity Æon 315 Spy Tech 292-295 See also Spy Tech
Creating a Sense of Wonder (or Terror) 311 Transportation 295-308
Creating Optimistic Scenarios 315-317 Weapons 274-283 See also Weapons
Dramatic Editing 324-325 Telepathy 23, 123, 245-253
Freelance Psions 320 Access 249
Location 312-315 Astral Life 253
Running Science Fiction Scenarios 311-314 Basic Powers 246
Section Minerva 319-320 Command 251
Sub-genre 312-314 Conditioned 248
Talents in Trinity Continuum: Æon 322-325 Deep Scan 249
Ubiquitous Information 321 Division 252
Using the OpNet 321 Exacerbate 247
Working for a Psi Order 318 Inflict Emotion 247-248
Working for the Æon Trinity 319 Mentalist 253
Subquantum Field 23 Mindscan 246
Sudamérica 79-83 Mindshare 248-250
Argentina 80 Mind Shield 250-251
Andean Federation, The 80 Mindspeak 256
Brasilia 82 Mob Mentality 247
Brazil 80-82 Network 248-249
Colombia 82 Override 249-250
History 79-80 Possess 252
Sudamérica and the World 83 Psychbending 250-252
Sudamérica at a Glance 80 Rapport 246-248
Threats & Features of Interest 83 Rewrite 251-252
Venezuela 82-83 Sense Emotion 246-247
Surveillance 201 Surface Skim 249
Counter Surveillance 201 Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 252-253
Superior 23, 367 Teleportation 23, 123, 253-259
Basic Powers 253-254
T Bilocation 255
Technology 266-309 Blink 254
Agents 285-287 See also Agents Flicker 254
Armor and Protective Gear 268-274 See also Gateways 258
Armor Jump 254
Biotech 20, 267-268 Long Jump 254-255
Commercial Bioapps & Augmentations 289-291 Multiportal 257-258
See also Bioapps Relay Object 255-256
Display Gear 287-288 Relay Person 256
Everyday Technology 283-284 See also Everyday Selective Transmassion 256-257
Technology Singularity 259
Hardtech 267-268, 292 See also Hardtech Skein 257
Implants Spatial Integrity 254

INDEX 379
 Spatial Mastery 259 Sedan 298
Spatial Sense 253-254 Skimmer, Airfoil 299
Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 259 Skimmer, Assault 299-300
Translocation 254-255 Skimmer, Light-armored 300
Transmassion 255-257 Skimmer, Luxury 300
Transmit Mass 256 Small Hydrofoil 301
Transmit Person 256 Space Transport 306
Transportal 257-259 Space Vehicles 303-308
Warp 258-259 Stealthy 296
Window 257 Submarine Transport 301
Terraforming 23 Suborbital Passenger Liner 302
Tesser 23, 296-297 Tesser 296-297
Total Allergy Syndrome 23 Thrusters 297, 304
Transportation 295-308 Travel Pod 304
Air Vehicles 301-302 Triphibian 297
Armored Personnel Carrier 298 Vehicles 295-308
Astrogation Systems 296, 303 Walker Cycle 298
ATV 298 Water Vehicles 300-301
Cargo Hauler 300 Weaponry 297
Commercial Travel 295
Computer 296 U
Exploratory Submarine 300 United African Nations 23, 84-87
Flying Submarine 300-301 Allies & Enemies 87
Freighter 306-307 Beyond the Bounds of Earth 84-85
Frigate 306 Religion 85-87
Ground Vehicles 297-300 Threats 87
HEV 298 Unification in Diversity 84
Hovercycle 297-298
Hybrid 296 V
Hybrid Fighter 304 VARG 23
Hybrid Fighter (Biotech) 304 BioVARG 271-272
Hybrid Transport 304 MiniVARG 272
Leviathan Jump Ships 307-308 Vatican Reforms of 2084 23
Life Support Systems 303-304 Vitakinesis 23, 123, 259-265
Limited Astrogation Systems 296 Accelerate 260-261
Living 296 Adjust Template 261-262
Medium Cargo Hauler 298 Algesis 264-265
Military Equipment Lifter 306 Assault 264
Military Submarine 301 Atrocity 264
Military Transport 301-302 Augendis 262-263
Motorcycle 298 Basic Powers 259-260
Orgotek Scarab Strike Frigate 306 Direction 263
Passenger Liner 302 Empowerment 263
Passenger Shuttle 304 Iatrosis 260-262
Private VTOL 301 Kirlian Eye 259
Psi 296 Knit 259-260
Qin Bioblimp 302 Mending 261
Reactors 304 Misfire 264
Repair Bots 296 Morbidity 265

380 INDEX
 Overcharge 265 Melee Weapons 282-283
Precision 263 Non-Lethal 275
Reinforce 262-263 Obvious 275
Relief 260 Optionally Non-lethal 275
Restore Template 261 Plasma Throwers 278
Ruin 264 Poison 275
Stoicism 263 Poison Gauntlet 283
Transcending and Proxy-Tier Powers 265 Poison Weapons 278
Vital Force 265 Poison (Non-Lethal) 275
Psi 275
W Psi Gauntlet 275, 281
Wanjing 23 Ranged Weapons 279-280
Weapons 274-283 Rifle 277
Axe 282 Rocket Launchers 279
Beam 274 Slug Throwers 278
BioClaws 282 Sonic 275-276
Blade 277 Sonic Blade 283
Carbine 277 Sonic Weapons 279
Chain 282 Spy Tech 292-294
Coil Guns 277 Staff 283
Combined Stun 274 Super-Science 276
Destructive 274 Sureshot Gauntlet 281
Electrical 274 Tactical Sight 276
Electrolaser Gauntlet 281 Taser Gauntlet 283
Enamel Knife 283 Tasers 279
Enhancer Gauntlet 281 Variable 276
Entangle 274 Variable Poison 276
Fighting Gauntlet 282 Vibroblades 279, 283
Flechette Weapons 277-278 Web Emitters 279
Force Gauntlet 281
Formatted 275 Y
Gauntlet 277 Yi 23
Heavy Weapon 277 Yuan 23
Immune 275 Yutu Yinchan 23
Lasers 278

INDEX 381
382 INDEX
Name: Origin Path:
Player: Role Path:
Concept: Society Path:
PSI Order:

SKILLS
Aim: Integrity:
Athletics: Larceny:
Close Combat: Medicine:
Command: Persuasion:
Culture: Pilot:
Empathy: Science:
Enigmas: Survival:
Humanities: Technology:

ATTRIBUTES
Force Intellect Might Presence
Finesse Cunning Dexterity Manipulation
Resilience Resolve Stamina Composure

INJURY CONDITIONS APTITUDE

Bruised +1
Bruised +1 Basic:


Injured +2
Injured +2 Proxy:
Maimed +4
Taken Out
PSI & TOLERANCE
Defense = Appropriate Resilience Attribute PSI
Armor: Tolerance
Experiences:
 EDGES SPECIALTIES /SKILL TRICKS

AUXILLARY MODES PATH CONTACTS

ASPIRATIONS

GEAR ARMOR
Gear EN FT Armor Base Hard Soft FT

WEAPONS
Weapons EN Range Damage Type Tags FT

BIOTECH
Augmentation EN Range Damage Type Size FT



Name: Origin Path:
Player: Role Path:
Concept: Society Path:
PSI Order:

SKILLS
Aim: Integrity:
Athletics: Larceny:
Close Combat: Medicine:
Command: Persuasion:
Culture: Pilot:
Empathy: Science:
Enigmas: Survival:
Humanities: Technology:

ATTRIBUTES
Force Intellect Might Presence
Finesse Cunning Dexterity Manipulation
Resilience Resolve Stamina Composure

INJURY CONDITIONS APTITUDE

Bruised +1
Bruised +1 Basic:

Injured +2
Injured +2 Proxy:
Maimed +4
Taken Out
PSI & TOLERANCE
Defense = Appropriate Resilience Attribute PSI
Armor: Tolerance
Experiences:
 EDGES SPECIALTIES /SKILL TRICKS

AUXILLARY MODES PATH CONTACTS

ASPIRATIONS

GEAR ARMOR
Gear EN FT Armor Base Hard Soft FT

WEAPONS
Weapons EN Range Damage Type Tags FT

BIOTECH
Augmentation EN Range Damage Type Size FT
 THE STARS AWAIT!
Humanity has begun settling on planets circling oth-
er suns. Teleporters like myself and the new Leviathan
jump ships can take anyone across the galaxy in a
few hours, so the stars are at last within our reach.
However, we have found dangers as well as wonders
out there, and only by working together can we over-
come them and take our place on the galactic stage.
- Bolade Atwan, Proxy of Upeo wa Macho,
November 2122

Trinity Continuum: Æon also requires the use of

the Trinity Continuum Corebook to play. Inside, you
will find:
• Details about both Earth and the worlds
humanity has colonized in the early 22nd
century
• Rules for creating psion and proxy
characters within the Trinity Continuum
• Information about spacecraft, noetic
biotech, and other technologies of the early
22nd century
• Advice for playing Talents in Trinity
Continuum: Æon
• Advice for running different genres of
science fiction in the Trinity Continuum

Requires the use of the

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook.