Aberrant Storytellers Screen

I World of Dream...
Eerily like our own world, the Aberrant universe of

2008 has been irrevocably changed by the presence
of the odlike novas. All as ects of human society
9capricious,
- R
have elt or suffered - t e presence of these
quantum-powered deities.
Sam O'Reilly (order #3062869) 7

...Nightmare Future!
I The Aberrant Storytellers Screen features additional setting information,
including the effects of novas on existing corporations, religions and cults.
Additionally, a complete story "Permanent Vacation," enables players to jump
into the action as Aberrants, Utopians or agents qf the sinister Project Proteus.
r
" " l r r U", ISBN 156504-627-7 WW8501
$14.95 US.
Printed in USA
-
After months of secrecy and rumor- According to John Byrnes, stock analyst
quashing, Viacom and Microsoft publicly for Scardino, Jovanovich and Ethridge,
announced their merger into a single “Microsoft has been under pressure to
conglomerate to be called ViaSoft. The diversify for the last three years. T h e
combination of
news dramatically raised the stock prices
of both companies, as investors rushed their antitrust case,
to acquire a part of what industry ana- the stormy resigna-
lysts say is undoubtedly going to be a tion of Bill Gates, From Time Magazine,
major player in multiple industries welland Apple’s renais- November 2 1, 2002
into the new century. sance has sent their
stock into a slow
Microsoft hopes to use this merger to but steady down-
make up for Apple Computer’s dramatic ward spiral. This surprise merger with
four-year rally, which Viacom, from what I can
has led t o t h e see, appears to be
Cupertino-based very well
thought out
and should
give them
the stability
market share t h e y ’ v e
at the expense needed, although they’ll never
of Microsoft and its allies, Dell, be where they were at their apex
Intel, and Compaq. three to five years ago, especially
now with Apple’s G5 machines de-
Viacom, o n the other hand, which vouring market share.”
owns MTV, Blockbuster Video, UPN,
Showtime, Spelling Entertainment, Peter Cavallino, CEO of Microsoft,
Paramount, and Simon & Schuster, will keep that position in the new cor-
will benefit from having Microsoft’s poration, and Sumner Redstone,
technical proficiency turned to its en- Viacorn’s president, will be the new
tertainment endeavors, which have chairman. “The great thing about a
been slow to capitalize on the OpNet merger like this,” said Cavallino, “is
and most other technical develop- that there’s very little redundancy.
ments of the last decade. There’s no need for a round of layoffs
because everyone is needed doing what
T h e talks that led up to the merger they’re doing right now.”
were kept highly secret to prevent
speculators from prematurely impact- Since the ViaSoft announcement, ru-
ing the stock prices. mors have been flying about a proposed
merger between Apple and Disney, but
n o word has been forthcoming from
Cupertino or Anaheim.
1
Sam O'Reilly (order #3062869) 71.13.249.80
In what may be the year‘s most astonishing fairy-tale ending, Microsoft Corporation hired the young nova
Mungu Kuwasha for what has only been described as “a truly remarkable sum of money.” Kuwasha, whose nova
abilities allow him to interface with computer systems without the need for equipment, had been going to school at
the University of Burundi as well as working full-time in the computer center to support his ailing parents and six
younger siblings. That’s where a Microsoft corporate recruiter named Miriam Blackwell discovered him.
“Oh, it was awful; that poor man had circles under his eyes from lack of sleep and he could never take a day off
without falling behind somewhere. Professors at the university saw his ability as a neat trick at best and had him
patching buggy amateur software applications. When 1 saw what he could do 1 immediately called Redmond and
arranged for a visit. Let me just say, our engineers were amazed, absolutely amazed, and we decided to hire him on
the spot. His family will receive an amount equal to three times what Mungu was bringing in while working at the
university and he’ll be living in the United States and working at various Microsoft research campuses, able t o use his
marvelous talent in ways that can help revolutionize software development. It really is a win-win situation.”
Mr. Kuwasha himself is in extremely good spirits regarding the recent shift in career paths. “Before, 1 work all
the time and 1 make no money. Now, 1 work sometimes and 1 make lots of money. 1 no longer have to worry that my
family will go hungry. 1 am very happy to be working for Microsoft. They are very good to me.”
To: All ViaSoft recruiters

Fr: Ben Levine, Vice-president o f Human Resources
Re: Nova Recruitment
A mere five years after the Galatea disaster, trends in business are already changing radically due to the
research, energy-manipulation, and information-gathering abilities of novas. And this is only the beginning.
Given the immense talents that one such employee can bring to our corporate family, the recruitment of
nova personnel is to be given the highest possible priority. One way this change will be effected is t o halve
campus recruitment. Henceforth, recruiters will visit only the best-yielding campuses in their respective
territories. Recruiters are to use the resulting free time t o pursue leads on potential nova personnel. Recruit-
ers will receive a $75,000 bonus for every nova signed and an additional $25,000 if the nova’s abilities
involve interface with computers, brainwaves, electromagnetic waves, or enhance cerebral capacity.
While this change may seem sudden and unorthodox, rest assured that we have given a great deal of
consideration to the new policy. There can no longer be any doubt that the emergence of novas is going to
have a profound effect on the way the world does business, and a strong base of nova personnel will assure
that ViaSoft remains a leader in the computer and entertainment industries for years to come.
1 look forward to awarding bonuses to many of you.
Good luck and happy hunting,
6.L.-VPHR
Ray,
Aloha. 1 hear it’s getting chilly in Redmond. My sympathies. It’s 72 here and the forecast is sun for the next five days.
Good news. All this damned OpNet research has finally paid off; unfortunately, all 1 have is a name and a
reputation t o go on. I’m hoping it’ll be enough. It’ll give you a solid place t o start from in any case. We have to find
and engage the services of a nova called “‘Trip.” This guy is everything we’ve been looking for in the way of an
intelligence operative: technically sound, ethically relaxed, and very discreet. And best of all, he’s known to work
freelance. Find him. Sign him. Show him the light of VS. Go through DeVries if you have to, at least initially, t o
contact him. We can make him the offer he can’t refuse later.
Drawbacks: He’s a little weird. More than a little, actually. Rumor attributes t o him some very disturbing
predilections. Specifics as 1 track them down.
Hush-hush, as usual. And make sure 1 get my bonus!
Kaleo
2

To: Peter Cavallino ,CEO, ViaSoft
Fr: Sylvie Montaigne, Science & Technology Department, Project Utopia
September 17‘h,2006
Mr. Cavallino:
After a brief discussion of the potential ramifications o f its use, our review board has determined that
the technology known as “Shadow Tracker RM” is in violation of Project Utopia’s SafeTech codes and could
be used in ways that endanger life, property, o r the environment.
As it has been empowered t o do by the United Nations, the S&T division of Project Utopia hereby
requests that you cease and desist all research, development, and all other inquiry into the technology
called “Shadow Tracker RM” as soon as safety permits.
Representatives o f Project Utopia will visit your Cambridge, Massachusetts facility on September 20th
For receipt o f all documents, prototypes, and storage devices associated with this technology. Interim dupli-
cation of these items is expressly forbidden.
You will of course be compensated per standard Utopia guidelines. Failure t o turn over the requested
items will result in fines o f no less than $2,000,000 per day until delivery of requested items.
Thank you for you prompt compliance,
Sylvie Montaigne, Compliance Analyst, Hardtech Branch, Science & Technology Division, Project Utopia
Mr. Nakamura,
ViaSoft has reconsidered your generous offer t o purchase our new Shadow Tracker RM technology.
Please forgive our previous poorly considered refusal. Provided you arrange t o take possession of all docu-
ments, prototypes and materials associated with ST RM, on or by the 18th of September (Le., tomorrow),
we will gladly sell it t o you at the most generous price you named in your letter to us dated May 22,2006.
Sincerely,
Raymond Chu, Director o f Special Projects, ViaSoft
To: Sylvie Montaigne, Science & Technology Division, Project Utopia

Fr: Peter Cavallino ,CEO, ViaSoft
September lgth,2006
Ms. Montaigne:
1 would be very interested in where you are getting your information from, because it certainly isn’t
from us. And it’s wrong. ViaSoft has never invented, tested, used, seen o r otherwise had anything t o do
with any technology called “Shadow Tracker RM.” Feel free to launch one of your tiredly quixotic raids of
any o r all of our research facilities t o find aforementioned technology. You will simply leave empty-handed
and embarrassed. Again.
Sincerely,
Peter Cavallino, President and CEO, ViaSoft

Industrial espionage cases are on a
steep rise across the globe and a star-
tling number of fingers are pointed
directly at ViaSoft. The computer
and entertainment behemoth is the
defendant in n o fewer than 23 in-
dustrial espionage cases worldwide,
with more rumored to be pending.
Besides trying to find out their ri-
vals’ latest designs, companies also
want to know what the other side
has achieved in the production ca-
pacity and their profit margins. The
growing confidence showed by for-
eign investors in allowing their Japa-
nese subsidiaries t o manufacture
their latest designs has also contrib-
uted to the growth of industrial es-
pionage in the sector. Said Ryuchi
Yashida of Sony Computing, “If this
is what it means to compete in the
world technology market today, then
I guess we’ll have to adapt. While I
am greatly saddened, it should not come as any surprise that our country’s
great industrial renaissance comes with a price to pay. This is inevitable,
especially with the stiff competition among manufacturers in the tech-
nical sector. Our research offices have been ransacked no fewer than
three times in the last year alone.
In the most competitive industries, notably computers and pharmaceuti-
cals, business is becoming a competition of who can afford more nova
operatives, both for research and espionage. And who can afford more
nova agents than Viasoft?”The Redmond-based corporate giant responded
by saying, “In any situation where companies compete for resources, there
are always going to be haves and have-nots. The have-nots can inevitably
be counted on to accuse the haves of somehow stealing their portion of
the wealth. It’s the same old story we’ve been getting pummeled with for
years by envious competitors, and it’s getting irritating.”
Said one source who asked to go unnamed, “ViaSoft hates competition
more than just about anything else, and if they can constantly steal the
fruits of another company’s R&D, then of course they’ll always be on
the forefront of technological development. On those occasions when
their agents can’t get the information through unethical methods, they
buy the company wholesale. I don’t see any healthy competition going
on there, do you?”
Federation of Japanese Manufacturers chairman Miyamoto Hideo is more
prevention oriented. He advised manufacturers to keep security tight
around research installations and to patent their findings immediately.
4

From letter dated Jan 5,2002
Dear Store Manager,
There’s good news on the sales horizon! By popular demand, Team Tomorrow merchandise will soon be available for
sale at your store. Novation Toys, Games & Comics has been designated Project Utopia’s oFficial licensing agent in the US
and abroad, and we are proud to offer you a full line of high-quality action figures, video games and comics based on the
adventures OF Team Tomorrow and other popular Utopia-affiliated nova heroes. Alpha Series 1 comes out next month and
includes high-demand favorites like Slag””, Coreb”, and Kikjakb” as featured on N!, the Nova Networkm.
The original for each action figure is carefully sculpted from the likeness of the real nova by award winning artists.
Novation action Figures are fully posable and come with accessories like the Slag Pileb”.
Our initial line OF six OpNet-broadcast animated programs will be available beginning in February and will include
Team 7omorrow: Protectors, Slag: Hot MetalFury, Core: Meltdown Mayhem, TZMAuxiliary: The New Heroes, Harmony:
Princess o f Peace and True 7ales o f Team Tomorrow. Four additional series will begin distribution in August; we are
particularly excited about the upcoming Kikjak: Urban Defender, which features a brand-new soundtrack specially
composed for the series by Isaac Hayes.
You’ve been waiting for your chance to cash in on the T2M craze. This is it. Novation is your one true source For all
authorized Utopian vidgames, action figures, comics and more!
Don’t let a sure thing pass you by. Sign up now to get added to our database!

Letter dated 4/28/04
Dear Store Manager,
We regret to inform you that due to Slag’s shocking death while on assignment in Africa, Slag? Hot Metal
Furywill cease publication with Issue 30. After much discussion with Project Utopia and here in our offices, we
have decided to end the title with as accurate a portrayal of Slag’s final adventure as possible, including his tragic
last moments in combat with the Nigerian government forces and their elites. We will try to make this as respect-
ful, tasteful, accurate, and mature a depiction of the actual events as possible, and we recommend that this issue
be sold to mature readers only due to its graphic portrayal of Slag’s”” final moments. This special double-sized
final issue will feature two full-color covers and will come wrapped in a reflective mylar bag to keep it safe from
more sensitive readers and to preserve its value to the collector.
Likewise, production of the Slagb” action Figure will cease with the series Illb, the Mourning Edition, which
will include three action figures boxed together: Slag”” with Slag Pile”” as well as Slag”” with Accurate Death
Wounds, and Hiram Goldberg in casket (with movable lid).
Finally, on a more personal note, while we may lie to think of novas as immortal super heroes, facts prove
otherwise. The untimely death of Hiram “Slag” Goldberg puts us in the awkward position of setting precedent.
The road forks here; one path leads t o a comfortable and changeless mythology, the other leads back to the real
world. We at Novation have, after a great deal of debate, chosen to err on the side of realism to illustrate that
novas are real people, with real problems and whose choices have real consequences.
Hiram visited our offices a little over a year ago when we were revising his action figure for series Illa. He
took me to lunch at a great Thai place over on East 56th where he rhapsodized about the grand places he would
be going with Utopia.
That was then. This is now.
Thank you for your understanding,
Jerome Grant
Editor-in-Chief, Novation Toys, Games and Comics
To: Jerome Grant, Editor-in-Chief

Fr: John Tweeddale, Marketing Manager
Re: Testing and recommendations
Hi Jerome,
Okay, the good news is that most of the action figures rate very high on the realism and playability
scales. When rated on a scale of one t o ten, almost all of the figures scored six o r higher. Highest
scoring, just f o r playability, was Geryon, but that’s no surprise. He’s bigger, and bad guys always get t o
look better. Pax wins hands down f o r most realistic, but that could just b e because the real guy is so
plastic-looking.
In the triage department, we’re going t o have t o either drop o r completely redesign Antaeus. Two
different parents and one o f the kids said, independently of one another, that they thought he looked
“like a turd.” Don’t kill the messenger. T h e phrasing is theirs. Could explain why Antaeus’ sales figures
weren’t in line with our projections.
1 should have some more sophisticated statistics worked up by this afternoon. 1’11 let you know if
anything departs sharply from what I’ve already said.
John

Voicemail Dated 11/16/07
Hey, Jerome, it’s Andr - err, Skew. 1 have to ask you one little question. What the fuck are you guys trying
to do to me? 1just read TZM: The Noble Cause, issue 71, and I’m a little...well, let me phrase it this way, what kind
of drug-guzzling knuckle-walking college dropout do you guys have writing my dialogue? 1 have never, never,
since my eruption said, “Nowhere but in the hands of Team Tomorrow will a brighter future be found.” You know
1 hate that soliloquy bullshit. And the art sucks. We’ve talked in your office, what, twenty, thirty times? Has my
hair ever looked like that? Jesus Christ, 1 look like I’m ready to defect to the QNA or something. Can you get that
guy back who was drawing me about five issues ago? 1 think he really captured me, well, all of us actually, a lot
better. 1 don’t really want to have to talk to my licensing agent, but this issue i s really just ...it’s just intolerable.
I’m on call for the next few days, but you have my digital number. I’m concerned. 1 don’t want to see this art
and writing team become a - shit - a regular thing. My pager’s beeping. Gotta run. Bye.
Email Memorandum Dated 5/19/08

To: Jerome Grant, Novation
Fr: Morganna Wolf, Utopia
Re: Public Opinion
Jerome,
Utopia, as you know, prefers to allow its various projects complete autonomy
with regard to how they carry out their respective businesses from day to day. Un-
fortunately, in light of the recent Slider tragedy, such laissez-faire management would
be in nobody’s best interest.
The media have been given a lot of carefully engineered disinformation that could
be detrimental to Utopia if the public gives it any credence. While we at Utopia are
confident that the screech and thunder generated by this media feeding frenzy will die
down soon enough, as these things do, we need to run a tighter ship in the interim.
Utopia is calling in a number of favors now to help mitigate the damage done by
these irresponsible allegations, and if you think about how many people owe Utopia
favors, you can imagine what a force that might be.
The favor we need to call in from you, Jerome, is this: We need all Novation products, particularly the
comics, to be on the side of Utopia one hundred percent no shades of gray, no “equal time” for heroic rebels, no
hand-wringing debates on “artistic integrity.” All of that can come later, if at all.
We’re in dire straits at the moment, and this is how you’re going to portray things: Utopia and Team
Tomorrow are the good guys. We’re the ones who cured AIDS, cleaned up Mexico City, revitalized Ethiopia
and what have you. Andr6 Corbin is a dangerous psychopath who brutally murdered an innocent and much-
loved young woman named Jennifer Landers.
If any of this is at all unclear or if you have any doubts whatsoever about how characters are to be
portrayed during this crisis, or, most importantly, if you have any doubts about which side you’re on, call me
eading the next several issues. Of everything.
Public Relations Manager,

Conversation held between Jerome Grant, Editor-in-Chief, Novation Comics and Dave Roh, Market
Analyst.
- Jerome Grant: What do you mean Corbin is selling better than Pax?
- Dave Roh: Just that. The guys in Marketing think it’s because the boys buy both Caestus Pax and
Corbin for their little wars and the girls just buy Corbin because he’s perceived as attractive. A lot of
the college kids buy him too because they liked Hardballs. We’ve had a lot of requests to make him
anatomically correct.
*Jerome:OK. Make the Corbin figure uglier.
- Dave: Well, Jerome, 1 don’t think you know what you’re asking. That would involve getting the
artist back t o do another master, and 1 don’t think Corbin is going to be as accessible this time around.
*Jerome:OK. So where’s the holdup?
* Dave: Well, it seems a little petty or something.
- Jerome:Dave, what kind of values are you trying to instill in these kids? The higher-ups in Utopia
didn’t even want a Corbin figure to begin with after the whole Hardballs thing; how am 1 supposed to tell
them that he’s outselling Caestus Pax? Worse, how am 1 supposed to tell that vain sonofabitch Pax? He’ll
go through the roof, possibly literally. I’ll need t o talk to the guys in the art department and have them do
something similar with the comic, give him a sneer or something. And, hey, could we include a Slider
murder weapon with the new Corbin? Just to up the verisimilitude? See what Marketing thinks. These
kids are pretty savvy, right? They love those little authentic touches.
- Artist: Jerome was down here in a snit today.

-Writer: What this time? Pax want you to draw him with a bigger bulge in his super suit?
-Artist: Nah, we’re supposed to make Corbin less sympathetic.
-Writer: Get out!
-Artist: No, man, seriously. He got all heavy on me over it.
-Writer: Bullshit.
-Artist: Exactly, man. That’s exactly what 1 said. He wants me to give Corbin more angular features
and either a demonic grin or a sneer for the rest of the run.
-Writer: Gonna do it?
- Artist: Fuck, no. Let him find some other way to wedge his nose up Utopia’s butt. 1 think Corbin was
totally framed. They don’t fuckin’ pay me enough to be an artist and a propaganda agent. It’s like some
sort of really ungroovy Chomskian conspiracy or something and 1 don’t want to be some tool of Utopia.
Writer: That might be pushing his innocence just a little. Utopia wouldn’t have such a hate-on for
him if he hadn’t killed Slider.
- Artist: They probably just want to get rid of him before he makes another porno or something.
-Writer: It’s gotta be something worse than that.
- Artist: Bet it’s not.
- Writer: Sucks to have Jerome micromanaging like that.
- Artist: I’ll deal. You going to the Lacefisher show tonight?
* Writer: Can’t. Sold out. ‘Sides, 1 promised Brittany I’d go t o the South Park retrospective with
her tonight.

Best-selling action figures with licensing agents (Taken from “Playthings:
. -
the lnternational Merchandising
Magazine OF the Toy Industry,” June, 2008)
1. Jennifer “Slider” Landers (Novation 6. Divis Mal (Novation series Vla)

series Vlb, Mourning Edition)
4. Corbin (Novation series Vlb)
2. Geryon (Novation series Vla) 7. Caestus Pax (Novation series Vla)
5. Antaeus (Novation series Vlb)
3. Rob “Superbeast” Steele (Devries,

Delta series) 8. Skew (Novation series Vlb)

7. Duke “Core” Baron (Novation series Vla) 10.Mirko “Overkill” Mirkonen (Devries,
Delta series)
N! lntradepartmentalMemo Dated 3/5/03

From: Geoffrey Gold, Vice-president of Programming
To: Anne Binghamton, Director of Programming
Re: Next Season
Anne,
Friend, buddy, pal, what the HELL are you tying t o do t o me? 1F we’re going t o be charging the ad
rates we’re looking at next season, we HAVE to get more action-oriented stuff going here. What are
you giving me? You’re giving me chick shows. You’re giving me touchy-feely, getting-in-touch-with-
your-inner-nova, nova recipes, nova horoscopes crap every night o f the week. Chick shows are great
during the day, Anne, 1 love them to pieces; they make me all warm and tingly. They sell soap, diapers and
feminine-hygiene products very effectively. But at night, when we need to sell beer and cars and video
games, we have t o have data and death: numbers and trends for the accountants, stockbrokers and
lawyers; and slashing, bleeding and carnage for the lowest-common-denominator boys - you know
who I’m talking about, the ones who need an alternative t o Baywatchand Warzone.
Can we get a nova football team? What about nova wrestling? How about a show called Nova Cop?
Nova Court? Dr. Nova? Work on it. The lineup you proposed would leave us hemorrhaging money.
Sorry t o be so blunt, but you know what the V-P meetings have been like lately. If you could get
me a revised proposal f o r next season’s lineup by the end of the week, I’d appreciate it.
Thanks,
G.
10

From N! lntradepartmental Memo Dated 10/10/04
From: Geoffrey Glass, Vice-president of Programming
To: Monique Dufresne, Director of Programming
Re: Next Season
You’re brilliant, Monique, absolutely nova class. 1 brought up your idea for Two Minutes Hate at the V-P
meeting this morning and they loved it. It has everything: the trends factor, the raw factor, the Omigod! factor and
even the high-culture factor if you squint your eyes a little. We’re going to run with it. I’m having Legal start work
on contracts now.
One thing it doesn’t have is the sex factor. You said something last week about some sort of late-night filter-
fodder show interviewing novas about their sex lives or chatting about sex or giving advice about sex or some-
thing. Have you come up with anything else along those lines? 1 think it would appeal to a broad segment if we do
it right. Let’s think about having Alejandra as the first guest so the audience sees that we can be sensitive and
adult or whatever. Or lronskin Andy. That whole Queer Nova Alliance rhetoric of his is quite the lightning rod for
those right-wingers. We could really milk that for numbers if we do it right.
Henry and Will liked your idea for the nova-against-nova obstacle course game show thingy, but Will thinks
it’ll require a special studio. Not certain about that.
In any case, keep me apprised.
Thanks,
G.
From N! Intradepartmental Memo Dated 3/21/08

From: Monique Dufresne, Director of Programming
To: Bryan Clain, Assistant to the Director of Programming
Re: New Talent
Hi Bryan,
1 was talking to Geoff today and it’s looking like we’re going to need a lot of new novas for the next season.
New faces for everything: interviews, fights, biographies, whatever. He thinks we’ve been sitting back and inter-
viewing the same Utopia frontmen over and over again. I’d like to disagree, but 1 can’t. If 1 see Core or Kikjak
spouting off one more time I’m going to lose it.
1 think we should be going for exotic here. Let’s leave the Utopia standbys for the nonce and find some
interesting novas. Sexy novas. Weird novas. Disturbing novas. Call the DeVries Agency and get some pricing info
on their rent-a-nova program. Do we dare contact the Teragen? Hell, yes. Do something to follow up on that
possibility. Let’s get at least one Big Hitter. Divis Mal? Caestus Pax? Who else can we contact?
It might only take a small change. Maybe we could get some folks from T2M Asia or Africa, somebody with
some pigment for a change? Check on the Japanese Utopia wannabe, too, whatever it’s called. Nippontai.
Maybe we’ll have to send someone to lbiza to raid the Amp Room. That’s where we’ll find all the really weird
novas anyway. Those are your action items for the rest of the week. Everything else can be put on hold for now.
Let me know what you come up with.
Thanks,
Monique
12

From Novaline,call-in
OpNet program, aired
October 11,2006
Paul Martin: Hello, Amy-from-Waukegan-Illinois, you're on Novaline.

Amy: Omigod! Umm...hi Paul, hi Andy.
Andy Vancc: Hi, Amy.
Paul: What's up, Amy? This is your chance t o ask a real live nova a real live question
and get an honest answer. Don't waste it.
Amy: Well, Paul, f i r s t Ij u s t wanted t o say t h a t Ijust love your show. My sister and I
watch every night before we go t o bed. We have them all on disk.
Paul: Hey, Amy, that's fantastic. We love t o hear that. What's your question f o r
Ironskin Andy tonight?
Amy: Well, I...umm, was wondering if Andy had ever given girls a real, you know, try,
because my sister and I both ...well, we, like, think he is t h e hottest, and I mean t h e
hottest nova on t h e planet. He's j u s t so, like, studly and wholesome a t t h e same time.
Paul: I t ' s up t o you if you want t o answer that one, Andy. Ouch.
Andy: No problem, Paul; Iget t h a t one all t h e time. To be honest, Ican't say that I
have t r i e d them, Amy, but I can't say Ihave any real inclination t o do so, either. My
partner, Jake "The Dragon" Korelli and I just celebrated our second anniversary last
month, and we're p r e t t y happy together. Thanks for your interest, though.
Paul: Okay, thanks f o r t h e question, Amy. Now we go t o Justin in Atlanta. Justin,

you're on Novaline.
Justin: Kickass! Hi Paul, hi Andy. I've, like, always wanted t o live in Ibiza, and Ijust
wanted t o ask Andy what it's like living there. I s it like sex and drugs a11 t h e time?
Slash cool!
Andy: Well, it's like a party all the time, Justin. We novas can party f o r days and days
and days and days without stopping, and it gets really crazy. Now don't confuse t h e
town of I b i z a with t h e island. The town of I b i z a is almost all novas and paparazzi
these days thanks t o the presence of t h e Amp Room, and there's basically one big
party going on from April until September, day and night, rain or shine. The other
towns on t h e island aren't so novacentric and keep more civil hours.
Justin: Damn, Iwish Iwere a nova. What's t h e weirdest part about living in Ibiza? IS
there, like, a downside?
Andy: Yeah, actually, there is. My partner and I are both p r e t t y laid-back, normal
guys, but there are some novas out there who get a l i t t l e ...odd. A l o t o f those types
wind up in I b i z a because they like what I refer t o as t h e "novacentric" lifestyle, and
they know t h a t in a place like I b i z a where there are over a hundred novas a t any given
time, folks won't gawk if they see a woman with blue skin o r a guy walking down t h e
street with tentacles sprouting f r o m his r i b cage.
Justin: Wow! What's the weirdest ab-umm, nova you've ever seen in Ibiza?
Andy: Um... Well, Justin, for a number of reasons, I'd rather not answer that. IS
that okay?
Justin: Oh. Yeah, sorry-

Paul: Thanks, Justin. Lashandra f r o m Detroit, you're on Novaline....
13
From Novelty form letter, “Response # ”I
Thank you for contacting Novelty, the world‘s only universal consulting and solution
firm. Whether you need a crime investigated, a technical system analyzed, or a competitor’s
tactics dissected and explicated, no problem is too complex for Novelty.
Our founder and primary consultant, Amanda Wu, is among the planet’s most brilliant
novas. No assignment comes through Novelty that Ms. Wu does not peruse personally, so
you can be confident that your query will be addressed by her or the individual she deems
most qualified to do so.
accordingly. Novelty retains the right to decline clients based on the results of the credit
check. Those clients lacking sufficient credit may still engage the services of Novelty by paying
the full fee in advance as well as a fully refundable contingency deposit in equal amount.
Lastly, Novelty has developed such standing in the consulting world that we must now
inform potential clients of an estimated one-month waiting period for our services. Novelty
refuses to compromise the unmatched quality of its analyses in the name of speed, thereby
assuring every Novelty client our full and unremitting attention. We apologize for any
inconvenience this may cause. If, however, yours is a particularly time-sensitive matter,
Novelty has recently adopted a policy allowing clients to place bids on our newly available
ASAP service. Opening bid currently stands at eight million dollars (US).
Thank you very much for contacting Novelty. We look forward to helping you find the
answers vou need.

I IWN3: NWVLLI Y
To: Amanda Wu
From: Johnny Rose
CC: Nobody yet
Subject: Urgent
Figured the only way to get you to read opmail from your late unlamented employee was to mark it urgent. For
your sake, 1 hope it works. If 1 may be so brazen, I would wholeheartedly recommend reading this letter through to the
end.
Now that 1 have your attention, 1 have a little story I’d like to tell you.
Once upon a time, there was a very bright American nova who escaped his zealot-infested hometown of Tulsa,
Oklahoma and went to work for a big, bad multinational consulting firm in Hong Kong. Very Bright American (or VBA for
short) did a bang-up job as the number two brain and earned aforementioned big, bad multinational consulting firm (or
BBMNCF for short) enormws amounts of money and a significant portion of BBMNCF‘s currently impeccable reputa-
tion.
One day, the wicked queen who ruled the BBMNCF got her panties in a wad because VBA had the audacity to
suggest an alternative (and clearly superior) analysis to one that her royal pampered highness had written for one
of VBAs key accounts, and within a week VBA was out on his ass, banished from the BBMNCF forever.
Surprise, surprise. But I’m not bitter. Much.
VBA then follows his uncannily accurate intuition directly into the motherload of evidence, finds a veritable
trove of dirty deals (which the evil queen should have been clever enough to eschew in the first place), tells the
world, ruins her business, very possibly gets her arrested, and takes over the multinational consulting firm, which
he rules as a benevolent and much-beloved leader for the rest of his long healthy nova life. The end.
Don’t like the ending? Change it.
Do 1 want Novelty? Not really, but it wwld m&e for a great revenge, wouldn’t it?And you’re wapped up in enough
ugly shit that it would be really easy to pluck it from your crooked little fingers. For me, anyway. The moment ViaSoft and
Apple found out that you’ve been playing them against each other to make money, your days in the sun would be over.
Conflict of interest, hello? Not at all clever. Very easy to get caught. Not the high-quality ratiocination 1 would expect from
you. Makes me wonder if you’re even a nova, becauseyour thinking processes resemble those of a spikehead. Oh, and
then there’s that little “crimes against humanity” thing, but let’s not even go there. Yes, 1 did find out about that.
So this is how we’ll play it from here on o u t You tell me how valuable my silence is, you name a figure, 1
double it, you pay me, 1 go away, build a castle in southern Oregon and we never cross paths again. The end. Like
this ending better? Me too.
Now, the old noggin suggests that there’s about a 39%chance that you would find me easier to live with were
1, say, the unfortunate victim of some third-rate Bangkok snuff film and then sent all unceremoniouslike to a ren-
dering plant in the forgotten wilds of Asia. You have a lot of money riding on this and gods know you’re not nearly
so stable as you pretend to be.... We can turn this into a high-stakes worldwide chess match if you want; 1 have my
pawns, rooks, bishops and knights picked out and lined up, but 1 don’t think you’re ready to risk the consequences
that would Follow this particular checkmate. Let me know if I’m wrong. You believe way too much in your own PR
propaganda, Amanda, and I’d love to prove myself smarter than you in a big, ugly, decisive sort OF way. Fuck with
me and 1 will maneuver your bitch ass into jail and take your company out from underneath you.
If you’d had the humility to refrain from firing me over some petty ego bruise, this would never have come
to pass. Don’t forget that.
The game is afoot. How shall we play it?
xxoo,
Johnny

To: All researchers and analysts working on the Kim project
From: Amanda Wu, CEO
Re: Security
January 7,2008
Dear Team Members,

1 thought 1 should inform you that our final sales figure for December was $256.6 million HK$, a
magnificent performance. 1 extend my thanks and heartfelt congratulations to all of you in the Novelty
family. This should make you proud and ensure that bonuses are at the level you have aspired t o - and
worked hard for - all year.
As you know, we will soon be turning over plans to Mr. Kim for North Korea’s new land-annexation
endeavor. You should all feel very proud of your accomplishments on this project. Tactical maneuvers of
this magnitude have traditionally been the purview of generals and other military strategists. By reexam-
ining your own capabilities and making yourselves experts on such diverse topics as strategy, troop move-
ment, supply lines, and military weaponry and hardware, you are expanding the role of the analydcon-
sultant in the modern world.
For those of you who have not heard, your co-consultant Emily Park has family in the region of South
Korea soon to be annexed. After much discussion with Mr. Kim, it was arranged for Ms. Park‘s family to be
away for the entire period of the incursion, keeping them safely out of harm’s way while maintaining
uncompromised security around this very challenging assignment.
1 know that this project, of all those we’ve completed in the last twelve months, has been particularly
difficult for many of you. The ethical, geopolitical, and historical ramifications are both staggering and
exceedingly difficult to gauge, while the potential for unforeseen complications is high.
Allow me to be the first to say that you’ve made a splendid showing. 1 have examined the final version
of the incursion plans with a highly critical eye, and the probability of Mr. Kim’s success, if he adheres
strictly to the plans we give him, is 70%, with a standard deviation of five percentage points.
Those of you working on the Kim project will find an extra appreciation of my thanks in your checks
at the end of the month.
Mens agitat molem!
Fondest wishes,
Amanda Wu
16

Y
To: Amanda Wu
From: Johnny Rose
CC:[recipient list suppressed]
subjed: Don’t Cry For Me North Korea
Well, it’s been over a week now and still no check. I n the meantime I’ve avoided the poison in my
water, the driverless armored car and that sloppy sniper you visited upon me. 1 accept your conditions of
war. By now you’ve dealt with the aftereffects of my EMP grenade. You’re a bright girl; you didn’t need
those silly computers anyway. I’ve taken the liberty of initiating a little chitchat session with some ac-
quaintances of mine at the South Korean consulate. They’ll be very, very interested in your recent desta-
bilizing hijinks. Does this up the ante any? 1 hope so. 1 know that this is precisely the type of thing that,
ideally, you’d like t o take care of yourself, Amanda, but just try to get off that little island kingdom of
yours. You’ll find that leaving Hong Kong is a much bigger pain in the ass than it’s ever been. Try it. You’ll
see what 1 mean.
You know, my mother said that 1 should just use my novasonic brain and make my own uberfortune.
Given the ludicrous amounts of money networks like N! are tossing around these days, it wouldn’t be that
difficult t o go on jeopardy and win a few million, but that doesn’t have the same “fuck you” Hallmark
sentiment attached to it, know what 1 mean? Maybe it’s just an ego problem. Maybe it’s just two person-
alities that should never have been working together coming into conflict. Maybe it’s because I’m a Taurus
and you’re a Scorpio. Then again, maybe you’re just a pathologically greedy and manipulative bitch.
Hmmmmm. Wonder which it is? You know where my money’s at.
You can still contact me t o pay me off. Please don’t. This is turning into way too much fun.
War: what a beautiful choice.
xxoo,
Johnny
Berringer, it’s Amanda. Things are not as they should be, so listen very attentively. Look, I’m
going to need t o call in a few of those favors you owe me from the London conundrum of last year.
I’ve recently developed a bit of a malady that quite handily prevents me from leaving Hong Kong.
I’m unable(!) to analyze the exact vectors the disease is using to keep me down, but it’s quite virulent.
Unless 1 can heal things myself, only my wayward priest is capable of curing me at this point. You’ve
taken confession from him before, 1 believe. He was the angel 1 sent t o you in your hour of need. You
remember Father Gianni Rossellini? 1 need you t o track him down f o r me before things get any
worse. 1 believe him t o be in New York o r possibly Tulsa of all Godforsaken places. 1 sent him sev-
eral postcards last week, but none of them seems t o have reached him, so I’m asking you t o attend
t o things personally. He’s a good man who knows his stuff, but you’re more than up to conveying my
need despite your extreme prejudice concerning matters religious. I’m sure you’ll choose just the
right words to say t o make things all better. Sooner is better than later.
You know 1 appreciate this.
Take care, sweetie. Bye-bye.
17

Letter dated November 5,2004, from Alejandra t o His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI
Your Holiness,
1 am so honored that you have agreed to meet with me. 1 think it will be a wonderful
opportunity for you to see that novas are just like other people. My mother is very proud. She is
delighted almost beyond speaking and wanted me to tell you that she prays for your health and
well-being every day.
1 know you are a busy man, but 1 think it’s so important that the Church take a position on
me and others like me that 1 must speak with you. 1 know you are a good man and a fair man and
you will listen with an open mind.
My brother tells me that there are those in the church who feel that novas are less than
human. 1 hope to show you in the course of our conversation that that is entirely untrue. But that
conversation must wait a few weeks more. In the meantime, my prayers are with you.
Your Humble Servant,

Alejandra Carranza
EXCERPT FROM PHONE CONVERSATION BEWEEN BISHOP DlONlGl TETTAMANZI,

PRELATE-GENERAL OF OPUS DEI, AND FR. RODERIGO ALTA, NUMERARY, TRANSLATED
FROM THE SPANISH AND L A I N
-
Dionigi: So, Alta, my dear, dear friend, let me get this straight. You did speak with His Holiness
and your brought up our concerns, and yet you were still unable to sway His Holiness from granting an
audience to this girl...thkaberrant?
- Alta: (sighing into the phone) That is correct, Excellency.
- D: Your worst enemy is yourself, yes. Benedict XVI is no John Paul 11; we can no longer just let
our will be known and hear it drip from the papal lips within a Fortnight, Alta. Those days are gone,
and with Utopia minding everyone’s business, we can’t be as free with the terminal remedies as we
were with Benelli or Albini. We have clear limitations. We are but one arm of a large holy body, Alta,
and we are but men. It is folly t o assume that we have the power to afFect all matters of church
doctrine. But to let him grant an audience to an aberrant?! No, no, that failing is clearly yours, but one
with which Opus Dei will now have to live.
- A: What you say is true, Excellency, but there was no advising to do on the matter. He very
much wanted to meet with Alejandra.
- D: Of course he did, he’s male. Your task was to make him want otherwise, and you failed, yes?
You occupy the role of Opus Dei’s papal advisor because of your interpersonal and people-manage-
ment skills, and if you cannot successfully handle those responsibilities, then perhaps we would be
better served by someone else in that position.
- A. This position is my calling, Excellency, and 1 shall do whatever is necessary to regain your trust
- D: No ideal becomes a reality without sacrifice, Alta. For this heavy failure, yours will be a
heavy penance, Alta. You understand why, yes?
- A: Yes.
- D: 1 will ask you to wear your cilice not for two hours a day, no, but for two solid weeks. You will
sleep with it on, yes? You may change legs if need be, but you will give this pain up to the Father as an
offering. 1 am understood, yes?
- A: Yes.
- D: In this way will you come to understand the enormity of your failing. We can only hope that
His Holiness is too wise to be swayed by her sweet face and nova mind tricks. 1 am not optimistic.
- A: 1 will serve.
- D: We shall certainly see.
18

Your Holiness,
After reading the body of Ad Dei Lucern, 1 must compliment you on a splendid job o f addressing
a difficult issue. 1 agree that the nova situation needs t o be addressed by the church; 1 am worried,
however, that some of the language may be a bit “over the top,” as the Americans say. It would be
disadvantageous for the Vatican to be perceived as a tool of novas. 1 fear this may be the result of
Ad Dei Lucern, most especially should word of your meeting with Alejandra become common knowl-
edge. 1 ask that you reconsider certain sections of your message and perhaps mitigate some of the
stronger wordings. 1 have already read reports of novas being recommended for canonization, and
this encyclical will only muddy the waters further. If you would like for me t o clarify some of the
more problematic points, 1 would be happy t o do so.
In Christ,
Alta
Cardinal Alta,
You know well that We hold your counsel in high esteem. Time and time again you have
brought clarity where it was most needed. Your most recent recommendation moved Us to
reexamine the phrasing of Ad Dei Lucern word by word. While We can appreciate the points
you make, Our heart is very clear on this matter. Ad Dei Lucern shall go out exactly as written.
Thank you for your kind advice.
I n Christ,
Mario Bardi, Benedict XVI
19

His Holiness Pope
Benedict XVI
Ad Dei Lucem
Encyclical on the new
people called novas
a t St. I’E
To the Venerable Brethren, the Patri- molIrn
archs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops,
and other Local Ordiniirics in Peace i d
muc I I -bc
Communion with the Apostolic See.
Alta WRS a i m iieneclicr ,\ v I s con-
Venerable Brethren, Greetings and fidant and primary advisor. The
Apostolic Rened i ct ion. pope himself t l c i i \ w - t x c l the bene-
I t is ever O u r duty to guide a11 persons of diction*
whatever origins toward the light ofGod. as “‘mar
This We are expected by God to do with- and a tn
out prejudice or bias o f a n y kind. None who of God-
piously seek salvation shall be turned away. came 3s a E1
Thinking on the troubled nature of recent \‘ntic:in,
e\ynts are we brought to reiterate this excellent health only w e k s ~ p .
highly salient point.
The last seven years have seen the emergence everywhere around the globe of a new
people, gifted by God with remarkable abilities. These persons are called “novas” by
the various media, and by that term shall We refer to them also.
There are factions who claim that these novas are other than human, that they are
not capable of salvation or that they are tools of a darker power. Such opinions have
too frequently reached Our ears of late and trouble Us greatly. Our heart has been
vexed as We have heard it said that these new and greatly blessed children of God are
simply beasts of burden meant only to serve the secular needs of governments, to
fight petty wars in the names of the highest bidding regimes, to correct the errors of
misguided humanity, and to be managed like livestock.
Against policies such as these, which violate the principal rights of the human per-
son and trample on the sacred liberty of the children of God, all Christians from
every part of the world, indeed all men of good sense, cannot refrain from raising
their voices with Us in real horror and from uttering a protest deploring the deranged
conscience of their fellow men.
As we are troubled when we see our nova children treated like beasts, so are We
likewise troubled when we see small but vocal factions of novas claiming superiority
over mankind and glories that rightfully belongs to the Lord. We maintain that the
appropriate relationship of nova and non-nova is one of equality and brotherhood.
Having wimessed novas engage in acts of great virtue as well as terrible cruelty, it is clear
to Us that they are children of Adam with souls and all concomitant talents and failings.
They, too, are stained by originalsin; and they, too, may attain salvation through the most
holy intercessionof the Blessed Virgin Mary and her son, Our Lord JesusChrist.
We do proclaim novas the blessed work of God possessed of souls, needing apostolic
love and guidance, and We welcome them into Our fold. It is Our sincerest wish that
by setting this example of acceptance and Christian love, We may help usher in a new
day of peace based on justice, liberty, and the care of all souls, both human and nova.
Given at Rome from St. Peter’s, on the fifteenth day of June,on the Feast of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus in the year 2005, the sixth of Our Pontificate.
20
Excellency,
Greetings and blessings. 1 understand how valuable your time is, but 1 have a question for
you. 1’11 be brief. A week ago 1 gave a sermon concerning the lives of the saints and how emula-
tion of their good deeds can exalt man and bring him nearer t o God. As part of this sermon, 1
explained the criteria for canonization - selfless good deeds and three miracles - and later,
when Mass was over, the most adorable little girl ran up and asked if novas are saints, because
they do good deeds and they have abilities that certainly appear to the common man t o be mi-
raculous. l would have just made up something on the spot, but her parents were there by that
point and it was clear that they wanted an answer, too. I’m reasonably certain that novas do not
achieve sainthood so easily, but I’m unclear how to explain this more clearly. Would you have any
recommendations on how to treat such an awkward question? According to the definition 1 usu-
ally give, most of Team Tomorrow would qualify as saints, and this, 1 think is probably not as it
should be.
Thank you so much for your attention in this matter,
Fr. Robert lanuzi
Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow
Deerfield. 1I
Chalepeno,
The virtuosity you demonstrated with Aka is appreciated. Now that you’ve proved yourself, 1
think that perhaps you may be the proper tool for another of God’s works. Benedict XVI refuses to
play ball with Opus Dei where novas are concerned. While his other views are tolerably in line with
ours, he is catastrophically out of step when it comes t o seeing novas for the potential threat they
pose. With the promulgation of A d Lucem Dei, he has essentially won that battle. While 1 would
love to get him out of there, and replace him with, say, Herranz or Cipliani, one poisoning a year in
the Vatican should probably be our upper limit. Besides, Bardi is just too damned popular with the
cardinals right now, and between the lot of them 1 think they might have enough of an inkling to
know which way to point the accusatory finger. As if this weren’t bad enough, His Holiness has
made it clear that he would like that liberal Pentilla from the USA to be his successor, and that we
cannot abide. An American pope? Not while there’s breath in my body.
Here’s the direction in which we need things t o go. This is more complex than a clever
poisoning, so pay attention: Since Benedict XVI i s so fond of novas, 1 want novas to play a key
role in his undoing. Your job is to supply the novas and the motivation. Teragen members would
be most convenient and believable, but I’m not picky. DeVries is fine as a last resort, although 1
don’t know how far we can trust their discretion; it may not be up to our necessarily exacting
standards. Utopia affiliates are out of the picture: too much potential for investigation there.
1 leave it to you to determine how best to bring the Vatican into conflict with the nova or
novas of your choosing.
1 expect great things from you.
Dionigi
21

From a message spammea to oprvet, seen on wneatpaste posters, ana
handed out on flyers:
common. They want to open up your innocent child’
your kids just l i k e t h e n That‘s just one strateg

they’ll use to steal the world away from you, an
leave you spiraling out of control. The governmen
you, they love novas even more! So what can you do t

keep these heathen cultural-elite, demon-powere
freaks of nature away from your children? You c
attend Reverend Tulev’s Genuine Old-Fashioned Reviv
Almighty God. Find out how to protect yourself an

your family through prayer and good old-fashione
firepower.
The Lord isn’t scared by Quantum Blasts. He ca
create blasts biaaer than anvthincr seen so far b
Attend the revival Dhvsically or virtually. There’
Tuley’s efforts. And the child you save, the countr

YOU save, the world vou save...could be vour own.

From sermon given by the
Rev. Melinda Knight
I have been receiving.. .questions of late. Many, many questions. ‘ W h o

are these novas?” I’m asked. “What is their significance? How should
we deal with them in our church?” I tell you this: The answer is in the
words of Jesus Christ when he says, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
And let there be no doubt, novas are your neighbors in the world.
They may not live in your neighborhood, they may not live in your
city, but they are our neighbors. And most of them are very good
neighbors. By their works have great injustices been righted. By their
deeds have ecological disasters been undone. By their deeds have great
diseases been cleansed from our planet. God bless them for these things.
As your pastor I can tell you that we believe in the inherent dignity
and worth of every person, nova or otherwise. As a church, we seek
justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. We seek the
acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in
our congregations, and again, novas are no exception. So, our rela-
tionship to novas? We extend our love to them. We hope for their
ethical and spiritual well-being. And, most importantly, we include
them in our prayers.
Let our beacon, the lighted chalice, always guide us, and our nova
sisters and brothers, with an affirming flame. Amen.
25

From: Church President, Matthew C. Bormuth
To: The Quorum of the Twelve
Brothers,
The missionary emphasis of the Church is perhaps one of its most recognized characteristics.
By following the biblical tradition of sending missionaries two by two, we have increased the size
of our world congregation from six courageous persons in 1830 to nearly twenty million in 2007.
Our missionary program is the most successful the world has known, and 1 truly believe the
Heavenly Father looks down and smiles on our efforts. After much prayer and personal searching
on my part, the Lord has granted me a revelation concerning cur missionary work and the directions
we need to go from here.
Brothers, 1 believe it may be time to emphasize our missionary work with those great men
and women called novas. The responsibilities they shoulder every day are enough to pummel any
one of us into the very dust. These hard-working young men and women work their minds every
day, they work their bodies every day, but 1 don’t see that their souls are receiving much guidance.
Without spiritual guidance these young people can wind up in moral swamps like lbiza, Spain,
where drugs and sin are the order of the day. It is that sort of behavior that leads to despair and
bitterness, which in turn lead to hostility and anger, and from there to the terroristic perdition
of the Teragen. These powerful young people must at least have the opportunity t o hear the
gospel if they are to avoid such fates.
To that end, 1 have asked the missionary training center in Provo to create a program for
especially gifted missionaries. They will be instructed for three weeks in what 1’11 call here
“nova-ology.” For those three weeks, these Elders will learn the in-depth history of the nova
phenomenon, not just what they get from N! or other sensationalistic OpNet programs, but the
true, first-person accounts of what novas go through, from their “eruption” to working with
Team Tomorrow or one of the other groups. After getting a feel for what novas have gone through,
these missionaries will be sent to nova hotspots: New York, Bahrain, Mexico City, Addis Ababa,
Venice, Talaud lsland and other places where nova populations are concentrated, including Ibiza.
1 look forward to hearing your carefully considered impressions. May the Lord bless each
of you in your contemplations.
Since rely,
Matthew C. Bormuth
26

From: David Moulton, Assistant to Families
To: Matthew C. Bormuth, President of the Church of Latter-Day Saints
President Bormuth,
As you know, the Heavenly Father has gifted the great family we have in the Church with no
fewer than five novas: more than chance would predict. Elders Christoff Weaver, Mark Bennett,
and Urumbu N!Godatu and Sisters Tyson Smiley and Maria Peralta-Perez are all Latter-Day Saints
in good standing. What some might attribute to luck, 1 can confidently say is the Lord helping his
one true Church on earth to flourish.
1 have received some troubling news of a very personal but important nature, however,
from wr nova brothers and sisters. Elder Bennet and Sister Peralta-Perez both accepted invitations
extended by Project Utopia to visit one of their Rashoud facilities t o learn the use of their new
abilities. The long and the short of the story is that they both came back infertile. Elder Benner,
while only twenty-five, is already the father of three beautiful children, and Sister Peralta-
Perez has one child OF her own as well. These are clearly not people for whom infertility has
been a problem. 60th of these good people were hoping for large families and a great deal of
sadness has been brought forth by this development. While 1 would like to say that this is just an
awkward coincidence, certain recent reports in the news make me leery of doing so.
It is our recommendation that, before any more of our nova Brothers and Sisters accept
invitations to study with Utopia or any other non-LDS organization, we give them options. Do
we have the facilities or the trainers at 6YU to handle the education of a nova?
1 have sent tentative letters to Elders Weaver and N!Godatu and Sister Smiley recommending
against visiting any Utopia facilities or accepting anything given them by Utopia’s friendly staff.
IF the situation is as it appears, it is possible that Utopia is not as benevolent as it would like
to appear. 1’11 leave the ramifications OF that for you t o ponder.
Your Brother in Christ,
David Moulton,
Assistant to Families
27

Dear Antaeus,
Perhaps you will find this to be a very strange letter, but please bear with
me. I serve as the high priestess of the Covenant of the Goddess, an umbrella
group for pagan covens across North America, Europe, and Australia. Our co-
religionists span the globe and come from all walks of life; they share a love
and veneration for the forces of nature. I don’t know what your spiritual bent is,
but to many in our group, you epitomize the perfect melding of man and nature.
There is no one as connected to the heartbeat and breath of the natural world.
Our national convocation takes place on the summer solstice, June 21st. Would
you consider addressing our convocation? It would be an enormous honor for
Please let me know.

Thank you and Blessed Be,
Sheila ThunderLove
~ ~
Ms. ThunderLove,
I thank you for your gracious invitation but, for any number of reasons, I do not
believe I am the person you really want to speak to your convocation. Correct me
if I am mistaken, but what I believe you are looking for is a nature spirit, a dryad, an
incarnation of Pan, or perhaps a living, breathing embodiment of the Green Man. I
am, alas, none of these things. I do not hail from the forest’s deepest penetralia; I
do not frolic with unicorns; and, most of all, I am not a god. I come from Manches-
ter, a rather grim factory town in England not unlike your Detroit. I don’t dislike
animals, although neither do I frolic with them. And as for what I am: First and
foremost, I am a research scientist. I am also a Taurus, a cricket player, an uncle,
a member of the Labor Party; and it is also true that I was once an ecoterrorist at
one wildly idealistic point in my life. And, yes, I am a nova, and one whose abilities
involve harnessing the natural world to my will. This does not give me the wisdom
you crave. This does not give me an overview of the Grand Scheme of Things. It
simply means that I have a quantum-basedability to perceive and manipulate earth
and plants and living things in the same way that a number of people now manipu-
late computer code as their livelihood. While I can certainly empathize with your
motives, I would kindly thank you to refrain from pinning your romantic notions on
So as not to be entirely unhelpful, may I recommend that you contact the New
Zealand nova dubbing herself Belladonna? She and I see each other around, and
not only is she a little more spiritual, to understate the point, but the fact that she’s
a woman will mesh tidily with the ecofeminism that so frequently pervades neopagan
thought. Utopia and DeVries both find her a little too frightening to use in their
operations with any real frequency, which leaves her with far more time than I have
for speaking engagements and the like.
I do hope that this letter doesn’t seem too brusque, but I find the numbers of
individuals who want me to be a god instead of a scientist are disturbingly high,
and I’d like to see those numbers drop precipitously.
Best of luck in your spiritual quest,
Dr. Spencer “Antaeus” Balmer

Perhaps you will find this to be a very strange letter, but please bear with
me. I serve as the high priestess of the Covenant of the Goddess, an umbrella
group for pagan covens from North America, Europe, and Australia. Our co-
religionists span the globe and come from all walks of life; they share a love
and veneration for the forces of nature. I don’t know what your spiritual bent is,
but to many in our group, you epitomize the perfect melding of woman and
nature. There is no one as connected to the heartbeat and breath of the natural
world. Our national convocation takes place in America on the summer solstice,
June 21st. Would you consider addressing our convocation? It would be an
enormous honor for us.
Please let me know.
Thank you and Blessed Be,
Sheila ThunderLove
Dearest Sheila,
I would be honoured to come to America to speak to your convocation on
the sacred occasion of the Solstice. It will give me a reason to leave New Zealand
on the longest night of the year and come up to visit the longest day. Unless
there’s a theme you’d like me to stick to, I’ll plan on giving one of my favorite
presentations titled “The Darker Nature.” It’s part sermon and part performance
piece, really, and I daresay it’s quite engrossing. Previous audiences have re-
sponded to it with a powerful outpouring of emotion. In particular, I think you’ll
love the special effects; they convey quite an impact.
One caveat: Please see the attached rate sheet for my speaking fees. If
they are within your means, please complete and return the subsequent forms
including the liability waiver.

From his Famous “Where Is Our Golem?” speech to the Israeli people by Rabbi Dov Youdovin
of the Tel Aviv Rabbinical Council.
In the Prague Ghettos in 1596, Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal OF Prague, brought
his knowledge of the Kabbalah to bear on the problem OF the terrible pogrom being carried out
by Christian harassers. He combined his great learning and Faith to create a golem t o protect his
people against the vicious slander and depredations of the Czechs, and the persecution abated.
Now it is Five hundred years later and Israel herself is without a hero - without a golem - to
protect her while every other country is developing armies of these defenders.
So-called novas have appeared in every country in the world - India has hundreds, Germany,
America, Poland, all have their novas working For them as their strong arms, to maintain peace
and t o contribute to the national well-being. But Israel? Israel has no golem. Project Utopia lists
no known novas residing in Israel or even claiming her as their country of origin. Do we even
know what we have lost?
The golem OF Prague was brought about by a great work OF Faith. Perhaps it is our Faith that
is missing? Has Israel grown so Far From her Faith that she can no longer sustain miracles, even
those that are becoming quotidian elsewhere in the world? We are a religion shattered. We are
Sepphardic and Ashkenazi, Conservative, Orthodox and Reformed. When will we be one people?
When will our Faith be strong enough? Only then will Israel have her defender, her strong arm,
her golem. People of Israel, 1 implore you: Listen to the language o f coincidence, it is God’s
native tongue.
From letter t o the Editor (one week after above taken power away From the people in the countries where
speech) by Miriam ben Shea they are numerous. They have taken jobs From the normal
Rabbi Dov Youdovin asks us where our golem is. men and women who needed them. They have monopolized
Where our savior is. Rabbi Youdovin, why not ask where the attentions of the thinkers, the artists, and the leaders.
our Meniah is? Isn’t that what you’re looking For? And Should the day ever come when the novas decide to leave,
you should know that answer. Jews don’t believe in to Follow their own paths, where will thosecountriesbethen?
Messiahs, we believe in helping ourselves. We control our Jews have Forever been a self-reliant people with
own lives. For centuries, through plagues and pogroms, great achievements and strong, sensible Families. We
we have done what we needed to do to get along, and For have a history OF men OF great mystical power and women
centuries it has been enough. And yet now we suddenly of great intellectual ability. They led our people, and they
need novas to make our way in the world? Have Jews inspired our people, but they were never above the
become so weak? We can always hope For divine inter- people or separate From the people, like novas are.
vention, but to expect it, or to kvetch when it is not Forth- No, Rabbi Youdovin, we have no need For novas.
coming, is wrong. Jews have always been self-reliant. IF we make a mess,
You want a Jewish superhero? Let me tell you about we clean it up ourselves, and novas would just weaken
a Jewish superhero. His name was Moses, and he led our our resolve. YHVH has blessed us with Freedom From
people out OF slavery, but never made it to the Land OF these “superheroes” because Jews, among all others, do
Milk and Honey because his ability with miracles made him not need them.
arrogant. We don’t need any more of these superheroes. Sincerely,
We don’t need to rely on anyone but ourselves. Novas have Miriam ben Shea

OpNet site: NOVAKABBALAH/JEW/REL
Novas are beings of profound power. They possess SECRETS that few baselines can
ever hope to share, but even these Potent secrets can be derived from an understandina
of the KABBALAH. Kabbalah means ‘‘tradition,” and entails the entirety of Jewish mysticis6
but by far the greatest single element is the ZOHAR, or “Book of Splendor.” Through an
understanding of the esoteric Kabalistic traditions can all things be understood. Including
the secrets of the novas.
The Kabbalistic Sephiroth all correspond to particular ANGELS, and as angels are but
manipulators of the power of YHVH (Shekhinah), they are very like NOVAS, who are
maniwlators of QUANTUM. These CorreSDondenCeS can be made manifest by noting
1 directions and tendencies of famous novas.’
The first Sephiroth is Kether

(Crown), whose angel is (Understanding),’whose angel is
Metatron, whose nova is Tzaphquiel, whose n o v a i s
Kubemetes, the far-seeing guide.
d*-
J$ussc%u,
** the fugitive queen.
The fourth Sephiroth is

Hesed (Mercy), whose angel Tifleyetfi (Beauty), w h o s e
is Tzadquiel, whose nova i s *- anger is Mikhael, whose nova
Harmony, the crippled. The fifth S e p h i r o t h s ’ *.isAlejandra, the singer.
Geburah (Force), w h o s e 4 n p f
i s Khamael, whose“ n w a i s
Geryon, the violefitpde.

Hod (Splendor), whose angel is
Raphael, w h o s e n o v a i s
Caestus Pax, the righteous one.
The Seventh Sephiroth is
Netzach (Victory), whose angel
is Haniel, whose nova is lronskin
Andy Vance, the enduring one.
Not only can novas, Gods wrath in the world. It

like angels, be assigned will balance the power of
to the holy Sephiroth, but the novas with a terrible
the prime essences or EL- price. It i s the power
EMENTS of the nova ex- T h e Tenth S e p h i r o t h i s wielded by the angels of
istence can all be found in Malkuth (Kingdom), whose angel PUNISHMENT (MALAKE
the ten SEPHIROTH of is Metatron, whose nova is Slider, HABBALAH), and punish-
the Kabbalah. who in death is all around us. ment taken to excess gen-
The Shekhinah, or erates the seeds of the DE-
God’s presence in the MONIC. Perhaps we have
world, is said to be the way FOUNDATION of their power some hint of what form this
human beings experience and their REDEMPTION from may take when we see
the Divine. When referring the human condition. Geryon or other MON-
to novas, however, MAJESTY is the translation STROSITIES torment and
Shekhinah refers to the of the next Sephiroth: Hod. It kill those who stray from
QUANTUM force that no- is associated with the power of the true path.
vas can manipulate. It is a prophecy and represents the But, greatest of all
bit of God’s presence that channel through which God’s there promises made by
they are capable of com- judgments come down to us. the Sephiroth, is that great
prehendingand bending in When referring to novas, it refers promise inherent in Kether,
accordance with their will to the moment of their greatest the SUPREME CROWN of
and YHVH’s. It is in this majesty: their ERUPTION or God, which shall be His
way that it can be said that coming out, when they don the most glorious triumph: the
novas are ANGELIC beings. mantle of the power of the eruption of all mankind into
Yesod is the mighty Tetragrammaton. novahood.All humanity will
foundation, the tree of life, Many of the Sephiroth ERUPT, and at that moment
the sanctified PHALLUS of have no correspondences to will we ALL stand by the
YHVH. In the life of a nova, the lives of novas that we can Eternal Throne of
it represents the ORGAN see yet, though they will make unnamable GOD sur-
that grants them their themselves clear in the fullness rounded by the SERA
mighty potency: the of time. Most horrible will be the PHlM and CHERUBIM. So
Mazarin-Rashoud node. It manifestation of Gevurah, the let it be.
is the M-R node that is the holy Sephiroth representing

Director Harris:
The theory we’ve been working with is correct. Israel does have plenty of its own novas - my
investigations suggest eight of them: five women, three men - it’s just keeping them under wraps.
Mossad has its Sayanim Register, sort of a local informant network, keeping a sharp eye out for new nova
eruptions all through Israel. When a new nova is found, he or she is immediately taken to a facility outside
Tel Aviv for training. Six of the eight appear to be at least Titan-class, emphasis on at least. Mossad is
putting them through intense training, though to what end remains unclear. West BankIGaza Strip? Hope
not. On the bright side, all this training keeps these novas too busy for the Teragen.
Mossad has done a truly excellent job thus far of keeping this tactical strike team under wraps.
Utopia is sniffing around in kind of a Faux-casual way, but as of this writing they’re not willing to
alienate Israel over mere speculation.
Interesting - some might say suspicious - side effect of these “missing novas” is that some
religious leaders are claiming it’s due to a lack of faith on the part of the Israeli citizenry. Certain
elements of the more conservative Ashkenazic sect are effectively turning the absence of novas into
an issue for Israelis to rally around. This is taking on some disturbing jingoistic overtones that may
need more investigation. 1 have to wonder if either the government or the Rabbinical Council has
orchestrated this whole thing. Speculation at this point, of course. 1’11 keep you apprised.
Trip
Simon,
Looks like we’re safe for the moment. The gematrial value of Gevurah begins at 46,764, signified
by the word devoz ved. Even the most overenthusiasticand imaginative nova-spotters, counting mitoids
and other hopefuls, have suggested a maximum nova population of 8,146 worldwide, so either the
incidence of eruptions will have to go up drastically, or we have a long time to figure this out. Novas
don’t seem to be breeding much, so maybe that will keep the number down. The judgment (Din) will
reach its worst point with the number 46 (15 13 12) (however you want to interpret that number. 1
really don’t think it refers to 46,151,312, but if it does, I’m not going to worry about this anymore), the
number of the dark angel, which must be the Qlippoth (shell) of Gevurah indicating Golab (or Golachab)
the “Flaming One.” I’ve put this through the computer a thousand times, and cross-referencing it with
the online Zohar keeps getting me the name Dev (or Div or Dov) Sammael. Do what you will with that.
How you pulled me into this 1 don’t know. Women aren’t even supposed to study Kabbalah, and
here you tell me I’m the only one who really understands it? 1 have nothing to say to that. Well, oy
gevalt! might come close. At least 1 meet the age requirement.
Don’t tell anyone we’re doing this. The rubber room ward of Tel Aviv General is not where 1 want
to spend the rest of my days, thank you very much.
Zeva B.
33

I
ng ahereticalsect of Islam t
enerates novas -their bod
...And in other news, sociologistsfrom at can be harvested after dea

the University of Chicagohave noticed
an unexpected trend in mainstream Is-
lam. According to Dr. Patricia Troy a
postdoctoral student at the Eugene
Skinner Center for the Sociology of Re-
ligions, attitudes towards women and
novas show a close correlation
throughout the Islamic world. W a f s
more intemting, for the last eight years
Muslims throughout most of the Arab
world have shown a marked trend to-
ward liberalization in their attitudest e
ward these two p u p s .
Troy: Correlation, of course,
doesn’t really tell us much about
cause, but a longitudinal study
shows that novas and women are
the prime beneficiaries of this lib-
eralizing trend. Throughout
SaudiArabia and Egypt, two bas-
tions of Sunni Islam, women
have been benefiting from the re-
laxation of certain longstanding
Islamic rulings. What we’re really
seeing here is a sharp split with
the Shi‘ite faction of Islam, which
continues to view both novas and women with hostility.
Troy believes the incorporation of Sufi practices has helped to
soften what has traditionally been a severe religion.
Troy: The emergence of novas seems to have sparked
a mystical chord in Sunni Islam. While the word ”an-
gel” has popped up only a few times, the general un-
dercurrent seems to point to the belief that novas are
spiritually advanced entities, perhaps agents of Al’lah
or the Prophet. Sales of Sufi works, like the poetry of
Rumi, can’t be kept on the shelves in major cities
throughout the Middle East. It’s a remarkable trend,
but one the women appreciate.
Thank you Dr. Troy. And now we go to Peter and sports.. ..
34
lkeep reading,
SHIRAZ, Iran
.x
The city of Shiraz was ve nearly destro ed today in what was originally thought
K
to be a terrorist attack. e real cause, owever, was one angry nova. Faruq al-
Hadim, a nova who erupted only last week in Shiraz, was being led to his execution
for "acting as an ally of Shaitan among the Arab peoples" - the standard charge
leveled by Shi'ite extremists against novas -when he apparently became resentful
of the treatment he was receiving. Witnesses say that flames appeared from no-
where around al-Hadim and an enormous firestorm surged out from the angry
nova in a half-kilometer radius. Thousands are presumed dead and property dam-
age is estimated at several hundred million euros.
Team Tomorrow Central was on the scene within 30 minutes and was eventu-
ally able to contain the inferno and take the contrite al-Hadim into protective
custody. According to Team Tomorrow spokesman Caestus Pax, "We are speak-
ing with Faruq now. His actions of earlier today were the tragic outcome of a
very complex web
of events and preju-
dices. While we do
not condone his be-
havior, it takes only
a small amount of
empathy to under-
stand the emotional
forces which caused
him to lash out with
such anger at the
people who were
going to execute
him simply for be-
ing who he is. Team
Tomorrow is in dia-
logue with the Ira-
nian government
even now with re-
gard to what might be done about this situation and what kinds of reparations
may need to be made."
Teragen spokesman Raoul Orzaiz was leaving for a weekend off the coast in Spain,
but felt free to offer a one-word commentary on the Shiraz tragedy: "Bravo."
Shi'ite extremists are calling for the immediate death of al-Hadim.One survivor
of the Shiraz firestorm released a letter over OpNet shortly after al-Hadim was
taken into custody. "The devils of Team Tomorrow will clearly take the side of
one who serves the same master. They will do everything in their ability to shield
al-Hadim the destroyer from the consequences of his actions. He has killed thou-
sands and yet they will insist that he is innocent. What will it take to get justice
for the dead?" Team Tomorrow Central has not yet responded to these accusa-
tions, nor is it known if they intend to.
The Shiraz incident is the latest example of the difficulties between Shi'ite and
nova. Eight months ago, Souhir Ben-Hamida, the nova popularly known as Ser-
aph, was attacked in her home by a mob wielding pistols and rocket launchers.
She escaped with minimal damage, but she no longer feels safe returning to her
native Turkey and is living in the USA as a political exile.
35
From N! special
“A World of Novas”
Bombay, India
Nowhere has the emergence of novas had the impact on religion that it
has in India. With the world’s densest population, India boasts an amaz-
ing 847 known novas within its national boundaries, a number that
seems to resonate disturbingly well with the country’s polytheistic
Hindu population.
To say that a spiritual renaissance has swept India’s Hindus would
not be overstating the situation. According to Dr. Danit Bijali, direc-
tor of Project Utopia’s Rashoud Facility in Bombay, ”The emergence
of novas at this time ties in very neatly with Hindu cosmology. As
souls proceed through samsara, or the cycle of death and rebirth, or
reincarnation as it is called in the West, the soul becomes closer to
perfection. The closer the soul is to perfection, the more enlightened
it will be; the more enlightened it will be, the more power it will have.
This is how Hindus think of novas - souls that have finally come so
near to moksha, or the liberation from samsara, that they begin show-
ing great power over the world.”
Novas tie into Hindu spirituality in more ways than one, however. Other
Hindus believe that novas are the avatars of various deities. While Hin-
duism recognizes several hundred spirits, demons, and gods, the big
three Hindu deities are Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and
Shiva, the destroyer. These three are frequently represented as having
avatars, or mortal incarnations which are their tools for interacting with
the mortal world. Many Hindus think of novas as being avatars for the
gods. To that end, many Hindus make offerings to novas as a form of
bhakti, or love directed toward a deity. Many novas in the more rural
regions of India are content to be treated as gods or holy men, accepting
the offerings of local farmers in return for demonstrations of maya, or
power. Maya is a concept taken directly from the Vedas, one of the
sacred books of the Hindus. Meaning, alternately, magic and illusion,
maya is the concept through which these novas have come to under-
stand their nova abilities. In many cases, the subconscious desires that
shape the manifestation of a particular nova’s abilities appear to draw
on India’s vast wealth of Hindu sacred texts, most notably the Vedas
and the Upanishads. Kanjan Baru of Sri Lanka, shown here, is every
bit the avatar of Shiva Nataraja, that is, Shiva in his aspect as the Lord
of the Dance. Baru has been claiming to be an avatar of Shiva now for
nearly three years, and the villagers who worship him feel blessed by
his choice to manifest to them. He uses his powers to help the local
farmers, and in return they feed him, wait on him, and allow him
mating access to the women of the village.
36
lkeep readinq,
As part of its modernization program, Project Utopia has been sending
small teams of nova representatives into some of these rural areas to
explain to both nova and farmer alike the actual nature of these ”gods”’
powers. Surprisingly, even when the concept of novas is explained to
the inhabitants of these rural areas, they remain steadfast in their be-
havior toward these new ”gods,” and some have even gone so far as to
refer to Project Utopia’s efforts in this sector as a form of
neoimperialism. According to Nandakumara Singh, professor of eth-
nology at the University of Bombay, ”These people in the country’s
interior, away from the cities, are not very sophisticated, you know. By
following the karma-marga, a strict observation of the caste system, these
individuals expect to attain happiness and dharmic fulfillment. When
avatars of Shiva or Krishna appear, you know, it is quite clear that those
persons are to be treated like Brahmins, or great priests or teachers.
Treating them as peers would be impious, to say the least. And really,
you know, does the West worship their novas any less?”
These controversial attempts to prevent novas from posing as avatars
have been surprisingly unsuccessful thus far, and some have backfired
spectacularly. In one notable and oddly unpublicized case that took
place early on in Utopia’s deculting crusade, Eric Huffman, a talented
American nova and veteran of many Utopia-funded missions, was sent
into the Indian hinterland alone to dissolve the cult that had formed
around a recently erupted nova who called herself Kali-ma, The Blood
Queen, a popular goddess of death. Huffman disappeared and was
presumed dead, but stories have found their way down the Ganges
that suggest that he may have found a new life as a god more interesting
than life as a Project Utopia representative. Utopia declined to comment
on the story, and its official stance on Huffman is that his current where-
abouts are unknown.
For the moment, the powers that be in Project Utopia continue their
crusade to interpose themselves between self-proclaimed nova gods
and their devout worshippers, with lackluster results. Novas, it would
appear, strike a chord in the minds of many millions of Hindus, and
after reading about the exploits of the gods for so long, they’re not
willing to give up the real thing.
37

BEGIN UTTER DATED SEPTEMBER 30,2006 FROM MIKE DAWSON
Dear Mom and Dad,
How are you? Things are fine here. Classes are interesting, but they expect us to work harder
here. It’s weird being away From home, and the food in the dorms kind of sucks, but 1 got really lucky
when 1 got here and 1 met some really cool people. They think about stuff in a way that I’ve never done
before, and it’s pretty cool. They’re friends of this girl who’s a nova and they said that if 1 wanted to and
if they thought 1 was up to it that they might let me meet her. Would that not be the total slash? I’m all
about meeting a real nova. If she triggered my M-R node 1 bet my philosophy classes would make more
sense!
Only a month and a half until TG vacation!
1 love you and miss you,
Mike
EXCERPT FROM “CALlfORNlA LAW ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN” DATED 8/17/04

Cult Update: The last six years have seen a slow but pronounced increase in the number of
cult-related incidents. Certain very charismatic novas have apparently realized that they can do
a holy man routine and get Followers (and the followers’ money) at the drop of a hat. The worst
offenders, according t o an FB1 report released last week, are Kelly “Calliope” Pierson and
Bhagwan Sri Mahananda. Both appeal to different sectors of the public and play off of different
pseudo-religious themes, but their use of classic cult operating procedure is unmistakable: Sepa-
rate victim from values-reinforcing peerdfriends; find something “special” about victim; keep
victim busy learning cult’s values; evoke feelings of “family” or “true understanding” with other
cult members to replace friends/Family members; etc. Refer to your handbook on cults (or your
Psych 101 text) if this stuff doesn’t sound familiar.
Note: The Church of Astaroth, while trying its damnedest to look like a cult, isn’t one in the
technical sense, as it doesn’t utilize the same recruitment techniques or mystical “hooks” to gain
followers. At least not in a way that anyone over the age of 20 can take seriously. “Astaroth” is
in it for the ego boost and the shock value, and his long-haired, drug-chugging “followers” are
more likely t o be stupid than actually dangerous. However, do not hesitate to stop them for
possession. No pun intended.
BEGlN EVER DATED OCTOBER 17,2006 FROM MIKE DAWSON

Dear Mom and Dad,
How are you? Things are fine here. I’m learning so much about life and pretty much everything
that it’s scary. The world gets bigger fast, doesn’t it?I’ve been spending a lot of time with Natasha and
Jason. They’re the ones 1 told you about. The nova they know is Calliope, and she’s one of the most
amazing people I’ve ever met! She’s so beautiful it hurts to look at her. 1 can’t even tell you .... When she
looks at you it’s like she knows every last thing that’s going on in your head or in your soul and she
=understands= and she doesn’t judge or anything. I’m going on a retreat with them next weekend, and
1 think it should be a =lot= of fun! I’m hoping 1 can learn more about Calliope and the way she thinks. I’ve
only heard her speak a few words and 1 think I’m already seeing things in a whole new way. Wow.
1 love you,
Mike
38

BEGIN LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 5,2006 FROM MIKE DAWSON
Dear Mom and Dad,
How are you? Things are good here. Very good. The retreat with the Calliopists was incredible. 1
really want to tell you all about it, but there’s no way that you could possibly understand how it feels to
share complete and utter trust with others in the way we do now. There are six of us, and with Calliope
making seven, that completes the Sacred Circle. I’lltell you more about that in another letter. Natasha
said that Calliope thinks 1 have great spiritual potential. 1 was so happy! 1 always kind of thought that 1
had something like that going for me, but it was amazing to hear Natasha say that Calliope senses it too.
She is =so= beautiful and insightful!
I’m probably going to stay here for Thanksgiving break so 1 can go to the Grand Circle. That’s
when our Sacred Circle meets with all of Calliope’s other Sacred Circles and Calliope helps bring us all
closer t o Perfect Understanding and the Immaculate Soul.
1 hope you can come visit some time so you can meet Natasha and Jason. And maybe Calliope. 1
would really like if that could happen.
Love,
Mike
BEGIN LETTER DATED DECEMBER 8,2006 FROM MIKE DAWSON

Dear Mom and Dad,
1 have stumbled upon a happiness that 1 could never have even guessed was possible. Who could
have foreseen? The Grand Circle was the most beautiful experience of my life. Calliope said it was all
about intimacy. I’d never known true intimacy before. At the Grand Circle 1 underwent some changes
I’ll have to tell you about someday. 1 am now part of Calliope and Calliope is part of me. You can’t know
how lucky 1 am. Calliope’s soul is so strong in me now that 1 haven’t had to sleep in days. 1 think 1 may
have reached the next level
I’m staying with Calliope and my circle for Christmas. You don’t need to send any presents or
anything. 1 am more than complete as is.
Enjoy your holidays. Tell Sarah 1 love her.
Mike
39

~-
i FROM THE TRIAL OF KELLY “CALLIOPE” PIERSON
AND COULD YOU DEFINE

FOR THE COURT AS WELL P
IWEsiiREO FOOD AND THEN CALLIOPE)

Y
From the trial of Kelly “Calliope” Pienon

America prides itself on its constitutional right t o worship as it sees fit.
Persons following minority or unpopular religions are in no way barred from the
pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, nor are novas. Michael Dawson
was no longer a minor and is considered an adult by this court, capable of making
his own decisions. He knew the consequences of his actions, and he devoutly
wished for them to come to pass. He and Ms. Pierson both entered freely and of
their own will into a sacred religious ceremony which appears to have served its
function better than our jaded and anti-religious society was ready t o accept,
and for that reason was this woman put through the unpleasantness of a trial.
The ruling of the jury is unanimous. Ms. Kelly “Calliope” Pierson is found not
guilty of murder in the first degree. 1 can only thank God that we live in an
enlightened society where novas do not have to fear witch hunts and pointless
persecution for the practice of their faith.
From: Phillip Feingold, FBI Bureau Chief, Portland

To: Susan Gorey, Assistant Liaison, Team Tomorrow Americas
Dear Susan,
You may not know me from Adam, but we met about a year back when we were both training in
the Bureau’s Profiling program down in Quantico. 1 don’t know that you’re the person to talk with
about this, but we have an issue up that really needs addressing and 1 think it’s going to take some nova
power, and maybe some rules-bending, to do it right. I’m not working through my chain of command
because, legally, 1 don’t really have a leg to stand on here. This is just me being one guy here.
Now, I’m not asking for T2M to get involved - in fact 1 think that would be a little too high-
profile - but I’m hoping you might be able to recommend a small, highly cohesive unit of from three
to five novas to infiltrate and possibly bust a religious nutcase up here. Her name is Calliope. In the
four years I’ve been watching her and her cult, she’s been connected to over 14 disappearances. She
admits that something happened to these guys (it’s always young guys), and she claims that they’re
ascending t o Heaven or somesuch, but 1 think it’s a scam of the creepiest sort. Basically, 1 think she’s
eating people, and I’ve even steered prosecutors in that direction, but she’s just so damned charis-
matic and earnest that you can’t find a jury that’ll convict her. She’s been let off every single time by
a sympathetic judge and jury every single time; unanimously, 1 might add.
Let me know if you can help me out. Also don’t hesitate to let me know if you think I’m nuttier
than a fruitcake.
Best Regards,
Phil
42

BEGIN UTOPIA COMMUNIQUE
Fellow Personnel:
Recent weeks have seen our organization reeling beneath the strain of a barrage of negative
publicity. An expandingring of anti-Utopia dissidents, perhaps working in conjunction with the Teragen
or other groups as yet undetermined, has been making unfounded allegations of unethical and
improper conduct against the Project, which we must now take steps to counteract.
One of these dissidents is a nova named Charlotte Holden (a.k.a. Ghostdancer). Holden is
currently thought to be residing in lbiza Town on the island of Ibiza, off the coast of Spain. You are
authorized to proceed to that location, arrest her with minimal visibility, and bring her to the nearest
Rashoud facility for questioning. If possible, find out whom she has been in communication with and
ascertain the extent of the public-relations damage in Ibiza.
Holden is thought to be in league with AndrQCorbin and possibly Count Raoul Orzaiz. Although
she is not thought to be dangerous, she is unbalanced and highly paranoid. Proceed with caution.
BEGlN PROTEUSCOMMUNIQUE
Good work on the Larson job. Very subtle. Your discretion is appreciated.
We’ve found another one. Charlotte Holden (a.k.a. Ghostdancer) is thought to be on the island of
Ibiza, frequenting the Amp Room. Possible Teragen sympathies.
Standard visibility protocols. ASAP.
We’ve recently learned that there is another first-degree contact of Jennifer’s running around, probably being tar-
geted by the same people who killed Landers. Her name is Charlotte Holden, used to go by the code name Ghostdancer
when she was doing work with Utopia. We’ve traced her to Ibiza, specifically the Amp Room (of all places). She may have
been in the Amp Room while we were having our meeting on the first and we wouldn’t even have known - a thought that
Frustrates me to no end. We think she is a friend of Andy Vance’s, possibly staying with him and his lover, Jake Korelli.
That’s just a hunch, mind you, but it’s better than nothing.
Holden is a very sharp - and very odd - woman. We think it’s highly likely that she’s been marked for disappear-
ance. Find her before they do. We’d really like to know if Jennifer told her anything that we don’t already know. 1 suspect
that might be the case, actually. Bring her into the fold if you can. At the very least, make sure that she realizes that she has
someone she can turn to. From what Andre has told me of her approach t o life, 1 suspect it will be pointless, but be sure to
let her know that she’s not alone in this.
Your help in these matters is invaluable.
Thank you so much,
5. R.
43

Sodom, Gomorrah, and can do to a rowdy nova, so they steer clear. It’s
up to owner Diaz and her hand-picked security
Now This: lbiza Decadence, staff to keep the crowd nonviolent. Diaz claims
never to have had a problem with violence at
Nova Style her club, though the grapevine disagrees with
Never a place for the demure or retiring, Ibiza her on that account. One has to wonder why
has truly taken decadence to new levels (not she has three of the best-known elites in the
to say lows, necessarily, but if the shoe fits.. .) world on retainer if she’s never had a problem.. ..
since Travius Diaz opened the Amp Room, the But that’s an expos6 for another time.
notorious novas-only dance club. Although Diaz herself is the very soul of graciousness. Af-
this sweaty den of writhing flesh and sybaritic ter months of phone tag- made more complex
excess has been open only 10 months at the by the eight hours lost between Ibiza and New
time of this writing, it has been the scene of York- and furtherhours of wheedling,begging
violence, semi-public nova trysts of all descrip- and bribery, the delightful mistress of the Amp
tion, and, yes, the debut of at least one nova Room agreed to grant me entry to that holiest of
drag queen! Novas holies, most sacred of shrines, the interior of the
of all -genders, affili- Amp Room. I was in Ibiza Town withln 48 hours.
From Details, ations, persuasions,
affectations and It sits humbly enough at the base of a hill be-
skin colors (and I neath a grand old walled fortress called Dalt Vila.
May 2008 do mean all) come It’s small. Not that I’m a size queen, mind you,
here to throw off but it’sdifficult not to compare it to Ibiza’s mon-
their tired old poster-sized clubs: Ku 2, El Divino, and, of course,
litical differences (not to mention most of theirthe grandest of the grand, Privilege, which
clothes), to dance, to drink (and drink and boasts room for thousands on its dance floor.
drink and drink.. .) and to satisfy those insa- No, the Amp Room isn’t o n the same scale as
tiable nova urges we’ve all heard (and fanta- those establishments. It doesn’t need to be. It’s
sized) so much about. never held more than 400 people, according to
Diaz, and that was at the grand, no-holds-barred,
Rumor has it that even the DJ and light tech bubble-delugedcelebration that kicked off the
at the Amp Room are novas, but most think beginning of this party season.
that’s nothing but a big load of juicy gossip.
On the other hand, if it’s true, that’s one beat It is not the Alhambra Palace, the Hanging Gar-
we really want to groove to. dens of Babylon and the city of Paris all rolled
into one. That said, it is the most beautiful night-
The Amp Room is the closest thing to an Au- club I’ve ever seen. Stained-glass skylights of
tonomous Zone on Earth. Ibiza’s baseline po- Moorish design areonly the beginning. The liht-
lice know that there’s not a blessed thing they ing is ingenious, illuminating what needs to be
”
lit, while leaving
enough dark corners
for the discreet com-
mission of sinful acts,
even with a full
house. The dance
floor is solid enough
to allow even Geryon
himself to get jipgy. In
all, the place is a mar-
vel of both aesthetics
and function. De-
mure baseline Diaz
simply smiles and
nods when
complimented. We
suspect that if we’d
seen the things that
go on in the Amp
Room on those hot
summer nights, we’d
be smiling too.
44 zint
Dearest Jurigan,
If you’ve seen any of the 27 interviews I’ve given for OpNet in the past
six months, you’ll know that the Amp Room is taking off just as I had hoped
it would. Perhaps even better. It gets enormous amounts of free publicity,
saving me a fortune, and sits squarely in the mind’s eye of the baseline
public as the seat of all that is glamorous and sexy. Would that it were so.
While many of them are congenial and wonderful conversationalists,
some of the more barbaric among these yahoos are under the impression
that they gained social skills when they erupted. How does one tell a 300-
pound, muscle-bound, quantum-manipulating party animal that he’s being
inappropriate or needs a shower? No one has written an etiquette manual
for novas yet, but when they do 1’11 buy the entire first printing so I can give
them out at the door.
Many are dears, of course, especially the Canadians and Thai; the
Americans remain spectacularly boorish. Quelle surprise. Andy, of course,
continues to be a delight, despite his nation of origin. Perhaps we got him
out of the country before it became permanent. One hopes.
Speaking of getting out in time, I’m entertaining a notion to sell the
Amp Room. Pick your jaw up off the floor, dear Jurigan, and read on. I
don’t know that I’m as open-minded as I thought I was when I hatched this
golden egg. I have grown to understand too well the use of that vile word
“aberrant.” The Amp Room, more than any other place I’ve seen, seems to
appeal to the truly freakish among them: the ones with the alien je ne sais
quoi, the oddly radiant eyes, the disturbing behavioral problems, the ten-
tacles (no, that is not in jest), other things .... Perhaps this is just standard
old-fashioned bigotry; perhaps it’s my nova envy creeping to the fore, but
I have tried to ignore it, hoping I was just misperceiving or jumping to
conclusions. Alas, it only gets worse. At this point the only thing keeping
me here is the truly astronomical amounts of money that it’s bringing in. I
tell myself, “Trav, you built it, you earned it,” but I think I’ve convinced
myself to sell to the first rich elite or T2M starlet who flashes a few million
in front of me (in that way that the nouveau riche like to do).
Not what you expected to read, is it? Good. I like being unpredictable.
No telling.
A blizzard of tiny kisses,
Trav

Landers’ from her early days with Utopia. Holden had long
For Storytellers‘ since proved too eccentric and difficult for either Team
Tomorrow or any of Utopia’s more interesting projects;
Eyes Only instead, she worked occasional freelance jobs with the
DeVries Agency to keep herself fed and tanked on Amp
If you intend to play this adventure and don’t want to
Wells. Within days of Landers’ death, an attempt was
cheat, stop reading now. This section contains the plot and
made on Holden’s life as well. Holden very effectively held
all the surprises that you’ll want to uncover over the course
off her attacker and escaped, but now her paranoia has
of the game. Familiarize yourself instead with the setting
been triggered and she is living under a series of identi-
section that players are supposed to know.
ties that she borrows. Holden doesn’t particularly want
to be a player in the conflict between the Aberrants and
What Is This? Utopia, and she would gladly turn over the documents
and microchips given to her by Slider in exchange for being
”Permanent Vacation” is the first published story for
left alone. Her sympathies lie with the Aberrants, but
Aberrant.It allows you easy access to the setting as a whole Holden is nothing if not pragmatic, particularly where her
and serves as an introduction for you and your players into
life and freedom are concerned. Later, she will be willing
the world of Aberrmt, including its factions, movers and
to make deals with whomever can offer her safety.
shakers, hotspots and secrets. It comprises three chapters:
Holden is in lbiza only briefly during the course of
“La Vida Nocturna,” set in lbiza off the coast of Spain;
the story. She leaves for Marrakesh the day after player
“Quantum Communion,” set in Marrakesh in central Mo-
characters arrive on the island, ostensibly just to keep
rocco; and “La Grande Vie,” set in Monte Carlo in the French
a lower profile and avoid her would-be killer. Holden’s
Riviera. The story is set in mid- to late July, 2008, in the
friend, Amp Room security head Andy Vance, knows
midst OF the buzz surrounding the “Slider scandal.”
that she’s in Marrakesh, and hopes things will clear up
There is a larger story at work than what is seen
so that she can move back. Teragen spokesman Raoul
here. “Permanent Vacation” gives only the slightest peek
Orzaiz knows her whereabouts too, because Holden’s
into the politics, intrigues, and plots that inundate the
investigating some disturbing rumors for him while she’s
lives of novas, but it is intended only to reveal some of
in Morocco; it was he who arranged (and is paying for)
the forces at work in a relatively small arena that play-
her room at Hotel La Mamounia. In Marrakesh, Holden
ers can explore without feeling lost.
alternately investigates the “baraka cult” and lingers in
The three episodes in this book can work together as
the enormous hotel garden by the pool, taking in the
a standalone story or as a jumping-off point into the world
jasmine-scented air and trying to forget that someone,
of Aberrant.lbiza in general a d the Amp Room in particu-
presumably someone within Utopia, wants her dead.
lar are neutral territory among the nova factions and make
Technically it’s someone in Proteus who wants her
a good base of operations regardless OF your affiliation.
dead, and the assassin Chiraben is in lbiza to take care
Players should familiarize themselves with the full-
of their wetwork. He needs t o do a neat job of it to clear
color setting before the game. It contains background
away the black marks he’s put on his reputation after
and information that will help playersbecome acclimated
his overly playful killings of late.
to their new environment and help characters stay on
HisworkisbeingmadeharderbyAndyVanceandRacul
track as they get pulled into the adventure. The rules
Orzaiz, both friends of Holden’s. As a usehl side effect of
section gives the skinny on who did what to whom where
the Artistic Genius Enhancement, Andy knows Chiraben re-
as well as other information that may be helpful in other
gardless of whose appearance he‘s wearing by the way he
Aberrant stories that you script yourself.
wears hisclothes, and herefuses himaccess to the Amp Room
The Plot (or kicks him out) when he spots him. Vance doesn’t know
for sure that Chiraben actually tried to kill Holden - Vance
The brief plot synopsisthat follows touches on themajor
loves Holdenlike a sister, but he knows that her paranoiacan
events of “La Mda Nocturna.” Subsequent sections detail
sometimes get the better of her - but he has a strong sa-
these events in greater depth. Again, if you’re not the Story- picion a d hates the man anyway on general principle. The
teller and you don’t want to cheat and ruin the adventure for
day before the characters arrive, Chiraben tried to intimi-
yourself (and possibly others), stop reading now. date Vance into revealing Holden’s whereabouts. Unfortu-
nately for the assassin, however, there’s not much that
Overview Chiraben can actually do to the neat-inwlnerable Andy, so it
Jennifer “Slider” Landers, possibly the world’s had little effect besides making another powerful enemy.
best-loved nova, is dead. Before her murder just over a Vance considered the period when Holden was living with
month ago, however, she revealed information to a host him and Jake to be a sort of familial Golden Age, and he re-
of other novas concerning alleged misconduct from no sents Chiraben for bringing that to an end. If giwn a chance,
lesser an organization than Utopia itself. Andy will interfere with Chiraben’s plans in any way he can;
One such nova was Charlotte Holden. a friend of although he eschews violence, he will use it against Chiraben

as a last resort. Simply interposing himself betweenChiraben of Mega-Manipulative words. And in a setting like the
and potential victims is a more likely tactic. Vance appreci- Amp Room, anything goes.
ates the way Orzaiz helped Holden slip away to Marrakesh, The mood of “La V I Noctuma,” on the other hand, is
and while Andy doesn’t understand the appeal of the decadence. Like a drunken orgy still going on the morning
Teragen’s philosophy, he does like Orzaiz, and Feels a certain after, or too-ripe fruit that’s ready to dehisce, lbiza is a town
solidarity with him against Chiraben. stuck permanently in the gray zone betweenwild excess and
Chiraben, on the other hand, despises the both of them, regret. Those wfio visit For a few days see nothing but the
Vance in particular. Chiraben remains in lbua for the dura- Fun and party opportunities, but anyone staying longer will
tion of the characters’ time there, desperate to uncover a start to notice that the long-term residents of lbiza are just
fresh lead. After snooping around the scattered remains of tired, like hosts whose guests won’t leave. They cope with
Holden’s car, he isn’t convincedthat she’s dead, but he can’t the worst excesses of partying novas six months cut of the
figure out how to find her, especially not with Orzaiz supply- year and they’re beyond the hero-worship that the media
ing him with distractions and False leads. While he’s unoffi- promulgate. To them, novas are just more drinks to serve,
cially barredFrom the Amp Room, Chiraben frequently mas- more tricks to turn, and more euros in their pockets.
querades as Holden in the neighboringclubs to see what kind The Amp Room is the ultimate anything-goes atmo-
of responsethat draws, hopingfor a “Hey, 1 thoughtyou were sphere. The entire club, especialty the dance floor, is an inhi-
in...” from someonewho knows Holden. Alternatively, if pos- bition-Free zone. Men dance with women, men dance with
ing as Holden puts him in a position to neutralize more men, women dance with women. The most worn by typical
Aberrants or Aberrant sympathizers, well then, so be it... Amp Room revelers is a pair of shorts, and many wear noth-
Orzaiz has a vague understanding of Chiraben’s ing but liquid latex, strings of beads, bright swaths of body
work, gathered through his vast network of contacts paint, or the new screw-on protrusions and LEDs that are
and Teragen associates. He despises Chiraben, whom the latest rage. Every night of the week boasts its own sug-
he thinks of as the very basest type of nova: the stupid gestive gimmick or party theme: Taboo, Lights-Out, Bubble
dupe willing to kill his own kind for baselines’ money. Bath, Exotica...each strihng to be more titillating and tram-
Orzaiz uses various channels to feed Chiraben false leads gressive than the last. The music OF the Amp Room is simul-
from time to time, just to watch him run around in circles. taneously hi-tech and primordial,arrangingsynthesiizedswnd
Chiraben isn’t entirely stupid; he realizes that textures in ageless, tribal rhythms that put the hips on auto-
Orzaiz knows more than he’s willing t o share, and on pilot. Part dance club, part carnival, part orgy, nwas can get
the characters’ third day in Ibiza, he risks his life by us- away with just about any consensual behavior here. Although
ing his shapeshifting ability to masquerade as Orzaiz and most stick to dancing, Travius Diaz made sure that the Amp
enter the baseline nightclub Privilege. Here he finally Room was furnished with ample dark comers for those ac-
obtains Holden’s whereabouts From one of the count’s tivities inappropriate to the dance floor, or for the conve-
friends and retinue, Sahara Santiago, whom he then kills nience OF those who prefer to watch.
and leaves in a bathroom stall to spite the count. lbiza Town at night is a pilgrimage from club to club.
In his fury, the count is willing to make deals with Novas inevitably wind up at the Amp Room, which doesn’t
the players just to thwart Chiraben. By the third day he close until 11 in the morning, when the nova party animals
will likely have a vague idea of their affiliation, and fig- leave to eat a huge brunch and sleep (if they feel the need)
ures them for possible pawns. Before the police arrive until sundown, when the party starts all over again.
to accuse Orzaiz of the murder of Santiago, Orzaiz beck- lbiza Town by day is quiet, verging on regretful.
ons the characters to his table, and offers to tell them The locals wash vomit from the sidewalks, change the
anything they haven’t figured out yet. linens on the hotel beds and restock the booze. The
Alternatively, if the characters don’t warm up to Orzaiz single most popular daytime fashion accessory among
(or vice versa), Vance may be motivated by Santiago’s death nova and baseline alike is dark sunglasses to protect di-
to tell the characters about faking Holden’s death and her lated pupils and hide tired eyes.
escape to Marrakesh, but that’s likely only if they‘re Aber- Many locals resent the novas’ presence; the cost
rant sympathizers. Depending on how things are going, the of living has nearly trebled over the last eight months
Storyteller may opt to have Andy tell even known Utopia because o f an effect economists have begun calling
agents if hethinks Chirabenis likelytostmeedagainst Holden. “nov-flation,” i.e., inflation caused by all the wealthy
He will not tell “suspicious” characters anything. Regardless novas who suddenly feel the urge to buy everything in
of his feelings for the characters, Vance doesn’t know what sight. This is particularly true here in Ibiza, where big-
Holdenwill looklikeorwhichidentityshe’susing inMarrakesh. spending novas drive the price of well drinks up by 400
percent. Many OF the locals are selling and moving to
Theme other towns on the island, like San Antoni, which don’t
Paranoia is the theme of “La Vida Nocturna.” The cater so much to a nova clientele. The effect of this is
characters have no idea whom to trust. Certain novas that novas now represent nearly a tenth of the popula-
are capable of looking like anyone they choose; others tion of lbiza Town during the summer party season.
can inspire feelings of love or loyalty with just a couple

I Introducingthe If the players want a darker, more militaristic, hunt-
and-destroy chronicle, Project Proteus will give them their
~ Characters money’s worth. As with Utopia, Proteus agents are ideally
Characters can be brought into “La Vida Nocturna” to bring Holden into custody, but have a larger degree of
any number of ways. It helps if the group has a certain latitude in how they accomplish this endeavor. Unlike Uto-
amount of cohesion, so ideally the characters will be pia operatives, agents working for Proteus cannot use name
recognition to open doors. No one has heard of Project
Proteus. No one shouldhear of Project Proteus. If a Pro-
teus op goes around telling people he’s a Proteus op, his
life expectancy drops precipitously. On the other hand,
Proteus operatives are allowed to use extreme measures,
including deadly force, to achieve their objective - in this
case, silencing Holden. The Proteus option is the hardest
to make work because there are places where Holden and
the players have to interact nonviolently, and if the player
characters want to shoot first and ask questions later,
they’re going to have a lot of unanswered questions.
It’s not impossible to bring unaffiliated or even
Teragen characters into the plot. If the players, for what-
ever reason, don’t want to be associated with any of the
three factions listed above, and if they come up with an
alternative arrangement that gives the characters a cred-
ible reason to work together, then go with it. If the players
want their characters to be a group of insightful vigilantes
who want nothing more than to track down Chiraben and
make him pay - literally or figuratively - that might
work. If they want to be Friends of lronskin Andy’s who
accidentally get pulled into the intrigues caused by Andy’s
Friendship with Holden, that works. If they want to be elites
working for the DeVries Agency to discredit Utopia (which
they might want to do for any number of reasons), that
works. If they want to be Teragen allies or rivals of Raoul
Drzaiz, acting on the count’s behalf or simply to thwart him,
khat works. What does not work well is a gang of four or
Five random novas on vacation at the Amp Room who just
iappen to be hanging out together and just happento stick
together long enough to start putting pieces together and
lust happen to decide to go to Marrakesh together later to
jee what else is up. That’s neither compelling nor particu-
arly creative. If your characters really don’t want to be

associated with one of the three main factions in this situ-
ation, make them work to come up with something that’s
as least as good if not better.
Behind the Scenes

Ibiza: Where Teragen terrorist, Team Tomorrow
:hampion, and elite mercenary can dance, drink and ca-
.ouse without politics spoiling anyone’s fun.
What makes Ibiza, and the Amp Room in particular, so
)opular is the absence of roles. Novas are novas here, first
md foremost, and they are here to Fraternize with other no-
ISIS.They are not agents of this operation, that corporation
)r that nation. They come to the Amp Room to dance, to
kink, to get laid, and to unleash themselves a bit without
wrying about stepping on the toes of the fragile baselines.
The Teragen loves the Amp Room. To their way of
:hinking,The Amp Room is Teragen 101, where novas may
:ome to realize that they have a better time without

baselines pestering them. Teragen sympathizers will often out on the street with a kick to the head and disappeared.
casually drop lines like, “It just feels better to be with no- Holden’s stability, shaky to begin with, unraveled over
vas, doesn’t it?” or “Baselines just don’t understand what the subsequent two weeks and she became extremely
we need,” as a way of reinforcing a subtle anti-baseline paranoid. She began to see Chiraben lurking behind ev-
sentiment. Many nights, Raoul Orzaiz himself sits at a pri- ery door and hiding in every dark corner. Finally, in des-
vate table at the back of the Amp Room, entertaining con- peration, she and Vance talked to Count Orzaiz about a
tacts, guests, and potential Teragen sympathizers. His am- way to get her out of danger. She turned over the docu-
plified charm can be hard to escape once caught, and stal- ments given to her by Slider after only a perfunctory
wart Utopia supporters have walked away from his table perusal. Orzaiz recommended faking her death and go-
having given him money, information, or other resources. ing far away. When asked for suggestions, Orzaiz men-
It’s a good time in general for the Teragen. Recent tioned that he had some questions about some recent
unflattering reports of ethically challenged intrigues and goings-on in Marrakesh, and offered to arrange her trip
Machiavellian hijinks have dealt a severe blow to Utopia’s down there if she would get certain information back to
grip on public opinion and UN sympathies. Now, more than him at his home in Monte Carlo. The information he
any other time, the Teragen is willing to allow that the en- neededseemed innocuous enough, and Holden was quite
emy of its enemy might be its pawn. To this end, Raoul or taken with the count anyway, so she agreed.
members of his retinue will cheerfully help Aberrant or in- She and Vance then faked her assassination.Vance and
dependent characters, if their situation is made clear to Holden “acquired” a suitablequantity of explosives and wired
him. They need but to promise to return the favor at some them to the ignitionof Holden’s car, Vance and Holdengot in,
unspecified time in the future.... Holden turned invisible and jumped out as Vance turned the
key, and the car was blown into metal confetti. There were
The Death of Charlotte no witnesses a d the lbiza police didn’t really want
Holden toget intoanother high-profile nova mur-
Project Utopia took Charlotte Holden in shortly after der case, so it was ruled a murder
her eruption, and they were grooming her for a spot in and swept under the rug. The
Team Tomorrow until her danger-junkie per- police genuinely like Vance
sonality got her permanently andwillabqsgivehirnthe
d
disinvited from all Utopia benefit of any doubt,
departments. She lived in should the matter come
lbiza after that, partying up. Holden will be taking
and developing a chronic her leave of lbiza the night
thirst for Amp Wells, the after the player charac-
only intoxicantthat ever did ters arrive.
anything for her. She kept That’s where the
her bills paid, and her characters come in.
adrenaline glands busy, by
doing occasional freelance Ibiza: Day 1
stealth work for DeVries. It The chronicle opens with the characters’ arrival at the
was at the Amp Room that Amp Room. While not the only game in town, the Amp Room
Holden met Andy Vance and has rapidly become lbiza Town’s raim d’etre. The Story-
his Iwer Jake Korelli. She hit it ofF with both of them and teller should playup thedecadence, the nakedness,theshock-
Holden moved into a spare room in their house. For nearly ing behavior. If there’s a theme to the party, play it up, e.g., if
twoyears the three of them constitutedan unorthodox“Fam- it’s a Bubble Party, the dance floor will be four feet deep in
ily,” with Holden taking the role of the adopted sister. Re- bubbles and foam; likewise, if it’s a LightsOut party, the dance
cently, Holden was contacted by Team Tomorrow darling loor will be dark except for the glow coming off the novas
Jennifer “Slider” Landers and given an envelope containing themselves and the occasional colored dot of a laser pointer.
Landers’ research into Utopia’s anti-nova agenda. To be on The Amp Room is pure gold refined from the base elements
the safe side, Slider gave Holden the same information in 3 f deviance, decadence and display.
hardcopy and on two silicon chips. At fint, Holden thought If the characters begin asking randomlyabout Holden,
Landerswas nuts -but Jennifer was deadwithin the week. they’ll immediately get pointed to Andy Vance, the Amp
It was only a Few + after Landen’death that Chiraben ioom’s “Face Man” and second in command. Vance will be
:irculating aroundthe club, wearing nothingbut a thin coat-
made his attempt on Holden as she made her sunrise walk
home from the Amp Room. The Proteus assassin Chiraben ing of liquid latex, which fits fine with the dress code at the
had been assigned to “mop up” known contacts of Landen 4mp Room. He’ll be polite but brief with anyone who is still
before they could bring compromising information to light. lully clothed and not partying. Asked about Holden, Vance
Chiraben underestimatedHolden’s combat abilities, Mill seem sad and tell the players that they’re too late, that
however. Before he could lay a claw on her, she laid him iolden was murderedyesterday in acar bombing. He’ll seem

upset for a moment and then ask why they want to know. If
the characters seem sympathetic, or even lie half-convinc-
ingly, Vance will ask if they want to have breakfast with him
and his husband in the morning. 1F the players agree, Vance
will give the address of El Divino Cafe. With that, Vance
apologizes to the characters but insists that he has to get
back to work; he then spins off into a pulsing throng of
people. If the party asks other people about Holden, they’ll
shrug or pretend not to be able to hear. If they approach
Count Orzaiz’s table, he’ll tell them that Andy is the person
they need to see and then cavalierly dismiss them.
Andy is clearly the linchpin of this scene. Everyone
knows that Vance was Holden’s best friend and that he
was sitting next to her in the car when it exploded. Some
may feel protective of the grief that he must be going
through; others may ask if this is an official investigation.
Ibiza: Day 2
The next morning at El Divino Cafe, Andy will intro-
duce the char& to his husband Jake Korelli, one of the
Amp Room’s bouncers and a freelance elite for the DeVrks
Agency. “Korelli,” though, isn’t really Korelli. Vance is letting
the shapeshifting Holden check out the party herself while
playing a minor role in the bre&fast conversation. Vance will
ask again why the players want to know about Holden, and
what their god is. If anything sounds suspicious, Vance will
ask very specific questions that might clarify their mission a
little. “Jake,” in the meantime, will l i quietly while eating
a seemingly unending breakfast. If players try to question
Jake, he’ll just tell them that Holden was m e Andy‘s friend.
If the characters seem overly i n t d in Korelli, he‘l claim
k has phone calls to make at home, something he‘ll do any-
. a good while. way after about an hcur of conveMti00 since Holden can
mly maintainKorellii appearance for an hour and a half with
ler Copycat enhancement. Characters have a slight chance

of noticing that there’s something odd about the way Korelli for figuring out that he’s not actually a woman is only +2.
m m (diffculty +3 for characters without Mega-Percep- “Holden” will confess her faked death (which Chiraben pre-
tion);likewise, itwillbeobvioustoacharaderwiththeBlood- sumes the characters know about by this point) and tell the
hound enhancement that “Korelli” is not a man. Characters charactersthe most ludicrous lies about Orzaizand his habit
with x-ray vision may note that Korelli has the internal of murdering his ex-lovers, which is what he’s trying to do
anatomy of a woman; characters with the ability to perceive to her. “She” will then ask the characters what they’re do-
her at the cellular level may notice the XX chromosome ar- ing there. “Holden” may invite them for a drink so she can
rangement and get suspicious. The real Jake Korelli is back at get more informationout of them. If the party seems to be
the house keeping watch lest inquiring souls come snooping experiencing culture shock from their forays into the Amp
and find Holden’s packed witcase underneath her bed. Room, then “Holden” will come across as the most down-
The outcome of this scene depends on the ap- to-earth person possible.
proach the players take. If they are working with the About the time the characters finish with talking
Aberrants and say as much, then Holden will start up with “Holden,” the sun comes up and it’s time to rest.
her own line OF questioning to try to get the characters
to divulge what they know about the Aberrant move-
ment, what they know about Project Utopia, and similar
things. If the characters are either Utopia or Proteus
operatives, Vance will share his secret suspicions that
he’s certain that the Teragen were behind the bombing.
Immediately after saying so, he will finish his breakfast
and excuse himself, claiming to be late For an interview
with a Spanish television program.
If the characters are at all visible in lbiza that day, an
emissary of Orzaiz’s will deliver an invitation to visit with
the count and share wine at his table “whilst swappinggrand
confessions, shocking tales and comForting lies.”
Orzaiz invites the characters to his personal table
at the Amp Room, where he can charm them and hear
about their quest (or their lies, whichever they choose
to tell him). The players should find this to be an honor.
Orzaiz is something of a celebrity, and royalty to boot.
If the characters behave reasonably well (and perhaps
they’reon themme mission. He’ll thenslipaway tocontint
make a few Etiquette rolls), Orzaiz will give them his
hsaaignment.Alternat~ly,theever-~otisttcal killermtg
card suggesting that they look him up next time they’re
in Monte Carlo. If the characters behave boorishly, he
try tomislead his“rrvals.”sohecanshowthemup.
won’t give them his card and later sections of the story
will consequently prove more difficult.
At his table, after much wine (just for show), Orzaiz Ibiza: Day 3
will ask the characters what they’ve learned so far in The following night, the Amp Room actually shuts
their little investigation. I F they haven’t figured out al- down, as novas and baselines alike head over to the enor-
ready that Holden is alive, he’ll help them along by ex- mous and opulent nightclub Privilege, which is hosting a
plaining that neither the authorities nor certain very great summer gala dance party in conjunction with the
attentive friends of his were able to find any hint of Ms. Amp Room staff. At this party, novas and baselines
Holden, and if they couldn’t find it, then there wasn’t mingle, dance, drink, ingest substances and exchange
any of her to find. Seek elsewhere. bodily fluids indiscriminately. Characters can try to pur-
When the characters leave the club, the nova with sue some kind of lead, but likely will see little of import.
the highest Perception will notice that they’re being tailed. Things quickly change as the characters see Orzaiz
If and when they catch their shadow - and it won’t be walk in, speak heatedly with a young member of his retinue
particularlydifficult -they will finally meet up with Char- (the conversation is unintelligible over the dance music),
lotte Holden. Not the real one, of course. Chiraben, the Pro- and then gesture For her to follow him into one of the unisex
teus assassin, is posing as Holden to draw information out bathrooms. If the characters follow the two in or use quan-
of the characters. He may be noticedby the Same means as tum powers to spy on the two, they’ll see a heated conver-
Holden above. Because of his Taint, Chiraben has to wear sation, after which “Orzaiz” grows enormous claws on his
heavily shaded contact lenses that cover his entire sclera. hands, which he uses to disembowelthe young woman (un-
Characters may notice a little green light coming from his less a character with Hypermovement or mental powers
eyes. Chiraben is not particularly adept at passing as a intervenes) and then escape by punching his way through
woman - it goes against his nature - so the difficulty thewall. If thecharadersdon’t Follow the twointo the bath-

room, they’ll simultaneouslysee another young woman en-
ter that same bathroom and start screaming, precisely as
another Orzaiz makes one OF his Flawless entrances with a
starlet on each arm.
The music stops. The dancing stops. The lights go
up. Vance and Korelli, assisting Privilege’s normal secu-
rity staff, view the carnage in the bathroom, promptly
close the club and begin clearing out the crowd.
The characters should realize that someone just im-
personatedOrzaiz. It won’t be clear to them who, but Orzaiz,
who knows a little about Chirabin, will know perfectly well,
especially once he sees the mess in the bathroom.Orzaiz will
also realize that the Directive, Utopia, Interpoland arty num-
ber of other groups will want to pin this murder on him. Since
Orzaiz has a solid alibi, he won’t be compromised for long,
but in the interim, he’s going to be put through a great deal of
trouble. His First thought is revenge. Sahara Santiago, the
woman Chiraben just killed, was Orzaiz’s secretary; it was
she who arranged Holden’s flight to Marrakesh. Going on the
assumption that Chiraben now knows Holden’s whereabouts,
Orzaiz, raging, does anything he can to spite the assassin,
including giving another Proteus op her whereabouts just to
keep Chiraben From making the kill. The count will approach
the characters, tell them that Holden is alive and well and
staying at the Hotel La Mamounia in Marrakesh. The count
then returns to his table to wait quietly For the police to come.
IF the charaders approach him, he asks them to sit and pro-
ceeds to tell them what he knows. Some of these Facts he put
together on his own, some of them he got from Holden, who
in turn got some OF them from Slier:
1. Before her murder, Jennifer “Slider” Landers gave
Holden compromising information on Project Utopia.
2. An assassin, presumably From the rumored se-
cret division of Utopia, was trying t o kill Holden be-
cause of this potentially damaging information.
3. The assassin’s name is allegedly Chiraben and
he is exceedingly dangerous.
4. Holden Faked her death to avoid being killed.
5. Orzaiz’s secretary Sahara arranged a trip to
Marrakeshfor Holden so she could lie low For a few months.
He’ll tell them that Holden is staying at the Hotel La
Mamounia. IF the characters are gracious and have social
skills (and especially if they have Mega-Social Attributes)
he may even arrange to have them flown down t o
Marrakesh. He will tell Aberrant sympathizers and friends
of Holden where to Find her so they can rescue her, and
he will tell Utopia/Proteus types where she is so they get
to her First, leaving Chiraben in the dust (that’s just the
beginning of what he has planned For Chiraben...). IF the
players have been friendly, he’ll mention to them that
Marrakesh is not an “aberrant”-friendly city, and that
they should keep their quantum powers under wraps if at
all possible. While Orzaiz can make things easier for the
players, they’ll still have to do their own investigative
work; he doesn’t know what identity Holden is using (if
he did, he would just call down to warn her).
Once Orzaiz tells the party everything, he dis-

misses them with a supercilious wave of his hand, sug-
gesting they hurry down to Marrakesh if they want to
get to Holden before Chiraben does.
Alternatively, if the party is strongly Utopia-affiliated
and opts not to talk with the count, Andy Vance will be able
to fill in most of the same blanks. The death of Sahara will
shock him, given the vow OF secrecy he made to Holden,
and he will tell Aberrants everything. He may or may not
tell Utopiaoperatives anything, dependingon what he thinks
their intentions are. He will tell Proteus ops nothing.
studying dance at
Northwestern University. When an ex-boyfriend began
stalking her, Holden opted to live the experience to the
fullest as a way of gathering material for her art. Over a
period of weeks she deliberately cultivated paranoia in
herself, thinking OF it as a radical form of “personality
modification.” The experiment went well until Holden
woke up one night to the sound of her stalker kicking in
her door. Her terror triggered her M-R node and she
disappeared, literally. Watching the stalker enter her
bedroom with a gun and not being able to Find her was
simultaneously the most terrifying and exciting moment
of Charlotte’s life. Fear and arousal, never exactly strang-
ers, are now close companions in Holden’s head.
After her eruption, Holden dropped out of college and
was bnefly affiliatedwith Utopia to learn how to use her nova
abilities. It was there that she met Jennifer “Slider” Landers.
Conclusions Landers seemed nice, but a little tame for Holden. Landers,
”La Vida Nocturna” comes t o a close as Privilege on the other hand, admired Holden’s “on the edge” approach
shuts its doors For a Few weeks of “remodeling and re-
pairs.’’ Characters may watch as Count Orzaiz allows
himself to be arrested and taken to the Spanish main-
land for interrogation. Vance is bothered by the death
at the club; he and Korelli take advantage of the tumult
to return to the United States to ensure a nova pres-
ence at the San Francisco Gay Pride festival. If the char-
acters need any more hints that it’s time to leave, they
may find tickets from lbiza to Marrakesh via Madrid
waiting for them wherever they’re staying, compliments
of Vance (if they’re Aberrants) or Orzaiz (who will help
any side provided it cheats Chiraben of his prize).
Dramatis Personae
Charlotte Holden
Background: Charlotte Holden grew up north of
Chicago in the affluent suburb of Winnetka. Holden was
an aggressive and somewhat unbalanced nonconformist

I
to life. When Slider needed to disseminate information about Backgrounds: Cipher 3, Contacts 2, Dormancy 3
Utopia’s questionable dealings, Holden seemed a good (Le., Quantum 2, Willpower 8, Taint 4 (Paranoia), Quantum
unlikelyand well-suited) candidate. in the Amp Room Holden Pool 26
Found a kindred soul in “lronskin” Andy Vance and began Mega-Attributes: Mega-Stamina 1 (Adaptability),
renting a room in the house he shared with his partner Jake Mega-Dexterity 2 (CatFooted), Mega-Perception 1
Korelli. This worked well until recently; Holden realized she (Electromagnetic Vision), Mega-Wits 2 (Enhanced Ini-
was Falling in love with Andy and growing to resent Korelli, at tiative), Mega-Appearance 2 (Copycat)
which point she made plans to move out.When Holden re- Quantum Powers: Invisibility 3
ceivedacarefully hidden packetOF informationFrom Landers,
things began to heat up. Her paranoia was triggered again.
”Ironskin’Andy Vance
When Slider was reported murdered, Holden Felt the heat
Back&: Six years ago Andy Vance was a clos-
eted gay kid in Cody, Wyoming. When three rednecks
too keenly and went to lbiza and escape the sturm unddrang
caught him walking home From track practice and decided
of it all. The day she decidedto move out of Vance and Korelli’s
to “show the Faggot a lesson,” Vance’s nova abilities
place was the day Chiraben made his First attack.
erupted; he stood unharmed (and amazed) as his would-be
Chiraben had a little girl lead Holden into a blind al-
assailants impotently hit him with everything From Fists to
ley, where he could murder her at his leisure. Sexist that
baseball bats. He quickly realized that he had becomea nova
he is, however, he underestimatedHolden’s Fighting abili-
and started mocking his attackers, casting aspersions on
ties. Holden’s quick reaction time saved her. She dodged
their manhood and inciting them to greater acts of inef-
his claws, broke his nose with a quick kick and disap-
fectual violence. When they panicked and tried to Flee,
peared. Holden let him think she had Fled and started fol-
Vance subdued the three and handed them to the police.
lowing him, invisible. This attack was proof that “they”
Vance was the first nova From Wyoming and he left
were out to get her, and she was determined to Find out
immediatelyafter graduatingFromhighschool. Organizations
who they were. To complicate matters, Holden talked
were soon tripping over themselves to recruit his immense
Andy Vance into helping her fake her own death so that
social talents. Vance declined a score OF lucrative offers in
her killers would assume their objective was met and leave.
Favor OF standing up as a self-appointed spokesperson For
Chiraben isn’t that stupid. He investigated the “mur-
gay causes. Vance became an icon OF pride and self-accep-
der” scene himself and saw nothing to convince him that
tance tinged with the Faintest hint of sexual exoticism.
Holden was dead. He knows Holden and Vance are Friends,
and he’s Frequenting the Amp R m , waiting For one or both
OF them to screw up so hecanget his secondchanceat Holden.
Image: Holden is a beautiful brunettewoman in her late
20s whose movements are so amazingly graceful that just
watching her walk can be hypnotic. Somewhat disconcert-
ing, however, is the w y she constantlyscans the roomaround
her with her eyes in bng, graceful saccades. In conversation,
Holden has a hard time concentrating on those she‘s talking
with because she’s always glancing around For pursuers.
Rdepbylng Hints: The notion OF your own mortal-
ity Fascinatesyou, and you Find the game OF predator and
prey to be alternately terrifying and exhilarating. Noth-
ing makes you Feel so alive as someone hunting you. Bet-
ter yet is when they’re mere inches away and don’t know
you’re there. You live For those moments. The past few
weeks have been the most exciting OF your life. The game I Y
with Chiraben is starting to wear thin, however, and you’re
Conveniently, that was precisely what Travius Diaz
on the verge OF doing something extreme. In social inter-
was looking For in the Amp Room’s “Face Man.” Diaz of-
actions with people you trust, you have a very well-de-
fered Vance an enormoussalary to schmooze, flirt and cir-
veloped sense of humor, albeit a morbid and caustic one.
culate through the nova club. Vance never hesitated. InCody,
Nature: Thrillseeker
adventure had consisted OF trips to Yellowstone and the
Allegiance: Individualist
BufFalo Bill Museum; suddenly, he was one of the most
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Percep-
popular personalities on the nova party circuit, living in
tion 4, lntelligence 3, Wits 4, Appearance 4, Manipula-
lbiza and traveling regularly to Addis Ababa, Hong Kong
tion 3, Charisma 4
and other locales he never thought he’d see. Vance quickly
Abilities: Athletics 4 (Swimming), Martial Arts 2 (Thai
became Diaz’s second-in-command at the Amp Room, and
Kickboxing), Stealth 5, Endurance 3, Awareness 4 (Keep-
he now works there during the party season on lbiza and
ing Watch), Drive 2, Pilot 2, Intrusion 2, Streetwise 3,
takes PR assignments For DeVries during the winter.
Perform 4 (Dance), Style 2

Vance met Charlotte Holden at the Amp Room the first not For his eruption, he would have become a small-time
year he worked there, and the two of them became fnends thug and probably died in a gang-related shooting. As it
when they realized they shared a similar acerbic wit. She happened, he was furiously hunting down his neighbor’s
moved in with Vance and Korelli shortly thereafter. When three small yappy dogs when his M-R node erupted. His
Holden realized she was being stalked, she told Vance and, talent for stalking and killing has served him in good stead.
after a great deal of discussion, the two of them contrived to Proteus has paid him a small fortune to handle much of its
fake her death. Holdenhas been living with Vance and Korelli wetwork on an exclusive basis. Until recently, he was their
since her “death,” and will continue to do so right up untilshe Directors’ first choice for seek-and-destroy missions.
leaves for Marrakesh, but under nocircumstanceswill Vance However, Chiraben’s professionalism has slipped of late,
share this information w disclose her whweabouts. If he is and he’s indulged his warped sense of Fun to such an ex-
given good reason to trust the characters, he may share the tent that he’s gotten sloppy; the resulting coverups have
knowledge that she is still alive and offer to relay a meaage been haphazard at best, particularly in light of the intense
to her, prwided it strikes him as important. scrutiny recently directed at Utopia’s activities.
Image: Vance is a stunningly handsome man with ex-
cellent social skills, and he relies on these abilities far more
than on his toughness or fighting prowess. He has an amaz-
ing body, even for a nova, and he likes to show it off on the
dance floor any time he’s not busy chatting up the more
important patrons of the Amp Room. When Vance enters
conversation, he is attentive, almost flirtatious, with whom-
ever he’s speaking with. Vance dresses well, but he is an
exhibitionist by nature and generally parades around the
Amp Room wearing only a thong (which is still more than
most novas in lbiza are wearing by the end of the night).
Roleplaying Hints: Your transition to international
party boy has been a bit startling. Even before your erup-
tion you were very likable; now you’re a social power-
house. Everyone wants to be your friend, and it’s hard to
know who really likes you and who just wants to bask in
your reflected glory. For that reason you have become a
very private person. You cherish your lover and your few Chiraben is fully aware that he is very much the
trusted friends; everyone else is kept at arm’s length, al- bete noir among Proteus circles at the moment, and he
beit in a very subtle and charming way. You have no time intends to be the very soul of professionalism with his
for people who want to use you and have developed very execution of Holden. Holden, unfortunately, is pushing
effective tactics for shedding unwanted groupies. the limits of his patience, and when he finally catches
Nature: Hedonist her, it will be a close race to determine who kills her:
Allegiance: The Amp Room Chiraben the professional or Chiraben the monster.
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Percep- Image: Chiraben is a tall, thin, ugly man of indeter-
tion 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Appearance 5, Manipula- minate descent. His Taint causes his already fishily bulg-
tion 4, Charisma 4 ing eyes to glow bright green and, as a side effect of his
Abilities: Brawl 3, Drive 2, Endurance 5, Resistance 5, Taint, he frequently forgets to blink. Though his looks
Arts 2, Style 4, lntimidation 1, Etiquette 4, Linguistics have never been important to him, he is exacting about
3 (German, Spanish, Arabic) his clothing. The clothes he wears may change in ac-
Backgrounds: Allies 3 (Travius Diaz and Jake “Dragon” cordance with his mission, but they’re always the finest
Korelli), Backing 2, Contacts 5 (who doesn’t he know?), of their type and almost always made of eufiber.
Influence 3, Node 2, Resources 3 Rdeplaylng H*. You are the classic antisocial per-
Quantum 5, Willpower 5, Taint 1, Quantum Pool 30 sonality type: egotistical to a fault, but incapable of inter-
Mega-Stamina 5 (Hardbody, Resilency), Mega-Strength acting with people on any real emotional level. Quite sim-
2 (Crush), Mega-Wits 1 (Artistic Genius), Mega-Cha- ply, you have no superego, no conscience; whether this is
r i m a 2 (Seductive), Mega-Appearance 2 (First Impres- an inborn deficiency or one triggered by the M-R node is
sion) unknownand, frankly, not particularly relevant.You respect
Quantum Powers: Armor 5, Invulnerability (mental at- and Fear power in others; if your first head-on attack is
tacks 3, cutting attacks 2) thwarted, be sneaky unless rage overtakes you.
Nature: Bravo
Chiraben Allegiance: Proteus
Background: Chiraben grew up in a bad neighbor- Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Percep-
hood in L.A., torturing cats and smaller children. Were it
tion 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 5, Appearance 1, Manipula-

tion 3, Charisma 2 of going toe to toe with the likes of Totentanz and the
Abilities: Brawl 5 (Dirty Maneuvers), Resistance 2, Fire- Stone Badass, being a bouncer at a club - even a nova
arms 4, lnvestigation 3, Bureaucracy 1, Computer 2, In- club - isn't really much fun, but there's very little he
trusion 4 (Lock Picking), Intimidation 4 (Implied wouldn't do for Vance, to whom he is unswervingly loyal.
Threat), Interrogation 5 (Torture), Stealth 3, Streetwise
3, Subterfuge 1
Raoul Orzaiz
Nature: Visionary
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Backing 3, Contacts 1
Allegiance: Teragen
Quantum 4, Willpower 6, Taint 5 (Aberrant Eyes [bright
green], Hormonal lmbalance [rage]), Quantum Pool 32
tion 5, lntelligence 5, Wits 5, Appearance 5, Manipula-
Mega-Attributes: Mega-Strength 3 (Shockwave),
tion 5, Charisma 5
Mega-Dexterity 3 (Accuracy), Mega-Stamina 1 (Dura-
Abilities: Drive 2, Pilot 2, Legerdemain 1, Martial Arts
bility), Mega-Wits 2 (Quickness x2)
(savate) 4, Academics 4, Biz 4, Arts (photography) 3,
Quantum Powers: Claws 4, Shapeshift 3 (typically used
lnvestigation 2, Command 3, Rapport 4, Style 4, Eti-
to simulate Armor), Healing 1, Psychic Shield 1
quette 5
Other Characters of Backgrounds: Allies: 5, Backing 5, Contacts 4, Devices
4, Followers 5, lnfluence 5, Resources 5
Note Quantum 4, Willpower 9, Taint 0, Quantum Pool 36
Mega-Attributes: Mega-Strength 1 (Thunderclap)
Jake "Dragon" Korelli Mega-Stamina 3 (Regeneration) Mega-Dexterity 3 (En-
Nature: Thrillseeker hanced Movement) Mega-Charisma 2 (Natural Agita-
Allegiance: Individualist tor), Mega-Appearance 2 (Awe-Inspiring), Mega-Ma-
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Percep- nipulation 4 (Persuader, Trickster, The Voice)
tion 3, lntelligence 2, Wits 3, Appearance 4, Manipula- Quantum Powers: Premonition 4
tion 3, Charisma 3
Abilities: Awareness 4 (Troublemakers), Command 2,
Drive 2, Martial Arts (Shotokan Karate) 5, Survival 2
Mega-Attributes: Mega-Stamina 2 (Resiliency, Regen-
eration), Mega-Strength 3 (Thunderclap), Mega-Dex-
t e r i t y 3 (Rapid Strike), Mega-Perception 1
(Blindfighting), Mega-Wits 3 (Enhanced Initiative,
Quickness x3)
Quantum Powers: Force Field 2, Quantum Blast (Fire
Breath) 4
Quantum 3, Willpower 6, Taint 2, Quantum Pool 28
Background: Korelli is an experienced elite and a veteran
of a hundred little wars and conflicts. In recent years Vance
has been trying to get him to move away From the dan-
gerous work and enjoy life more. After the adrenaline rush
Background: Raoul Fancies himself an accomplished

intriguwr, which he unquestionably is. At the Amp Room,
he sits at his private table with his back to the wall in an
alcove where the lights are lowest. He watches the dance
floor, and chats with friends, allies, contacts and infor-
mants like a prince granting audiences. His charm is in-
sidious and people have walked away From his table and
done some of the most remarkable and shocking things
at his gracious request. Both the Directive and Utopia
consider Orzaiz a major target should they be forced to
declare war on the Teragen. As it stands, his visibility
and extreme popularity would render him an instant mar-
tyr, and with all the anti-Utopia sentiment going around
lately, it's better to put up with him. For now.

Whether you hail from Cairo, Cape Town, or Addis Ababa, Marrakesh allow
you time to relax in a tranquil environment, without the high-velocity power play
of Team Tomorrow or the seemingly omnipresent cadres of nova elites. Corn
find a city unspoiled by the burdens of 21St-centurylife.
A n oasis set upon the fertile Haouz Plain at the foot of the High Atlas
Mountains, Marrakesh is the fourth of Morocco’s Imperial Cities. Its stunning
architectural record extends back to 1062 and evokes visions from One Thousand
and One Arabian Nights. For baselines working in nova-intensive African cities
like Addis Ababa, Marrakesh can be an oasis in more ways than one. The city’s
Islamic heritage and values make it unattractive to nova party-fiends, leaving
its beauty and splendor for the common man to enjoy. Whether you’re drawn to
our legendary rugs, extensive history, or delicious camel tagine, Marrakesh holds
all the delights a person could hope for.
Paid for by the Marrakesh Office of Tourism and AI Maroc Airlines
END OPNET TRAVEL AD

Quantum Communion mains the Finest and most expensive hotel on the African
continent Its mixture of Arabic and Art Deco styles makes it
The theme of “Quantum Communion” begins as
one of the more interesting places to visit in Morocco. The
alienation as the characters deal with a city and a people
hotel’s enormous gardens full of roses, jasmine and orange
that don’t like novas, and shifts to horror as the charac- blossoms seem bigger than some small American towns.
ters deal with baraka cultists who like novas too much
and in all the wrong ways. Behind the Scenes
The Islamic world is split over how to view n m , and Charlotte Holden is Staying at the Hotel La Mamounia
Marrakeshis decidedly in the antinova camp, a fact that gives for two reasons. The first, obviously, is to escape Chiraben.
implicit permission to certain groups who have their own Secondarily, she has come to Marrakesh in service to R a d
designs on novas. While Addis Ababa is the focal point for Orzaiz (who will be paying for her extended stay at La
nom activity in Africa, Marrakesh is the vacation destination Mamounia) to follow up on certain information that was in
for baselines tired of dealing with the egos, attitudes, and the packet given to her by Slider. One file on a microchip
idiosyncrasies of the freakish, famous and rich nom. The mentions a “baraka cult,” certain members of which alleg-
glory days of Marrakesh were in the first half of the 20th edly have tenuous connections to Utopia personnel, although
century, when Morocco was a French protectorate, and the several hard-to-trace steps removed. Count Orzaiz was very
city as a whde still feels very much stuck in time somewhere curious about the details of this baraka cult and gave Holden
between 1920 and 1950, culturally as well as anhitecturally. the option of spending the next few weeks at the best hotel
Marrakesh was the center for Art Deco architecture in the in Afnca if she would do a little sniffing around for him. While
1420s, and the mixture of that styfe with traditional Arabii it wasn’t the kind of highly lucrative work she was used to,
design makes for a beautiful if unexpectedmix. the count’s charming manner was enough to convince her
Certainof the larger cities in Morocco, like Casablanca that it was a good way to get out of lbiza for a while.
and Rabat, may be keeping pace with the modern world, When the characters arrive in Marrakesh and make
but Marrakesh will have none of it. The vehicles driiing their way to La Mamounia, Holden is looking like whom-
around the city are at least 20 years old and may as well ever she feels like at the moment. She’s registered under
run on 40-weight oil for all the gray exhaust they spew out the name Mark Levy, and takes an appropriately male vis-
behind them. Likewise, the world’s recent fascination with age when she has to deal with the front desk. Other than
novas hasn’t caught on here either. Subtle but ubiquitous that, she changes her face on an hourly basis. If charac-
prejudicewill make charactersfeel distinctly illat ease. Nova ters are unable to use investigation or nova powers to
characters will certainly not be attacked or even called track Holden down, the players will find her in the enor-
names, but the service they receive will be reserved; unex- mous lobby of the Mamounia or in the gardens wearing
pected “errors” may pop up to prevent things from going the freshly adopted visage of one of the characters.
smoothly, and seemingly empty hotels will be “booked for How she responds to the characters depends on their
the next several evenings” when characters inquire about affiliations. She’ll tell Aberrant characters all about the
lodging. The antinova sentiment is subtle, but pervasiveand baraka cult and ask for their help in breaking it up. If the
inescapable. Characters with the Dormancy Background characters are Utopia agents, Holden will coldly informthem
should use it here to make things easier on themselves. about the baraka cult, stressing its supposed Utopia con-
The language barrier does not mrk in the characters’ nections as a way of disabusingthe characters of their be-
favor here. Very little English is spoken anywkre in Mo- lief in Utopia. If the characters are Proteus ops, Holden will
rocco. The two national languages are Arabic dFrench, use her enhanced initiative to flee into the gardens, where
andnot everyonespeaksFrench; Mardeshis manipulatethe she can take another appearance (or turn invisible).
language barrier very skillfully. If no one in the party speaks Chiraben’s glowing green eyes pose an extra problem
Arabic, the n a t i will take merciless advantageof the char- for him in Marrakesh. This isn’t lbiza: The natives don’t like
acters, inflating prices by orders of magnitude and wranging novas, and wearing sunglasses at night is considered rude,
unwanted “adventures” for thecharactm(likea three-block not chic. He has to wear darkly tinted contact lenses that
cab ride taking 45 minutes and costing 500 dirhams when it cover his entire sclera in order to keep the glow hidden.
should cost two). Copping a “We’re novas, you should love Should he lose those, say, in combat (any botch or taking
us,” attitude will only antagonize the locak, which is the last more than four health levels of damage at once will pop
thing characters will want to do. Marrakesh, especially the them right out), then he’ll have to rely on glacier or wrap-
old town, is full of people with dangerous little connections. around sunglasses the whole time to keep his tainted eyes
Many know that “a Friendof my brother-in-law‘s good friend from giving him away regardless of the shape he assumes.
Abdullah” is looking to talk with stray novas....That kind of Holden will want the characters on her side when
subtle baii is often all it kkes to lead some brash navas right she goes to investigate the baraka cult. Ideally, she would
into the clutches of thebaraka cult, d w h wants desperately like to get the player characters to do the majority of
to “harvest” m e of Al’lah’s blessings. the dirty work, especially if they’re Utopia agents. If
Despite the ascendancy of Addis Ababa, Marr&esh’s she can trick Proteus ops into raiding the baraka cult,
enormous Hotel La Mamounia on the Avenue Bab ]did re- then she might even get rid of her pursuers.

If the players have convinced Holden that they’re on the cult through the cult’s three imams, or leaders: Zaid
her side by the end of the raid on the baraka cult (saving Alwan, Raschid al-Hazmi, and Abdullah Ramahi.
her life isabout theonlyway), thenshe’lltake them toMonte Having read a description of Alwan, the cult’s
Carlo, where she stashed the documents and microchips Marrakesh leader and a known mitoid, Holden will be ex-
From Slider. She doesn’t particularlywant to hold onto them tra-paranoid by this point, particularly around hyper-
anymore and she’ll be happy to give them to the characters muscular Arabic men (a rarity since Islam Frownson body-
If the players are Utopia or Proteus ops, then building). She will return to her room to change her ap-
Holden will flee to her room at the Mamounia as soon as pearance every hour or so.When she is in public, she will
she’s able. While she should have no problem getting be actively scanning whatever room she’s in For threats.
away, she’ll be just sloppy enough that the players will
be able to Follow her Flight down to Monte Carlo.
Marrakesh: Day 1
Most of the first day will be spent getting used to
the annoyances of the city: Moroccans make a habit of
“doing favors” for visitors and then demanding payment.
If the characters are unable to hide the fact that they’re
novas (or, Al’lah forbid, Flaunt the fact), the locals will be
particularly inhospitable. Only those who cannot avoid
speaking with the characters (hotel concierges, for ex-
ample) will do so. Others will pretend not to understand
anything but Arabic, whether or not that’s actually the
case. OF course, certain levels of Mega-Social Attributes
can change this for any given interaction, but after the
interaction ends, the baselines in question will be even
more wary and hostile toward the “devil novas.”
If the characters are reasonably subtle, have low
Taint ratings, and especially if some have the Dormancy
Background, it may be possible For them to pose as
baseline tourists, in which case they’ll be approached
by all manner of helpful natives offering to guide them
around the city, show them the souks (bazaar), or pro-
vide them with kiF(marijuana) Fresh from the neigh-
boring High Atlas mountains.
Utopia operatives receive communications warn-
ing them of the disappearance of novas Wardog and Zip
in the area and advising them to be alert and prepared
for danger at all times.
At Hotel La Mamounia, characters begin playing a
very strange game of hide-and-seek with Charlotte
Holden. Obviously, she’s not there under her own name,
and her Copycat enhancement gives her access to any
number of different visages. The party will likely need
to use quantum powers if they are to Find her on the
First day, because she’s posing as a male tourist From have mich chance of convincing them to follow her i
America named Mark Levy, and she’s doing very little her quest to learn more about the baraka cult. In th
but lounging by the pool . Following advice given to her case. it might work better if the Proteus ops don
by Orzaiz, Holden assumed the guise of a tourist who even catch up to Holden in Marrakrsh. Lead then
was leaving the day she arrived. By claiming to be Mark instead, to Holden‘s room overlooking the garden
Levy extending his stay, she makes it impossible for where a few documents are laid out suggesting tli*
Chiraben (or the characters) to track her down by Holden IS seeking refuge or meeting other Aberranl
check-in date. that night at a defunct rug warehowe located at 5
Rue Sidi El Yamani in Marrakesh‘. old town. It
Marrakesh: Day 2
Holden’s way of getting a free peek at the cult (an
By the second day, Holden is much more interested
its firepower) from a distance.
in the baraka cult than in the garden. Slider’s notes are
vague; the mention of the cult is a Few blunt sentences
at the end of a long list that tracks the establishment of

The leader of this baraka cultist cell is 2aid Alwan,
an Iraqi transplant to Morocco (via England and the US,
where he received his education and developed his taste
for drugs and blond women). He looks haggard and the
reek of nicotine oozes from his pores. That’s deceiving,
however. Alwan is a nova-extract junkie; his craving for
anything derived from nova physiology - mite, soma,
Red 7, and less orthodox substances - has made him
physically quite powerful. His body is deformed with He has one hit left, which he carries around in a quick-
muscles. His most intense addiction is to soma, despite injector, and he’s saving that until he can use it to bring
having ingested the substance only two times in his life. down another nova.

The cell comprises Zaid Alwan, Khytam Manat al- inside, the entrance to the temple is well protected. The
Uzza at-Lat (his Proteus monitor) and six true believers. door to the temple was rigged from an old bank vault and
The cultist’s “temple” is located in the heart of can be opened only from the inside. One solid kick from a
Marrakesh‘s old town. One quickcomment on Marrakeshand nova with Mega-Strength 2 or above will be all the “open
the First World: This ain’t it. Except for the city’s downtown sesame” the characters needto rip the door Fromits hinges.
area, the streets are packed dirt; children and chickens run That course of action, however, triggers the 10white phos-
wild in the narrow streets, and even land-based telephones phorus grenades placed around the door. Those sorts of
are considered a luxury. The Izyd of the old town is gratu- strong-arm tactics are exactlywhat the cultists are expect-
itously complex; streets curve around in unexpected direc- ing from novas should they be found out.
tions, many of the Arabic street names differ by only one The temple was once a government-run rug mar-
small syllable, a d right angles are a rarity. “Do not enter” ket. The cultists bought the leftover rugs when they took
and ‘‘stop” sigm in Arabic are everyhere, although nobody ownership of the building, and the place is still draped
pays them any attention. Highwalls of the ubiquitous red clay with Arabic rugs: on the floor, hanging from the walls,
make these narrow streets claustrophobic and trap the blue- and folded and stacked in piles.
g 9 exhaust emitted by the small and poorly tuned motor- If the cultists are expecting the novas, two cultists will
cycles that are all the rage among the youth here. The char- be on the balcony upstairs, firing a 30mm cannon at the door
acters will pass door after identical door, makingthe medinah and tossing concussiongrenades. lfthese weapons don’t seem
(old town) seem all the more labynnthine. to be working, two additional cultists, also in alcwes behind
1F the characters are obviously novas, they will get hanging rugs, will toss out tear gas grenades to soften the
absolutely no help From the locals, who are more likely to enemy. The cultists, it should be pointed out, are Fanatics;
point them in the wrong direction (and then ask for a few they are not suicidal, but are willing to mow down one of
dirhams For their trouble). Characters fluent in Arabic will their own if necessary to bring down a nova.
at least be able to read signs, but without a map (which If such tactics still don’t take down their quarry,
only the police have) the characters will not be able to find the cultists will make use of a ghastly “weapon” indeed:
the cult temple without a guide or the use of quantum pow- the half-alive carcass of Benoit “Zip” Goubeauz. Two
ers. The temple itself is located in the very heart of the cultists will drag the half-eaten nova from his resting
medinah. The door is small and exactly like those around it. place, ram the nova at the players’ characters, and use
If there are obvious novas making their way to the a metal goad to prod Zip into instinctively activating his
temple, or if the characters paid a guide to bring them here, Quantum Leech power at the most dangerous-looking
the cultists will be in a state of high readiness. From the target. The agonized nova has only three attack dice to

iit targets, though the power acts at full effect. ing to maintain a low profile and Zip starts screaming be-
Unless their lives are at stake, the cultists will take cause of the pain). Even if brought back to full conscious-
iova opponents down no further than Incapacitated.The ness, Zip will not be able to speak. He is not gagged, but his
:ultists believe absolutely that baraka concentrations are tongue and his teeth, prized by cultists, are gone. Even with
.ichest in living tissue, and they want to preserve as much a constant source of quantum, it will take weeks before his
IS possible, reenacting, if possible, the extended har- tongue grows back, months more for his teeth and eyes,
rest they’ve received from Zip. and years for the complete regeneration of his lower body
Alwan and Khytam, the one woman in the cult, will be (if he is rescued, Zip will become a very popular research
gownstairs in the sanctum and makeshift lab (which they subject for Utopia’s paraphysicians).
:all the i’tikaf, or shrine) preparing for a last stand. Un-
mown to Alwan, Khytam is a Proteus op assigned to keep
m eye on his unexpectedly successful(and disturbing) cult.
If enemy novas make it in to the i’tikaf, Khytam will cower
n the corner, leaving Alwan to fight for himself. She will
nake herself as small and forgettable as possible, hoping
that the invaders will be so shocked by the horror of the
-oom that they forget her. Despitespeaking perfect French
and English, she will wrap the language barrier around her-
self like a veil (which she also wears) to avoid interrogation
by the party. If she is captured, she will quietly cooperate
until she is turned over to baseline authorities, whom she
will manipulate into freeing her.
The i’tikaf, or holy place, in the basement is both a
lab and a place of spiritual retreat for the cultists. It is
where they go to partake of the baraka cult from novas
they have captured. This they do through ritualized an-
thropophagy. The octagonal room smells of incense and
perfumes, in part to mask other smells.
The nova elite Zip, missing for almost four months,
is still alive, despite having large portions of his body “har-
vested” for baraka. There is nothing left of him below the
waist; the cultists cut it away bit by bit, either for auction
on the very black market or for the cult’s own consump-
tion. The meatier sections of his right arm are also gone.
His chest, back and arms display red constellations of bite
wounds left by frenzied cultists who couldn’t control them-
selves. Brightly colored silk cords bind Zip tightly to an
inclined metal slab. He is fed through one tube that snakes s not she that the operatives really want,
down his throat; another leads from his left arm to a ma- wmation she receweh from Slider,’which
chine that filters his blood for the hormones that will be .She will offer to give it to them if they’l
processed and distilled into mite. A white plastic bucket If Holden led the Proteus ops to the t
beneath the table catches blood and waste. IIthe policeat tne rirst sounas or conriict it srana
Assuming he wasn’t deployed as a last-ditch weapon, son that they can’t kill her if they’re stuc
Zip is in this room and is completely incoherent when the can prison. 1F they player characters SUN
players find him. Pain has pushed his conscious mind into and the police (which shouldn’t be ha
hiding. His body is so power-starved because of his con- Marrakesh doesn’t have enough money to provide it
stant regeneration that his Quantum Leech power will in- police department with nova-stopping tech), and don’
stantly trigger if he is touched by another nova. Stolenquan- lose track of the very stealthy Holden, she’ll point out ti
tum points are immediately channeled into his Regenera- .I .t I
h m the same tnina sne wwio Dofnr out to wcuuid UIJ
.I
tion enhancement. His energy Absorption power will like-

wise trigger if an energy current passes anywhere near
him. If he is supplied with both quantum and strength from
energy, he will soon become coherent. Unfortunately, like
a limb that has Fallen asleep, coming back from numbness is I 7.0 I . , ‘, ,
pia operatives, they II need to tracK ner aown mrou
going to involve an immense amount of suffering that the superiors, contacts or their own cleverness. I n a
characters are likely to bear witness to. It could make res- event. thev should soon be on their way to Monte Carlo
cuing him all the more difficult (e.g., the characters are try-
I

Marrakesh: Day 3 Dramatis Personae
Holden will meet Aberrant characters the next
morning. Her paranoia will seem a little more under con- Zaid Alwan
trol, and she will look like herself. She will explain to the Badcground: Alwan was born in Baghdad, but his
party, a little apologetically, that the items the prom- parents emigrated to England when he was only seven.
ised them are actually in Monte Carlo, and that she has He grew up in England, experimentedwildly with all avail-
taken the liberty of arranging for a helicopter to Monte able drugs and spent more time in altered states of con-
Carlo, should the characters want to accompany her. sciousness than in school; nevertheless, his innate intelli-
Utopia or Proteus ops who have given her the ben- gence allowed him to maintaina grade-point average suf-
efit of the doubt can get to Monte Carlo the same way, ficient to get him into a prestigious American university.
while hostile operatives will have to do some investiga- After getting his degree he went to Morocco and got
tive work to find out that Holden left for Monaco. a position with Utopia, which he was able to hang onto for
nearly a year before his drug problem got him arrested and
Conclusions fired. A shadowy figure named “Efrit” contacted him some
Charlotte Holden has escaped again, but she’s given days later and asked if he was might be interestedin a po-
the characters a trail to follow this time. The baraka cult sition that would give him direct access to novas and the
has been uncovered and broken apart. Chiraben has once good things that came from them. He said yes. He was fur-
more been deprived of his prey. But it’s not over yet. nished with great quantities of mite and Red 7 and given
The whole trip to Marrakesh brings up a myriad of the task of creating and spreading a cult, a task he has
potential story hooks. The party rescued Zip, but what achieved with more success than anyone had expected.
happened to Wardog? Did he give up his baraka t o the
cultists? There are at least two other active cells of the
baraka cult in the Middle East; what kind of success are
they having?If they grow desperate enough, what might
they resort to? Why is a generally easygoing Islamic
country like Morocco so intolerant of novas? Is some-
one manipulating public opinion, and if so, why?
Aftermath
Rescuing Zip will be harder than it seems at first. As-
suming they’re able to defeat the heavily armed cultists and
the muscle-bound Alwan, and provided Khytam does not
distract them,they will need to ge+ the ravaged nova out of
the temple and out of M d e s h . They might risk taking him
to a hospital, but given his condition and the local attitudes
toward novas, they might choose not to. At the Storyteller‘s
discretion, a hospital might insist on calling the police....
If the characters are seen taking Zip anywhere, they
may be accused of attempted murder. If Zip is revived in Image: Alwan’s features are fine, but his complexionis
the temple, he will be in enormous amounts of pain as his mottled and vaguely unhealthy-looking; his muscles are gro-
conscious mind comes to terms with the trauma of the tesquely overdeveloped- a side effect of his addiction to
last four months all at once. He will not suffer quietly. the entire pharmacova of novaderived chemicals.
If the characters rescue Zip and actually get him back Roleplaying Hints You are simultaneously ayatol-
to Addis Ababa or Monte Carlo, they will be media dar- lah and showman, leader and slave to your vices. You
lings for at least a week. If they are Aberrants (or Teragen can be extraordinarily resistant to intimidation or coax-
sympathizers), this may be their opportunity to tell the ing of any sort; if your drug supply is threatened, though,
world a thing or two about certain of Utopia’s ethically you fold instantly.
challenged activities. If they are Utopia agents, they will Nature: Thrillseeker (Addict)
be asked about everything they know about the baraka Allegiance: Baraka cult
cult in the presence of a nova with the Lie Detector en- Attributes: (figures in parentheses are after an injec-
hancement.The wrong answer c w l d indicatethat it’s time tion of mitelRed 7) Strength 5 (Mega l), Dexterity 3
to switch sides (if it’s not already too late) .... (5),Stamina 2 (5), Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3,
If the player characters are Proteus ops, they will Appearance 1, Manipulation 4, Charisma 3
have to keep a very low profile to avoid the kind of me- Abilities: Brawl 3, Melee 3, Might 5, Drive 2, Endur-
dia frenzy that could make them the topic of career- ance 3, Resistance 4, Linguistics 1, Medicine 2, Science
threatening, nosy investigative journalism. 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 2, Command 1, Etiquette 1
Backgrounds Backing 3, Contacts 3, Devices 4, Followers4,

Resources 3 Backgrounds: Cipher 3, Contacts 2, Dormancy 4
Willpower: 3 Quantum 4, Willpower 9, Taint 4 (sociopathy), Quan-
tum Pool 28
Khytam Manat al-Uzza al-Lat Mega-Attributes: Mega-Intelligence 3 (Enhanced
Background: The most powerful nova Zaid Alwan
Memory), Mega-Manipulation 4 (Hypnotic Gaze)
has ever encountered is working as his assistant and he
Quantum Powers: Domination 4, Telepathy 4
doesn’t even know it. Khytam was reared in a strictly
Islamic home in Pakistan, and when she erupted at the Benoit ”Zip” Goubeaux
early age of 16, her abilities caused too much tension in Background: Growing up in the very rural south of
the family and she was quietly sent away to study with France, Benoit Goubeaux daydreamed for hours about
Utopia. Utopia found her powers remarkable, but her what it might be like to have nova powers. When he
personality was too introverted for Team Tomorrow, erupted at the age of 17, he was thrilled and immedi-
and her strict adherence to Islam, including covering her ately went to DeVries and took a few small missions to
face with veils, made many assignments awkward or im- bring in the novabucks he’d heard so much about. His
possible. For many years she simply trained at the first two missions went well, so he signed on as an elite
Bahrain facility. Eventually her powers and relentless mercenary fighting For Algeria. Zip was an immediate
practice took their toll in Taint. She grew callous to- French cultural hero. The French loved his cleverness
ward others, became disenchanted with Utopia and left and good looks, and his action figure sold very well in
t o work undercover in the Islamic world. France (though nowhere else, oddly enough). And then,
Proteus began using her as the blackest of its black after a relatively brief career, he disappeared. The mys-
ops. Her stealth abilities, zealous adherence to orders and tery of his disappearance has made him the tragic
complete lack of conscience made her a powerful tool, beefcake icon, the James Dean of his generation, with
and when they realized that the baraka cult led by Alwan French schoolgirls (and boys) displaying his picture
was moving in bold and unexpected directions, they placed prominently in their lockers, on their backpacks, and
Khytam as his “nurse assistant” to monitor the situation. anywhere else it will fit.
DeVries managementagreed that he was a bit green
to have gone into heavy combat so quickly and claim to
have learned a lesson. For Goubeaux, though, it wasn’t
the combat that proved to be a problem, but his first R&R.
He went to Marrakesh (they speak French there) and was
having a lovely time of it until he was ambushed by the
baraka cult. They overestimated his resilience and nearly
killed him with their initial barrage of bullets, but his abil-
ity to regenerate saved his life and promptly became the
curse of his existence. Nothing pleases an anthropopha-
gous cult more than a victim who regenerates....
Image: Only Khytam’s catlike eyes are visible, but

they’re quite enchanting....
Roleplaying Hints: Avoid the characters if at all
possible. If forced into a confrontation, play the part of
the submissive, ignorant Muslim woman until you can
get clear.
Nature: Follower
Allegiance: Proteus (loosely)
tion 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 5, Appearance 4, Manipu-
lation 5, Charisma 3 Image: Zip was quite handsome before being cap-
Abilities: Legerdemain 4, Stealth 5, Awareness 3, ln- tured by the baraka cult. Now, at the age of 20, he is
vestigation 2, Intrusion 2, Linguistics 2, Medicine 4, emaciated, his eyes have been plucked out by cultists
Rapport 3, Subterfuge 4, Perform 4 (impersonation) wanting “Al’lah’s vision,” his mouth is toothless and col-
lapsed, his complexion is ashen, and he appears close to

death. His body is covered with half-dollar-sized wounds Backgrounds:Attunement 1, Backing 1, Contacts 2, Node 3
that, upon inspection, appear to have been caused by Quantum 2, Willpower 6, Taint 3, Quantum Pool 24 (cur-
human bites. His body comes to a ragged end just below rently l)
the navel; his lower torso, including pelvis, has been cut Mega-Attributes: Mega-Dexterity 2 (Enhanced Move-
away and either sold or devoured by the cultists. Mega- ment), Mega-Stamina 2 (Regeneration), Mega-lntelli-
Stamina is the only reason he is still alive. gence 2 (Mental Prodigy: Investigative)
At the point player characters discover him, Zip isn’t Quantum Powers: Quantum Leech 3 (Extra: Range), Ab-
really conscious. Blood loss and four months of vivisection sorption 2 (electricity, Extra: Energy Magnet)
have pushed him into a state resembling complete autism.
Roleplaying Hints: Gibber, twitch and scream.
Other Characters
Nature: Gallant Baraka Cultists
Attributes: Strength 5, Stamina 3, all others 2.
Allegiance: DeVries
Attributes: Numbers in parentheses are his stats when Abilities: Brawl 2, Firearms 1, Might 5, Melee 2, Resis-
tance 4, Stealth 1
the characters find him. Dexterity 5 (l), Stamina 4,
Willpower: 3
Strength 3 (l), Intelligence 4, Perception 3 (l), Wits 4,
Equipment: Mite (gives Mega-Strength 1 equivalent).
Appearance 4 (0), Charisma 3 (l), Manipulation 3 (1)
Abilities: Brawl 2, Might 2, Athletics 3, Stealth 2, lnves-
Notes: The baraka cultists are heavily armed with
firearms and makeshift melee weapons (pipes, knives,
tigation 4, Computer 3, Linguistics 3, Science 1, Rap-
whatever).
port 1, Style 2
MONACO - Founded in 1974 by His Serene Highness, Prince Rainier 111, father of our own Prince
Albert, the 34th annual International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo will gather some of the world’s finest
circus performers. Twenty-two circus acts, selected from a pool of over 400 entries, will be performed
from June 21-28, 2008, by artists from 14 different countries competing for the coveted Gold or Silver
Clown award.
Highlights of the Festival include Portugal’s infamous “rola rola number,” listed in the Guinness Book of
World Records; Canada’s Cirque du Soleil, which will execute a number designed especially for novas to
perform at this Festival; and the return of Michael Peeler, the famed Barnum Circus clown who won the
Silver Clown award last year, representing the United States. Also performing under the big top are present-
ers from China, France, Great Britain, Mongolia, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Switzerland, the Ukraine
and, for the first time, Brazil.
Cirque performers who dream of taking their place in this prestigious competition prepare for years in
hopes of winning the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival’s highest honor, the Gold Clown award. Each
act will be judged for its technical difficulty and creativity by a jury composed of seasoned circus profes-
sionals from around the world This year, Alain DuRosier, the world-renowned nova acrobat, will join the
Festival’s jury committee.
Presiding over the jury, H.S.H. Prince Albert will open the star-studded Festivities.
For reservations, call the Soci6ti des Bains de Mer at (800) 221-4708

La Grande Vie very well-lit reinforced nova holding facility. Note that of-
ficial Utopia operatives will have a good deal of clout in the
Theme: Control is the theme that popsup repeatedly in region, but under no circumstances are to resist law-en-
“La Grande Vie.” While Monte Carlo markets itself as one of forcement officers of any sort.
the premiere vacation destinations in Europe, characters will If the players were gracious enough to receive Count
notice again and again that the fun here is artificial, oblga- Orzaiz’s card when they were in lbiza (and kept it), then
tory, and forced. The latest successor to the Grimaldi dy- it will come in handy here. Their connection to the count
nasty of Monaco is Prince Albert, who has imposed a very will save them at this point - either they’ll call him or
simple rule: “Monaco must have total security.” To this end, the authorities will find the card in their possessions and
there is one police officer for every one hundred residents, call him. In either case, provided they haven’t killed any
24-hwrvideosurveillaneoftheentire principality,andswift Monegasque police officers, the party will grudgingly be
and aggressive enforcement of even minor laws and traffic released. This trick works only once, however.
violations. Nothingis allowed to imperilthe harmony and “total Rude o r Bggressive players who didn’t get the
security” of Monaco. Over this infrastructure of control, count’s card in lbiza will have t o make their own way
Monaco stretches a thin veneer of mass-produced “fun” For free or wait to be rescued by other agencies. Such is
theverywealtb Casinosareomnipresent,everyotherwek the price of boorishness.
is the Festival of some bland old saint or Monegasque ruler, When the c h a d e r s get out of jail, they will have no
and sporting events areoccasiom for large groups of strang- idea how to contad Holden. 1F they are Aberrants, she will
ers to spontaneously break into song. Perceptivecharacters contact them and arrange to meet them. She’s near the heli-
will find the combinationof iron-fisted security and contrived port on a cliff averlooking the ocean so that she can unload
“fun” surreal or unsettling. They should. her information on the characters before disappearing.
Monte Carlo has carved a niche for itself out of the If the characters are Utopia operatives, they’ll be
southernmost barb of the French Riviera. It sells itself to contacted by Utopia. Their agents will have intercepted
Europe as an exclusive (i.e., snobby) and prestigious (i.e., transmissions from Holden to known Aberrants stating
expensive) getaway for the wealthy. While that would both her whereabouts and her willingness to part with
seem to make it perfect for many newly rich novas, it the information Slider gave to her. The materials must
doesn’t. While a few of the oldest novas may enjoy some be recovered at all cost. The capture of Holden is to be
of Monaco’s attractions, the city caters mostly to the os- considered a secondary objective at this point.
sified rich who need to be coddled and entertained every If the characters are Proteus operatives, they’ll be
moment. Most novas are sufficiently adept at finding or contacted by a furious Chiraben, who will now have orders
making their own fun that places like Monte Carlo seem to work with them. He will inform the party of her where-
both dull and contrived. As Count Orzaiz says, “It’s a nice abouts and tell them that they’d better get to her before he
place to live, but 1 wouldn’t want to visit there.” does if they want anything from her before he kills her.
If the playersrescuedZip from the baraka cultists, they If the players are Aberrants and do nothing to change
will haveaverydifficult time keepingalawprofile.TheFrench the story’s outcome, “La Grande Vie” will end with Holden
will love them. French and Monegasque citizens will invite walking into Palazzo Orzaiz with Raoul and the doors closing
them to every party, every festival, every little summer pa- behindthem,signifyingher new aaociationwith theTeragen.
rade through Monte Carlo, and if the players decline then If the players are Utopia or Proteus operatives, it’ll
they will be dismissed icily by the insulted parties. end with Holden handing over the info an diving into the
ocean while turning invisible. The ocean is her play-
Behind the Scenes ground, and she can be anybody, anywhere.
Monte Carlo is neither as acceptingof novas as Ibiza,
nor as hostile as Marrakesh. On the down side, it’s nearly Monte Carlo: Day 1
impossible to get away with anything because of the con- It’s night when the characters arriveIThe darkocean
stant video surveillance of the entire principality. On the ends abruptly at the densely packed lights of Monte Carlo
bright (?) side, it is Count Orzaiz’s territory, and he does A light warm rain is falling and the air smells clean.
have connections to the Grimaldi dynasty.... If the characters are Aberrants, they will be arriving
I n Monte Carlo, if the players are Aberrants with in the same copter as Holden. Holden will get out last, and
Holden, then Chirabenwill find them shortly after they land. before her Foot so much as touches the ground, Chiraben
He will make a bold strike at Holden to prevent her from lunges at her out of the shadows. He is enraged at the merry
giving the characters the informationgiven to her by Slider. chase she has put him through. His rational mind tells him
Chiraben is desperate at this point and will use every trick to wait until Holden is alone, but the tainted part of his brain
up his sleeve to kill Holden and possibly the characters. Just insists on attacking now. Holden, with her Mega-Dexterity
as things start to get ugly, Holdenwill turn invisible, Chiraben and Enhanced Initiative, will have no problem ducking and
will attempt to flee, and the characters will get stuck with rolling under the helicopter and From there turning invis-
the blame just as the Monegasque police arrive en masse. ible and escaping. That leaves Chiraben and the players.
If subdued, the players will be incarcerated in a very clean, Even though it will be broken up, this should be the

The Monegasque police hit the party hard and fast.
They pride themselves on their counternova tactics, and
this is their chance to put that training into action. There
will be approximately three officers per character, plus the
DeVries nova Seraphelle. Officers will try to subdue first
and will treat the wounds of characters who go down in
combat - Monte Carlo doesn’t want novas dying on its
soil. The Monegasque police are disturbingly effective and
professional, and they will be cordial at all times. If sub-
dued, the characters will be taken into custody and treated
for injuries. Any possessions they have will be taken from
them, and they will be placed in Monaco’s brand-new nova
holding facility. The cells are airtight, brightly lit, and very
thoroughly reinforced; even characters with Mega-
Strength will have a tough time breakingfree, though it can
be done. Note that Utopia agents who resist the Mongasque
police will be in grave trouble with their organization -
scandal is the last thing the Project wants right now.
Monte Carlo: Day 2 -

climactic showdown between the player characters and Assuming the characters were captured or allowed
Chiraben. Allow the battle to go right up to the edge of themselves to be taken into custody, the day begins in a
someone dying and then bring in the Monegasque police. confinement chamber. Aberrant and Teragen characters
Having the police arrive so quickly may seem a stretch, will receive a visitor: Raphael Orzaiz, the very distinguished
but it’s not. Monaco has one police officer For every hun- Father of Raoul Orzaiz, will arrive to take custody of the
dred citizens, cameras watch most of the principality, and characters. Raoul hasn’t returned yet from his visit to Ibiza,
the helipad is just a few blocks from the palace of Prince and his father received a call from the police telling him
Albert Grimaldi; violence so close to the palace will be that friends of Raoul’s were being held at the Monte Carlo
taken very seriously. Chiraben, fearing for his black-op nova confinement facility. Raphael is one of the few people
status more than anything, will make a run for it, possibly who could get the characters out of this predicament, but
taking a bullet or two for his efforts. If the characters try because he is a very popular and powerful figure (and he is
to resist arrest, they will face a SWAT team of Monaco’s royalty), he can do it.He asks the characters if they would
finest (treat as Crisis Response Specialist, from the Ab- like to come back to Palazzo Orzaiz with him and perhaps
errant Appendix, p. 283) and Prince Albert’s special go out to the circus later on. If they agree, he gets them
bodyguard, DeVries nova Seraphelle. released. He tells them on the drive to the palazzo that Raoul
has been Formally cleared of the charges from “that lbiza
fiasco,” and will be returning that afternoon.
At the palazzo, Raphael will offer the characters
something to eat and then formally introduce the charac-
ters to “a dear friend of my son’s who will also be coming
gents will be given directions to retrieve any infor-
to the circus with us this afternoon, Ms. Charlotte Holden.”
iation that Holden was given by Landers and then ap-
Holden will be looking especially beautiful. She’s using
rehend Holden (or kill her if absolutely necessary).
her Mega-Appearance to full effect, and it’s quite amazing.
The characters will find Holden strangely easily.
he’s out walking the streets OF Monte Carlo in front
“1 thought it might be you,” she says. “Raoul has the
documents in safekeeping. He should be able to get those to
F thecasinos and not even bothering to disguise her-
you as won as we get back from the circus. 1 look forward to
.IF The trick: It’s Chiraben Just as he was doing in
getting rid of them. They’ve been nothing but trouble.”
wa. the assassin is hoping to draw i n friends or ac-
The front door opens before she can say anymore, and
uaintances of Holden’s whom he can interrogate and
Raoul walks in the front door, smiling “A party! PerFect!”
ien kill If Chiraben is apprehended by Proteus, he
rill. reluctantly. reveal himself to the characters. pos- Shouldthecharactersbesorudeastoaskforthedocuments
beforethe circus, Holdenand both Orzaizes will make it clear
ibly filling them in on information that he knows:
to the characters that they just made a terrible Fawcpas.
olden‘s friendship with Vance, her possible connec-
The characters will get the definite impressionthat
on to the Teragen through Raoul Orzaiz, etc.
Holden and Raoul are romantically involved at this point
& (which they are). This is an opportune time to attempt
a capture or kill of Charlotte Holden; however, charac-
ters who attempt such a thing will be blowing their cover

(if Proteus operatives) or breaking international law and
bringing a severe blot on their organization’s reputation
(if Aberrants or Utopia operatives).
If the characters and Raoul engage in discussion,
Raphael will go to get ready For the afternoon’s outing. The
charactersareinvitedtoattend thecircusaspartoftheOrzaiz
entourage. A limousine large enough for the entire party will
take them to the mrmously crowded Monte Carlo circus
festival. The CountsOrzaiz will clearly know everyone OF any
importanceand the party’s progress will be slowed down by
repeated conversations and extended greetings.
The Circus Festival should seem odd to the charac-
ters for any number of reasons. Going to the circus may
seem an odd thing to do at this time. Stranger still, the Fes-
tival will be full of adults in evening wear. The control theme
of “La Grande Vie” will be right on the surface here. Mon-
egasque citizens and tourists alike will be filing in, directed
by smiling, friendly police officers. His Serene Highness
Prince Albert will be sitting above the spectacle in his box
of bulletproof glass with his bodyguard Seraphelle.
Orzaiz and Holden will be on the interior or the
row, and the characters will have seats on the outside
of the row. Circus performers are sprinkled throughout
the audience clowning with the crowd. One such per-
Former, in full clown regalia, is sitting across the aisles
from the characters. They may notice that he’s not very
funny. They may also notice that his eyes are glowing
bright green. He keeps looking over at the characters.
Chiraben will not do anything in this setting but in-
timidate (a thing For which he has a true talent, and which
is actually helped by the clown suit). If the characters say
anything to Orzaiz, he will lookdown the aisle at Chiraben,
whisper something unintelligibleto Holden, and then make
a cell-phone call. He will then tell the characters to com-
port themselves in a manner appropriate to novas.
The Storyteller is encouraged to let the suspense grow
For as long as possible. Chiraben remains across the aisle,
staring at the characters, For the entire performance. The
acts are the best in the wodd. Acrobats, contortionists, aeri-
alists, clowns, and geeks all demonstrate their skills for the
party, and Chiraben glares at the chwacters throughout.
When the performance is owr, Chiraben begins fol-
lowing the party again. The players are free to attempt to
deFuse or escalate thesituationas they will -Orzaizwishes
to test how they react to pressure. Ifthe characters wish
to escalate the encounter Intoa violent one,they can; Orzaiz
won’t stop them, though the Monagesque police and
Seraphelle certainly will attempt to. Orzaiz and Holden will
defend themselves vigorously if attacked at any point.
If the characters do nothing or unsuccessfully par-
lay with Chiraben, Orzaiz excuses himself from the char-
acters for one moment and, smiling the whole while, Faces
Chiraben and starts chatting amiably. Holden will place
the characters between herself and the assassin. She will
be watching him and scanning the room for other threats.
She will be too distracted to hold a conversation at this
point. If the characters pay any attention at all, it only

takes a standard Awareness roll to hear the conversation If the players wound or kill Orzaiz, they make an
between Orzaiz and Chiraben. Orzaiz is buying o f f enemy of Holden and certain Factions of the Teragen.
Chiraben. The Count makes full use of his Mega-Social Alternatively, if a male character with Mega-Social At-
Attributes at this point, and Chiraben is helpless in the tributes has befriended or fascinated Holden earlier in
face OF the smiling social juggernaut that is Raoul Orzaiz. the story, he may prove to be a romantic rival of the
The characters may think that they are the only ones count; indeed, sufficiently good roleplaying and several
privy to this conversation, but Orzaiz doesn’t. He knows resisted Social rolls may sway Holden to the Aberrants’
perfectly well that the police are videotaping this friendly cause instead of Orzaiz’s. In this case, Orzaiz will prove
public encounter. Orzaiz suspects, and rightly so, that H.S.H. to be a dangerous adversary in the future.
Albert and his bodyguard are watching it up in his box. So Chiraben may or may not remain a Proteus operative.
he’s killing two birds with one stone. He is buying off his In either case, he will not go after Holden again. If the Sto-
lover‘s hitman (and at a very cheap price, considering), and ryteller chooses, he could extrapolate from this encounter
he is giving the baselines a model of how a Teragen mem- other conversations that may take place between thecount
ber operates. Orzaiz is the quintessential PR man and never and the assassin. Will Chiraben become a Proteus liability
mines an opportunity to wore points for his side. due to Teragen connections?Will Orzaiz hire Chiraben for
When the encounter is over, Chiraben looks at the jobs other Teragen the subtlety to carry out properly?Will
party one last time, shifts right there into his normal street Chiraben grow resistant to the Count’s smooth talk and
appearance, smiles, and disappears into the crowd. decide that it’s time to make his personal strike against the
Orzaiz will take the characters to dinner at a fine Teragen? Only the Storyteller can say for sure.
restaurant and ofFer them lodging for the night. Holden
tells them she has a present for them back at the palazzo. Dramatis Personae
If they accept these offers, Holden hands them an en-
velope full of photocopied papers and two microchips: the Seraphelle
complete annotated notes sent by Slider before her death. Background: Seraphelle shrouds her past and
At some point in the course of the evening Holden will present in an aura OF glamorous mystery. As a high-end
explain that she‘s going to help Rwul with his Teragen ac- operative for DeVries’ European operations, she spe-
tivities. If the characters have become Friendly with her, she cializes in protecting the beautiful, Famous and (most
may confide that she hopes to pry Orzaiz From the grip OF importantly) wealthy. A social butterfly par excellence,
the Teragen. Next morning, the clouds have cleared and it’s a Seraphelle is uncompromisingly professional when on
beautiul day in Monte Carlo. Onaiz and Holden say their good- duty; she can stun potential threats with witty banter,
byes to the party. This is where ewrything begins. veiled threats, or a Mega-Strength karate chop.
Image: Seraphelle lives up to her name. An angelic
Aftermath blond with flashing blue eyes, always splendidly dressed
in silver active or Fashion wear, Seraphelle is the per-
Unless the players have affected the story’s outcome,
Charlotte Holden has chosen the company of Racul Orzaiz fect, tres sophistique DeVries poster girl.
- and that OF the Teragen - over that of the Aberrants. Roleplaying Hints: Simultaneously sexy and coolly
While her reasons are more romantic than Ideological, the professional, you prefer to defuse situations as elegantly
as possible. Never commit to a battle - verbal, physi-
characters (unless they wereTetagen-Fnendly) have lost her.
cal or otherwise - unless you’re sure of yourself and
The documents in Holden’s possession largely consist
of speculation on the part of the deceased Slider. However, your opponent. Once engaged, though, you don’t stop
they do provide several points of interest, including a list of until you’ve won. Toward your peers you are coolly Flir-
about two dozen names in Utopia, as well as various private tatious and charming; toward your lessers and fans you
concerns and independents, whom Slider suspects of be- maintain an aura of gracious, polite untouchability.
Nature: Gallant
ing involved with the conspiracy. In particular, T2M leader
Allegiance: DeVries
Caestus Pax and the Triton Foundation are singled out as
bang potential dupes or d i v e agents of the conspiracy. Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5, Percep-
Additionally, information on the baraka cult’s activities will tion 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Charisma 4, Manipulation
enable characters to trace the cult more readily (two dice
2, Appearance 4
to any Investigation rolls into the cult’s activities). Abilities: Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Biz 1, Command 2,
If these documents fall into the hands of Aberrants, Etiquette 3, Investigation 1, Martial Arts 4, Rapport 2,
Style 3
Directive agents or the like, any Investigation rolls made
against Utopia will gain an additional die. Utopian agents Backgrounds: Backing 3, Cipher 4, Contacts 5, Dor-
who examine the documents may find themselves ques- mancy 3, Followers (agent) 1, Influence 2, Resources 4
tioning the motivationsof the agency, and Utopian higher- Quantum 3, Willpower 7, Taint 2, Quantum Pool 26
ups will want the documents turned over to them as evi- Mega-Attributes: Mega-Strength 2 (Thunderclap),
dence. If Utopia members have befriended Raw1 Orzaiz, Mega-Stamina 3 (Resiliency, Durability), Mega-Wits 2
he may well try to turn them to the side of the Teragen. (Quickness x2, Enhanced Initiative), Mega-Charisma 1

(Dreadful Mien, Awe-Inspiring), Mega-Appearance 1 he’ll shrug and change the subject.
(Sooth) Image: Raphael is a trim 50-year-old man with salt-
Quantum Powers: Force Field 4, Flight 3 and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed moustache. His tai-
l o r d white suits are a trademarkof his around MonteCarlo.
Orzaiz the Elder Roleplaying Hints: You are witty, elegantly blast5
It becomes ‘Iear Won meeting and completely unflappable. Even if threatened (for
Orzaiz Precisely where Raoulgets his charm. whatever reason), you just roll his eyes and sigh mourn-
The distinguished gentleman responds to just about fully; you have had great adventures, known beautiful
everything with a pleasant and a gentle women, reared talented children and traveled to the best
sense of humor. If one or more of the characters are places on Earth, and if
women with Appearance you’re going to die at 50 at
scores above 3, the smil- the hands of some super-
ing older man will shower pup, then so be it.
attention on them - of- Nature: Caregiver
fering them candies, rides Attributes: Strength 2,
in his Jaguar, or dinner - Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Per-
while carefully skirting ception 3, lntelligence 3,
the edge o f lascivious- Wits 2, Appearance 3, Ma-
ness. He believes that nipulation 4, Charisma 5
even women who claim Abilities: Awareness 3,
otherwise deeply enjoy Academics 3, Bureaucracy
being fawned over. It’s an 2, Finance 4, Linguistics 2,
approach that seems t o Arts 2, Rapport 4, Com-
have worked: He has nine mand 1, Etiquette 4 (Social
children by five different Graces)
women, Raoul being the Backgrounds: Allies 4,
oldest (and his favorite). Contacts 5, Influence 3,
Raphael is quite Resources 5
news-savvy and fully aware of his son’s Teragen affili- Willpower 7
ations; he fully believes it’s a phase that Raoul will grow
out of “in the fullness of time.” If pressed on the issue

Author: Kraig Blackwelder
Developer: Robert Hatch
Editor: Brandon Falkenberg
Art Direction: Richard Thomas
Artib: Joe Corroney, Michael Gaydos, David Lynch,
Jeff Rebner, Uko Smith, MelissaUran and Chris Wozniak
Cover Art for Screen: Tom Fleming
Cover Art for Bodc: Jeff Rebner
Layout and Typesetting: Brian Glass

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Sam O'Reilly (order #3062869)
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WW8501 $11

Success and Failure Chart Health Chart
Total Successes Rolled Degree o f Success Health Level Dice/Move Penalty Description
One Standard Bruised 0 You’re slightly batterec
Two Superior -1 Some scrapes and bum
Three Remarkable Injured -1 Minor injuries; noticea
Four Astonishing Wounded -2 You can walk and run, I
Five Phenomenal Maimed -3 A bloody men, y w hd
Difficulty Rating Degree o f Difficulty Crippled -4 You’re severely injured
Zero Standard Incapacitated You lose consciousnes
+I Tough No actions are possiblc
+2 - -
Challenqinq Simply that. Notify the
+3 DiFficult I
c4 Critical
Ranged Weapons Chart

Acc Damage Range Mnv RoF Clip Conc Mass Cost
0.5 **
5d10L 50 AfMsTw 3 7+1 0.5 **
Flechette Rifle +I 6d10L 35 ...e
SMG. Small 0 6d10L 50 AftvEaWw 40 40 l 2.5 e-
c5 6d10L 30 Ms 2 8cl T 3 ..
Damage: Indicates the damage dice pool For the weapon.
Range: This gives the practical shot range in meters.
Mnv: Maneuvers lists the special attacks available to the weapon. EFfects of these maneuvers are listed in the
Combat section. AF = Automatic Fire, Ms c Multiple Shots, Sa = Semiautomatic burst, St = StraFing, Tw = Two
Weapons. Aiming, Cover, Cover Fire and Reloading apply to all weapons.
RoF: This represents the number of shots that can be made in one turn OF combat.
Clip: The number of shots a gun can hold.
Conc: Concealability of the weapon. P = Can be carried in a pocket; J = Can be hidden in a jacket; T = Can be
hidden under a trenchcoat; N = Cannot be hidden on a person at all.
Mass: The weapon’s mass in kilograms.
Cost: Represents the value of the weapon in Resource dots.
. MEGA-STRENGTHCHART
Stupendous: Olympic weightlifters look at you in awe. You deadlift 1000 (one ton) and gain [5] automat
Strength/ Might rolls and close combat damage dice pools.
Amazing: When your movingtruck breaks down, you just pick it up and carry it toyour new home. You deadlift
tons) and gain [lo] automatic successes to Strength/ Might rolls and close combat damage dice pools.
Incredible: You can toss automobiles for blocks. You deadlift 25,000 kg (25 tons) and gain [I51 automati
Strength/ Might rolls and close combat damage dice pools.
Spectacular You can juggle tanks. You deadlift 50,000 kg (50 tons) and gain [20] automatic successes to S
rolls and clae combat damage dice pools.
Godlike: Even other novas are impressed by your physical might. You deadlift 100,000 kg (100 tons) and gain I
successes to Strength/ Might rolls and close combat damage dice pools.

ExperienceChart
Trait- 1 Cost
no penalties. Attribute current rating x 4 Healing Bashing Damage
ously impaired. Ability current rating x 2 HealdlLevel RscOVeryTi~
Background current rating x 2 : Bruisedto Wounded One hour
lot sprint. Mega-Attribute current rating x 5 ’ Maimed Three hours
Quantum Power (Level I) current rating x 3 Crippled Six hours
and wrecked. QuantumPower (Level 2) current rating x 5 Incapacitated 12 houn
ain and trauma. QuantumPower (Level 3) current rating x 7
Healing Lethal Damage
Willpower current rating
Quantum current rating x 8 Health Level Recovwy Time
Quantum Pool 3 per dot Bruised One day
Initiative current rating Hurt . Three days
Injured One week
New Trait CC5t
Wounded One month
Ability 3
I . .(
Specialty three per hili)1 : Maimed Two months
; Crippled Three
Background 2
Enhancement 5 ‘ months
Five months
Mega-Attribute 6
Note that these healing times are for
QuantumPower (Level 1) 3
baseline humans. Allnovas healat least
QuantumPower (Level 2) 6
twice as fast as the times listedon the
Quantum Power (Level 3) 9
charts, and novas with high .Mega-Stamina
NoteAlevdofQmium,M-Mute,hk
heal much faster. See “Mega-Stamina
or quantum power can be bought tainted for half
Chart,” to calculate a nova’s normal
cost (rounded up); however, the nwa immediately
acquires a permanentTaint point, along with all the
associated negative effects.
Melee Weapons Chart

Weapon Type Damage Str Min Str Max Conceal Mass cost
AV .e ..... N .
Club Str+ 4d10B ..e.. 7 e
Knife 5tr + 7rllO I . e.... 1 0 5 ka .

Truck Str + 7/12d10 B Meaa *Mesa
,. <
N IO mtons
Damage: Indicates the damage dice pool For the weapon. Nonstandard weapons (e.g., automobiles)
....
have two damage codes: the lower level should be applied to normal swings; the higher level is
applied when the nova swings at full force, wrecking the vehicle in the process.
Str Min: Indicates the minimum Strength required to use the weapon in question. Characters who do
not possess the indicated level of Strength simply cannot use the weapon effectively.
Str Max:Indicates the maximum Strength at which the weapon can effectively be used. Characters
with higher levels of Strength than indicated will break the weapon on its first use, though they can
!S to “pull” their blows to the Str Max (reducing damage dice pools accordingly) in order not to break the
weapon.
light
Concealment: P = Can be carried in a pocket; J = Can be hidden in a jacket; T = Can be hidden under
a trenchcoat; N = Cannot be hidden on a person at all.
Mass: Indicates the mass of the weapon in kilograms or metric tons.
Cosk Represents the value of the weapon in Resource dots.

MEGA4
X Normal nova metabolism: You're still pretty tough. You soak bashing and lethal damage as normal for your Stamir
.
LiFespan 150+years.
Stupendous: You can go for weeks without sleep, and your healing rates are tripled. Base Resistanceand Endura
extra soak against bashing damage and one extra soak against lethal damage.
Amazing: Torturers despair of breaking you. Your healing rates are Four times faster than a baseline's. Base Resir
character receivestwo extra soak against bashing damage and one extra soak against lethal damage, as well as one extra "
Incredible: Participatingin a few triathlons in a row doesn't even phaseyou. Your healing rates are Fwe times thu
injuries and pain reduce by three. The character receivesthree extra soak against bashing damage and two extra soak aga
Spectacular: Bullets practicaltybounce off your chest, and your healing rates are six times that of a baseline. Bas
character receivesFour extra soak against bashingdamage and two extra soak against lethaldamage, as well as two extra '
Godlike: Missiles practically bounce off your chest. Your healing rates ?re seven times better than any normal hur
reduce by f i e . The Character r e c e i w five extra soak against bashing damage and three extra s&k against lethal damage,
8
"
..
....
Safe Speed: Indicates the safest possible speed (in kilometers per hour) at which t o perform maneuvers in the vehicl
Max Speed: The highest possible speed (in kilometers per hour) for the vehicle. Maneuvers are extremely difficult, il
impossible, at this speed.
Maneuver: The maximum dice pool allowable by the vehicle type. Penalties (Le., damage penalties) should be applied
the character's dice pool before limiting the pool by the maneuver rating.
PassangemThe normal seating capacity of the vehicle.
Armor The protection afforded to passengersof the vehicle. Damage should be soaked by the vehicle before hitting
passengers. The rating in brackets indicates the minimum number of damage successes required to penetrate the
vehicle's armor. This rating is reduced by the damage add indicated for heavy weapons or nova @tacks.
Cost: Represents the value of the weapon in Resource dots.

INA CHART
ur healing rates are doubled. Base Resistanceand Endurance ratings equal 3 each (before allocating any dots into Abilities).
gs of 3 each. Lifespan150+ years. Dice pool penalties due to injuries and pain are reduced by one. The character receivesone
id Enduranceratings equal 3 apiece. Lifespan 150c years. Dice pool penaltiesdue to injuries and pain reduce by two. The
health level.
mnal human, and your base Resistanceand Endurance ratings begin at 4 each. Lifespan 180+years. Dice pool penaltiesdue to
11 damage, as well as one extra “Bruised” health level.
ince and Endurance ratings equal 4 each. Lifespan 200c years. Dice pool penaltiesdue to injuries and pain reduce by Four. The
”health levels.
ur base Resistanceand Endurance ratings equal 5 each. Lifespan 250+ years. Dice pool pgnalties due to injuries and pain
s three extra “Bruised” health levels.
Maneuvw Abilii Accuracy DiRiculty oamage

Aerial Slam Flight Normal +1 Special
Aerial Strike Flight Normal +1 Special
Asphyxiation Bodymorph Normal Normal Special
HypenpeedSlam Brawl Normal +1 Special
HypenpeedSb-ike Brawl, Martial Arts Normal +l Special
Smackdown Brawl, Martial Arts Normal Special Strength c 6

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I World of Dream...

Eerily like our own world, the Aberrant universe of

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To: All ViaSoft recruiters

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To: Sylvie Montaigne, Science & Technology Division, Project Utopia

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To: Jerome Grant, Editor-in-Chief

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Email Memorandum Dated 5/19/08

eading the next several issues. Of everything.

Public Relations Manager,

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- Artist: Jerome was down here in a snit today.

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1. Jennifer “Slider” Landers (Novation 6. Divis Mal (Novation series Vla)

4. Corbin (Novation series Vlb)

2. Geryon (Novation series Vla) 7. Caestus Pax (Novation series Vla)

5. Antaeus (Novation series Vlb)

3. Rob “Superbeast” Steele (Devries,

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N! lntradepartmentalMemo Dated 3/5/03

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From N! Intradepartmental Memo Dated 3/21/08

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Paul Martin: Hello, Amy-from-Waukegan-Illinois, you're on Novaline.

Paul: Okay, thanks f o r t h e question, Amy. Now we go t o Justin in Atlanta. Justin,

Justin: Oh. Yeah, sorry-

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Dear Team Members,

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Your Humble Servant,

EXCERPT FROM PHONE CONVERSATION BEWEEN BISHOP DlONlGl TETTAMANZI,

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common. They want to open up your innocent child’

your kids just l i k e t h e n That‘s just one strateg

you, they love novas even more! So what can you do t

Almighty God. Find out how to protect yourself an

Attend the revival Dhvsically or virtually. There’

Tuley’s efforts. And the child you save, the countr

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I have been receiving.. .questions of late. Many, many questions. ‘ W h o

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Please let me know.

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The first Sephiroth is Kether

The fourth Sephiroth is

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Not only can novas, Gods wrath in the world. It

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