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CHAPTER SIX: POWERS AND ABILITIES 180

Quantum 180Quantum Points 180

Mega-Attributes 183Acquiring Mega-Attributes 183Mega-Attributes and Scale 183Mega-Intellect 183Mega-Cunning 184Mega-Resolve 184Mega-Might 184Mega-Dexterity 184Mega-Stamina 185Mega-Presence 185Mega-Manipulation 186Mega-Composure 186

Mega-Edges 186Acquiring Mega-Edges 186

Accuracy (• to •••••) 186Adaptation (•) 186Animal Mastery (• or ••) 187Body Modification (• to •••••) 187Calming Composure (•) 188Compelling Presence (••) 188Defense (• to ••••• ••••) 189Dense Flesh (• to ••••• ••••) 189Detection (• to •••••) 189Digital Manipulation (• to •••••) 189Digital Scan (•) 189Dreadful Presence (•) 189Fast Worker (••) 190Foresight (•) 190Homunculus (•) 190Hypnotic Presence (•) 190Immediate Connection (•) 190Immunity (•) 191Instant Expert (•) 191Instant Influence (•) 191Inventor (••) 191Mass Influence (• to •••••) 191Mastermind (•) 191Mega-Crush (•) 191Mega-Hearing (•) 192Mega-Lifting (•) 192Mega-Scent (•) 192Mega-Speed (•) 192Mega-Vision (•) 192Micro-Manipulation (•) 193Mind Over Matter (•) 193Movement Mode (• to •••••) 193Multitasking (•) 193

Overwhelming Denial (•) 193Perfectionist (••) 194Pretercognition (•) 194Prodigy (•) 194Prolific (• to •••••) 194Q-Tech (• to ••••• ••••) 194Quantum Conversion (•) 195Quantum Leap (•) 195Quantum Sense (•) 195Quickness (•) 195Rapid Strike (•) 195Regeneration (•) 195Resourceful (••) 195Revealing Composure (•) 196Revealing Read (•) 196Scanning Sense (• to •••) 196Sensory Shield (•) 196Shockwave (•) 196Spectrum Vision (•) 196Subtle Presence (•) 196Telecommunication (•) 196Technique (• to •••••) 197Technologist (••) 197Telepresence (•) 197Thunderclap (•) 197Toughness (• to ••••• ••••) 197Ultraperipherial Perception (•) 198Universal Translator (•) 198

Quantum Powers 198Acquiring Quantum Powers 198Power Tags 199

Impose Only (0) 202Using Quantum Powers 204Power Descriptions 206

Absorption 207Boost 208Cloak 209Density 209Elemental Mastery 210Environmental Anima 210Flight 210Growth 212Healing 212Illusion 213Molecular Chameleon 213Molecular Manipulation 214Morph 214Phasing 215Plasticity 215Quantum Agent 216Quantum Anima 218Quantum Attack 219Quantum Aura 219

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Quantum Construct 219Quantum Deflection 220Quantum Disruption 220Quantum Field 221Quantum Imprint 221Quantum Leech 222Remote Perception 222Shrinking 222Shroud 223Teleport 223Transformation 224Transmutation 224Warp 225

CHAPTER SEVEN: TECHNOLOGY 228

Bleeding Edge Design 228Core-Tech 229

Hyperfusion 230Eufiber 230Materials and Construction 230Transport 231Health and Living 231

Nova-tech 231Q-tech 232Nova Devices 232

Nova Super-Science 233Nova Crafting 233Mega-Crafting 234

Intrinsic 236Modular 236

Crafting Q-Tech Costs 236Shifting the Paradigm 238

Quantum Technology 240Attunement 240Activating Q-tech 240Using Q-tech 241New Nova-technology Flaws 242

Costly to Run 242Difficult to Repair 242Expensive Attunement 242Hard to Use 242Imprecise 242Kickstart Required 242Slow Activation/Deactivation 242Slow Attunement 243Temporary Attunement 243

CHAPTER EIGHT: STORYGUIDING 246

Choosing a Tone 246

Choosing a Subgenre 247Celebrity 247Crime-Fighting 248Espionage 249Horror 249Politics 249Rescue Operations 249Social Commentary 250Space Exploration 250Special Ops 250

Creating Scenarios 250When Scenarios Go Bad 251Power and Responsibility 252

Handling Powers 252Changing the World 254Evoking Sacrifice 255

Making Sacrifice Meaningful 256Allegiances 256

Mixed Allegiance Campaigns 256Campaigns Without Allegiances 257

CHAPTER NINE: OPPONENTS AND ALLIES 260

Baselines 260Executive 260Expert 260Security 261Soldier 261

Organized Crime 261The Yakuza 262

Criminal 263Kuro-Tek 263

Kuro-Tek Operative 263Nova Cults 264

Church of the Immanent Eschaton 264Church of Michael Archangel 264Cult of Mal 264Kamisama Buddhism 265

Cultist 265Enhanced Baselines 265

Mite Bruiser 265Speed Junkie 266Cyber-Soldier 266Exo-Suit 266

Nonhuman Antagonists 267Robot 267Drone 267Tiger 268Cloned Dinosaur 268

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Nova Antagonists 268Terat 268Aberrant 269Elite 269

Talent and Psiad Antagonists 270Commando 270Super-Spy 270Psychic 270Kinetic 271

CHAPTER TEN: SETTING SECRETS 274

The Secret History of the Inspired 274N-Day 274

Divis Mal 275Maxwell Mercer 276Dr. Krona Bush 277The Æon Society 277

Project Proteus 278The Teragen 278The São Paulo Blast 279

An Accident 279A Black Operation 279An Eruption 279An Invasion 279N-Day Plus One 280Terrorism 280

The Future and the Aberrant War 280The Utopia-Teragen Conflict 280The Teragen Purge 281Interstellar Colonization 282

Future Shock 282The Aberrant War 282

APPENDIX: NOVA QUICK CREATION 284

Archetypes 285Elemental 286Fighter 287Genius 288Morph 289Mover 290Paragon 291Performer 292Sneak 293Summoner 294Tank 295Examples 296

Dr. Phantom 296Vector 296

Skills 298Attributes 298Quantum 298Transcendence 298Path Contacts 298Aspirations 298Edges 299Mega Edges 299Armor 299Quantum Powers 299Injury Conditions 299Specialties/Skill Tricks 299

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8 PREFACE

I’ve been passionate about superheroes for 45 years. My license plate holder says “Metropolis: City of Tomorrow” and, where the car once read “Eco-Boost,” is emblazoned with “Superman Edition.” When my wife and I went on our first date I asked her, “Who would win in a fight: Superman or Thor?” (We’re married today, so, right answer.) I petitioned the phone company so the last four digits of my cell number would read KAL L. I sometimes yell “SHAZAM,” you know, just to see. Passionate may be an understatement, but it wasn’t always as acceptable to fly your superhero flag as it is today.

These characters represent something I’ve al-ways connected with on a very fundamental level, something I wish there was more of in the world: altruism. With their powers they could easily rule the planet, but instead they sacrifice any chance at a normal life. Why? Because their calling is larger than that. Whether the threat is a bully, a shady government group, a gang of super villains, or an extraterrestrial armada fixated on wiping us out, these heroes choose to stand up to it. That message is very important to me, and I try to instill it in my own children. Just help; wherever you can, when-ever you can, whomever you can.

Nerds hadn’t won the war yet when I was a kid. I was routinely picked on for my love of comics, Star Trek, and the like. There was no internet to find like-minded fans, no Borg-like social media collec-tive. That meant I had to decide: keep my passion hidden or embrace my love of the genre publicly. I chose the latter and, while I didn’t go on a lot of dates, that sacrifice let me be true to myself. In fact, I felt like a superhero fighting the good fight; sac-rificing for the bigger picture. My school peers lat-er congratulated me for it; my yearbooks are filled with opening greetings like “Hey Captain Kirk,” “What’s up, Batman?” and “To Super-Dave.”

There’s also another aspect to superheroes that shouldn’t be overlooked, and that’s pure escapism.

It’s the part that tickles our child-brain’s sense of wonder and imagination. Flight, immeasurable speed, invulnerability, the manipulation of Earthly and cosmic forces. Reading these books, it’s im-possible not to imagine that we are in possession of these powers. Every Wednesday (new comic book day for the uninitiated), I’m eager to step foot through the doorway that transports me into these worlds. Once there, I’m the hero. After reading each book, I’m also charged up and left wanting more. I crave a deeper connection.

For anyone who has felt the need to connect to these amazing universes, you know just how palpa-ble it can be. After the attacks on the World Trade Center, an article in Vanity Fair observed that for weeks following the violence it was hard not to find a child in New York who wasn’t wearing a superhe-ro shirt. That’s a powerful message. We want heroes to be out there, fighting on our behalf, and drap-ing ourselves in their emblems can be a quick fix. Another is to watch movies and television shows, which is passive at best. To further make that con-nection, we play video games, allowing us to manip-ulate our favorite heroes on screen. We play minia-ture tabletop games to manifest these well-known characters in chess–like battles. We play deckbuild-ing card games that offer yet another outlet to step into the world of the superhero.

I often wonder if, granted similar amazing abil-ities, I could adopt a life of heroism and make the kinds of sacrifices my favorite characters make. The answer is no, of course, but that’s why I read comics: they’re aspirational. The problem is, none of these video games or books offer the real scratch for that aspirational itch. We get to ride along with our heroes, but we’re never fully immersed in their worlds. What if there were a magic lamp that let you be the hero?

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant is that magic lamp. It’s got the intricately-woven world of high adventure

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that should accompany any superhero saga, along with a real-world formula where public perceptions shape the narrative, political responses help and hin-der, secret government agencies prepare for the worst, and consequences for decisions you make carry real weight. RPGs give us a unique opportunity to explore not only the concepts of good and evil, but the hu-man experience as a whole. This isn’t following some pop-culture hero in a pre-written story, this is you as your own hero, building the story as you go.

Finally, it’s no coincidence I reference “sacrifice” more than once. The world of the superhero is full of action, heroics, and triumph. Like any great story though, there must be equal doses of obstacles, trag-edy, and defeat. Aberrant strives to hit that balance

and delivers. Trouble may come in the shape of mi-nor setbacks that dog your character, forcing you to think for solutions on the fly. Other circumstances will demand agonizing decisions, compelling you to save some over others. You may also find yourself following in the footsteps of legendary Aberrant characters like the Fireman; making the ultimate sacrifice in the name of idealism.

Can you juggle your secret identity while making life-and-death decisions? Which powers will you be armed with in the fight for justice? What sacrifices will you make for the good of your fellow human be-ings? Let’s find out. Evil is on the march. Don your costume. Shout your magic word. Prepare your util-ity belt. It’s time to save the world!

Dave Rossi

Associate Producer for Star Trek, and Superman enthusiast

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