Superiors in the Trinity Continuum Era

[MythAdvocate]

After reading of the Superiors in Aeon Aexpansion, I find myself REALLY wanting to see these dynamic (Dynamorphs?) characters in a more or less modern setting. To do so I am thinking of using further experiments in Flux energy to kick off "mini-eruptions" around the globe. These "Superiors won't be as numerous as Talents nor as world shaking as Novas, but they could easily fit into the world of Trinity Continuum.

ALLEGIANCES
As far as allegiances go, I could see Aeon, Branch 9, and The Transcendent Order to be the most likely to shelter, or create, Superiors. Any of the other allegiances in the Trinity Continuum could also work quite well.

PATH
For modern era Superior characters, Paths are generally Chance Birth, Exposure to Flux, and Violence (see Trinity Continuum pp. 156-158) but any path can be possible.

What do you all think?

[Mateus Luz]

Transcendent Alliance is the perfect way to introduce them to modern times, probably on the Soviet branch, as the American worked more on equipments (cybernetics, IA and mental enhancement).

Going in a more Mission Impossible stile, you could have Aeon, NOER and 9 as agencies that keep them as agents, instead of making them, they just explore Superior capacities on their business (like they do on Talents, for example).

If you avoid the allegiances, you can work then as Super Soldiers or Super Spies working for USA or USSR Governments during the cold war, or as Mercs after it. As they age slowly, they can be still doing their jobs years after the end.

[LordHeru]

Or you could ignore the whole Superiors need to be created element of them and just say some people naturally manifest as Superiors. This would in some ways work as a stopgap measure till Adventure! comes out and we see rules for Stalwarts and Mesmerists and such.

I should note that I am in the same boat as you - I love the Superiors rules so much that I want to use them in a modern setting quite a lot.

[MythAdvocate]

Transcendent Alliance is the perfect way to introduce them to modern times, probably on the Soviet branch, as the American worked more on equipments (cybernetics, IA and mental enhancement).

Going in a more Mission Impossible stile, you could have Aeon, NOER and 9 as agencies that keep them as agents, instead of making them, they just explore Superior capacities on their business (like they do on Talents, for example).

If you avoid the allegiances, you can work then as Super Soldiers or Super Spies working for USA or USSR Governments during the cold war, or as Mercs after it. As they age slowly, they can be still doing their jobs years after the end.

In my home campaign setting(s), I was thinking that further experiments with Flux reactors similar to Hammersmith's Telluric Engine would be the cause of awakening the latent "Homo-Superior" gene. There are so many delightfully nuanced gadgets of this sort to play with. This along with human experimentation programs all make for some great fodder for stories.

As an added bit of fun, Superior super scientists could be behind many of the experiments that brought about their awakening. Even just a handful of Soviet or MK-Ultra supers could keep the program going. As the results are so very hard to predict, these experiments are full of story potential.

[MythAdvocate]

Or you could ignore the whole Superiors need to be created element of them and just say some people naturally manifest as Superiors. This would in some ways work as a stopgap measure till Adventure! comes out and we see rules for Stalwarts and Mesmerists and such.

I should note that I am in the same boat as you - I love the Superiors rules so much that I want to use them in a modern setting quite a lot.

I think a mix would be good, leaving room to wiggle. For my own use, I would have them be mostly "wild" awakenings, taking place as a result of experiments in Flux energy (The Large Hadron Collider, experimental Fusion Reactors, and other high energy devices). Allegiances in this case would be the groups who are most likely to find and employ them. Perhaps some experimental treatments helped kick off and aim the awakening, but for the most part, it would be a crap shoot. Worst case scenarios could make all kinds of crazy monsters.

What is a good name for modern Superiors? Stalwart is a fun term, but doesn't feel right for our age. Metahuman has a nice feel to it. I could go with Superior (Homo Superior having a strong transhuman feel).

[Dataweaver]

Just call them Transhumans.

[MythAdvocate]

Just call them Transhumans.

I like the term "transhuman", but not as a catchall. Though certainly a potential objective and point of plot conflict.

For my own use, I think I will stick with Superior as the catchall. Metahuman, Transhuman, Overmen, Superbright, Human Enhancement and other terms being thrown about by one group or another.

[johntfs]

I like the term "transhuman", but not as a catchall. Though certainly a potential objective and point of plot conflict.

For my own use, I think I will stick with Superior as the catchall. Metahuman, Transhuman, Overmen, Superbright, Human Enhancement and other terms being thrown about by one group or another.

Assuming Cybernetics is still a thing with them, how about Enhanciles?

[MythAdvocate]

Assuming Cybernetics is still a thing with them, how about Enhanciles?

Cybernetics in the Modern Trinity Continuum era would make for a cool supplement. Such wondrous gadgets might make for Powered or Enhanced Edges. As such they would certainly be available to Talent and Superior characters.

As for the "Enhanciles" term, I think that might not hit the right note for a catchall. It would be a cool term for a cybernetic system though.

[No One of Consequence]

I could see a number of possible angles for this sort of thing in a TC game.
As mentioned, there's the government sponsored super solider project idea, both WW2 era Captain America type things and Cold War efforts, and even more modern ones. This probably works best with characters working for 9, Archangel, Neptune, and possibly Alert Status 1 or the Theseus Club.
The idea of scientifically created supermen goes back a ways. Hugo Danner from The Gladiator was the result of his father's efforts to create a superior being, and a similar origin was used for Doc Savage. Alan Moore used it with his Tom Strong character as well. Given the time frame, these scientists were clearly inspired by certain turn of the century concepts of eugenics, and that puts it in the same sort of world as HG Welles's The Island of Dr. Moreau, offering the rather interesting idea of uplifted animals as a form of Superior. One could even run this back as far as Mary Shelly's Frankenstein with the idea of an alchemical superhuman. This sort of thing works well with the Transcendent Alliance, as well as Aeon, Triton and Neptune, as well as NOER, The Theseus Club, and the Lightkeepers.
Then there's the idea of scientific accidents leading to mutations. The TV version of The Incredible Hulk is a really good example for this, IMO. Aeon, Triton, NOER, the Lightkeepers, and the Transcendent Alliance would probably fit well with this.
And finally there's the exposure to something outside of what we know. Some sort of ancient "mystical" or alien artifact - or even abduction and experimentation by aliens - may change an individual into something more than human. This, I think, is a good one for the Global Cartography Initiative, as well as Aeon.

[MythAdvocate]

I could see a number of possible angles for this sort of thing in a TC game.
As mentioned, there's the government sponsored super solider project idea, both WW2 era Captain America type things and Cold War efforts, and even more modern ones. This probably works best with characters working for 9, Archangel, Neptune, and possibly Alert Status 1 or the Theseus Club.
The idea of scientifically created supermen goes back a ways. Hugo Danner from The Gladiator was the result of his father's efforts to create a superior being, and a similar origin was used for Doc Savage.

Doc Savage and Hugo Danner were some of my initial thoughts on modern-ish Superiors. That and Hugo Hercules and Khan Noonien Singh (the 1967 version).

[No One of Consequence]

I forgot about bionics/cybernetics as a possibility. I'm completely blanking on the name of the early 20th century French character with the artificial heart that was in the later parts of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, as well as the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman, and the more modern take in something like Upgrade. Possibly even the full android concept, from stuff like Mann & Machine and other "cop gets android partner" shows.

[Penelope]

Mateus Luz I agree with you, so I Liked your post

MythAdvocate what about Paranormals?

[MythAdvocate]

Mateus Luz I agree with you, so I Liked your post

MythAdvocate what about Paranormals?

I like the sound of "Paranormals" in relation to supers. Parahumans also has a powerful zing to it.

[Mateus Luz]

I would go for Paragons. They are human with a bit more, but nothing really supernatural, they are Just extremely good in what humans can possibly do.