TEXT: D e v i l ' s  w o r k s h o p  P r e s e n t s
  godlike
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  Written By Leon Collins II
  3.5 SYSTEM COMPATIBLE
  LPJ9788
  
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  what is  
  "Chaos Effects"
  Chaos Effects is a new line of roleplaying game supple-
  ments that offers guidelines for integrating major story 
  events into superheroic adventure campaigns. Chaos 
  Effects are not system-dependent. Each supplement can 
  easily be dropped into any standard superhero game. As a 
  result, the supplements are somewhat light in the way of 
  rules information. The story, not the gaming system, is the 
  focus of Chaos Effects. 
  Godlike
  Godlike is a Chaos Effects supplement introducing a 
  major story event that greatly enhances a character’s 
  super-abilities, with sobering consequences. In the early 
  stages of the arc, the character appears to be in control of 
  her new powers, or at the very least, capable of learning 
  control, but as time wears on, the situation worsens. The 
  character’s newfound abilities affect such profound change 
  in her that her allies, even her closest friends, may no 
  longer recognize her. As her powers continue to grow, 
  her self-control dwindles, and her very humanity suffers. 
  When, in a fit of madness, she steps over the line, using 
  her newfound powers to commit some heinous crime, the 
  other characters must decide whether their teammate is 
  capable (or even worthy) of redemption. 
  Control is an important theme in the Godlike storyline. 
  Without control, power is an extremely dangerous thing. A 
  man with godlike powers and no control is little more than 
  a force of nature, a random stroke of lightning. In order to 
  maintain his sanity, he must struggle daily to be something 
  more than a receptacle for power. 
  Love is another important theme. This does not necessarily 
  refer to romantic love, as it also encompasses the familial 
  sense of camaraderie that comes with a past of shared joys 
  and hardships. As the campaign wears on, the characters’ 
  relationships with one another might be sorely tested, 
  particularly when it comes time to decide how to handle 
  the godlike character.   
  The final important concept in a Godlike storyline is that 
  of sacrifice. It is this concept that holds the others together. 
  Everything comes at a price, and sometimes, ultimate 
  power demands the ultimate sacrifice. The choices the 
  characters make will determine the final outcome.   
  The Godlike supplement gives advice for running a 
  campaign in which a character is suddenly endowed with 
  immense power. It also provides insight as to managing 
  the potential effects on the game, the other characters, and 
  the world at large.  
  Using Godlike
  Godlike is broken down into six chapters. The first, 
  Preparing, describes the process of setting up the story-
  line, both in and out of the game. Here, the game master 
  will find advice for choosing a desirable receptacle for the 
  godlike power and predicting its potential effects on the 
  other characters and their players. Campaign Integration 
  contains hints for ensuring the smooth transition of the 
  storyline into the campaign world. Here, the campaign 
  premise and basic plot outline are provided in general 
  terms.  Archetypes is a chapter meant to help the game 
  master classify the characters in the campaign, so as to 
  better interpret and predict their behavior. The Nature 
  of the Power describes a number of classifications and 
  uses for powers that might turn up in the storyline, with 
  particular attention given to the powers and abilities of 
  the godlike receptacle. Non-Player Characters contains 
  a number of character concepts for use in the campaign, 
  either as allies or antagonists. Adventure and Plot Hooks 
  presents a few potential adventure hooks, complications, 
  and campaign events concerning the Godlike storyline.  
  Sidebars are included throughout the supplement, with 
  advice on possible game mechanics and examples of 
  the chapter material in the context of actual gameplay. 
  These sidebars are intended to serve as campaign aids, 
  inspirations, or warnings to game masters hoping to run a 
  Godlike campaign. If nothing else, they can provide inter-
  esting diversions for a casual reader.
  Important Concepts
  Certain terms will be used repeatedly in this supplement, 
  and the following entries are intended to aid readers who 
  feel it might be beneficial to learn what exactly they mean 
  in the context of this work.
  Control – Control refers to a receptacle character’s ability 
  to use and control the Power. Control is measured in 
  grades, from tight control to no control, where the latter 
  sees the character completely overcome by her Dark 
  Half. Control is described in further detail in Campaign 
  Integration. 
  Dark Half – The Dark Half is the malicious, uncontrolled 
  side of the receptacle that slowly eclipses the her person-
  
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  ality. As the magnitude of her powers increases, the recep-
  tacle’s personality fades, and the Dark Half takes over, 
  committing terrible acts through her. The Dark Half may 
  be a previously-repressed personality, a possessing spirit, 
  an overwhelming, yet natural, arrogance, the stereotypical 
  murderous “voices,” or something else entirely. It is not 
  the receptacle, but her Dark Half that is the enemy in the 
  Godlike storyline, and the characters’ discovery of this 
  fact is a significant aspect of the story. The Dark Half is 
  described in further detail in Archetypes. 
  Power – The Power is the generic term for the abilities 
  wielded by the receptacle. Its type, scale, descriptors, and 
  capabilities are determined by the game master before 
  play. The Power only refers to the receptacle’s newfound 
  large-scale abilities, those which she did not possess 
  before the start of the storyline. The Power generally has a 
  name, appropriate to its Source, potential, and capabilities. 
  More details on the Power can be found in The Nature of 
  the Power. 
  Receptacle – The receptacle is the character endowed with 
  a Power. Whether she is a player character or non-player 
  character, she should be associated in some way with the 
  player characters, either as a contact, friend, teammate, or 
  some combination of the three.
  Scale – The scale of a receptacle’s Power is essentially the 
  maximum area her effect descriptions can influence. In 
  other words, it encompasses a Power’s area of effect.  
  Source – The Source is, predictably enough, the source 
  of the receptacle’s Power. It might be a sentient entity, an 
  energy form, a special dimension, or a pseudomystical 
  language pattern. The Source is introduced to the recep-
  tacle character at the beginning of the storyline, and its 
  incredible, alien power is the root of the problem posed by 
  the Dark Half.     
  Chapter One: Preparing
  Before beginning any major story event, it is important for 
  a game master to know exactly what to expect from her 
  story, her players, and herself. While a poorly prepared 
  game can be fun with the right group, it can also be 
  
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  outright disastrous. This chapter aims to help the game 
  master plan ahead, so that her campaign runs as smoothly 
  as possible. 
  Knowing the Players
  Undoubtedly, the players are the most important parts of 
  any roleplaying game. Their enjoyment is every bit as 
  important as the game master’s, and given the traditional 
  roleplaying game’s power structure, as well as the wide 
  variations in individual tastes and preferences, they are 
  often much harder to please. For this reason, it is impor-
  tant that a game master interested in introducing a Godlike 
  storyline take into account how her players might react. 
  There are a number of ways in which she might go about 
  introducing the event. 
  First, she may choose to go over the Godlike arc with the 
  players, putting out in the open exactly what the campaign 
  entails, her expectations of them, and theirs of the game. 
  She may also be inclined to point out potential roleplaying 
  opportunities and challenges, taking into account their 
  characters’ relationships with one another and the world at 
  large. For example, she could point out the potential strain 
  it might put on the already tumultuous relationship of 
  two romantically involved characters when one suddenly 
  develops world-shattering telekinetic powers influenced by 
  his rapidly deteriorating emotional state. 
  Although some might consider this a sort of “hand-
  holding” gameplay style, it does work well for troupes 
  with players new to roleplaying, as it allows novice 
  gamers to plan certain actions, reactions, dialogs, mono-
  logues, and dramatic events in advance so that there is less 
  pressure for on-the-spot decisions and less risk of prob-
  lematic decisions or missed roleplaying opportunities. This 
  option is also beneficial if the game master is not certain 
  that the group is ready to run in the Godlike arc, as might 
  be the case if the players feel they have enough going on 
  with other story elements and would rather focus on tying 
  up previously-established loose ends before embarking 
  on a new, complex story. Finally, potential problems can 
  be anticipated. If a player already feels slighted, ignored, 
  or cheated somehow, freely handing godlike power to 
  another character and revolving an entire campaign arc 
  around her might create undue strain in the group. Due to 
  the increased power scale involved, as well as the required 
  focus on a single character, the game master is encouraged 
  to ensure that player tensions are at a low and manageable 
  level before initiating the Godlike storyline. This is partic-
  ularly important in novice groups. 
  ...Or Forever Hold Your Peace
  It is at the initial stages of the Godlike campaign that the 
  game master should go over the scale of the receptacle 
  character’s Power with her player. Even if the desired stor-
  yline involves the character, and thus the player, learning 
  the particulars of her abilities as play goes on, by the time 
  play begins, she needs to know approximately how great 
  an area she can affect, how many people can be targeted 
  at once by her abilities, and whether or not these qualities 
  might change. This helps to reduce the chances of prob-
  lems later, when it is time for the player to describe her 
  character’s use of her Power; if the game master has to 
  “veto” effect after effect, she probably hasn’t explained the 
  scale of the character’s Power very well. 
  Instead of giving details to everyone, the game master 
  might just talk over the general premise of the Godlike arc 
  with the player whose character is the intended receptacle 
  for the Power. This option works well enough for more 
  mature or experienced groups. In this case, the player of 
  the receptacle has some idea of what is going on, and her 
  character can react accordingly. By discussing the matter 
  with the player, the game master lessens the chances of 
  that player feeling her character is being unnecessarily 
  tampered with, singled out, or “picked on” when things 
  begin to unravel for her. Furthermore, the character can 
  be prepared for the possibility of a tragic ending to the 
  storyline, in which her character might be jailed or killed. 
  This gives the player a chance to contest certain possible 
  endings, voicing her own opinions of how far she’s willing 
  to let the story drive her character. 
  The other players are, for the most part, left in the dark as 
  to the situation, which allows for a degree of excitement 
  and mystery that many gaming groups enjoy. This way, 
  their awe, confusion, and interest should ideally mirror 
  that of their characters. The magnitude and general direc-
  tion of the campaign need not be a secret; the receptacle’s 
  player just has more knowledge of the big picture than the 
  other players. This can be accomplished by meeting sepa-
  rately with the receptacle’s player, perhaps before or after 
  sessions or through some other method of correspondence, 
  such as email. 
  Finally, the game master might choose to spring the 
  Godlike arc on the group without warning. This option 
  is recommended only for relatively experienced groups, 
  and even then, it may be beneficial to drop hints as to the 
  nature of the situation beforehand. This method further 
  enhances the excitement and novelty of the Godlike story 
  arc, at the possible expense of group harmony. The game 
  master should really know her players before attempting 
  
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  to use this option, as it is a potential powder keg, where 
  players can feel alternately changed, ignored, overshad-
  owed, picked on, screwed over, and railroaded. The game 
  master should always be on the lookout for signs of resent-
  ment, helplessness, or frustration and be prepared to deal 
  with them with sensitivity and encouragement.  If players 
  start to roll their eyes, throw their hands in the air, or shrug 
  noncommittally when it is time for action (or, frankly, at 
  any time), the game master should be prepared to adjust 
  accordingly, either by coming out and giving more infor-
  mation about the intended storyline, or by being willing to 
  make concessions to keep frustrated players happy. 
  Knowing the Characters
  It is advisable to consider one’s characters when planning 
  any major campaign event. The characters, particularly the 
  receptacle’s character, should influence the nature of the 
  Power to be introduced. The game master should ensure 
  that the Power fits well enough into the game’s setting, the 
  appropriate characters’ roles, and the players’ play styles to 
  make for an interesting, complex gaming experience. The 
  characters’ values, temperament, and motivation should all 
  have a significant effect on the story and their roles in it. 
  For example, a Power involving spontaneous matter 
  creation and manipulation would better serve a hedonistic, 
  roguish thrillseeker character than an unimaginative and 
  grim avenger of the night. Where the latter hero might use 
  the Power to create weapons, prisons for evildoers, and 
  possibly havens, the former can use the Power to create 
  and indulge in a wide variety of pleasures, from perfectly-
  molded, scantily clad (or unclad) exotic women to great 
  pleasure palaces stocked with fragrant, expensive wines. 
  When deciding which character will be a receptacle for a 
  given Power, the game master should consider very care-
  fully the character’s tendencies and potential to use the 
  Power. 
  Other characters can also influence the game master’s 
  choice in Power and receptacle. A game master interested 
  in providing an opportunity for rivalry between characters, 
  for example, might choose a somewhat unpopular char-
  acter, such as the team’s obnoxious hotshot, bestial loner, 
  or angst-ridden whiner, to be the receptacle, while a game 
  master desiring to emphasize a sense of genuine fear, loss, 
  or fear of loss in the storyline would do better to empower 
  a particularly well-liked character whom the others will be 
  loathe to see harmed in any way.
  Do It Yourself
  The default assumption in this product is that one of the 
  player characters takes on the role of the receptacle for 
  a Power. Much of the advice for Power usage and char-
  acter development assumes that the receptacle is a player 
  character. This need not be the case, however. If the game 
  master feels more comfortable taking on the role herself, 
  or if she does not feel that any of her players will do so 
  enthusiastically (or effectively), she might instead decide 
  to make the receptacle a non-player character ally or 
  teammate of the players. This puts a bit more pressure 
  on the game master, but might allow for smoother game-
  play in the end. The NPC receptacle can be used either as 
  described in this supplement or as a simple plot device.
  More information on the roleplaying potential of different 
  sorts of characters can be found in Archetypes. 
  Chapter Two:  
  Campaign Integration
  The Godlike storyline is intended to help gaming groups 
  emulate story elements involving the onset of immense 
  power, such as those found in numerous popular story-
  lines, from The Uncanny X-Men to Green Lantern to 
  Akira. It is not, however, always easy to plan for every 
  eventuality in a campaign, nor is it easy to have a set of 
  specific events appropriate for all settings and play styles. 
  This section is intended to provide the game master with a 
  set of story guidelines that are modular and can be used in 
  most, if not all, settings. 
  Power Scale
  Under narrative-based Power rules, it is important to estab-
  lish a receptacle’s Power scale. This represents the area she 
  may affect with her abilities. Power scale is completely 
  up to the game master, but it generally falls within one of 
  four categories: immediate, local, regional, or global. Each 
  category is briefly described below.   
  Immediate: The Power generally only functions against 
  targets in her immediate area, no more than a few hundred 
  feat, and possibly as little as 30 feet. 
  Local: The Power can possibly affect a city-sized area, 
  perhaps affecting everyone within city limits or manipu-
  lating or creating an object the size of a city.
  Regional: The Power can affect a huge area, possibly the 
  size of some countries. 
  Global: The Power can affect entire planets, possibly rear-
  ranging continents or changing the composition of the 
  seas. 
  
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  It should be noted that even lower-scaled Powers can have 
  large-scale effects. A character with a regional-area Power 
  can wreak worldwide havoc with a single Texas-sized 
  meteor.
  The Premise
  The Godlike storyline involves the endowment of some 
  great Power on a character, a receptacle, in a superhero 
  campaign. As a result, this receptacle gains new, impres-
  sive abilities to which she, her allies, and the the world at 
  large must adjust. Over time, her abilities, begin to mature, 
  and her powers grow. Her self control, however, falters, 
  whether due to the toll great power exacts on the mind or 
  to the inability for any mere human to contain such energy. 
  The end result, whatever the rationale, is that the recep-
  tacle is plagued by certain inconsistencies, particularly in 
  relation to her abilities and personality traits. As her lapses 
  become more frequent (and more costly), she is inevitably 
  branded a menace. Other forces, good and evil, mobilize, 
  uniting to neutralize the threat posed by the character. Her 
  companions are left with the unenviable choice of whether 
  to stand by her side or turn against her for the sake of the 
  world. This is the core of the Godlike storyline.  
  The Power
  The Power is a catch-all term for the massive-scale 
  abilities bestowed upon a receptacle at the start of the 
  Godlike storyline. Every Power has some unifying motif 
  that should, in some way, be tailored to the abilities and 
  characteristics of the receptacle. It is essentially a theme, 
  often related to a form of energy or an extreme version 
  of a lesser super-power. The game master, not the player, 
  creates and defines the receptacle’s Power. This allows the 
  game master to tailor its scope, scale, and concept to fit 
  the setting and desired story direction. 
  The abilities provided by the Power are primarily narra-
  tive. It does not just add new super-powers to a character’s 
  abilities. The defining quality of a Power is its ability 
  to affect things in numerous ways on a large scale. A 
  Power does not generally manifest solely as additional, 
  comparatively mundane, super-powers, such as flight or 
  energy projection. Nor is it simply an enhancement to such 
  powers. While certainly impressive, the ability to topple a 
  skyscraper or a mountain with a disintegration beam does 
  not constitute godlike power. Similarly, a character who 
  can read minds from across the world is “just” a powerful 
  
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  telepath. Even simple masteries of energy forms do not 
  necessarily qualify. 
  The Power is less a sphere of influence than it is a vehicle 
  for manipulating reality. Its capabilities are not confined 
  to a single sphere of mastery or influence; rather, it can be 
  used to do anything dramatically appropriate, provided the 
  player and game master have the necessary imagination. 
  An appropriate Power, for example, might be described as 
  “null energy,” capable of negating or nullifying anything, 
  from gravity (which could allow for effects as simple as 
  flight or complex as metropolis theft) to emotional states 
  (which could be used to dissipate an individual’s love for 
  his wife or eliminate all fear in an entire city) to others’ 
  powers (which could allow a receptacle to rob other 
  heroes and villains of their superhuman abilities, perhaps 
  on a continental scale!).
  The Power’s uses are tied tightly to its concept, so it is 
  important for the game master to clearly express to the 
  character the narrative limitations of the Power’s effects. 
  For example, it is important for the character to know her 
  scale, or how large an area her powers can affect. Can she 
  influence an entire continent? A planet? A city? The scale 
  will depend greatly on the game master’s desires for the 
  story. A character with an energy-based, continent-span-
  ning Power could conceivably put all of Africa or South 
  America to the torch, which could have massive, possibly 
  unforeseen, ecological effects on the rest of the world. 
  While appropriate for many campaigns, such drastic 
  changes could alter the tone of the game forever. The 
  game master is encouraged to consider carefully the poten-
  tial galactic, global, and local consequences when deciding 
  on a scale for a receptacle’s Power. 
  Power Use
  A receptacle’s Power is far and away more impressive than 
  abilities available in most superhero roleplaying games, 
  and as such, it might be helpful for the game master to 
  “model” it differently. A Power can be handled in a couple 
  of ways, depending on the desires of the game master and 
  the specifics of the gaming system involved. 
  Power Use: Ability Pool
  The more complicated method has the game master 
  develop a set of rotating abilities available to the recep-
  tacle when she taps her Power. These abilities are defined 
  in terms of the gaming system, often in the form of 
  immensely high-leveled or advanced versions of the super-
  powers presented in those rulebooks that ignore most level 
  caps and limitations established for game balance. The 
  receptacle can then access this extra “pool” of expanded 
  powers any time she taps her Power. Although it makes 
  for decent compatibility, this method is somewhat limiting 
  in that the powers in a given gaming system may not 
  always match up with what a player wants her supposedly 
  “godlike” character to do. Also, in crunch-heavy games, 
  this can be quite cumbersome, as the game master might 
  need to come up with a huge set of fairly comprehensive 
  abilities for the character.  
  Example: Terrence, the game master, has decided that 
  Lady Lazar, a ghostly, undead avenger in his campaign, 
  will be the receptacle for a Power called the Long Silence. 
  The Long Silence, in Terrence’s mind, is a mystical 
  energy field powered by the accumulated deaths that 
  have occurred in a given area. He sets to defining it in 
  terms of the HeroMesh Roleplaying Game, which he 
  and his players are currently using. The HeroMesh rule-
  book has such impressive and appropriate super-powers 
  as Alternate Form, Animate Dead, Blast, Fear Aura, 
  Manipulate (Object), Obscure Sound, and Resurrection, 
  using a numeric rating between 1 and 20 to measure 
  powers. He decides that Lady Lazar has each of these 
  powers at a rating of 18 and makes some modifications for 
  range (basically bending the rules to allow her to affect 
  her entire scale, which, Terrence has already decided, 
  will be regional). When the Lady’s player decides to tap 
  the receptacle’s full Power, she can access these powers 
  in addition to those she already possesses. Also, Terrence 
  decides, with a good explanation and a solid description, 
  she can substitute any of these powers for equal ratings in 
  other appropriate super-powers in the HeroMesh rulebook, 
  though doing so tires her. He opts to explain this to Lady 
  Lazar’s player over coffee on Wednesday before beginning 
  the storyline that weekend.  
  Power Use: Narrative-Based
  If the previously-mentioned Ability Pool method sounds 
  undesirable, the game master might choose to make the 
  effects of the receptacle’s Power narrative-based, where 
  the individual playing the character (whether it be a player 
  or the game master) describes the effects of her own 
  Power, provided the descriptions are within the bounds 
  of the Power’s scale and given in terms of its concept. 
  Although at first, this method may seem almost ridicu-
  lously permissive, it does limit the Power to the player’s 
  imagination and descriptive talents. In order to achieve a 
  desired effect, the player must be able to describe what 
  she wants to do using terminology related to her Power’s 
  concept. This is why it is so important for the game master 
  to go over the Power and its scale with the receptacle’s 
  player. Essentially, the character becomes capable of 
  nearly any effect, provided she can justify it. 
  
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  The game master decides on a basic, artificial “score” or 
  “level” for the Power, however, to better judge others’ 
  ability to resist certain effects (such as mind control, 
  energy blasts, and body modifications). This score 
  primarily applies to important characters (particularly 
  player characters), who should always stand some chance 
  of resisting or avoiding the effects of a Power. When a 
  Power is used against such characters, it should be treated 
  as an appropriate effect or power detailed in the gaming 
  system, at a level, rank, or rating equal to this artificial 
  score. 
  Less important characters, such as NPC “normals” and 
  mundane soldiers, and objects can be altered, destroyed, 
  or modified at will by the receptacle, based on her descrip-
  tions. Particularly good descriptions of effects and activi-
  ties, at the game master’s discretion, might result in a 
  bonus to the Power’s score. Poor descriptions and attempts 
  to create effects ill-suited to a Power’s concept are simply 
  denied, or “vetoed” by the game master. She basically 
  notifies the player that the desired effect does not happen 
  (or, in some cases, that it doesn’t happen as intended). 
  At the game master’s discretion, the score might also 
  provide the receptacle with some form of force field or 
  similar defensive power against attacks she is aware of, at 
  no additional cost.   
  This method is much simpler than the one mentioned 
  above, although it requires a little more effort on the part 
  of the receptacle’s player. 
  Example: Terrence, from the above example, has spoken 
  to Amee, Lady Lazar’s player. It turns out that she is not 
  particularly fond of the idea of her character’s suppos-
  edly “godlike” Power being represented by a set number 
  of specific super-powers. Given Amee’s respectfulness 
  and eloquence, Terrence decides to try a different route. 
  He rules that Lady Lazar can essentially do anything 
  appropriately related to the energies derived from death, 
  otherwise known as the Long Silence, and that Amee will 
  be responsible for coming up with imaginative uses for this 
  ability. He sets the Power score of the Long Silence at 18, 
  explains a few acceptable examples of use, and notes that 
  her Power’s scale is regional.
  Control 
  Although the receptacle’s Power is incredible, it should 
  be noted that she does not necessarily have consistent 
  access to it. A major theme in a Godlike storyline involves 
  control. In the comics, characters with amazing, godlike 
  powers, often limited by arrogance, ignorance, inexperi-
  ence, infirmity, or some other problem, only rarely use 
  them to their fullest extent. This is where a receptacle’s 
  control comes into play. Control is a measure of how 
  often a receptacle has access to her Power. Higher levels 
  of control result in diminished access to the Power, and 
  as the Power is used more frequently, control decreases in 
  stages. While this may at first seem counterintuitive, it is 
  meant to represent the corrupting nature of ultimate power. 
  A receptacle who uses a Power too often slowly incorpo-
  rates it into her self-concept, her being, and the effects on 
  her mind can be devastating. As the Power is used with 
  increasing frequency and decreasing restraint, it is eventu-
  ally the Power, not the character, at the helm. 
  Control is measured in several distinct, descriptive stages, 
  detailed as follows: tight control, basic control, diminished 
  control, and no control. 
  Tight Control: A character with tight control on the Power 
  really doesn’t need or use it much. She can access its full 
  power once per game session if desired, though it tires her 
  to do so. She retains this access for up to one minute or a 
  full scene, whichever seems most appropriate. A receptacle 
  with tight control on her Power is run, for the most part, 
  like any other character. This stage should generally last 
  longer than the others, as it might be rewarding for the 
  characters to slowly investigate and discover the insidious 
  source of what at first appears to be a blessing. The 
  receptacle’s newfound abilities can aid her and her allies in 
  escaping particularly dangerous situations and overcoming 
  seemingly unconquerable obstacles, and they should be 
  grateful for it. If, after a couple of sessions in the tight 
  control stage, the receptacle appears to have come to rely 
  on the Power to get her out of dangerous situations, it is 
  time to reduce her level of control. Whatever the circum-
  stances, a receptacle should rarely maintain tight control 
  for more than five or six gaming sessions. 
  Basic Control: Eventually, the receptacle grows comfort-
  able, if not proficient, with her Power. Upon reaching this 
  level of control, the player may choose to re-imagine her 
  character (during downtime, of course), perhaps trading 
  old abilities and super-powers for new ones more closely 
  tied to the Power. In game systems that incorporate major, 
  incremental “levels” of character advancement (such as 
  character levels, power stages, etc.), it may be beneficial 
  for the game master to time the receptacle’s acquisition of 
  basic control so that it coincides with one such advance-
  ment. This allows the character to not just trade out old 
  abilities, but it also provides an in-game rationale for her 
  increase in strength and possibly allows her to develop 
  new abilities in addition to her old ones. The Power is now 
  an integral part of her character concept and should play a 
  role in any new abilities chosen.  Also, a receptacle with 
  
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  basic control can tap her full power once per game session, 
  and doing so does not tire her in the least (she can use the 
  power for a full scene). Attempting to tap the Power more 
  than once in a session, however, could send it spiraling out 
  of control, an event which allows the game master, rather 
  than the player to describe the effects. These effects should 
  be inconvenient and potentially dangerous, though not, at 
  this stage, incredibly so. 
  Diminished Control: Diminished control represents the 
  point at which the Receptacle begins to slip, not only 
  in terms of controlling her Power, but also in terms of 
  controlling herself. At this stage, the Power becomes 
  extremely risky to use. More importantly, the Dark Half, 
  the receptacle’s evil self, makes itself known. The first 
  time in a session that the receptacle attempts to tap the 
  Power, the Dark Half might surface for the duration of 
  the scene. The Dark Half’s abilities and temperament are 
  determined by the game master (details on the latter can 
  be found in the Archetypes chapter of this supplement), 
  and it is very likely that she, too, has some access to the 
  Power. Under the influence of the Dark Half, the recep-
  tacle may injure those friends and allies who oppose her, 
  but the core of the original character’s subconscious is 
  enough to prevent her from killing them outright. This 
  stage of control should generally last for two to three 
  sessions, or until the Dark Half does something for which 
  the receptacle feels incredible remorse (This latter is a 
  terrible blow to the receptacle’s psyche that forces it to 
  recede, to retreat from reality, further strengthening the 
  Dark Half and reducing the level of control to no control, 
  below.).  
  No Control: A character with no control over her Power is 
  essentially ruled by her Dark Half, which has few qualms 
  about using its godlike abilities to pursue its own terrible 
  agenda. Under most circumstances, the Dark Half will still 
  not use the Power to outright kill the receptacle’s closest 
  friends (at least not until threatened) but allies, acquain-
  tances, enemies, and strangers enjoy no such boon, and 
  even close friends may be injured, crippled, or placed 
  in deadly situations if they threaten her or interfere with 
  her plans. It is at this stage that most interested parties 
  agree that the character must be stopped. These parties 
  join forces, hoping that their combined might and pooled 
  resources might be enough to stand against the receptacle’s 
  Power. 
  The Achilles Heel
  Even the gods of old had weaknesses, and the receptacle 
  is no exception. Despite her amazing Power (or perhaps, 
  due to that Power), she has a critical weakness that can 
  
  PAGE 10
  be exploited by other, less powerful characters. Like the 
  Power, it should be chosen by the game master, rather than 
  the player, though the two can certainly confer in order to 
  come up with one that keeps both individuals happy. The 
  weakness gives the receptacle’s opponents a chance to 
  defeat her. In comics, it often manifests in one or more of 
  the following ways, though the game master is encouraged 
  to come up with her own if so compelled.
  On Weaknesses 
  Many superhero roleplaying games include mechanics for 
  character weaknesses, particularly those involving power 
  loss and vulnerabilities to substances or situations. In such 
  games, the game master is encouraged to incorporate some 
  of these weaknesses for the receptacle. In games without 
  such mechanics, it might be beneficial for the game master 
  to develop some. 
  In the case of behavioral weaknesses, such as emotional 
  imbalance or hubris, the game master might consider 
  simply giving mechanical bonuses to other characters who 
  use them against the receptacle. A hero attempting to taunt 
  an emotionally unbalanced receptacle into a frenzy might, 
  for example, receive a slight bonus to dodge her victim’s 
  (inevitable) attacks for a scene. If the system calls for rolls 
  to taunt, characters might receive a taunt bonus against the 
  receptacle. Ultimately, the game master should ensure that 
  smart players who attempt to take advantage of a recep-
  tacle’s weaknesses are rewarded, even if said weaknesses 
  involve behavior. 
  Dormancy: At regular intervals, for set periods of time, 
  the receptacle goes dormant. Perhaps, like a vampire, she 
  must sleep during the daylight hours, or perhaps certain 
  periods of planetary alignment produce a cosmic effect 
  that sends her into a kind of torpor to maintain her godlike 
  state. She might have to spend time in a trance, performing 
  a psychic feeding ritual, wherein she drains emotional 
  energy from all living creatures on the planet. The possi-
  bilities are numerous. While dormant, the character is not 
  necessarily any more vulnerable to attack than usual, but 
  she is definitely less aware, and parties who exploit the 
  element of surprise may well gain the upper hand in any 
  conflict. If they have the means to destroy the receptacle, 
  they would be wise to wait for her dormant period before 
  making the attempt.  
  Emotional Imbalance: The receptacle’s emotions, for 
  whatever reason, are not completely under her control. 
  She is almost childlike in temperament, easily fright-
  ened, quick to anger, and slow to learn. This character 
  
  PAGE 11
  is easily manipulated and tends to respond to others in 
  extreme, almost comically exaggerated ways. If taunted, 
  she becomes inordinately angry, aggressive to the point of 
  stupidity. If somehow frightened, she can be reduced to a 
  state of complete helplessness. An individual she likes is 
  unquestionably an individual she really likes. In combat 
  situations, a person she hates will be attacked to the exclu-
  sion of all other available targets, even if it puts the char-
  acter herself at risk.
  Fading: The receptacle is slowly dying. Her Power 
  may be eating away at her body or soul, or she may 
  be afflicted with a deadly condition that, for whatever 
  reason, she is powerless to change. On a long enough 
  timeline, the problem posed by this receptacle solves 
  itself. Unfortunately, owing to her short life span, this 
  receptacle tends to be much more dangerous than others. 
  A common mentality among fading characters involves 
  a general sense of anger at the world for inevitably 
  outlasting  oneself, and    many fading characters, in a fit 
  of jealousy, will eventually resolve to drag the world down 
  with them into Oblivion (or Hell, or wherever else an 
  individual believes she is bound). Other fading characters 
  might resolve to do one thing “right” or make a significant 
  impact on the world before departing. Such characters are 
  often made particularly dangerous by their fanaticism.
  Hubris: The receptacle’s weakness is that of the arrogance 
  born of power. This character is so sure, so secure in her 
  own power, she has difficulty recognizing potential threats. 
  She tends to underestimate those who oppose her, often 
  repeatedly. This character often toys with her enemies, 
  and by default, she never sees danger coming. She does 
  not anticipate threats, she simply reacts to them. This 
  weakness can be exploited by smart characters, and those 
  characters without superhuman powers, in particular, can 
  wreak havoc with the receptacle. Her powers are generally 
  much less effective against such normal, “insignificant” 
  individuals, not because her Power is weak, but because 
  she does not deem it necessary to expend any kind of 
  effort on them. 
  Power Resistances
  Certain types of characters or materials might benefit 
  from a degree of resistance to a receptacle’s Power due to 
  some ineffectuality or unwillingness on the receptacle’s 
  part. Characters with certain archetypes (see Archetypes), 
  such as best friends and lovers, certainly fit the bill. In 
  games using narrative-based Power rules, the game master 
  can either explain to the receptacle’s player the various 
  instances in which her Power will not work, or allow the 
  player to find out during play, “vetoing” certain effects 
  targeting particular materials or characters.
  Susceptible: The receptacle is weakened by exposure to 
  some substance or event. The cause might be a particular 
  type of energy, a metal or mineral, or even an emotion 
  diametrically opposed to the receptacle’s Power or Source. 
  Exactly what constitutes a weakened state will vary 
  from campaign to campaign, but it generally entails a 
  decrease in health, mobility, or power. A health suscepti-
  bility indicates that the weakness actually causes harm to 
  the character, possibly to enough to kill her. A mobility 
  susceptibility involves a weakness that in some way inca-
  pacitates the character or limits her movement. A particular 
  environmental condition, such as cold weather, or a stake 
  through the heart may paralyze the character, for example, 
  or she may sink into the earth if her feet touch the ground. 
  Finally, a power susceptibility refers to a weakness that 
  impedes the character’s capabilities, either her superhuman 
  powers, her physical attributes, or her mental faculties. 
  The most common power susceptibility is that which robs 
  the character of her godlike Power, rendering her more 
  vulnerable to potential attackers and less capable of effec-
  tive retaliation. In addition to determining the cause and 
  effects of the receptacle’s susceptibility, the game master 
  should determine the proximity required for it to function. 
  Where one receptacle might grow weak standing in the 
  same room as the strange, glowing stone mined from the 
  dark side of the moon, another might not be affected at all 
  unless wounded by the same stone, and yet another might 
  be weakened in the light of the moon.  
  Storyline Phases: Plot Events
  The Godlike storyline will undoubtedly turn out differently 
  for each gaming group. The particulars will depend a great 
  deal on the characters’ relationships, abilities, values, and 
  individual choices. The game master is encouraged to run 
  things as she feels best suits her players, as ultimately, 
  they lie at the heart of the campaign. Rather than provide a 
  blow-by-blow presentation of encounters, characters, and 
  important locations, Chaos Effects: Godlike is intended 
  to introduce an an outline o f general events that can fit 
  into any campaign. The following plot event outline is an 
  attempt to help the game master model the basic storyline, 
  while leaving particulars open enough for the story to be 
  told around individual player characters, whoever they 
  may be. Ideally, this approach encourages the game master 
  to introduce more rewarding, personal story elements 
  geared toward individual gamers. Each of the following 
  plot events, or phases, includes a summary and possible 
  examples of the event introduced. 
  
  PAGE 12
  Origins
  This is the point in the story at which the game master first 
  introduces the Source of a character’s Power, if not the 
  Power itself. Often, these beginnings take place over the 
  course of other, completely unrelated adventures, usually 
  at a time when the character destined to be the receptacle 
  is in some kind of danger. Often, the Source intervenes 
  surreptitiously in the character’s favor, snatching her or 
  her allies from the jaws of defeat or death. This event is 
  important, a defining moment in the receptacle’s career 
  that ties her destiny to that of the Source. It is important, 
  however, that the other characters, (and, in some circum-
  stances, the other players) do not realize this, yet. The 
  Source is not obvious to anyone at this stage; it simply 
  latches on to the character. 
  Examples: While the team is investigating an ancient 
  ruin once populated by a community of rogue Atlantean 
  sorcerers, a sentient arcane Source bonds with one 
  character’s soul. During a pitched battle on the heroes’ 
  orbital space station headquarters, a psionic cosmic 
  entity, seeking a living host, imprints itself on  a teleki-
  netic character’s psyche, giving him just the psychic boost 
  he needs to prevent the heavily-damaged platform from 
  disintegrating in the Earth’s atmosphere and “safely” 
  crash-land it on a previously undiscovered, uninhabited 
  island in the Pacific. A character with sonic powers slowly 
  begins to perceive a rhythm in all things, a sort of cosmic 
  sound; in a battle against a vastly superior foe, he matches 
  the frequency of his own sonic blast to the cosmic pulse of 
  his opponent, to great effect, opening his eyes to the true 
  potential of his abilities. 
  A More Spectacular Entrance
  It might be desirable, in some campaigns, to have the 
  Power arrive on the scene in a spectacular, extremely 
  obvious manner. Perhaps the Blood of Valor, a Power 
  involving warrior-worship, past heroes, and bygone 
  demigod heroics, manifests through the receptacle for the 
  first time with her summoning an army of ghostly soldiers 
  from Valhalla to a fevered and televised battle taking place 
  in Times Square. This, however, means that the game 
  master must take into account how others perceive the 
  Power. Does it seem malevolent, exposing to characters 
  from the start its potential for trouble? Or does it present 
  itself in a more beneficial light? In what colors does the 
  Power manifest? Color, unsurprisingly, often plays a 
  large role in players’ interpretations of things. For many 
  American gamers, for example, colors like white, silver, 
  and blue are often associated with goodness, while red 
  and black are generally interpreted as somewhat more 
  ominous. 
  Rising Force
  This stage of the campaign consists primarily of the recep-
  tacle slowly discovering her new abilities. The Source, 
  at some point, becomes known to her, and she begins to 
  experiment with her Power (It is at this stage that the 
  game master should time a character’s advancement, 
  improvement, or similar system-based ability increase, as 
  described in the Basic Control entry earlier in this chapter, 
  so that the receptacle can both re-define her existing 
  character abilities and increase in strength.). The game 
  master should slowly increase the difficulty and danger of 
  the characters’ adventures, so as to tempt the receptacle to 
  resort to her Power more frequently. At the beginning of 
  the Rising Force phase of the campaign, the character has 
  tight control over the Power, though over time, it will defi-
  nitely diminish to basic control. The receptacle’s eventual 
  fall to diminished control heralds the start of the the next 
  phase of the storyline. 
  Examples: A mystic receptacle for a sentient arcane 
  Source slowly begins to experiment with new, more 
  powerful incantations that come to him in his dreams; 
  eventually, his powers increase greatly, though he becomes 
  prone to inconvenient mystical backlashes as the arcane 
  energies occasionally wax out of control. A psychic recep-
  tacle slowly spontaneously develops more impressive tele-
  kinetic powers, such that he can move almost anything if 
  he puts his mind to it; this character greatly expands the 
  scope of his abilities, learning to manipulate matter on a 
  molecular, perhaps atomic, level, creating and manipu-
  lating energies previously unavailable to him. A child 
  sidekick hero, visited by his divine father, lord of the skies, 
  discovers his godling heritage. He begins to tentatively 
  issue orders to birds, the clouds, and the very air on his 
  father’s authority; where once, the child had no powers, he 
  can now adventure without his mentor. 
  Breakdown
  Eventually, the receptacle suffers a massive breakdown, 
  typically owing to a number of factors, including the rising 
  tide of her own powers, guilt over the actions of the Dark 
  Half, and, in some cases, the diminishing faith her allies 
  have in her. At some point, the receptacle’s lessening 
  control over the Power allows the Dark Half to emerge at 
  an extremely inopportune moment, with sufficient influ-
  ence to make her do something so terrible that even her 
  closest friends question her potential for redemption. This 
  act can be anything appropriate to the setting and play 
  
  PAGE 13
  style, but it should have serious consequences. It will defi-
  nitely haunt the character for the rest of her days. 
  In this phase, when the Dark Half takes over, it is recom-
  mended that the game master control the character, even 
  if the player has been permitted to retain control up to this 
  point. This not only allows the game master to channel the 
  story in the desired direction, but it drives home the loss 
  of self-control and the receptacle’s potential for unforeseen 
  destruction. As a result, the player characters should seri-
  ously consider whether or not the receptacle’s apprehen-
  sion (and possible destruction) might be in everyone’s best 
  interests. Their reaction to the receptacle’s breakdown will 
  influence the rest of the story. Though difficult, support 
  and forgiveness give the receptacle a better chance at 
  redemption. Condemnation, fury (however well-placed), 
  and aggression will only push her further into the jaws of 
  madness.    
  Examples: In a fury over a recently discovered act of anti-
  mutant terrorism, a telepathic mutant receptacle psychi-
  cally lobotomizes hundreds of participants in a (peaceful) 
  public anti-mutant rally; he is instantly branded a villain. 
  Mobilization
  After the receptacle’s breakdown, it often becomes 
  obvious that she is a significant threat to a lot of people. 
  As a result, a number of entities, from law enforcement 
  personnel to military and paramilitary units to former allies 
  to old enemies, join forces in the hopes of overcoming her. 
  The other player characters can stand with or against their 
  teammate, as their consciences dictate. This might even 
  be a divisive issue for a team of superheroes, where some 
  intend to help their friend, while others want her brought 
  to justice. 
  In any case, characters interested in saving their team-
  mate must find a way to neutralize the Dark Half, and by 
  extension, the Power that gave rise to it. Often, this means 
  locating some entity or object capable of neutralizing the 
  Power. Exactly how a Power can be neutralized depends a 
  great deal on its Source and type (more details on this can 
  be found in The Nature of the Power). 
  While some characters work to save the receptacle, others 
  aim to destroy her for the greater good. Those in the latter 
  group will likely work with the assembled group of heroes, 
  
  PAGE 14
  villains, and others to find some way to bring her down. 
  Any coalition including individuals who would normally 
  be enemies is likely held together by a thread, and small 
  fights and minor confrontations within the group’s ranks 
  might be common. These individuals embark on a search 
  for the receptacle’s weakness (see The Achilles Heel, 
  previous) and a way to exploit it for everyone’s benefit
  .                      
  If any of the heroes choose to try to save the receptacle, it 
  is a race against time to see whether they can find a way 
  to do so before the other group solidifies a plan to destroy 
  her.  
  Whatever her comrades choose to do, at this stage, the 
  receptacle, under the influence of the Dark Half, does 
  what she can to cement her power, separating herself 
  from her teammates and seeking out allies, servants, and 
  one or more headquarters. The game master should feel 
  free to allow the player to detail the game statistics for 
  these things, though certain guidelines will undoubtedly 
  be necessary. It is these forces which will prove to be the 
  other player characters’ primary opposition in the final 
  phase of the storyline.
  Examples: A team of corporate superheroes must join 
  forces with the pet supers of a rival corporation in order to 
  stand a chance against their teammate, who has gone mad, 
  taken over their headquarters, and converted the mundane 
  corporate staff into nanotech zombies capable of infecting 
  anyone they touch. A team of superheroes consults the 
  world’s master magus to discover what it is that has their 
  teammate acting so malevolently; it is revealed that the 
  force is the result of a powerful ritual enacted by a group 
  of renegade Atlantean archmages that went terribly wrong; 
  though the ritual was intended to collect and exponentially 
  expand all of their mystical knowledge, it also robbed 
  them of their souls, and now remnants of a dozen bitter 
  sorcerers reside within the character; the team must find 
  the last remaining Atlantean high priest and convince him 
  to guide these lost souls to the afterlife. After learning to 
  manipulate the cosmic rhythm, a sonic-powered superhero 
  wracks the region with earthquakes, leveling cities and 
  creating for himself a complex network of canyons and 
  caverns in which to lair.    
  Endgame!
  At last, the characters, having found a way to defeat or 
  recover their lost teammate, move in for the final confron-
  tation. This generally takes place at a suitably dramatic 
  location, often the receptacle’s new headquarters, large 
  enough and epic enough to accommodate all of the perti-
  nent players. Here, the player characters must put their 
  plan int o action, competing with the receptacle, her allies, 
  and, if they are not attempting to destroy her, those who 
  are. As a result, this chapter can get quite busy, and the 
  game master is encouraged to compartmentalize encoun-
  ters, perhaps by allowing a few characters at a time to 
  meet. Also, it might be beneficial to allow the receptacle’s 
  player to help run certain non-player characters, particu-
  larly her own servants and allies. This not only keeps her 
  involved, but also lightens the load for the game master.
  Final Battle Locations
  Climatic final confrontations with entities of great evil 
  tend to occur in locations that are either very high (such 
  as floating cities, mountaintops, skyscraper roofs, and 
  towers) or very low (such as lava-filled cavern complexes 
  or undersea arcologies). The game master and the recep-
  tacle’s player would do well to take into account location 
  when planning for a final confrontation. Environment also 
  adds tension. Collapsing walls, crumbling floors, falling 
  lightning, and great steam-belching machines can all be 
  effective hazards that instill a sense of danger and urgency 
  to the encounter, as well as introduce a degree of random-
  ness particularly useful in offsetting imbalances caused by 
  an outnumbered combatant. 
  It is recommended that the receptacle herself not be 
  involved until the end of the adventure. At this point, 
  when it is down to her, her conscious surviving friends (or 
  former friends), and a couple of other individuals aiming 
  to kill her, the receptacle joins the fray. If able, she will 
  put up a fight, although this might mean different things 
  for different gaming systems. This is where the success or 
  failure of the adventure is decided. 
  Aftermath
  What happens next depends on the path chosen by the 
  characters. If they have killed their comrade, the victory 
  is likely to be bittersweet. Characters will cope with this 
  as best suits their personalities. If they have managed to 
  save her, she might still have to answer for her crimes. The 
  effects of her actions on the world at large and the public 
  opinion of her and her allies can provide a number of 
  storytelling hooks for future games. For now, though, the 
  game master can end the campaign well by driving home 
  the duality of the situation, the good tempered by the bad.          
  Chapter Three: Archetypes
  The Godlike storyline should suit most gaming groups. 
  Even the characters who do not receive godlike power 
  have the opportunity for interesting, rewarding roles. The 
  
  PAGE 15
  game master should pay particular attention to the char-
  acters’ personality traits, as many can be conducive to the 
  story arc. This section provides details on how particular 
  personality types and character roles might be used effec-
  tively in the Godlike story. The roleplaying hints and 
  guidelines provided in this chapter are merely suggestions, 
  frameworks for game masters and players to work from 
  while writing their own stories. 
  Although the best characters are much more than mere 
  archetypes, archetype character roles are presented here to 
  aid the game master in focusing on playing up particular 
  aspects of the player characters’ natures to enhance their 
  roles in the story. 
  The Receptacle
  Although she should not be mistaken for the most impor-
  tant character in the storyline, the receptacle should at least 
  be considered its centerpiece. The story events revolve 
  around her, and the success or failure of the campaign 
  will be determined, in large part, by how this character is 
  played. 
  The receptacle is a character suddenly possessed of 
  immense power, even more impressive than those typical 
  in the superhero genre. Although the exact nature of the 
  Power will vary depending on campaign and character, it 
  should always be of impressive scope. But more important 
  than the Power itself is how that Power affects the char-
  acter, and it is here that the receptacle’s role comes into 
  play.  
  The following personality types can serve as examples to a 
  game master looking for a suitable receptacle for a Power. 
  Also provided are guidelines for running the receptacle’s 
  Dark Half, based on her archetype. The Dark Half is a 
  malevolent, more destructive aspect of the receptacle’s 
  personality that surfaces periodically at first, but with 
  increasing frequency as the Power grows. It might be 
  anything from a separate, possessing entity to a repressed 
  personality. 
  The Dark Half
  However the Dark Half is defined, whatever its source, it 
  is essentially a darker, evil personality that takes control 
  of the receptacle. Generally speaking, the Dark Half is the 
  primary antagonist in the Godlike storyline. The fact that 
  it eventually takes control of the receptacle can be trouble-
  some, as it begs the question, “Who plays this character?” 
  The game master can handle this in one of two ways.  
  First, the game master may play the character herself when 
  the Dark Half is in control. This emphasizes the recepta-
  cle’s loss of control and helps funnel the story in a desired 
  direction. Unfortunately, it also tends to leave the recep-
  tacle’s player with nothing to do, possibly for extended 
  periods of time, which isn’t fun. If the game master 
  chooses this route, she is encouraged to introduce another 
  character for the receptacle’s player to play, either in the 
  form of one of the receptacle’s more noteworthy henchmen 
  (for a change of pace) or another hero character, likely one 
  the player creates herself (in this case, the player might 
  continue using this character if the receptacle dies or is 
  incarcerated as a result of the events of the storyline). 
  The second option involves allowing the player to keep 
  control of the character under the Dark Half’s influence. 
  In this case, the game master should give some guidance 
  as to the Dark Half’s nature (possibly reading her the 
  Dark Half description from the appropriate receptacle 
  archetype entry), encouraging the player to be as selfish, 
  arrogant, or even “eeeevil” as appropriate for the character 
  and campaign. The only exception is for the breakdown 
  phase of the storyline, described previously in Campaign 
  Integration, where the receptacle goes out of control and 
  commits some terrible deed. Here, the player does not 
  maintain control of her character, although afterward, she 
  can play the Dark Half as normal.
  The Chosen: The chosen is a special character, arguably 
  more special than most, She believes she has been selected 
  for her current role by some force, be it God, Fate, king, 
  or country. This belief may or may not be accurate; the 
  character’s self-concept is the important thing. The chosen 
  is a good candidate for Powers aligned with or related to a 
  given force, particularly any force aligned with that which 
  the character believes is responsible for her current role. 
  The game master might wish to spin the endowment of the 
  Power in such a way that it seems to be a great gift from 
  the chosen’s patron. The chosen character can generally be 
  prepared for her role as receptacle by playing up her sense 
  of duty or responsibility to this patron. 
  The game master might instead choose to play on the 
  concept of destiny. A chosen character might be proph-
  esied to wield or become a powerful force, and the recep-
  tacle status might be (or just appear to be) the fulfillment 
  of that particular destiny. The nature of this force, as well 
  as the predicted beneficence of the prophesied character, 
  will depend on the needs of the campaign. A character 
  confronted with a bright future consisting of great and 
  righteous deeds is much more likely to embrace it and 
  succumb to the temptation to abuse her new abilities, but 
  a darker future, one of evil, murder, and more, has its own 
  appeal, as it raises all sorts of questions regarding free 
  will, fate, and the corrupting nature of power. Introducing 
  
  PAGE 16
  a character or artifact that reveals a chosen character’s 
  destiny (to her or to others) is a great way to set up the 
  Godlike story arc. 
  The Dark Half: The chosen character’s Dark Half gener-
  ally manifests as an exaggerated manifestation of others’ 
  expectations. A receptacle “meant” to be the divinely-
  powered savior of a forgotten people will go to great 
  lengths to preserve that people, possibly committing 
  heinous act in their defense or even imprisoning them for 
  their own protection. This Dark Half tends to be self-righ-
  teous, arrogant and fanatical in its goals, which tend to 
  involve domination of an area or sphere of influence, the 
  elimination of a particular type of threat, or the protection 
  of a particular group or interest.  
  The Driven: Similar to the chosen, the driven character is 
  an individual motivated by some idea. The driven works 
  tirelessly in the pursuit of this ideal, whether it be justice, 
  physical perfection, or social harmony. This character 
  is often more severe than most, utterly immersed in her 
  goals. The driven character makes a good receptacle for 
  more open-ended Powers, as they make even the most 
  inane, unreachable goals possible, and as a result, the 
  character becomes very dangerous. The driven archetype 
  works particularly well for a game master desiring to intro-
  duce challenging moral dilemmas into the campaign. The 
  results-based mentality of the driven character is fertile 
  soil for seeds of temptation involving coercion, the limits 
  of responsibility, acceptable use of power, and the issue of 
  autonomy. Potentially destructive Powers work very well 
  in tandem with the driven character, as the individual is 
  especially like to utterly eradicate her opposition, however, 
  close, numerous, or non-threatening that opposition may 
  be, so long as it draws her closer to realizing her goals. 
  The driven character can often be prepared for the Godlike 
  storyline by introducing a significant threat to her goals 
  or beliefs. A dark-cowled, two-fisted crimefighter, for 
  example, dedicated to ridding “his” city of vice and crime, 
  is confronted by a new cartel headed by a seemingly 
  untouchable drug czar with superhuman powers. The law 
  won’t touch him, and the character cannot beat him. 
  Whatever the case, the driven character’s most powerful 
  hook is her motivation, which can be a veritable story-
  telling playground for an attentive and creative game 
  master. 
  The Dark Half: The driven character’s Dark Half mani-
  fests itself as an “ends-justify-the-means” mentality. When 
  the Dark Half surfaces, the character is willing to put 
  anything to the flame if it would aid her in her mission. 
  Anything. Ideals, innocents, relationships, and even her 
  
  PAGE 17
  very soul are all acceptable sacrifices for the character. 
  This Dark Half is easy to see in numerous comic titles and 
  literary works. 
  The Haunted: This character is haunted by some great 
  failure or mishap. This is the healer who, despite all of 
  her powers, could not save her lover from the debilitating 
  disease that took his life. She is the mutant whose powers 
  were burned out in a pitched battle with life-draining, 
  parasitic aliens. The haunted character typically has 
  something to prove, either to herself, her teammates, or 
  the world at large. She hopes to redeem herself, either 
  spiritually, physically, or morally, and upon becoming a 
  receptacle for a Power, her primary goal is to compensate 
  for her earlier failures. The game master should encourage 
  roleplaying that involves such compensation, either by 
  using non-player characters  or related situations to remind 
  the character of her past. The corrupting nature of power 
  ensures that the character will overcompensate. 
  The game master might consider adding an element of 
  choice to come into play concerning the endowment of the 
  haunted character’s Power. By introducing the Power in a 
  Faustian manner, she allows the character to damn herself, 
  so to speak, which should drive home the story arc that 
  much more. 
  The Dark Half: The haunted character’s Dark Half gener-
  ally manifests in one of two ways. It either involves 
  the character overcompensating in her attempt to make 
  amends, or giving herself wholly to the despair that comes 
  with failure. The former manifestation may result in the 
  Dark Half taking extreme steps to prove the receptacle’s 
  value or to prevent others from duplicating her mistake(s). 
  This might result in a receptacle predisposed to domi-
  nating others. If the receptacle gives up and surrenders 
  to failure, on the other hand, she becomes possessed of a 
  singular nihilism that affects all of her interactions. She 
  stops caring for others entirely, and they become little 
  more than insects or animate objects to her. In this case, 
  the Dark Half inevitably grows destructive, out of apathy 
  if nothing else. 
  The Meager: The meager character is a fairly common 
  sight in comicdom. She is the weakest member of the 
  team, the individual with the least spectacular abilities, 
  or the one most socially inept. Even if she has been with 
  the group from the beginning, it seems that she is trailing 
  behind the others. This is the character that tends to require 
  the most rescuing, who always fails at holding off the 
  raging enemy alone, or who tends to shout and collapse 
  after every mildly taxing use of her abilities. She might be 
  taunted by her teammates, or her comparative weakness 
  might instead elicit more paternalistic, protective attitudes. 
  The game master should watch for signs of resentment or 
  frustration in the meager character. Gracing the character 
  with a major Power gives her a chance in the limelight, 
  which can not only be a great roleplaying opportunity and 
  change of pace for the entire group, but can also precipi-
  tate an “upgrade” to the character as something more than 
  the group’s little sibling, running joke, or sideliner. The 
  meager character is likely to leap at the chance for a little 
  power, particularly after spending so much time in the 
  shadow of her allies. 
  The Dark Half: No one enjoys hanging from the lowest 
  rung on the ladder. The meager character, being no excep-
  tion, manifests a Dark Half that aims to improve her situ-
  ation. Under the influence of the Dark Half, the meager 
  receptacle will relish in her new abilities, using them as 
  much as possible to prove her newfound superiority. She 
  seeks out and punishes those who she feels wronged her 
  before (this may include teammates, though at first, they 
  are not hurt too badly, only humiliated). It should be noted 
  that this Dark Nature can be particularly cruel, motivated 
  as it is by a desire for revenge, and it is not above physical 
  or psychological torture. 
  The Thrillseeker: This character is on a perpetual search 
  for excitement. Whether she is bored of mundane life 
  or enamored by every aspect of it, new things are her 
  bread and butter. Interesting locations, people, and situa-
  tions provide great roleplaying opportunities, moreso for 
  this character than for others, and the introduction of a 
  Power and Source should prove extremely exciting for the 
  thrillseeker. This character leaps at the chance to become 
  a receptacle. To her, access to a Power means access to 
  unlimited new possibilities. The test of the character will 
  come when it comes time to decide which possibilities to 
  pursue. The archetype might include super-team hotshots, 
  media darlings, millionaire playboys, and smooth, “bad 
  girl” seductress types. 
  The Dark Half: Power is the ultimate thrill, and when 
  her Dark Half manifests, the thrillseeker not only basks 
  in it, but also seeks out more of it. This character uses her 
  Power to pursue her wildest dreams. While at first, this 
  might seem harmless, her pleasures slowly grow increas-
  ingly decadent. A roguish attention-seeker, for example, 
  might become jaded with admirers and sycophants and 
  move first to concubines, then to crafting and remaking 
  humans into “flesh toys.” As the receptacle experiences 
  more, it becomes increasingly difficult to excite her, and 
  her desires become more dangerous and costly for others. 
  Eventually she breaks down into a deep depression from 
  which she lashes out at all those who feel the joy denied 
  her.
  
  PAGE 18
  The Wise: The wise character is particularly intelligent, 
  consistently able to solve problems with clear and creative 
  thinking. This archetype often includes tacticians, robots, 
  and inventors. The wise character typically relies a great 
  deal on her own intelligence, and she might feel vexed 
  when others do not, or cannot, do the same. Presumably, 
  it is her intellect that paves the way to her godlike status. 
  Perhaps only she can comprehend the magical mysteries 
  that come with her Power. Or perhaps her research unlocks 
  a secret universal language that gives her access to the 
  Power. 
  Often the wise character falls into one of two categories. 
  Either she is seen as somewhat distant and mechanically 
  cold (particularly appropriate for machines and aliens), 
  or she is a veritable fount of creative energy. The defining 
  factor of the wise involves the use of the mind to over-
  come obstacles. The wise character often suffers from the 
  Hubris weakness. 
  The Dark Half: The wise character knows what’s best and 
  under the influence of her Dark Half, she won’t hesitate 
  to take any steps necessary to ensure her rule. The wise 
  receptacle plays the role of a mastermind, a puppet master 
  pursuing a clandestine agenda for utter domination. This 
  character sincerely believes that only she is equipped, 
  intellectually and morally, to ensure that all things func-
  tion properly. She takes steps to establish her rule over 
  the world, dominating influential leaders and organiza-
  tions behind the scenes, taking care not to draw attention 
  to herself until it is too late to stop her. Her allies might 
  not even realize her intentions until she announces to the 
  world that she owns it. 
  The Fluke: The fluke receptacle is something of an 
  anomaly. Some things are just never meant to happen. And 
  when they happen anyway (and in comics, they inevitably 
  do), things get... strange. The fluke character, in becoming 
  a receptacle, is one example of such strangeness. In this 
  case, a Power is thrust upon an individual suddenly and 
  with no discernible purpose, (or in some cases, Source) 
  and little in the way of in-story rationale. She might be 
  a simple masked crimefighter’s sidekick who suddenly 
  discovers he’s a god, or she might just be a hero with 
  totemic animal powers who just happens to be in the 
  right place at just the right time to absorb a dying cosmic 
  entity’s draining life force. In short, the fluke is a character 
  given a Power by the game master with little thought as 
  to the relationship between her character and the Power. 
  Use of a fluke receptacle is generally more appropriate for 
  light-hearted, comical games or sessions than it is for more 
  serious, modern-age campaigns. The godlike state for the 
  fluke is unlikely to last long, and other characters tend to 
  forget the entire debacle with surprising speed. It should 
  be assumed that fluke receptacles are the stuff of retcon 
  legend. 
  The Dark Half: Due to the wide variety of possibilities 
  involved in a fluke character’s qualities, it is anyone’s 
  guess as to what her Dark Half might be like. Since the 
  character herself is likely to resemble another of the 
  previous archetypes, it might be beneficial to look to them 
  for inspiration. 
  Other Archetypes
  The receptacle is not the only character with a significant 
  role to play in the Godlike storyline. The other characters 
  will interact with the receptacle and the world at large, too, 
  and how they do so will have an effect on the campaign. 
  A character can certainly fit into more than one of the 
  archetypes. A number of sample player character arche-
  types follow, along with hints for introducing roleplaying 
  opportunities for that character type and suggested game 
  mechanics modifications related to the receptacle. Entries 
  referring to the receptacle’s Power do not include her 
  “normal” super-powers. 
  Best Friend 
  This character is arguably the individual closest to the 
  receptacle, perhaps a childhood friend, or maybe just a 
  kindred spirit. The best friend knows the receptacle better 
  than anyone, perhaps even better than she knows herself. 
  The receptacle’s relationship with the best friend after 
  the change may or may not remain the same, but when 
  the Dark Half comes into full view, the best friend has 
  the unenviable decision of whether or not to stay by the 
  character’s side. 
  Hints: Storytelling opportunities involving this character 
  are numerous. A close relationship with a godlike being 
  certainly has its benefits. To the receptacle, the relationship 
  is still in place, if a bit strained. As a result, the best friend 
  can count on a measure of protection from her powers. 
  More importantly, until proven otherwise, the receptacle is 
  certain that the best friend is still just that. Even under the 
  Dark Half’s influence, she often feels she can safely lower 
  her guard in the best friend’s presence. She will interact 
  amiably with him, offer advice, and act in his best interests 
  when they do not conflict with her own. The best friend 
  elicits the receptacle’s trust where no one else can. 
  This relationship can prove to be problematic, however, 
  when one considers other characters who know the truth 
  of their friendship. The game master is encouraged to have 
  
  PAGE 19
  non-player characters privy to the best friend’s relation-
  ship with the receptacle ask him to use his influence with 
  her to help destroy or neutralize her, particularly after 
  the point in the story at which the Dark Half takes over 
  completely. This brings up a number of interesting ques-
  tions as to whether or not the character is willing to betray 
  his friendship. Alternately, characters may hold the best 
  friend partially responsible for the receptacle’s actions 
  (particularly if he has turned down the opportunity to take 
  her down), and he might have to win the trust of other 
  characters, compensating for the actions of his friend. 
  Game Mechanics: A best friend receives a small bonus 
  to avoid or resist any effects of the receptacle’s Power. 
  Also, once per campaign, the best friend may ignore any 
  defensive effect derived from the receptacle’s Power-based 
  ability pool or artificial Power score (both mentioned in 
  Campaign Integration sidebars). 
  Lover 
  Similar to the best friend, the lover was very close to the 
  receptacle prior to her empowerment. This character is one 
  for whom the receptacle feels an intense romantic connec-
  tion, real or imagined. That is, the lover need not neces-
  sarily reciprocate the receptacle’s feelings. The intensity 
  of the receptacle’s emotions protects the lover from many 
  of the same dangers as the best friend, but it also poses 
  a number of significant risks. Love is perhaps the most 
  dangerous human emotion, and that danger is amplified in 
  proportion to a given individual’s power. 
  Hints: For the most part, the lover’s potential story arcs 
  mirror those of the best friend. He is generally trusted and 
  protected by the receptacle, even under the Dark Half’s 
  influence. He is likely approached for aid by parties inter-
  ested in her destruction. Unfortunately for the lover, there 
  are some added complications. The receptacle loves the 
  character and, unlike the case involving the best friend, 
  might not be satisfied with merely leaving him alone or 
  ensuring his protection. She might, for example, seek to 
  
  PAGE 20
  allow him to rule the world at her side, or if her love has 
  previously been unrequited, she might seek to “earn” it (by 
  force, if necessary). If the lover has a romantic interest in 
  another individual (or if the receptacle believes, or even 
  suspects, he does), that individual might be slated for 
  abduction, humiliation, maiming, or murder. This might 
  make for excellent dramatic conflict involving the recep-
  tacle and the lover. 
  Game Mechanics: A lover cannot be harmed by the recep-
  tacle’s Power at all; however, the receptacle receives a 
  bonus to any use of Power (mind control, damaging effects 
  versus lovers, etc.) intended to make the lover character 
  her own. 
  Mentor 
  The mentor is a character to whom the receptacle once 
  looked for advice or training. He may be another super-
  hero, an old teacher or trainer, or simply a father figure 
  who helped her out at a bad time. Living in another’s 
  shadow, by another’s rules, however, is never easy, and 
  it could be that the receptacle still harbors some residual 
  resentment from the time spent under this character’s 
  wing. The mentor character might be able to muster some 
  small amount of authority or respect from the receptacle, 
  or even the Dark Half, but he risks her anger by even 
  attempting. 
  Hints: The mentor character was once an authority figure 
  in the receptacle’s life, and some of the old respect for him 
  may remain. This character may be able to periodically 
  draw on that respect to command or halt the receptacle, as 
  she might have in the days of old. The receptacle, though, 
  particularly the Dark Half, often feels a need to prove 
  herself to the mentor, either by standing on her own or 
  by proving she is better than he is. The latter could prove 
  dangerous for the mentor, as the receptacle might choose 
  to single him out for humiliation, possibly even destruc-
  tion, if he gets in her way.
  The mentor may have some unique insights as to the 
  receptacle’s personality and habits, a fact that some may 
  choose to exploit. As is the case with the best friend and 
  the lover, the mentor may be sought for help in destroying 
  the receptacle. 
  Game Mechanics: A mentor receives a bonus to any 
  rolls involving intimidating the receptacle. Also, once per 
  campaign, a mentor can say something to cow or shame 
  the receptacle into retreating to some distant place. This 
  ability can function both in and out of combat. The dura-
  tion of the receptacle’s stay depends on how badly she was 
  affected by her mentor’s words.
  
  PAGE 21
  Rival
  Perhaps one of the most interesting characters related to 
  the receptacle is the rival. The rival is a character with 
  whom the receptacle once competed regularly, whether 
  athletically, intellectually, or otherwise. Perhaps the rival 
  competed with the receptacle for attention, love, money, 
  or a particular role on a given team. The two individuals 
  clearly have a score to settle, even at the start of the story-
  line, and by the end, the kid gloves should come off, with 
  all prior obligations of friendship or affiliation dissolved 
  completely. The rivalry need not be friendly. Enemies also 
  have the potential to be effective rivals for a receptacle, 
  particularly archenemies. A hated criminal mastermind 
  who constantly matched wits with the receptacle is also a 
  potential rival. Whatever its purpose, the rivalry is still as 
  strong as ever after the receptacle becomes godlike. If the 
  competition was fierce enough, or if the receptacle wound 
  up on the losing end, the rival can count on a reckoning. 
  Hints: In all likelihood, the receptacle hates her rival. 
  In any conflict, the rival can expect the worst, most 
  humiliating, and most immediate response. In some cases, 
  particularly if the rival has somehow come out ahead in 
  their competition, the receptacle may actively seek him out 
  in the hopes of teaching him a lesson, proving once and 
  for all her own superiority. The rival has it rough, as it is 
  unlikely that he has the power to match the receptacle, but 
  he might be capable of bluffing her into a more fair, even 
  fight by playing off her pride. The rival is often in favor of 
  destroying the receptacle, for obvious reasons.
  Game Mechanics: Once per game, a rival can “call out” 
  the receptacle, forcing her to fight him fair, without the use 
  of her Power. 
  Chapter Four:  
  The Nature of the Power
  As was mentioned earlier in the supplement, the godlike 
  receptacle’s Power is not simply one super-power intensi-
  fied; rather, it is a super-power expanded. A character with 
  energy projection powers, for example, does not receive 
  a more devastating energy blast; she becomes capable of 
  commanding every aspect of the energy. The Power is the 
  name for a set of related, wide-ranging abilities a recep-
  tacle develops as a direct result of a given Source. It is this 
  Power that makes the character godlike. From a metagame 
  standpoint, the Power represents a character’s ability to 
  manipulate campaign events. The game master determines 
  the type and scope of a given receptacle’s Power. 
  Naming Powers
  With Powers, as with characters, a good name can go a 
  long way. The game master is encouraged to name any 
  Power introduced in the campaign. A Power’s name may 
  or may not sound impressive, but it should give some hint 
  as to its origin, nature, and capabilities. In games incorpo-
  rating narrative-based Power use, a suitably named Power 
  can aid players in their effect descriptions.
  Power Types
  Powers are an extremely varied lot. In most cases, no two 
  receptacles will share the same Power. It should, however, 
  be noted that receptacles’ Powers do generally conform to 
  certain types. These types are best identified in association 
  with their respective Sources. Power types and Sources 
  are important because they are the primary (possibly the 
  only) determiners of the boundaries of a receptacle’s abili-
  ties. A receptacle’s Power has one or more influences, 
  vehicles for in-game effects chosen by the game master. 
  An influence could range from the strange, such as teleki-
  netic flame, to the specific, such as the human mind, to the 
  overly broad, such as mankind. The influence determines 
  exactly what it is that the Power manipulates. 
  When using her full Power, a receptacle must describe 
  her desired effect in terms pertaining to the Power type 
  and its influences. In this way, her ability to affect the 
  game world is dependent on how effectively her (and her 
  player’s) imagination exploits the nature of the Power at 
  her command. When choosing the Power type, the game 
  master should definitely consider the player’s ability to 
  describe its effects.  
  A number of Power types and their influences are given 
  below. 
  Sample Powers &  
  Power Types
  Cosmic Powers
  The Motive: The Motive is the Power, the force behind all 
  things, both physical and intangible. The Motive is essen-
  tially a vehicle for ultimate manipulation, used to generate 
  causes, or motives, for particular events.  
  Star Fire: Star Fire is conceptually centered around the 
  physics of stars (at least, from a comic book standpoint). 
  With it, the character can manipulate light, heat, and 
  gravity to impressive degrees. Star Fire manifests as bril-
  liant, blinding light surrounding the receptacle and her 
  
  PAGE 22
  targets. For some, Star Fire might be better suited as an 
  elemental type Power, considering its relatively tight 
  focus.
  Divine Powers
  The Green: The Green embodies life and all that comes 
  with it. Using the Green, a receptacle can manipulate and 
  create life of all sorts. Spiritual matters, however, are ques-
  tionable, and at the game master’s discretion, the character 
  might not have the same power over souls (if such things 
  exist in terms of the setting), which might limit the recep-
  tacle’s creative abilities to plant (and, in some campaigns, 
  beast) life.  
  The Soul Sea: The Soul Sea is the domain of oceans, 
  particularly ocean life and ecology. The receptacle has 
  creative and manipulative authority over huge quantities of 
  water and all ocean-dwelling life. 
  Elemental Powers
  Azure: This Power is a complex energy form that gives 
  off a strange, blue light. Azure can burn, illuminate, or 
  become solid at the receptacle’s command. With enough 
  precision, the receptacle can create nearly anything out of 
  it. 
  Reflex Force: Reflex Force is a Power of opposites 
  involving the creation of forces opposed to an initial, or 
  “base” subject. With it, a receptacle can create anything 
  that physically or philosophically counters an existing 
  object or condition within her range. 
  Mystical Powers
  The Old Magic: This is a primordial magical style using 
  the somatic components that first shaped the cosmos. 
  These ancient words of magic are used to create and shape 
  reality according to the receptacle’s will. 
  The Rune Chains: The Rune Chains involve the basic 
  building blocks of matter, the shapes and forms that hold 
  them together. A receptacle with this Power may alter the 
  base runic templates of existing matter, altering composi-
  tion and qualities at will. 
  Psionic Powers
  The Eye of Ether: A receptacle with this Power can use 
  her psychic “third eye” to play witness to anything, real 
  or imagined, past, present, or future (although this last is 
  always changing) and psionically cause others to do the 
  same. She can create complex, even deadly, mindscapes in 
  which to entrap any creature capable of thought. 
  The Universal Mind: This Power allows the receptacle 
  to access the river of all conscious thought, directing its 
  flows in trickles or great waves, as desired.
  Cosmic
  Cosmic Powers allow a character to bend one or more 
  aspects of reality to her will by manipulating one or more 
  aspects of the very forces of the cosmos. This is arguably 
  the most versatile, wide-ranging Power type, partially 
  due to its extremely loose (some might venture illogical) 
  definition. In comics, cosmic powers are generally “catch-
  all” abilities that involve characters doing whatever seems 
  appropriate at a given time. In the same way, a cosmic 
  Power (subtly different from cosmic powers in its range 
  and scope) is similarly ill-defined in terms of influences. 
  A cosmic Power’s influence is often somewhat broad, such 
  as “reality,” and in general, it allows a character to make 
  gross alterations to nearly anything. Composition, density, 
  shape, size, state, weight, and more can be modified as 
  desired by a character with a cosmic Power. In this way, 
  a receptacle with this Power type can affect incredible 
  changes to a wide variety of things.  
  Divine
  Divine Powers are those tied to one or more godly entities 
  or sources. The divine Power taps some spiritual force, 
  one which might even have been involved in the creation 
  of all things. It is the Power wielded by gods and great 
  spiritual beings to affect the world. Influences can include 
  types of creatures, matter, emotions, environments, or even 
  activities. The receptacle’s Power manifests as godlike 
  authority over her influences. These influences respond to 
  her desires, whether those desires involve action, belief, or 
  even seemingly impossible change. Creation also plays a 
  major role in divine Powers. A receptacle has the ability to 
  create anything related to her influences on a scale deter-
  mined by the game master. The divine Power may not be 
  appropriate for all campaigns.  
  Elemental
  Elemental Powers are those which influence natural or 
  unnatural forces, such as energy, matter, and weather 
  conditions, and all aspects of their existence. A given force 
  need not be particularly prevalent, or even known. An 
  elemental Power might allow a character to harness previ-
  ously undiscovered energies. The game master may choose 
  to invent a new, fictional or unproven force (perhaps 
  similar to comic book “unified field” energies). The exact 
  parameters of the force should be determined by the game 
  master before play begins, and the player should have at 
  
  PAGE 23
  least a basic understanding of the workings of her charac-
  ter’s Power. This is particularly important in the case of 
  fictional forces. Many elemental Powers are tied in some 
  way to primal elements that some believe are the building 
  blocks of existence. From the traditional western compo-
  nents containing air, earth, fire, and water, to other cultural 
  variations involving wood, iron, or other materials, the 
  elemental Power likely has some tie to reality’s perceived 
  composition or some aspect thereof.   
  Mystical
  Mystical Powers, predictably enough, involve the super-
  natural. The mystical Power tends to involve influence 
  over huge, sweeping concepts, from simple adjectives 
  to broadly-defined nouns or verbs. While it may seem 
  at first that it should be the Power with the most flex-
  ible boundaries, this is not always the case. Unlike other 
  Powers, magic tends to conform to certain inexplicable, 
  arcane rules that few can make sense of. At any time, the 
  game master may choose to introduce rules, limitations, or 
  requirements related to a given mystical Power, provided 
  he is consistent.  The mystical Power generally involves 
  alteration and creation of its influences. 
  Psionic
  Psionic Powers refer to those based on and focused by the 
  mind. Large-scale psychic abilities, including everything 
  from clairvoyance to mind control to telepathy, fall into 
  the realm of the psionic Power. The psionic Power can be 
  used to make a nearly limitless number of alterations to 
  minds. Unlike similar powers possessed by more mundane 
  individuals, the psionic Power involves not only manipu-
  lating mental faculties, but also completely restructuring 
  minds. While this may, at first, seem a relatively limited 
  Power, top-tier telepathy, one should consider that its 
  primary function involves bolstering one’s own psionic 
  potential, expanding it exponentially, likely to the point at 
  which new, more powerful psychic abilities develop. 
  The Source
  Arguably one of the most important facets of the Power 
  is its Source. The Source is inextricably tied to the Power 
  
  PAGE 24
  type. Certain Sources, for example, are more likely to be 
  responsible for certain types of Power. It would be diffi-
  cult, though not impossible, to justify a Power’s divine 
  origins with simple character knowledge. When deter-
  mining the Source of a Power, the game master should 
  consider carefully the desired tone for the campaign and 
  make certain the explanation fits that tone. 
  Many Powers can be neutralized in some way. Exactly 
  how this can happen will depend in part on the Source. At 
  the game master’s discretion, some Sources might be more 
  vulnerable to particular effects than others.  
  Entity
  In this case, the receptacle has gained her Power through 
  some contact with a given entity, likely a god, cosmi-
  cally powered alien, spirit, or similar creature of immense 
  power. The entity might have taken up residence in the 
  characters body, mind, or soul (perhaps accounting for 
  the Dark Half). Alternately, the entity might simply have 
  bestowed (or have been forced to bestow) its Power, or 
  a fraction thereof, on the receptacle for some purpose. 
  Whatever the case, the receptacle begins to take on certain 
  aspects of the entity. 
  Infusion 
  The receptacle has been infused with a great deal of 
  energy, which has given her godlike powers. This Source 
  works very well in conjunction with the elemental Power 
  type, as the Source and the Power can, in essence, be the 
  same thing.
  Knowledge
  The receptacle’s Power is tied to some area of knowledge. 
  Unlike other receptacles who often experience some form 
  of change or event that grants them the Power, a recep-
  tacle with a knowledge Power Source has learned to tap 
  its amazing potential. Perhaps she is a powerful sorceress 
  who has discovered a new, more powerful language for her 
  incantations. This Power Source is particularly appropriate 
  for those who wield mystical Powers, as popular media 
  has long associated mystic and sorcerous power with 
  forbidden or obscure knowledge. 
  Object
  An object of some sort, perhaps an ancient artifact or alien 
  device, is the Source of the receptacle’s Power. Fueled by 
  the character’s will, this object affects the changes desired. 
  This Source can literally apply to any of the Power types, 
  and examples of each in comics abound. Objects that 
  provide Powers are often the subjects of huge crossover 
  battles where heroes struggle to keep them out of the 
  wrong hands. 
  Ultra-Mutation   
  The Power is a result of a biological condition or muta-
  tion that results in a dramatic increase in the receptacle’s 
  abilities. This Source is generally applied to elemental or 
  psionic Powers, for which a biological rationale is fairly 
  plausible, but individuals with some divine (or infernal) 
  heritage might also draw their powers from this Source.    
  Chapter Five: Non-Player 
  Characters
  Like the player characters, non-player characters are 
  essential to the Godlike storyline. Their responses to the 
  characters actions will, for the most part, serve as a sort 
  of ruler by which players can measure the effect their 
  characters have had on the campaign world. Non-player 
  characters can be categorized by their relationship with the 
  receptacle. In general, a non-player character will either 
  be subservient to, in opposition to, or unaffiliated with the 
  receptacle character. 
  Henchmen
  Those non-player characters who serve the receptacle, 
  whether by choice or by force, are considered henchmen. 
  In terms of the storyline, these are the individuals who 
  stand between the other characters and their former 
  friend’s destruction or redemption. Henchmen can come 
  in a variety of types, depending on the needs of the recep-
  tacle. The game master should definitely consider allowing 
  the receptacle’s player character a measure of control over 
  many, if not all, of the non-player characters in her service. 
  A receptacle’s henchmen generally come in three flavors: 
  creations, dominated characters, and modified characters. 
  NPC Henchmen
  When creating henchmen, one should consider carefully 
  their initial capabilities and desired function. Usually, 
  dominated characters are meant to be fodder, something 
  to place between the receptacle and her enemies. Created 
  characters and modified characters, on the other hand, 
  actually stand a chance of thwarting, or at least softening 
  up the receptacle’s foes. These henchmen generally boast 
  certain special abilities, most often in the form of extraor-
  dinary strength and endurance. 
  
  PAGE 25
  A game master might wish to limit the number of created 
  characters a receptacle can have at one time. Also, it might 
  be beneficial to have the receptacle’s player roleplay her 
  acquisition of henchmen, rather than have it occur during 
  downtime, off-camera, or behind the scenes (at least, until 
  a certain point... watching a player psychically dominate 
  character after character can certainly get old after the first 
  couple). In particular, the planning for locating, modifying, 
  and crafting henchmen should conceivably occur during 
  play, perhaps so that other characters can get wind of it 
  and try to stop the receptacle. 
  Henchmen are by no means necessary to the storyline, 
  but they can be beneficial for any evil antagonist, since 
  otherwise, a team of heroes is sure to outnumber him. 
  Also, during later phases of the game, in scenes that do 
  not include the receptacle character, allowing the player to 
  play and roll for some or all of her henchmen might help 
  to keep her “in the game.”  
  Creations
  Creations are just that: creatures, constructs, or entities that 
  the receptacle has created to aid her. Creations are typi-
  cally used to guard locations, retrieve objects or (normal) 
  individuals, and, when necessary, neutralize opponents. 
  A receptacle’s creations will depend a great deal on the 
  nature of her Power and her needs at a given point in time. 
  A creation might be anything from a massive, floating 
  octopus of psionically-powered flame to a brood of mind-
  less, but physically perfect, super-soldiers. 
  Dominated Characters
  Dominated characters are the simplest form of henchmen, 
  as they are generally the same as they were before the 
  campaign begins. Most often, these henchmen are enlisted 
  with a psionic Power type, but this is not always the case. 
  A receptacle could conceivably dominate characters using 
  anything from mystic rituals to divine authority to simple 
  coercion. However these characters are recruited, they 
  tend to be somewhat more integrated into existing society, 
  and they can often be used as saboteurs, spies, and infor-
  mants; however, they also tend to be a bit more vulnerable 
  to defection, as particular circumstances, such as those 
  involving strong emotion or other super-powers, might be 
  able to break the receptacle’s hold.
  Modified Characters 
  Similar to dominated characters, modified characters are 
  those forced into the receptacle’s service and altered in 
  such a way as to become better suited for it. Examples 
  include dominated criminals given animal qualities to 
  
  PAGE 26
  aid them in combating a receptacles enemies, a maggot 
  grown to a size at which to make a suitable mount, and the 
  plants outside a receptacle’s palace given sentience and 
  made carnivorous. Modified characters can be some of 
  the most interesting henchmen, given that they walk a the 
  line between creations and dominated characters. Heroic 
  characters will definitely be loathe to kill modified normal 
  characters, but their powers will make them somewhat 
  more formidable than dominated characters. 
  Opposition
  Nothing draws individuals closer together than shared 
  hardship, and an incarnate god bent on ruling or destroying 
  the world definitely qualifies. The receptacle’s opposition 
  consists of those who band together to destroy her. Such 
  parties might be specific organizations, other superheroes, 
  worried supervillains.
  Organizations
  Any organization that has taken an interest in stopping the 
  receptacle is, in all likelihood, either fairly powerful, duty-
  bound to do so, or both. Popular organizations in similar 
  comic book arcs include government or law enforcement 
  agencies, secret societies, and organized criminal empires. 
  These organizations can exist on a local, regional, national, 
  planetary, or even galactic scale, bringing to bear however 
  much might and manpower seems appropriate to the 
  threat. These organizations often move first to contain the 
  receptacle, hoping to use the Power for themselves; if that 
  
  PAGE 27
  does not work, they resolve to destroy her, by any means 
  necessary.
  Superheroes
  Misunderstandings between superheroes are a common 
  theme in comics, and the resulting battles tend to be fast, 
  furious, and quickly resolved once the facts are straight-
  ened out. A receptacle’s situation, however, precludes 
  such quick fixes. Any conflict with other superheroes as a 
  result of her Dark Half’s influence will likely have long-
  term effects, particularly since the issue to be “cleared 
  up” likely involves a receptacle’s reformation or destruc-
  tion. Superheroes are generally willing to make attempts 
  at the former, but they tend to become utterly ruthless the 
  instant innocents are compromised. Superheroes mobilize 
  quickly to confront a receptacle that threatens to spiral out 
  of control, and it is not unheard of for dozens (or more!) 
  to band together, risking their lives to face down a single 
  godlike character.  
  Supervillains
  The selfish nature of supervillains somewhat lessens the 
  likelihood of their involvement in a Godlike storyline. 
  Generally, if a supervillain does get involved, he is seeking 
  a way to claim the receptacle’s Power for himself, perhaps 
  using other like-minded characters to aid him. Sometimes, 
  if a situation is dire enough (for example, if there is no 
  other party qualified to deal with the receptacle), supervil-
  lains may take the field against the receptacle, but only 
  the most disciplined will hold fast when the receptacle’s 
  full power is unleashed. Most supervillains and supervil-
  lain groups are, at best, a momentary distraction for the 
  receptacle, and many of the worst of them might join her, 
  possibly turning against their own worlds to save them-
  selves. Supervillains often become dominated or modified 
  henchmen.
  Chapter Six:  
  Adventure and Plot Hooks
  Chaos Effects: Godlike is intended to provide game 
  masters with a complete model for the popular storyline 
  involving the sudden onset of immense power; however, 
  this storyline has a great deal of room for variation. 
  Individual characters, themes, and events will be wildly 
  different from game to game. Each phase of the story 
  will play out differently, depending on these factors. 
  The following sample plot hooks, separated according 
  to their respective phases, may be introduced into a 
  given campaign, altered slightly, used for inspiration, or 
  completely ignored, at the game master’s discretion.
  Origins
  The following hooks generally take place during the 
  origins phase of the Godlike campaign. Since most revolve 
  around the circumstances under which a receptacle 
  receives her powers, they tend to be mutually exclusive. 
  Dreams of Blood
  A psychic receptacle begins to have terrible dreams of 
  committing atrocious, murderous acts. She sees herself 
  brutally murdering men and women, sometimes with 
  knives or guns, though often with cruder implements and 
  always wearing a different face. At the same time, the city 
  is struck by a slew of murders. It seems that many previ-
  ously “normal” citizens have become murderous. If the 
  receptacle sees any of the murderers, perhaps on television 
  or in the papers, she recognizes their faces as her own in 
  the dreams. It should not take much to discover that she, in 
  some way, is causing these murders. The character should 
  seek out aid, perhaps in the form of some psychologist, 
  mystic, or inventor. In some way, her dreams, emotions, or 
  powers must be controlled during sleep. Else the murders 
  continue. The receptacle might choose instead to keep her 
  dreams a secret. This also results in more murders and 
  more arrests. Eventually, if nothing is stopped, a psychic 
  hero discovers the truth and comes for the character. 
  Pitfalls: If the character seeks help, the game master 
  should ensure that she finds it. The purpose of this hook is 
  primarily to establish the receptacle’s motivations as either 
  selfish or selfless and give her a solid character foundation 
  upon which to run the rest of the storyline. If she seeks out 
  a psychologist to better understand her role in the murders, 
  she should (eventually) be directed to one who can actu-
  ally help rid her of the dreams, perhaps by forcing her to 
  confront some aspect of her personality (perhaps embodied 
  by her Dark Half). If she instead goes to the setting’s 
  premier parahuman biologist, that character should be able 
  to eventually whip up a sort of restraining helmet for her 
  to sleep in that blocks the psychic seepage that is driving 
  people to kill. 
  Adventure Notes: This hook can be used in conjunction 
  with any receptacle archetype and Power type, but it is 
  best suited for a character with a psionic Power. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: There is a great deal of 
  potential, here, particularly for establishing a receptacle’s 
  weakness. Whatever method is used to control the charac-
  ter’s murderous psychic influence might be used in later 
  
  PAGE 28
  storyline phases to restrain her Power use. The character 
  responsible, whether it be a parapsychologist, scientist, or 
  Zen martial artist, might play an instrumental role in the 
  mobilization phase of the storyline. 
  An Offer You Can’t Refuse
  At the climax of a pitched battle, perhaps with innocents 
  at stake, several of the player characters and their allies 
  lay beaten or incapacitated. Time freezes, leaving only 
  one of the characters active, and a well-dressed man steps 
  from the shadows to approach her. Identifying himself as 
  Mr. Hargraves, he offers the character the power to turn 
  the tide of the battle. If asked the price of such power, 
  Hargraves clearly states that the price is included in the 
  benefit; he asks nothing of the character. If the character 
  accepts his terms, she becomes a receptacle for an appro-
  priate Power of the game master’s choice (likely of a 
  divine, elemental, or mystical bent). If she refuses (and 
  survives the current encounter), Hargraves remarks that 
  his offer is on the table and promptly fades from view.  He 
  continues to turn up in times of hardship with the same 
  offer. Alternately, he may turn his attention to another 
  character who might be more willing (or more desperate). 
  When the deal is finished or refused, Hargraves disap-
  pears, and the encounter continues as though he was never 
  there. Only the character who spoke to him has any knowl-
  edge of his existence.
  Pitfalls: The game master should be wary of railroading a 
  potential receptacle. It is important to remember that there 
  will always be other opportunities to lure in a receptacle. 
  A character should be tempted, not forced, to accept the 
  terms of Hargraves’ arrangement. The game master should 
  introduce Hargraves in a situation where characters face 
  defeat, not certain death, without his help. If a character 
  has to choose to be a receptacle, it not only diminishes her 
  player’s sense of control, it also diminishes her respon-
  sibility for what she eventually becomes, which, in some 
  ways, defeats the purpose of this hook.  
  Adventure Notes: This hook can be used for any recep-
  tacle archetype, but is particularly effective for engaging 
  chosen, meager, and wise receptacles. As was previously 
  noted, it is most likely to bestow a divine, elemental, or 
  mystical Power. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: Hargraves can be a demon 
  prince from the pits of Hell, a powerful spirit, or an 
  ancient Lovecraftian god. He could be an influential recur-
  ring villain or a sort of evil mentor for the receptacle 
  (or her Dark Half). Perhaps Hargraves himself must be 
  defeated or dominated in order to free the receptacle from 
  her Power. 
  Hargraves
  Whatever his origins, Hargraves is impeccable. He wears 
  a crisp, immaculately clean, black suit with a sharp, black 
  tie. His black hair is always neatly combed, and his bari-
  tone voice radiates kindness and understanding. He is 
  polite, gentle, and unnaturally charming. Hargraves’ stats 
  should not be needed in the initial encounter, and unless he 
  is somehow the Source of the receptacle’s Power, the char-
  acters are unlikely to have an opportunity to fight him.
  Rising Force
  The following events might occur during the rising force 
  phase of the campaign. They involve the Power, either 
  directly or indirectly, and might result in the receptacle 
  eventually growing too comfortable with it. 
  Dancing on the Strings of Evil
  Word of the receptacle’s immense potential has reached 
  the ears of the Puppeteer (or an equivalent character 
  previously established in the campaign world), a powerful 
  psychic and self-described criminal mastermind. The 
  Puppeteer sets into motion a plan that involves mentally 
  dominating the receptacle, using her as a trump card 
  against other super-powered individuals to expand his 
  already-powerful criminal empire. 
  Pitfalls: The Puppeteer’s attempt to “get” the receptacle 
  need not be successful. Give her and her colleagues 
  a chance to thwart him, as doing so can be every bit 
  as rewarding as having him succeed. Even if he does 
  capture the receptacle, though, it is important to allow her 
  short spans of lucidity, where she can play her character 
  normally. It is recommended that she be able to continue 
  to play her character under the Puppeteer’s influence, in a 
  manner similar to that suggested for the Dark Half, if only 
  to keep her player involved.
  Adventure Notes: This hook works particularly well for 
  a meager receptacle, as her weakness gives the Puppeteer 
  a sort of “in” for drawing her into his plans. Although the 
  receptacle might have any of the given Power types, a 
  psionically-Powered receptacle might expect to be able to 
  overpower the Puppeteer with ease; this expectation could 
  cause problems if the game master does not agree.
  Storytelling Opportunities: A receptacle successfully 
  dominated by the Puppeteer is ripe for an “enemy of 
  the state” ruling, wherein she is hunted by one or more 
  government agencies for crimes. Her Dark Half may or 
  may not be favorably inclined to the Puppeteer. The villain 
  
  PAGE 29
  may even be instrumental in its development, serving as a 
  sort of father figure for it. 
  Breakdown
  Any of the following hooks can occur in the breakdown 
  phase of the storyline, possibly serving as the instrument 
  for the receptacle’s failure. 
  Breakout
  A massive breakout at a paranormal correctional facility 
  results prompts citywide panic and enough chaos to last 
  for several gaming sessions. Most of the prisoners get 
  loose, and while some disappear into the woodwork 
  (perhaps for use in later stories), others are anxious to 
  have a more... immediate effect on the city. The player 
  characters, particularly the receptacle, should be pushed to 
  their limits in dealing with all of the supervillains, many of 
  whom they have tangled with before. 
  Pitfalls: The game master should be careful not to intro-
  duce this hook too lightly. It is a big deal when criminals 
  escape from prison, and when those criminals have super-
  powers, things are bound to get ugly. The situation should 
  receive nationwide (perhaps worldwide) media atten-
  tion, and government intervention should probably play a 
  serious role. The initial spat of violence and chaos might 
  only last for a day or so, but the fallout from the breakout 
  could be much more enduring. Recapturing the fugitive 
  criminals could take a very long time, perhaps years, 
  and even then, a few might yet slip through the grasps 
  of interested parties. As a result, the game master should 
  ensure that the world treats the situation with the gravity it 
  deserves. 
  Adventure Notes: Any receptacle type could effectively 
  play through this event, though driven characters may find 
  it most rewarding. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: This is the game master’s 
  chance to release some previously captured villains, not 
  just for rematches, but also, in the case of those who 
  escape, for all-new capers. The breakout itself should be a 
  raucous, no-holds-barred event, catering primarily to those 
  who love to mix it up. The sheer number of supervillains 
  on the scene might mean the receptacle has to tap her full 
  Power, perhaps releasing her Dark Half, which might do 
  terrible, terrible things to attacking supercriminals and 
  panicked guards alike. 
  Cease and Desist
  The receptacle’s Dark Half takes over at an inopportune 
  moment, resulting in a decidedly careless display of power 
  that leaves a boy hospitalized. In response to the resulting 
  media circus and public outcry, the government orders the 
  character and her allies to cease their crimefighting efforts 
  immediately, under penalty of criminal charges. The char-
  acters may or may not comply, but if they don’t, they will 
  become fugitives (if they aren’t already) if discovered, 
  hunted by government-sponsored organizations and para-
  normals. 
  Unfortunately, it is at this time that the murderous 
  Vizier (or a similarly powered supercriminal previously 
  established in the campaign world) decides to make his 
  move. Vizier, an ultra-intelligent, armored megaloma-
  niac, demands that the government (or an individual, or 
  an astronomical sum of money, or a particular state... 
  the possibilities are endless) be surrendered to him, else 
  he will begin destroying the country one city at a time. 
  He makes an example of a small town in Texas, and on 
  a live news feed, the world watches as the whole thing 
  shoots upward into the sky and out of sight. The fate of 
  the residents is unknown, but the situation does not look 
  promising. Vizier has created a powerful gravitational 
  device capable of ripping entire cities from the earth and 
  launching them into orbit. To function, this device requires 
  that a set of gravitic columns be positioned in strategic 
  locations around the target. And he has made it known that 
  the player characters’ city is his next target. 
  The characters must either find the columns in their 
  mundane identities or risk the government’s wrath by 
  taking up the mantles of their super-powered selves. 
  Whatever the case, if they fail, the receptacle might 
  have to resort to her Power to save the city from Vizier’s 
  powerful device. 
  Pitfalls: While it may be tempting to focus a great deal on 
  the portion of the hook involving Vizier, the game master 
  is cautioned to refrain from neglecting the first half of the 
  story involving the tragic situation of the wounded boy 
  and the resulting media coverage. The potential effect on 
  the receptacle cannot be ignored. Also, there is a great deal 
  of opportunity for the characters to be subject to varying 
  types of media coverage, from touching, concerned 
  monitoring of the young man’s condition, to the blatant 
  attention-mongering hype much of mainstream media is 
  known for. The characters could be the subjects of books, 
  lectures, and talk shows for a long time to come. Also, 
  the game master should flesh out the character of the boy 
  and his situation to suit the needs of the story. It might 
  
  PAGE 30
  be easy to simply classify him as “some kid who stood 
  around at a firefight gaping and got hit by a stray millen-
  nium-blast,” but his effect on the story (and thus, the char-
  acters) will be much greater if he is “Aaron, a 5th-grader 
  at Thom Pederson Elementary School, a troubled student 
  with  a loving, but overworked, single father and a mop of 
  tangled, dirty-blond hair.” The more details the character’s 
  have as to the boy’s identity, the more human he becomes, 
  and the better they understand the danger posed by the 
  Dark Half. 
  Adventure Notes: The often-wild nature of elemental 
  Powers makes them particularly suited for this hook, 
  although a stray psionic blast can also result in some 
  particularly tragic injury involving brain damage or some 
  untreatable injury.
  Storytelling Opportunities: Vizier could definitely make 
  a useful recurring supervillain. The injured boy, on the 
  other hand, might play a much more interesting role, 
  perhaps as a “control” or calming factor for the receptacle. 
  Perhaps the memory of what she did to him so wracks her 
  with guilt that his very presence can momentarily dispel 
  her Dark Half later in the storyline. This does assume that 
  he survives. If the boy somehow dies, the repercussions 
  could be devastating, and the characters’ status with the 
  world at large could be irrevocably changed. It should 
  be noted that the receptacle might use her Power to heal 
  or “fix” the injured boy, which could result in a changed 
  (perhaps unnaturally so...?) young man.  
  The Fraternity of Man
  A political organization calling itself the Fraternity 
  of Man rallies against the nation’s reliance on super-
  powered vigilantism. This organization lobbies for local 
  and federal government controls on individuals like the 
  characters. Sometimes, the Fraternity carries out its own 
  brand of vigilante justice against paranormals, although 
  the disparity in power between normal humans and para-
  humans generally means that they target lone mutants (or 
  suspected mutants) and novice heroes and villains. This 
  
  PAGE 31
  time, the Fraternity targets a hero close to the player char-
  acters, putting the character in a hospital and ending his 
  career forever, if not outright killing him (depending on 
  the needs of the campaign). The characters may or may 
  not be able to bring the responsible party to justice, since 
  the crippled hero is the only witness aside from the guilty 
  Fraternity members. An interesting twist on this hook 
  involves the wounded hero being particularly close to the 
  receptacle. This might prompt her to do something drastic. 
  Pitfalls: The Fraternity should not just come out of 
  nowhere. It is recommended that they be introduced at 
  least a few sessions before this hook. The game master is 
  advised to emphasize the Fraternity’s fear, perhaps fore-
  shadowing certain parallels between the organization’s 
  members and those who later move against the receptacle 
  in the mobilization phase of the storyline. 
  Adventure Notes: This hook is not geared toward any 
  particular receptacle archetype, though a haunted recep-
  tacle might deal with the Fraternity in the most interesting 
  manner. This hook is usable regardless of the receptacle’s 
  Power type. It revolves less around her abilities than it 
  does her reaction to a tragic event. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: The Fraternity of Man 
  makes a great recurring group of antagonists. If not utterly 
  destroyed by the receptacle’s Dark Half, the group may 
  gain enough political momentum to actually affect the 
  country, especially if the receptacle herself gets too far out 
  of hand. This hook is meant to give the receptacle and her 
  teammates an example of what humankind is capable of 
  when sufficiently frightened. It should serve as a warning 
  to the characters to keep the Dark Half in check. 
  The Fraternity of Man
  The Fraternity of Man consists mostly of average urban 
  and suburban men and women. Although initially 
  composed primarily of the wealthy, the perception of 
  crimefighters “targeting” poorer neighborhoods and street 
  crime over corporate and political corruption has earned 
  the group a great deal more influence among those less 
  affluent. 
  The political leaders of the Fraternity of Man are charis-
  matic, eloquent speakers, all sense-and-common-sense. 
  They know enough to push for “paranormal control” 
  measures in legislation before pursuing outright extermina-
  tion methods (although the latter is the desired end result).
  Although most members of the Fraternity are perfectly 
  normal, those who prove themselves particularly dedicated 
  are invited to the training camps, where they are taught the 
  combat techniques necessary to hunt paranormals. After 
  an intense 6- to 12-month training regime at one of the 
  Fraternity’s camps, the individual, now called a Soldier, 
  is attached to a cell of other Soldiers in a city known for 
  some paranormal influence and ordered to hunt as best he 
  can. 
  The average Fraternity Soldier is highly-trained in marks-
  manship and hand-to-hand combat techniques. He is a 
  good urban tracker with some skill at shadowing prey 
  in urban environments. Most are equipped with high-
  powered rifles and stylish sunglasses electronically fitted 
  light amplification lenses (for nighttime hunting). They 
  carry smoke bombs and communicate with one another 
  using short-range transceivers. They tend not to wear body 
  armor, as it doesn’t help much against the types of foes 
  they face. 
  To Catch a Thief, to Kill a Thief
  Shadowlark (or a similar non-powered character previ-
  ously established in the campaign world) is widely 
  regarded as the world’s greatest thief. And unfortunately, 
  he has discovered the Source of the receptacle’s power. He 
  steals the object and takes for himself the Power, wreaking 
  havoc (he is a thrillseeker archetype, if the game master 
  requires some direction for him) in the underworld. Even 
  more unfortunate is the fact that he was hired by Madam 
  Hand (or a similar master of an organized crime empire 
  previously established in the campaign world), the head 
  of a massive, globe-spanning organized crime family, to 
  steal the object. Noting Shadowlark’s betrayal, Hand puts 
  into action a plan to get the object from him. The charac-
  ters must not only locate and overpower or outsmart the 
  thieving Shadowlark, they must also compete with Madam 
  Hand’s group of enhanced hitmen. 
  Pitfalls: As is always the case with chases and urban 
  tracking, the real trick is ensuring that the investigation 
  segment of the story neither ends too soon, nor drags on 
  too long. While the characters search for Shadowlark, the 
  game master should be certain to watch the players for 
  signs of anxiety or restlessness. This assumes, of course, 
  that the characters go looking for the object and do not 
  simply “let it go,” so to speak. If they do seem to be 
  willing to release the object (and the Power) to its new 
  master, don’t force them to take it back. Shadowlark might 
  come to them for aid in fending off Madam Hand’s assas-
  sins, particularly if he thinks the former receptacle might 
  have some hints on using the Power more effectively. 
  Alternately, Shadowlark could grow to become a much 
  more dangerous character, perhaps the major antagonist in 
  an entirely new type of campaign. 
  
  PAGE 32
  Adventure Notes: This hook is not geared toward any 
  particular receptacle archetype, though one that appre-
  ciates and treasures the Power, such as the driven or 
  meager receptacle, is much more likely to actually pursue 
  Shadowlark. Any Power type will do, but this hook relies 
  on the receptacle’s Source being an object.
  Storytelling Opportunities: Madam Hand and her crim-
  inal empire could be a group of recurring villains inter-
  ested in capturing the receptacle’s Power for the remainder 
  of the storyline. Shadowlark’s indulgences can show the 
  receptacle and her allies her potential for depravity through 
  the Power. 
  Invasion
  A race of powerful alien entities stages a direct attack on 
  the characters’ city, resulting in dozens, perhaps hundreds, 
  of deaths and even more injuries. The aliens are a prelimi-
  nary scouting unit sent to test the human race’s defenses; 
  a much larger invasion force waits in Jupiter’s shadow 
  for the order to attack. If the scouts are repelled strongly 
  enough, the main force will likely retreat, expecting such 
  resistance worldwide. While the fighters and the soldiers 
  themselves are very vulnerable to attack, the scouts’ 
  warship may require a Power, some degree of infiltration 
  and espionage, or both to destroy.
  Pitfalls: Alien invasions always run the risk of coming off 
  as silly or campy, which is fine for some campaigns. Game 
  masters with more serious campaigns in mind, however, 
  will need to take some degree of care. It would definitely 
  be beneficial to detail the aliens’ culture and technology 
  beforehand, rather than relying on stereotypes. The game 
  master should know why they want to conquer the earth 
  (perhaps some religious expansionist drive or previous 
  encounter with hostile humanity?) and exactly what 
  their technology is capable of. Also important is exactly 
  what the aliens plan to do with the Earth. Are they out 
  for slaves, resources, or just pure, unadulterated destruc-
  tion? No amount of death and mayhem can sufficiently 
  sober players in the face of a group of silly aliens. Flying 
  saucers, at least “traditional” ones, are right out. And if the 
  aliens are just little gray (or, worse, green) men, they had 
  better have very interesting gear, a hell of a backstory, or 
  both.
  Adventure Notes: This hook is not geared toward a 
  particular receptacle archetype or Power type, although 
  cosmic, elemental, and psionic Powers best fit the “feel.”
  Storytelling Opportunities: As is, the invasion might 
  require all the power the characters can muster and more, 
  resulting in the receptacle tapping her own Power, which 
  
  PAGE 33
  unleashes the Dark Half. The Dark Half might very well 
  kill thousands or hundreds of thousands of the aliens. 
  Perhaps it doesn’t distinguish friend from foe or visits the 
  alien homeworld to embark on a genocidal campaign. If 
  the receptacle leaves even some of the aliens alive, the 
  full-force alien invasion might come at any time. Even 
  if the invaders are frightened away by the receptacle’s 
  Power, they might come back with an even larger invasion 
  force. This hook is meant to confront the receptacle with 
  the very real possibility of the fact that her Power may 
  well be needed.           
  Mobilization
  During the mobilization phase, the story hooks generally 
  involve the instrument of one of two things: the recepta-
  cle’s redemption or her destruction.
  Arcshadow: Prime
  A group of top-tier special agents infiltrates the characters’ 
  headquarters (or simply locates them if they do not have 
  one). These agents are members of Arcshadow: Prime, a 
  government-sponsored black-ops unit employing enhanced 
  and paranormal individuals to perform the jobs main-
  stream forces are too public or ill-equipped to handle. The 
  agents request the characters’ aid in moving against the 
  receptacle, emphasizing their desire to take her in alive. 
  Unfortunately, the agents are not so forthcoming about 
  their plans for the receptacle once they acquire her. They 
  have orders to immobilize her (using a special chem-
  ical compound that may or may not work, at the game 
  master’s discretion) and bring her in. The agency hopes to 
  convert her into a controllable weapon. If the characters 
  take Arcshadow: Prime up on its offer, the agents will 
  turn against them as soon as they have the receptacle in 
  custody. If the characters refuse, the agents instead attempt 
  to arrange for their deaths, perhaps by booby trapping the 
  headquarters, reprogramming the defense mechanisms, or 
  attacking outright. 
  Pitfalls: The game master should be wary of playing the 
  agents as menacing from the get-go. They are intelligent 
  and incredibly skilled in their field, which involves espio-
  nage, infiltration, misinformation, stealth. These characters 
  are expert liars and introducing them as mere thugs might 
  diminish their storytelling value.
  Adventure Notes: This hook is not geared toward any 
  particular receptacle archetype or Power type.
  Storytelling Opportunities: The characters’ expo-
  sure to the agency might initiate them into the world of 
  conspiracy, murder, and spy games, if they are not already 
  involved. Also, Arcshadow: Prime could surface again in 
  later stories. If the characters hold their own fairly well, 
  they might be offered positions in the agency, although 
  after this adventure, they might not readily trust anyone 
  from Arcshadow: Prime.    
  Friends in Low Places
  It becomes known to the characters that powerful psychic 
  blocks may be able prevent the receptacle from accessing 
  her Power and seal off the Dark Half from her conscious-
  ness. If the characters lack access to a sufficiently capable 
  psychic, they may be directed to Mason, a psionic serial 
  killer famous for killing his victims slowly, cutting on 
  them over the course of days, blocking out their memories 
  of his actions so that they went about their daily routines 
  unaware of why they were bandaged and sometimes 
  disfigured; these individuals always returned home, where 
  he waited to continue his work. Mason is currently on 
  death row in a Texas prison, and he has no logical reason 
  to aid the characters. The characters, for that matter, might 
  be uncomfortable allowing this sort of individual to muck 
  around with their comrade’s mind. He might, however, be 
  persuaded to help, for a price. If the characters can get the 
  state’s cooperation. 
  Pitfalls: Mason is a serial killer, not a lunatic. As such, 
  he should probably not be portrayed as a run-of-the-
  mill psycho who eats people, drools all over himself, 
  and babbles incoherently. He might definitely be a more 
  rewarding, full character if he is played intelligently, and 
  treated as a three-dimensional, if sick, individual. 
  Adventure Notes: This hook might work best with 
  haunted receptacles, who might benefit from psychic 
  blocks that prevent or lessen the sting of certain memo-
  ries. Other archetypes, however, are definitely viable. The 
  most obvious Power type for this hook is that of a psionic 
  receptacle, though judicious “comic book” science or 
  psychology might be used to justify other Power types.
  Storytelling Opportunities: This is the game master’s 
  chance to get the characters to do something, anything, 
  out of the ordinary. Mason’s request could literally be 
  anything, and it need not necessarily be legal.
  The Lost God
  Deep beneath the waves near some coastal town, in the 
  forgotten, sunken city of Berian’xiatr, an ancient god 
  awakes. It is an alien, tentacled thing of immense power 
  and unknowable motivations. All around the city, people 
  begin turning, changing into strange scaled creatures, 
  
  PAGE 34
  attacking some normal humans and infecting others with 
  the same strange affliction. It is up to characters to inves-
  tigate and discover the nature of the Lost God. While its 
  servants can be thwarted, and its prison re-built (with great 
  effort), only the receptacle has the power to truly destroy 
  it. And, depending on how the storyline has gone, thus far, 
  she might have already been driven off. 
  Pitfalls: The panic that comes with entire populations 
  turning into monstrous, murderous amphibians cannot 
  be overstated. The public, if it gets wind of this, should 
  be utterly panicked. The temptation to make this kind of 
  event a run-of-the-mill encounter should likely be resisted. 
  Also, the game master is cautioned against allowing 
  the player characters to forget that the Lost God’s new 
  servants were once human. Killing them indiscriminately 
  or in some casual manner should make for extremely bad 
  press if anyone finds out. And then, there is the question of 
  returning them to normal. When the Lost God is defeated 
  or re-imprisoned, do his servants return to normal, or 
  might that take more of the receptacle’s awesome Power?
  Adventure Notes: This hook is particularly well-suited 
  for chosen receptacles, those destined to defeat some great 
  force. Perhaps this is the great destiny that awaited the 
  character. A divine Power makes for the best “match-up” 
  between the receptacle and the Lost God, but any Power is 
  viable. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: The alien nature of the Lost 
  God and its warped powers should be indicative of what 
  the receptacle might one day become, if the Dark Half is 
  allowed to take control. The Lost God itself could also 
  provide the receptacle with a chance for redemption, a 
  threat even greater than herself, against which she can 
  battle on somewhat even terms for her friends. Perhaps 
  this Lost God takes over as the primary antagonist in the 
  storyline, with the receptacle becoming the characters’ 
  unpredictable trump card. 
  The Lost
  Men and women transformed by the Lost God develop 
  strange, snake-like qualities over time. Their skin becomes 
  black and scaly, and their eyes shrink and grow farther 
  apart. They sprout two prominent fangs, and their hair falls 
  out. In all, the change takes between one and four days. 
  When the process is completely, these individuals join the 
  ranks of the Lost. Those bitten by the Lost (at least, those 
  who survive), slowly begin their own change. The Lost 
  boast tough, scaly hides and great, though not quite super-
  natural, strength.
  Sidebar V: Battle of the Titans
  In the event of the introduction of greater evil (such as that 
  described in The Lost God) to the campaign, the receptacle 
  might have to battle an entity with powers of a magnitude 
  similar to her own. This might be difficult for many game 
  masters to adjudicate, particularly if they are using the 
  narrative-based Power use option described earlier. The 
  default assumption is that the combat is broken up into 
  “narrative rounds,” in which the game master and player 
  take turns describing a series of events, wherein one’s 
  character ideally attempts to attack, confound, and weaken 
  her opponent, and each character resists effects as normal 
  (based on her opponent’s artificial Power score). 
  Other options, however, do exist. For example, if the 
  group is not already using one, the game master might 
  consider temporarily switching over to an easily-learned, 
  very simple, rules-light system for this combat. “Easily-
  learned” is the trick, however, and any system that takes 
  more than a couple of minutes to explain and implement 
  might be too complicated. Some players might resent 
  being expected to suddenly learn and effectively use an 
  entirely new gaming system, particularly after all the time 
  they spent learning the one already in use.
  Whatever the case, it is important to remember the other 
  characters. Even in a conflict between virtual gods, 
  super-powered characters should be able to influence the 
  outcome in some ways. The easiest way to handle this 
  is to introduce minions (such as the Lost, found in The 
  Lost God). In most circumstances, at least some of these 
  minions should be a match for the characters. This gives 
  them a sense of being involved in the conflict, rather than 
  playing spectators. 
  Another way to involve the other characters is to intro-
  duce innocents to the battlefield. The sheer magnitude of 
  the powers involved practically guarantees some collat-
  eral damage, which is sure to endanger bystanders. The 
  receptacle’s allies can be put to work saving others from 
  the battle’s fallout. Collapsing buildings, firestorms, grand 
  earthquakes, meteor showers, typhoons, and numerous 
  (un)natural disasters are all possibilities when Powers are 
  involved. 
  Finally, the characters can actually help the receptacle 
  by making their own contributions to the attack narrative 
  (which might earn her further Power bonuses in the narra-
  tive-based system), making their own, often ineffectual, 
  attacks against the opposing entity, either to distract it 
  from the receptacle or weaken it, however minutely. 
  
  PAGE 35
  Power Scale
  Under narrative-based Power rules, it is important to estab-
  lish a receptacle’s Power scale. This represents the area she 
  may affect with her abilities. Power scale is completely 
  up to the game master, but it generally falls within one of 
  four categories: immediate, local, regional, or global. Each 
  category is briefly described below.   
  Immediate: The Power generally only functions against 
  targets in her immediate area, no more than a few hundred 
  feat, and possibly as little as 30 feet. 
  Local: The Power can possibly affect a city-sized area, 
  perhaps affecting everyone within city limits or manipu-
  lating or creating an object the size of a city.
  Regional: The Power can affect a huge area, possibly the 
  size of some countries. 
  Global: The Power can affect entire planets, possibly rear-
  ranging continents or changing the composition of the 
  seas. 
  It should be noted that even lower-scaled Powers can have 
  large-scale effects. A character with a regional-area Power 
  can wreak worldwide havoc with a single Texas-sized 
  meteor.
  Manhunt
  The receptacle’s actions have made her and her erstwhile 
  comrades fugitives, hunted by their country’s military and 
  law enforcement services. The public outcry caused by 
  media influence essentially guarantees that none of the 
  characters will receive fair treatment in a court of law, but 
  if the situation gets desperate enough, captured charac-
  ters, particularly lovers or best friends, might be forcibly 
  enlisted to help hunt the receptacle. Characters seeking 
  to help the receptacle must contend with heavily armed 
  government forces and possibly paranormal operatives. 
  Pitfalls: It is always very easy to play governments similar 
  organizations as monolithic “evil empires.” An ambitious 
  game master might wish to try confronting the characters 
  with convincing evidence that their country is doing what 
  they feel is best for their citizens, considering the unknown 
  (to them) origins and sheer destructive potential of the 
  threat (the receptacle and her Power). Perhaps a particu-
  larly human government operative is sent to bring in or 
  recruit the characters peacefully in the hopes of discov-
  ering some way to counter the receptacle. 
  Adventure Notes: This hook is not geared toward any 
  particular receptacle archetypes or Power types. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: This allows the characters to 
  play on the law’s bad side, if they haven’t already. It also 
  
  PAGE 36
  presents a structure, in the form of the government, which 
  could either be a help or a hindrance, depending on what 
  the characters choose to do about the receptacle. If they 
  are paralyzed with indecision, the military teams might be 
  able to help them make up their minds.   
  The Wellstone
  Characters interested in saving a receptacle must look 
  everywhere for potential ways to help. Friendly mystics 
  or scientists might help in the search. Someone’s research 
  turns up information on the Wellstone, a powerful arti-
  fact of immense arcane power capable of absorbing the 
  Power that threatens to drive the receptacle mad. It just 
  might save the character. Unfortunately, the clues point 
  to the ruins of an ancient city deep in Subsaharan Africa. 
  Within this city are the ruins of another, even older city 
  of dubious origins (which are left to the game master... 
  perhaps this is a Lemurian metropolis or the site of an 
  alien colony...). Here, in the second city, the characters 
  must face numerous challenges, such as ghostly remnants 
  of the citizens, booby traps of magical or technological (or 
  techno-magical) design. Here, in this second city, the char-
  acters will find the Wellstone. 
  Pitfalls: Very little can go wrong here, save making the 
  quest too long or too short. The game master can incor-
  porate just about anything into this one, from remnants of 
  ancient peoples, to puzzles, to strange arcano-engineered 
  creatures, to old-school-kick-in-the-door dungeon crawls. 
  Cramming too much into this story, however, can prove 
  detrimental to the flow (and continuity) of the game.
  Adventure Notes: This hook works best for a receptacle 
  with a divine or mystical Power, or, in the case of a more 
  scientific ancient civilization, psionic Power. A little inge-
  nuity, though, can justify the hook’s use for almost any 
  receptacle’s Power type. 
  Storytelling Opportunities: As was mentioned above, 
  there is a great deal of potential for varying gaming 
  elements uncommon in the superhero genre. It’s great for 
  a change of pace. Also, artifacts, creatures, or writings 
  found in the city might set certain characters on the trail of 
  greater mysteries once the business with the receptacle is 
  finished.
  Endgame!
  The endgame phase is going to be based entirely on 
  previous storyline events and the whims of the receptacle. 
  The gaming group is encouraged to just have fun here. By 
  this time, the storyline should have developed sufficient 
  momentum to make this phase easy to determine and play 
  out. 
  Aftermath
  The Godlike storyline can have a number of lasting effects 
  on the characters and their campaign world, a few of 
  which are listed below. 
  Purgatory
  The receptacle, if she survives, is held accountable for her 
  crimes, and must serve at least some time in a penitentiary 
  for super-powered criminals. The character must serve her 
  sentence, perhaps alongside many villains she put away 
  herself. If the receptacle and her allies part ways at the end 
  of the storyline, the game master might allow the recepta-
  cle’s player to create a new character with advancements 
  and experience equal to that of the jailed one. 
  
  PAGE 37
  Alternately, the character’s previous heroic deeds may 
  earn her a more unconventional sentence, in which she is 
  free to continue her superheroic career on a provisional 
  status, under the watchful eye of some government-spon-
  sored probationer. This introduces a great deal of potential 
  for conflict involving the expectations, motivations, and 
  values of both the character and the watchdog.  
  Rebirth
  A receptacle who does not survive the storyline may, at the 
  game master’s discretion, be reborn somehow. The troupe 
  is encouraged to allow the character to explain her own 
  rebirth, perhaps in- and out-of-character simultaneously, as 
  coming up with comic book rationales that counter death 
  can be very entertaining.  
  Relapse
  If the Source is not completely destroyed, it is possible 
  that the receptacle again succumbs to its Power, particu-
  larly under very trying circumstances. In future stories, the 
  game master might give the player character the option of 
  “reactivating” her character’s old Power, possibly initiating 
  a Godlike storyline reboot. Smart players will refuse.
  New Feats
  ARBOREAL
  You can climb with exceptional agility and speed. 
  Prerequisites: 5+ ranks in the Climbing skill, Dexterity 
  15+
  Benefit:  You receive a + 2 bonus to all climbing skill 
  checks when ascending slopes or walls, and your rate 
  of speed while climbing is doubled (up to your normal 
  ground speed.)  If you fall while climbing, you receive 
  immediately receive two additional skill checks to try and 
  catch yourself; if either succeeds you prevent yourself 
  from falling.  The DC for the skill checks are equal to the 
  normal DC of the slope +5, or the normal DC for the wall 
  +10.  
  ALLEGIANCE
  You are devoted to one particular cause. 
  Benefit:   Choose one specific cause such as the environ-
  ment, the well being of your nation, a philosophy, or your 
  religious faith.
  If you are facing opponents who directly oppose your 
  cause, you gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, 
  skill checks, and your defensive ability score.   The Game 
  Master must approve any cause you wish to adopt, and is 
  the final arbiter of whether any enemies you face represent 
  an opposing group.  Care must be taken that this feat is 
  narrowly defined.  
  Example:  If you are select “the well-being of the 
  American system” as your cause, Neo-Nazis and terror-
  ists would be included as groups who directly oppose your 
  cause, but super-villains who wish to conquer the U.S. as 
  a first step to taking over the world would not.
  AVENGE FALLEN COMRADE
  You ferociously attack enemies who cause harm to your 
  sidekick.
  Prerequisites:  Must have a Sidekick
  Benefit:  If you witness your sidekick suffer grievous 
  harm in combat (critically hit, disabled, or killed), you 
  gain a +4 bonus to initiative and a +4 bonus on melee 
  and unarmed attack rolls against the enemies who harmed 
  him.  These bonuses persist for a number of rounds equal 
  to your Constitution bonus (minimum of 1), or until the 
  combat is over.  At the end of this period you become 
  fatigued.
  ANALYZE OPPONENT
  You can figure out how to slip past an opponent’s defen-
  sive ability in close combat.
  Prerequisites: Wisdom 15+.
  Benefit:  If you spend a full action studying an opponent 
  for one round, you can add your Wisdom bonus as well as 
  your Strength modifier to your melee and unarmed attack 
  rolls against that opponent.  This bonus persists for the 
  length of the combat. 
  BESTIAL NATURE
  You enjoy an instinctive rapport with animals.
  Prerequisites: Animal Affinity, Wisdom 13+.
  Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks 
  and a +4 bonus when making interaction checks with 
  animals.  You can also communicate with animals through 
  grunts, snorts, whistles, and gestures.  Such communica-
  tion is limited to very basic commands and requests that 
  animals can grasp, however.  The GM must determine 
  whether a given being is considered an animal or not, if 
  
  PAGE 38
  the character’s statistics do make obviously indicate that it 
  is.
  Special: The Limited flaw may be taken to restrict this 
  feat to only one type of animal (canines, horses, dolphins, 
  etc.) 
  CYPHER
  Your personal data is difficult for others to find out about
  Benefit:  Any skill checks made to discover information 
  about you (using the Computers skill, for example, or the 
  Gather Information skill) are made at a -5 penalty.  No 
  current photographs or video recordings of you exist at the 
  start of the campaign.
  DISABLING STRIKE
  Your attacks can temporarily cripple an opponent.
  Prerequisite:  Improved Critical, Intelligence 13+.
  Benefit:  If you confirm a critical hit against an opponent, 
  you may choose to disable one of the opponent’s limbs 
  instead of inflicting extra damage.  Disabling an arm or 
  other limb an opponent uses to attack with may result in 
  the enemy suffering off-hand penalties when attacking.  
  Disabling an opponent’s leg reduces base ground speed 
  to 15 feet, and reduces jumping distances by three-quar-
  ters.  Disabling both legs reduces movement to a five-foot 
  crawl.
  ELUDE PURSUIT
  You are particularly hard to track.
  Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+, 5+ ranks in the Survival skill.
  Benefit:  The DC for others to follow your trail using the 
  Scent or Track feats is increased by +5.
  FASCINATING APPEARANCE
  Your physical appearance is such that opponents are 
  unable to take any hostile actions upon first seeing you.
  Benefit:  Any opponent who sees you for the first time 
  must attempt a Will saving throw (DC 15). If they fail, 
  they are so mesmerized by your appearance that they 
  cannot attack or move for that round, though they can still 
  defend normally.  Note that this feat does not necessarily 
  mean you are beautiful; you could simply be very odd-
  looking or even fascinatingly ugly.
  Special:  This feat can usually only be taken at the time of 
  character creation, except with the GM’s permission (due 
  to mutation, etc.)
  MASSIVE
  You are inhumanly wide and broad of build.
  Prerequisites:  Constitution 15+.
  Benefit:  You are counted as one size category larger 
  than you actually for the purposes of resisting bull rushes 
  or grapple attempts, i.e., if you are of medium size, you 
  would be considered large instead.
  Special:  This feat can usually only be taken at the time of 
  character creation, except with the GM’s permission (due 
  to mutation, etc.)
  NERVES OF STEEL
  Your can use your best skills more effectively in difficult 
  conditions.
  Prerequisites:  Skill Focus
  Benefit:  You may take 10 on any skills you have selected 
  even if you are in combat or otherwise distracted. 
  Normal:  Characters can normally take 10 on skill rolls if 
  they are not in combat or otherwise distracted.
  NOBLE SACRIFICE
  You can push yourself beyond normal limits to aid and 
  protect others, but at the risk of your own life.
  Prerequisites:  Endurance, Constitution 13+
  Benefit:  If you are acting to directly aid another character 
  (taking on a clearly superior foe alone to prevent harm to 
  innocent people, for example) you may gain any one of the 
  benefits listed below:
   
  • 
   Strength check bonus:  You receive a +4 bonus 
  to one Strength check (but not Strength-based skill 
  rolls.)
   
  • 
   Improve attack bonus:  You receive a +5 bonus 
  to your attack rolls.
   
  • 
   Increase carrying capacity:  Your carrying 
  capacity is quadrupled.
   
  • 
   Increase movement:  Your movement speed is 
  increased four-fold.
   
  • 
   Increase power:  You may increase any one 
  power you possess by 50%.  You cannot increase 
  permanent powers, movement powers, and super-
  abilities cannot be increased, however.
  
  PAGE 39
   
  • 
   Resist damage:  You receive a +5 bonus to all 
  your saving throws.
  Using this feat is a free action.  The effects of this feat is 
  persist for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution 
  bonus (minimum of 1), and each round you may choose 
  which of the above benefits to wish to use. After the feat’s 
  effects end, you immediately become disabled, and must 
  succeed on a DC 10 Fortitude or begin dying the round 
  thereafter.  This feat may be used once per day. 
  PACK MULE
  You can lift and carry more than a normal individual with 
  your Strength score.
  Prerequisites: Strength 13+, Constitution 13+.
  Benefit:  Your carrying capacity is doubled.  You also gain 
  a +2 to checks to avoid becoming fatigued when carrying 
  heavy loads long distances.
  SKILL MASTERY
  You are supremely talented at using one skill.
  Prerequisites:  Skill Focus (in the same skill), 5+ ranks 
  in the relevant skill, and a score of 18+ in the appropriate 
  ability.
  Benefit:  Choose any skill to which you have applied the 
  Skill Focus feat. You gain a +5 bonus on all skill checks 
  with that skill, and you automatically win any opposed 
  skill checks if your opponent.  The skill bonus granted 
  does not stack with that provided by Skill Focus.
  STURDY
  You are unusually broad, heavy, or stout for your height.
  Prerequisite:  Constitution 13+.
  Benefit:  You receive a +2 bonus to resist being bull 
  rushed, and opponents whom you have pinned in unarmed 
  combat take a -4 penalty on all attempts to break you pin.
  Special:  This feat can usually only be taken at the time of 
  character creation, except with the GM’s permission.
  SUPERIOR LEADERSHIP
  Your leadership abilities are truly extraordinary.
  Prerequisites:  Charisma 15+, Leadership.
  Benefit:  When directing others in combat, all of your 
  allies receive a bonus equal to your Charisma modi-
  fier (minimum of 1) on any one type of check of your 
  choosing; they receive a +1 bonus to all other check, as 
  per the Leadership feat.  All the normal restrictions of that 
  feat apply as well.
  WISE LEADER
  You lead through the use of sound judgment and solid 
  decision making skills.
  Prerequisite: Wisdom 13+, Leadership
  Benefit:  You can use your Wisdom score with your 
  Charisma score for all feats that involve leading others 
  such as Leadership.
  UNRELENTING
  Your grudge against a certain group of enemies allows you 
  to withstand wounds that would otherwise fell you.
  Benefit:  You may choose narrowly defined group 
  of opponents (androids, mad scientists, Mafia goons, 
  vampires, and so on); you receive a +4 bonus on all 
  saving throws when at least one member of that group is 
  fighting against you and/or your allies.  The Game Master 
  must approve the opponent group you wish to select, and 
  is the final arbiter of whether or not a particular enemy 
  falls within the group.  Categories such as “monsters” 
  or “super-villains” are almost certainly too broad, for 
  example, but “demons” might be acceptable, depending on 
  the campaign.  
  Special:  You should present a rationale for taking this feat 
  to the GM; in most cases it should tie into your origin (the 
  Mafia killed your family; you were tortured by a group of 
  mad scientists, etc.)
  ZEN MOMENT
  You can achieve greater success by allowing the world 
  around you to guide your actions.
  Prerequisite:  Trance, Wisdom 13+.
  Benefit: You may use this feat in two ways:
   
  • 
   First, whenever re-roll a die roll, you may treat 
  any die rolls under 15 as if they were 15 instead.  
   
  • 
   Second, your gain a bonus to your defensive abil-
  ity equal to your Wisdom bonus +10
  This feat may be used once per day for every four power 
  levels.  Using the feat may frequently than this causes you 
  to become fatigued.
  All mechanics on all pages is Open Game Content as 
  defined by the Open Gaming License. See page 40 for 
  more information.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Super Hero Games/Mutants & Masterminds/3rd Party/1st Edition/Devil's Workshop - Chaos Effect, Godlike.pdf