PARAGONS
a green ronin productionDesign Dwyane T. Butchino, Shawn Carman, Jason Cox, Jeffrey Craig, Jeremy Crawford, Vincent Daniels, Andew Frades, Luke Johnson, Sean Johnson, Steve Kenson, Steven Marsh, Ben Robbins, Stephen Scholz, Aaron Sullivan
Editing Jon Leitheusser Development Steve Kenson Art Direction and Graphic Design Hal Mangold Proofreading Evan Sass, Bob Huss, Aaron Sullivan Cover Art Udon Interior Art Brett Barkley, Talon Dunning, Anthony Grabski, Brian Hagan, Scott James, Empty Room Studios, Udon
Executive Producer Chris Pramas
Green Ronin Staff Bill Bodden, Steve Kenson, Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass, Robert J. Schwalb, Marc Schmalz
Paragons is ©2007 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. Paragons, Mutants & Masterminds, Freedom City, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, Version 1.0a: all character and place names and descriptions, all artwork and images, hero points, power points.
The following text is Open Gaming Content: all stat blocks and game information, except for material previously declared Product Identity. Permission is granted to print one copy of the electronic version of this product for personal use.
Printed in China
Green Ronin Publishing
3815 S. Othello St. Suite 100, #304, Seattle, WA 98118 Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.greenronin.com
2
OF
CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTROduCTION ... 3
Terminology ...4
ChAPTER ONE:
POwERS & ABILITIES ... 6
Breakout ...6 Paranormal Abilities ...9 Paranormal Psychology ...11 Fortean Phenomeona ...14 Paranormal Theories ...15 The Breakout ...18
ChAPTER TwO:
STRANGE NEw wORLd ... 18
Geopolitics ...21
New Frontiers ... 22
Sovereign Powers ... 22
Paragons and the Law ... 23
The Paranormal Registration Act ... 23 Privacy ... 23 Paranormal Crimes ... 23 Paranormal Crimefighting ... 24 Paranormal Technology ... 25 Paratechnology ... 25 Medicine... 25
Commerce & Economics ... 26
Advertising & Marketing ...27
Popular Culture ...27
Print Media ...27
Film & Television ... 28
The Internet ... 28
Paranormal Arts ... 28
Religion & Spirituality ... 29
Major Religions ... 29
New Faiths ...31
ChAPTER ThREE:
ThE IMAGERIA ...32
The Nature of the Imageria ... 32
Entering and Leaving ... 32
Imagerial Materials ... 34
Imagerial Environments ... 34
Paranormal Powers ... 35
Mappa Mondi: Paths of the Unknown ... 35
The Border ... 35
The Reaches ... 36
The Depths ... 38
The Abyss... 39
The Deep Beyond... 39
Inhabitants of the Imageria ... 40
ChAPTER FOuR:
ALL ThE AGENTS ...42
Church of Jesus ... 44 Christ, Paragon ... 44 Foregone ...47 Conclusions ...47 Gordon Technology... 49 Unlimited ... 49 The Harbingers ... 52 The Initiative ... 55 MERLIN ...57
Mighty Miracle Guardians ... 60
The Pact ... 63 Pantheon ... 65 Paramount Club ... 68 Paranormal ...71 Professionals ...71 Society ...71 The Paranormal Regulatory Agency ...74 Paranormal Studies Institute (PSI) ...76 Rosemont Center ... 79
The Seven Thunders ... 82
The Silber Agency ... 85
The Syndicate ... 88 The Tribe ... 90 Vanguard ... 93 XTREME! Action Combat Championships ... 96 Zero Latitude... 99
ChAPTER FIVE:
GOdS & MONSTERS ... 102
Alpha Male ...104
The Answer ...105
Arbiter ... 107
Blueshift ...108
Bodyshop ...110
The Burning Man ...112
Calamity Jane ...114
Chud ...115
Crybaby & Lullaby ...117
Timothy “Dire” Straits ...119
Empress ...121 Enigma... 122 Epicurius... 124 Felicia DuMont ... 126 The Ghost ... 127 Glyph ... 129 The Gourmand ...131
The House That Hate Built ... 132
Icon ... 134 Imposter ... 136 Jacob Castle ... 138 Logar ... 139 Luminary ... 141 Man-A-Kin ... 143 Mindbender ... 145 Mr. Zero ... 146 Naga ... 148 The Necropolitan ... 150 Network ... 152 Nightstalker ... 154 Otherkin ... 155 Panacea ... 158 Patriot ... 160 Peacemaker ... 162 Phenom ... 163 Pontifex ... 165 Prometheus... 167 Prophet ... 169 Proteus ... 170 Proxy... 172 Raindance ...174 Rampage ... 175 Ravana ... 177 Red Tide ... 179
Father Sebastian Rojas ... 181
17 ...182
Silas the Elder ...184
Ugly Jake ...186 The Unifier ... 187 Valkyrie ...189 Vector ... 191 Vom Stahl ... 192
ChAPTER SIX:
ThE PARAGONS SERIES ...194
Creating a Paragons Series ... 194
Mysteries of the Imageria ...203
Character Creation ...205
Series Frameworks ...207
The Breakout ...207
On the Vanguard ...208
The Law is Paramount ...209
Freelancers ...211
Echoes of the Past ...212
Taking the Initiative ...213
Imaginauts ... 215
The Eidolon Emanation ... 216
The Outer Darkness ... 218
Paragons and Freedom City ... 219
Rules Options ...221
Power Level Trade-Offs...221
Damage and Lethality ...221
Power and Doubt ...221
Realistic Consequences ...221
Effect Countering ...222
Paranormal Awareness ...222
Paranormal Taint ...222
Power Surges...226
Power Surge Variants ...228
Mass Combat ... 231
Paradigm Shifts ...236
Running a Paragons Series ...238
PARAGONS SERIES
wORkShEET ... 248
REFERENCES ... 249
INdEX ... 251
CONTRIBuTORS ... 254
3
du
CTION
w
elcome to a world where “reality” doesn’t mean quite the same thing it used to, where the word “impossible” is used conditionally when it has any meaning at all, and where you will believe a man can fly, because there’s a good chance of seeing it on the evening news. Welcome to a world of normal peo-ple with paranormal powers, the world of Paragons.When planning releases for the second edition of Mutants &
Masterminds, we realized one place to expand the game line
was settings. If M&M was to be a true broad-based superhero roleplaying game, its support should reflect the broad range of super-powered fiction over the years; not just comics and prose, but also popular television and film. Paragons was conceived early on as a new setting to compliment and contrast with the four-color
Freedom City superhero setting. Paragons would tap a different
vein of super-powered fiction, one that asks “what happens when you give otherwise normal people, in a world much like our own, the kind of power possessed by characters in comic books?”
Paragons turned out to be some time in coming; other projects took
priority with the launch of the second edition of M&M, particularly more rules-heavy books like Mastermind’s Manual and Ultimate
Power. Still, the concept of Paragons continued to percolate on the
back burner, and we did those other books with an eye towards things we could use in this setting.
Paragons also needed a diverse and, frankly, kind of weird setting.
It was a great opportunity to play around with ideas for characters, powers, and factions that didn’t suit a four-color comic book world like Freedom City, the sort of things that wouldn’t show up in most comics, but would likely happen if real people had super-powers. Therefore, we recruited a diverse team of freelancers to populate and flesh out the paranormal world. You’ll find the fruits of their efforts in Chapter Four and Chapter Five, and we think they offer a wealth of options for your own Paragons games.
Options are, in many ways, what Paragons is all about, both as a game setting and as a theme within the setting itself. With power comes a greater range of choices, many of them difficult choices. We wanted Paragons to be a world where the players helped set the tone and direction and their characters could make decisions that would alter the world.
hOw TO uSE ThIS BOOk
In many RPG books (including more than a few M&M books), this section would probably be better entitled “What’s In This Book,” but Paragons is different in that you really do need a guide on how to use the material you’ll find in these pages.
The reason is this: Paragons does not present a fully defined set-ting, assuming certain events, particular power-players, and factions with pre-defined goals. Why? Because a big element of the genre
Paragons seeks to emulate is discovery: The thrill of being among
the first paranormals to discover and use their powers, the excite-ment of pursuing the mysteries of the setting: Finding out about antagonists and allies first-hand, uncovering secrets and conspira-cies. Those are difficult things to do when everything about the
INTROduCTION
world is a given, already established and available for anyone to read about in the source material.
Therefore, Paragons takes a somewhat different approach to set-ting source material. Instead of a fully fleshed-out world with all the pieces already in place, this book gives you a framework, and all the pieces, and lets you (and your players) assemble them how-ever you want. In some cases, there are even multiple pieces to go into the same “place” in the setting; you choose what (if anything) goes there and what that means for your Paragons world.
Chapter One through Chapter Three lays out the framework, the skeleton of the Paragons setting. It tells you the broad base assumptions about the world and how they affect things. You’ll find many of these elements can be interpreted in a number of dif-ferent ways; this is deliberate, and factors into the options for the world discussed in Chapter Six. The only reason these chapters provide any general assumptions about the setting at all is to offer some common ground; otherwise the options would be too broad for any book this size to contain them all!
In Chapter One you’ll find a discussion of paranormals: Their powers, origins, and capabilities, largely from the perspective of someone confronted with the strange new phenomenon of para-gons. This chapter also discusses some issues paranormals and their powers may create in the world, offering inspiration for events in your own series.
Chapter Two broadens the perspective to the world and the effect paragons can have on it. What is it like to live in a world where the fantastic and “impossible” are daily realities of life? How do nations, cultures, governments, corporations, and other bodies react to the paragons among them? What of paranormal phenomena that exist but are not directly connected to any known paragon? This chapter looks at the framework of the world itself and the “holes” where later pieces of the setting may fit.
Chapter Three deals with the largest framework of the setting: The otherworldly realm of the Imageria. Is it “just” a veridical hal-lucination brought into being by paranormal powers or is it the source of those powers, and perhaps even the entire universe? Does it prove the existence of the supernatural or demonstrate all such beliefs are equally unreal?
Once the first three chapters set up the framework, Chapter Four and Chapter Five give you the pieces to go into it.
Chapter Four looks at factions involving paragons to one degree or another. They can serve as patrons, allies, antagonists, or simply background color for your setting. You can elevate some factions over others, making them centerpieces of your series, downplay or eliminate ones that don’t fit your conception of the world, and cus-tomize them all to your heart’s content.
Chapter Five is a casting-call, featuring a variety of characters suitable for use in a Paragons series in various roles, from mentor, ally, or student to rival or antagonist, from world-shaking power level to fairly ordinary people with some very unusual “talents.” As with Chapter Four, you pick and choose which characters to include, and how they interact with the setting and the player
4
du
CTION
characters. Give some of these characters important roles in your series, relegate others to supporting cast or “background color” and ignore the rest as you see fit.
Chapter Six brings it all together by discussing in detail how to assemble the pieces in the framework to create your own Paragons series. It looks at diverse questions; from the origin of paranormal powers to the meaning of the Imageria and the place of the vari-ous factions and characters in the world. It also outlines a variety of approaches to the setting, each with a different style and emphasis for a different kind of series. With the tools in this chapter, you can create numerous Paragons games, each with its own distinct flavor and style.
ThE FuTuRE ThAT MAy BE
Many characters, organizations, and events in this book discuss the past, since it’s difficult to talk about such things without putting them into context. However, these past events are placed in broad, general time frames (“a few years ago,” “some time past,” “in the recent past,” and so forth). There’s also nothing that says they have to be the past of your Paragons series. In fact, they might be the future, depending on when you decide your game takes place. For example, while the Initiative is described as a full-fledged organization in Chapter Four, it may or may not be when your
Paragons series begins. Perhaps the Initiative forms in response
to the player characters’ actions in early adventures, if they are among the first paranormals. Conversely, the organization may have existed for some time by the start of the game, either because paranormals have been around a while, or simply because the Initiative had some sort of foreknowledge or awareness of secret paragons before their existence became widespread.
This approach means the “history” in this book isn’t just the dead past, but potential history waiting to happen in your own game. You decide how far along any given character, faction, or facet of the Paragons setting is in your own series, as best suits your plans and the needs of your story. Changing where elements of the setting are in their respective histories is just another tool for customizing the series to suit your own vision.
SO NOw...
The world of Paragons is in your hands, to do with as you will. You might want to read through the Terminology section that follows, then jump right into Chapter One through Chapter Three to get an overall feel for the structure and style of the setting before heading on to Chapter Six for discussion of how you can con-struct it and the kinds of games you can run, or Chapter Four and Chapter Five for the important power-players and characters you can use in the setting.
If your intention is to use the characters, groups, and rules infor-mation in this book in an existing or wholly original Mutants &
Masterminds game, you’ll probably want to skip the first couple
chapters to get to those parts right away and come back and check out ideas for a Paragons series later.
Whatever you do, and however you choose to use this book, you’ll find plenty of suggestions for ways to customize and change the
Paragons world to suit your needs, and numerous series
frame-works and adventure ideas to fire your imagination about a world not unlike our own, where the impossible isn’t necessarily so, and some people have the power to change things in surprising new ways. This is the story of Paragons, and it is yours to tell.
TERMINOLOGy
Paragons uses various terms and jargon, usually to refer to
ele-ments of the setting. These terms are presented here for easy reference. Gamemasters may find including some or all of these terms in the setting helps to put players into the right frame of mind and gives the world its own unique flavor, different from other superhero campaign settings.
ACME device: An “impossible” piece of technology made by a paragon that functions in spite of known physical laws and scien-tific information, but is usually dependent on a paragon’s powers to work. ACME devices are named after the maker of impossible gizmos in children’s cartoons.
awaken: To activate or stimulate the development of a paranor-mal’s power, becoming paranormal is awakening; a more common term for this is breakout.
breakout: To become a fully functional or capable paranormal. “Breaking-out” is the moment when a paragon’s powers or paranor-mal abilities surface. “The Breakout” (the definite article) is the initial mass breakout, when the first paranormals manifested their powers. Some call a particularly traumatic breakout a “freak-out” (especially if it results in freakish or unusual traits). Less common is “awakening,” often used by paragons with more spiritual or mystical overtones. break-through: A deliberately triggered breakout, involving a peak experience that “breaks through” from the normal to the paranor-mal. Break-throughs are extremely rare, most attempts to trigger a breakout fail (often with tragic consequences). See origin chaser.
centipede effect: The theory that a paranormal’s powers work best (or at all) when the user doesn’t overanalyze them. This is related to the Dumbo effect.
channel: A paranormal medium capable of “channeling” dis-embodied intelligences so they can act or communicate through the channel’s body. The personality of the channel is usually sup-pressed while channeling. See also walk-in.
Dumbo effect: The theory that a paranormal’s powers work because they believe (on some level) that they do. Named after the cartoon character that believed it could fly, so it could.
ectoplasm: A strange “primal material” produced by some para-normals, also called prima materia by the more esoteric and mystical sorts. It most often appears in its “raw” form as a silvery liquid or silver or white mist and in any case defies material or physical analyses of its composition or nature.
eidolon: Literally “shadow” or “image,” an eidolon is an archetype or “higher” being found in the Imageria. Eidolons may be actual gods (or godlike beings) or “merely” reflections of deep archetypes of the collective unconscious. Some paragons have the ability to interact with eidolons, while a few claim to be eidolons (or beings that would be classified as such).
Fortean: Named for Charles Fort, famous scholar of the strange. It refers to strange or unexplained phenomena without any appar-ent paranormal agappar-ent involved; almost synonymous with “weird” or “unexplained” in Paragons.
5
du
CTION
freak-out: A breakout resulting in crazed behavior or freakish or unusual physical traits.
Imageria: The realm of potential, related to the collective uncon-scious, essentially the imagination made manifest. It’s accessible to some paragons and may be the source of their powers (or they might be the source of its existence, no one’s sure). See Chapter Three for more information.
impossible: Something a paragon hasn’t done yet.
normal: Non-paranormal. Sometimes used ironically or derisively by paragons to describe non-paranormals, also used proudly by non-paranormals to describe themselves in relation to “not normal” or “unnatural” paranormals. “Norm” and “norman” are common slang terms among paragons.
origin: A common term for the circumstances under which a para-normal first breaks out or manifests powers. Sometimes used as a synonym for breakout (see breakout).
origin chaser: A person who deliberately tries to trigger an origin, hoping to become a paranormal. More than a few origin chasers end up dead or seriously injured, and the practice is commonly viewed as a creative means of committing suicide.
para-: Prefix meaning “above” or “beyond,” thus paranormal means “beyond normal” or supernatural. Since the Breakout, the prefix is commonly applied to create terms dealing specifically with para-gons in one fashion or another.
para-Christian: Also Xtian, in slang use. Common name for a member of the Church of Christ, Paragon, which believes Jesus Christ was a historical paragon, and modern paragons are the cho-sen of God (and heralds of the divine elevation of humanity). More broadly applied to any Christian sect with theology strongly con-nected to paranormals.
paragon: Common term for a paranormal, often applied with a degree of irony.
paranormal: Scientific name for abilities beyond the understand-ing of science, and the people who possess them.
parascience: Most branches of science have elements studying the paranormal. Parapsychology studies the mind and “psionic” powers. Paraphysics is the study of paranormal powers acting upon the physical world. Parabiology involves paranormal biologies and forms of life (although no biological differences have been isolated as yet). Parapsychiatry is the study of mental health among para-normals. Paratheology is the study of the effect of paranormals on religious and spiritual belief as well as the role of paranormals and their powers in faith and religious doctrine. Parascientific dis-ciplines—even “established” ones like parapsychology—are in their infancy, with a lot of questions but few, if any, answers as yet. parasensory: Also extrasensory. Sensory information that comes by means other than the normal five senses possessed by most people. paratechnology: A more scholarly term for ACME devices, tech-nology dependent on paranormal powers to function.
peak moment: The precise moment at which a normal human has a breakout and becomes paranormal. A peak moment can be anything from a feeling of joy or fear to an extreme sense of Zen-like calm. An individual’s state of mind during a peak moment often has a significant impact on the type of abilities developed and their power level.
prop: A phrase, activity, or item of some type that some paranor-mals must say, perform, or have in order to use their powers. psionic: Paranormal powers of, or affecting, the mind. It’s possible all paranormal powers are psionic in nature; generally, however, the term refers specifically to “mental” powers like telepathy. quiet breakout: A breakout that lacks a stressful or dramatic trig-ger. Quiet breakouts are generally achieved during moments of bliss, peace, and calm. In all other ways it’s the same as any other breakout. reality comics: A genre of comic books and “graphic fiction” based on actual paranormals; the biggest publishing trend in mod-ern comic books.
savant: A paranormal with super-human capabilities in a particu-lar skill. There is a very fine line between savants and highly skilled normals, so fine, in fact, that it’s unclear exactly where it lies. shutdown: When a paragon’s powers cease working, temporarily or permanently, often due to a crisis of confidence or similar men-tal impairment.
sleeper: Also sleepwalker. Paranormal term for a non-paranormal, one who has not “awakened” like a paragon has. Not in common use, it crops up more among paranormals of a mystical bent. spark: To trigger a paranormal’s breakout is to “spark” or “jump-start” that paranormal. “Awaken” is also used in conjunction with awakening. spark-party: Also a spark-rave or a breakout: a group event where people attempt to provoke a breakout. Most spark-parties involve extreme-sports type challenges, drugs, psychedelic music, pyrotech-nics, or all of the above, and most of them end in injury or death for one of more of the participants.
spook: A spy, particularly a paranormal working in intelligence or espionage.
stealth paragon: An individual with paranormal abilities that are impressive, but not obviously superhuman, allowing the paragon to “pass” as a normal (albeit a highly capable one).
super-science: A common term for scientific discoveries or tech-nologies made by paranormals. The latter are sometimes known as ACME devices. Some make a distinction between “normal” science and technology developed by paranormals and true “super-science,” which is technology dependent on a paragon’s power in some fashion to function.
walk-in: Also avatar. Where a different personality or “spirit” appears to possess someone accompanied by the manifestation of paranormal powers. Some walk-ins claim to be gods, spirits, or aliens, while others believe they are psychological conditions like disassociative disorder or multiple personalities.
6
h APTER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIEST
hroughout history, humanity has told stories of extraordinary people with powers and abilities beyond those of ordinary, everyday men and women. In the distant past, these people were epic heroes, demigods, or saints. In more recent years, they were characters in pulp and speculative fiction, comic books, and television and film. As the stories of such paragons shifted from myth and legend to popular culture and entertainment, it became more and more clear that they were not real, just power-fantasies and archetypes…until now.Now, paragons walk the Earth: Men and women who can change the course of mighty rivers or bend steel in their bare hands. Are they the demigods and heroes of legend returned to a world where they were almost forgotten or
are they something new, a tre-mendous step forward in the evolution and development of life? No one can say for certain but, whoever or whatever they are, there can be no doubt that
paranormals have forever changed the world around them, and “normal” may never truly be normal again.
whAT IS “PARANORMAL”?
One of the great difficulties posed by paranormals is where to place the dividing line between “normal” and “paranormal.” So far as anyone has been able to determine, there is no clear, objective difference between a normal person (one without any paranor-mal abilities) and a paranorparanor-mal who has broken-out and regularly displays paranormal abilities, other than the paranormal abilities themselves. All tests—physical or psychological—thus far show no discernable differences between normal and paranormal apart from the fact that paranormals can apparently do the impossible. This means it is often unclear whether or not someone is a para-normal. For example, no recorded athlete had run a mile in under four minutes until Roger Bannister came along in 1954 and did it in three minutes and 59.4 seconds. He did something no human being was known to have done before that point: Was he a paranormal?
ChAPTER ONE:
POwERS & ABILITIES
Are all those who have broken his record since paranormal as well? Likewise, are genius-level intellects or people with extraordinary tal-ents in art or mathematics paranormals? It’s difficult to say. Generally speaking, the term “paranormal” is reserved for abili-ties clearly beyond normal human capabiliabili-ties. Some even limit it to abilities or feats that violate scientific laws as we know them, so-called “miracles” or “supernatural” powers. These are clearly paranormal. Other, lesser capabilities may be paranormal or simply peak-level “normal” abilities.One consequence of the unclear division between normal and paranormal has been the theory that all humans (perhaps even all living or thinking creatures) have at least the potential for
para-normal abilities, that is, we are all “paranormal” to one degree or another. Paragons just have an unusual or nascent talent for tapping into this buried potential. This theory is com-mon acom-mong evolutionists who believe paragons are a new stage in the development of intelligence or life, and religions with theology claiming some sort of spiritual “evolution” or personal development can lead to paranormal abilities.
Another effect of the vague nature of paranormals is the so-called “stealth paragon,” someone who has paranormal abilities and either conceals them, appearing normal, or doesn’t even know about them! Such paragons probably had a “quiet” breakout and were able to pass off their experience as the rush of a peak-experience, or a freak one-time stroke of luck, or something similar. Their pow-ers are also presumably subtle enough to go undetected; stealth paragons tend towards enhanced normal abilities and things like unusual inventiveness, or the like, rather than overt miracles. Given these things, the exact number of paranormals in the world is difficult to determine with any certainty. The assumption is they are relatively rare, approximately one in a million or so, perhaps less, perhaps a bit more. Until there’s a clear means of detecting them, other than the exercise of paranormal powers, there’s no way to know for sure.
“...with powers and abilities far
beyond those of mortal men!”
-sUperman TELEVISION SERIES
BREAkOuT
Paragons experience what is commonly called a “breakout” when they first manifest their paranormal potential. Breakouts seem to most often occur as a reaction to some powerful stimulus where the latent paranormal feels intense, primal emotion—terror, rage, lust—pure fight-or-flight survival instincts. A few paragons who’ve had “quiet” breakouts say they came from experiencing true bliss or through peaceful medi-tation, but generally breakouts are dramatic and forceful.
A breakout often happens in reaction to a situation that pro-vokes the necessary emotions (and their associated bio-chemical
reactions). In particular, near-death situations commonly trigger breakouts in latent paranormals; the powerful rush of fear, excite-ment, adrenaline, and such “pushes” the latent to breakout and become paranormal.
ORIGIN ChASERS
Given what is known about breakouts, some people try to delib-erately trigger a breakout and become paranormal by inducing situations and feelings associated with a breakout. They figure,
7
h PATER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIES8
h APTER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESunder the right circumstances, they will manifest paranormal pow-ers if they have the potential (and, according to some, everyone has the potential to varying degrees). Such people are known as “origin chasers” or sometimes “sparkers,” trying to “spark” an awak-ening in order to become paranormal.
Unfortunately, the kinds of situations associated with breakouts can be extremely dangerous, and some origin chasers believe they have to be as genuine as possible in order to work. So a “life-threat-ening” situation with no risk of actual harm isn’t enough. Some origin chasers try extreme sports: Things like skydiving or bungee jumping, but self-proclaimed experts believe you have to jump out of a plane or off a bridge without a parachute or a cord to catch you, an all-or-nothing risk for glory.
Naturally each year this results in multiple deaths and in many more permanent injuries from failed breakout attempts. The darkly humor-ous joke this is truly “evolution in action,” but authorities and mental health professionals worry about and warn against the dangers of origin chasing, trying to educate the public about the risks of trying to provoke a breakout and the complete uncertainty regarding para-normal potential. In some cases, extreme origin chasers have been hospitalized or institutionalized for refusing to stop attempting to become paranormal and endangering themselves and others.
SPARk PARTIES
An extreme example of the origin chaser phenomenon is the so-called “spark party,” an event where a group of origin chasers or thrill-seek-ers get together and cooperate to try and provoke a paranormal breakout (and often have
some fun and excitement in the process).
The typical spark party is either a group of young people (teens or early 20s) who engage in either “extreme sports” or 24-hour parties (complete with heavy drug and alco-hol use) to push their endurance to the limits, or cults
using either “arcane” rituals or suicide-pact methods to facilitate their “ascension” to a “higher state of being.” In all cases, the results are usually tragic, ending in one or more deaths, with the survivors psychologically scarred by the experience. Some spark parties have killed all the participants.
What’s worse, on a very rare occasion, an origin chaser or spark party is successful in producing a true paranormal. Those who study paragons believe this is simply a matter of random chance: Someone with the right paranormal potential is exposed to the necessary stimulus to breakout. The problem is there’s no way of knowing who has latent potential until a breakout actually hap-pens, so origin chasing remains incredibly dangerous. The rare successes only encourage hopeful would-be paragons to continue pursuing their dream, even if it means risking their lives: better a slim chance to be special than a lifetime of mediocrity, they claim.
ShuTTING-dOwN
It’s apparently possible for paragons to stop being paranormal at some point, reverting to normal human beings once more. In essence, the paragon’s paranormal abilities or powers stop working; he or she loses all paranormal traits. This has come to be known as “shutting-down” and may or may not be a permanent condition. Like all things about paranormals and their abilities, the causes of a shutdown are unknown. Apparently conditions similar to those that cause breakouts can also cause shutdowns: Extreme stress, near-death experiences, trauma, and so forth. This includes severely overtaxing a paragon’s powers or physical or mental endurance. Crises of confidence have also been known to cause
shut-downs, such as a paragon dealt a severe setback or suffering from serious self-doubt.
In some cases, shutdown is temporary and the paragon’s powers return after a time, either after the removal of the triggering situation or some time later (often following rest and recuperation). In other cases, the paragon’s powers have yet to return, and the shutdown may be permanent. Some paragons have even undergone a second breakout following a major or lengthy shutdown, where they gain enhanced or even
completely different paranormal powers. Believers in the psychological aspects of
paranormal powers (see Paranormal Psychology) think shutdowns are primarily psychological in nature, resulting from mental fatigue or trauma impairing a
para-gon’s abilities. This same theory often goes on to say that some paragons, rather than shutting-down in response to trauma, actu-ally experience enhanced capa-bilities, but at the expense of the paranormal’s mental health.
9
h PATER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESWhat can paragons do? It’s a difficult question to answer. The best possible answer thus far is a catalog of things paragons have done, since no two paranormals have exactly the same capabilities and it’s unclear even how many there are or what the ultimate limits on their powers may be. “Impossible” has come to be redefined—at least according to some—as something a paragon hasn’t managed to do…yet. As the study and understanding of paranormals contin-ues, more is learned about the limits of their powers. For now, this section discusses general trends and observations about paragons and their abilities.
PhySICAL ABILITIES
Some paragons have enhanced or truly superhuman physical traits, particularly things like strength, speed, agility, endurance, or dura-bility.
Note that a number of physical abilities displayed by paragons, particularly superhuman strength, may be classified as “miracles,” given they often defy our understanding of things like leverage, mass, gravity, and so forth.
For example, many super-strong paragons can do things like lift cars, trains, even entire buildings or bridges, without having these objects collapse or crumble under their own weight, or having the structure on which the paragon stands collapse under the increased weight: A paragon has picked up a 10-ton truck by its bumper and lifted it overhead while standing on a stage without either fall-ing through the stage or havfall-ing the bumper simply snap off in his hands. That’s saying nothing about issues like any human-shaped and -sized being, no matter how strong, exerting sufficient leverage to lift that much weight without being anchored to the ground in some way.
The reasons for this remain as unknown as those for other paranor-mal powers: Speculations abound about some sort of telekinetic ability that acts on lifted objects as a whole and keeps them together, or a localized ability to “edit” physical laws, making the impossible possible, and allowing a paranormal to almost literally “click and drag” a physical object through space, but these are nothing more than theories at this point, and some do not wholly explain the things paragons can do.
The same is true of other enhanced physical abilities: There are paragons able to run faster than the speed of sound, in spite of having apparently normal muscle and bone tissue, which shouldn’t be able to withstand the stresses of moving at such incredible speeds. Paranormal subjects exhibit tremendous resis-tance to injury, literally able to flatten bullets against their flesh, which otherwise remains pliable and apparently normal to the touch. Some super-strong paragons can punch holes in concrete without harming their hands, but display no other particular resis-tance to injury.
There’s considerable speculation as to where the line between “nor-mal” and “paranor“nor-mal” physical abilities should be drawn. Experts believe some “stealth” paragons could have impressive, but not superhuman, levels of ability. It’s impossible to say how many tal-ented athletes may actually be paranormals.
MENTAL ABILITIES
Paranormals display a number of enhanced mental faculties, including memory, calculation, speed of processing information, acquisition of new learning, and so forth. Some of these mental abilities border on the parasensory (see the following).
For example, there are paranormals able to perform mathematics as quickly as any computer, or absorb information from text as quickly as they can turn the pages or have it scroll past on a display. Other paragons display near perfect memorization, able to accurately describe anything they have experienced, even momentarily, with complete accuracy. Conventional intelligence testing rates some paranormals with IQs higher than ever seen in the history of the testing method, sometimes by orders of magnitude.
A particular paranormal mental capability is heightened inventive-ness. There are some paragons capable of designing and building technological devices more advanced than present knowledge and techniques allow. In some cases these are amazing syntheses and advancements involving existing technology. In others, the results are so-called “ACME devices” or paratechnology (see ACME Devices under Power and Belief, following).
Also loosely classified as paranormal mental ability are enhanced or even superhuman levels of social skill, paranormals able to persuade people of nearly anything, or influencing people on a wide scale. This capability edges strongly into certain parasensory abilities or miracles, but again the dividing line is unclear. Is it “paranormal mind control” or just hitherto unknown levels of cha-risma, or a similar intangible human quality?
Closely connected to enhanced mental faculties are the enhanced sensory abilities some paranormals experience: Unusual acuity of the five senses, along with a greater sense memory. Some of this may be related to an improved mental ability to process what the senses perceive.
PARASENSORy ABILITIES
Beyond enhanced sensory abilities are truly paranormal or “para-sensory” capabilities, beyond the range of the normal five human senses, sometimes even extending into a sixth sense, or more. Paragons display a range of unusual senses, from being able to “see” in extended bands of the electromagnetic spectrum (far beyond the wavelengths actually detectable by humans due to the physical structure of the human eye) to hearing in the ultra- and infrasonic range, displaying precise biochemical analysis through scent and taste, and super-sensitive touch able to differentiate between highly similar materials purely through tactile differences. Echolocation, sonar, even radio reception are known paranormal abilities.
Moreover there are paranormal examples of what has been called ESP (extrasensory perception) or telepathy. Some paragons can “read minds,” knowing what another person is thinking or able to learn information known to them without any kind of direct con-tact or communication. Some can likewise sense events happening at great distances or even have visions of the past or future. The mechanism for these parasensory powers remains as unknown as all the others. Theories about the quantum entanglement of
10
h APTER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESsciousness and the holistic nature of reality are little more than wild speculation at present.
SAVANTS
Some paragons display superhuman levels of skill, often with little or no formal training or practice, a kind of paranormal “knack” for a particular skill or area of study. Such paragons are commonly known as “savants,” although they are some of the most difficult to positively identify, given the blurry line between “normal” and “paranormal” ability in a skill. Savants are often tagged with their particular area of expertise, such as tech savant, combat savant, art savant, math savant, and so forth.
A common pattern for savants is a spontaneous development of a skill. For example, a tech savant might know little or nothing about science, technology, or engineering, but suddenly develops a tremendous thirst for information on those topics, consuming reference materials at an astounding rate and integrating all that knowledge to make astonishing leaps in logic and understanding. In a matter of days, the paragon exceeds the knowledge base of most experts in the field and explores new theoretical material. The same is often the case for other savants.
Some savants are previously capable in their area of expertise but achieve a breakthrough—technically a paranormal breakout—taking them to an entirely new level. These are the most difficult savants to isolate, since their progression often seems like a part of their normal learning, albeit to a most impressive degree.
Paranormal researchers note savant abilities seem to share traits in common with other powers, and can be subject to shutdown
and the other quirks evidenced by paranormals (see Paranormal Psychology for details). For example, some savants need “lucky charms” or particular rituals to access their enhanced skills, while confidence and state-of-mind in general seem to play a role in their exercise of their abilities.
MIRACLES
The last, and broadest, category of paranormal abilities is often known as “miracles.” It includes any power outwardly defying sci-entific explanation, but more specifically focuses on abilities that are not enhancements of the paragon’s physical, mental, or sensory capabilities. Thus miracles include such diverse feats as telekinesis (mind over matter), teleportation, transmutation, generation and direction of energy (with no apparent source), shape changing, and many other “super-powers” demonstrated by paragons.
Although the term has religious implications, secular scientists also use it to indicate the unknown nature and mechanism of paranor-mal abilities, what one expert called the “then a miracle occurs” part of the equation. Some powers can almost be explained by conventional science, except a miracle (no matter how large or small) needs to happen somewhere along the line. The source of that “miracle” is the basis for most theories about the origins of paranormals (see Paranormal Theories).
MINOR MIRACLES
Although all miraculous paranormal powers involve some as yet unexplainable element, not all are quite as spectacular as one might imagine. Indeed, some paranormal powers are actually quite minor, although no less impossible in terms of how they work. For example, a paranormal might have the ability to transform water into wine, and nothing else. It’s impressive from a scientific standpoint (and potentially a theological one) but not terribly useful unless the para-normal intends to open a winery or start a new religious sect. Just as the exact mechanism for powers remains unknown, so too do the reasons why some paragons are far more powerful than oth-ers. There are those with truly godlike powers while others have minor abilities. Theories include the conditions of the paranor-mal’s breakout, a variety of emotional and psychological factors, and also, an as yet unknown degree of “potential.” A measure of subconscious wish-fulfillment may also play a role: Some powers are minor, but suit the paranormal’s personality or desires in some fashion, making them more meaningful to the user, if not to any-one else. Some examples of minor miracles include:
• The ability to attain a perfect weight and toned physique with-out the need to exercise or diet.
• Various food-oriented powers, including the ability to season food at will, produce coffee out of nowhere, or transform raw ingredients into cooked meals instantly.
• Functional “gaydar,” allowing the paranormal to definitively know anyone’s sexual orientation simply by looking at them. • The ability to function like a living remote control for television
sets, changing channels and turning them on or off at will. • “X-ray vision” that only allows the user to see through any sort
of clothing.
• Emission of scented perfume from sweat glands, with con-scious control over the different scents.
11
h PATER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIES • The power to transform worn clothing into other outfits that fit the wearer perfectly (which allowed the woman who pos-sessed it to become a plus-sized paranormal fashion model). • A clairvoyant ability to read any written material at normalspeed by touch, including closed books and sealed envelopes. • The power to control coin flips so the desired side always
comes up, but not to influence the outcome of any other ran-dom events.
Given the difficulty of distinguishing between true paranormal abilities and otherwise normal unusual talents there may in fact be far more minor powers out there than is presently known. One radi-cal theory even suggests everyone is paranormal, but only a small
fraction has anything approaching useful powers; the vast majority have abilities they either haven’t discovered (how do you find out you can mentally control paper, for example, until you try?) or that are so minor they go unnoticed or get passed off as simply odd talents or quirks.
Still, many “minor miracles” are more than sufficient to bring someone fame and fortune, if they’re used correctly, such as the aforementioned paranormal fashion model or some who use their talents to become minor celebrities, business owners, or the like. If they can’t come up with a use for their unique ability, they can be fairly sure a company like the Silber Agency can (see Chapter Four for more information).
PARANORMAL POwERS IN m&m TERMS
A significant reason for the “impossible” and reality-bending aspects of paranormal powers in Paragons is to make those powers function largely like super-powers in the comic books, and therefore like the powers in the core Mutants & Masterminds rules. So you can use most
M&M powers (from the core rules and from sourcebooks like Ultimate Power) with no modification in a Paragons game. A character able to
lift a building overhead might seem incredible, but it’s quite possible in Paragons without having to worry about all the physics of the feat. Some paragons might face more limits on their powers or have to deal with realistic problems stemming from their use (see Chapter Six for more on this), but for the most part, neither you nor your players need to be concerned about the effectiveness of a character’s powers in a
Paragons series; unless specified otherwise, powers in Paragons work just like they do in the core Mutants & Masterminds game rules.
PARANORMAL PSyChOLOGy
The mind plays a significant role in the paranormal; exactly how significant is not yet known, but it’s at least clear that paragons’ psychological states and ability to think and concentrate have a considerable effect on many of their powers, especially mental and sensory abilities and miracles. Even the name of the growing science of parapsychology shows the connection between the para-normal and the psychological.
POwER ANd BELIEF
There’s evidence demonstrating a relationship between a paranor-mal’s state of mind and the functions of his or her powers. Some describe paranormal abilities as functions of “will,” “belief,” or even “faith,” and that seems to be at least partially the case. Paragons unable to concentrate and mentally focus often suffer impairment of their abilities. Some attempt to use this to their advantage, either creating distractions to inhibit the use of powers (flash-bangs, sirens, irritants, etc.) or using things like drugs to affect a captured paranormal’s concentration.
PEAk MOMENTS
Psychology has a strong connection with paranormal breakouts. Parapsychologists refer to the “peak moment,” an especially strong emotional state that triggers a breakout. In many cases the emo-tion is fear or pure survival instinct, but in others it is rage, joy, jealousy, or ecstasy. Some paranormals don’t report a peak moment of emotion in their breakouts, but only because they don’t remem-ber the experience at all. In other cases, experts speculate that extraordinary calm and centeredness—a kind of “Zen” state—may constitute a kind of peak moment in and of itself.
The nature of the peak moment, the individual’s state of mind, also seems to influence the manifestation of paranormal
poten-tial. Theories suggest that paragons’ powers at somewhat derived from their emotional needs when they breakout. So fear or survival instincts produce defensive or offensive abilities (depending on the flight or fight reaction), rage and anger produce more offensive abilities, and so forth. Most believe this is simply part of a com-plex psychological equation including conscious and subconscious desires, past experience, personality, beliefs, environment, and other factors.
Although the peak moment appears to be a major component of breaking out, it’s clearly not the only one, since not everybody who experiences the same heightened level of emotion becomes a paranormal. Still, spark parties and similar origin chaser events are usually based around trying to manufacture peak moments as a way of triggering breakouts.
ThE duMBO EFFECT
If paranormal powers are products of the mind, then to a certain degree paranormals are capable of doing what they believe they can do. Parapsychologists have termed this the “Dumbo effect” after the cartoon elephant that could fly because he believed so strongly in it. Of course, “believe” may not even be the correct term, since the initial reaction of many paranormals to their talents is one of disbelief, which doesn’t seem to hinder them, at least ini-tially.
Still, the continued function of paranormal powers seems at least partially fueled by the individual’s self-confidence and determi-nation. Paranormals who experience depression, self-doubt, or prolonged disbelief in their own capabilities tend to experience a self-fulfilling diminishment of their own powers, at least until they do something to reaffirm their confidence. This is very much the same as any normal person experiencing “performance anxiety”
12
h APTER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESand losing proficiency with a particular skill. In the same fashion, the cure seems to be not giving up and persisting until a pattern of success reaffirms the individual’s confidence.
In keeping with the Dumbo effect, some paranormals pick up various “props” to shore up their confidence and make them more effective. Examples include different rituals, ranging from mantras and prayers, to gestures and dance moves. Others adopt items, such as “magic” rings, necklaces, weapons, and personal keepsakes, or articles of clothing from ritual or religious garb to outlandish costumes. While a fixation of a prop can help paragons overcome self-doubt, it can also produce a dependence on that prop, making it a kind of “crutch” for their abilities, just as Dumbo depended on his “magic feather” in order to fly, even though he didn’t really need it.
ACME dEVICES
A particular corollary of the Dumbo effect may be the so-called “ACME devices” created by some paranormals. The various jokes and theories about what “ACME” stands for, from “Always Contradicting Major Experts” to “A Confusing Mechanical Excuse” and “Actualized Conceptual Methods and Equipment.” In truth, they’re named for the ubiquitous purveyor of impossible gadgets in children’s cartoons. The more serious prefer “paratechnology,” but the former term has found its way into popular usage and stuck. ACME devices produce results in defiance of known scientific laws, much like paranormal miracles, and often shouldn’t function at all due to their construction and make-up.
The prevailing theory is these machines are actually just elaborate props, often to the point where some paranormals completely focus their abilities on the creation of ACME devices and can’t produce
paranormal effects without them. Others can produce machines capable of effects they themselves cannot produce, but also have powers usable without such props. Most paranormals can’t make ACME devices at all, but some are still able to use such devices made by others.
The apparent portability of ACME devices varies. In some cases, they function only for their maker: No one else can use them to produce any paranormal effect. Other machines are usable by other paranormals, or even by anyone, while some are usable only by one person, which may (or may not) be the item’s maker. In all cases, ACME devices are unique. Efforts to reproduce them using traditional means usually fail, and only succeed in the case of one paranormal copying the work of another. They’re impossible to mass-produce and each ACME device is an individual work. The existence of ACME devices makes paranormal contributions to scientific and technological progress spotty. Many “breakthroughs” by paragons are simply manifestations of their own powers unable to benefit anyone but them. Still, some ACME devices usable by non-paranormals are capable of having significant effects, and are prized possessions.
There’s some question whether or not ACME devices are depen-dent on continued support from their maker. Would devices usable by others continue to function if their maker was mentally inca-pacitated or died? This remains unknown as there hasn’t been an instance to test it yet, and it’s another reason why few are willing to rely overly much on paranormal-built machines.
ThE CENTIPEdE EFFECT
Related to the Dumbo effect is the so-called “centipede effect.” It is named for the proverb in which a centipede is asked how it man-ages to control its many legs. It replies, “I never thought about it!” and promptly trips over its own feet, now all-too self-conscious about them.
Some paranormals experience a similar effect when they con-template exactly how their abilities work. Most powers appear fully-functional when a paranormal breaks-out, and their use is almost instinctive and subconscious. Paragons don’t generally know how they do the things they do, only that they can do them if they choose. Using a power usually requires no more effort than thinking about it, unless the paragon relies on some sort of prop (as previously described). In fact, the more the paranormal thinks about it, the harder it is for them to use their powers, much like the centipede tripping over its own feet.
The theory is that a state similar to (but not necessarily as intense as) a peak moment is most conducive to activating or using pow-ers. Thus, it’s better for paranormals to “clear the mind” in order to wield their abilities, and techniques of focused concentration are valuable tools, whether they be meditation, arcane rituals, or simple repetitious practice, so the activation of an ability becomes second-nature, like any other trained skill.
SOLIPSISM ANd ThE PARANORMAL
The theory that paranormals in some way alter reality, consciously or subconsciously, raises some troubling questions, not the least of which is “what is reality?” On a somewhat more narrow scale, the possibility of reality-shaping makes some wonder: If reality can be changed through thought, if it is in some way subjective, then does anything “really” matter?
13
h PATER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESPractically speaking, this question only comes into play in two areas. The first is among academics, philosophers, and theologians, who debate ontology, epistemology, and the nature of being, and what the existence of paragons and their powers implies for these things. For the most part, the general public has little interest in this discourse; paranormals exist and they can do what they can do and the practical implications are more important than the philo-sophical ones.
The other, more important area, is among paragons themselves. In some cases, the question of the nature of reality in relation to a paragon’s power to influence reality leads to the development of solipsism and even megalomania and other psychological disorders. Powerful paranormals are already given to feelings of grandeur, so it’s not a big step for them to reach that conclusion that “Reality is whatever I believe it to be.” There’s even some support for this posi-tion in that egotistic, solipsistic, and megalomaniacal paragons are often quite powerful.
Like other areas of paranormal psychology, the relationship between mental state and powers appears reciprocal: Powerful par-agons are more given to certain kinds of psychological problems, those problems, in turn, seem to sometimes unlock greater power within the affected paranormal, and so forth.
POwER ANd SANITy
If paranormal powers are connected, wholly or partially, to the mind, what happens when the mind in question is unbalanced? There appears to be a connection between the kinds of impossible things a paragon can do and the individual’s state of mind. The common theory says those paranormals able to think and reason in unusual ways also have unusual powers, and particularly unusual levels of power.
EXPERIENCES OF GRANdEuR
As one psychologist put it, when describing symptoms of mega-lomania and delusions of grandeur in a paranormal patient, “technically, these are not ‘delusions,’ as the patient really is a godlike being—who’s to say he shouldn’t feel unshakably superior to ‘mere mortals’ like us?” Having godlike power leads some para-gons to act like the capricious and often cruel deities of myth or even to believe they are gods, superior beings able to do as they please without moral constraint. The members of the Pantheon (see Chapter Four) are classic examples of this.
wALk-INS
A “walk-in” is someone who believes that the original or inborn per-sonality or mind of their body has “walked out” or departed and a foreign intelligence—often associated with an alien or higher being—has “walked in,” taking up residence in that physical body and assuming its existence. In the case of paranormals, a walk-in often possesses powers, and the moment when it took on its cur-rent corporeal body is the same as a paragon’s breakout.
Psychologists commonly believe the walk-in phenomenon repre-sents a cognitive break: The person’s original personality is unable to deal with the strain of a situation and retreats, allowing a new personality capable of handling things to emerge. This process also triggered a breakout and the development of latent paranormal powers. The “walk-in” personality isn’t really an alien, ascended master, reincarnated guru, or whatnot, but a coping mechanism.
Walk-ins, of course, disagree. They claim they are a variety of “higher” beings, come to Earth to assist humanity through a com-ing transition towards enlightenment (or somethcom-ing similar). Not surprisingly, paranormal walk-ins demonstrate powers consistent with who and what they believe they are, making it even more diffi-cult to disprove their claims. A number of supporters firmly believe walk-ins are spiritual or religious figures.
ChANNELS
Related to the walk-in is the “channel,” a kind of paranormal medium, those who allow disembodied intelligences to commu-nicate and act through their body. Channels are essentially like temporary walk-ins: Rather than the new personality permanently displacing the old, the original personality is merely suppressed temporarily while the “spirit” or other entity controls the physical body. Icon in Chapter Five is an example of a paranormal chan-nel.
Paranormal channels have claimed to interact with beings from mythological gods to the spirits of the dead or incorporeal aliens from other worlds or dimensions. As with walk-ins, their powers tend to substantiate their claims, although skeptics say it is just a matter of the channel’s expectations influencing the breakout and manifestation of his or her abilities.
AVATARS
Like a walk-in, an avatar claims to be something other than a nor-mal human being: A mythic figure, spirit, deity, alien, or the like. The difference is, where a walk-in has occupied an existing human body, an avatar claims to have created a human form, spontane-ously coming into existence.
Some so-called avatars have been proven to be walk-ins with abso-lutely no memory of their “prior” lives: From their point of view, it was like they simply came into being one day, and they deny any association with another, normal life. Others, however, cannot be demonstrably proven to exist prior to their appearance as paragons: No records can be found matching their appearance, fingerprints, or even DNA in some cases. Other self-proclaimed avatars differ sig-nificantly enough from the human norm that identifying their prior identity (if any) is practically impossible. Proteus in Chapter Five is one example: A shapeshifting silvery mass, he no longer has suf-ficient distinguishing physical traits to match with a prior human existence (or even determine “his” true sex, for that matter).
MINd ANd POwER
From the point of view of many psychologists, the phenomena of walk-ins, channels, and avatars are evidence of various disorders experienced by paragons, particularly multiple personalities or various dissociative behaviors. In short, they say paranormals who believe they are foreign entities, divine beings, or the like, are men-tally ill. Any evidence supporting their claims is “manufactured” by their powers, which do, after all, react to the user’s state of mind. Thus, for example, Icon isn’t really channeling ancient mythologi-cal gods, she only seems to be.
While the mental health field generally agrees with this view, there really isn’t a clear way to prove it. Indeed, there’s more evidence on the other side of the argument, even if this model dismisses such evidence as artificially created by the paranormals themselves. Until a great deal more information is available, particularly of the
14
h APTER ONE: PO w ERS & ABILITIESmental health and physical condition of pre-breakout paranormals, it remains just one theory among many.
ONLy NORMAL
Paragons aren’t the only ones experiencing psychological impacts from their unusual abilities, of course. The mere existence of the paranormal has an effect on the psyches of normal people, one mental health professions are only beginning to imagine, and one that will likely only get worse as time goes on.
The primary issue revolves around feelings of inadequacy: When someone can bench-press a city bus or run around the world in a matter of minutes, benching a few hundred pounds or breaking the world-record for running a mile seem like paltry achievements. The same is true of brilliant experts in fields of learning, outdone by paranormals with little, or no, formal training; or devout clergy who witness paragons performing literal miracles, from healing the sick and dying to transmuting matter. In a world where people can do such things, does “ordinary” achievement mean anything? These feelings feed strongly into the origin chasing sub-culture, where people who feel inadequate try to address it by seeking to become paranormal. Others sink into depression, losing the deter-mination to strive or work towards goals that seem meaningless in the face of paragons. Many normal people become avid “paragon-watchers” and fans, living vicariously through their favorite heroes
and often imitating them, leading to cult-like behavior and out-right worship of such god-like beings.
Other people feel understandably threatened by paranormals: What chance do normal people have against them? This leads to declarations that paragons are menaces to society or, worse yet, “unnatural” or morally tainted in some fashion. Anti-paranormal movements like the Seven Thunders (see Chapter Four) feed off these sentiments and stoke them further in their adherents. Paranormal “watchdog” organizations follow the exploits of para-gons as avidly, if not more, than the fans, scrutinizing everything they say and do for some ulterior or underhanded motive.
A small number of people feel truly inspired by paragons: If people are capable of achieving the impossible, then even the sky isn’t a limit any more, and you really can do anything if you set your mind to it. This inspiration often edges into origin chasing, especially when people come to believe you can even become paranormal if you try hard enough. For most, it’s the kind of inspiration people have always drawn from emulating heroes.
The majority of people in the world continue to go about their nor-mal lives largely unaffected by paragons apart from what they see on the news or in popular culture, but the overall impact of the Breakout and existence of paranormals on the human psyche is still too significant to ignore or easily dismiss. Some speculate whether or not “normals” truly have a future in a paranormal world.
FORTEAN PhENOMEONA
Not all paranormal events in the world can be connected to a par-agon “agent.” Since the Breakout, strange things simply happen from time to time, with no apparent rhyme or reason. These events have come to be known as “Fortean” after Charles Fort, famous cataloguer of the strange and unusual.
Explanations of Fortean phenomena are as common as those for paranormals and their powers, and about as reliable. There are a number of theories, but no hard evidence for any of them as yet. Like paranormals, many Fortean events seem unexplainable, at least by the known laws of science. Some of the known unusual events include:
• Rains of frogs, crickets, fish, or small stones that appear out of nowhere (often at night with a clear sky). They last only a few minutes, and then stop. When examined, the fallen objects appear completely normal, although they’re often foreign to the area where they fall.
• Incidents of spontaneous human combustion, where people rapidly burn to ashes without any heat damage to their sur-roundings or even their clothing.
• What has been termed “the Babel effect” in which people in an area suddenly lose the ability to communicate, developing a kind of spontaneous aphasia, which eventually reverses itself after anywhere from minutes to hours. Conversely, there’s at least one known incidence of people in an area suddenly gain-ing the ability to understand each others’ spoken language, in spite of language barriers.
• Unexplained lights or noises, often associated with unidenti-fied flying objects or “ghost lights” moving through dark and abandoned areas.
• Poltergeist phenomena, including sudden unexplained sen-sations of cold, free-standing liquids freezing solid at room temperature, objects suddenly moving or even flying violently across a room, glass spontaneously shattering, and so forth. • The sudden appearance of unexplained objects, such as four
dozen ticking clocks, all set to the correct time, appearing in the parlor of a French home, chiming the hour, then disappear-ing, or three steel pyramids, each a half meter high, appearing four meters in the air above a Shinto shrine in Japan, hovering there for 52 minutes, then vanishing.
The exact line between “true” Fortean phenomena and mere unusual happenstance is even more blurred than with paranormal abilities. Scholars generally require an event to be truly unusual for it to qualify, and the catalog of possible Fortean events is an order of magnitude greater. Many people include virtually any-thing out of the ordinary, and some would include every unusual or unexplained event in history, from the Bermuda Triangle to the Tunguska Blast to the existence or sinking of Atlantis.
FORTEAN ThEORIES
Three major theories attempt to explain Fortean phenomena: The involvement of paranormal agents, some as yet undetermined influence from the Imageria, or the fluid and fundamentally cha-otic nature of reality itself.
PARANORMAL AGENTS
The most common explanation for unusual phenomena is that a paranormal is responsible, whether the “agent” knows it or not. That is, all Fortean events are actually exercises of paranormal power,