Chapter Five - Full Text (Patreon)

Chapter Five: Building Blocks

Plot grows out of character. If you focus on who the people in your story are, something is bound to happen.

— Anne Lamott

In Chapter One, we explored the Deviant experience in broad terms — discussing Origins, Clades, and what all Remade gain and lose as part of the Divergence. In this chapter we will discuss specific Broken characters — how to create them and how to use their Variations and Scars to guide roleplaying.

Starting Points

Deviant: The Renegades offers tremendous flexibility in the kinds of characters that can be built using its systems. The sheer number of Variations, Scars, and Standard Deviations it puts into players’ hands can be a bit overwhelming, however, and the additional examples in Chapters Three and Four of this book are unlikely to reduce the potential for analysis paralysis. Add in Merits, Adaptations, and Forms to all that, and it’s a lot to take in.

So, if you’re sitting there with a blank character sheet, the 345-page core book, possibly two Kickstarter supplements (The Clades Companion and The Devoted Companion), and now this, it’s normal to have a hard time knowing where to start. The purpose of this section is to help you get started, to resist the urge to focus on the giant pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces on your table and instead to concentrate on finding just one corner and some edges. Start from whichever of the four corners inspires you most.

First Corner: Origin

Start at the beginning — not with your character’s Origin but with her origin. Who was she before her first encounter with the Web of Pain?

Childhood

You can start at the very beginning if you want. Think about her childhood. What was her home life like, her school life? Who were her friends, and did she have any noteworthy rivals or enemies among her peers? How did she spend her free time? Was she active in sports, performance arts, or clubs? Did she have favorite books, TV shows, or movies? When the grown-ups in her life praised her, which of her personality traits did they tend to highlight? When they criticized her, what faults did they tell her were holding her back? How far did she get in school; did she drop out of high school, or did she collect post-graduate degrees like other people collect shoes?

What did she dream her life would be like when she grew up? Did she have grand schemes or ordinary hopes? Did her vision of her future drive her constantly, or did she sort of expect that it would all come together when the time was right? Did these dreams play to her natural strengths or reflect a hope that one day she could overcome her weaknesses? Or did she have impossible dreams — fantasies of attaining superhuman abilities or irrational fears of suffering life-changing injuries or developing debilitating medical conditions?

If she was always entangled in the Web of Pain, what was that life like and how did it shape the adult she became (or is still becoming)? While this often describes Genotypals, it’s possible for someone to grow up in a conspiracy without anyone expecting her to Diverge.

Why We Ask: Childhood can set into motion the whole course of a person’s life, especially when the Web of Pain gets involved. A child with a rare disease may attract the attention of a conspiracy that promises a cure, while one born into a conspiracy might be enmeshed in its schemes from birth. A child with grand plans might make her winding way into an existing conspiracy or discover a means of triggering Divergence in herself or others. One who hoped for a quiet life could find those hopes dashed by conspiracy agents who lure or abduct her. A child’s caretakers could enroll her in research studies — whether because they want to support the advancement of science, because they think these treatments will save their child or make her life better, or because the conspiracy offered them something they didn’t want (or perhaps didn’t dare) to refuse. Knowing what your character had (or lacked) as a child — a home, friends, family, a dog, talents, and hopes for the future — can help inform what the Divergence will take from (or give to) her.

Adulthood

Consider who she was as an adult — whether as a follow-up to the questions of childhood, as a prelude to her collision with the conspiracy, or both. What was her day-to-day life like? How did she earn a living? If she didn’t live alone, who were the other members of her household — her parents (or grandparents), a spouse and/or kids, a lover, one or more roommates, or a community united by a religious or spiritual connection? Where did she live, in the sense of both city/town/wilderness and house/apartment/compound? How did she spend her non-working hours? Did she have notable hobbies, close friends, or preferred forms of entertainment? How did she unwind?

Was her life on a general incline — with a bright future just up ahead? Or was she stuck in a slow (or steep) downward spiral? Or did it vary with the day or with what part of her life you were looking at? Maybe she had it all together at work, but her home life was a mess — or the reverse. Was she generally happy or dissatisfied with the way her life had turned out?

Did she have any entanglements or problems that might have left her vulnerable to the conspiracy. Was she in over her head in debt? Did she have dangerous enemies (or friends)? Was she recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, or has she been living with a chronic illness for years that she would risk much to free herself from?

Why We Ask: It isn’t unusual for people in the world of the Chronicles of Darkness to encounter conspiracy agents. It is unusual for these encounters to lead to the Divergence. The conspiracies aren’t interested in everyone. Some are picky about their subjects because it increases the odds of success. Most are picky because they don’t want to attract too much attention to themselves. Conspiracies seek out people who are vulnerable, who won’t be missed, or who are desperate. Knowing your character’s circumstances can inform potential vectors for the Web of Pain to ensnare her. Knowing what she had (or lacked) sets up opportunities to contrast that with what the Divergence took from or gave to her. Friends, family members, colleagues, and rivals often make good starting Touchstones.

Divergence

Consider who she became after her Divergence, including who she is now. You can treat this as a follow-up to the prior two life stages or use it as a starting point in its own right. Maybe knowing how she survives from day to day is more important to you than knowing how she got there. You can fill that in later in the character creation process or reveal it in a series of flashbacks after the chronicle begins. Nothing says you need to know everything about your character’s past before the first chapter; you would be in good company with many of the media inspirations for Deviant. A little later in this supplement, we’ll talk about how to draw Deviants together into a cohort, but for now, think of your character in isolation.

Who is or was her Progenitor? How did they trigger her Divergence? Were there other test subjects, and what happened to them? How long did she stay with the conspiracy? Why and how did she leave? How has she avoided falling back into their hands (or those of other conspiracies)? How does she survive from day to day, meeting basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing? How does she stave off Instability? Does she hold her Loyalty Touchstones close, or does she keep them at arm’s length for their own protection?

Why We Ask: The Divergence is the bright line drawn between Baseline and Broken. It’s natural to focus on it and its immediate aftermath. That brief period in a Deviant’s life is one where she is likely to form bonds with most of her future Conviction Touchstones, and many Remade also forge bonds with people who will become crucial Loyalty Touchstones. The Divergence brings unbreakable friendships and unquenchable rivalries and animosities. How your character responded to her newly discovered Variations and Scars reflects who she was — with all masks torn aside — and speaks volumes about who she is now.

Bottom Line

Starting character creation with a deep examination of their Baseline life makes it easier to think of them as a person first and a Deviant second. It tends to draw attention to how the Divergence changed them — not just by giving them Variations and Scars but by upending their lives.

Second Corner: Capabilities

Start with what you want your character to be able to do — his Clade (and Adaptations), Merits, Forms, and (of course) Variations. There is no shame in beginning character creation by focusing on the cool powers. Deviant: The Renegades is a game, and games are supposed to be fun. Yes, it’s a horror game, but it’s also one that includes a power fantasy. You have enemies, but you also have superpowers to fight them with.

Clade/Adaptations

This is the stylistic option. What is your character’s aesthetic? Are his powers organic or mechanical? Do they proceed from scientific principles or are they unknowably occult? Will he have many Variations from his Clade, a few, or probably none?

Closely related to Clade, what are the character’s Adaptations? Shallow Graves introduces many new options, each of which puts a slightly different spin on what Clade may mean to your character. A Chimeric with Untamed is very different from one with Ferocious; and Pack Instinct encourages a different style of play than does Attack Dog.

It’s easy to forget about Adaptations once play begins. Variations and Scars tend to eclipse them much of the time. But they are force multipliers, and spending some time thinking about them during character creation makes it more likely that you will recollect them when they can be game changers.

Variations

This is the likely option for player who skimmed through (or skipped) the first couple chapters of the core book and went straight to the thick section about Variations. If you spent hours reading that part of the book, taking notes on the ones you wanted your first Deviant to have, this is a natural approach.

You’ve no doubt already realized you’re never going to have enough starting Magnitude to buy all the Variations you want. Even at Metamorphosis, you’re going to have to make some hard choices. This option assumes threat level is already decided or that you may have to adjust your final list of powers to account for a chronicle whose threat level is higher or lower than you expected. That’s okay, too.

Start with the one Variation that is most critical to the character concept you have in mind. This can be as simple as one that gives him the mechanical capabilities you want — such as flight, rapid healing, or telekinesis. It can also be one that makes him a paradox — a retiring man capable of terrible violence or an uneducated one that can reach the heights of genius when he calls upon a Variation.

Once you have your primary Variation, spend your remaining starting Magnitude adding Variations that complement it or ones that give you other capabilities. Pay attention to your overall concept, as it will make it easier to focus on the Variations that you actually need to support it, rather than being tempted into choosing unrelated ones that you think are interesting but don’t really fit.

That said, it’s okay at this stage to end up with a character who has more Magnitude of Variations than the threat level permits. You can pare it down once you’ve seen what other players are choosing (more on that in Chapter Seven) or once you’ve pinned down enough other details about your character to decide which Variations are vital and which can be left for a future character concept (or purchased with Experiences later).

A Deviant’s Variations can run contrary to his mundane abilities. Just because you, as a player, want your character to have the abilities a particular Variation (or suite of Variations) grants doesn’t mean the Deviant welcomes or relishes them. Look at the example of character creation in Deviant: The Renegades. Luke the Baseline was a smooth-talking criminal, but Luke the Renegade is a behemoth of violence — not just because his player wanted to invest heavily in Lash and Enhanced Speed but because it worked against the way he used to solve his problems, which makes for interesting roleplaying opportunities.

We’ll expand on the process of choosing Variations later in the chapter.

Forms

Although not every Deviant has a Form, for those who do, it is an important facet of their Divergence. If you decide to start with a Form (or Forms) in mind, be sure to flesh out both its mechanical aspects and narrative details. An Amalgam who represents two people merged into a single body by a freak accident will be a very different character than one that is the work of an A.I. assembling the personalities of thousands of internet denizens into a composite avatar. A Form often changes how the Remade experiences the world and interacts with others.

Allayed have exchanged one Scar for another. Some received this Form from the conspiracy, whether to tamp down a Scar that was causing too much trouble or to bring out a Scar that offered them more control over the Deviant. Others develop technology or techniques on their own or are gifted (or sold) the Form after they’re no longer under the conspiracy’s thumb. How does the exchange of Scar for Scar look? Is it mystical or scientific, reliant on a focal object or internal to the Remade? How did he acquire it? Has he come to rely heavily on this Form, is it a last resort, or is it a nice option whose use depends on circumstances? How does he feel about each of the Scar options he has? How might his enemies exploit the limitations of this Form?

Amalgams have the memories of multiple people. Even when they manage to maintain a united front (and many don’t), their personality quirks and flaws tend to bleed into one another. Some consider themselves a new whole person who is unique and not just a collection of parts, while others cherish every piece of themselves as a collective of individuals with many valuable qualities. Who are the people that make up his personality? Is one dominant, with the others whispering advice when needed, or is it more democratic than that? What memories do they share, and what memories do some have that are truly unique?

Ambivalents went into the Divergence conflicted. What was the source of these mixed feelings? Has one or the other ultimately “won out” when it comes to how the transformed perceives the Divergence?

Dedicated lie somewhere between Baseline and Broken. This Form can arise from a failed Divergence or an intentionally hobbled transformation. It could instead reflect an active quest for full transformation or depict a slow slide away from Baseline existence. Is the Dedicated a powerful spark who hasn’t yet reached her full potential or a dying ember whose light hasn’t yet been extinguished? Is this a Form you intend she’ll eventually overcome and discard, or do you expect her to remain in this liminal state for the chronicle’s duration?

When Self-Made look in the mirror, they cannot escape the reality that the face staring back at them is one for which they bear the primary responsibility. They clearly had their reasons for subjecting themselves to the Divergence. What were his? Was he attempting to exceed the limits of human potential — either through a mystic practice or a scientific experiment? Was he attempting to cure himself of an unrelated malady, but then things went wrong — or they went right, but the Divergence was a side-effect? Was he performing experiments that weren’t supposed to involve him at all, but a laboratory accident or a botched summoning ritual left him transformed by the experience? Or did he develop a procedure intended for others (or that he never intended to use at all), only to be forced at gunpoint to perform it on himself? Or did his transformation involve a rite of passage, and in completing the quest he embraced his birthright? How does he feel about what happened to him — what he did to himself? Is there still pride despite all the problems the Divergence brought with it, or does he feel nothing but shame and regret at how he destroyed himself?

Summoners externalize their Variations while still suffering the Scars entangled with them. This Form often recontextualizes the Divergence for those who have it. One might believe her Scars are a price exacted by the bargain she struck with the occult being(s) she summons. Another might regard the homunculus as an expression of an aspect of his personality. Yet another might flavor their homunculi as different robots they have built, each with its own special purpose. What does the Form represent for your character?

Symbiotes have a partnership with their Variations. This partnership can be close, uneasy, or even actively hostile. What is the Deviant’s relationship with his Symbiote? How does he perceive it? What does its “voice” sound like. Is it an A.I. assistant offering dispassionate advice? Is it a cluster of animal desires that barks and growls like a dog to express itself? Is it a guardian angel, tempting devil, or both that only the Deviant can see, trying to keep him on the straight-and-narrow? Does it periodically hijack his senses to impose visions of its desires upon him?

Transitionals are a mix of Clades, and this is usually reflected in how they Diverged. The conspiracy may have attempted to use multiple methodologies, or the Deviant’s body or psyche may have partially rejected the source of Divergence or embraced multiple aspects of it. Some gain this Form later, such as a Chimeric who replaces a lost arm with a mechanical one of his own design, or a Cephalist who becomes exposed to occult radiation long after his initial transformation. What makes your character a Transitional?

The experience of a Transmissible depends on how much he wants to spread his particular disease. Carriers of ugly, highly contagious diseases who don’t want to spread them are often lonely, tragic wretches who don’t dare spend time around people. Many live in denial about the Form, refusing to believe the suffering of those around them is a direct result of contact with them. Some recognize the effects but don’t fully understand the causes, merely thinking they are particularly inspiring, for example, rather than that their voice carries a memetic disease that modifies the Aspirations or Anchors of those who hear it. Some revel in their power to transform those around them with an uncovered sneeze or a quick jab from their scorpion-like tail. Those whose contagions trigger the Divergence with some regularity can achieve alone what many conspiracies never do, potentially gathering a following of their own Devoted. How does your character feel about and respond to his Transmissible nature?

Merits

Every Merit tells a story about the character who has it. One like Allies speaks of long-established connections to a community, for example, while one like Armed and Extremely Dangerous speaks volumes about the Broken’s reputation in the Web of Pain. Quite often, a Merit just clicks as soon as you read it, and you know you must build a character around it. Consider the story behind that Merit. Did your character have it from before he crossed paths with the conspiracy, was it directly related to his Divergence, or is it something he developed after he escaped? Has he always had an Eidetic Memory, for example, or is it something he was encouraged to develop through the mental exercises he learned as part of the process that led to his Divergence?

Busied Hands

A character’s niche tends to define the situations she excels in, but it’s often worth considering what role she will play in scenes that aren’t specifically geared towards her talents. No one expects any Deviant to be equally useful in all situations, but a player whose character has nothing to do in a social setting or combat, for example, risks boredom in those scenes. Some players may be fine with this — particularly if the scene type is rare. How common a scene type is depends on the tone of the chronicle and the problem-solving style of the cohort, but here are some that make appearances in many chronicles:

Combat: Renegades frequently find themselves in violent situations, and combat scenes often take a lot of time at the gaming table to resolve, so having something to do during them is important in most chronicles. What is your role in a fight? Do you have combat Skills, Fighting Merits, and/or a violence-focused Variation like Lash (Deviant, p. 122) or Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)? If so, are you particularly effective in close combat or at range? Do you have a Variation that lets you bolster, protect, or heal your allies? Do you have one that confuses, disables, or turns the battlefield against your enemies? Most Variations can be turned to violent ends with a bit of creativity, and even something seemingly harmless like the ability to see in the dark can be a gamechanger if the lights suddenly go out.

Infiltration: Stealth missions and heists are genre staples that often appear in Deviant chronicles. These can involve getting into places unseen or blending in with those who have legitimate business there. What is your character’s role in a heist, infiltration, or stealth mission? Do you have Skills, Merits, or Variations that help you foil security measures, avoid detection, or gain access to secure places via unexpected ingresses? Or are you adept at sweet-talking your way past guards or disguising yourself as someone who won’t be challenged? Perhaps you don’t go inside at all, instead coordinating the team’s actions from a chair elsewhere or keeping the getaway car ready to go. Or you might be in charge of creating a distraction to draw eyes away from your allies’ unauthorized entrance. Once inside, what is your job? Do you black out security cameras, open locks and doors, or hack into the facility’s computers to retrieve critical files? Or maybe you take out guards before they raise an alarm, rescue (or take) prisoners, or take charge of carrying off (or destroying) the MacGuffin.

Information-Gathering: To have any hope of success, a cohort needs to know the forces arrayed against them, the potential solutions at their disposal, or simply how to make a homemade bomb without blowing off their fingers. What options does your character have when what the cohort needs most is information? Do you have Mental Skills and Merits that make you invaluable in a library or conducting research online? Do you have a gift for getting strangers to answer your questions, or do you have people you can call to help you track down the truth behind a rumor? Perhaps you’re adept at reconnaissance, tailing targets or scouting the perimeter of a conspiracy facility without raising an alarm. Possibly, you know how to make a prisoner talk when they would rather not. Many Variations focus on getting information or have effects that bestow knowledge.

Psychological Warfare: Campaigns of harassment and targeted mayhem can frighten a Conviction Touchstone or deal institutional harm to a conspiracy without exposing the cohort to easy retaliation. How does your character engage in acts of psychological warfare against the cohort’s enemies? Do you engage in the mundane mainstays of stalking, vandalism, and threats? Or do you have a knack for propaganda, whisper campaigns, or blackmail? Perhaps you’re an experienced hacker, arsonist, or saboteur. Or maybe you’re charming, and you undercut your enemies by turning or recruiting away their agents or by instigating conflicts between them. Many Variations are highly effective at sowing discord, creating chaos, or bringing enemies to despair.

Resource Acquisition: Renegades are often starved for resources. What is your character’s role in securing access to needed goods and services? Do you have money, whether through the Resources Merit or by requisitioning or borrowing it? Or are you an experienced pickpocket or burglar? Possibly, you’re skilled with your hands and can turn raw materials or substandard goods into functional equipment or repair them when they break or require maintenance. Maybe your cohort trusts in your underworld contacts, eye for bargains, or negotiation skills to acquire goods and services they couldn’t find or afford otherwise. Some Variations can help with this, whether bringing needed gear into a scene directly or by making it easier to find or steal existing items, and many more can be used as tools themselves.

Social Events: Although Renegades can’t always trust those outside their cohort, sometimes they need their help. How do you navigate social situations to win friends and influence people — or at least avoid making enemies? Are you charming and earnest, making friends with your frank honesty, or do you secure people’s cooperation using flattery, deception, or promises you don’t expect to keep? Maybe you play a supporting role as the lead negotiator’s bodyguard or enforcer. Or perhaps you’re the one who delivers the litany of facts to reinforce your cohort’s arguments. Possibly, you stay on the periphery to keep an eye out for treachery or prevent any outside interruptions. Or maybe you use the social event to cover for clandestine activities like snooping in off-limits areas, spying on attendees, or stealing things that are unlikely to be missed right away. Several Variations serve well in social situations.

Survival: Sometimes nature is the greatest threat to a cohort’s survival. What does your character do in emergency situations or hostile environments? Do you have medical training that allows you to tend injuries, recognize the warning signs of exposure, and minimize the risk of infection? Or do you know how to find food, water, and shelter when it might not otherwise be available — whether it’s in a forest, a desert island, or an unfriendly city? Can you hunt or trap food, drive off predators, or recognize natural hazards? Maybe you know how to build a shelter quickly with found materials or to start a fire with a pair of glasses. Perhaps you’re good at keeping your cohort’s spirits up, or you can at least learn how to do your part around camp without constantly complaining or shirking. Many Variations make this considerably easier and can even extend their protection to an entire cohort. Surviving the elements is usually a resource acquisition task conducted under duress.

Third Corner: Scars

Scars are a fundamental part of every Deviant’s story, so they’re nearly as common a starting point for creating a Broken character as Variations. Sometimes a particular weakness just feels right, and the rest of the character flows out of it naturally.

As with Variations, it can be tempting to take a bunch of unrelated Scars just because they are interesting, rather than because they support your character’s concept. This is less of a problem in a low threat level chronicle, but it can become a serious one in a high threat level chronicle. Focusing on one key Scar and choosing others that support it remains good advice. They are an important source of Beats, but they’re also a key roleplaying driver. Too many Scars in the same character can make it difficult to express them in interesting ways at the table; it’s easy for some to fade into the background while one or two dominate in play.

There is no truly wrong way to select Scars, but from the perspective of not having too many things to track while also having plenty of opportunities to bring your Scars into play, it’s good to consider some guidelines:

Controlled Scars

All Scars reflect the price the Deviant pays for her Variations, but Controlled Scars exact a toll for using them. This is an important distinction. Broken with only Controlled Scars effectively have no disadvantages other than those inherent to all Remade. There’s nothing wrong with this. Many great character concepts are ordinary-seeming people who have remarkable powers that cost them dearly to use.

It’s no accident that most Controlled Scars are Repeatable. This allows you to establish the “fuel” the Deviant’s powers use by entangling several Variations to multiple instances of the same Scar. A Remade who entangles all or most of her Variations to Tribulation, for example, draws her power from her Willpower, which increases the importance of managing and maintaining this trait. A character with several different Repeatable Controlled Scars that levy different prices can work (such as if the Scars represent several spirits who grant different Variations but each one exacts a different price for their gifts), but oftentimes this merely muddies a concept.

Controlled Scars make excellent supporting Scars, especially for characters in a high threat level chronicle. They can easily represent an additional price paid for the Broken’s most potent abilities or for using her powers in ways perpendicular to their intended application. Their advantage in this role is that they usually don’t demand a lot of focus within the context of the narrative; they don’t get in the way of roleplaying the more interesting Scars she has.

Questions: How often or readily does the Remade use her Controlled Variations? Does she call upon them even when she doesn’t really need them, use them only when they are the best tool for the job, or reserve them for moments of desperation? When others ask her to use them on their behalf, is she likely to go along with it or refuse the request? How does she feel about those people? Does she feel generally obligated to use her powers for those she cares about, or does she resent anyone who puts her in that position? How does the Variation and its Scar feel to her? Does it come with an exhilarating rush of power despite the cost, or is it uncomfortable or shameful? Or is it a relief to unleash it after expending so much concentration keeping it bottled up? How does she feel when the Variation’s effects wear off? Does it leave behind feelings of emptiness or regret, like a hangover that she hopes will pass quickly? Or are there physical or psychological symptoms that seem to have nothing to do with the Variation or its Scar — muscle soreness, for example, or something akin to mania or depression?

Situational Scars

Power Failure and Involuntary Stimulus deserve a special mention in this section. Both afford a lot of flexibility to determine the circumstances under which the entangled Variation manifests or fails. This makes them potentially very interesting, and Power Failure in particular is often cited as the answer to every question about how to make a Variation that only works under certain circumstances.

Choosing those circumstances can be tricky, however. You want something the Storyteller can reasonably include in the narrative without bending over backwards. Too common, and they come into play too often — making the Variation useful (or problematic) only in narrow situations. Too rare, and they don’t constitute a burden at all, which at once makes their entangled Variations essentially Scar-free and limits their utility as a source of drama (and Beats).

Another common pitfall lies in forgetting that Involuntary Stimulus is a Scar. A common misconception is that it can be used to reflexively activate Variations that are then used to address the situation that triggered it — such as Carapace with an Involuntary Stimulus of “someone shoots at the Deviant.” To be clear, this is usually cheating. The purpose of a Scar is to disadvantage the Remade, to create complications for him. It could happen that the involuntary appearance of an armored hide when the Broken is staring down the barrel of a gun is a bug, not a feature, but it’s unlikely. Shallow Graves introduces new Merits (such as Reflexive Variation) and Variations that achieve a similar effect without rendering a mid-Magnitude Variation Scar-free in the process.

Finally comes the question of entangling multiple Variations to Involuntary Stimulus. Having different circumstances activate different Variations can make for a muddled character concept. Tying all your Variations to a single weakness is a classic trope within the inspirational media. Although both Involuntary Stimulus and Power Failure explicitly demand a different circumstance for each Variation, it’s probably safe to eliminate this restriction, as it leads to a more cohesive aesthetic than a character with multiple instances of Power Failure, each entangled with a different circumstance — with the following caveats:

If multiple incidences of Involuntary Stimulus share circumstances (or if diverse circumstances happen to overlap in a situation), only one entangled Variation activates each turn — chosen at random. Further, the Deviant cannot activate a non-reflexive Variation on the same turn as a Variation entangled with Involuntary Stimulus was activated involuntarily. If multiple incidences of Power Failure share a circumstance, they affect all entangled Variations immediately. Further, all instances of Involuntary Stimulus can only generate one Beat per scene, regardless of how many Variations activate involuntarily. Similarly, all instances of Power Failure can only generate one Beat per scene, no matter how many Variations they disable.

Involuntary Scars

Involuntary Scars reflect Variations that are in some way beyond the Deviant’s control. This can make for an interesting character concept (the inspirational media is filled with examples), but it can also be a bit of a risk as a means of earning Beats.

To harvest Beats from an Involuntary Scar, the entangled Variation must be disruptive in a lot of circumstances. Further, it must be disruptive in ways that will be interesting to the Storyteller, as these rely upon his finding opportunities to invoke them. An Involuntary Carapace is minimally interesting, since the only disadvantage to it is that it makes the entangled Variation Overt (assuming the Scar’s Magnitude is 2 or higher). At the other extreme, a Magnitude 5 Storm-Caller that conjures a devastating localized natural disaster is certainly disruptive, but maybe the Storyteller doesn’t need a powerful tornado every chapter to make the story interesting.

Deviations often help with this. Involuntary Stimulus and Power Build-up have Uncontrollable Deviations that narrow the Broken’s options with the entangled Variation in ways that force her to make difficult choices or to take additional steps to call upon them, both of which make them more likely to earn Beats. Standard Deviations like Indelible Mark and Short Circuit are designed to create additional complications for a Deviant with Involuntary Variations, and Identifier amplifies the risks when the Variation activates without her leave.

Questions: Why is the Involuntary Variation out of control? Is it just a little bit more potent than the Broken’s other Variations? Or is there a story behind why that Variation is triggered by a specific circumstance — perhaps something tied to her Divergence or an old memory? Does she have any warning before the Variation activates, such as a wave of nausea or sudden nosebleed, or does it activate like the flipping of a switch?

Persistent Scars

Although Persistent Scars are entangled with Variations like any other Scars, most of them stand alone as ongoing and inescapable side-effects of the Broken’s specific Divergence. Persistent Scars are iconic to the Remade who must endure them. It is somewhat unusual for any two major characters in the same chronicle to share Persistent Scars, and the exceptions differentiate themselves in their details (or are the point, such as a Genotypal line prone to a particular weakness, or the Devoted of a conspiracy sharing a single Scar meant to keep them under control).

Persistent Scars are the ones most likely to reflect a lasting and tragic loss of something vital to the Deviant’s life as a Baseline. They make an excellent starting point for a Remade’s suite of Scars. One or two of them can really encapsulate the Broken’s main malfunctions. Too many Persistent Scars can quickly dilute the focus of the character concept, however. It is often better to round out the Deviant with Repeatable Controlled and/or Involuntary Scars that reflect a common cost or risk for her other powers.

Questions: Did those who made the Deviant intend for her to have this Scar, or was it an unintended (or even decidedly unwelcome) side-effect of her Divergence? How did the conspiracy use her Scar to manipulate or control her, and what steps does she take to blunt that control? How does this Scar reflect the loss of an important part of her identity? How does this Scar shape her current identity and behavior?

Achilles Heel

Scars and Touchstones make Deviants fundamentally vulnerable. These weaknesses are not character flaws to be hidden or avoided. Rather, they are narrative devices to be embraced and played up for drama, Beats, or even laughs. This requires that a player be willing to accept — or even seek out — failure some of the time.

Lean into your Scars. Look for opportunities to bring them into play in ways that make your story more interesting. Don’t be surprised when the Storyteller takes pains to make them relevant. Relish the opportunity to dance in the spotlight, even if — especially if — your dance moves are embarrassing.

Similarly, expect your Touchstones to crash against one another within the narrative. Your Loyalty Touchstones mean the world to your character, but try not to get so attached to them as a player that you can’t bear to see anything bad happen to them. And your Conviction Touchstones are supposed to win at least some of the time; a villain can hardly be called “recurring” unless they live to fight another day time and again. Don’t be afraid to make hard choices or stupid mistakes in pursuit of your Touchstones. If you’re constantly torn in two or more directions by them, it means they’re working as intended.

The bottom line is that you’re playing a character in a story. Things aren’t always going to go their way, as that wouldn’t be narratively satisfying. By embracing Scars and Touchstones (or just occasionally putting yourself in situations that hinge upon things your character is decidedly bad at), you’re more likely to encounter obstacles or fail in ways that are interesting to you.

Fourth Corner: Connections

Deviants need friends and enemies like other people need food or oxygen. Building a character concept from those allies and antagonists puts the Remade’s focus on those critical connections.

Loyalty Touchstones

Most Loyalty Touchstones are people who have their own wants, needs, and inner lives. Few can return the Broken’s affection with an intensity that equals hers. Deviants usually learn to accept this, although matters get messy on those occasions when they do not.

Who (or what) is the Loyalty Touchstone? Feel free to go through the appropriate questions under the origin header above but flesh out their past and present instead of the Remade’s. If it isn’t a person, decide what sorts of things she does to deepen her bond with it.

How long has she known her Touchstone — since childhood, for some time before her Divergence, while she was in the conspiracy’s clutches, or after she escaped? When and under what circumstances did they become her Touchstone — what was the initial tenuous connection (electing them as Wavering) and the event that cemented the bond (affirmed the Touchstone)? Have they ever been the subject of a reversal, and if so, what happened? Thinking about the examples in Chapter One, how does the Broken typically deepen her relationship with the Loyalty Touchstone? Have they ever done so in an unusual, toxic, or otherwise noteworthy way?

Do they know how she feels about them, or has she thus far kept it a secret. If they are unaware, how has she maintained the connection without tipping them off? If they are aware of the bond, how do they feel about it? Is it an unwelcome attachment, merely an uncomfortable or complicated one, or a wholly welcome one? If they welcome her affection, why? Are they just nice that way, do they share deep bonds of shared experience, or is there something they get (or hope to get) out of the relationship?

Conviction Touchstones

The old saying that you can judge a person by the quality of their enemies is never truer than when it comes to the Remade. Conviction Touchstones make for a good starting point when creating characters for Deviant. While it is common for at least some of a character’s Conviction Touchstones to be agents of the conspiracy currently pursuing her, this need not be the case for all of them. However, as we discussed in Chapter One, it must be reasonably likely that they will enter the story based on their connection to the Deviant, her allies, and/or her other enemies.

Who are these antagonists? Did they enter the Broken’s life immediately before or shortly after her Divergence, or are they holdovers from her Baseline life? What is their relationship to one another? Are they total strangers, allies, or rivals? What did they do to earn her enmity? Do they all genuinely deserve the Deviant’s hatred, or was there a misunderstanding or some slight so petty that a Baseline wouldn’t entertain sending an angry email, much less plotting the perpetrator’s demise?

Does the Conviction Touchstone hate the Remade back, or do they have very different feelings for her? Or have they never spared a moment’s thought for her before and are unlikely to think of her at all until the moment she emerges from a darkened corner with her claws dripping venom? Thinking about the examples in Chapter One, how does the Broken further her Conviction?

Conspiracy

While the active conspiracy is a discussion topic for the entire troupe, individual Deviants often have a history of run-ins with other conspiracies in the Web of Pain. Most of the time, these are unpleasant, if not outright hostile, but this is not a universal experience even among those who now consider themselves Renegades.

Which conspiracy Remade or found the Broken? Has she ever worked with or for a conspiracy — whether willingly (including to infiltrate or exploit it) or unwillingly? Has she ever found herself in the sights of multiple conspiracies, either because they both coveted her, sought to destroy her, or tried to use her as a weapon against one another? Has she ever betrayed one conspiracy in favor of another, whether due to coercion/blackmail or greater ideological compatibility, or because they offered her a better deal (money, power, and other perks)?

For each conspiracy, what were they like? Were they a cult, a business, a criminal enterprise, a scientific consortium, or something else? What were their Virtue, Vice, and Principles? Do they still exist, or are they now defunct (destroyed, absorbed by other conspiracies of the Web of Pain, etc.)? If they were destroyed, what role (if any) did the Remade have in that destruction? If they still exist, how do they feel about her? Do they want her back, want her killed (perhaps so she can’t share their secrets), or want her to stay away from them forever?

How did they treat her before, during, and after her Divergence? Did they keep her in a cage and treat her like an animal, lavish her with luxuries and provide her with the option to refuse any request they made of her, or (most likely) somewhere in between?

Choosing Variations

If you know exactly which Variations you want your character to have, the process of allocating your Magnitude of Variations is an easy one. If you don’t, it can be a daunting proposition. Here we present a few different ways of approaching this.

Pick One

Choose one primary Variation at Magnitude 3 or higher (depending on Standing). Spread out any remaining Magnitude among Magnitude 1 and 2 Variations that support your overall concept (Superhuman Manipulation to support Pheromones, for example) or that provide general utility that most character concepts can reasonably justify (such as Lash). It’s usually a good idea to pick an effect that gives the Remade a capability Baselines don’t have (Flight or Shadows of the Past, rather than Carapace or Rapid Healing). However, in low threat level play, a Deviant’s mundane traits can be the focus of the character over their Variations.

This tends to give a character’s power suite a laser-like focus. Even if she has other tools that are circumstantially useful, that big hammer is going to see use again and again. Mutants with the Unpredictable Adaptation enjoy the greatest benefit from this approach, since they can exchange a high-Magnitude Variation for a useful, if low-Magnitude, Universal one. Chimerics with Untamed also do well with this method because they can opt to minimize the impact of their higher-Magnitude Scar at crucial moments.

Pick Two

Insofar as Standing permits, choose two Variations at Magnitude 3 or higher. Spread out any remaining Magnitude among Magnitude 1 and 2 Variations that support your overall concept or provide easily justified utility.

This is often the happy medium between the narrow focus of a single high-Magnitude Variation supported by several low-Magnitude Variations and the flexibility of spreading out starting Magnitude equally among many Variations.

Pick Three (or More)

Spread out starting Magnitude across as many Variations as Standing allows — and likely no more than Magnitude 3 in any one Variation, even in a high threat level chronicle. This approach allows the maximum possible flexibility, but it runs the risk of producing an unfocused character concept, so it’s important to keep the Deviant’s premise firmly in mind. Cephalists with the Focus Adaptation, Coactives with the Consume Adaptation, and Invasives with the Redundant or Reservoir Adaptations enjoy a greater benefit from this approach.

Variation Categories

When deciding on Variations, it can be helpful to start with categories — what generally do you want your character to be able to do? In which types of scenes (Combat, Infiltration, Information-Gathering, Psychological Warfare, Resource Acquisition, Social Events, or Survival) do you really want to shine? Unless selecting a single Magnitude 3 Variation in a Mutation-level chronicle, your character will have at least two Variations, and most Variations are useful in more than one kind of scene, especially with some creative application. Choosing Variations that grant utility in multiple kinds of scenes gives you options in more situations, while clustering them around a single category means the Deviant is really good at solving one kind of problem.

Review the scene categories above (p. XX). Consider not just the kinds of scenes but the exact kind of contribution you expect your character to make.

Experiential Clades

One approach to narrowing your Variation options is to focus on the premise for how they work. Because every Deviant has a unique premise, that can be unhelpful, but the Experiential Clades in Chapter One offer a potential starting point that can be refined into specific concepts. To that end, we present a list of appropriate Variations for each of them.

These lists are meant as a creative aid, not an ironclad rule. Nothing says that a Chimeric who identifies as a Companion can’t choose Variations that don’t appear on that list. However, it is still important to be mindful of the aesthetics of any Variation you choose for your Remade character.

Note that Chimeric and Invasive Experiential Clades have some Variations in common with all members of their Clades.

Biokinetic: These Cephalists have Variations that grant the Deviant’s body new capabilities, which means few of them are Directed. They generally have a mix of Overt and Subtle Variations.

Clairsentient: These Cephalists have Variations that gather information or reflect an inherent situational awareness. They are almost always Subtle.

Psychokinetic: These Cephalists have Variations that manipulate the physical environment around the Remade. They are often Overt and Directed.

Telepath: These Cephalists have Variations that perceive and manipulate the thoughts and emotions of people and animals. Most are Subtle and Directed.

Companion: These Chimerics have Variations that are often cooperative or social in nature, but they also include many that afford simple utility. They tend to be Subtle.

Hunter: These Chimerics have Variations that focus on identifying and bringing down prey, often through brute force but occasionally by wielding Variations custom tailored to exploit a preferred target’s vulnerabilities. Many are Overt.

Lurker: These Chimerics have Variations that emphasize stealth and subtlety, avoiding confrontation, and fighting smarter, not harder. Most of them are Subtle.

Survivor: These Chimerics have Variations that make the Broken more likely to avoid, survive, and recover from harm. Most are Subtle.

Dimensionalist: These Coactives have Variations that reflect the Deviant’s connection to alien otherworlds, drawing down the powers and physical qualities of the entities that dwell there. Most call upon a single otherworld, although a minority have connections to multiple dimensions. They are a mix of Subtle and Overt.

Elementalist: These Coactives have Variations that draw on real-world forces. They tend to be Overt.

Esotericist: These Coactives have Variations that draw on poorly understood forces like fate, luck, time, thought, and dreams. They tend to be Subtle.

Occultist: These Coactives have Variations that draw upon an arcane energy source coveted by some other sort of supernatural being native to the physical world, and they tend to reflect the capabilities of those beings. They mix the Subtle with the Overt.

Android: These Invasives have Variations that allow them to blend in with humanity and human ideas. They tend to be Subtle.

Artifact: These Invasives have Variations that interact with occult forces. They are as likely to be Overt as Subtle.

Heavy: These Invasives have Variations that emphasize combat and other forms of violence. They are often Overt.

Robot: These Invasives have Variations that focus on mundane technological enhancements and utility. They are a mix of Subtle and Overt.

Devourer: These Mutants have Variations that inflict harm or take something from their targets. They are often Directed and are a mix of Subtle and Overt.

Evolver: These Mutants have Variations that reflect personal changes upon the Deviant or his ongoing ability to transform himself physically or mentally. They are a mix of Subtle and Overt and aren’t usually Directed.

Sire: These Mutants have Variations that manipulate or change thoughts and emotions or else create or conjure matter, energy, or constructs. They tend to be Overt and are often Directed.

Unchanging: These Mutants have Variations that protect them from injury and loss, as well as denying others the power to control or manipulate them (or the environment around them).

[format as tables]

Cephalist — Biokinetic

Aquatic (Deviant, p. 113)

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Brachiation (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Face Thief (Deviant, p. 118)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Brawl or Weaponry) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Physical Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Translocation (Deviant, p. 134)

Animal Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 138)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Mechanical Transformation (Invasive; p. XX)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 148)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Cephalist — Clairsentient

Chronological Alignment (Jackpot) 1+ (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Research) 1+ (Deviant, p. 117)

Fate-Bind (Pact Bond) 1+ (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Any) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (Quick Search) 1+ (p. XX)

Shadows of the Past (Deviant, p. 129)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental Attributes or Composure) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Fate’s Agent (Coactive; Deviant, p. 142)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Computer-Aided Processing (Data Warehouse or Mind Hack) 1+ (Invasive; Deviant, p. 145)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Cephalist — Psychokinetic

Aerokinesis (p. XX)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 117)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hydrokinesis (p. XX)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Plant Control (p. XX)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Refuge (p. XX)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Vocalization (p. XX)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Cephalist — Telepath

Absorb Instability (The Devoted Companion, p. 15)

Chronological Alignment (Restricted Area) 1+ (p. XX)

Delude (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental or Social Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Vocalization (Croon) 2+ (p. XX)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Memory Thief (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Beast Mastery (Chimeric; p. XX)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Chimeric — All

Aquatic (Habitat) 2+ (Deviant, p. 113)

Brachiation (Deviant, p. 114)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Animal Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 138)

Chimeric — Companion

Absorb Instability (The Devoted Companion, p. 15)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Chronological Alignment (p. XX)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Fate-Bind (p. XX)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Plant Control (p. XX)

Shadow Command (Simulacrum) 3+ (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental or Social Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Vocalization (Croon) 2+ (p. XX)

Memory Thief (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Beast Mastery (Chimeric; p. XX)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Mechanical Transformation (Invasive; p. XX)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Chimeric — Hunters

Aerokinesis (p. XX)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 115)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Hydrokinesis (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Any) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Superhuman Attribute (Physical Attributes or Composure) 3+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Fate’s Agent (Coactive; Deviant, p. 142)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Chimeric — Lurkers

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Mental Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Lash (Gentle and/or ranged) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Refuge (p. XX)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Wits, Dexterity, or Manipulation) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Translocation (Deviant, p. 134)

Vocalization (p. XX)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Chimeric — Survivors

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Chronological Alignment (p. XX)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Fate-Bind (Blood Braid) 1+ (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills or Survival) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Resolve, Stamina, or Composure) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Translocation (Defensive) 2+ (Deviant, p. 134)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Computer-Aided Processing (Invasive; Deviant, p. 145)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Coactive — Dimensionalists

Aquatic (Deviant, p. 113)

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Refuge (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Translocation (Deviant, p. 134)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p.134)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Animal Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 138)

Beast Mastery (Chimeric, p. XX)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Computer-Aided Processing (Invasive; Deviant, p. 145)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Coactive — Elementalists

Aerokinesis (p. XX)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 117)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hydrokinesis (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Plant Control (p. XX)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Superhuman Attribute (Physical Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Mechanical Transformation (Invasive; p. XX)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Coactive — Esotericists

Chronological Alignment (p. XX)

Delude (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Fate-Bind (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Mental or Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Shadows of the Past (Deviant, p. 129)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Superhuman Attribute (Social Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Memory Thief (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Coactive — Occultists

Absorb Instability (The Devoted Companion, p. 15)

Brachiation (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Delude (p. XX)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Face Thief (Deviant, p. 118)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Any) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Vocalization (p. XX)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Fate’s Agent (Coactive; Deviant, p. 142)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Invasive — All

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Computer-Aided Processing (Invasive; Deviant, p. 145)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Invasive — Android

Chronological Alignment (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 117)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Face Thief (Deviant, p. 118)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Mental or Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental or Social Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Vocalization (p. XX)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Memory Thief (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Invasive — Artifact

Absorb Instability (The Devoted Companion, p. 15)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Delude (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Fate-Bind (p. XX)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hydrokinesis (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Plant Control (p. XX)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Shadows of the Past (Deviant, p. 129)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Beast Mastery (Chimeric; p. XX)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Fate's Agent (Coactive; Deviant, p. 142)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Invasive — Heavy

Brachiation (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Any) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Physical Attributes) (Deviant, p. 131)

Translocation (Deviant, p. 134)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Invasive — Robot

Aerokinesis (p. XX)

Aquatic (Deviant, p. 113)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 117)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Mental or Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Refuge (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Mental or Physical Attributes) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Animal Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 138)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Mechanical Transformation (Invasive; p. XX)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Mutant — Devourer

Absorb Instability (The Devoted Companion, p. 15)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Delude (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Gravity Intensification (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Physical Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Lash (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Shadows of the Past (Deviant, p. 129

Superhuman Attribute (Strength, Intelligence, or Presence) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Telekinesis (Deviant, p. 132)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Tool Mastery (p. XX)

Traumavore (p. XX)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Memory Thief (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Predator’s Cunning (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 141)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Soul Seer (Coactive; p. XX)

Integrate Technology (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Inhuman Digestion (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Mutant — Evolver

Aquatic (Deviant, p. 113)

Bioluminescence (Deviant, p. 113)

Boneless (Deviant, p. 114)

Brachiation (Deviant, p. 114)

Camouflage (Deviant, p. 115)

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Chronological Alignment (p. XX)

Enhanced Speed (Deviant, p. 117)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Extra Appendages (p. XX)

Face Thief (Deviant, p. 118)

Flight (Deviant, p. 119)

Gigantic (Deviant, p. 119)

Gravity Reduction (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Mental Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Matter Control (p. XX)

Miniaturization (Deviant, p. 126)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Specialized Sense (Deviant, p. 129)

Sticky Filaments (p. XX)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Any Attribute) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Translocation (Deviant, p. 134)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Animal Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 138)

Body Modification (Chimeric; p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Emulate (Coactive; p. XX)

Computer-Aided Processing (Invasive; Deviant, p. 145)

Matter Emulation (Invasive; p. XX)

Mechanical Transformation (Invasive; p. XX)

Omnicompetence (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Sensor Array (Invasive; Deviant, p. 147)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Mutant — Sire

Aerokinesis (p. XX)

Conjuration (p. XX)

Cryokinesis (p. XX)

Delude (p. XX)

Dream Invader (p. XX)

Electrokinesis (Deviant, p. 117)

Fate-Bind (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Holographic Projection (Deviant, p. 121)

Hydrokinesis (p. XX)

Hyper-Competence (Social Skills) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Internet Acuity (p. XX)

Opener of Ways (p. XX)

Plant Control (p. XX)

Pyrokinesis (Deviant, p. 127)

Shadow Command (p. XX)

Shadow Selves (Deviant, p. 128)

Storm-Caller (Deviant, p. 130)

Superhuman Attribute (Wits, Dexterity, or Manipulation) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Terrakinesis (p. XX)

Vocalization (p. XX)

Body Snatcher (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 135)

Clairvoyance (Cephalist; p. XX)

Creeping Dread (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 136)

Emotion Amplification (Cephalist; p. XX)

Telepathy (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 137)

Beast Mastery (Chimeric; p. XX)

Monstrous Transformation (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Hidden Compartments (Invasive; Deviant, p. 146)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Gestalt (Mutant; p. XX)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

Mutant — Unchanging

Carapace (Deviant, p. 116)

Environmental Adaptation (Deviant, p. 118)

Fate-Bind (p. XX)

Healer (Deviant, p. 121)

Hyper-Competence (Any Skill) 1+ (Deviant, p. 122)

Immunity (Deviant, p. 122)

Magnetic Control (p. XX)

Occult Singularity (p. XX)

Out of Phase (Deviant, p. 127)

Refuge (p. XX)

Shadows of the Past (Deviant, p. 129)

Stretching (p. XX)

Superhuman Attribute (Resolve, Stamina, or Composure) 1+ (Deviant, p. 131)

Astral Travel (Cephalist; Deviant, p. 134)

Mimicry (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 139)

Pheromones (Chimeric; Deviant, p. 140)

Blessing (Coactive; Deviant, p. 141)

Fate’s Agent (Coactive; Deviant, p. 142)

Otherworldly Connection (Coactive; Deviant, p. 143)

Precognition (Coactive; Deviant, p. 144)

Psycho-Onomastics (Coactive; Deviant, p. 145)

Anomalous Biology (Mutant; Deviant, p. 148)

Cursed Flesh (Mutant; p. XX)

Deadly Ichor (Mutant; Deviant, p. 149)

Rapid Healing (Mutant; Deviant, p. 150)

Sacred Flesh (Mutant; Deviant, p. 151)

[end variation tables]

Roleplaying Variations and Scars

The good news is that once you have finished building your character, playing a Deviant is pretty easy. You must only juggle the handful of Variations and Scars you chose during character creation.

Portraying Variations

Now comes the fun part: deciding what to do with the powers you chose during character creation.

A good place to start is in asking the question, “If your character could do X, what would they do with that power?” — where X is all his Variations. Some answers to this question will be obvious. At least for a Renegade, any Variation will invariably see use as a defense or weapon against the conspiracy, its agents, and his Conviction Touchstones, although the how of it will vary.

Subsistence

With a few exceptions, Deviants have the same essential needs as anyone else, but Renegades don’t have the option to settle into a desk job, get a mortgage, and make weekly grocery trips. Earning enough money with their mundane skills alone to avoid homelessness and starvation is by no means assured. Those without disfiguring or disruptive Scars might be able to find employment, but even servers, dishwashers, and retail workers are expected to provide I.D. to get a check — or cash it. And I.D.s can be linked to the Remade and so tracked by the conspiracies. Undocumented day labor (to say nothing of work in grey trades and criminal enterprises) doesn’t pay well and offers few protections to workers.

Variations can often provide what hard work, luck, and the kindness of strangers cannot. Does your character use her Variations to meet her basic needs? If so, how? A Deviant with Camouflage has an edge when stealing unattended possessions, for example, and one with Pheromones might merely ask people to hand over their wallets and purses and have those requests obliged. One with impossibly good luck may know exactly which scratch-off lottery ticket is a winner — never so much that she has to go to the lottery offices and show I.D. in order to collect her winnings, though. Those with violent — or at least frightening — Variations might eke out a living as enforcers or bodyguards.

Not all Broken are willing to use their Variations this way. For some, they’re too much of a risk. Overt Variations attract conspiracy attention sooner or later, and even Subtle ones can rouse suspicion in those who see the Deviant use them often enough. Nor is the absence of immediate conspiracy scrutiny a guarantee of safety. The Web of Pain exists because some people, when they encounter a Deviant, covet their powers and determine to find a way to use them to their advantage. Few conspiracies set out to be conspiracies from the start; most began with one or a handful of people using one of the Remade to further their own interests. Merely revealing supernatural abilities to a Baseline runs the risk of drawing avaricious eyes.

For other Broken, their Variations are a painful reminder of the trauma of their Divergence — and possibly the events that led up to and followed it. Those associations make them less likely to use their Variations except in the last extremity to preserve their lives and freedom, and those of their Loyalty Touchstones. Or perhaps experience has shown them the harm their Variations can cause — whether intended or unintended — and they are reluctant to deploy them for fear of the damage they could do.

Some Deviants have Variations entangled with Scars that levy a high price whenever they use them — one that blunts or exceeds any survival advantage they grant. Winning a few meals using a Variation that will require a week’s convalescence to recover from is rarely worth the trouble. A shiv or stolen gun, a dark alley, and an unsuspecting stranger are often a more efficient way of getting these.

Self-Defense

Renegades live at the fringes of society. They can’t count on the authority figures others rely upon to shield them from violence and exploitation; too many are knowing or unknowing agents of the Web of Pain. Remade are more likely than most to be the targets of violent criminals. Faced with a pair of thugs demanding her only warm coat in the middle of a cold snap, many Broken have hidden resources to call upon — ones the average Baseline tough will never expect.

Deploying her Variations in self-defense comes with its own risks, however.

Unwanted attention is certainly the most obvious. If she drives off her persecutors (or eludes them by running up a wall like a spider), they’ll certainly talk. Even if she casually decapitates them, it’s likely to arouse the curiosity of some homicide detective. Either way, word will get back to the conspiracy hunting the Deviant, and they’ll investigate. Another possibility is that those toughs have associates who wield supernatural powers of their own — if they don’t themselves.

Deploying Variations in response to the threat of violence also carries moral hazards. The Remade could have handled the situation by mundane means — whether by fleeing, fighting, or complying. By falling back on her supernatural abilities, she has de facto admitted that her natural abilities were not up to the task. Some Broken regard this as of no consequence, but for many this is a big deal. It stands as proof that those who described her as a monster, those who told her that she needed the conspiracy to keep from hurting others, and those who claimed she would come to appreciate the advantages the powers they gave her afforded her were all right.

Further, it might not work or might make matters worse. Especially in low threat level chronicles, a Variation is an advantage, but luck also plays a role. The Deviant might pulp the first thug with a devastating Lash only to have the second one stab her and leave her bleeding (coatless) in the snow. A helpless-seeming Remade is just another victim to be robbed; one who has just exhibited obvious supernatural abilities is a threat. The same occult display that sends most unwary witnesses running for their lives or cowering in a corner could trigger berserk violence in another — one that the obvious monster’s pleas for mercy or screams of pain aren’t going to halt. These attackers aren’t going to simply “teach her a lesson” and walk away; they’re going for blood, for the total elimination of the threat the Broken represents.

Finally, many Variations carry costs of their own. They might lash out in unexpected ways or refuse to die down once unleashed. Or they might leave the Deviant enervated, injured, or crippled, such that using them now leaves the Remade more vulnerable to the next threat.

Weighing her options in the moment, sometimes the Broken simply decides that handing over her coat is her best option.

Wish Fulfillment

For some Autourgics and a few lucky Broken of other Origins, Variations represent the fulfillment of lifelong wishes and fantasies. The boy who wanted to be able to disappear becomes a man who can turn invisible. The girl who fantasized about being the most popular kid in class Diverges into a woman who can command the respect and obedience of everyone around her by simply adjusting their minds with her psychic abilities. And the child who dreamed of outrunning cars, flying through the sky without wings, and lifting great weights effortlessly might get all those things from the Divergence. This doesn’t diminish the tragedy of what was done to them, but nor does it demand that the Deviants deny themselves the pleasure their Variations give them.

Many Deviants whose Variations don’t reflect any childhood wishes nevertheless learn to appreciate — and take advantage of — their benefits. Few resist the temptation to use their abilities to indulge themselves. Whether they do so frequently or seldom, selfishly or in the service of those they care about, in large ways or trivial ones, most Remade eventually choose to make their lives a little better or a little happier (or their enemies’ lives considerably worse) using their Variations.

Some of the uses Remade get from their Variations are less morally grey than others. Flying around in the wilderness for fun harms no one, and it’s hard to argue that using one’s healing powers to cure sick children in a cancer ward is anything but a moral good (albeit one likely to attract conspiracy attention). But using invisibility to indulge in voyeurism more effectively is questionable at best, and using telepathic abilities to brainwash a group of people into loyal followers leaves no question at all. As a consequence of their Divergence, the Broken don’t feel guilt at such violations. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t know that abusing their supernatural abilities is wrong, nor does it shield them from the disdain and horror of Baselines. This latter is often one of the few things that keeps Deviants from abandoning considerations of right and wrong entirely. Knowing that an action they wish to take will hurt or upset a Loyalty Touchstone — or worse, convince him that they really are a monster — is sometimes the only thing that holds them back from worse abuses.

Portraying Scars

Just as conspiracies provide a narrative motivation for the cohort, and Touchstones do so for individual Remade, Scars provide narrative motivation for the player. Scars are the most common source of Beats (and therefore character advancement), which incentivizes players to bring them into play in ways that create complications for their characters and the rest of their cohort.

What constitutes a complication? The definition is left up to interpretation, but in general it entails either a narrative complication that requires time at the gaming table to introduce and resolve, or a situationally relevant mechanical disadvantage. It must draw significant attention to itself and highlight the cost of the Divergence for the Broken. It can do this in any of several ways.

Scar as Mechanics

Scars have mechanics that describe the circumstances under which they come into play and how they inconvenience the Deviant. This is the most common way that Scars create complications — by mandating behaviors or interacting with existing game mechanics in ways that drain the character’s resources or reduce his effectiveness.

Earning Beats: For the most part, if a Scar’s mechanics come into play in a scene, it is enough to earn a Beat. The exception to this is cases where the impact is negligible or nonexistent. For example, taking a point of bashing damage from Perilous Variation during an action scene where it could mean the difference between success and failure is worth a Beat, but the same point of bashing damage in a safe place with plenty of time to recover is not (unless a crisis prevents her from doing so).

Scar as Theme Song

Movies and TV shows often use music to emphasize the emotional content of the story unfolding on the screen. Many have recurring musical themes associated with specific plots or characters. Whenever they play, the viewer knows, without looking at the screen or listening to the dialogue, who is on the screen or which plot line is being featured in the current scene.

The Star Wars movies are the classic example of this. Darth Vader, Leia, and Yoda have unmistakable theme songs, as does the romance between Han and Leia and the Rebel Alliance as a whole. As the trilogy progresses, these themes play again and again, sometimes with flourishes and variations.

Scars are a Deviant’s theme song. They appear again and again in the narrative, sometimes subtly and sometimes unmistakably, but consistently and inescapably. It doesn’t play in every scene they’re in, but if it’s playing, it’s a sure bet the Remade is in that scene. They’re an integral part of the character, and just by the character being in the story they are going to recur. They shape the narrative as much as, if not more than, the character’s Variations. When a Scar comes up in play, the Storyteller doesn’t have to improvise; they can just play that familiar theme or let the player take the lead in playing it.

Earning Beats: In the early chapters of a chronicle (or shortly after the Deviant develops a new Scar), simply drawing attention to a Scar within the narrative should be worth a Beat. As an example, a nosebleed at the cohort’s base of operations that doesn’t have any long-lasting consequences isn’t enough to earn a Beat once the existence of that Scar and its deleterious effects have been introduced, but in that first chapter when members of the cohort are still exploring one another’s abilities and foibles? Absolutely, the first time a Scar comes up, it’s worth a Beat.

Scar as Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s gun is a narrative principle often rendered as, “If you say in the first act that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third act it absolutely must go off.” Its corollary is just as important: Before the loaded gun goes off in the second or third act, you must establish in the first act that it is hanging on the wall.

Fiction does this all the time. When the gun is a resource that allows a character to solve the central problem of the story, failing to establish its presence (or at least its possibility) is a deus ex machina, an unsatisfying plot twist. Writers are therefore careful to introduce the resource early in the story. Often, its acquisition is the focus of the story, its central quest. It is also the principle behind foreshadowing, where events early in the story foretell a later plot point or narrative complication. In this case, establishing the possibility of the threat in question more or less makes it a certainty. Close-up shots of a fraying rope, each strand slowly snapping as the story progresses, are only used if the rope will give way at a dramatic moment.

This also applies to characters. In The Avengers, for example, multiple scenes allude to Bruce Banner’s particular problem. The characters around him walk on eggshells to avoid angering him. The otherwise unflappable Natasha Romanoff betrays a moment of near panic when she briefly fears she has provoked him. And Bruce’s own frequent off-hand comments about how bad an idea, say, putting him on a submarine or a flying aircraft carrier might be, serve as further foreshadowing to how disruptive his inevitable transformation will be.

Scars are often the latter form of Chekhov’s gun. Establishing them early in the chronicle — when the stakes are low or negligible — generates dramatic tension. It tells everyone at the table that there will eventually come a time when that Scar will be extremely relevant and disruptive to the cohort’s goals. It takes out the gun on stage and makes a show of loading it, hanging it over the fireplace, and carefully dusting it in full view of the audience, who can’t but assume that someone will fire it in a later act.

Earning Beats: Especially in the early chapters of the chronicle, any action the Broken takes that establishes the Scar and shows how it changes her behavior should be worth a Beat. Later, the bar can be a little higher — instead only applying when that action takes up time at the gaming table in a way that is entertaining to the rest of the troupe.

For example, if the Deviant climbs 30 flights of stairs because she has a Phobia of enclosed spaces and doesn’t want to get on the elevator, and it means the Devoted she is chasing gets away, that is definitely worth a Beat. Even if it is somewhat incidental (she’s not chasing an enemy Devoted, just trying to get to a friend’s apartment), though, she’s still playing her theme music and reminding the narrative of this frailty of hers, so it’s worth a Beat the first time. By playing out the Remade’s ridiculous decision to take the stairs, the player is illustrating a Scar that someday, inevitably, will fuck the cohort when it’s important that she won’t get on the elevator. That doesn’t mean she can earn an endless supply of Beats just because her cohort happened to put their base of operations on the 30th floor, but even then, there might be situations where it is important to get up to or down from that base quickly, and her inability to get on the elevator creates a complication. Those deserve a Beat, too.

Scar as Tragedy

The Divergence is a line drawn between who the Deviant is and who they once were, one that often emphasizes the tragedy of what they have lost. Persistent Scars frequently draw focus to that loss — even over and above the mechanical disadvantages they impose. They lead to serious and dramatic in-character conversations — often ones colored with sorrow and regret, but sometimes turning to anger as the Broken recollect the pain of what was done to them and recommit themselves to destroying those responsible (or those who would inflict similar suffering on others).

Earning Beats: Any significant in-character discussion of how a Deviant’s Scar changed his life for the worse and how it makes him feel about the opposition is often worthy of a Beat, even if the Scar itself doesn’t come into play during the scene. These quiet moments of reflection on the tragedy of the Divergence are opportunities for characters to bond and for players to explore their characters’ motivations. In some cases, this can extend to solo scenes. For example, if the now sun-allergic Remade steals a brochure from a travel agency that is filled with pictures of sunny destinations and peruses it at length in private, sighing over how he can no longer enjoy them the way he used to before his Divergence, it is probably worth a Beat. He is playing his theme song, emphasizing the themes of the game, and possibly reinforcing its mood (such as if his musings lead to a flash of anger at the ones who took the sun from him, and he concludes the scene by using his pyrokinetic powers to burn the brochure to ash).

Scar as Alienation

Scars separate the Remade from Baseline humanity in ways small and large. Social Scars like Conspicuous Appearance and Lying Eyes make it difficult, if not impossible, to interact with most Baselines without provoking mistrust, disgust, or outright violence. Mental Scars impose behavior patterns that make the Deviant a bewildering or frightening figure. Even Physical Scars can carry some social consequences; at the least, they tend to set her apart in notable ways.

Taken together with the practical issues of avoiding conspiracy attention, Scars are a source of alienation for the Remade. Some can muddle through in short bursts when they put their minds to it, while others can’t even make a trip to the grocery store to buy a loaf of bread without making a scene or inflicting collateral damage.

Earning Beats: Any scene that emphasizes the way the Deviant’s Scar prevents her from performing basic functions in society is potentially worthy of a Beat. This obviously includes ones where it comes out in a dramatic way because she attempted to engage or blend in with Baselines, but it notably includes ones where the merest fear that her Scar would turn a simple activity into a fiasco prevents her from engaging in that activity. It could mean missing out on a scene where she has interests or skills that would be an asset to the cohort, but it could also mean refusing participation in a social interaction she would enjoy (or that would otherwise benefit her) because the Scar is likely to cause problems, particularly if it leads to a dramatic roleplaying moment for the character or causes the cohort problems.

For example, a monstrous-looking Deviant might choose not to accompany the rest of the cohort on an undercover expedition to check out the conspiracy’s latest sales pitch at a press conference. If this results in him missing out on an important scene, it is probably worth a Beat (the player didn’t get to participate because of the Scar). If the cohort runs into trouble at the meeting that their monstrous companion would have been a great help in solving, he should also earn a Beat. Maybe he’s the only one with the ability to unlock the building’s security doors, or maybe there’s a fight and they’re down their main combatant when he’s not around.