[M&M 3e, WIP] World of Aranth

[Quellian-dyrae]

Been running a couple games using the skeleton of this setting, and got some inspiration to start fleshing it out some. Still probably at least a couple days work for just the current ideas I have, and might wind up taking it further as inspiration strikes, but there's definitely enough here to at least start posting it.

Introduction

The world is called Aranth, and this document focuses primarily on the country of Ilessia, which shares the continent Aldonis with the country of Limbra. Ilessia and Limbra are largely friendly rivals; they have a history of on-and-off warfare up until some three centuries ago, and remain economic competitors (and have their share of military rivalries), but also enjoy lots of trade and a strong military alliance.

This is an M&M setting, so one of the most important parts of it is the superhumans. For now, this document focuses a lot on the super- and game-oriented information, with less detail on history, geography, and culture (although there's some, and more may be forthcoming as inspiration strikes).

Superhumans are commonly referred to as Dreamers, since their powers are always heralded by very vivid, lucid Dreams. Several terms have been used to mean people without Dreamer powers (the ones favored by the main Dreamer-related organizations are, in order, "Sleepers", "Mundanes", "Unpowered", "Non-Dreamers", "Normals", and "Potentials"). Thanks to the substantial media efforts of the Assembly of Dreams, their favored term, "Sleepers", tends to be the most commonly used. The Dreams are always related to the powers involved, though they can range from clear depictions of the Dreamer wielding its powers, to value symbolism. Some Dreams have proven to be prophetic, and others of an historical nature, like a memory of a past life. Where the Dreams, and the attendant powers, actually come from remains unknown, despite the best efforts of scientists and Dreamers with divination-related powers alike, though theories abound.

As best anyone can tell, Dreamers have existed for a long time, but they've been relatively rare and often low-profile. The first documented case that modern science is fully confident was an actual Dreamer was around a thousand years ago. That said, there are plenty of (quasi?)-historical or mythological stories dating back as much as seven-thousand years that could have been Dreamers, or could have just been exaggerated/romanticized history (think Romance of the Three Kingdoms type stories). As communication and mass media developed, Dreamer sightings became more common and more apparent to the public. Many Dreamers during this time relied on secret identities to avoid notice. Public reaction to living, breathing superheroes was...mixed.

This state kept up for a little more than a century. During this time, Dreamer powers were poorly understood - the Dreams themselves were pretty much unknown outside the Dreamers, who didn't realize they were common to each other. Bits and pieces of data was gathered, but peoples' understanding of Dreamers was very limited.

That changed in what has come to be called the Year of the Awakening (Year 0 PA, which in terms of technological and sociological development was roughly equivalent to modern-day Earth). Several powerful Dreamers officially revealed their identities to the world, and began the organization which would grow into the Assembly of Dreams. Over the next several decades, Dreamers became a fixture of modern society. Advanced, super-science inventions (commonly called Dreamtech) were developed by Dreamers with such powers as super-intelligence or hyper-creativity, and while such technology was limited in several important ways, it still shot modern technology centuries ahead of where it had been.

It is currently the year 122 PA (Post Awakening). Approximately one percent of people have had a Dream, although only about one percent of them have powers of significant note. Being a Dreamer is considered a major and valuable skill; even the most minor of powers can often be put to good use. Dreamers with serious powers have a vast array of life options, and are often celebrities in their own right. Dreamers are in many ways as important to society as computers; information on Dreamer powers are taught in schools, including such things as basic knowledge of how to discern and resist psychic invasions, recognize illusions, and other basic defensive measures against Dreamer powers.

It is also important to note that Dreamer powers are not entirely limitless. In general play, powers are still usable at will. However, most non-personal powers do have some limits, and repeated use of high frequency or intensity can drain a Dreamer's deeper reserves of energy, which takes a long time to recover. Thus, a healer, for example, could certainly make a living as a doctor, and could easily keep up with the party's injuries accrued in normal play, but it couldn't hope to be constantly healing large numbers of people day after day, or cure an epidemic. A teleporter, likewise, couldn't just invalidate normal trade routes, although every so often, it could transport massive volumes. Most Dreamers who do use their powers commercially, thus, charge appropriately, both to earn a good living and ensure they don't push themselves too hard. Generally speaking, this shouldn't come up in normal play (for standard heroing, powers are still basically at-will unless explicitly limited), but it's the explanation for why society can resemble the modern world at all (although to be fair, there are quite a few differences).

Spoiler

Expertise (Dreamer Lore): Use this Expertise skill to gain information about important Dreamers, understand how a Dreamer's powers might work, and otherwise gain information regarding Dreamers and their powers.

Dreamer Registration: Ilessia has two major registrars for Dreamers - the Assembly Registrar, and the Government Registrar. Registration is entirely optional, and anonymous registration is allowed (meaning, civilians can't look it up, and government agencies have to go through protocols). The Assembly is generally preferred for anonymous registration, as they take it very seriously and can require warrants or legally dispute searches, whereas the Government Registrar just needs the proper protocols followed, wheich can be processed in under an hour for legitimate searches.

Unregistered Dreamers don't have any problems generally, but they are tightly restricted in how they can use their powers. In particular, any sort of "hostile power use" without registration is a felony in itself (if you kill with your powers in self defense, it's still justified as self-defense, but if your powers weren't registered, it's like having a gun or possibly even more powerful weapon without a permit, which is a separate crime entirely). This isn't to say registration gives you license to use harmful or invasive powers at will; the use of powers in a criminal act is still a crime of the relevant sort, it's just that using unregistered powers to do it is a separate crime, where using registered powers isn't.

Again, though, it is important to note that only the use of unregistered powers, and only in restricted ways, is a crime. It doesn't matter if you have an unregistered power to blow up a city block, as long as you don't use it (or only use it in non-harmful ways, such as in a demolitions job). Similarly, if you do actually blow up a city block, all the registration in the world won't help you.

Hostile Power Use: Ilessian law defines a hostile power use as any use of a Dreamer power that:

• Alters the subject's body or mind against its will.
• Causes significant physical pain, mental stress, or emotional trauma.
• Causes the target to do something it does not want to do.
• Causes physical injury or property damage.
• Invades the privacy of a person's home, business, property, or mind.
• Violates or invalidates a contract or legal agreement.

So crashing a car because you know you'll survive thanks to Regeneration is hostile. Using an illusion to appear more attractive and get someone to go on a date is hostile. Healing someone who doesn't want to be healed is hostile. Invisibly sneaking into an office and rooting through files is hostile. And so on.

A hostile power use is generally a low-end felony that can carry a sentence as high as 1-3 years. Naturally, many hostile power uses are in themselves other crimes. Importantly, use of Dreamer powers in the commission of another crime can be prosecuted as a special circumstance, increasing the severity of sentencing.

There are, however, situations where hostile power uses are justified. Self defense and the defense of others is the primary one. Likewise in the defense and security of one's property or business (a super-strong bouncer can use its power to eject people from the establishment, a flame-throwing bodyguard can use its power to respond to threats, etc). Of course, appropriate force is still a factor; responding to a nonlethal threat with lethal force can still land you in a heap of trouble. And, as noted previously, using an unregistered Dreamer power hostilely is always a crime (although the action itself may still be justified).

It's also worth noting that crimes committed while under the influence of mind-controlling powers are legally considered committed by the controller, not the victim. Yes, people have tried getting a co-conspirator to mind control them into doing what they already want to do. No, it doesn't work.

Now, with all this said, like any legal system, this isn't a perfect computerized machine of justice. Minor hostile power uses can be glossed over. A Dreamer who saves lives with hostile power use, even unregistered, probably won't be prosecuted or convicted. Good lawyers can get you through a lot of these things (and the Assembly has a very good legal department that often do pro-bono work for Dreamers who get on the wrong side of the law for good reason or who are just in over their heads). Likewise, there can be miscarriages of justice where justified power use gets convicted for various reasons, or non-hostile powers get treated as hostile, or so on.

Spoiler

Complication - Unregistered: Your powers aren't registered. Hostile power use is always considered a crime for you (although the action itself may be justified, the power use is not). This can land you in trouble with the law and make active heroics difficult.

Benefit - Licensed Power: You have a license to do something with a power that would normally only be allowed in special circumstance, if at all. This license isn't strictly unlimited, it has its terms, but they're a lot broader than normal and even if you go outside, prosecuting you for it is going to be a pain. You might have a license to kill with your powers, to freely read the minds of others, and so on.

Costumes and Codenames: Use of costumes and codenames varies widely. A lot of the normal reasons for having a secret identity can be dealt with in this setting with minimal effort (register your powers, join Hero Corps, etc). That said, plenty of Dreamers want to keep their personal lives out of the public eye and have time for themselves. Likewise, there are a lot of Dreamers who do use costumes and codenames without having a secret identity at all - their heroic identity is their brand, and they promote it like any business entity. Some just do it for the style factor. The media loves "super identities"; chances are if you don't pick your own, they will pick at least a codename for you as soon as you spend a few minutes in the spotlight.

On the flip side, a lot of Dreamers see these things as gimmicky and outdated (back in the day, the argument was that they were gimmicky and childish, making actual heroes look like they jumped out of kid shows and comic books). Likewise, plenty of Dreamers want to be known for who they are, they don't want people to know them as some guy in a mask. A lot of Dreamers really like the feeling of being able to walk down the street or head to the grocery store and see people pointing and waving, or run up for autographs or whatever. In the entertainment industry, branding too heavily into a costumed identity makes it hard to get recognition as a legitimate actor; you're typecasting yourself right off the bat.

So there's actually a pretty big debate in the Dreamer community about them, which can get fairly heated. Members of Hero Corps, in particular, have some very strong opinions on both sides and will give fellow Heroes endless grief if they make the "wrong" choice.

Super Powered Battles! So, down to the brass tacks. We have all these awesome powers, how often do we actually get to use them beating people up?

Well, it depends on the GM of course, but yeah, there's plenty of that going on. Going by demographics, there's something like 100,000 Dreamers of significant power in the country of Ilessia alone. Significant power meaning, PL 7+, with at least one power worth at least 2 PP/rank at a decent rank, and that's not counting the normal folks who have the training or technology to make a PC's life a pain. Yeah, organizations like Hero Corps and SIDE handle a lot, but between corrupt SIDE agents, Protectors of Paradise with a vendetta, Reclaimer terrorists, IDEA experiments gone wrong, fallen Heroes, Dreamcatchers, misprogramed robots, Dreamers with uncontrolled powers, super-powered criminals, and the odd outright super-villain, there are plenty of potential threats out there that need a good pounding.

You don't have too many outright, mustache-twirling supervillains. The ones that do exist are usually either very subtle, very powerful, or very well-connected. You're a lot more likely to find well-intentioned extremists, anti-villains, corruption, souped-up criminals, and dangerous accidents than outright, plotting-world-domination villains. Although a couple do exist...

Non-Dreamer Powers: By default, there are three main sources for "powers" in this setting - Dreamer Powers, Technology, and Skill. The setting does not, inherently, include any expectation of aliens, fantasy creatures, outright magic, mutations, Ki, and other power sources.

That said, there are some nods to just about all of them. Any of them would work well enough in the setting. If the GM wants to run a plot about an alien invasion, it's perfectly viable. If a player wants to be a mage or an angel, that's fine too. You might want to do some extra work with how they fit into the setting, is all (in particular, such characters can have major ramifications for the setting's two major religions; aliens lend credence to the Arch-Faith, while angels and fantasy creatures lend credence to Deionism). Basically, the setting isn't a fantasy kitchen sink, but it could be turned into one pretty easily.

In particular, Dreamer powers are massively varied. Having magic as a Dreamer power is fine. Likewise, a Dreamer who happens to have white feathered wings, and holy/light based powers with emphasis on healing, protection, and a glowing sword is just as reasonable. Such Dreamers may attract interest to related factions (a Dreamer mage would quickly draw the attention of IDEA's Department of Occult Sciences, while one who appeared as an angel would almost certainly draw Deionists and Seekers of the Dream).

Threat Levels: SIDE and Hero Corps use Threat Levels as a broad method of ranking the priority of crimes, hazards, and such. Higher Threat Levels entail greater risk to more people. Threat Levels are fairly commonly referenced in the news as well.

Spoiler

Threat Level 1: Small-scale, non-violent crimes, or minor things of the "cat caught up a tree" variety.

Threat Level 2: Most crimes that are harmful to a single person, but either non-violent or not lethal - thefts, drunken brawls, etc.

Threat Level 3: Situations that entail a small risk of loss of life, serious property damage, or substantial physical, mental, or emotional trauma, with sufficient emergency personnel either en route or already on the scene. Armed robbery, fires, domestic abuse, grand theft, etc.

Threat Level 4: As Threat Level 3, but sufficient emergency personnel is not on scene and not expected to be arriving in the next few minutes.

Threat Level 5: Situations that entail high risk of above concerns, or low to moderate risk to multiple people, again with sufficient emergency personnel either en route or on the scene. Bank robberies, hostage situations, kidnappings, rape, murder, aggravated assault, hit and run, hate crimes, major fires, low-end uncontrolled Dreamer powers or direct Dreamer attacks (typically PL 7 or below), etc.

Threat Level 6: As Threat Level 5, but again, emergency personnel not on scene, or as Threat Level 7 but with emergency personnel on scene.

Threat Level 7: Serious risk of major loss of life or extensive property damage, with no emergency personnel on scene. Terrorist attacks, significant uncontrolled or intentionally harmful Dreamer powers (typically PL 8-12), small-scale disasters.

Threat Level 8: A community, neighborhood, or some large group is at risk; Threat Levels of 8 or above retain their designation regardless of emergency personnel on scene. Multiple powerful Dreamers, small-scale military operations, mid-scale disasters, giant rampaging monsters, etc.

Threat Level 9: Entire city at risk.

Threat Level 10: Entire region at risk.

Threat Level 11 (theoretical): Entire country at risk.

Threat Level 12 (theoretical): Entire world at risk.

In addition, the Threat Level is also used as a quick-and-dirty way to measure the power of Dreamers. This methodology was popularized by the Reclaimers, and was something of a media masterstroke. Sociologically, having people calling Dreamers "threats" whenever discussing their power is a significant win for the Reclaimers. Likewise, even though the two scales are unrelated, it's pretty natural for people to link them up. Psychologically, knowing a Dreamer is Threat Level 5 creates the impression that it is as dangerous as such things as major house fires, murders, hostage situations, and so on.

Dreamer Threat Levels don't necessarily correspond to Situational Threat Levels, since the systems were devised by two different organizations. As a general rule of thumb, a Dreamer has a Threat Level equal to half its Power Level, rounded up. Certain abilities (Area attacks, mind control, immortality, Variable powers, summons, Nullify [Technology], and any power that allows disguising oneself as another person are the big ones) can increase Threat Level by a point or two. Likewise, primarily non-combative powers can lower Threat Level by a couple points - to a minimum of 1. On the Reclaimer system, every Dreamer is considered a Threat, no matter how minor their powers.

Additional Setting Information

Economy: Aranth isn't quite post-scarcity, but it's pretty darn close. Matter generation exists; it's Dreamtech, it's expensive, but it's there, and it's growing every year, slowly but surely.

Production, then, is pretty much down to a science. Between Dreamtech, robots, the odd Dreamer, and so on, most mundane jobs simply aren't done by hand any more. The big one is Energy Generation, which is the main type of unskilled labor that people still perform in large numbers. There's still plenty of room for administration, management, service, technical, and creative jobs.

Most modernized countries use the "credit" as money. That actually has nothing to do with the credit system as we have it on Earth (though that also exists); a credit is short for an "energy credit". The amount of energy it takes to power some technology or create some item are known and measurable, and is basically what matters in terms of resources. Likewise, energy generation is a very good quick-and-dirty way to view a country's overall power. The Energy section in Technology below has more on exactly how energy is generated and used.

Since an Economics major I ain't, and I'm not even going to pretend that I have any ability to figure out the effects of inflation on a purely fictional system of commerce, we're going with one credit being functionally equivalent to a modern dollar in terms of "well just what do these numbers mean?" Make it easy.

Although all civilizations on Aranth produce sufficient energy to maintain their existing populations and infrastructure (and even slowly grow), energy generation isn't infinite. It's limited by time, and sometimes effort. Add in the fact that more energy means literally more power in a way that numbers in a computer or dollars in your wallet simply can't, and you may rest assured that there is plenty incentive for people to collect as many credits as they can.

And yeah, things like homelessness, hunger, and poverty? I'm not saying they don't exist, but they're pretty darn rare and a sign of serious exploitation (but yeah, it does happen). Modern technology has literally developed to a point where a normal person, with a bare amount of effort, can simply produce enough energy (which converts to money) to live pretty much comfortably, even if they can't afford many luxuries. You've really got to try to mess that up.

Entertainment: And lots of it. You think we have too many channels? We don't come close. People want to be entertained, and will pay good money for it. Big media corporations control a lot of it, but there's comparatively a good bit more independent entertainers making a good living.

Of particular note, Dreamer-centric sporting-type shows are really popular. Ranging from classic sports (except everyone has powers), to fighting competitions, to entirely new sports designed entirely around specific powers. Also add in the fact that plenty of Dreamers are their own special effects departments (protip: best way to do a really cool blockbuster superhero movie? Cast actual superheroes!). End result, entertainment is a common field for Dreamers, and in fact, the most common field of work for Dreamers in Ilessia, hands down (this is also one of the reasons that the Assembly of Dreams has such a tremendous media presence, and one of their most common jobs is as agents for the Dreamer celebrities).

Religion: There are two major overarching religious traditions, each with numerous sects, factions, and splinter groups. In particular, the Seekers of the Dream interact with both of these traditions as a sort of Venn diagram; there are those who combine Seeker teachings with those of one of the major religions (or one of the smaller religions), that believe in one religious teaching or another but not in what the Seekers claim, and that follow Seeker traditions as a separate religion entirely. There are a few scattered smaller religious and non-religious but still mystical traditions all throughout the world, but they're generally much smaller.

Spoiler

Deionism
The first tradition is collectively referred to as Deionism, a polytheistic and heavily mystical tradition. Its stories are where you'll find the foundation for lot of Earth's mythological and fantasy concepts and creatures - angels, demons, dragons, elves, fairies, vampires, even eldritch abominations. Most of those have been co-opted by numerous fiction and fantasy writers over the years, and for many, the popular depictions don't much resemble the religious depictions at all, but a sizable majority of such concepts at least originated from Deionic traditions.

The core concept of Deionism is that there are numerous gods, each with their own sphere of influence. It places a lot of emphasis on morality, though the gods themselves are never inherently good or evil. Rather, each deity's sphere comprises a balance between positive and negative extremes, and the big premise is that mortal actions collectively influence the nature of the gods. Murder, war, and other violent killings, for example, subtly alters the nature of the Promise towards death, which also increases the overall amount of death in the world. Likewise, protecting, preserving, and creating life alters the Promise towards life. The core teaching is that a perfectly moral society would massively reduce or even utterly eliminate the negative aspects of the gods, resulting in a perfect world.

Prayer to individual gods doesn't strengthen them, but does have influence. The idea is less that you're requesting a personal favor, more that you're focusing your will towards tipping the balance in hopes that you'll see benefit. For example, when a Deionist prays to the Drive for success, they aren't really expecting the Drive to consciously reach down and bless them with success, but rather hoping to make success in general just that much more common throughout the world, in hopes that it will trickle down to make them more likely to accomplish what they want. Prayer can be both positive and negative, although negative prayer is officially heavily frowned upon (since the "goal" is to remove the negative aspects of the gods and the world, and the negative can spill over onto you just as easily). That said, people aren't perfect, and they can and do pray for negative effects to befall competitors or enemies.

The afterlife is also extensively discussed in Deionism. The gods exist in a different realm, where mortal souls travel upon death. Mortals devoted to a given deity may be reincarnated as servants of that deity - the various fictional creatures. The nature of the mortal's soul, however, also has an influence on that realm and all the gods and beings within it - a mortal who dies having done a great deal of evil brings more negative energy to the gods, while one who has done a great deal of good brings more positive energy. Likewise, the form one is reincarnated in will depend on the person's nature.

There are eight "main" gods, each of which has several demigods beneath it. Below them are angels and demons - embodiments of specific positive or negative ideals, waging a constant cosmic war against each other, the "personalized" representation of the conflict in each deity. Below them are the reincarnates, the various mythological creatures created of former mortal souls. Each full-fledged god has its own unique type of reincarnates, while demigods, angels, and demons serve all gods, though their ideals and spheres of influence are related to the deity they serve. The full-fledged gods tend to be viewed as more sentient energy beings, fairly abstract, though they occasionally are said to manifest more human-like avatars. Demigods tend to have more humanoid forms, names, and personalities.

The Drive of Success and Failure: The Drive governs all forms of accomplishment, or failure thereof. Success, achievement, luck, and beneficial results are its positive forces, while failure, surrender, ill fortune, and negative results are its negative forces. People pray to the Drive to help them accomplish their goals, or to cause their enemies or opponents failure. Demigods, angels, and demons serving the Drive embody various forms of success and failure - an Angel of Triumph, for example, would represent victory in direct competition, while the Demigod of Luck would hold sway over fortune.

The Fate of Purpose and Insigificance: The Fate governs purpose and meaning, or its lack. Its portfolio includes willpower, goals, destiny, and fate, as well as sloth, apathy, meaninglessness, and worthlessness. While the Drive holds sway over achieving one's goals, the Fate holds sway over having goals and knowing what you are meant to do. People pray to the Fate to find purpose in life, to overcome their own laziness or inhibitions...or for a reprieve from their responsibilities. Servitors of the Fate often embody the destinies of large groups; each country, for example, is said to have a demigod that rules over its peoples' shared destiny.

The Gift of Gain and Loss: The Gift governs acquisition and loss both tangible and intangible. Wealth, power, fame, prestige, material luxuries, and so on. People pray to the Gift because they want more, or to remove things that they feel others do not deserve. Interesting trivia fact, positive prayers to the Gift typically vastly outnumber negative prayers, but more recently that's been less true as a lot of people, especially those associated with the Reclaimers, have been praying for the removal of Dreamer powers. It's actually starting to scare some of the church elders... Servitors of the Gift represent specific forms of gain, a Demigod of Wealth or Angel of Business, for example.

The Heart of Joy and Pain: While Joy and Pain are called out explicitly, the Heart holds sway over all emotions, positive and negative. Joy, hope, calm, love, pain, fear, rage, hate, and more besides. People pray to the Heart to find love, or for pleasant things to happen, or for control over their negative emotions...or to inflict dark emotions on those they dislike. Servitors of the Heart represent individual emotions or facets thereof, Demigods of Love or Rage, Angels of Valor, Demons of Vengeance, and so on.

The Lore of Knowledge and Ignorance: The Lore holds sway over all knowledge - scientific, mystical, historical, and so on. Ignorance, inaccuracy, and foolishness are the results of its negative energy, and the official word is that belief in other religious systems (or simple disbelief in the gods) is a force of negative energy towards the Lore. Prayers to the Lore are for enlightening and understanding, or negatively, for secrecy or confusion. Servitors of the Lore govern specific areas of knowledge, such as a Demigod of Science or Magic.

The Nature of Balance and Chaos: The Nature governs the balance of the natural forces of the universe. Light and dark, heat and cold, matter and energy, space and time, nature and civilization, and so on. These are not individually positive and negative, however. The "positive" energy of the Nature comes from the balance among these forces, where they exist in harmony and do what they are supposed to do, fulfilling the natural order and allowing for life to flourish. The "negative" of Nature is chaos among these forces, where they become unpredictable, destructive, and dangerous. The fire of a family's hearth is Balance, while a raging wildfire consuming that same family's home is Chaos. Prayers to the Nature are typically to tweak the balance in some way - a breeze on a hot day, for example, or simply to quell disasters or similar expressions of Chaos. Of course, negative prayers to beset others with uncomfortable, hazardous, or deadly Chaos also exist. Servitors of the Nature represent individual natural forces, such as a Demigod of Fire or Angel of Warmth.

The Promise of Life and Death: The Promise controls life and death, and by extension, thing such as health and sickness, and other things that influence the state of life. People pray to the Promise to keep themselves, their loved ones, or their fellow people alive in hazardous situations, to restore health to the sick and injured, and so on. Negative prayers to the Promise for the death of one's enemies and such are considered the second most horrible abuses of prayer in the religion. Similar to the Fate, servitors of the Promise tend to represent groups of living beings, but can extend down to individuals - every living soul, it is said, has its own angel.

The Truth of Right and Wrong: The Truth encompasses moral and ethical action. Compassion, honor, mercy, tyranny, treachery, oppression, and so on. Prayers to the Truth are typically for guidance as to the right thing to do, and many call the Truth the most important of the gods, for it is the Truth who shows mortals how to best act to bring out the best in their deities (the scriptures say that it was the Truth who originally made mortals aware of the gods and their natures). Likewise, negative prayers to the Truth are considered the worst one can give, even beyond prayers for Death, as they explicitly mean you are actively and intentionally praying for what is definitionally wrong or evil. Servitors of the Truth are embodiments of the highest and most base ideals, such as Angels of Virtue and Demons of Corruption.

The Arch-Faith

The Arch-Faith is monotheistic, believing in a singular deity who created and controls all of reality, who goes by the name of Arch (pronounced "Arc"). Arch is, as far as we mortals may as well be concerned, omnipotent and omniscient. With a bare amount of effort, he could utterly duplicate, change, and/or destroy every particle of every bit of matter or energy that is in any way connected to our planet.

That said, he created, controls, and continues to expand on not just our tiny little world, but the entire universe, which is a project of mind-bogglingly massive scale. The Arch-Faith is quite adamant that there exists life on other worlds beyond our own, and the universe itself is so tremendous even before life that maintaining and even adding to it requires simply a colossal amount of effort and energy at all times. That being said, Arch has not only provided everything that the human race and other living creatures of the world need to survive and thrive, but he still pays attention, still watches over us, hears our prayers, and is interested in our lives.

The personality ascribed to Arch is that of the perennial creator. He devises entire worlds, sets them on a certain evolutionary path or just outright creates inhabitants, and likes to see what happens from there. He's interested on both of macro and micro scale, watching with equal interest the rise and fall of civilizations over centuries and the day-to-day lives of mortal men and women. That said, every world that he creates, he assigns himself a different set of rules for his future interactions with it, and every soul he creates is given a choice what sort of world it will go to.

On some worlds, Arch uses his powers freely to influence the lives of his creations. Some worlds receive only beneficial influence, some only detrimental, and some it varies. On other worlds, his influence can be requested (which may involve rituals of various levels of complexity, or specific deeds, or bloodlines, or whatever other rules he chooses for that world). Other worlds have very limited, or even outright no influence beyond creation.

One of the biggest debates among factions of the Arch-Faith is just how much influence Arch has given himself over Aranth. The sects run the gamut from "everything that happens is part of Arch's careful planning" to "Arch created us and leaves us to our own devices, watching impassively but never interfering." And they hit everything in between. This often makes them seem to be a much more fractitious religion than the Deionists (who tend to have fewer large-scale disagreements, and more just focus their worship on different gods or even divine servitors).

The Arch-Faith categorically denies mysticism and cosmology. Arch doesn't have minions or servitors (although they note that his creations on certain worlds could very well be similar or identical to popular or other religious depictions of certain fantastic creatures). There isn't some opposing cosmic force of evil or entropy in their teachings. Arch-Faithful don't believe in a spiritual afterlife, but rather that when a person dies, its soul returns to Arch and is sent to a new life on a new world, once again allowed to choose how much influence it would like Arch to have over its life. Basically, where the cosmic scale is concerned, there is Arch, the Universe he created, and that's that, with nothing else in existence even coming vaguely close to approximating the barest fraction of his power or influence.

Other Countries

Still to come!

Really, Really Ugly, Extremely Bare-Bones, Possibly Subject To Change Map:

Spoiler

[Quellian-dyrae]

Organizations

In Ilessia, there are several organizations related to Dreamers. Many of these have analogues in other countries, or cross national borders.

The Assembly of Dreams: Organization devoted to integration of Dreamers into Sleeper society. Emphasizes public relations through the media, use of Dreamer powers to enhance local communities and business, and providing a degree of organization through registration, training, and guidance services, and lobbying for laws to aid in Dreamer integration. Also maintains the Hero Corps, Dreamers who work to aid local law enforcement and counteract Dreamers that are threats to society, or people who are threats to Dreamers. Has numerous Dreamer members, but also many Sleepers on staff. Generally well-respected organization with excellent public relations, especially among Dreamers, though some ranking members use their sway with Dreamers to fulfill their own ends, and there are factions that believe the Assembly should focus on claiming more political power and control of government.

At their best, the Assembly is an organization of heroes and good samaritans, using both supernatural and political power to better the lives of Dreamers and Sleepers alike. At their worst, they are a multinational organization that counts many of the most individually powerful people on the planet among their number, and have no qualms about using that fact and their amazing media proficiency to change the world as they deem best.

Notable Factions

Spoiler

The Agency: For a lot of people, the Agency is what they think of when they think of the Assembly of Dreams. While the Assembly also has large departments working in law, politics, and business, the Agency is the organization's media powerhouse. They are, by a vast margin, the single biggest provider of agents to Dreamer celebrities of all sorts. They negotiate on behalf of their clients for entertainment jobs, get endorsement deals, handle public relations and branding, and so on. They're the single biggest deparment in the Assembly, involving nearly 40% of its entire staff.

Hero Corps: Hero Corps is a group of (primarily) Dreamers who actively take up the full-fledged superhero role. While they have no government ties, they are authorized to use their powers offensively in the protection of others, and have some (limited) law-enforcement authorization. They have a close relationship with SIDE; Hero Corps tends to operate as a first response team, using teleportation technology or simple super-powered movement options to quickly respond to threats, bringing a lot of focused power to bear quickly. They also respond to lesser crimes, hazards, and general problems as they deem. Hero Corps is very popular, although a lot of people associate them with SIDE rather than the Assembly (much to the Assembly's chagrin), since it usually goes as, "Hero Corps swoops in and saves the day, SIDE arrives a few minutes later and does the processing."

The Corps is quite savvy as well. It is very well-known that any intentional attack on the friends or family of a Hero will provoke an all-out assault by the entire Corps.

Not all hero Dreamers are part of Hero Corps. Registered combatant Dreamers who use their powers in this way are referred to as Registered Independents, or just Independents for short. They don't get all the perks of being in the Corps, but also don't have to answer to them or deal with Assembly politics. Unregistered Dreamers who use their powers in this way are considered vigilantes, which is illegal. Officially, SIDE and the Corps are obligated to fight and arrest vigilante Dreamers. In practice, a vigilante who doesn't cause any serious harm or property damage and does good work usually gets a pass, although they'll be pressured to at least register, if not join the Corps outright.

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Benefit (Hero): You're a full-fledged member of the Hero Corps. You receive a generally positive reaction from most people, and probably have at least a moderate amount of fame if you've been active for at least a few months. Assembly backing allows you to skirt around most minor legal and financial issues that might come up as a superhero. You have access to Corps resources, including (in big cities where there's a regional base) teleporter technology to get to threats within the region quickly. Personal use of teleporter technology is discouraged, but everyone does it anyway, just don't push it too hard. Also, any villain who wants to go cliche and try and attack your loved ones to get to you? Yeah, they'll be prompting a siege from the entire Corps.

The Hero App: All members of Hero Corps (and some independents) with access to a mobile computer (smart phone, tablet, Active Crystal Computer Station, etc) can be assumed to have The Hero App. This application taps in to Hero Corps threat mapping software, allowing you to see threats throughout the region as they come up (including Threat Level, and an assessment of emergency personnel on scene, en route, and whatever is known about the threat itself). If a satellite feed has been called up for a threat, you can view it too. The app also gives alerts when you are the closest Hero to a threat (and you can set filters to weed out threats that are beneath you/above you/already have enough people on scene/etc), and lets you indicate if you are en route, set an ETA, request backup, add information to the threat assessment, and so on.

The Circle of Shared Dreams: A secretive group at the top levels of the Assembly. Not many people even know about them. They have a lot of influence throughout the Assembly, and from there, the country and even the world, and use their influence to sway the media, alter policy, and call upon Dreamers to handle specific tasks. They're secretive and manipulative, and while they aren't necessarily malevolent (they do seem to focus a lot of energy towards achieving net positive results), they can sometimes be coldly pragmatic and often take the long view of things. They are trying to mold the world into their idealized view of it, a project they call the Shared Dream, which...may or may not be a good or bad thing for any given individual or group. Possibly depending on the time of day.

They are also very, very powerful. To even be considered for the Circle, one has to be a Dreamer with a Threat Level of at least 7 (generally meaning, PL 13+). They also don't call themselves the Circle of the Shared Dream just because of their overall goal; they have some means of inducting their members into a supernatural link that allows them to share their powers among each other.

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Benefit 10 (Circle of the Shared Dream): As a member of the Circle of the Shared Dream, you have access to the resources and connections of the Circle. Treat this Benefit as four ranks of Wealth, four ranks of Cipher, a rank of Security Clearance, and a general benefit to represent the miscellaneous advantages of being a member of this powerful secret society.

Shared Dream: Senses 1 (Communication Link [Other Members of the Circle]), Immunity 1 (Powers of other Circle members).

Shared Powers: Variable ? (Powers of other Circle members). This power is always placed in one or more Arrays, the other powers of the Array being what other Circle members are allowed to draw from. The ranks of Variable are the maximum possible with that Array's PP value.

Lore:

Check Result	After Cipher	Information
25	5	You've seen and heard enough to suspect that there's a secretive group that directs most of the large-scale aims of the Assembly, though you can't prove anything.
30	10	You know about the existence of the Circle, that they're a secretive group of powerful Dreamers, most of which are high-ranking Assembly members.
35	15	This level of success lets you learn if a specific person is a member of the Circle (assuming no additional ranks in Cipher).
40	20	You know that the Circle seeks to mold the world to their ideal image, which they call the Shared Dream.
45	25	You know all information provided in the entry of the Circle.

ACC: Often referred to as "Hero Corps' kid sister", ACC is the Assembly Cleanup Crew. Made up primarily of Dreamers who want to help out but either can't or don't want to fight, they typically have powers like Healing, Nullify, Create, Transform, Enhanced Strength, Move Object, and so on. They are the ones who go in when the disaster is over. Once the Heroes has saved the day and SIDE has processed the scene, they work to heal the injured, repair damage, clear rubble, set up shelters, and just generally clean up. Basically, the super-powered Red Cross. They also do a lot of charitable work, and while they accept donations and put them to good use, they are well-funded by the Assembly. They don't have the sheer fame or popularity of Heroes or of Dreamers who sign on with the Agency, but they're generally deeply respected and welcome just about anywhere. Mess with a member of the ACC in front of a member of Hero Corps at your peril.

Being part of Hero Corps and ACC are not mutually exclusive, although an ACC Hero doesn't generally get afforded the raging protection from other Heroes unless they're actively on the job as ACC (Heroes back each other up when necessary, but they're also expected to be able to take care of themselves, and go into things knowing it's a dangerous job).

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Benefit (ACC): As a member of the Assembly Cleanup Crew, you can expect full support from the Assembly (and likely generous donations from others) to support any charitable or humanitarian endeavor. You can expect most people to welcome you with open arms, and unprovoked attacks against you (particularly when you're on the job) will provoke the wrath of Hero Corps.

The Children of Paradise: The Children of Paradise promote Dreamer separation. They believe that Dreamers and Mundanes can never fully integrate - at best, Mundane lifestyle holds Dreamers back, and at worst is actively detrimental or harmful to Dreamers. The Children of Paradise have created a small continent, Paradisia, as a homeland for Dreamers with their powers. Plans are to eventually colonize the world’s moon as an even more secure home. Though in disagreement with the Assembly, they have a relationship of mutual respect, with each thankful that the other provides a haven for those Dreamers who do not agree with their own beliefs. Though they largely keep to themselves, there are factions who are very militant about threats to Dreamers, and a small but devoted group that feels that Dreamers should be the ones to claim the world, wiping out or banishing the Mundanes. Public relations sometimes suffer as Mundane friends and families of new members blame the society for taking their loved ones from them.

At their best, the Children of Paradise provide a homeland and support network for Dreamers of all races and nationalities, and wield their considerable powers in the creation of a better world. At their worst, they are a supremacist cult who care nothing for non-Dreamers and their societies and will use their powers in the creation of their "paradise" regardless of the risk or cost.

Notable Factions

Spoiler

The Paradisian Embassy: Ever since the creation of Paradisia, many former offices of the Children of Paradise have been converted to full-fledged Embassies. The diplomats and ambassadors of Paradisia interact with governments and organizations through these embassies.

As far as the Children of Paradise are concerned, all Dreamers automatically receive citizenship in Paradisia. The Embassies are often used by Dreamers who need shelter or sanctuary. This has been abused in the past, by Dreamers seeking to escape SIDE and so on.

It is important to note, though, that Paradisia is not considered some pet project of a non-governmental organization. It is taken very seriously in the international community. Remember, pretty much every single person who lives in Paradisia is a Dreamer (and there is definitely a good share of Dreamers throughout other countries who take the whole "automatic dual citizenship" thing at face-value). In terms of international political power, they're a major force.

Welcome to Paradise: The Welcome to Paradise Travel Agency is what most people considered the "Children of Paradise" as an organization. They're the ones actively recruiting Dreamers, inviting them to visit or move to Paradisia, and so on. They have plenty of travel offices, a few private airports, but their biggest focus is their cruise line.

The cruises serve as sort of miniature excursions to Paradisia. In addition to actually taking Dreamers to Paradisia for a visit, they allow Dreamers the chance to spend a few weeks surrounded by other Dreamers exclusively. Dreamer powers are used extensively throughout the trip. It's quite a vacation, to say the least. Mundanes are, however, strictly excluded.

Working on the cruise line also serves as an option for Dreamers who aren't ready to completely leave their friends and families behind, but also believe in the message of the Children of Paradise and don't really wish to stay in Mundane society. The cruises tend to spend about a third of their time in Paradisia, a third at sail, and a third in their country of origin, typically divided into two-week segments of time. That said, not everyone is accepted for such a position. The cruise line makes a conscious effort to put their best face forward - literally. More than a few have noticed that every single crew member aboard these cruises, down the lowliest janitor, is impressively attractive (basically, they simply don't hire Dreamers who don't have at least one rank of the Attractive advantage). And to be fair, while they aren't quite that picky about their passengers, they don't exactly discourage less attractive Dreamers from taking a plane or space flight for their visit to the Dreamer Homeland. Not the most ethical of practices for certain, but for making a good first impression on the people you're trying to convince to leave their home, families, and Mundane lives, it works pretty darn well.

The Better World Institute: The Better World Institute is a subset of the Children of Paradise who focus their efforts on creating a secure Dreamer homeland. Paradisia was their first major effort. Many of them (or the original members, at least) have backgrounds working with IDEA.

They are well-respected for their power, knowledge, and creativity, but there's a good amount of fear regarding them as well. They don't always think their plans all the way through. In other words, let's just say that calling a massive island (or small continent, however you want to look at it) from the depths of the ocean floor had...predictable results on a not-insignificant number of coastal communities throughout the world. More than a few people speak their name with a thick layer of sarcasm.

Protectors of Paradise: The most elite, militant group of the Children of Paradise. In terms of reputation and popular depiction, these guys are like a super-powered Mossad. Officially, they're Paradisian Special Forces, charged with protecting Paradisian shores and citizens.

But remember, as far as Paradisia is concerned, every Dreamer everywhere is considered a citizen. The Protectors have absolutely zero qualm entering another country (to be less kind about it, invading, as they are a foreign military force) and neutralizing threats to Dreamers with extreme prejudice.

And they go at it like PCs, too. Small, elite groups with a diverse selection of powers. Except instead of being a ragtag group of heroes without a cause, they're super-elite, incredibly experienced, have worked together extensively and built synergies and combos that have proven effective throughout years of high-risk missions. Just the rumor of a Protector group in town puts SIDE on high alert.

Now, a lot of Protectors are genuinely decent people who have even helped out SIDE and Hero Corps where it counted. But just as many are as fanatical about Dreamer safety as the worst Reclaimers are about neutralizing Dreamers, and couldn't care less about Mundanes who get in the way.

When the Protectors of Paradise encounter the Defiants or the Dreamcatchers, carnage always ensues.

SIDE (Special Investigations and Dreamer Enforcement): SIDE is a military and law enforcement organization specializing in Dreamer-related crimes. They enforce laws governing Dreamers and serve as law enforcement regarding crimes made by and against Dreamers. With a combination of expertly trained and experienced Unpowered and several Dreamers of various levels of power, even the most powerful Dreamers are slow to challenge SIDE. SIDE polices itself rigorously, but there remains a number of members, commanders, and even units that initiate black ops, as well as supplying training and equipment to smaller organizations with such aims. SIDE works closely with the Assembly, and the two organizations have a somewhat wary respect for each other. Relationships with the Children of Paradise is notably cool, but non-hostile.

At their best, SIDE is the front line of defense for and against Dreamers, an elite organization that put their lives on the line to protect, and protect against, people with amazing special powers. At their worst, they are a secretive organization equipped with top of the line military technology and sufficient jurisdiction to use it against any Dreamer they deem even a potential threat.

Notable Factions

Spoiler

OUT-SIDE: OUT-SIDE is the Overseas Units and Training division of SIDE. That is, they're the military end of the scale. They don't do law enforcement; they are the ones who go to other countries in times of war, or assist allied governments in dealing with dangerous Dreamers. They are quite capable in personal combat, but as their name suggests, they specialize in providing training to other groups (allied armies, militias, resistance forces, etc).

In the Ilessian military as a whole, these guys are considered the elite of the elite, the special forces that other special forces call when they can't get the job done. In SIDE as a whole...yeah, pretty much the same thing. They have the top toys and training of both SIDE and the Ilessian military, and have enough of a reputation that they can pick the top players from both with relative impunity.

In terms of sheer reputation for martial superiority in Ilessian popular culture, there is no one - not even Hero Corps - that matches OUT-SIDE. Whether or not that reputation is fully merited is...certainly open to debate, but even if it's not strictly accurate, they are very, very close to as good as most of the country thinks they are.

IN-SIDE: IN-SIDE is the Intelligence and Neutralization division of SIDE, and that's just as dark as it sounds. If the general "core" SIDE agents are equivalent to the FBI (with a heaping helping of SWAT thrown in), IN-SIDE is the CIA. And they're the Hollywood CIA to boot, the shadowy organization who are just as likely to be the bad guys of the film. They specialize in shadowy operations, ranging from as "nice" as deep-undercover investigations, to spying, black ops, and outright assassination.

They're the ones who get their hands dirty - and the only ones allowed to do so. IN-SIDE also serves as SIDE's Internal Affairs division. Between that and their reputation, even among SIDE, they're not well-liked or often much trusted. That said, they are very thorough in their investigations, and do not play games when exposing corruption in the rest of the organization. It's largely because of them that SIDE as a whole is so well-respected in general.

TOP-SIDE: TOP-SIDE is the Tactics, Organization, and Protocols division. Or, as they are affectionately known to the rest of the organization, "the boring jobs". They are administration, management, bureaucracy, leadership, desk jobs, and so on.

That said, don't underestimate them. Most of them are still combat-capable, and in their field, they wield a lot of power. SIDE as a whole wouldn't be the organization it is today if not for their constant efforts to improve procedures and strategies. Many TOP-SIDE agents are known for being Crazy Prepared often to the point of paranoia, and they have a reputation for coming up with ways to neutralize specific combinations of Dreamer powers with increasingly few resources for fun.

DES-SIDE: DES-SIDE is the Detention, Evaluation, and Security division. They primarily handle the actual incarceration of Dreamers, and reintegrating them into society when their sentences have been served. They also monitor potential threats, such as Dreamers with substantial uncontrolled powers. On a broader scope, they are SIDE's security division, responsible for keeping their bases and information protected.

IDEA (Institute of Dreamer Education and Analysis): IDEA is a scientific organization that studies Dreamer powers, Dreamtech materials, and Dreamers themselves. Although most members of IDEA are knowledgeable and professional scientists, more maverick elements have given them something of a more negative reputation (kidnapping Dreamers to experiment on them, experiments gone wrong, etc). Nonetheless, IDEA has provided the world with a wealth of knowledge about Dreamer powers and numerous practical applications for Dreamer powers and Dreamtech alike. They also provide high-level technology for detecting, neutralizing, and combating Dreamers, and as such have a close relationship with SIDE. They also work with the Assembly to teach and train new Dreamers, and though Non-Dreamers are far more common on their staff than Dreamers, even the Children of Paradise are thankful for their knowledge. However, the Assembly and the Children of Paradise are somewhat leery of some of their methods, and the Children especially are strongly against some of their research - such as their attempts to find a "cure" for Dreamer powers.

At their best, IDEA is a font of knowledge and practical technology, providing the world with amazing advancement and helping people to understand and live with these powerful beings that walk among them. At their worst, they are classical mad scientists who see Dreamers more as an interesting and valuable experiment than living, breathing people.

Notable Factions

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Scientific Departments: IDEA is divided up into several scientific departments that focus on specific types of research.

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Department of Analysis and Education: The most public department (and overall the one with the best reputation), the Department of Analysis and Education focuses on the practical study of Dreamer powers, their usage, and their effects. They work closely with the Assembly and various educational institutions, helping Dreamers learn how to use and control their powers, and what their powers can really do.

Department of Biomechanics: The Department of Biomechanics specializes in physiological and technological research and inventions. Cybernetic enhancement, genetic alteration, cloning, and similar sciences are their specialty.

Department of Dreamer Studies: While the Department of Analysis and Education studies Dreamer powers, the Department of Dreamer Studies focuses on the nature of Dreamers and their abilities. How they work, why they manifest, how they can be duplicated or removed, and so on. They receive a lot of funding for their two biggest projects - artificially inducing and removing Dreamer powers (naturally, their biggest contributors are the Children of Paradise and the Reclaimers, respectively). While their success in those fields have been...limited (they've accomplished both, but with serious side-effects) they've managed several lesser breakthroughs in the understanding of Dreamer powers and expanding them into repeatable science (such as healing serums created using the blood or DNA of regeneration-capable Dreamers).

Department of Dreamtech Analysis: The Department of Dreamtech Analysis focuses on studying existing Dreamtech, with the aim of developing new, mundane technology from it, or converting it to mundane technology. It's generally slow, often frustrating work (especially since it requires mundane scientists to work closely with super-sciences, which is just a pain for everyone), but has led to several valuable advances.

Department of Dreamtech Development: While the DDA studies existing Dreamtech, the DDD creates new inventions. Often called "the playground" by the rest of IDEA, the DDD has the highest percentage of Dreamers on staff, being populated almost completely by super-scientists working together to devise wondrous new inventions. The place is heavily secured, but for those who are allowed in, it is a wonder to behold.

Department of Energy Management: The Department of Energy Management works tirelessly to solve the primary challenge of modern Aranth - energy. Energy availability is the primary limiter of the power of modern super-science, and the scientists here work tirelessly to develop new ways to generate energy, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and otherwise boost energy availability.

Department of Occult Sciences: Looked down upon by the other departments, the Department of Occult Sciences is only barely considered a legitimate part of IDEA. When you live in a world where supernatural powers exist though, yeah, you can't really blame people for trying to study magic. The DOS primarily studies the mechanics of using Dreamer powers, how they tap into, use, and alter spiritual energy. Their hope is to eventually refine these powers into a trainable skill. On that, they haven't made any real progress, although they have devised ways to convert other forms of energy into something Dreamers can use, are responsible for a lot of breakthroughs in the understanding of Spiritual Energy, and are having some success enhancing (though not creating) items created through Dreamer Artificers. So, they've done good work, but they don't get much respect for it.

Department of Practical Sciences: Interestingly, the Department of Practical Sciences is largely considered only a step above the Department of Occult Sciences by most of IDEA. To the rest of the world, though, they're probably the most respected (and certainly most valuable) department. They focus on mundane science entirely, incorporating Dreamer-based or super-science knowledge where useful, but focusing primarily on normal physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and so on. It's not that these sciences aren't appreciated by IDEA - it's just that there are other scientific organizations that can do those jobs just as well, and a lot of IDEA scientists see such mundane work as beneath them.

The Dreamcatchers: First thing to know about the Dreamcatchers (name assigned by the media), is that they are the Bogeymen of the Dreamer community. Supervillains, SIDE, even the Reclaimers have nothing on the Dreamcatchers in terms of inspiring utter dread in a tragically high percentage of Dreamers. There are highly-experienced, PL 10+, combat-capable, full-fledged members of Hero Corps who have nightmares about these guys.

So who are they? They are secretive warrior-scientists who go out and hunt for Dreamers to experiment on. They are equipped with state-of-the-art technology (some that even SIDE can't get its hands on), and while they lack SIDE's numbers and aren't quite as well-trained (although a fair number do have a background in SIDE or the military), they even the playing field using high-tech stealth, surveillance, and power-neutralization technology. They study their target (sometimes for weeks or even months), and make blitz attacks when they are at their weakest, attacking for rapid neutralization and carrying them off to secret labs to study, tag, experiment on, and even dissect. You don't become a Dreamcatcher without being coldly dispassionate, and those that have been caught and jailed often admit that they don't see Dreamers as people at all.

As a group, they can't hold a candle to SIDE or even Defiant Reclaimers in terms of total power, but they are patient, smart, amazingly-equipped, and Dreamers taken by them almost always end up severely traumatized...when they survive their experiences with their memories in-tact, that is. The fact that they are very careful about keeping their identities a secret and work as legitimate, respected scientists by day makes them that much harder to catch.

IDEA as a whole officially denounces them and claims no association with them...but the simple fact is that the organization has made advancements with data that could only have come from Dreamcatcher experiments. It's the darkest stain on an organization that already has a bit of a reputation for taking things a bit too far in the name of science.

The Lights of Science: The Lights of Science is an invitation-only society of those who are responsible for major advancements in modern science. The inventors of game-changing technology, developers of theories that push fields of study ahead, people who find amazing new uses for old knowledge, and so on.

To be a member of the Lights of Science is incredibly prestigious, and its members are almost universally afforded incredible respect by both the scientific community and the world at large.

Naturally, super-scientists hold the majority of seats. The Lights don't grade on a curve. That being said, those few mundane scientists who do join their number are only shown greater respect for proving able to compete among the greatest, often-superhumanly-enhanced minds in history.

Elderage College: Elderage is the top Ivy League school in the country, possibly the world. One of the top three in the world for sure. It is IDEA-run and -staffed, and even includes some of the Lights of Science among its professors. Even Non-Dreamer Elderage graduates have been known to work on Dreamtech right alongside super-scientists.

The Reclaimers: The Reclaimers are an organization strongly opposed to Dreamers in general, seeing them and their powers as serious threats to themselves and to others. Officially, the Reclaimers lobby for strict regulations on the use of Dreamer powers, severe punishments for misuse, and segregation and regulation as necessary to ensure people are protected. Between accidental and deliberate misuses of Dreamer powers, and the damage caused thereby, they do have a fair case. However, their PR is utterly awful, owed largely to the fact that the organization also attracts a large number of Normals with grudges against Dreamers (people who were hurt, lost loved ones, or even were simply replaced by Dreamers), who have taken to violence and terrorism to "curtail the Dreamer threat". Adding to these people are several Dreamers whose powers ruined their lives (often those with highly destructive or uncontrollable powers), many of whom have entered into pacts to eradicate Dreamers and then suicide themselves. Worse, unscrupulous Dreamers who want to eliminate threats or competition often work with the Reclaimers or use them as patsies. Although these fanatics are a minority, they are a very visible one, giving the organization as a whole a bad reputation (and the Assembly, with their strong media connections and opposing ideology, only adds fuel to that fire). The Reclaimers are far less trained, organized, and equipped than SIDE, but many of them are fanatical to the point of obsession or insanity, the Dreamers of their number especially. The Assembly doesn't like them at all, gleefully attacking them in the media with every chance they get, while Hero Corps in particular fights against their more fanatical elements. The Children of Paradise hate them with a (very mutual) consuming passion, and when the more aggressive elements of the two organizations come into conflict, the results are often devastating. SIDE officially denounces those of their number that resort to violence against Dreamers, and they do fight against them often, but they are also one of their main suppliers of equipment and training, and they have a much closer relationship with the more politically-oriented majority of the organization. IDEA has a fairly neutral relationship to them, although the Reclaimers are the main funders of its research into a cure for Dreamer powers.

At their best, the Reclaimers are the voice of reason in a world where the guy walking down the street could possibly have the power to disintegrate you to ash, blow up a city block, or turn you into a helpless slave with a thought. At their worst, they are a paramilitary terrorist organization who fanatically attack Dreamers, and tend to count the most unpredictable and destructive of those beings among their number.

Notable Factions

Spoiler

The Sentinel Project: The Sentinel Project is a Reclaimers-staffed operation that...basically works like a Neighborhood Watch, except focused on Dreamers. They keep an eye out for suspicious use of Dreamer powers and report them to the authorities, and sometimes step in when immediate action is called for and no emergency personnel are on-scene. They...sometimes take things a bit far (and of course, any time they do, the Assembly makes sure it gets plenty of media attention), but for the most part their efforts are respected by the authorities.

Sentinels generally have better PR than the norm for Reclaimers. Although they do focus on Dreamer crimes, they won't just sit back and do nothing when regular crime occurs (and they're competent enough that most mundane criminals don't want to tangle with them). A Sentinel presence in a neighborhood usually comes with a solid 20% or so reduction in crime compared to neighboring communities. A lot of people sleep better at night knowing Sentinels are on call.

The Repentent: The Reclaimers do accept Dreamer members occasionally. They are often called the Repentent. Of course, typically, these are Dreamers who have a reason to hate their powers, which often means their powers are uncontrolled or otherwise dangerous.

For the most part, the Reclaimers take on the Repentent to help them contain their powers. For some, they hold support groups and use therapy to help them resist the urge to use their abilities, treating the powers like an addiction. For those who simply can't control their powers, the Reclaimers offer containment, keeping their loved ones and the rest of the world safe from them. It's a kinda tragic service, but in many cases, a necessary one.

Unfortunately, more radical elements in the Reclaimers often instead offer these troubled Dreamers an outlet to use their powers for "good", that is, in destroying other Dreamers. And there are some members of the organization who work to convince the Repentents that the only way to truly protect those they care for from their dangerous powers is through suicide. These sorts of stories are a big part of the reason that even the non-Defiant Reclaimers can't catch much of a break in the public eye (although, again, this isn't necessarily common and certainly isn't a majority).

The Defiant: The Defiant are, sadly, what most people think of when they think of the Reclaimers. The Defiant are a minority - but to be fair, not an insignificant one, with anywhere from 15%-25% of the organization estimated to be part of or at least supportive of the faction.

The Defiant are terrorists and murderers, and there's little to mitigate that fact. They aren't nearly as competent or well-equipped as SIDE, or as patient and efficient as the Dreamcatchers, but they are utterly vicious and many of them are willing to accept collateral damage if it means bringing down "dangerous" Dreamers. While the Dreamcatchers are far more feared, few factions are as universally despised as the Defiants. Even their own parent organization publicly denounces them...although privately, they still provide funding and equipment, sometimes even taking equipment legitimately licensed to and purchased for Sentinels and providing it to Defiants instead.

The Protectors of Paradise and Defiant Reclaimers brutally attack each other pretty much on-sight, often with devastating results to any bystanders in the way. Hero Corps hates them almost as much - they're one of the few groups who has ever gone so far as to attack the ACC in the middle of a disaster relief effort. Three times.

The Truthspeakers: The Truthspeakers are your basic crazy conspiracy theorist. In The World According To The Truthspeakers, the entire government, most large corporations, the media, and more are all controlled by some huge Dreamer Conspiracy. They accuse IDEA of kidnapping normal people to turn into Dreamers (to be fair, I wouldn't put it past the Dreamcatchers to have tried it once or twice...), Hero Corps of being a Paradisian army, SIDE of just about everything they can think of whether contradictory or not...yeah, crazy conspiracy theorists, basically.

I mean, they even say that there's some sort of, like, secretive cabal of powerful Dreamers at the head of the Assembly. And they're trying to, like, change the world man! The whole world! In some sort of shared project! And they can use all of each other's powers, like a hive mind of high-level Dreamers or something! I know! Crazy right?

Oh...wait...

You see, here's the thing about the Truthspeakers. Yeah, a solid eighty, ninety percent of what they say is delusional, paranoid, utter nonsense. But the rest is some of the most carefully hidden, heavily guarded, viciously protected secret information in the setting. When you need to know what's really going on, they are, hands down, the best people to look to. If, and only if, you can manage to separate the delusions, misunderstandings, and outright lies from the critical secret information.

Unfortunately, no one actually knows that, so all the secret stuff gets treated like more of their delusional ramblings.

Spoiler

Benefit (Conspiracy Theorist): You know the truth! You may completely ignore the effects of the Cipher benefit (regardless of its rank). However, for each Cipher rank you ignore, you also receive a piece of completely false information related to your line of inquiry - and you don't inherently learn which pieces of information are true and which are false. Degrees of success that would have bypassed the Cipher simply remove these extraneous pieces of information (so if you could have gotten all the true information even without this benefit, you don't get any false information).

Seekers of the Dream: The Seekers are a religious organization that believes...well, several things, since they have a number of sects and factions in themselves. The overarching premise of the faith is that the Dream and the powers derived thereby are divinely gifted, and that all people have the potential to achieve such powers. Various sects believe that Dreamers are part of some divine plan, divinely rewarded, or even themselves avatars of the divine. Of course, since the evidence of their "miracles" are visible every day, they have amassed a tremendous following in short time. The Assembly is a close ally, and gives them lots of media support, not necessarily because they believe in the divinity of Dreamers, but boy is it a useful thing for other people to believe. The Seekers themselves also have a strong hand in convincing many Dreamers to join Hero Corps or the ACC. The Children of Paradise tend to see the Seekers as the "church" to their "state"; ordained clerics of the Seekers of the Dream have the easiest time of all Potentials visiting Paradisia, and are the only Potentials permitted to live there. SIDE is completely neutral to them. IDEA doubts their claims, but of course, has no means to fully prove or disprove them; the two organizations tend to see each other as trying to reach the same goal in two different ways, and largely leave each other alone to do so. The Seekers oppose the Reclaimers ideologically, but seek to sway them from their path rather than fighting against them as the Assembly and Children do, especially those Dreamers among them who hate their powers.

At their best, the Seekers of the Dream provides a moral and ethical foundation for new Dreamers, as well as a sense of community and purpose open to Dreamers and Potentials alike, and a more mystical and spiritual insight into these supernatural powers. At their worst, they are charlatans promising power in exchange for devotion...and, of course, a small donation to the church.

Notable Factions

Spoiler

Seekers of the Arch-Faith: The Seekers of the Arch-Faith combine the teachings of the Seekers of the Dream with those of the Arch-Faith. They believe that the Dream, and the powers derived thereby, are the work of Arch. As is common with the Arch-Faith, the specifics of Arch's involvement (did he simply create the potential for the Dream? Does he personally bestow the Dream? Are the Dreamers his chosen people, and their powers are just manifestations of his own?) varies extensively between individual sects.

Seekers of the Gods: The Seekers of the Gods combine the teachings of the Seekers of the Dream with those of Deionism. While the exact functions of the Dream are still debated, the faction generally agrees that the prevalence of the Dream is in some way connected to the positive energy of the gods, a sign that the world as a whole in on the right path. By their view, more Dreamers manifesting is an explicit sign of more positive change in the gods, and when every living person has Dreamer powers, the gods will be purely positive forces and the world will achieve perfection.

Seekers of the Eternal Dream: The largest faction of the Seekers (though not by that great a margin), the Seekers of the Eternal Dream believe that the Dream itself is a divine power, or bestowed thereby, with no connection to other religions. Again, the specifics vary between sects, but the Seekers tend to offer prayer to the Dream itself, and look upon Dreamers as being blessed by or emissaries of the divine. Many Seekers of the Eternal Dream believe that the Dream has some sort of grand plan in mind for the Dreamers; their religion places heavy emphasis on destiny.

The Blessed Seekers: The Blessed Seekers are a small group, but in recent years have been a very visible one. They originate from Paradisia, and are spreading throughout the world. They are gifted by some means (IDEA scientists say a transformative Dreamer power; they say divine blessings) with seemingly angelic powers, and the ability to detect Dreamers. They travel throughout the world, finding, helping, protecting, and gathering Dreamers.

To become a Blessed Seeker, one must visit The Temple of the Blessed in Paradisia. Any Dreamer is welcome to make a pilgrimage there to receive the Blessing. While they are asked to seek out, protect, and gather other Dreamers, they are not required to. Many do, however, and in interviews they have generally indicated that the blessing was a deeply moving, spiritual experience. None who have been talked to have expressed anything other than sincere belief in the divine nature of the Dream since the blessing, even if they had previously been doubtful or disagreed outright.

The Blessing provides a Dreamer with a number of effects. Feathered wings (typically pure white, but sometimes colored) grow from the Dreamer's back. Their appearance changes to become an idealized version of themselves. They gain the ability to see clearly in darkness, and to detect other Dreamers and sense their powers. They can also glow with an aura of bright light, and communicate telepathically with other Dreamers.

Spoiler

Blessed Seeker: Multiple Effects {25}.

Angelic Wings: Flight 5 (Winged).
Eyes of the Seeker: Senses 5 (Darkvision; Ranged Acute Mental Detect [Dreamer Powers]).
Advantages: Attractive 2.
Aura of Light: Environment 3 (Daylight 2, Light 1).
Telepathic Communion: Mental Communication 2 (Limited [Dreamers Only]), Comprehend 2 (Speak and Understand All Languages; Limited [Dreamers Only]).

[Quellian-dyrae]

Technology

Technology on Aranth is highly advanced, although a lot of it is difficult to mass-produce. Generally, it's worth assuming that general society has access to modern technology with some advancements (flying cars and jetpacks, for example, exist). Militaries, large corporations, the fabulously wealthy, and of course, super-genius and gadgeteer style characters, can have access to all manner of incredibly advanced tech. Things like powered armor, mechs, matter generators, laser weaponry, teleportation, nano-technology, and similar incredibly technology does exist, but is very limited and currently impossible to mass produce.

Year 0 PA was roughly technologically equivalent to modern-day Earth, so Aranth has over a century of additional technological advancement. Dreamtech, and scientific breakthroughs derived thereby, also mean that in certain fields, technological achievements even more advanced or impossible under real-world physics do exist, though they tend to be rare. As a general rule of thumb, if it exists today on Earth, even as a prototype or proof-of-concept, there's a good chance that it's available on Aranth.

This is a sampling of the sort of technology available on the world. Just about any sort of technological item is possible as a Device. Devices can also be supernaturally imbued with powers by Dreamers with artifice powers.

Originally Posted by Sidebar - Equipment and Devices

Aranth is quite technologically advanced, even before Dreamtech. Although anything that uses Dreamtech is by definition a Device (although Dreamtech versions of mundane gear are generally still taken as Equipment, usually with a doubled cost), other forms of equipment can be quite broad. In general, items that are not listed as Dreamtech but have customizable options can have any given power include up to five ranks or 10 PP (whichever is lower) and still be considered equipment. Each Benefit that a character purchases that would logically improve its access to such gear (Wealth always counts, but things like permits, military connections, etc also work) increases this limit by 2 ranks or 5 PP. This limit is per power, not per piece of equipment (so a suit of armor with tactical computers would have a separate limit for its Protection, Enhanced Dodge, and Enhanced Parry).

Armor: The most common type of armor is lightweight body armor that provides ranks in Protection, though people who want to invest in their defense can just as easily acquire "Dreamer Class" armor that provides Impervious protection. Some more advanced armors are also built in with tactical computers and some robotics, a sort of "lesser powered armor", granting Enhanced Dodge and Enhanced Parry. Enhanced with Dreamtech, it can also include power dampeners and other protective measures to provide Enhanced Foritude and Enhanced Will.

For those who prefer to travel lighter, force field generators are also available with similar functions. All force field generators are Dreamtech. More advanced (Dreamtech) power dampeners that provide a Reactive, Self Only Nullify, are also availble on armor and force field generators alike, but are expensive enough that they are rarely seen except by those who expect to face powerful Dreamers on a regular basis, such as elite SIDE agents.

Moving up on the scale we get to powered armor; full suits of mechanized steel. Powered armor is always purchased as a Device, rather than Equipment, and at the minimum includes Impervious Protection and Enhanced Strength. Most also provide tactical computers and built-in weaponry (the latter usually in an Array with the Enhanced Strength). The really advanced versions include power dampeners and even targeted power nullifiers, nanotech regenerative capabilities, and similar powerful features, but such suits are incredibly rare even among SIDE and military personnel.

Finally, getting to the point where calling it "armor" is rather ludicrous, giant mechs do exist in setting. These devastating war machines are universally PL 15+, and typically decked out with all the bells and whistles. Power dampeners, enough weaponry (ballistic, explosive, and laser) to level a large city backed by extreme super-strength, loads of Impervious Toughness, neural uplinks networked to tactical computers, nanite regeneration and ammo generation, supersonic flight, and usually a special trick or two to boot.

Spoiler

Old Model Powered Armor
Removable Device {90-18}.

Armored: Protection 10 (Impervious).
Tactical Computers: Enhanced Dodge 6, Enhanced Parry 6.
Sensors: Senses 7 (Vision Counters Concealment [All], Penetrates Concealment [Limited to Mapping]).
Encrypted Radio: Senses 1 (Radio Sense), Radio Communication 2 (Subtle).
Sealed Environment: Immunity 10 (Life Support).
Weapons Systems: 28-point Array.

Servo Strength: Enhanced Strength 8, Strength Effect (Accurate 4) Linked Move Object 8 (Reduced Range [Close]).
Machine Guns: Damage 8 (Ranged, Multiattack, Accurate 4).
Armor Piercing Rounds: Damage 8 (Ranged, Penetrating 8, Accurate 4).
Grenade Launcher: Damage 8 (Ranged, Burst Area) Linked Move Object 2 (Burst Area, Limited [Push away from center of blast]).

SIDE armor
SIDE-issue armor typically changes the Sensors and replaces the Grenade Launcher with a Power Nullifier.

SIDE Sensors: Senses 7 (Accurate Acute Analytical Ranged Radius Detect [Dreamer Powers]).
Power Nullifier: Nullify 8 (Dreamer Powers; Broad, Reduced Range [Close], Burst Area, Concentration).

Modern Powered Armor:
Removable Device {121-24}.

Armored: Protection 12 (Impervious).
Tactical Computers: Enhanced Dodge 8, Enhanced Parry 8.
Sensors: Senses 10 (Vision Counters Concealment [All], Penetrates Concealment [Limited to Mapping]*, Acute Ranged Detect [Dreamer Powers]*).
Encrypted Radio: Senses 1 (Radio Sense), Radio Communication 2 (Subtle).
Sealed Environment: Immunity 10 (Life Support).
Jet Pack: Flight 5.
Weapons Systems: 35-point Array.

Servo Strength: Enhanced Strength 10, Strength Effect (Accurate 5) Linked Move Object 10 (Reduced Range [Close]).
Machine Guns: Damage 10 (Ranged, Multiattack, Accurate 5).
Armor Piercing Rounds: Damage 10 (Ranged, Penetrating 10, Accurate 5).
Grenade Launcher: Damage 10 (Ranged, Burst Area) Linked Move Object 2 (Burst Area, Increased Mass, Limited [Push away from center of blast]).
Laser Beam: Damage 10 (Line Area, Alternate Resistance [Dodge]).
Power Nullifier: Nullify 10 (Dreamer Powers; Broad, Reduced Range [Close], Burst Area, Concentration).
Systems Module: Variable 5 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).

*SIDE tends to remove the mapping sensor in exchange for Accurate and Radius on the power scanner.

Cutting Edge Powered Armor:
Removable Device {165-33}.

Armored: Protection 14 (Impervious).
Tactical Computers: Enhanced Dodge 10, Enhanced Parry 10.
Sensors: Senses 12 (Vision Counters Concealment [All], Penetrates Concealment [Limited to Mapping], Acute Analytical Ranged Radius Detect [Dreamer Powers]).
Encrypted Radio: Senses 1 (Radio Sense), Radio Communication 2 (Subtle).
Sealed Environment: Immunity 10 (Life Support).
Rocket Pack: Flight 10.
Weapons Systems: 55-point Array.

Robotic Combat: Enhanced Strength 12, Strength Effect (Accurate 6, Multiattack, Improved Critical) Linked Move Object 12 (Reduced Range [Close]).
Autolock Machine Guns: Damage 12 (Ranged, Multiattack, Concentration, Accurate 6, Extended Range).
Gattling Gun: Damage 12 (Ranged, Penetrating 12, Multiattack, Accurate 6, Extended Range).
Rocket Launcher: Damage 12 (Ranged, Burst Area 2, Extended Range 7).
Guided Rounds: Damage 12 (Ranged, Burst Area, Selective, Precise, Extended Range 6).
Laser Cannon: Damage 12 (Line Area 2, Alternate Resistance [Dodge], Subtle).
Tactical Power Nullifier: Nullify 12 (Dreamer Powers; Broad, Reduced Range [Close], Burst Area, Simultaneous, Selective).
Power Suppressor: Weaken 12 (Dreamer Powers; Fortitude; Broad, Cone Area, Simultaneous).
Systems Module 1: Variable 7 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).
Systems Module 2: Variable 7 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).
Systems Module 3: Variable 7 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).

Battle Mech:
Removable Device {275-55}.

Humongous Mecha: Growth 15 (Permanent, Innate).
Armored: Protection 5 (Impervious 20).
Tactical Computers: Enhanced Dodge 18, Enhanced Parry 18.
Sensors: Senses 20 (Vision Counters Concealment [All], Counters Illusion, Penetrates Concealment, Radius; Acute Analytical Ranged Radius Accurate Detect [Dreamer Powers]; Danger Sense).
Encrypted Radio: Senses 3 (Accurate Radio Sense), Radio Communication 4 (Subtle).
Sealed Environment: Immunity 10 (Life Support).
Nanite Repair: Regeneration 10.
Flight Systems: Flight 10, Movement 1 (Space Travel).

Alternate Power - All Terrain: Speed 10, Swimming 12.
Alternate Power - Tunneler: Burrowing 10 (Penetrating 10).

Weapons Systems: 85-point Array.

Robotic Combat: Strength Effect (Multiattack) Linked Move Object 15 (Reduced Range [Close], Alternate Resistance [Dodge]) Linked Affliction 15 (Will; Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated) Linked Weaken Toughness 15 (Fortitude), Accurate 8, Improved Critical 2.
Railguns: Damage 20 (Ranged, Multiattack, Concentration, Accurate 5).
Rocket Launcher: Damage 15 (Ranged, Burst Area 3, Extended Range 7).
Missile Launcher: Damage 10 (Ranged, Burst Area 6, Extended Range 5).
Guided Rounds: Damage 15 (Ranged, Burst Area 2, Selective, Precise, Extended Range 6, Homing 3).
Laser Cannon: Damage 15 (Line Area 3, 8 Ranks Line Area +1, Alternate Resistance [Dodge], Subtle 2).
Tactical Power Nullifier: Nullify 15 (Dreamer Powers; Broad, Reduced Range [Close], Burst Area, Simultaneous, Concentration, Selective).
Power Suppressor: Weaken 15 (Dreamer Powers; Fortitude; Broad, Cone Area, Simultaneous, Selective).
EMP Burst: Nullify 15 (Technology; Broad, Reduced Range [Close], Burst Area, Simultaneous, Concentration, Selective).
EMP Hammer: Weaken 15 (Technology; Fortitude; Broad, Cone Area, Simultaneous, Selective).
Specialized System: Varies by Mech.
Specialized System: Varies by Mech.
Systems Module 1: Variable 12 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).
Systems Module 2: Variable 12 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).
Systems Module 3: Variable 12 (Powered Armor Modules; Slow, Continuous).

Communications: Even on modern day Earth, communication technology is pretty flat-out amazing. The cellular network on Aranth is pretty much ubiquitous; you can get a wireless internet connection and perfect phone signal pretty much anywhere except deep underground or in places specifically designed to not allow access.

Computers: Most significant computer systems are composed of what's called "active crystal". Despite the fancy name, it's basically high-tech glass. Although designed as Dreamtech, it has been perfected and is considered standard technology at this point. Active crystal can function as a computer, touchscreen, monitor, sensor, and more, depending on its programming, and it's quite tough and bullet-resistant (typically Impervious Toughness 6, more with greater thickness or for tempered varieties).

The most typical setup is the Active Crystal Computer Station. This consists of three sheets of active crystal of varying sizes, and a small disk, with a few little plastic connectors and such. All together, they weigh two to three pounds. They are usually small enough to fit in a good-sized briefcase or backpack. In a normal configuration, they are set up like a modern desktop computer, with the largest sheet serving as the monitor, the middle sheet being the keyboard, and the smallest being the mouse. On the go, the middle sheet can basically function as a tablet and the smaller a smart phone, or the large and middle sheets can be connected together to work as a laptop. All three of the sheets have the same programs and capabilities available.

The disk is usually worn to serve as a sort of wristwatch, bluetooth, headset, or even a monocle.

An Active Crystal Computer Station costs 10 EP (two ranks of Equipment), providing the benefits of a Computer, Audio/Video Recorder, Cell Phone, Camera, GPS, Flash Light, and Commlink. The other two EP are for the various utility functions of modern apps, programs, networking, and having four durable little devices all synched up together that all function as the above.

Less common are full-fledged Dreamtech versions of Active Crystal, which extend the above features with such things as holographic displays and a neural linkup, allowing the user to use its own senses as "output" and thoughts or movements as "input". This basically doubles the cost of the relevant types of equipment (Computer, Camera, Audio/Video recorder, and Commlink, generally). So an Active Crystal Computer Station using Dreamtech active crystal would be 15 EP or 3 PP.

Computer systems added to headquarters generally mean any glass in the Headquarters is active crystal. By taking the Computer feature for the headquarters a second time, at least some of the glass is the Dreamtech version (how much generally depending on the overall value of the Headquarters, the character's Wealth benefits, etc).

Energy: The people of Aranth are very, very good at getting the most out of their energy, to the point where, as noted earlier, "energy credits" are used as their primary form of commerce in addition to being a measurable value of power. Large volumes of energy are continuously generated by power plants, with nuclear, solar, and geomantic (harnessing geothermal or atmospheric electro-magnetic energy) power being the three most efficient means of energy generation, in roughly that order. Wind and water power are both useful supplements. Oil, coal, and such are basically outdated; they're a limited resource and generating more takes more energy than they produce.

A new form of energy, only recently fully developed, is spiritual energy. Originally discovered by virtue of Dreamers with spirit-, aura-, or energy-viewing or -detecting powers, it was eventually concluded that living beings give off some form of ambient energy that doesn't seem tied to their physical, biological energy intake and usage. This does appear to stem from an internal, supernatural source of energy, and is noted as being weaker in animals and stronger, often much stronger, in Dreamers. Plenty of scientific research has been done regarding spiritual energy in the past half-century, and the following is what is known (or not known) about it:

First and foremost, science has not found any conclusive evidence that this energy or its source is in any way related to or indicative of a "soul" or "spirit" as posited by various religious or mystical traditions. There is no indication that it has anything to do with a person's personality or nature. There is definitely no indication that it maintains any sort of consciousness beyond death or travels to any sort of afterlife (it does appear, upon death, to cease energy production, the energy making it up dispersing into the air, like an object removed from a heat source). That all being said, words like "soul", "spirit", "ki", "aura", "life force" and the like are ingrained enough into the public consciousness and generally get the concept across well enough that they've stuck (often to the chagrin of those scientists who study the phenomenon).

The energy is constantly, naturally produced by all living beings. It does not appear to have any measurable biological effect.

The energy is, however, in at least some manner tied to life. Sick, injured, tired, and otherwise weaker individuals produce less of it. Artificially inducing reduced production leads to general weakness, and artificially ceasing production results in death. Artificially increasing production has been known to cause feelings of euphoria and generally improved health, vigor, and physical and mental capability.

The energy is produced at a fairly constant rate. Most of the energy appears to remain within the body, slowly radiating out. Intense activity increases the rate at which it leaves the body. Strong emotion can influence the rate of production. A higher or lower rate of production typically results in proportional output.

The energy appears to be the power source for Dreamer powers. Active powers tend to draw more energy, particularly when used in rapid succession. How much is drawn for a given power can often (but not always) be consciously chosen by a Dreamer, and the techniques to do so are learnable skills (many children learn the basics of this in school in case they ever have a Dream, and since these techniques have begun to be taught, the rate of uncontrolled Dreamer manifestations has dropped by a third). These techniques are fairly abstract, though, so a lot of people don't really get it, or not until they actually have powers and receive active training with them.

Dreamers seem to produce well more power than they can tap into at once. Repeated use of active Dreamer powers can drain this energy though, and the amount of drain does appear to negatively influence production.

All this has led to the modern form of unskilled labor: Energy Generation. Basically, letting the ambient spiritual energy your body naturally gives off be collected and sent into the power grid, and receiving energy credits for it. In a proper facility designed for such a purpose, a normal person produces about three usable credits worth of energy an hour at rest, going down to a mere half-credit an hour while sleeping. Most such facilities, however, are basically set up as gyms (the really big "energy farms" have row upon row of stationary bikes). Since exertion increases the rate at which the energy radiates out, using such facilities can generally increase energy production to about nine credits an hour on average, although of course, more fit individuals can push it further, generally topping out at fifteen credits an hour for normal humans in prime physical condition. Dreamers, naturally, can produce substantially more energy even using these basic techniques.

Spoiler

For the number crunchers among us, it's generally 9 + (highest of Strength, Stamina, or Agility) credits per hour, times Power Level, which can be maintained for (Stamina + 2) hours per day. These are optimal numbers; pushing harder can result in more gains faster, but results in enough fatigue and recovery required that over time it's less efficient overall. Of course, if your best means of earning money (or simply producing energy) as a Dreamer is riding on one of those bikes every day, you haven't thought long and hard enough about your power (yeah, no, I don't care if you're a Strength 12, Stamina 12 PL 10 Paragon pulling in 3,000 credits a day by riding a bike; you can be doing better).

Naturally, the more serious farms have advanced enough collection technology that they can gather greater volumes of energy, taking the profit themselves. And of course, some also take some extra off the top (sometimes providing food, drink, and entertainment in exchange). There are also devices (including some varieties of active crystal computer stations, cell phones, and so on) that can collect energy to power things or return to the grid for credits. These are, however, substantially less efficient, typically about 20%, topping out at around 33%, for mobile ones. Stationary ones range from 50% the efficiency of the ones you'd see in an average farm on up. Even so there are often good subsidies for these devices, and they'll usually pay for themselves in a year or two, so they're pretty common.

Medicine: The thing about medicine is, evolution can be a creep sometimes. Yes, Aranth medical sciences have benefitted from the progression of time. And, yes, the diseases have adapted to keep up in many cases.

This does change the face of medical sciences some. Viruses, bacterias, fungi, and other organisms have been able to evolve. Most medical conditions that are basically "the body not working right" (cancer, allergies, a fair number of genetic diseases, although those are so diverse that new ones that science has never seen before often crop up) are generally curable at this stage. Life expectancy has increased as a result, with the average person living around 125 years if not killed by disease, accident, or violence. Most people start feeling the effects of age around 75, and don't start really seeing a significant loss of mental and physical capability until around 100, assuming they have normal access to medical treatments.

But people do still get sick, sometimes seriously so, and can die as a result. There are still occasional outbreaks and epidemics, and there are diseases out there that are resistant or even immune to modern medicine, Dreamtech medicine, and even Dreamer powers (although a powerful enough Dreamer could potentially cure just about anything). Most major diseases have a specific DC to be cured by powers (often 20+), some are considered Incurable (requiring Persistent healing), and most disallow trying again except with Extra Effort (the Effortless Extra can be added to Healing if you really want to be able to obliterate whatever diseases you encounter).

Several Dreamers with healing powers do work in the medical community, although the natural limitations of Dreamer powers on the large scale mean that medical science is still the primary form of care most people get. Many Dreamer healers either focus their efforts on people with less access to modern medicine (the charitable ones) or make big money healing what science can't (the majority). The best healers, with things like Persistent Effortless Healing or Ultimate Effort (Healing), can become fabulously wealthy.

There are also diseases out there that specifically affect Dreamers, and may affect their powers in various ways. The ones that cause powers to go uncontrolled can be very, very scary.

Robotics: Robots are definitely in! Robotics on Aranth is leaps and bounds ahead of Earth technology, going whole-hog into the sci-fi genre. Cybernetic enhancement, full-fledged AI, humanoid and even human-appearing robots, nanomachines, and so on all exist.

Most middle-classed households can be expected to have at least a few low-end robotic devices (that is, automated mechanical and computerized pieces of technology capable of autonomously performing certain tasks in a generally intelligent manner). The more advanced ones - humanoid robots with full-fledged AI, androids, cybernetics, nanotech, and so on - are generally the domain of large companies, very wealthy individuals, or skilled inventors who can build and program their own. Robotic soldiers, law enforcement, and guards are not uncommon, though are still less common than human soldiers (they are, however, significantly more common than Dreamer combatants).

Advanced suits of powered armor, up to and including mechs, can often have highly advanced AI and serve as characters or NPCs in their own right.

Spoiler

Cybernetically Enhanced Mercenary - PL 6. PP: 45. (Effective PL 4.5)
Abilities
STR: 4. STA: 6. AGL: 4. DEX: 0. FGT: 0. INT: 4. AWE: 4. PRE: 0.

Stats
Attack +8, Dodge +4, Parry +4, Damage +4, Toughness +8, Fortitude +6, Will (2) +6

Skills

Acrobatics 4 (+8), Athletics 4 (+8), Expertise 0 (+4), Insight 4 (+8), Investigation 2 (+6), Intimidation 8 (+8), Perception 4 (+8), Stealth 4 (+8), Technology 2 (+6), Treatment 0 (+4), Vehicles 8 (+8).

Advantages

Accurate Attack, All Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 3, Improved Initiative, Jack of All Trades, Power Attack.

Equipment

Commlink

Reinforced Vest: Protection 2.

Guns:

Rifle: Damage 4 (Ranged, Accurate 2).
Shotgun: Damage 4 (Cone Area, 2 ranks Cone Area +1).
Magnum Pistol: Damage 2 (Ranged, Multiattack, Accurate 3, Penetrating 1).

Powers

Tactical Computers: Enhanced Parry 4, Strength Effect (Accurate 2).

Tactical HUD: Senses 6 (Vision Counters Concealment [All], Extended).

Alternate: Senses 6 (Ranged Acute Analytical Analytical Detect [Dreamer Powers]).
Alternate: Senses 6 (Radio Sense, Danger Sense, Tracking, Ultrahearing, Direction Sense, Distance Sense).

Clockwork Movements: Speed 4, Leaping 4, Movement 1 (Wall Crawling).

Combat Robot - PL 8. PP: 120.
Abilities
STR: 0/8. STA: -. AGL: 8. DEX: 0. FGT: 0. INT: 0. AWE: 0. PRE: 0.

Stats
Attack +8 or +12, Dodge +8, Parry +8, Damage +8 or +4, Toughness +8, Fortitude IMMUNE, Will +4

Skills

Acrobatics 0 (+8), Athletics 0 (+0 or +8), Intimidation 8 (+8), Perception 8 (+8), Stealth 0 (+8), Technology 4 (+4).

Advantages

Accurate Attack, All Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Eidetic Memory, Improved Initiative, Power Attack.

Powers

Unliving: Immunity 50 (Fortitude Effects, Mental Effects).

Metal Body: Protection 8.

Tactical Computers: Enhanced Parry 8.

Power Dampeners: Enhanced Will 4.

Robotic Sensors: Senses 5 (Vision Counters Illusion, Darkvision, Radio Sense).

Clockwork Movements: Speed 4, Movement 1 (Wall Crawling).

Alternate: Leaping 4, Movement 1 (Wall Crawling).

Weapons Systems: 20-point Array.

Servo Strength: Enhanced Strength 8 (Accurate 4).
Machine Guns: Damage 4 (Ranged, Multiattack, Accurate 6, Improved Critical 2).
Eye Beams: Damage 8 (Ranged, Accurate 4).

Nanotech Android - PL 10. PP: 150.
Abilities
STR: 0/10. STA: -. AGL: 10. DEX: 0. FGT: 0. INT: 0. AWE: 0. PRE: 0.

Stats
Attack +10, Dodge +10, Parry +10, Damage +10, Toughness +10, Fortitude IMMUNE, Will +5

Skills

Acrobatics 0 (+10), Athletics 0 (+0 or +10), Deception 10 (+10), Insight 5 (+5), Intimidation 10 (+10), Perception 10 (+10), Stealth 0 (+10), Technology 5 (+5).

Advantages

Accurate Attack, All Out Attack, Diehard, Eidetic Memory, Power Attack.

Powers

Unliving: Immunity 50 (Fortitude Effects, Mental Effects).

Emulate Humanoid: Shapeshift 10 (Standard Action, Limited [Humanoid Forms], Limited [Physical/Physiological Traits Only]).

Metal Body: Protection 10.

Tactical Computers: Enhanced Parry 10.

Power Dampeners: Enhanced Will 5.

Robotic Sensors: Senses 5 (Vision Counters Illusion, Darkvision, Radio Sense).

Nanite Repair: Regeneration 10.

Inernal Engine: Speed 6.

Alternate - Booster Pack: Leaping 6.
Alternate - Jet Pack: Flight 3.

Weapons Systems: 25-point Array.

Silicon Muscles: Enhanced Strength 10 (Accurate 5).
Nanite Blade: Damage 10 (Accurate 5) Linked Weaken Stamina 10.
Hand Cannon: Damage 10 (Ranged, Accurate 5).

Security: Security has, naturally, improved substantially. This doesn't inherently mean that meaningful security across the board would be DC 40 or something, though; just as new security measures have been put in place, new means of dealing with them have been devised. A basic security system is generally DC 20, a good one DC 30, and a top-of-the-line one DC 40, but beating them through Technology checks involves using more advanced tools.

One very common security device is the Power Scanner. One of the first Dreamtech inventions, it is now sufficiently understood to be mass-produced and is considered mundane technology. These scanners are often built into security cameras and similar devices (they're also included in many forms of combat-oriented equipment, such as powered armor, and are standard-issue in SIDE Tactical HUD Helmets). At the most basic, the ones you pick up at the local electronics store, they have a Ranged Visual Detect (Dreamer Powers), basically noting any Dreamers shown. More advanced versions, the sort you'll likely see in military gear and corporate security, are also Acute, giving a broad overview of the Dreamer's powers. Getting even more advanced - high-end military gear, and SIDE standard-issue - are also Analytical, provided a full list of powers, including relative strengths and effects.

On a similar note, pretty much the full range of Senses powers (excepting Precognition and Postcognition) are generally available as security measures, at various costs. High-end security systems can detect a vast array of threats, but those are usually only installed in highly restricted areas (or by the truly paranoid).

Nullification technology is also often used in security. Any location intended to hold Dreamers will be equipped with at least a Power Nullifier (Nullify Dreamer Powers; Broad, Simultaneous), and often also a Power Suppressor (Weaken Dreamer Powers; Broad, Simultaneous). Other locations that wish to curtail powers sometimes have such installations as well, though they are fairly rare and quite expensive. Similar devices to disable electronics are similarly common. Finally, "anti-projection" Nullifiers can block an area from teleportation, remote sensing, communication, and other powers that don't require line of sight or bypass obstacles (such as Insubstantial, Permeate Movement, and Penetrates Concealment senses). The Nullifiers are most common, but anti-projection technology is sufficiently understood that the better ones can even provide a structure with Immunity to such powers. Projection blockers can work regardless of whether the effect is a Dreamer power, technological, or from some other source.

Most people carry around an identification card, which basically links them up to various databases and accounts with relevant information. These cards serve a variety of functions serving as ID cards, liscences, debit/credit cards (all such accounts are linked to the card), security cards, passwords, and so on. These cards are very convenient, and also come with a number of built-in security measures. The cards are composed of a plastic material similar to active crystal, and are keyed to the individual's biometrics. For particularly secure capabilities, the cards have a PIN number and a password, and a thumbprint scanner. Finally, the cards can be synched to computerized devices, limiting access if the relevant device isn't nearby, instantly reporting transactions and other events to the device, linking the person to the device's GPS location and other applications, and so on. Notably, synching the card to a device, while very convenient and often required to get full functionality out of a lot of applications, also makes a person generally easier to track (the cards don't have GPS, the devices usually do), and of course open up your various targeted ads, which can be helpful or annoying (advertisers being advertisers, usually the latter). A lot of people do it, for added convenience and security, some are paranoid about it and don't, and some take the best of both worlds and have two devices, leaving one unsynched.

Most serious security systems have several failsafes; an ID card swipe, synched device, and independent biometric or retinal scan are not uncommon in corporate security. Dreamtech security options include such advanced technology as brainwave scanners, which can detect threats (Senses 1 [Danger Sense]), or even outright look into a person's mind to make sure they pass (Mind Reading effects). The most popular version is a brainwave scanner that scans for a specific password in the person's thoughts. These are often hidden, used in conjunction with other security measures, so only people who are supposed to have access to a location even know about them, let alone know the password. And the really crafty use these as the foundation for even more elaborate security measures (multiple thought-codes to send secret alerts, combinations of thought-codes and entered passcodes, and so on). The Assembly of Dreams is noted for their top-level security requiring a password telepathically implanted deep into the person's unconscious; the person doesn't consciously know it so it can't reveal it, anyone who does consciously know it triggers an alert, and passing the checkpoint requires the mind to be fully open to the scan, allowing a thorough mental scan.

Space Travel: Aranth has some fairly advanced space travel, sufficient to fully explore their solar system, although no real efforts have been made to colonize other planets (excepting Paradisia with the moon, but even that effort is in its infancy). There are a few individual isolated bases on the moon and other nearby planets, created by powerful Dreamers or Dreamtech scientists, but they're very rare. No alien life has been discovered by the people of Aranth, although given the existence of Dreamers, a notable majority believe it exists (more because "hey, at this point, why not?" than out of any belief of a connection). An abundance of satellites is largely responsible for the world's ubiquitous wireless network capabilities.

Space has - sadly - been weaponized. Most major countries have at least a few military platforms in space - orbital battleships, satellite weapons platforms, and so on. Every so often there is an outright space battle (typically in low orbit, but space nonetheless). Some forms of modern aircraft (including most state-of-the-art military aircraft as this is in many ways their big advantage over flying tanks and such and pretty much all mechs) are designed to be space-capable.

Vehicles: While the common vehicles on Aranth (cars, motorcycles, trucks, etc) haven't developed much in terms of sheer speed or power (largely because such advancements aren't all that necessary) they are vastly more energy-efficient and filled with plenty of cool gizmos. Most of them use Active Crystal for all windows, for more protection, greater range of senses, and more display options. Automated driving is the norm. Safety features are also generally improved, ranging from simply tougher bodies to outright force fields on luxury cars (the latter are even able to pick up and safely carry along pedestrians in the event of a collision).

Flight is available to the masses. Flying cars, jet bikes, and even personal jetpacks are all available on a middle-class budget. All flying vehicles require GPS tracking (and will not fly without it without extensive modification, a DC 25 Technology check, since this is what ensures they stay in their lane). Even if you can pull the Technology check, flying without the GPS is incredibly dangerous, and is a felony. Flying vehicles are relatively new, really got going a couple decades ago, and aren't quite as ubiquitous as cars are on modern-day Earth, but they're getting there. A substantial number of flying vehicles have low-end forcefield Dreamtech that offers additional protection and cushions falls.

Get into the big stuff, and the stops all get pulled out. Tanks are flying, and jets are going into space to maintain the advantage. Teleporter technology is very rare and highly energy-intensive, but present (Hero Corps, in particular, uses it extensively). Commercial space travel? As common and routine as Earth air travel (a space flight can get you pretty much anywhere in the world in two to three hours, tops, and a good portion of that is loading, unloading, takeoff, landing, and such; the actual trip rarely takes more than an hour).

Spoiler

Flying Car: Vehicle - 21 EP.

Size Large.
Strength 5.
Defense 8 (-2).
Toughness 8 (10 w/ Force Field).
Flight 5 (Alt: Speed 5).
Movement 1 (Slow Fall).
Features: GPS, Computer.

Civilian Jet Pack: Removable Device {10-2}.

Personal Flight: Flight 4.
Control Systems: Senses 1 (Distance Sense), Feature 1 (GPS).

Military Jet Pack: Removable Device {20-4}.

Personal Flight: Flight 5.
Forcefield Generator: Protection 5 (Sustained), Movement 1 (Slow Fall).
Control Systems: Senses 2 (Direction Sense, Distance Sense), Feature 1 (GPS).

Aerial Battle Tank: Vehicle - 85 EP.

Size Huge.
Strength 10.
Defense 8 (-2).
Impervious Toughness 12 (16 w/ Force Field).
Flight 3 (Alt: Speed 6).
Movement 1 (Slow Fall).
Features: GPS, Computer.
Weapons Systems:

Machine Guns: Damage 10 (Ranged, Multiattack, Accurate 5).
Cannon: Damage 10 (Ranged, Penetrating 10, Accurate 5).
Grenade Launcher: Damage 10 (Ranged, Burst Area) Linked Move Object 2 (Burst Area, Increased Mass, Limited [Push away from center of blast]).
Laser Beam: Damage 10 (Line Area, Alternate Resistance [Dodge]).

Weaponry: There's some highly advanced weaponry out there, although a good bit of it is hard to get. As with many things, the baseline hasn't necessarily changed much in terms of raw power - the overall PL of Aranth isn't necessarily higher than a general M&M setting - but things tend to be a good bit more efficient. For guns in particular, this means two things on the low end. First, most serious, "meant to fight and kill with" weaponry (rather than, say, hunting or sporting weapons) have rather advanced targeting computers built into them, generally resulting in adding ranks of the Accurate Extra. Some are even advanced enough to add ranks of Improved Critical, for maximum stopping power. None of this is Dreamtech.

Dreamtech guns can be assumed to be equipped with crude, low-end matter generators, and typically energy collectors to power them (they also have rechargable batteries that can be replaced). These create the bullets on the fly, resulting in massively increased ammo capacities. These are Dreamtech, though (Equipment being more prone to running out of ammo or jamming is built into the discount, so that has to make do with mundane loading).

More advanced weaponry is not uncommon. In particular, armor-piercing rounds (Penetrating) are very common for people who expect to fight Dreamers, since Impervious Toughness is not particularly uncommon. Most standard-issue Dreamtech weapons come in at 3 PP per rank in total cost (plus some change for Accurate in most cases). Serious weapons can go up to 4 PP or even 5 PP per rank, often with a bit of extra change for flat-cost Extras. Weapons going beyond 5 PP/rank are heavy-duty military artillery, typically meant for laying waste to massive areas (because seriously, there are only so many Extras you can tack on before you hit diminishing returns, but more Area always gives you a bigger boom!)

Weapons geared to overcoming certain types of Dreamer powers are less common, but available to SIDE or elite military units. Power Nullifiers (Nullify [Dreamer Powers; Broad, often Simultaneous, other Extras to taste]) and Power Suppressors (Weaken [Dreamer Powers; Ranged, Broad, often Simultaneous, other Extras to taste]) are the most common ones. For particularly tough threats, penetrating laser weaponry has proven wonderfully effective at piercing tough defenses (Alternate Resistance [Reflex] as a +1 cost per rank, often include Subtle as well). Nanite-burst rounds are favored against regenerators (cheaper ones are just Incurable, the good ones also provide Linked Weaken [Regeneration]). Some laser, nanite, and piercing weaponry can also be modified to break down tough defenses on a hit (Linked Weaken [Toughness], or Linked Weaken [Stamina], though using the latter type is considered a war crime). Some Dreamtech guns even put miniature targeting computers into the bullets. The two most common programs for this are to fire a barrage of rounds at multiple foes with high accuracy and minimal risk of collaterol damage (Ranged, Burst Area, Selective), to automatically guide the shot (Perception Range), or to lock on to the target and track its movements (Ranged, Multiattack, Concentration Duration).

[Quellian-dyrae]

No idea how much more I'll wind up doing on this...

[Quellian-dyrae]

I mean, there's a fair shot I won't use all/any of these reserve posts...

[Quellian-dyrae]

That said, I'd rather have them than not, so there ya go.