Atom Nocturne was created through fictional leakage. In Atom Nocturne, everyone is youthful, glamorous, and amazing. Minds sparkle with power and energy. One's place in Atom Nocturne is determined by the power of one's Talent, and Talent is categorized into several recognized classes (which have colorful names, like everything in Atom Nocturne, but might be recognized by outsiders as telepathy, telekinesis, pyrogenesis, precognition, and bioenhancement). In Atom Nocturne, people live in a postmodern cityscape, party in underground raves high on the Talent of famous DJs, and compete in citywide tournaments under the Splendor Dome where the winners are institutionalized like war heroes.
But Atom Nocturne is not without its flaws. The heights of psychic ability are too much for some to manage. Their minds collapse inward into evil knots where self-aggrandizement and personal gain push everything else aside, including any shred of moral behavior. They are known as the Fallen, and each one has a different likeness and a unique and dangerous Talent to contend with. But some of the same heroes who prove themselves amid the cheering and adoration of the city tournaments have the opportunity to bring even the most powerful Fallen to heel.
The Splendor Dome doesn't have a physical roof. Instead, the Splendor Dome forms thanks to the combined psychic might of the massed spectators. It appears as a construct of flashing, pulsing, vivid color, and it is the physical manifestation of the minds of fifty thousand or more fans in psychic concert.
Beneath the dome, champions use their Talents to compete, usually matching single combatants or small squads against each other. A contingent of medics with bioenhancement Talents are on hand to heal the seriously injured. The fights are not meant to be lethal, and killing an opponent automatically disqualifies a combatant for future appearances.
Huge wagers are made on the side, but the trophies given to the winners are even more valuable. The trophies are artifacts of psychic energy, forged by the combined might of the approval of the crowd (with the aid of a powerful Atom Nocturne native called Forge Monsoon, who channels the energy to create a custom artifact if the approval of the crowd is large and sincere enough).
Forge Monsoon: level 7; able to craft a weapon of splendor at the end of Splendor Dome contests if audience approves
The mental “stink” of someone who Falls is detectable by telepaths of high enough Talent, but only if a particular Fallen leaves her lair. For reasons not fully understood, most Fallen retreat from society and seek a private sanctum, where their minds unwind from sanity at an ever-quickening pace. Over the years, various Fallen have risen, threatened to shake Atom Nocturne to its foundations in search of complete power, then almost inevitably have been beaten back. Lesser Fallen are caught and their psychosis treated in a special secure floating citadel high over the main city called Maximum Sanctum. But some Fallen get away without being caught, and sometimes those who are treated can regress.
As a person's dangerous psychic Talent grows, there's a chance she will begin to Fall. Treat the process as a series of game master (GM) intrusions. The first time, the PC's powers go a little wild. The second time, the PC loses control for a round or two. And for the third one (if the PC stays that long), the PC loses control of herself, running away from her friends and everyone else (like Fallen do) for many hours. After that point, a PC should probably think about getting out of Atom Nocturne. If a PC starts in Atom Nocturne, these sorts of mishaps don't begin to afflict her until at least Tier 3.
The Office of Strategic Recursion (OSR) on Earth has a secret branch office in Atom Nocturne. In addition to using it to contact Soma Kitsune, on-site researchers are secretly working with a Fallen called Threeface. When OSR “disappears” people on Earth, some of themundanes are brought here by inapposite gate, where Threeface uses her/his/his Talent of psychic surgery in an attempt to make them quickened. So far, results have been questionable, on every level.
A Fallen who calls herself Nefarious Star claims an entire skyscraper by threatening to cause every single resident of Atom Nocturne with pyrokinetic ability to burst into flame. Based on a few terrifying displays, her boast seems true. A call goes out on the public mind wave—who dares to stop Nefarious Star?
Nefarious Star: level 7; Armor 5 (15 against fire attacks); attack causes up to two targets within 1 mile to spontaneously combust for 10 points of damage each
Level: 1d6+1
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal sphere containing psychic image of an oracle
Effect: When the sphere is touched, it displays a psychic image of an entity. This is the Oracle, who will talk with, counsel, and serve as a friendly confidant to the user without the need for a depletion roll. In addition, the Oracle can answer questions about any topic put to it, and if anyone within all the recursions that make up the Shoals of Earth whose level is equal to or less than the artifact level knows the answer, the Oracle knows the answer too, and provides that answer after a few minutes of psychically searching.
Depletion: 1 in 1d10 (check per special question successfully answered)
Level: 1d6+1
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Pistol with elaborate crystal components
Effect: This one-handed weapon leeches mental energy from the wielder to empower an intense beam of focused psychic energy at a target within long range. Each shot fired inflicts damage equal to the artifact level, plus 2 additional points of damage for each point the wielder sacrifices from her Intellect Pool (ignoring Edge). The user chooses how many points to sacrifice, and she could sacrifice none and still gain the base effect.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6+2
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal goggles
Effect: If the wearer meets the eye of another creature within immediate range and makes an Intellect attack, the creature comes under the wearer's sway for one minute and does as he telepathically commands. The wearer can see from the target's point of view, if desired, during this period.
Depletion: 1 in 1d10
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal goggles
Effect: If the wearer meets the eye of another creature within immediate range and makes an Intellect attack, mental energy is drained from the target (as damage) and transferred to the wearer in an amount equal to the artifact level. The wearer adds the drained points to her Intellect Pool. Points added that exceed her normal maximum fade after one hour.
Depletion: 1 in 1d10
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal sphere about twice the size of a human head that glows with blue internal light
Effect: The sphere follows whoever activated it around for one hour by rolling across the ground to stay within an immediate distance of her. The sphere jumps over obstacles that are 6 feet (2 m) tall or less. Otherwise, it maneuvers around them if possible or stays put if not. Upon command, the sphere emits a mental cloaking field in an immediate radius; anyone within the field is virtually immune to mental tracking and has an asset on Intellect defense rolls.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal sphere about twice the size of a human head that glows with blue internal light
Effect: The sphere follows whoever activated it around for one hour by rolling across the ground to stay within an immediate distance of her. The sphere jumps over obstacles that are 6 feet (2 m) tall or less. Otherwise, it maneuvers around them if possible or stays put if not. Once per round, whenever the user is attacked by a foe within an immediate distance, the sphere fires a psychic bolt that inflicts 3 points of damage (ignores Armor) on the foe.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6+4
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Necklace with inset crystal
Effect: The crystal is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. A character can transfer points of Intellect from his Pool into the crystal, up to 1 per round, up to a number of stored points equal to the cache's level. (He can recover the transferred points normally.) Thereafter, the points can be used to pay the cost of abilities (including associated Effort) that use Intellect. The character using the intellect cache does not need to be the same one who invested it. The user cannot use the points to restore his Intellect Pool, unless he does so indirectly by using an Intellect-based ability that restores the points.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (check each time the cache is drawn down by any amount)
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Armor (usually medium or heavy) made from crystal
Effect: The material from which the armor is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When the wearer defends from a physical attack and applies Effort, she can spend points from her Intellect Pool instead of her Speed Pool.
Depletion:—
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Armor (usually medium or heavy) made from crystal
Effect: The material from which the armor is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When the wearer defends from a physical attack and applies Effort, she can spend points from her Intellect Pool instead of her Speed Pool. A conscious set of mind armor contains a telepathic presence, usually a psychic echo of a once-living person trapped in crystal. The armor usually possesses one or more additional abilities the wearer can call upon (or which the armor can trigger itself, if applicable). Roll a d100 to determine the additional ability. Each use of a mind armor’s secondary ability requires a depletion roll; the wearer can decide whether to use the special ability, though sometimes the mind armor may trigger its ability unexpectedly.
| 01–10 | If the user is struck with a melee attack, the mind armor automatically fires a bolt of energy back at the attacker. Roll a d6 to determine the kind of energy. Enabler
1 Psychic 2 Cold 3 Lightning 4 Acid 5 Flesh-decaying 6 Fire |
| 11–15 | The armor teleports the user to a spot she can see within short range. Enabler |
| 16–20 | The armor and its user go out of phase for up to one minute, during which time she can move through physical objects but cannot physically attack or be physically attacked. Action to initiate. |
| 21–25 | The armor allows the user to fly a short distance each round for one minute. Action to initiate. |
| 26–30 | When an enemy makes a melee attack against the user, the armor pulses with light, which counts as an asset on the wearer’s Speed defense roll. Enabler |
| 31–40 | Grants the user 1 point that she can use to restore any Pool. Action |
| 41–50 | User gains +5 to Armor against a kind of energy specified in the first table entry for one hour. Action |
| 51–60 | User lands on her feet and takes no damage after a fall from any height. Enabler |
| 61–65 | Allows user to mentally communicate with up to six other touched allies for twenty-four hours. Action to initiate. |
| 66–70 | While the user wears the armor, her maximum Intellect Pool is 2 points higher than normal for ten hours. Enabler |
| 71–75 | User can move more quickly for one minute, and each round she can move up to a short distance and take a normal action. Action |
| 76–80 | User can see normally in the dark; through fog, smoke, and similar translucent and opaque gasses; and through cloudy water for up to one minute. Action |
| 81–85 | A level 1 foe who strikes the user forgets the previous hour. Enabler |
| 86–90 | User becomes invisible, which reduces the difficulty of stealth tasks by two steps, for up to one minute or until she attacks or takes a similar dramatic action. Action to initiate. |
| 91–95 | If struck by a ranged attack, the user can choose to immediately teleport to a location next to the attacker. Enabler |
| 96–00 | If the user is debilitated or killed, the armor retains an echo of her consciousness and continues to act as if she was hale for up to one hour. Enabler |
Depletion: 1-2 in 1d00 (upon depletion, user must make an Intellect defense roll or her mind is drawn into the armor and becomes the resident personality)
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Dagger made from grey crystal
Effect: This dagger functions as a normal weapon of its type. In addition, material from which this weapon is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When a user attacks with the weapon and applies Effort, he can spend points from his Intellect Pool instead of his Might Pool.
Depletion: —
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Sword made from grey crystal
Effect: This sword functions as a normal weapon of its type. In addition, material from which this weapon is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When a user attacks with the weapon and applies Effort, he can spend points from his Intellect Pool instead of his Might Pool.
A conscious mind blade contains a telepathic presence, usually a psychic echo of a once-living person trapped in crystal. It typically possesses one or more additional abilities the wielder can call upon (or which the mind blade can trigger itself, if applicable). Roll a d100 to determine the additional ability the mind blade provides. Each use of a mind blade's secondary ability requires a depletion roll; the user can decide whether or not to use the special ability, though sometimes the mind blade may trigger its ability unexpectedly.
| 01–10 | On a hit, deal extra damage equal to weapon level of a kind specific to the weapon. Roll a d6. Enabler
1 Psychic 2 Cold 3 Lightning 4 Acid 5 Flesh-decaying 6 Fire |
| 11–15 | For one minute, a singularity appears in the space where the first victim of the mind blade was killed, dragging everything within immediate range into another recursion of punishment and pain. Enabler |
| 16–20 | A violent storm gathers in the sky over the area where the mind blade kills its first foe of the day and rages for one minute, randomly striking allies of the slain creature with lightning attacks. Enabler. |
| 21–25 | On a hit, the victim is aged 1d6 years. Enabler. |
| 26–30 | If the wielder is debilitated, the personality in the mind blade exchanges places with him and fights on until the fight is concluded or the body is killed. Enabler. |
| 31–40 | The wielder can make a free recovery roll that doesn’t count against his daily recovery rolls. Action |
| 41–50 | For one hour, the wielder gains +5 to Armor against a kind of energy specified in the first table entry. Action |
| 51–60 | For one hour, the weapon is transformed into a creature whose level equals the weapon’s level. The creature must obey the wielder’s commands. Action to initiate. |
| 61–65 | On a hit, the victim gains a harmful mutation. Enabler |
| 66–70 | On a hit, the victim is flung forward in time by one minute. Enabler |
| 71–75 | On a hit, a level 3 or lower NPC or creature ceases to exist; one higher than level 3 loses its next turn. Enabler |
| 76–80 | The weapon can attack a target that the wielder can see within long range. It fires an energy ray of a kind specified in the first table entry that deals damage equal to the weapon’s level. Action |
| 81–85 | On a hit, a level 3 or lower NPC or creature forgets the previous hour; one higher than level 3 loses its next turn. Enabler. |
| 86–90 | On a hit, the victim is blinded for one round. Enabler |
| 91–95 | On a hit, the victim goes insane for one round and attacks its own allies. Enabler |
| 96–00 | On a hit, the victim’s mind is transferred into the blade and the consciousness of the blade enters the victim’s body for three rounds. Enabler |
Depletion: 1-2 in 1d00 (on depletion, user must make an Intellect defense roll or his mind is drawn into the blade)
The personality of a conscious mind blade can be a little extreme, given its limited existence. The GM could develop a general personality and perhaps a special purpose that the mind blade desires to accomplish, such as “bring about revolution,” “protect he downtrodden,” “instigate conflict,” and so on. One of the greatest dangers of using a conscious mind blade is that it sometimes trades places with the consciousness of the wielder, especially when the wielder is confused or otherwise addled. The wielder must make an Intellect defense roll to resist the transfer.
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Sword made from grey crystal
Effect: This sword functions as a normal weapon of its type. In addition, material from which this weapon is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When a user attacks with the weapon and applies Effort, she can spend points from her Intellect Pool instead of her Might Pool.
In addition, when the wielder makes a successful attack with the weapon, she adds 1 point to her Intellect Pool. If this causes the Pool to exceed its normal maximum, the excess points fade following the wielder's next one-hour or ten-hour recovery roll.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Dagger made from grey crystal
Effect: This dagger functions as a normal weapon of its type. In addition, material from which the weapon is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When a user attacks with the weapon and applies Effort, he can spend points from his Intellect Pool instead of his Might Pool.
In addition, the weapon is the bane of creatures that use mental powers or psychic energy to make attacks. Against such creatures, the mind blade inflicts additional damage equal to its level and the difficulty of attacks against such creatures is reduced by one step. If such a creature attempts to use the mind blade, it takes damage equal to the artifact level each round the blade is handled.
Creatures that qualify as targets for the psychic bane mind blade include anyone with a focus like Awakens Dangerous Psychic Talent, Awakens Dreams, or other foci, types, or natural special abilities that allow someone to command mental powers. For example, a sirrush makes psychic attacks, and this blade would be effective against one.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6+2
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Mace with crystal head
Effect: This mace functions as a normal weapon of its type. In addition, the material from which it is made is highly receptive to thought and stores mental energy placed into it. When a user attacks with the weapon and applies Effort, she can spend points from her Intellect Pool instead of her Might Pool.
In addition, when the user makes a successful attack with the weapon, she can deal 1 additional point of damage directly to the target's mind (ignoring Armor). Against a PC, the additional damage is subtracted from the character's Intellect Pool.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Hand mirror
Effect: If the user presents the mirror so that a creature within immediate range can see its own reflection, the minds of the user and the creature are swapped for one minute.
Depletion: 1 in 1d10
Level: 1d6+2
Form: A metallic artificial arm
Effect: This arm can be attached in place of a normal flesh-and-blood arm on a quickened creature (this requires that the flesh-and-blood arm be removed). The wearer can spend Intellect points to achieve various effects with the arm. Unless indicated otherwise, each time an effect is triggered, a depletion roll is required.
Depletion: 1-2 in 1d100
Level: 1d6+1
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Circlet or crown set with crystals
Effect: A psychic circlet possesses at least one special ability. Roll a d100 to determine the ability.
| 01–10 | Wearer can take on the semblance of another person for one hour, which decreases the difficulty of disguise tasks by three steps. Action to initiate. |
| 11–15 | Wearer can take on the shape of a mundane animal for up to one hour, growing to twice her normal size or shrinking to the size of a mouse. She generally retains her normal stats but gains flight if she takes the shape of a bird, the ability to swim and breathe underwater if she takes the form of a fish, and so on. Action to initiate. |
| 16–20 | The wearer adds +5 to Armor against attacks that target Intellect for one hour. Action to initiate. |
| 21–25 | The wearer becomes especially affable for one hour, during which time the difficulty of all tasks related to pleasant social interaction is reduced by two steps. Enabler |
| 26–30 | The wearer becomes two-dimensional for up to one hour. She can slip through narrow spaces, turn sideways to an observer to become invisible, or make hand-to-hand slashing attacks that inflict 4 additional points of damage thanks to their hyper-fine edge. However, anytime she takes damage, she takes 1 additional point of damage. Enabler |
| 31–40 | The wearer can make a free recovery roll that doesn’t count against her daily recovery rolls. Action |
| 41–50 | The wearer makes a mental attack on a living target she can see within long range, forcing it to take a specified action on its next turn. Action. |
| 51–60 | The wearer can make a mental attack on a living target she can see within long range, forcing it to forget a span of preceding time (one minute, ten minutes, one hour, or ten hours). Action |
| 61–65 | If the wearer takes damage from an attack, an illusory duplicate is formed that lasts for one minute. The duplicate might confuse enemies as to whether it is real or a facade. All else being equal, if the wearer succeeds on a difficulty 3 Intellect-based task, a given enemy believes the illusion is real until the enemy interacts with it. Enabler |
| 66–70 | The wearer can move one round forward in time. She does not seem to exist for observers during the round she chooses to step over. Action |
| 71–75 | The wearer can mentally project a ball of psychic static at a target within long range that inflicts 2 points of damage (ignores Armor) on the target and all creatures within immediate range. Enabler |
| 76–80 | A target within long range is immediately drawn to within immediate range of the wearer by psychic lines of energy, which also inflict damage equal to the artifact level. Action |
| 81–85 | The wearer teleports to a location within long range. Upon her arrival, all creatures and objects next to the wearer are subject to a psychic attack inflicting damage equal to the artifact level. Action |
| 86–90 | The wearer steps into another recursion she has previously visited as if stepping through an inapposite gate. Action |
| 91–95 | On the wearer’s next turn, the difficulty of a task (including attack or defense) is reduced by one step. Action |
| 96–00 | The difficulty of a task (including attack or defense) attempted as part of the same action as activating this ability is reduced by one step. Action |
Depletion: 1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6+1
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Fist-sized ball of psionically charged ectoplasm
Effect: When activated, this ball liquefies and coats the body of the user for one hour, appearing to be an opaque bodysuit veined with pathways of soft light, swirling bands of color, or some other striking pattern. All psychic skin confers at least two abilities. First, the wearer can inflict 3 points of psychic damage (ignores Armor) with a touch. Second, the skin provides one of the following abilities, as determined by the user's desire when she first activates the skin.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (check per day of use)
Level: 1d6+2
Origin: Atom Nocturne (emergent)
Law: Psionics
Form: Crystal-handled whip made of flexible silver metal
Effect: A target within short range takes damage equal to the artifact level. In addition, the target must make a second Intellect defense roll or be subject to extreme mental pain, causing it to collapse into a quivering mass of screaming nerve endings for one round, which inflicts 2 points of damage (ignores Armor).
Depletion:1 in 1d20
Level: 1d6+2
Form: A weapon hilt (base form)
Effect: When activated, a weapon of splendor takes a unique form that best suits the wielder for a period of a day. Usually, this form is a weapon that the wielder is trained in using.
So for someone trained in heavy weapons, the weapon might take the aspect (and weapon stats) of a massive maul. When claimed by someone who prefers medium weapons, the weapon might become a medium sword. A weapon of splendor serves as an asset to any attack made with it, and the weapon inflicts an additional 2 points of damage if it hits a foe.
Depletion: 1 in 1d20