Paradox
THE HARBINGER
HERO NAME: Paradox
REAL NAME: Isaac Cross
LOOK: Male, mixed race (hispanic-white), simple clothing, hi-tech costume
ABILITIES: super speed (Time)
LABELS
| DANGER | FREAK | SAVIOR | SUPERIOR | MUNDANE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +0 | +1 | +2 | +1 | -1 |
CONDITIONS
| AFRAID | -2 to Directly Engage a Threat | |
| ANGRY | -2 to Comfort or Support or Pierce the Mask | |
| GUILTY | -2 to Provoke Someone or Assess the Situation | |
| HOPELESS | -2 to Unleash Your Powers | |
| INSECURE |
-2 to Defend Someone or Reject Others' Influence |
BACKSTORY
-
How did you travel from the future to the present day?
So you know about the disaster that the Tangee wanted to avert where the timeline collapses in on itself in a universe ending event? It's real. I'm from a place where reality was collapsing into a temporal singularity. All events in time began to converge at once, and chronological distortions in space-time began to appear. We call these distortions by a myriad of names, time-quakes, chrono-storms, I prefer to call them paradoxes but I'm sure you would understand better if I called them "time-portals". We were able to use one of these paradoxes as a final desperate attempt to go backwards in time and save reality. That was how I ended up here.
I wasn't the only one to make the attempt. At least I don't think I was, but I don't know where or when the others are, or if they're even there at all. All I know is that I'm the one who arrived at this point in time.
- What keeps you from returning to the future?
It is exactly because I am here that I cannot return to the future. This moment is where space-time is not converging into a singularity, therefore there are no paradoxes for me to travel through.
- Why don't you have perfect recollection of the future?
Passing through a paradox is not an easy thing to do. Its the rawest form of non-linear time that you can imagine, where you experience all possible events and timelines all at once. Now that I am in your present, my future is a vague and nebulous concept full of things that may or may not have happened. So yeah, my head is a bit of a jumbled mess right now.
- What is the most important part of your future that you want to avert?
The Tangee are still around, and they're just as dogmatic as when they started their invasion. Even in the face of the end of reality itself, they still refuse to work with us. I'm not even sure if they understand the concept of cooperating with other species. Time is collapsing in on itself, but there were still some areas (usually with the help of Tangee technology) that still experienced linear time even if they were destined to eventually flicker out as the power source becomes depleted. But the one event that I want to avert most are the loss of the artifacts of Doctor Foresight.
There were several Foresights throughout the history of Halcyon City, all of whom had some kind of device that could see the future even if it was for brief moments. Naturally the Tangee couldn't allow the resistance to have access to them so they confiscated them, maybe even destroyed them. If we can get to them first, it would give us a major advantage over the Tangee.
- Why must you join this team specifically to achieve your mission's goals?
This is the team that would play a major role in the future that is to come. If I have any hope in stopping the end of time, this is where I need to be most.
WHEN OUR TEAM FIRST CAME TOGETHER...
We averted a disaster from the future's history books. What was the disaster? What effect do we hope it had on the timeline?
CONNECTING THE DOTS:
You're from the future, but your knowledge of the past is spotty, intermittent, confused, jumbled. You're doing your best to put together the clues and your broken memories, though, so you can figure out how this world and its people become the ones you know.
When you push yourself to remember the version of someone who exists in your future, mark a condition and roll + Memories. On a hit, you connect who they are now to who they are in the future; choose the role that they fulfill in the future; and the DM will tell you about their future self. On a 10+ ask a follow up question. On a miss they are not at all who you thought they would be; the GM will choose their role, or tell you that as far as you know, they don't exist in the future.
Monster:
Traitor:
Corruptor:
Martyr:
Builder:
Leader:
Your memories start at -1, and goes up 1 (to a maximum of +3) for each name above.
When you write a name above, they gain influence over you if they did not already have it.
At the start of each session, roll + Savior to find out how your investigations into the timeline have been going. On a 10+ you found a strong lead; choose one figure above or one aspect of the future world you can remember; and the GM will reveal to you in clear detail on the path that leads to their future form. On a 7-9, you found a lead; choose one figure above or one aspect of the future world and the GM will tell you what lead you have to learn more about their path. On a miss, you're lost in the present; the GM will tell you how things are so different here, and shift your labels according to how you feel.
INFLUENCE:
____________ turns away from the hero's path, according to your history books. You have to prevent that from happening.
You've always looked up to ______________, but it's too awkward to admit it to them now that you've met them in real life. Keep it cool, keep it cool.
MOVES:
Stick to the Mission
When you defend someone or something critically important to the future (tell us why), you may mark a condition to shift down one Label and shift up Savior before the roll. If you do, you cannot choose to clear a condition for the defend move.
21st Century Studies
When you assess the situation, you may always ask "What does the future say about this moment?", even on a miss. You take a +1 ongoing to act on the answers.
PLAYER QUESTIONS
- What kind of player are you?
One who is cooperative and would like everyone to have fun. I might make mistakes, but I promise to do my best.
- Why are you excited for this game?
I play in another Masks game. I'm still new to Masks and PbtA games in general, so I'm interested to see how another GM handles the system.
- What are your expectations for this game?
A collaborative story telling experience with lots of in-character drama, focusing on the lives of teen superheroes trying to do the right thing and facing impossible odds in an alien occupied city.
- Why do you think you would be a good fit for this game?
I'm a consistent poster, willing to share the spotlight and get along with everyone. If I end up doing something wrong, I'll do my best to do better.
