By James Maliszewski and John Snead
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Rebecca Bue Li is the proxy whose public persona differs the most from her private one. That's not surprising, given her position as both leader of a psi order and a cabinet minister of the Chinese government. Even if Bue Li weren't secretive by nature, Beijing would restrict her ability to speak openly and directly for "national security reasons." Premier Zhang Hu-lan has made every effort to keep the telepathic proxy on a short leash, worrying — quite rightly — that Bue Li's loyalty to China is conditional and secondary to her larger agenda.
The tension between Bue Li's public persona and her private feelings has repercussions within the Ministry as well. When the psi order was founded, the proxy made every effort to limit its membership to likeminded individuals, men and women who shared not only her telepathic abilities but her goals for humanity. Once China backed the order and it became the Ministry, Bue Li could no longer control who entered its ranks as easily. Though she and the Company manipulate the civil service examinations to serve their own ends, pressure from the State Council, as well as the sheer number of applicants, limits their effectiveness. Increasingly large numbers of Ministry members are loyal to China first and Bue Li second, which bodes ill for the proxy's plans.
The situation has only worsened since Bue Li's death in 2122. Initially, the proxy attempted to hide evidence of her demise, acting through computer agents and non-visual communications, in order to preserve the illusion of her continued bodily existence. That plan worked only for a few weeks, after which spies within the Ministry reported the truth to the State Council and Premier Zhang. Ever the canny opponent, Bue Li has used Confucian veneration for one's ancestors to allay fears about her disembodied existence and it appears to be working — for the time being. However, Zhang and her allies question the wisdom of allowing Bue Li to continue to run a government agency from beyond the grave, no matter how adeptly she spins Confucian arguments in support of her position. As rumors of the truth spread throughout the lower ranks of the Ministry, it's possible a government-backed coup could take place, with an ambitious telepath seizing control of the psi order, the first such event since the psions revealed themselves in 2106.
Bue Li recognizes that her current condition threatens the stability of the Ministry and her ultimate goals. She does not believe she can continue to lead the Ministry indefinitely and must accelerate her plans before Zhang and those who support her destroy everything the proxy's worked for. In addition, Bue Li wonders whether she is somehow "cheating God" by sustaining her mental existence after death through psionics. Though no longer a Catholic, she retains many Christian beliefs, including the notion that only God can determine the length of one's days. She worries that, by avoiding death to serve her own interests — even if those interests serve humanity — she may be giving in to a pride that could prove the Ministry's undoing.
Bue Li's goals as telepathic proxy stem from her earlier work on the "conscience and responsibility" programs she instituted in the Philippines. Many commentators fail to understand why she accepted the offer of the Chinese government for assistance. She did so not out of any genuine ideological sympathy for Beijing and its behavioral modification agenda. Indeed, "conscience and responsibility" runs counter to China's policies, although it takes a keen philosophical mind to recognize this fact.
Bue Li accepted Chinese aid because she saw China as the only government that possessed both the power and influence that would enable her agenda to come to fruition. Bue Li has a broad and well-conceived notion of human evolution, one that might never be implemented had she spurned Beijing's offer. For her, all governments are equally incapable of improving humanity. "Conscience and responsibility" rejects the Platonic notion that virtue can be taught and that education is the only means to personal growth.
At the same time, Bue Li doesn't deny that governments are immensely successful in creating a framework, a structure into which human beings can place themselves. This framework is essential for human growth and improvement. Similarly, governments are powerful vehicles for the transmission of ideas — good, bad and indifferent. Before human beings can choose to grow and evolve, they must be made aware of those ideas that might aid them on that quest. By associating herself with the most powerful and influential nation on Earth, Bue Li hoped she could subtly disseminate the ideas that are at the core of her agenda: virtue, freedom and responsibility. Until someone is given the chance to understand these ideas, they cannot embody them. China is simply the most convenient means to offer others that chance. In a different era, Bue Li would have just as gladly worked with any government that possessed similar qualities to 22nd century China.
Bue Li's foremost concern now — as earlier in her life — is the inculcation of virtue, by which she means action in accordance with eternal truths. For the telepathic proxy, life has no meaning if it is not undertaken virtuously. She likewise rejects the assertion that there are no eternal truths, nothing that transcends the particular and applies universally to all people. Among these truths are the existence of God, the immortality of the soul and numerous ethical principles.
All these truths have been taught in various forms by humanity's many faiths and philosophies. All contain a kernel of truth, but most have been mired in particulars rather than focused on the transcendent. That's why she rejected her Catholic upbringing: the Church was too much a product of a certain time and place. Although she acknowledges that Christianity teaches many eternal truths, it also contains much that is incorrect and detrimental to humanity's progress. Bue Li opposes all attempts to monopolize virtue. Since she feels virtue is not unique to any one culture or society, she is skeptical of any attempt to narrows humanity's vision and limits its options to parochial concerns.
For Bue Li, virtue is living one's life in a way that's consistent with eternal truths. Only by acting in ways that, if universalized, would bring harm to none can humanity ever evolve and grow. Too many past philosophies and religions have been founded on exceptions and limited visions. God has only one Chosen People — his intelligent creatures. To act as if some were more favored, more gifted with closeness to the eternal is a mistake, one that Bue Li wishes to avoid. Her goal is a world in which human beings recognize their unity and work toward common goals that in turn enable others to lead virtuous lives.
Bue Li's conception of freedom differs greatly from that of many contemporary thinkers. She believes that humanity is most free when it chooses willingly to act in accordance with virtue. As noted above, virtue transcends all cultures and times. What's true now has always been true and will always be true. Nothing humanity can do will change that fact, which is why it's pointless to laud unfettered license to do whatever one wishes as true freedom.
Bue Li does not believe that state (or religion, for that matter) has the right to restrict one's license, except to the extent that it interferes with another's ability to do the same. At the same time, she does believe that both the state and religion should do what they can to spread notions of virtue to humanity, so that, upon personal reflection, they can choose to act in accordance with them.
The telepathic proxy feels that humanity has languished too long under the authority of elites that know better than the average person. She worries that, over the centuries, humanity has given away true freedom in exchange for security and order. China is a perfect example of such a state and the Catholic Church is an example of such a religion. Bue Li would prefer that humanity be chaotic and confused but free. She believes that the state is a necessary evil that will eventually wither away once individuals realize how best to live virtuously. She also believes that the best way to secure humanity's future is if individuals become less dependent on large, overarching organizations that tell them what is best. Instead, she'd prefer a decentralized collection of small units that work well together — just like telepaths.
— From a public address by Rebecca Bue Li, Minister of Psionic Affairs, to a plenary session of the United Nations, 21 October 2111
The Earthstrike Ultimatum changed the world forever by bringing about one of the most remarkable realignments in the history of the human race. China's willingness to destroy the Earth to save humanity proved to be a turning point in the evolution of our species. Some did not recognize this at the time and some still do not, but I would argue that the great majority of us do, even if we're unwilling to admit it. The Ultimatum forced us to acknowledge that whatever our nationalities, religions or ancestry, we have a more fundamental attachment too a greater "nation" — our shared values as human beings.
In the face of the aberrant threat, China realized that there are things more valuable than our petty attachments to our homelands, whether it be China, the Philippines or the entire planet. The Ultimatum was a singular moment of moral clarity, one that made it impossible for mankind to explain away the presence of genuine evil. "Man is a rationalizing animal," we used to say in graduate school. Until the Aberrant War, humanity had the luxury of doubting the existence of transcendent values. With the return of the aberrants, we no longer have that luxury.
In short, we must rediscover Truth, which brings with it the realization that my beliefs may not only be wrong, but also that they may be right. The Ultimatum was the death knell of moral relativism, or "broad-minded" ethical equivocation. It heralded the beginning of what I believe is the beginning of a new "Universal Age," one in which the rightness or wrongness of actions is not judged by the culture to which we belong or the upbringing we experienced, but by an appeal to universal values.
If it is wrong for me to kill the innocent, it is wrong for everyone. Who has the right to make that kind of judgment? All of us. Humanity. It's what separates us from the aberrants, what makes us who we are — or could become. Far from being an act of power politics, the Ultimatum is an affirmation of universal values, a call to defend all that we most hold dear. It is an example we should hope to follow.
The third element of Bue Li's goals is responsibility. She feels strongly that any vision of the future that does not include an element of responsibility for one's fellow man is lacking. Though she eschews government or religion attempting to impose morality on individuals, she similarly rejects the notion that human beings are irreducible social atoms without any connection to one another. Her theory of virtue is based on humanity's commonality, its ability to grasp the same eternal truths and live in accordance with them. That brings with it the duty of assisting others in their own quest for virtue — and not merely by getting out of their way.
Instead, Bue Li holds that the future of evolution requires — demands — that everyone work together toward its development. No longer can human beings see themselves as Chinese or French or Brazilian. These cannot be the sum total of how one defines oneself. Common humanity is far more important, especially in the face of the tasks ahead. With the return of the Aberrants and contact with alien races, human beings are faced with a crisis of self-definition: what does it mean to be human? Bue Li answers that it means, among other things, that we are our brother's keeper. We cannot allow our own self-interest to prevent us from aiding others in their own quest for virtue. In fact, we must expand our notions of self to include other instinctively.
It is no longer possible to treat fellow human beings — fellow sentients — as others. Doing so has led to countless centuries of suffering and destruction. Humanity must embrace a new ethic of responsibility that flows from virtue and respects freedom. Anything less is to court disaster.
The high-ranking Ministry members described here occupy unique positions, and their distinctive histories and personalities shape the way whole branches of the order work. If the needs of a particular series call for a different texture to the Ministry's executive leadership, feel free to add new Company members and to modify existing ones.
The lower-ranking officials described below are examples of the kinds of Ministry members outsiders are likely to encounter in the course of their own business and adventures. Use them as is, or modify them to create other challenges suitable for the characters actually in play.
An unassuming man in his late sixties, Fa Zhu's official Ministry title is ironic, because he was an instructor at the Chinese Academy of Arts and Sciences in Beijing prior to the discovery of his latency. His area of specialty was philosophy, especially the interplay between the diverse schools of East and West. Fa took particular interest in the work of Westerners like Matteo Ricci and Gottfried Leibniz, who believed that Confucianism was both a source of genuine wisdom and compatible with many Western philosophical positions. This interest brought him to the attention of Rebecca Bue Li years before she became the telepath proxy, resulting in a friendship — and good-natured rivalry— that has existed for decades. When Bue Li recognized that her old intellectual sparring partner possessed strong telepathic latency, she quickly invited him to join the new psi order she was creating.
Fa was too much of a Chinese patriot to accept Bue Li's offer, however tempting. Instead, he suggested she look to Beijing for the support she needed to make the psi order a reality. Once this occurred, Fa gladly underwent the Prometheus Effect and soon became an integral part of the newly founded Ministry. Bue Li made Fa Professor of the Office of Semiotics, a position to which he has brought his considerable skills and intellect. Under his guidance, the Office has become the "public face" of the Ministry, dispensing equal parts good public relations and genuine assistance in the world's trouble spots.
Unfortunately, Fa is not well liked either within the Ministry or the Chinese government. His telepathic underlings believe him too "theoretical," preferring that the Office boldly blaze a new path for humanity instead of working carefully behind the scenes. The State Council worries that his interest in Western philosophy has "blinded" him to the superiority of traditional Chinese methods and practices. They thus keep a close eye on him. Despite these matters, Bue Li retains great confidence in him — even after death. Fa is the Ministry member the proxy most often uses to house her intellect since her demise.
Simone Calumpang is a Filipino woman in her late thirties, a former pupil of Bue Li. The proxy first met Calumpang in the years after she left public office in the Philippines. Calumpang was an up-and-coming research scientist, who'd developed a number of interesting theories derived from the work of the 21st-century Drs. Mazarin and Rashoud. Calumpang believed her predecessors had overlooked the possibility that the Mazarin-Rashoud node might develop in ways other than aberrancy and that understanding these ways might hold the key to future human development.
When Bue Li became proxy in 2103, she remembered Calumpang and approached her. She offered the younger woman a chance to explore her theories more fully in the psi order she was creating. Bue Li also offered to test Calumpang for telepathic latency— a test for which she did not test positively. Undeterred, Bue Li knew she wanted someone with as keen a mind as Calumpang in her service. Once the Ministry was formally created with Chinese backing, Calumpang became Professor of Psionic Research and pushed the psi order to explore the nature of noetics and its relationship (if any) to Aberrancy.
Since 2106, Calumpang has made great strides in the field, advancing several controversial theories, including one that states sberrants and psions are but two evolutionary roads humanity may follow. She goes further to suggest that a third road between the two may exist, although she has no idea what it may be. These theories, combined with her lack of psi abilities, make her something of an unusual Ministry member, but she enjoys the support of her underlings, Bue Li and the State Council — quite an achievement.
Chung Fengyi is probably Proxy Bue Li's strongest supporter within the Ministry. That's because this 39-year-old knows all too well the threat enemy forces — whether they be Aberrant, neutral or alien — pose to Bue Li's ultimate goals. He's uncovered more than a dozen plots against the proxy's life since 2110, including two staged by rivals within the State Council. For his efforts, Bue Li increasingly took Chung into her confidence, revealing to him her plans for humanity.
By the time he became Professor of Psionic Security in 2115, he was one of the proxy's closest confidantes. The heady combination of his closeness to Bue Li and her personal charisma affected Chung profoundly. He became deeply enamored of his proxy, a fact he tried to keep secret, even though he knew he could not do so. Bue Li never spoke of knowing that he loved her, which both pleased and infuriated Chung at the same time. He continued to serve her well until the day she died.
Since Bue Li's death, Chung has been a vessel for her intellect on several occasions. During these times, he's come to understand the woman he loved even more than he ever thought possible, including the fact that she could never return his affection as he might have wanted. Although Chung is saddened to realize this, he is also heartened to know that she still cares deeply for him, even beyond the grave. Rather than dispiriting him, this knowledge has emboldened Chung to work even harder to protect the Ministry and its role in the future development of the human race.
Born on the same day as Rebecca Bue Li, Bienvenido Veneracion has been at her side since they attended university together last century. The two have shared a great many things over the years — including bitter fights over the Bue Li's ideas and actions. Where Bue Li is intellectual and disciplined, Veneracion is emotional and carefree. He has been called her "twin" on more than a few occasions, a jest that bears more truth than many realize. Although it's not literally true, Veneracion is a mirror image of his long-time friend, one that offers a unique counterpoint to those who wish the telepathic psi order were somehow "different."
Veneracion is the foremost member of the Company, Bue Li's inner circle of advisors, which includes all her Professors, as well as others whose opinions she values. Unlike the others, Veneracion has no official position within the Ministry; he's not even a telepath. Yet he's actively involved in Bue Li's psi order. Veneracion serves as the "contact person" for those telepaths who don't quite fit into the Ministry's rigidly hierarchical structure. He coordinates their efforts, making sure they do not run contrary to the Ministry's own operations or Bue Li's goals for humanity. Beyond that, he provides only the barest of structure, being more of a "cheerleader" than a traditional leader — a role Veneracion eschews.
Veneracion's own activities are centered on the Philippines, where he works as a liaison with both the local government and the Catholic Church. A devout man himself, he tries to mollify both Filipino nationalists and Rodrigo Cardinal Magadia about the good intentions of Rebecca Bue Li. Thus far, he has succeeded in both his roles, although it's unclear how long he'll be able to do so, especially now that Bue Li is dead.
Wendel Pavlovsky is an unusual Ministry agent. He's a native of the FSA and he's a neutral. Yet he's also a linguistic prodigy the likes of which few have ever seen. Pavlovsky speaks twenty-eight languages fluently and can make himself understood in two dozen more, from obscure Sudamerican languages like Hovitos and last century's synthesis of Quechua and nearby tribal languages to this week's slang in London and Beijing. Furthermore, he has a keen ear for grammar and syntax, which made him a wonderful addition to the Office of Semiotics after the Qin made contact with humanity. Pavlovsky spends a great deal of his time traveling from one end of the Earth to the other (or into orbit) to support Ministry diplomatic endeavors in need of his unique talent.
The origin of Pavlovsky's remarkable abilities is unknown, but appears to be perfectly natural. Some whisper that he's an unacknowledged latent (although he tested negative on several different tests), while others say he's an aberrant. Simone Calumpang has taken great interest in him, citing him as a possible example of the "third path" she's postulated for years. For his part, Pavlovsky simply does his job and is thankful the Ministry has given him a chance to make a difference.
Chou Meiling embodies the contradictions of 22nd century China as much as anyone. She is a profoundly traditionalist person in an untraditional field. That she is a woman — and a young one at that — only makes the contradiction more apparent. Chou works directly under Simone Calumpang and, unlike her superior, is a psion. She shares Calumpang's interest in the connection between Aberrancy and noetic science, but she doesn't spend much time working on this question, which remains a purely academic matter for Chou.
Instead, she devotes her energies to finding ways to improve the Psi Institutes' pedagogy. Chou feels that new telepaths would be ill served if the Institutes remained mired in methods and practices that no longer hold true, given how much more humanity knows about the nature of psi abilities. Of course, Chou sees no reason why any advances the Institutes makes should be shared with other psi orders — a point of contention with Calumpang.
Ravinder Gupta is a new recruit to the Ministry, who has distinguished himself as an expert security specialist. He has spent the last two years working outside China, mostly in the Bharati Confederation of his birth, to foil plots against his psi order. He has also lent his services to India as part of the Ministry's public relations campaign. Thus far, it's proven sadly pointless, since the Indians have little love for the Chinese, whom they consider a serious threat to their own interests in Asia.
Gupta is adept in several telepathic modes, which is why he is so well regarded by the Office of Psionic Security. His superiors believe that he has the makings of a stellar agent. They also hope that his non-Chinese ethnicity will enable him to go places that most Ministry agents cannot. As the situation in Asia becomes unstable, and resistance to Chinese hegemony grows, Gupta (and others like him) may prove a powerful asset.
Beyond the offices of the Ministry there are a billion and a half more people. This book cannot offer details on anything like a representative range of them. But here are some of the crucial leaders and decision-makers, whose thoughts and actions shape the movements of the society around them.
Ms. Toshiro has been the elected Premier of Nippon for the last 38 years. She is now 73 years old and widely known for her wisdom, her deep love of Nippon and her surprisingly youthful appearance. Nobody outside the highest circles of government knows that Ms. Toshiro is actually a superior who underwent the Nakamura Process in 2075. The procedure enhanced her physical vitality and significantly increased her already impressive intellect.
In 2074, Ms. Toshiro started work as a minor bureaucrat in the department of strategic planning. The routine DNA testing given to new employees uncovered her genetic potential, and follow-up showed her an ideal subject for the newly developed Nakamura process. She agreed to receive the still-experimental procedure. Her new combination of inhumanly high intelligence and prodigious mathematical ability helped her rise rapidly through the ranks, to become one of the zaibatsu's senior financial planners. She worked closely with the hyper-intelligent novas who planned Nippon's short- and long-term future. When the previous Premier retired in 2084, the people happily voted for this young and vibrant woman who was heartily endorsed by almost every major political figure.
Until 2103, she served primarily as an intermediary between the novas who made most of the important decisions and the visible apparatus of human government. However, when the Colony and its allies killed more than 85% of Nippon's novas, Ms. Toshiro was suddenly called upon to become the actual leader of her nation. Despite her brilliance, she felt woefully unprepared for this daunting task. She realizes that the Nippon is doomed if it continues on its current path, but can see no easy solution to this problem. She now entertains a widening variety of increasingly unusual potential solutions.
She is trying to contact with the novas on the planet Eden, and debating with her advisors the wisdom of seeking help from the Qin despite her distrust of all noetic biotech. Ms. Toshiro is a brilliant, loyal woman, but like most humans in the upper reaches of the Nihonjin government, she spent many years relying upon powerful novas, and is still unused to thinking for herself. Although she conceals it well, she's increasingly desperate and despairing about her ability to balance Nippon between the twin dangers of a slow but inevitable internal collapse if nothing is done and external destruction if its secrets are revealed in the wrong fashion. While she often feels overwhelmed by the magnitude of these problems, she is aware that there is no longer anyone else to turn to. For now, she is determined to maintain the status quo until a viable solution can be found.
Chen Yuwen is the current Light of Wisdom. He is 45 years old and took his position three years ago. Before his selection, he was one of the most highly regarded of the scholar bureaucrats in the Office of Semiotics. Unlike many of the older members of the Chinese Civil Service, Chen Yuwen has spent the majority of his time in the government working alongside psions. He sometimes envies their powers, and is keenly aware of the great service they perform for the Chinese government. But for him, the knowledge and intelligence necessary to excel at the civil service exam, and the latency necessary to become a psion are both great gifts that come with great responsibilities. Therefore, it is only right and proper that both scholars and psions work for the common good.
Chen Yuwen maintains close ties with the upper echelons of the Æon society and generally supports their goals. Although his first priority is the safety and prosperity of the NCE, he realizes that China is part of the larger world and works closely with the Æon Trinity to help improve conditions throughout the globe and the rest of human space.
The recent tentative alliance between the Æon Trinity and the nova rulers of the Eden colony greatly disturbs him. Aberrants killed Chen Yuwen's grandparents when his father was quite young, and he is unwilling to accept that aberrants can be anything other than insane monsters.
The recent death of Rebecca Bue Li has created fresh tensions between Chen Yuwen and the leaders of the Ministry. Chen Yuwen is deeply religious — he spent five years in a Taoist monastery before he passed the Civil Service Exam. As far as he's concerned, Proxy Bue Li is not only dead, she is a ghost and should not be inhabiting living bodies or continuing on as the head of the Ministry. He support the efforts of some Ministry technicians to construct her a biocomputer or a biotech robot where she can permanently live, but believes that she should become at most a valued advisor with no actual power. He has been discreet in his comments on this issue since he knows that his views will meet with resistance from her closest aides. However, he sincerely believes that ghosts do not follow human agendas and cannot be trusted to help maintain the fabric of society.
Chen Yuwen is an extremely skilled administrator, an experienced politician and a highly accomplished speaker. He is currently readying himself to directly oppose both the Æon Trinity's alliance with Eden and the continued position of Proxy Bue Li. Since almost no one other than his most trusted aides is yet aware of his plans, he is almost certain to take both groups by surprise.
Irena grew up on the windswept plains of Eastern Siberia. Her mother was a Russian doctor who came to Siberia to help improve the health of these isolated people in 2087. Dr. Andropov married a native shaman in 2091 and Irena was born in 2094. Irena was educated in Russia and was studying engineering in her third year at Moskva University when the Russian Federation gave the eastern portion of Siberia to the Chinese. Outraged by the stories she heard coming out of Siberia, she returned to her homeland to help her people resist the Chinese. While her modern technical training was useful, her father urged her to also learn the ways of the spirits and become a shaman. After completing this training in 2119, she earned the respect of her people by leading several daring raids against the Chinese.
Driven by the unwavering conviction that Siberia should either be returned to Russia or remain free and independent, Irena Batmunkh now uses both her technical skills and the visions the spirits send her to harass the Chinese and avoid capture. Stories of her martial prowess quickly spread, and now four separate tribes have joined together under her banner. Within the past year, the spirits have shown her how to inflict even greater losses on the Chinese, and on two recent occasions she has lead small parties of raiders through almost impenetrable security to destroy a large automated factory and blow up a large and well-guarded fuel depot.
Unknown to everyone, including Irena herself, she has always been a latent psion, and five months ago she became a powerful protopsion who is skilled at both Telepathy and Clairsentience. Irena believes that her contact with the spirits has simply gotten much clearer and uses shamanic rituals and techniques to focus her powers. She is rapidly becoming one of the most respected shamans in all of Siberia, as well as someone the Chinese have placed on their list of the 10 most dangerous Siberian terrorists. She is passionate about keeping the Chinese from conquering and "modernizing" her ancestor's land and will accept help from almost anyone who will help her drive them back.
The following are both specific individuals in the setting and examples of some of the many sorts of characters suitable for Trinity series involving the Ministry and/or Asia. Players may take these characters as is, with Storyteller approval, or use them as inspiration with suitable modification for unique personas of their own. Likewise, Storytellers may bring in these characters without adjustment or use them as a reference mark against which to calibrate their own creations.
The Nihonjin Superiors follow the rules for character creation on p. XX; the others use standard Trinity rules.
Ling Sembilan grew up in Pinang, the Malay Republic's largest city. She had no idea what she wished to do with her life until she took a school trip to the aberrant-twisted ruins of Kuala Lumpur. From that moment onward, she knew that she wanted to work to keep the world safe from the renewed aberrant threat.
Although Ling Sembilan was disappointed when she found out that she lacked the psionic latency necessary to be one of the elite telepathic aberrant hunters, she continued to diligently study the various skills she would need to be accepted as a non-psionic member of the Office of Psionic Security. At 18, she passed both the basic civil service test and the highly demanding physical and was accepted as a trainee field operative.
After extensive training, she was ready to go out and fight aberrants. Although she has only been a field agent for 2 years, she has already helped track down and kill a cannibalistic aberrant lurking in the jungles of Burma's Shan State and a completely mad monster that was attempting to rebuild a portion of the Kuala Lumpur aberrant hive. However, she recently has had an experience that caused her to doubt much of her training. A month ago, she was in the Siamese jungles hunting a powerful aberrant that was supposed to look exceptionally human. During this mission, she became separated from the rest of her patrol and fell into an abandoned, overgrown well shaft. The fall broke her radio and her cries for help went unheard until she was rescued by a strange glowing man who flew down, carried her out of the well, treated her injuries and then departed through a warp. An aberrant that seemed both sane and humane saved her life. She continues to hunt monsters, but less certain of the correctness of her actions.
Image: Ling Sembilan is a 24-year-old Malay woman who is short, with long black hair and well-defined muscles. She wears her hair up in an elaborate braid the fits neatly under a combat helmet. She moves with the confidence and easy grace of a well-trained warrior.
Roleplaying Hints: You are a loyal and brave solider who believes in the Chinese cause. Your recent doubts about the evil nature of all aberrants have not compromised your desire to keep humanity safe, but they are starting to make you consider possibly expanding your definition of humanity.
Gear: Combat Helmet, Dress Uniform, Ear Radio, Health Band, Standard Battle Dress, Vibroblade, Vidspecs, Voss 93T High Threat Combat Rifle fitted with an integral Aberscope.
Nature: Follower
Allegiance: China
Strength 3 (Might 1)
Dexterity 3 (Athletics 2, Drive
1, Firearms 3, Melee 1, Pilot 2)
Stamina 3 (Resistance 1)
Perception 3 (Awareness
1, Investigation 1)
Intelligence 3 (Academics 2,
Bureaucracy 1, Engineering 2, Linguistics 1 (Malay, Chinese), Medicine 1 (first
aid), Science 1)
Wits 3 (Rapport 1)
Appearance 2 (Intimidation
1)
Manipulation 2 (Command 1)
Charisma 2 (Savvy 2)
Backgrounds: Allies 2, Citizenship 1, Contacts 1, Resources 2, Status 2
Willpower: 5
Psi: 1
Chen Ting is pleased to be Chinese for just one reason: she has ready access to its renowned Psi Institutes. If it weren't for them, she'd be just as happy having been born somewhere else, not least because she questions many of her nation's policies, including its hard-line stance against the Aberrant threat. So, it came as no surprise that Ting spent her university career preparing for the Civil Service Exams, hoping that she would be admitted into the Ministry of Psionic Affairs — perhaps even that she possessed telepathic latency.
While her dreams of being a psion were dashed, Ting nevertheless earned her placement in the Ministry, being assigned to the famed Shanghai Psi Institute. She quickly distinguished herself as an expert in noetic science. Unfortunately, her continued interest in Aberrancy and its relationship — or lack thereof — to psionic powers. Ting is convinced there is a connection between the two branches of humanity. However, her superiors within the Ministry questioned her choice of studies and she was "exiled" to the Philippines, where she was assigned to a Psi Institute there.
Far from being a punishment, Ting's transfer to the Philippines has proven a boon. Far from the prying eyes of her officious Chinese superiors, she has established contacts with a number of Filipino researchers who share her interests in Aberrancy. True, some of their interest borders on obsession, but that doesn't concern Ting. She's willing to take the chance of consorting with potential Aberrant cultists to learn more about these strange beings, who were once as lauded as the psions are today.
Ting spends much of her time at the Psi Institute, instructing psions about the nature of their powers and advancing the understanding of noetic science. Occasionally, she takes forays into the jungles, seeking out rumors of Aberrant activity. Her hope is either to establish peaceful contact with an Aberrant or to capture one — both of which are strictly forbidden by the Ministry, at least officially. Few doubt Ting's intentions; it's her judgment that's in question.
Image: Chen Ting is a slender Chinese woman in her early 40's. She wears her hair long, but usually puts it up elaborate braids to keep it out of her face while working. Her clothing is bright and cosmopolitan but shows definite Asian influences.
Roleplaying Hints: You are a scientist first and foremost. Politics isn't your game and you'd rather not be involved. Still, you can't understand why many in the Chinese government want to undermine the Ministry. It's afforded you innumerable opportunities to study psions up close and for that you'll always be grateful.
Gear: Organic clothes, Wazukana DX70 Personal Computer (Enhanced Lt. Bushido agent)
Nature: Explorer
Allegiance: The Ministry
Strength 2
Dexterity 2 (Martial Arts 1)
Stamina 2
Perception 4 (Awareness 3, Investigation 1)
Intelligence 4 (Academics 4,
Bureaucracy 3, Linguistics 2 (Chinese, Nihonjin, Tagalog), Medicine 5, Science
5)
Wits 2 (Rapport 2)
Appearance 2
Manipulation 2 (Command 2,
Interrogation 1)
Charisma 3 (Etiquette 2)
Backgrounds: Allies 3, Devices 1, Influence 3, Resources 3
Willpower: 3
Psi: 1
Nguyen Van Dai is a detective-mediator in the Funanese Peace Force. Both of his parents were peace force officers, so it was unsurprising that Nguyen also joined up. After he solved several difficult cases, he was promoted to detective-mediator in 2120. He is now in charge of peace officer operations in the small but prosperous Qui Non arcology.
While most of his work involves resolving petty thefts and domestic disputes, on several occasions he has worked closely with Chinese representatives from the Bureau of Psionic Security to stop international terrorism, tech smuggling, and, in one case, tracking down the members of a small murderous aberrant cult. The last case on which he worked with the Chinese resulted in his capturing several terrorists who'd attempted to smuggle a newly created mind-control drug into Funan. He received commendations from both his own department and the Chinese government and was interviewed by several OpNet news services. His colleagues are already talking about how he might be in line to succeed the senior detective-mediator of Northern Funan when she retires.
While thwarting violent criminals is flashy and exciting, he also greatly enjoys being able to sit down with two or more people who have some form of legal or emotional dispute and resolve the matter to everyone's satisfaction. Like many peace officers, Nguyen Van Dai is a Buddhist who strongly believes in the virtues of peace and non-violence.
Image: Nguyen Van Dai is a well-muscled man of medium height. He wears his hair in the single long braid now popular with many Funanese men. Although he normally dresses in the latest Funanese brightly colored bio-clothing, when acting as a mediator he wears the traditional red and gold robes of office.
Roleplaying Hints: You are a keen observer of human nature, but have not become hardened or cynical by the crimes and criminals you have dealt with. You genuinely like people and take great joy in finding solutions to problems that leave everyone satisfied. While you are highly skilled at collecting evidence and testifying in court against serious criminals, you ultimately regard such cases as failures, since you were not able to prevent or resolve the situation before it became so serious. You are a devout Buddhist, and although you are willing to harm or even kill someone if it is necessary to protect another's life, you hope never to have to do so.
Gear: Wazukana DX70 Personal Computer with Lt. Bushido Agent, Vidspecs, ear radio, reinforced clothing, Orgotek Electric Eel Taser Pistol.
Nature: Caregiver
Allegiance: Funan
Strength 3 (Brawl 1)
Dexterity 2 (Athletics 1, Drive
2, Firearms 3)
Stamina 2
Perception 4 (Awareness
2, Investigation 3)
Intelligence 3 (Academics 1,
Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 2 (Funanese, Chinese, Siamese), Medicine 1 (First
Aid))
Wits 3 (Rapport 3 (Discern
Motivation))
Appearance 2 (Style
1)
Manipulation 2 (Command 1)
Charisma 3 (Etiquette 1, Savvy 2)
Backgrounds: Contacts 2, Influence 2, Resources 3, Status 3
Willpower: 4
Psi: 1
Delphine Levesque was fifteen years old when the Esperanza came crashing down, destroying the Paris suburb where she lived. She still doesn't know how she survived when all of her family was killed in the blast. Dazed and confused, she suffered numerous physical injuries before hooking up with other battered survivors. She then spent months moving from refugee camp to refugee camp, all the while wondering how anyone could be as evil as the Aberrants obviously were. How could they do what they did to Europe? Was every vestige of their humanity now completely gone?
She asked that question many more times as she saw all manner of human depravity in the refugee camps. Once again, she survived, making her way to a camp run by the Aesculapians, who treated her kindness and tended to her wounds, both physical and psychological. During this time, they discovered she had powerful telepathic abilities and so recommended she seek training with the Ministry.
Delphine knew little of the Ministry except that they served China, which stood up to the Aberrants in the 21st century when no one else could. That was good enough for her; she wanted to do the same. Delphine sees no incompatibility between her European roots and service with a Chinese government agency. In fact, she wishes more people would put aside their national identifications to serve the greater cause of human safety.
Image: Delphine Levesque is young, short and dark-haired, with a dusky complexion that makes her actual heritage difficult to place. She prefers not to wear her Ministry uniform unless she must, preferring fashionable clothing that reflects her European sensibilities.
Roleplaying Hints: You aren't an apologist for China, but you do see much good in its defense of humanity. The Esperanza disaster made you feel helpless — impotent — and you never want to feel that way again. You joined the Ministry to serve all people and to ensure the Earth never again suffers a tragedy like the one that destroyed your native France.
Gear: Ministry uniform, Coveralls, Wazukana 300E Personal Computer, Emergency Medical Kit
Nature: Caregiver
Allegiance: The Ministry
Strength 2
Dexterity 2 (Athletics 2,
Martial Arts 1)
Stamina 2 (Endurance 1)
Perception 2 (Awareness 2)
Intelligence 3 (Bureaucracy
1, Linguistics 3 (Chinese, English, German), Medicine 2, Survival 3)
Wits 3 (Rapport 4, Savvy 2)
Appearance 3
Manipulation 3 (Command 1,
Interrogation 1)
Charisma 4 (Etiquette 3)
Backgrounds: Cipher 4, Contacts 3
Willpower: 5
Psi: 6
Telepathy: Empathy 4
Augustin Van Tro grew up in Funan, the only son of his engineer parents, who provided him with everything he needed from life — except direction. After completing university with a degree in communications engineering, Augustin cast about for a purpose in life, something more than pursuing the nouveau riche lifestyle his parents had given him. Like many Funanese his age, he took a sabbatical, touring the nations of Asia and Europe. Augustin claimed he was doing this to broaden his horizons, but in point of fact, he was just fleeing from having to make a decision about his future.
While in Europe, he visited Rome and Vatican City. A chance encounter with a Funanese Jesuit priest turned his thoughts to his family's faith. They were Catholics certainly, but hardly devout. The priest made no demands on him, offered no condemnations for his religious laxity. Instead, he simply offered Augustin to a place at a retreat center, where he might "clear his head of confusion."
Augustin emerged a changed man. Soon thereafter, he joined the Society of Jesus, much to the surprise of his family and friends. Even more surprising was when he tested positive for latency, a discovery that brought about a crisis of faith. Forbidden by the Vatican to join the Ministry, Augustin did so anyway. He felt he could do more good if he learned to use his potent psi abilities among those who understood them best.
Thus far, he has not been formally censured for his act of rebellion, but he fears it is inevitable. He does not regret his decision, seeing it as a culmination of his youthful desire to find meaning in his life. He prays he made the right decision and that he truly can aid God's people by joining the Ministry.
Image: Augustin is a thin, middle-aged Funanese man, who wears his hair in a short utilitarian fashion. He dresses in simple clothing cut from a dark material — homage to the priestly attire he feels he cannot wear until his status is resolved.
Roleplaying Hints: You are as true a believer in the teachings of the Church as anyone, which is why you find it so difficult to disobey your Pope. You know that your telepathic abilities as much a calling from God as your vocation to the priesthood. You wonder how long it will be before the Church realizes that as well.
Gear: Simple clothing, Rosary, Wazukana 300E Personal Computer, Copy of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola
Nature: Visionary
Allegiance: The Ministry
Strength 2
Dexterity 2 (Martial Arts 1)
Stamina 2
Perception 4 (Awareness 2, Investigation 1)
Intelligence 3 (Academics 3,
Bureaucracy 2, Engineering 2, Linguistics 3 (Chinese, English, Nihonjin))
Wits 3 (Meditation 2, Rapport
1)
Appearance 2 (Intimidation 1)
Manipulation 2 (Command 2,
Interrogation 2)
Charisma 4 (Etiquette 2)
Backgrounds: Citizenship 1, Contacts 2, Influence 2, Status 3
Willpower: 7
Psi: 5
Telepathy: Empathy 2, Mindshare 3
Hiroyuki Chida grew up in one of the wild sectors of the economically depressed Kyushu arcology. Bright and interested in the world beyond the grim decaying corridors around him, he stole holovid players and small computers and modified them to receive educational science vids and similar programs. When Chida was 15 he was arrested for petty theft. During his arrest he was DNA typed, and the results revealed that he had the potential to become a superior. After intensive psychological testing, the authorities decided that his criminal behavior was due to a combination of his deprived background and an honest desire to learn and not any innate anti-social tendencies.
After receiving several years of intensive remedial education, he was physically and psychologically ready for the Nakamura process. The mental enhancements produced by this procedure transformed the already intelligent Chida into one of the brightest humans on Earth. Excelling at electronics and computer engineering, he was given further education and is now one of the top three electronic engineers in Nippon. Because of his intense loyalty to the government that rescued him from a life of poverty and desperation, the officials in charge of maintaining these secrets revealed the existence of Nippon's remaining novas to him. Today he works alongside two of the remaining hyper-intelligent novas as an almost equal colleague. He enjoys their company and is happy to be able to work with beings who can keep up with his prodigious mind. Chida is working on techniques for artificially enhancing human intelligence by connecting them to advanced computers. His cyberware allows a primitive form of such enhancement, but he is seeking to improve on these crude beginnings. He is also attempting to duplicate the complex biotechnological minds of the Tesser starships using hardtech, potentially creating a form of hardtech interstellar travel.
Image: Chida is a tall, slender Nihonjin man in his early 30s. He has short, carelessly styled hair, and while he does pay some attention to his appearance, he is happiest wearing jeans and a lab coat. Like many brilliant researchers, he is somewhat behind fashion trends and still wears holographic smart clothes for formal occasions.
Roleplaying Hints: You are intensely fascinated with the world, devoted to your work, and deeply loyal to Nippon. While you are normally honest and truthful, you have also learned to keep secrets exceptionally well. You realize that revealing some of what you know could destroy you beloved nation. You respect intelligence and hard work, and are happy to talk about the non-secret aspects of your various projects with anyone who seems interested and capable of understanding.
Gear: Archimedes agent for his implant computer, sensor glasses, Shendi Lightrider hovercycle, smart clothes.
Nature: Analyst
Allegiance: Nippon
Strength 2
Dexterity 4 (Athletics 1, Drive 1, Firearms 1, Legerdemain 1, Martial Arts 2,
Pilot 1)
Stamina 3 (Endurance 2, Resistance 2)
Perception 3 (Awareness 1, Investigation 2)
Intelligence 6 (Bureaucracy 2, Academics 2, Engineering 6, Linguistics 1
(Nihonjin, Spanish), Medicine 1, Science 5)
Wits 3 (Meditation 1, Rapport 1)
Appearance 2
Manipulation 2 (Subterfuge 2)
Charisma 3 (Etiquette 1)
Backgrounds: Allies 2 (novas), Cyberware 1 (enhanced vision), Cyberware 1 (implant radio), Cyberware 3 (implant computer), Resources 3, Status 4
Merits: Concentration (1 point), Eidetic Memory (3 points), Lightning Calculator (2 points)
Willpower: 5
Psi: 1
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