TEXT: 2
  Author ........................................................................................................................................................................
  2
  Additional Contributions ...............................................................................................................................................
  2
  Editing and Development .............................................................................................................................................
  2
  Layout & Graphic Design..............................................................................................................................................
  2
  Cover Art ....................................................................................................................................................................
  2
  Interior Art ..................................................................................................................................................................
  2
  SPECIAL THANKS ........................................................................................................................................................
  2
  Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................................
  5
  A CRUSADE 
  ACROSS REALITIES: 
  The History of Istvatha V’han .................................................................................................................................................
  7
  Chapter One..............................................................................................................................................................................
  7
  THE HISTORY OF ISTVATHA V’HAN..............................................................................................................................................
  8
  V’HAN’S EARLY LIFE (1537-1561 AD; AGES 1-24) .................................................................................................................
  8
  THE FIRST  
  DIMENSIONAL CONQUEST  
  (1562-1568 AD; AGES 25-31) .............................................................................................................................................
  9
  THE EARLY EMPIRE 
  (1569-1702 AD; ages 32-165) ............................................................................................................................................
  9
  THE FIRST GREAT CONSOLIDATION  
  (1703-1779 AD; AGES 166-242) .........................................................................................................................................
  10
  THE SECOND GREAT EXPANSION  
  (1780-1947 AD; AGES 243-410) .........................................................................................................................................
  11
  THE RUKOSAN REBELLION  
  (1948-50 AD; AGES 411-413) .............................................................................................................................................
  13
  THE SECOND GREAT CONSOLIDATION 
  (1951-1993 AD; AGES 414-456) .........................................................................................................................................
  14
  THE THIRD GREAT EXPANSION  
  (1994-2020; AGES 457-483) ...............................................................................................................................................
  15
  CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................................................
  18
  The 
  Personage Imperial .................................................................................................................................................................
  19
  Chapter two..............................................................................................................................................................................
  19
  Istvatha V’han ............................................................................................................................................................................
  20
  THE MIND IMPERIAL ............................................................................................................................................................
  20
  V’HAN’S POWERS................................................................................................................................................................
  22
  Knowledge ..................................................................................................................................................................
  25
  Weaknesses ...............................................................................................................................................................
  25
  A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EMPRESS .....................................................................................................................................
  26
  Leisure Activities .........................................................................................................................................................
  26
  Social Circle ................................................................................................................................................................
  27
  DARK CHAMPIONS ..............................................................................................................................................................
  29
  FANTASY HERO ...................................................................................................................................................................
  29
  OTHER GENRES ..........................................................................................................................................................................
  29
  HORROR HERO ....................................................................................................................................................................
  32
  PULP HERO .........................................................................................................................................................................
  32
  STAR HERO .........................................................................................................................................................................
  32
  The Imperial Legions ...............................................................................................................................................................
  37
  Chapter Three ...........................................................................................................................................................................
  37
  The Imperial Battalion................................................................................................................................................................
  38
  Organization And Function Of The Battalion ...................................................................................................................
  38
  Battalion Recruitment And Training ...............................................................................................................................
  39
  EXAMPLE BATTALIONEERS...................................................................................................................................................
  40
  ABRAXAS ............................................................................................................................................................................
  40
  ARS DIAVOLA ......................................................................................................................................................................
  43
  BLACK ................................................................................................................................................................................
  45
  KHARRL KORATHON ............................................................................................................................................................
  47
  TARGE ................................................................................................................................................................................
  49
  VECTRON ............................................................................................................................................................................
  52
  Other Battalioneers ......................................................................................................................................................
  54
  STRUCTURE AND RANKS .....................................................................................................................................................
  59
  The Imperial High Command ........................................................................................................................................
  59
  THE IMPERIAL LEGIONS .............................................................................................................................................................
  59
  Imperial Military Ranks.................................................................................................................................................
  60
  YOU’RE IN THE D-ARMY NOW ..............................................................................................................................................
  62
  D-Soldiers...................................................................................................................................................................
  63
  Specialized D-Soldiers .................................................................................................................................................
  65
  Imperial Elite Forces ....................................................................................................................................................
  66
  THE IMPERIAL SCOUT SERVICE ............................................................................................................................................
  70
  THE IMPERIAL INTELLIGENCE COMMAND .............................................................................................................................
  71
  IIC Agent Templates ....................................................................................................................................................
  71
  PERSONAL EQUIPMENT .......................................................................................................................................................
  74
  Weapons ....................................................................................................................................................................
  74
  V’HANIAN MILITARY TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................
  74
  Defensive Equipment ...................................................................................................................................................
  76
  Movement Devices ......................................................................................................................................................
  76
  Communications And Sensory Gear ..............................................................................................................................
  77
  OTHER EQUIPMENT .............................................................................................................................................................
  78
  V’HANIAN STARSHIPS ..........................................................................................................................................................
  81
  V’HANIAN MILITARY vehicles .....................................................................................................................................................
  81
  INVICTOR IMPERIUS ....................................................................................................................................................
  82
  IVV HEAVY WARSHIP ...................................................................................................................................................
  85
  IVV WAR CRUISER .......................................................................................................................................................
  87
  IVV CRUISER ...............................................................................................................................................................
  87
  IVV Escort ...................................................................................................................................................................
  89
  IVV Scout/Explorer .......................................................................................................................................................
  90
  IVV Fighter ..................................................................................................................................................................
  90
  V’HANIAN PLANETARY VEHICLES ..........................................................................................................................................
  93
  IVA Hovertank .............................................................................................................................................................
  93
  IVA Transport ..............................................................................................................................................................
  93
  IVA HOVERJET III-A ......................................................................................................................................................
  93
  The Multiverse .........................................................................................................................................................................
  95
  Chapter Four ............................................................................................................................................................................
  95
  The Four Worlds .........................................................................................................................................................................
  96
  THE SEPHIROTHIC TREE OF LIFE...........................................................................................................................................
  97
  Assiah ........................................................................................................................................................................
  97
  Yetzirah ......................................................................................................................................................................
  99
  Briah ..........................................................................................................................................................................
  100
  Atziluth .......................................................................................................................................................................
  101
  The Qliphothic World ...................................................................................................................................................
  101
  SPECIAL DIMENSIONS .........................................................................................................................................................
  102
  GENERAL NATURE ...............................................................................................................................................................
  104
  THE ASTRAL PLANE....................................................................................................................................................................
  104
  Connections To Other Planes .......................................................................................................................................
  105
  Perceiving Earth ..........................................................................................................................................................
  105
  DIVISIONS OF THE LOWER ASTRAL .......................................................................................................................................
  106
  Sample Regions ..........................................................................................................................................................
  107
  ASTRAL INHABITANTS..........................................................................................................................................................
  107
  TRAVEL ON THE ASTRAL PLANE ...........................................................................................................................................
  108
  ADVENTURE USE .................................................................................................................................................................
  110
  GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................................
  111
  FAERIE: THE LAND OF LEGENDS .................................................................................................................................................
  111
  Sample Regions ..........................................................................................................................................................
  112
  INHABITANTS ......................................................................................................................................................................
  113
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS ..........................................................................................................................................................
  114
  ADVENTURE USE .................................................................................................................................................................
  115
  GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................................
  116
  Sample Regions ..........................................................................................................................................................
  116
  THE NETHERWORLD ...................................................................................................................................................................
  116
  INHABITANTS ......................................................................................................................................................................
  117
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS ..........................................................................................................................................................
  118
  ADVENTURE USE .................................................................................................................................................................
  119
  GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................................
  120
  Elysium ......................................................................................................................................................................................
  120
  Sample Regions ..........................................................................................................................................................
  121
  INHABITANTS ......................................................................................................................................................................
  122
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS ..........................................................................................................................................................
  123
  ADVENTURE USE .................................................................................................................................................................
  123
  GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................................
  BABYLON: THE CITY OF MAN ......................................................................................................................................................
  124
  Sample Locations ........................................................................................................................................................
  125
  INHABITANTS ......................................................................................................................................................................
  126
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS ..........................................................................................................................................................
  127
  BRITWORLD ........................................................................................................................................................................
  129
  ALTERNATE EARTHS ...................................................................................................................................................................
  129
  CAHOKIAN EARTH................................................................................................................................................................
  130
  EMPEROR MARTINEZ EARTH ................................................................................................................................................
  131
  FOXBATWORLD ...................................................................................................................................................................
  132
  LAURENTIA .........................................................................................................................................................................
  132
  LEFT-HANDED EARTH ..........................................................................................................................................................
  133
  THE LITTLE BANG ................................................................................................................................................................
  135
  MALVAWORLD .....................................................................................................................................................................
  135
  THE MULTIFARIAN................................................................................................................................................................
  136
  POPEWORLD .......................................................................................................................................................................
  137
  POWERWORLD....................................................................................................................................................................
  138
  WALKINGWORLD .................................................................................................................................................................
  139
  MALKUTH: LOEZEN ..............................................................................................................................................................
  140
  OTHER EXAMPLE DIMENSIONS ..................................................................................................................................................
  140
  MALKUTH: LYTHRUM ...........................................................................................................................................................
  141
  MALKUTH: THE SIXTH DIMENSION ........................................................................................................................................
  141
  YESOD: YGGDRASIL, REALM OF PLANT LIFE .........................................................................................................................
  142
  HOD: THE CITY-STATES OF YONG..........................................................................................................................................
  142
  TIPHERETH: THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE ..................................................................................................................................
  142
  TIPHERETH: DEATH’S DOMINION ..........................................................................................................................................
  143
  PACHAD: THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS .....................................................................................................................
  144
  CHESED: REALMS OF THE FOUR ZOAS .................................................................................................................................
  144
  Ulro ............................................................................................................................................................................
  145
  Beulah ........................................................................................................................................................................
  145
  Generation ..................................................................................................................................................................
  145
  Golgonooza .................................................................................................................................................................
  145
  QLIPHOTHIC: THE SHINING DARKNESS..................................................................................................................................
  146
  QLIPHOTHIC: TATTERDEMALION ...........................................................................................................................................
  146
  THE V’HANIAN EMPIRE .............................................................................................................................................................
  147
  Chapter Five .............................................................................................................................................................................
  147
  Structure of Empire ...................................................................................................................................................................
  148
  THE HIERARCHY OF POWER .................................................................................................................................................
  148
  Regents And Viceroys ..................................................................................................................................................
  149
  Imperial Designees ......................................................................................................................................................
  149
  The Imperial Bureaucracy ............................................................................................................................................
  149
  THE IMPERIAL MINISTRIES ...................................................................................................................................................
  152
  The Grand Chancellery.................................................................................................................................................
  152
  The Ministry Of Diplomatic Affairs .................................................................................................................................
  153
  The Ministry Of Energy.................................................................................................................................................
  154
  The Ministry Of History.................................................................................................................................................
  154
  The Ministry Of Interdimensional Relations ....................................................................................................................
  155
  The Ministry Of Military Affairs......................................................................................................................................
  157
  The Ministry Of Mystic Affairs .......................................................................................................................................
  157
  The Ministry Of Science And Technology.......................................................................................................................
  157
  The Ministry Of Security ...............................................................................................................................................
  158
  The Ministry Of Trade And Economics...........................................................................................................................
  158
  IMPERIAL POLITICS .............................................................................................................................................................
  159
  The Palace Imperial .....................................................................................................................................................
  159
  LIFE IN THE V’HANIAN EMPIRE ...................................................................................................................................................
  159
  Life At Court................................................................................................................................................................
  160
  Factions And Movements .............................................................................................................................................
  162
  Movers And Shakers....................................................................................................................................................
  163
  LAW AND CRIME .................................................................................................................................................................
  164
  The Imperial Law Council .............................................................................................................................................
  164
  The Imperial Judicial Corps ..........................................................................................................................................
  164
  The Imperial Security Force ..........................................................................................................................................
  165
  Crime In The Empire ....................................................................................................................................................
  168
  Punishment.................................................................................................................................................................
  170
  TRADE ................................................................................................................................................................................
  170
  COMMUNICATIONS ..............................................................................................................................................................
  171
  TECHNOLOGY......................................................................................................................................................................
  172
  ALTETHRYA .........................................................................................................................................................................
  173
  DOMAINS OF EMPIRE .................................................................................................................................................................
  173
  BALGARABA ........................................................................................................................................................................
  174
  BOTANOWORLD ..................................................................................................................................................................
  174
  CORYPHALON .....................................................................................................................................................................
  174
  THE EMANATIONS OF VYRON ...............................................................................................................................................
  175
  HADLA DORANA ..................................................................................................................................................................
  175
  MARSWORLD ......................................................................................................................................................................
  176
  NARGAROTH .......................................................................................................................................................................
  176
  NOCUTARIS .........................................................................................................................................................................
  177
  STALOSIA ............................................................................................................................................................................
  177
  ÜBERMENSCHENWELT .........................................................................................................................................................
  177
  V’HA ...................................................................................................................................................................................
  178
  STAGE ALPHA: PREPARATION ...............................................................................................................................................
  179
  THE MARCH OF CONQUEST ........................................................................................................................................................
  179
  STAGE BETA: RECONNAISSANCE ..........................................................................................................................................
  180
  STAGE GAMMA: WEAKENING ...............................................................................................................................................
  180
  STAGE DELTA: INVASION ......................................................................................................................................................
  181
  STAGE EPSILON: CONQUEST ................................................................................................................................................
  181
  STAGE ZETA: INTEGRATION ..................................................................................................................................................
  182
  INVADING EARTH .................................................................................................................................................................
  182
  Her Current Plans ........................................................................................................................................................
  183
  TYRANNON AND SKARN.......................................................................................................................................................
  186
  ENEMIES OF EMPIRE..................................................................................................................................................................
  186
  REBELS OF THE REALITIES ...................................................................................................................................................
  187
  The Exrandal’rian Revolt ..............................................................................................................................................
  187
  GENERAL KORTH TORGO .....................................................................................................................................................
  187
  The L’sandron Army ....................................................................................................................................................
  189
  The Psubversives ........................................................................................................................................................
  190
  The Ta!ra Freedom Fighters .........................................................................................................................................
  191
  OTHER ENEMIES..................................................................................................................................................................
  191
  The Fracture ...............................................................................................................................................................
  191
  The Time-Beast...........................................................................................................................................................
  191
  The Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities..........................................................................................................................
  192
  THE TIME-BEAST .................................................................................................................................................................
  193
  GAMEMASTERING THE EMPRESS ............................................................................................................................................
  195
  Chapter six ...............................................................................................................................................................................
  195
  ISTVATHA V’HAN 
  AND THE 
   CHAMPIONS UNIVERSE .............................................................................................................................................................
  196
  BEFORE THE INVASION PLOT SEEDS.....................................................................................................................................
  198
  USING ISTVATHA V’HAN..............................................................................................................................................................
  198
  THE INVASION AND BEYOND PLOT SEEDS ............................................................................................................................
  199
  CAMPAIGN FRAMEWORKS ...................................................................................................................................................
  200
  DIMENSIONAL PURPOSE ......................................................................................................................................................
  201
  DIMENSIONAL CAMPAIGNING .....................................................................................................................................................
  201
  DIMENSIONAL FUNCTION .....................................................................................................................................................
  202
  DESIGNING DIMENSIONS .....................................................................................................................................................
  204
  Types Of Dimensions ...................................................................................................................................................
  204
  Designing The Environment ..........................................................................................................................................
  208
  Inhabitants ..................................................................................................................................................................
  211
  Structuring The Multiverse ...........................................................................................................................................
  212
  DIMENSIONAL CONTACT AND TRAVEL ..................................................................................................................................
  214
  Finding Your Way ........................................................................................................................................................
  214
  Travel Methods ...........................................................................................................................................................
  215
  Ease And Prevalence ...................................................................................................................................................
  218
  Dimensional Invasions .................................................................................................................................................
  218
  RANDOM DIMENSION GENERATION ......................................................................................................................................
  219
  Part 1: Dimensional Basics ..........................................................................................................................................
  219
  Alternate Earths...........................................................................................................................................................
  221
  Index ..........................................................................................................................................................................................
  223
  Crusaders of the Infinite Realities .............................................................................................................................................
  229
  229
  ABREBARAS ........................................................................................................................................................................
  231
  GRENSHOL ARGELAN ..........................................................................................................................................................
  233
  DOCTOR ARCHON ...............................................................................................................................................................
  235
  QQETHRU HELQ...................................................................................................................................................................
  237
  SHIMMERING SCARLET ........................................................................................................................................................
  239
  Safety Area: All Text, Logos & Barcode should remain inside the Pink Dotted Lines
  EMPRESS
  Book of the 
  
  Book of the 
  empress
  
  DEDICATION
  DEDICATION
  Hero Games would like to dedicate The 
  Book Of The Empress to Robert “Secret 
  Power Behind the Throne” Towell for his 
  generous support and encouragement.
  Author
  Author
  Steven S. Long
  Additional Contributions
  Additional Contributions
  Dean Shomshak, Scott Bennie, 
  Cryptic Studios, Allen Thomas
  Editing and Development
  Editing and Development
  Darren Watts
  Layout & Graphic Design
  Layout & Graphic Design
  Fred Hicks
  Cover Art
  Cover Art
  Brian & Brendon Fraim
  Interior Art
  Interior Art
  Brian & Brendon Fraim 
  with Storn Cook, Bob Cram, Keith Curtis, 
  John Grigni, Katherine Guevara, 
  Christian N. St. Pierre, Derek Thomas, 
  and Jonathan Wyke
  SPECIAL THANKS
  SPECIAL THANKS
  Hero Games would like to thank the following people who all contributed to the Book Of The 
  Empress Kickstarter project and helped to make this book a reality:
  Imperial Consorts:  Peter Dodge; David Gettman
  Imperial Regents:  Erik Lund; Douglas Ohlson; Jeff Railsback; Chris Russo; Torii Swader; Ujezd1
  Imperial Heroes:  Paul Atkinson; James Jandebeur; Patrick Jaurion; Chris Larkin; Mike Sims; Sean A. 
  Smiley and William Christopher Smiley; George VanMeter; Kyle Welch; Micah Wolfe
  Imperial Viceroys:  Michel Bélanger; DarkFite; Jenevieve DeFer; Demian; Elizabeth Dorf; Robert 
  Dorf; Brett Easterbrook; Oliver Edwards; Richard Gonzalez; Chris Goodwin; Ray Irvin; Dave Kester; 
  Bill “Istvatha’s Love Bunneh” Keyes; Mabon5127; Walter Manbeck; Andrea Martinelli; Hugh Neilson; 
  Gregory Nussbaum; Arcangel Ortiz, Jr.; TheQuestionMan; Chad Riley; Andrew Ross; Michael Satran; 
  Jon Schreifels; Steven Sick; Kristina VanHeeswijk
  Imperial Heralds:  Todd C. Abril; Phil Adler; albreaux; Russ Allbery; Keith J. Andreano; Chris Angelini; 
  Dale Armes; Raymond D. Arrastia; John B; Jeff Baker; Scott Baker; Dale Barnes; Bill Beane; Patrick E. 
  Bradley; Matthew Broodie-Stewart; Daniel Calhoun; Andrew Cermak; Philip T. Christiano; Rod Currie; 
  Peter Daly; Lorelei Medora Darbee; Thomas Davidson; Sam Dugan; Sean Dunlap; Andrew Durfor; Gordon 
  Feiner; Harry Ferguson; Enedino Fernandez; George Flowers; Mike Fontana; Franklin Foust (Yamato); 
  Jon Garceau; Bennie Gerritsen; Curtis Gibson; Norman Gross; Joseph Handley; Farrell Hopkins; Robert 
  H. Hudson Jr; Doug Jones (Legion); Robert C. Kim; Sean Krauss; Matthew Lahtinen; Mark Lemming; 
  Tom “Deadman” Lively; Darren Long; Jim Long; Ray Lowery; Nicholas Lubofsky; Robert Magnano; 
  Dave Mattingly; Michael D. McClain; Mark Meyers; name_tamer; Keith Pepin; Pat Ransom; Mitchell 
  Rhudy; Vincent Richardson; David Rivers; Jon Robertson; Tim Rodriguez; Rubicon; Bob Runnicles; Pete 
  Ruttman; Rob “Teflon Billy” Sagris; Don Satow; Jeff Schultz; Michael Sears; Jonathan Shaw; shinpei; 
  MistWing SilverTail; Winddancer Soto and the Grrl Gamers of Greensboro (Aissys Sparkstealer, N. E., 
  Jessica Nelson, Chibi-Zel, Stephine Perry, and Kristi Watts nee Hall); Jonathan Souza; Barton Stano; 
  Darren Sullivan; Steven Thesken; Jonathan M. Thompson; Rob “Vanguard” Trimarco; Jeff Troutman; 
  James Van Horn; Jason “Hierax” Verbitsky; Adam Waggenspack; Darren Watts; Leah Watts; John W. 
  Whitted; Jason Youngberg
  Imperial Battalioneers:  Cindy Louise Allen; Jeremy Barton; Bryan Bartrop; Kevin Bender; Mickael 
  Boccara; David Bolack; Jeffrey “Neverway” Borden; Carl Celizic; Steven Clark; Jim Clayson; David 
  Constantino; Don Corcoran; Kyle Cottengim; Glen Cox; Crossover Miniatures; Chris Davies; Gary 
  “archermoo” Denney; Daniel Dickson; Ioannis Dounis; Jay Dugger; Robert Dwyer; Greg Elkins; Jack 
  Emmert; Matt the Bruins fan; Max Fauth; Scott Field; Fred Filler; Leif Erik Furmyr; Patric Gagnon; Joe 
  Gaines; Kyle Gallagher; John Grigni; Keith Hann; Ben L. Harrison; Shane Harsch; Steven Henderson; 
  Derek Hiemforth; Abraham Isgur; Chris Michael Jahn; Andrew Johnson; Gary Jones; Steve Kenson; 
  Jeffery Keown; Joe Linehan; Dominic Lund; Randy Madison; Matthew L. Martin; Denver Mason; Tom 
  McCarthy; Paul McMullen; Patrice Mermoud; Michael; Greg Morrow; Kyle Payne; Zackary Perham; 
  Purple Duck Games; Matthew W. Roth; Patrick Sandhop; John F. Schad III; Tim Sipes; David J. 
  Stagliano; Andy Staples; Robert Stehwien; Michael Surbrook; David “bluesguy” Tannen; Death Tribble; 
  Peter Trueman; Magnus Hertzberg Ulstein; Wayne “Thag13” Walls; M. Scott Walters; Lester Ward; 
  Sean Waters; Jason “JmOz” Wedel; Piotr Wilczynski; wlg; Ralph Young
  Imperial Minions:  Shawn Dry; Anthony Morris; Charles P; Marc Tassin; Carlyn Watts
  You’re all Heroes!
  HERO System™® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  HERO System Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002, 2009 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights 
  reserved. 
  Champions, Dark Champions, and all associated characters © 1981-2009 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All 
  rights reserved. “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. 
  “Champions” and “Dark Champions” are used under license from Cryptic Studios, Inc. 
  Fantasy Hero Copyright © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero Copyright © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, and Western Hero Copyright © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. 
  d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form 
  or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, 
  recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and 
  retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: 
  DOJ, Inc., P.O. Box 247, Gerlach, NV  89412.
  Printed in the USA. First printing March 2012.
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number: DOJHERO1107
  ISBN Number: 978-1-58366-142-0
  http://www.herogames.com
  Book of the 
  empress
  A settING Book for CHAMPIONS
  
  tABLe of CoNteNts
  Introduction ......................................... 5
  Chapter One:   
  A Crusade Across Realities:  
  The History Of Istvatha V’han
  The History of Istvatha V’han ............... 8
  V’han’s Early Life  
  (1537-1561 AD; Ages 1-24) ................ 8
  The First Dimensional Conquest  
  (1562-1568 AD; Ages 25-31) .............. 9
  The Early Empire  
  (1569-1702 AD; Ages 32-165) ............ 9
  The First Great Consolidation  
  (1703-1779 AD; Ages 166-242) ........ 10
  The Second Great Expansion  
  (1780-1947 AD; Ages 243-410) ........ 11
  The Rukosan Rebellion  
  (1948-50 AD; Ages 411-413) ............ 13
  The Second Great Consolidation  
  (1951-1993 AD; Ages 414-456) ........ 14
  The Third Great Expansion  
  (1994-2020 AD; Ages 457-483) ........ 15
  Chapter Two:  
  The Personage Imperial
  Istvatha V’han .................................... 20
  The Mind Imperial.............................. 20
  V’han’s Powers ................................. 22
  Knowledge ..................................... 25
  Weaknesses ................................... 25
  A Day in the Life of an Empress .......... 26
  Leisure Activities ............................. 26
  Social Circle ................................... 27
  Istvatha V’han .............................. 28
  Other Genres ...................................... 29
  Dark Champions ................................ 29
  Vatha Vahana ............................... 30
  Fantasy Hero ..................................... 29
  Empress Istvatha .......................... 31
  Horror Hero ....................................... 32
  The Istvatha ................................. 33
  Pulp Hero .......................................... 32
  Istvatha of V’han........................... 34
  Star Hero .......................................... 32
  Queen Ist ..................................... 35
  Chapter Three: 
  The Imperial Legions
  The Imperial Battalion ....................... 38
  Organization and Function  
  of the Battalion ............................... 38
  Battalion Recruitment and Training ... 39
  Example Battalioneers ....................... 40
  Abraxas ....................................... 40
  Ars Diavola................................... 42
  Black ........................................... 45
  Kharrl Korathon ............................ 47
  Targe ........................................... 49
  Vectron ........................................ 52
  Other Battalioneers ......................... 54
  The Imperial Legions ......................... 59
  Structure and Ranks .......................... 59
  The Imperial High Command ............ 59
  Imperial Military Ranks .................... 60
  You’re in the D-Army Now .................. 62
  D-Soldiers ...................................... 63
  D-Soldier ..................................... 64
  Specialized D-Soldiers ..................... 65
  The Imperial Scout Service ................. 70
  The Imperial Intelligence Command .... 71
  IIC Agent Templates ........................ 71
  V’hanian Military Technology ............. 74
  Personal Equipment ........................... 74
  Weapons ........................................ 74
  Defensive Equipment....................... 76
  Movement Devices .......................... 76
  Communications and Sensory Gear .. 77
  Other Equipment ............................... 78
  V’hanian Military Vehicles .................. 81
  V’hanian Starships ............................. 81
  Invictor Imperius ........................... 82
  IVV Heavy Warship ........................ 84
  IVV War Cruiser ............................ 86
  IVV Cruiser ................................... 87
  IVV Escort .................................... 89
  IVV Scout/Explorer ........................ 90
  IVV Fighter ................................... 92
  V’hanian Planetary Vehicles ................ 93
  IVA Hovertank............................... 93
  IVA Transport ............................... 94
  IVA Hoverjet III-A........................... 94
  Chapter Four: 
  The Multiverse
  The Four Worlds ................................. 96
  The Sephirothic Tree of Life ................ 97
  Assiah ............................................ 97
  Yetzirah .......................................... 99
  Briah ............................................ 100
  Atziluth ......................................... 101
  The Qliphothic World ..................... 101
  Special Dimensions ......................... 102
  The Astral Plane ............................... 104
  General Nature ................................ 104
  Connections to Other Planes .......... 105
  Perceiving Earth ............................ 105
  Divisions of the Lower Astral ............ 106
  Astral Inhabitants............................. 107
  Travel on the Astral Plane ................. 108
  Adventure Use ................................. 110
  Faerie:  the Land of Legends ........... 111
  Geography ...................................... 111
  Sample Regions ............................ 112
  Inhabitants ...................................... 113
  Special Conditions ........................... 114
  Adventure Use ................................. 115
  The Netherworld .............................. 116
  Geography ...................................... 116
  Sample Regions ............................ 116
  Inhabitants ...................................... 117
  Special Conditions ........................... 118
  Adventure Use ................................. 119
  Elysium ............................................ 120
  Geography ...................................... 120
  Sample Regions ............................ 121
  Inhabitants ...................................... 122
  Special Conditions ........................... 123
  Adventure Use ................................. 123
  Babylon: The City Of Man ................. 124
  Geography ...................................... 124
  Sample Locations ......................... 125
  Inhabitants ...................................... 126
  Special Conditions ........................... 127
  Alternate Earths ............................... 129
  Britworld ......................................... 129
  Cahokian Earth ................................ 130
  Emperor Martinez Earth ................... 131
  Foxbatworld .................................... 132
  Laurentia ........................................ 132
  Left-Handed Earth ........................... 133
  The Little Bang ................................ 135
  Malvaworld ..................................... 135
  The Multifarian ................................ 136
  Popeworld ....................................... 137
  Powerworld ..................................... 138
  Walkingworld .................................. 139
  
  Other Example Dimensions.............. 140
  Malkuth:  Loezen ............................. 140
  Malkuth:  Lythrum............................ 141
  Malkuth:  The Sixth Dimension ......... 141
  Yesod: Yggdrasil, Realm of Plant Life . 142
  Hod:  The City-states of Yong ............ 142
  Tiphereth: The Veil of the Temple ...... 142
  Tiphereth: Death’s Dominion ............ 143
  Pachad:  The Garden  
  of Earthly Delights ........................... 144
  Chesed: Realms of the Four Zoas ..... 144
  Qliphothic: The Shining Darkness ...... 146
  Qliphothic: Tatterdemalion ................ 146
  Chapter Five: 
  The V’hanian Empire
  Structure of Empire ......................... 148
  The Hierarchy of Power .................... 148
  Regents and Viceroys .................... 149
  V’hanian Regent Robot ............... 150
  V’hanian Viceroy Robot ............... 151
  Imperial Designees ........................ 149
  The Imperial Bureaucracy .............. 149
  The Imperial Ministries ..................... 152
  The Grand Chancellery .................. 152
  The Ministry of Diplomatic Affairs ... 153
  The Ministry of Energy ................... 154
  The Ministry of History ................... 154
  The Ministry of Interdimensional 
  Relations ...................................... 155
  V’hanian Imperial Herald ........155-56
  The Ministry of Military Affairs ........ 157
  The Ministry of Mystic Affairs ......... 157
  The Ministry of Science  
  and Technology ............................ 157
  The Ministry of Security ................. 158
  The Ministry of Trade  
  and Economics ............................. 158
  Life in the V’hanian Empire .............. 159
  Imperial Politics ............................... 159
  The Palace Imperial ....................... 159
  Life at Court ................................. 160
  Factions and Movements ............... 162
  Movers and Shakers ..................... 163
  Law and Crime ................................ 164
  The Imperial Law Council .............. 164
  The Imperial Judicial Corps ............ 164
  The Imperial Security Force ........... 165
  ISF Officer .............................166-67
  Crime in the Empire ...................... 168
  Punishment .................................. 170
  Trade .............................................. 170
  Communications ............................. 171
  Technology ...................................... 172
  Domains of Empire .......................... 173
  Altethrya ......................................... 173
  Balgaraba ....................................... 174
  Botanoworld .................................... 174
  Coryphalon ..................................... 174
  The Emanations of Vyron .................. 175
  Hadla Dorana .................................. 175
  Marsworld ....................................... 176
  Nargaroth ....................................... 176
  Nocutaris ........................................ 177
  Stalosia ........................................... 177
  Übermenschenwelt .......................... 177
  V’ha ............................................... 178
  The March of Conquest .................... 179
  Stage Alpha:  Preparation ................. 179
  Stage Beta:  Reconnaissance ........... 180
  Stage Gamma:  Weakening .............. 180
  Stage Delta:  Invasion ...................... 181
  Stage Epsilon:  Conquest ................. 181
  Stage Zeta:  Integration .................... 182
  Invading Earth ................................. 182
  Her Current Plans ......................... 183
  Enemies of Empire ........................... 186
  Tyrannon and Skarn ......................... 186
  Rebels of the Realities ..................... 187
  The Exrandal’rian Revolt ................ 187
  General Korth Torgo.................... 187
  The L’sandron Army ...................... 189
  The Psubversives .......................... 190
  The Ta!ra Freedom Fighters ........... 191
  Other Enemies ................................ 191
  The Fracture ................................. 191
  The Time-Beast ............................ 191
  The Time-Beast .......................... 193
  The Crusaders  
  of the Infinite Realities ................... 192
  Chapter Six: 
  Gamemastering the Empress
  Istvatha V’han and the Champions 
  Universe ........................................... 196
  Using Istvatha V’han ........................ 198
  Before the Invasion Plot Seeds ......... 198
  The Invasion and Beyond Plot Seeds . 199
  Campaign Frameworks .................... 200
  Dimensional Campaigning ............... 201
  Dimensional Purpose ....................... 201
  Dimensional Function ...................... 202
  Designing Dimensions ..................... 204
  Types of Dimensions ..................... 204
  Designing the Environment ............ 208
  Inhabitants ................................... 211
  Structuring the Multiverse .............. 212
  Dimensional Contact and Travel ........ 214
  Finding Your Way .......................... 214
  Travel Methods ............................. 215
  Ease and Prevalence ..................... 218
  Dimensional Invasions ................... 218
  Random Dimension Generation ........ 219
  
  Book Of The Empress n Introduction 
  5
  INTrODuCTION
  INTrODuCTION
  ABBrEVIATIONS
  This book uses the 
  following abbre-
  viations to refer to 
  other HERO System 
  books:
  6E1: The HERO 
  System 6th Edition, 
  Volume I: Character 
  Creation
  6E2: The HERO 
  System 6th Edition, 
  Volume II: Combat 
  And Adventuring
  APG: The HERO 
  System Advanced 
  Player’s Guide
  APG2: The HERO 
  System Advanced 
  Player’s Guide II
  CU: Champions 
  Universe
  CV 1, 2, 3: The 
  respective three 
  volumes of Cham-
  pions Villains
  FH: Fantasy Hero
  HSB: The HERO 
  System Bestiary
  HSEG: The HERO 
  System Equipment 
  Guide
  HSG: The HERO 
  System Grimoire
  HSMA: HERO 
  System Martial Arts
  HSS: HERO System 
  Skills
  HSV: HERO System 
  Vehicles
  SH: Star Hero
  O
  f all the fiendish and deadly master 
  villains heroes have to face in the Cham-
  pions Universe, the most dangerous isn’t 
  Dr. Destroyer, Mechanon, King Cobra, 
  Menton, or even the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca — it’s 
  Istvatha V’han, the self-styled “Empress of a Billion 
  Dimensions.” After all, most master villains aspire 
  to conquer and rule Earth, but with the exception 
  of Dr. Destroyer for three months in 1984, none 
  of them have ever succeeded. Istvatha V’han, on 
  the other hand, rules not just a single planet but 
  hundreds of millions of entire dimensions. Her 
  resources dwarf those of any other master villain 
  (except perhaps for rival dimension lords like 
  Skarn the Shaper and Tyrannon), and her personal 
  powers of dimension and time travel make it virtu-
  ally impossible to truly defeat her.
  The Book Of The Empress is your complete guide 
  to Istvatha V’han. It covers everything you need 
  to know about her, from her powers and skills, to 
  the beings who serve her, the military forces she 
  commands, and how her empire functions.
  Chapter One, A Crusade Across Realities, offers 
  a brief overview of V’han’s history. It starts with her 
  rise to power on her native planet, then proceeds 
  down the centuries to her recent unsuccessful 
  attempts to conquer Earth’s dimension.
  Chapter Two, The Personage Imperial, provides 
  V’han’s character sheet and more closely exam-
  ines the Empress herself. It delves into her powers 
  and how they work, what she knows (and doesn’t 
  know), and her motivations and psychology. It 
  also provides alternate versions of the Empress for 
  use in other genres, such as Fantasy and Science 
  Fiction.
  Chapter Three, The Imperial Legions, describes 
  the V’hanian military in all its dimension-
  conquering glory. The chapter opens with a review 
  of the Imperial Battalion, her thousands-strong 
  corps of superhuman soldiers and bodyguards. It 
  then reviews the military proper, covering such 
  subjects as recruitment, ranks and force organiza-
  tion, D-Soldiers and their equipment, imperial 
  warships and ground vehicles, and the Imperial 
  Intelligence Command.
  Chapter Four, The Multiverse, reviews the 
  Multiverse of the Champions Universe — how it’s 
  organized and perceived by dimensional travelers, 
  what types of dimensions exist in which “regions” 
  of the Multiverse, and so on. Even if you don’t want 
  to use V’han herself in your games, this chapter 
  has everything you need for a Champions Universe 
  dimension-hopping campaign.
  Chapter Five, The V’hanian Empire, focuses in 
  on that part of the Multiverse ruled by Istvatha 
  V’han. It describes the extent of her empire, how 
  it functions, what life is like for her subjects, and 
  most importantly for many Champions campaigns 
  how she conquers dimensions and adds them 
  to her realm. This chapter also includes sections 
  describing her current plans for Earth, and various 
  enemies she has (who might become allies of the 
  PCs — the enemy of your enemy is, after all, your 
  friend... at least for a little while).
  Chapter Six, Gamemastering The Empress, 
  discusses ways to use Istvatha V’han in your Cham-
  pions campaign. It includes plot seeds, informa-
  tion on how she interacts (or might interact) with 
  various other members of the Champions Universe, 
  and a section on dimensional campaigning in 
  general. Istvatha V’han makes an ideal foe for a 
  group of superheroes who frequently travel through 
  the dimensions, and with the help of this chapter 
  you can easily create just such a campaign if you 
  want.
  So tell your heroes to get ready — they’re about 
  to face the greatest threat Earth’s ever encountered.
  ISTVATHA V’HAN AND “rEALISM”
  For many gamers, the existence of a master 
  villain like Istvatha V’han raises all sorts of uncom-
  fortable questions. As powerful as she is, why hasn’t 
  she already conquered Earth’s dimension? How can 
  she really control an empire of millions of dimen-
  sions? Why is Earth so special and important that 
  she keeps trying to conquer it? Why is everyone so 
  frightened of her when all of her invasion attempts 
  to date have been defeated by Earth’s superhumans?
  The answer to all these questions, and others like 
  them, is: “Who cares?” This is a comic book master 
  villain, in a comic book world, in a comic book 
  roleplaying game. Evil masterminds do these sorts 
  of things all the time in the comic books without it 
  bothering anyone, so it shouldn’t bother you that 
  Istvatha V’han can do the same. After all, we’re 
  talking about a world where people can teleport, 
  fly, fire blasts of energy from their eyes, and report 
  news stories without injecting any political bias. 
  Given all that, it’s perfectly plausible that Istvatha 
  V’han could rule her empire but not be able to 
  conquer Earth... yet.
  
  6 n Introduction 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  MMO INTO RPG, 
  RPG INTO MMO
  The Book Of The Empress includes mate-
  rial based on the massively multiplayer online 
  (MMO) roleplaying game Champions Online 
  created by Cryptic Studios. While a lot of effort 
  has been devoted to making sure the MMO 
  content is accurately represented in these books 
  in HERO System terms, MMOs and RPGs 
  aren’t the same type of game, so the same type 
  of content isn’t appropriate for each one. For 
  example, a villain’s lair in an MMO is deliber-
  ately simple, often with one room leading to 
  another to guide game play. That doesn’t make 
  much sense for an RPG, where it’s possible (and 
  often very useful) to expand things beyond 
  the scope of an MMO. Similarly, a villain or 
  costume that works well on-screen in an MMO 
  might not be as appropriate for a paper-and-
  pencil RPG (and vice-versa!).
  Thus, the MMO-based information in 
  this book, while containing the essence of the 
  Champions Online presentation, may add to 
  it, or rework it in minor ways, to make things 
  more “realistic” and appropriate for an RPG. 
  Characters who have one or two simple abilities 
  in Champions Online may get fleshed out into 
  more detailed characters with a greater variety 
  of powers in this book, since an RPG character 
  sheet isn’t constrained by the same restrictions 
  as an MMO. And of course, there may be some 
  MMO secrets that you should only be able to 
  learn by playing the MMO itself.
  So don’t be surprised if you see some slight 
  variation between the Champions Universe 
  as portrayed in this book and the Champions 
  Universe of Champions Online. The differ-
  ences are just the result of the book taking 
  the wonderful elements Cryptic Studios has 
  created and doing even more with them.
  If you feel you absolutely have to, you can devise 
  some sort of “realistic” explanation for V’han and 
  her activities that involves super-technology or 
  superpowers (some parts of this book even do it 
  for you). For example, perhaps Earth’s superheroes 
  have found a way to interfere with V’han’s dimen-
  sional technology that makes it impossible for her 
  to attack with the full force of her military. What-
  ever the justification you decide on, the important 
  thing is this: use Istvatha V’han to have fun in your 
  game. Don’t worry about the “realistic” details, 
  unless everything in your game is about “realism.”
  NAMES AND TErMINOLOGY
  For ease of reference, this book uses Earth 
  names and terms for people and things in the 
  V’hanian Empire. For example, Chitthoram’s title 
  isn’t really “Grand Chancellor” — it’s a V’hanian 
  term that means more or less the same thing. If the 
  GM prefers, he can create the V’hanian words for 
  things and use them instead; this would be a good 
  way of showing the players how different V’han’s 
  empire is from Earth.
  Similarly, names are usually given as if for a 
  single individual, when in fact it’s not unheard of 
  for Istvatha V’han to have multiple versions of the 
  same person from different dimensions working 
  for her. For example, the superpowered soldier 
  Black (page 45) should rightly be called Black-17, 
  since Blacks from various other dimensions than 
  that Black’s also serve in her Imperial Battalion. But 
  that can get cumbersome in the text, so instead he’s 
  just referred to as “Black.” The GM should feel free 
  to assume that the Empress has access to multiple 
  versions of any important character unless the text 
  says differently or he prefers otherwise for some 
  reason.
  Additionally, any dates given in the text are 
  Earth years for the reader’s benefit, rather than the 
  standard V’hanian Imperial Calendar, which uses 
  the year of Istvatha V’han’s birth (1537 AD) as 
  Year 1.
  SUPER“HUMAN”
  For ease of reference, The Book Of The 
  Empress sometimes uses the term “super-
  human” to refer to individuals with super-
  powers who aren’t actually Human. Technically 
  it would be more accurate to refer to super 
  members of whatever species is involved, but 
  that would become awkward. So when you read 
  “superhuman,” assume it means someone who 
  has superpowers regardless of his species unless 
  the context indicates otherwise.
  
  A CRUSADE 
  ACROSS REALITIES: 
  THE HISTORy Of ISTvATHA v’HAN
  Chapter 
  One
  
  8 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE HISTOrY OF 
  THE HISTOrY OF 
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  C
  hronicling the history of any major 
  political figure is often a monumental task. 
  And when the figure in question is an 
  immortal time traveler who rules millions 
  of dimensions, the problem becomes one of almost 
  Sisyphean magnitude! In fact, Istvatha V’han has 
  an entire department of her government devoted 
  to keeping track of what happens to her and 
  throughout her Empire (see page 154) — though 
  of course only the historical records she approves 
  of are actually made public. (For example, only a 
  few of her subjects are aware she’s attacked Earth’s 
  dimension several times and failed to conquer it; it 
  wouldn’t help her image for her history ministry to 
  make that known to all her subjects.)
  What follows here is a brief history of V’han 
  and her Empire up to the present day on Earth. 
  This should give the GM (and his players, if they’re 
  allowed to read it) enough information to make 
  it easier to use V’han in his campaign, without 
  bogging him down in details. There’s plenty of room 
  for the GM to expand her history if he’s so inclined. 
  Equivalent dates in Earth’s history, and V’han’s age 
  at the time, are provided for GMs running historical 
  campaigns.
  V’HAN’S EArLY LIFE 
  V’HAN’S EArLY LIFE 
  (1537-1561 AD; AGES 1-24)
  (1537-1561 AD; AGES 1-24)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a, the 
  gargantuan official history of Istvatha V’han and her 
  Empire:
  As the second child of four born to solidly 
  middle class parents, the future Empress’s young life 
  was no different in any important respect from that 
  of millions of other V’hanian children of her day. 
  She was raised in a loving environment, learned the 
  games and jokes common to young people in her 
  part of V’ha, and went to school during most of the 
  year. An examination of her school records show 
  evidence of a budding genius, with consistently 
  high marks but notes by many teachers that she 
  seemed bored (or even became disruptive) because 
  she wasn’t challenged by the curriculum in any way.
  Life changed for the better during early adoles-
  cence. First and most importantly, the future 
  Empress discovered the first of her powers, the 
  ability to travel between dimensions. Early experi-
  mentation with this power was a source of amaze-
  ment to her, and also gave her a refuge from the 
  inevitable pressures of her age. But not all her expe-
  riences with dimensional travel were so pleasant. 
  Until she learned how to navigate the Multiverse 
  she nearly became irretrievably lost on at least two 
  occasions, and one time barely escaped with her life 
  from a group of vicious autochthons she encoun-
  tered on a planet she was exploring.
  The future Empress realized there was more 
  to her powers when she was fifteen years old. She 
  was returning home from one of her trips to other 
  dimensions when something went wrong and she 
  wound up back at her home two hundred years 
  before she was born! Confusion and fright soon 
  gave way to wonder and excitement as she real-
  ized the possibilities. Her senses expanded — she 
  realized exactly where she was in V’ha’s timestream, 
  and thus was able to return home easily.
  THE CONQuEST OF V’HA  
  (1560-1561 AD; AGE 23-24)
  Over the next decade the future Empress spent 
  more and more time exploring her powers and 
  learning about the nature of the Multiverse. At 
  first no one had any idea what she was doing, since 
  she used her ability to travel in time to ensure 
  she was never late for an appointment and got to 
  spend plenty of time with family and friends. But 
  eventually she chose to reveal her abilities to her 
  parents and siblings after swearing them to secrecy. 
  Concerned for her safety and stability, her mother 
  and father begged her to forget about her powers 
  and settle down into an ordinary life, but they could 
  no more hold back the inevitable tide of the future 
  Empress’s destiny than a man can stop the ocean 
  waves.
  It was during this time that the future Empress’s 
  ambitions began to bloom. Her travels gave her a 
  unique perspective on the way societies arose, grew, 
  and decayed, and how sentient beings governed 
  themselves. She became convinced she could 
  could manage peoples’ lives better than they could 
  manage them themselves — an attitude that in 
  anyone else would seem to be the height of arro-
  gance, but which in future Empress Istvatha was 
  merely the first stirrings of her career.
  1
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter One 
  9
  By her early twenties the future Empress had 
  used her powers to amass not only the greatest 
  fortune anyone on V’ha had ever possessed, but 
  enormous social and political influence throughout 
  the planet. On her twenty-third birthday she made 
  a worldwide announcement “requesting” that all 
  governments turn absolute power over to her. At 
  first this command was met with scorn and deri-
  sion... but then the attacks started. Vast armies of 
  mercenaries hired with her funds laid seige to the 
  major cities of the world — and not every soldier in 
  those armies was V’hanian. In what would set the 
  stage for her imperial conquests to come, the future 
  Empress recruited troops from another dimen-
  sion. In this instance they were the Golugk, a squat, 
  six-limbed species that worshipped her as a goddess 
  because of the powers she’d demonstrated to them.
  It took nearly two years of fighting, but in time 
  the future Empress triumphed — V’ha was hers. 
  Compared to many conquerors she was well-
  received, for she’d used her time travel powers to 
  defeat most of her enemies with as little bloodshed 
  as possible. Unlike most planets that experience 
  worldwide civil war, V’ha remained relatively 
  unharmed and prosperous... thus setting the stage 
  for the future Empress’s next great victory.
  THE FIrST 
  THE FIrST  
  DIMENSIONAL CONQuEST 
  DIMENSIONAL CONQuEST  
  (1562-1568 AD; AGES 25-31)
  (1562-1568 AD; AGES 25-31)
  Excerpted from The Bloody Hand, an illegal history of 
  V’han and her Empire maintained by various under-
  ground and rebel groups, clandestinely distributed 
  among them and given to possible sympathizers:
  Ruthlessly conquering her own world didn’t 
  even begin to slake Istvatha’s thirst for power. She 
  was a traveler of dimensions, and therefore it was 
  entire dimensions she intended to rule... no matter 
  how many trillions had to die for the sake of her 
  ambition.
  But one cannot field a reality-conquering army 
  without the ability to travel through reality unhin-
  dered — and the V’hanians at the time only had 
  low-powered FTL technology. This was an obstacle 
  Istvatha could easily remove, however. Using her 
  powers it was a simple matter to travel to other 
  dimensions where species possessed advanced tech-
  nology she could steal, or even to take it from V’ha’s 
  future if she felt she could do so without disrupting 
  the timestream.
  With a vast, well-supplied army and fleet of 
  ships now at her command, Istvatha went to war. 
  Using her time and dimensional travel powers, 
  taking over her first dimension was an easy matter. 
  But it took several years because she was learning 
  the tactics of conquest, massacre, and oppression 
  that would soon serve her so well on her path to the 
  throne. One by one the worlds of her native dimen-
  sion fell, until at last she had crushed all resistance 
  beneath her booted heel.
  She soon learned that all things have their 
  price, and that she was right to be concerned about 
  affecting the flow of time. She returned to V’ha in 
  triumph, the ruler of her entire dimension... but 
  things were subtly wrong. Most of V’ha was just 
  as she’d left it, but sometimes a building was at a 
  slightly different location, or a river had a slightly 
  different course. She found this disturbing, but 
  tolerable. The full magnitude of her meddling with 
  Time only became apparent when she went home 
  to visit her family:  the home wasn’t there. No one 
  so much as remembered her parents and siblings, 
  or the things they’d done in life. Something she’d 
  done on one of her trips into the past to manipulate 
  events for her own benefit had somehow erased her 
  family from the timestream forever. For many years 
  she tried to find a way to restore them to existence, 
  but neither she nor her scientists could devise a 
  way to alter the course of history and bring them 
  back without inflicting serious harm to the nascent 
  Empire. And so, like any bloody conquereror in 
  any dimension in any time, she sacrificed love for 
  power, consigning her family to oblivion forever.
  THE EArLY EMPIrE
  THE EArLY EMPIrE 
  (1569-1702 AD; AGES 32-165)
  (1569-1702 AD; AGES 32-165)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a:
  Having proved she could conquer one dimen-
  sion, rule its inhabitants well, and improve the 
  quality of life for all her subjects, the Empress 
  began the next stage of her plans:  the conquest of 
  other dimensions. For her first targets she focused 
  primarily on dimensions near to V’ha’s own, 
  including:
  TETHrODA  
  (1575-78 AD; AGES 38-41)
  The second dimension the Empress conquered 
  was Tethroda, a similar realm to her home plane. 
  This gave her a chance to practice the strategies 
  and tactics she’d developed during the conquest of 
  V’ha’s dimension, refining them to much greater 
  levels of effectiveness without the need to travel 
  back in time. During her rule the Empress has 
  frequently employed this technique, often using 
  newly-recruited soldiers so they can learn how 
  dimensional conquest works with a well-established 
  plan before being assigned to campaigns under less 
  ideal conditions.
  SArDAVA  
  (1594-96 AD AND 1699 AD; 
  AGES 57-59 AND 162)
  After several nearly flawless conquests, the 
  Empress encountered her first true difficulties with 
  a dimension known as Sardava, home to a large 
  number of sentient species. Many of these species 
  belonged to advanced civilizations with interstellar 
  (and even intergalactic) travel and communications 
  capabilities. This allowed them to respond to her 
  incursions with something approaching a unified 
  front of opposition, which her armies had never 
  encountered before. Nearly a year passed during 
  the first stage of the invasion. Then the Empress 
  withdrew, regrouped, and tried again, but enjoyed 
  no greater success.
  1
  
  10 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Enraged but unwilling to stall her progress with 
  futile assaults on one realm, the Empress estab-
  lished dimensional bulwarks to keep the Sardavans 
  from attempting a counter-invasion and turned 
  her attention to other matters. But she never forgot 
  Sardava, and vowed to one day to take it for her 
  own. That day came over a century later. Now far 
  more experienced at dimensional conquest and 
  possessing much more extensive resources, she 
  launched another assault on Sardava, easily shat-
  tering the opposing forces. She then led several 
  well-equipped squads of soldiers back in time to 
  kidnap the political and military officials who’d 
  been most closely involved in the fight against her. 
  She brought them forward in time to learn of the 
  ultimate futility of their resistance, then had them 
  publicly executed.
  MAuK’TALANI  
  (1657-62 AD; AGES 120-125)
  As she neared the end of her first century as 
  the ruler of V’ha and what would soon be millions 
  of dimensions, the Empress had obtained enough 
  experience and amassed enough resources to 
  make her campaigns of conquest faster and more 
  efficient. Of particular note is her increased use of 
  dimensional flanking maneuvers — or in layman’s 
  terms, teleportation of large amounts of personnel 
  and war materiel — during battles. Few of the 
  planets and civilizations she encountered had the 
  means to block her dimensional flanking systems, 
  allowing her to move entire divisions behind enemy 
  lines if necessary to subdue resistance as quickly 
  and safely as possible.
  A classic example of this, one still studied 
  today in her military academies, is the conquest 
  of Mauk’talani. A small yet vigorous dimension, 
  Mauk’talani contained over a dozen starfaring soci-
  eties and dozens of others that were less advanced. 
  Designating the species with FTL capability as the 
  primary targets, she moved several armies into 
  Mauk’talani from V’ha, establishing a beachhead 
  in an uninhabited system ten light-years from 
  the most powerful civilization in the dimension, 
  the Borthu. She moved a large fleet into Borth 
  space, stopping just outside the orbit of the planet’s 
  largest moon. The Borthu defense fleets came out 
  to meet her, and the two fleets began to battle. 
  Suddenly a third of the V’hanian fleet vanished... 
  and reappeared behind the Borthu! Trapped 
  between hammer and anvil, the Borthu were soon 
  crushed and their planet occupied by the Empress’s 
  troops. One by one the rest of the civilizations of 
  Mauk’talani fell to similar tactics, and soon the 
  entire dimension joined the Empire.
  THE FIrST GrEAT 
  THE FIrST GrEAT 
  CONSOLIDATION 
  CONSOLIDATION  
  (1703-1779 AD; AGES 166-242)
  (1703-1779 AD; AGES 166-242)
  Excerpted from Our Empress:  History And Social 
  Policy, a textbook used by secondary school students 
  throughout the Empire:
  Following the conclusion of the campaigns 
  against Troharn and Sorro, Empress Istvatha 
  announced the beginning of what imperial histo-
  rians have come to call the First Great Consolida-
  tion. While military campaigns that were already 
  underway continued, and new expeditions were 
  launched to destroy any groups that were foolish 
  enough to rebel against the Empire, the Empress 
  stated that no new campaigns of conquest would be 
  initiated in the near future.
  Instead, she declared she would devote this 
  time to the peaceful pursuit of consolidating her 
  gains, reorganizing her government, and improving 
  living conditions for all subjects of the Empire. And 
  over the course of the next seven decades, that is 
  precisely what she did. Major bureaucratic, admin-
  istrative, governmental, and economic reforms 
  during this time include:
  
  n a massive reorganization of the Imperial govern-
  ment into a form similar to what we know today, 
  with ministries to oversee the day-to-day func-
  tioning of the Empire regarding matters which 
  she could not devote personal attention to;
  
  n the establishment of a uniform tax code for all 
  Imperial subjects, and the establishment of the 
  Subministry of Tax Enforcement to ensure that 
  all Imperial subjects pay their designated tax;
  
  n the creation of a uniform currency for the 
  Empire — the venar — and abolishing all other 
  forms of currency;
  
  n declaring V’hanian the official language of the 
  Empire;
  
  n the establishment of the earliest interdimen-
  sional gateways for use by merchants, tourists, 
  and other civilians (as opposed to military 
  gateways, which had long existed); and
  
  n the creation of the Imperial Security Force 
  (prior to this time, police functions in most 
  dimensions had been performed by a branch of 
  the Imperial military).
  Changes on this level, whether confined to a 
  single planet or applying across multiple dimen-
  sions, cause a certain amount of societal disruption, 
  but Empress Istvatha took pains to minimize the 
  impact on her subjects, and to correct any prob-
  lems that arose as quickly as possible. In her efforts 
  during this time can be seen the roots of many of 
  the Imperial social welfare programs that she initi-
  ated during the Second Great Consolidation.
  Beyond the specific major changes listed above, 
  the Empress worked tirelessly to integrate recently-
  conquered territories into the Empire as a whole. 
  She established the Vice Ministry of Unification 
  during this time, established millions of schools 
  for teaching V’hanian, and did her best to provide 
  relief from the short-term societal pains her 
  consolidation project created. The success of her 
  efforts can be seen in how flawlessly the Empire as a 
  whole exists and functions today.
  1
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter One 
  11
  THE SECOND 
  THE SECOND 
  GrEAT EXPANSION 
  GrEAT EXPANSION  
  (1780-1947 AD; AGES 243-410)
  (1780-1947 AD; AGES 243-410)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a:
  After focusing on the reorganization and admin-
  istration of her Empire for over seventy years, the 
  Empress felt the time was right to once again take 
  to the road of conquest. She spent five years assem-
  bling supplies and materiel, re-organizing her mili-
  tary, planning strategies with her top admirals and 
  generals, and making other preparations. When the 
  time was right, she unleashed her awesome power 
  upon the Multiverse.
  The following period of over 150 years saw 
  the Empire expand to a degree never equalled 
  before or since. Many of what are now considered 
  pillars of the Empire — Mrodarron, Osghuria, 
  Thunderworld, the Emanations of Vyron, Yandass, 
  Nocutaris, Altethrya — came into the Imperial 
  fold during this time. The Empress’s armies pushed 
  forward from the core dimensions of the Empire 
  (V’ha and the planes surrounding it, which were 
  the focus of her earliest conquests) in nearly every 
  direction, defeating any who dared to stand against 
  them as they carried the Empress’s crusade wher-
  ever she directed them to.
  Of course, not all dimensions are of equal value 
  to the Empire; some hold little of consequence, 
  while others are rich with resources the Empress 
  can use. So the expansion did not proceed in what 
  one might call a “straight line” in every direction. 
  The Imperial Legions bypassed less desireable 
  targets in favor of more valuable ones, saving the 
  former for future military expeditions of lesser 
  importance. During the second period of expan-
  sion discussed below, the Empress often used these 
  “lesser” dimensions as targets for armies of soldiers 
  who first saw action conquering an alternate V’ha 
  (or other “common” target) and were now ready for 
  something more unusual.
  THE FIrST WAr WITH SKArN  
  (1833-36 AD; AGES 296-299, 511)
  Expanding the Empire had consequences 
  beyond mere conquest. During her travels 
  throughout the Multiverse, Empress Istvatha had 
  learned of its structure in some detail. Through 
  the early nineteenth century the Empire consisted 
  solely of dimensions in the “lowest” level of the 
  Multiverse, Assiah. The Empress felt it was time 
  to bring the higher dimensions of the next level, 
  Yetzirah, into her realm. This led to her first clashes 
  with the entities who would become her greatest 
  enemies:  Skarn the Shaper and Tyrannon the 
  Conqueror.
  The Imperial Legions first encountered the 
  soldiers of Skarn during their fifth Yetziratic 
  campaign, the invasion of the dimension Karos. 
  Compared to the homogenous, often primitive, 
  militaries they were used to encountering, Skarn’s 
  armies were nearly as diverse, well-organized, and 
  powerful as the Legion. Concerned and intrigued, 
  the Empress ordered her commanders to cease all 
  offensives in Karos and to maintain defensive posi-
  tions while she learned more.
  1
  
  12 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Months of intelligence-gathering and data anal-
  ysis followed (presumably on her enemy’s part as 
  well, since his armies also became unusually passive 
  at this time). What the Empress learned troubled her.  
  These armies served a being named Skarn, also 
  known as the Shaper, a mystic of great power and a 
  dimensional conquerer much like herself. However, 
  this Skarn was a butcher and a tyrant. Rather than 
  simply taking over dimensions, he used strange, 
  powerful magics to meld conquered dimensions 
  with his own core realm, creating a dimensional 
  agglomeration known as the Congeries. And 
  what he did to his subjects was even worse:  entire 
  populations forced to relocate to other dimensions; 
  whole civilizations deliberately warped by Skarn’s 
  magic into forms he considered “more fitting” 
  (or which simply satisfied his whims); complete 
  realities altered by arcane manipulations. The few 
  pictures the Empress obtained of Skarn’s people and 
  realm horrified her.
  Empress Isvatha could not tolerate a rival of 
  such power, and even less could she tolerate one 
  who so cruelly exploited and murdered the subjects 
  he was supposed to protect and preserve. She gave 
  new orders to her Legions:  attack in force and 
  destroy Skarn!
  A war nearly four years long resulted. The 
  Empire’s forces were larger and better-equipped, 
  but Skarn’s forces wielded enchanted weapons 
  and often used powerful spells, and magic is an 
  unpredictable thing. The battles raged across Karos 
  and into “neighboring” Yetziratic dimensions such 
  as Sotha’Qa, Pallaraha, and the Parterres of several 
  sentient species. In the “lower” Yetziratic planes, 
  the ones nearest Assiah, the Imperial forces tended 
  to prevail, but as they advanced into Yetzirah the 
  dimensions became more and more dependent on 
  magic, which made Skarn’s armies stronger. The 
  Empress even once used her powers of time travel 
  to return from the future to bolster the Legion’s 
  efforts, but Skarn’s treachery and spells gave him an 
  advantage in magic-dominated dimensions.
  This being the case, the war soon reached an 
  impasse. Rather than risk further destruction and 
  loss of life in a fruitless conflict, Empress Istvatha 
  magnanimously suggested a truce. Through diplo-
  mats she negotiated a peace with Skarn that allowed 
  her to keep Karos, Sotha’Qa, and several other 
  lower Yetziratic dimensions where her Legions had 
  prevailed, while granting him rights to others. A 
  “boundary” between the Empire and Skarn’s terri-
  tory was also negotiated.
  But peace with the Shaper was an uneasy thing 
  at best. His desire to destroy dimensions and 
  oppress the people of the Multiverse cannot be 
  contained by the mere terms of a treaty. As shall be 
  seen, clashes between himself and the Empress have 
  occurred more than once since then.
  THE FIrST WAr WITH TYrANNON 
  (1850-52 AD; AGES 313-15)
  The Empire had barely recovered from the war 
  with Skarn and continued its march of conquest 
  when Empress Istvatha encountered another enemy 
  much like herself:  the strange entity Tyrannon the 
  Conqueror, a being who existed in hundreds of 
  “selves” and used them to establish dimensional 
  links to other planes so he could in time “merge” 
  them with his home realm of Thulkos. (Tyrannon 
  is much like Skarn in this regard, but where Skarn 
  melds dimensions together into one bizarre, chaotic 
  mass, Tyrannon “overwhelms” conquered dimen-
  sions, changing them to become part of Thulkos 
  itself.) To the Empress, he was an even greater 
  threat than Skarn, for he could change dimensions 
  so that she could never conquer them, and might 
  even “consume” her as he already has so many 
  billions of other souls. His existence, and the threat 
  he posed to her, were intolerable.
  Again the might of the Imperial Legion was 
  marshalled for war. Her armies went forth, 
  sometimes led by the Empress herself to show the 
  importance she placed upon the effort to destroy 
  Tyrannon. Unfortunately, the result was much 
  the same as with Skarn, for Tyrannon’s potent 
  magics were something the Legions could not 
  easily come to grips with. The Battle of Nekoya, 
  fought primarily in and around an uninhabited 
  solar system in the dimension Relaemar, was the 
  turning point in the war; there dozens of divi-
  sions of D-Soldiers, and a like amount of Tyran-
  non’s personnel, were slaughtered; Tyrannon’s Fire 
  Viceroy and two of his Emissaries were nearly slain 
  by members of the Imperial Battalion. In the end, 
  both sides, exhausted, retreated from the conflict 
  and claimed victory.
  After Nekoya, both sides retired “behind their 
  lines” and began keeping a wary eye on each other. 
  No formal treaty ending the war was ever signed, 
  nor has the Empress ever deigned to negotiate with 
  the murderous despot Tyrannon. A “neutral zone” 
  has come into effect in lower Yetzirah, with neither 
  side willing to cross it openly. Although the Empire 
  and Tyrannon have fought several lesser wars since 
  then, for the most part Tyrannon deems it best to 
  avoid Assiah and lower Yetzirah for fear of angering 
  the Empress, and the Empress graciously returns 
  the favor by not pressing far into Yetzirah.
  1
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter One 
  13
  THE ruKOSAN 
  THE ruKOSAN 
  rEBELLION 
  rEBELLION  
  (1948-50 AD; AGES 411-413)
  (1948-50 AD; AGES 411-413)
  Excerpted from The Bloody Hand:
  Despite the enormous power and resources of 
  the Empire, brave sentients throughout V’han’s 
  realm have dared to rebel against her oppressive 
  rule and attempt to regain their freedom. Sadly, 
  almost none of them have succeeded; the odds 
  against them are simply too great.  Entire agencies 
  of V’han’s government monitor potential rebellions 
  and attempt to crush them before they can flare 
  to life; entire armies of her Legions are trained for 
  anti-rebellion military actions and go into the field 
  to slaughter rebels at her command.
  While a few revolts have come close to 
  succeeding (at least for a short period), only one 
  has posed a significant threat to V’han’s rule over a 
  major portion of her empire:  the Rukosan Freedom 
  Movement (known to V’han’s puppet historians as 
  “the Rukosan Rebellion,” “the Great Rebellion,” or 
  “Ka-Tro’s Treachery”). Two factors combined to 
  give this revolt against the tyrant V’han a chance at 
  success.
  First, it began with an unusual event on the 
  planet Rukosa, in the dimension Earth-782. What 
  exactly happened is unclear, since imperial forces 
  have destroyed or suppressed many records, but 
  it seems that the planet passed through a cloud of 
  meteoroids or tiny asteroids composed primarily 
  of a strange green mineral. When it came into 
  contact with the flesh of a Rukosan (a blue-skinned 
  humanoid species), this mineral often imbued 
  that person with superhuman powers. Within a 
  period of just a few weeks, nearly half the Ruko-
  sans — several million of them — were superhu-
  manly strong or fast, could project energy bolts, 
  wielded potent psionic abilities, or possessed other 
  superpowers. The Rukosans had never accepted 
  the V’hanian yoke meekly, and now they had the 
  means to strike back. Within a few days from the 
  first time a public official hinted at the possibility of 
  revolt, every V’hanian garrison on the planet had 
  been destroyed and the soldiers serving in them 
  gotten what they deserved for being the tools of 
  imperialist oppression.
  The Empress assigned the sector admiral — 
  Ka-Tro Tho’req Saan, one of her best military 
  commanders — to take as many armies as he 
  needed and crush the Rukosans so thoroughly 
  that they would never revolt again. Unfortunately 
  for her, she was unaware of Admiral Ka-Tro’s own 
  ambitions. He felt stifled in his military career and 
  thought he, not V’han, should rule the empire. 
  He had the military background, intelligence, and 
  gift for command that marked a true emperor; she 
  was just an adventurer whom fate had gifted with 
  useful superpowers! And what was worse for the 
  Empire, Ka-Tro was immensely popular among his 
  troops; most of them felt they were fighting for him 
  personally, not on behalf of the Empire.
  Not being a fool, Admiral Ka-Tro recognized 
  an opportunity when he saw one. After his forces 
  entered Earth-782, he seized control of all working 
  dimensional gates and also secured any likely 
  nexus points where other gates would probably be 
  built. Then he appealed to the Rukosans, offering 
  his services and those of his army in furtherance 
  of their revolt. He promised that if they chose him 
  as leader, he would help them break from from 
  the V’hanian Empire and establish an enlightened 
  government to rule over them. Swayed by his great 
  personal charisma, they agreed.
  Before the Empire could send forces loyal to 
  the Empress to Earth-782, the Rukosan Rebellion 
  spread. Ka-Tro’s armies plus the superpowered 
  might of the Rukosans was enough to free all 
  of Earth-782 from the Empire within just a few 
  months, and then Ka-Tro led his forces through the 
  dimension gates into nearby planes. Everywhere the 
  rebels went they were greeted with open arms by 
  species resentful of V’han’s oppression and tyranny, 
  and the ranks of Ka-Tro’s army swelled.
  For a year the best the Empress could do was 
  slow the tide with whatever military forces she had 
  available to throw at the problem. But robbing it of 
  its momentum was enough; that gave her time to 
  plan and prepare. When Ka-Tro and the Ruko-
  sans gated into the dimension Daxillian they were 
  confronted by three full V’hanian armies armed 
  with the best ships and weapons the Empire could 
  muster. For a year battles raged throughout Daxil-
  lian, both in space and on planetary bodies, but by 
  then it was only a matter of time. Any soldier or 
  vehicle V’han lost she could quickly replace from 
  her vast resources in other dimensions, but any 
  loss the rebels suffered diminished their forces. 
  Eventually a disheartened Ka-Tro suggested suing 
  for peace in an effort to negotiate some sort of gain, 
  even a minor one like greater rights within the 
  Empire.
  But V’han would have none of it. Luring Ka-Tro 
  and the Rukosan leaders to a peace conference on 
  the planet Threl, she captured them and had them 
  executed on a live videocast transmitted throughout 
  the Empire. Over the next two months she obliter-
  ated the now-rudderless rebellion’s forces, then 
  proceeded to Earth-782. There she scoured Rukosa 
  clean, wiping every city off the map, leveling moun-
  tains, and setting entire continents on fire. A few 
  pitiful, non-superpowered survivors were left alive 
  to show the Empress’s “mercy,” and thus the rebel-
  lion ended. To this day Rukosa stands as a monu-
  ment to V’han’s ruthlessness, cruelty, and tyranny.
  1
  
  14 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE SECOND GrEAT 
  THE SECOND GrEAT 
  CONSOLIDATION
  CONSOLIDATION 
  (1951-1993 AD; AGES 414-456)
  (1951-1993 AD; AGES 414-456)
  Excerpted from Our Empress:  History And Social Policy:
  Following the second period of expansion 
  and her first conflicts with Tyrannon and Skarn, 
  Empress Istvatha once again felt the time was ripe 
  for administrative and political consolidation. The 
  Empire was now hundreds of times larger than it 
  had been at the time of the First Great Consolida-
  tion, and the strain on Imperial functions and 
  services was beginning to show.
  Over the course of four decades, the Empress 
  initiated a number of major reforms. These 
  included:
  
  n Reorganizing her government to the form we 
  know today. Some old ministries were abolished 
  (or combined with other ministries); new minis-
  tries and vice ministries were created to handle 
  matters of importance; and many branches of 
  government expanded. During this time the size 
  of the Imperial bureacracy increased almost a 
  hundred-fold; as a result, today nearly half of 
  Imperial subjects work directly or indirectly for 
  the Empress.
  
  n Reorganizing her military. A military designed 
  for multiple campaigns of conquest is not 
  necessarily suited to a mix of force projec-
  tion, peacekeeping, anti-rebellion, and internal 
  security duties, which was what the Empress 
  now needed. Following ten years of planning 
  and consultation with her leading military 
  commanders, the Empress made sweeping 
  changes to the Legions’ table of organization 
  and equipment. Army functions and military 
  mission parameters were often redefined or 
  moved among various bodies of the Legions. Of 
  particular note is the expansion of the Imperial 
  Intelligence Command during this time.
  
  n Expanding interdimensional travel, trade, and 
  communications. To truly link her Empire 
  together, the Empress embarked on an ambi-
  tious plan of building dimensional gates 
  and encouraging inter-dimensional contact 
  among her subjects. Control of the gates was, 
  and remains, strictly under control of Impe-
  rial forces, but compared to earlier periods of 
  Imperial history the rules by which subjects are 
  allowed to use the gates, and for what purposes, 
  are much looser.
  
  n Instituting a program of infrastructural 
  improvements. Together with encouraging 
  inter-dimensional contact, the Empress started 
  a comprehensive program to build (or improve) 
  infrastructure throughout her domain:  roads, 
  spaceways, parks, public monuments, hyper-
  ways, and much more. Not only did this boost 
  the economy by providing jobs for trillions of 
  construction workers and related laborers, it 
  allowed for general economic improvements.
  
  n Increasing social welfare programs. The Empress 
  also poured money into agencies and programs 
  designed to ensure that no subject of hers would 
  go hungry or be without a place to live. This 
  involved such things as public works programs, 
  free education, improved technology distribu-
  tion, enhanced food production, cheap (but 
  comfortable and secure) housing, and free 
  medical care.
  1
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter One 
  15
  THE SECOND TYrANNON WAr  
  (1979-82 AD; AGES 442-445, 713, 1,807)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a:
  While most of the Empire’s military campaigns 
  slowed or ceased during Empress Istvatha’s 
  second major period of administrative reform and 
  domestic policymaking, for one brief period the 
  Imperial Legions returned to a complete war-time 
  footing. In 1979 the murderous tyrant Tyrannon, 
  in full defiance of the territorial sovereignty of the 
  V’hanian Empire, violated the de facto neutral zone 
  established after the war of 1850-52 and struck into 
  three Assiatic dimensions:  Thusal’pa’ta (which was 
  imperial territory) and Xoreg and Kleth (which 
  were both unclaimed, but near enough to impe-
  rial holdings to be regarded as within the Empire’s 
  planned zone of expansion).
  Enraged by this affront, the Empress assembled 
  as much of her full military might as she could on 
  short notice and launched a counterattack on a 
  three dimension front. Her forces arrived in time 
  to prevent Tyrannon from absorbing any of the 
  three into Thulkos, but not before he’d established 
  significant beachheads and begun using wizardry to 
  forcibly convert the natives to his “cause.”
  The result was three years of intense, bitter 
  warfare. The Empress opened gate after gate to 
  move more troops and ordnance into the theater 
  of operations, primarily with the goal of flanking 
  Tyrannon’s forces or shutting down his mystic 
  portals. Tyrannon responded in kind, creating as 
  many gates as he could. While his typical soldier, a 
  strange, dwarfish being known as a Signifer, is less 
  powerful than a D-Soldier (and doesn’t even carry 
  weapons), its chief attack transformed D-Soldiers 
  into more Signifers, swelling the invader’s ranks 
  while diminishing the Empress’s own.
  The picture became more desperate for the 
  Empire in mid-1981 when Tyrannon devised a spell 
  to prevent most of the Empress’s gates from func-
  tioning. Deprived of supplies and reinforcements, 
  the commanders of the Imperial Legions were 
  hard-pressed to continue the fight. But they refused 
  to surrender even in the face of the tyrant’s most 
  brutal attacks and kept battling on, inspired by love 
  of Empire and Empress. At last help arrived in the 
  form of the Empress herself, traveling back in time 
  from hundreds of years in the future to provide her 
  loyal troops with technology to overcome Tyran-
  non’s spell.
  Again the tide of battle shifted, as a fresh wave of 
  D-Soldier armies entered the battlefield and pushed 
  Tyrannon’s soldiers back on several fronts. At the 
  Battle of Belek-Tara in late 1981, D-Admiral Yonb 
  Wsda lured several million Signifers into a trap and 
  destroyed them with a Sigma Bomb. This opened 
  a huge hole in the tyrant’s lines; the forces of the 
  Empire poured through it and began wreaking 
  further havoc on Tyrannon’s military machine.
  Once more the great Empress Istvatha showed 
  her love for her people by returning again from the 
  distant future, this time with a warning. Analysis of 
  long-lost historical records showed that Tyrannon 
  had planned a last-ditch attack before withdrawing 
  from the dimensions he’d invaded — an attack that 
  resulted in millions of D-Soldier deaths. Fore-
  warned by the Empress, a specially-chosen squad 
  of Red Lions elite soldiers penetrated the enemy 
  defenses and destroyed the ritual space established 
  by Tyrannon’s sorcerers to cast the spell. All of 
  them were slain, sacrificing their lives to save those 
  of their fellow soldiers, but the murderous tyrant’s 
  scheme was foiled.
  With that final defeat, Tyrannon ordered his 
  forces back through the mystic portals and called 
  off his invasion. Rather than pursue him further, 
  the Empress ordered her forces to establish a defen-
  sive perimeter by conquering all three dimensions. 
  Once that was accomplished, a series of defensive 
  installations was put into place to guard against 
  another invasion attempt, and loyal D-Soldiers have 
  manned them vigilantly to this day.
  THE THIrD GrEAT 
  THE THIrD GrEAT 
  EXPANSION 
  EXPANSION  
  (1994-2020; AGES 457-483)
  (1994-2020; AGES 457-483)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a:
  Once Empress Istvatha felt she’d done what was 
  necessary to remake and improve the machinery of 
  the Empire, she set forth once again on the glorious 
  path of imperial conquest. The next four years were 
  a chronicle of victory after victory, bringing into 
  the Empire such dimensions as Lorgn, Axrandes, 
  Ekrosa, D’tho’ka, Zellim, Shorwin, and Yoth. 
  Then she turned her attention to a newly-discov-
  ered dimension of vast resources and potential:  
  Earth-1346.
  V’HAN INVADES EArTH  
  (1998; AGE 461)
  Excerpted from Istvatha V’han:  Interdimensional 
  Menace, Humanity’s primary reference source to the 
  Empress, by Professor Ben E. Scott of Duke University:
  In 1998 a new superhuman threat, possibly the 
  greatest Humanity had ever encountered or ever 
  would, appeared in Sol space near the planet Mars. 
  Istvatha V’han, a superhuman who claimed to 
  rule a billion other dimensions, opened a dimen-
  sional gate into Earth’s reality and came through 
  at the head of an army numbering in the millions. 
  She announced her intentions in a broadcast sent 
  not just to Earth, but throughout the Galaxy and 
  beyond:
  Beings of this reality — I am Istvatha V’han, 
  Empress of a Billion Dimensions and your new ruler. 
  This dimension is now part of the V’hanian Empire. 
  As imperial subjects your lives will improve and 
  you will have access to all services and benefits we 
  provide to our subjects. Our soldiers will occupy this 
  dimension and set up the mechanisms of government 
  and interdimensional trade. Do not attempt to resist; 
  any resistance will be met with the full force not only 
  of our displeasure but our military, against whom 
  any defense is futile.
  Security through loyalty!
  Prosperity through obedience!
  Peace and progress for all!
  1
  
  16 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  With that the Empress’s forces moved toward 
  Earth, rightly anticipating that its inhabitants would 
  not meekly submit to her dictates. The first battle 
  was fought in outer space between the Moon and 
  Mars as several teams of superheroes — including 
  the Justice Squadron, Sentinels, Tokyo Super Squad, 
  the New Knights of the Round Table, and the 
  Superhero Division — went forth to meet this new 
  threat. Unfortunately all they could do was slow 
  down the advance. Even that many experienced 
  superheroes could only accomplish so much against 
  an army of tens of thousands carried in powerful 
  starships and armed with advanced energy 
  weapons. The Drifter signalled a general retreat and 
  the heroes withdrew to the Moon.
  In the day it took for V’han’s army to reach 
  Earth orbit, the ranks of Earth’s defenders increased 
  to many times their original size. This proved to 
  be something of a hindrance as well as an asset; 
  while the expansion of strength and tactical options 
  was welcome, there was no acknowledged chain 
  of command, resulting in confusion, even chaos at 
  times. As a result the first full clash between Earth 
  and the V’hanian Empire went badly for Humanity. 
  The individual fighting styles and impromptu 
  strategies of Earth’s heroes were sometimes highly 
  effective, but overall could not win the day against 
  such a large, disciplined enemy force. As a result 
  V’han’s forces moved ever closer to Earth, and were 
  even able to launch attacks against several major 
  cities (including New York, London, and Bombay).
  Sensing the problem, Earth’s defenders 
  regrouped again and placed themselves at the 
  discretion of UNTIL. The Tribunal had long 
  planned and prepared for such invasion attempts 
  and was ready to spearhead Earth’s resistance. With 
  UNTIL agents coordinating Humanity’s defenders, 
  the second battle went better. Earth’s heroes struck 
  with precision and power, inflicting sufficient 
  damage on the Empire’s fleet to bring it to a halt in 
  cislunar space. Defensive perimeters were estab-
  lished and the war began in earnest.
  For the next two months the planet Earth found 
  itself under siege. Again and again V’han threw 
  her forces at Earth, and again and again Human 
  superheroes held them off, sometimes by the 
  barest of margins. But soon more than just Human 
  superheroes were a part of the war effort. V’han’s 
  announcement had gone out to the rest of Earth’s 
  reality, and many species who heard it had no more 
  desire to join her Empire than Humanity did. The 
  Star*Guard responded in force and was soon joined 
  by superhero teams from many other species, 
  and even a few Malvan adventurers. The Imperial 
  Legions found themselves surrounded, fighting a 
  war on all sides. Perhaps more importantly, many 
  Human supervillains, who had no desire to become 
  the subjects of some alien queen, joined forces with 
  the heroes, sometimes in exchange for pardons, 
  sometimes without asking for anything in return. 
  Notable villainous participants in the war included 
  Dr. Yin Wu (whose potent spells proved instru-
  mental in several battles), the Ultimates, Eurostar, 
  VIPER, Cateran, Anubis, Captain Chronos (who 
  used his time travel powers to “block” the Empress 
  from using hers), GRAB, and Zorran the Artificer.
  For two months the struggle continued, and 
  sometimes it seemed as if Earth’s protectors would 
  be overwhelmed. But after six weeks of fighting a 
  “commando team” of some of Earth’s most powerful 
  superhumans smashed through the Empire’s lines 
  and damaged V’han’s dimensional portal, rendering 
  it temporarily inoperative and thus severing the 
  Legions’ supply line. Trapped without hope of rein-
  forcements, the Empire’s forces fought on for two 
  weeks, but then accepted an offer to cease hostilities 
  and leave Earth’s dimension forever. After repairing 
  the dimensional portal they returned to their home 
  plane.
  But that was not the last the Earth would see of 
  Istvatha V’han.
  DIMENSIONAL WAr IN FAErIE 
  (2001; AGE 464)
  Excerpted from the Chronica Imperialis V’han’a:
  The Empress’s continuing interest in the dimen-
  sion Earth-1346 came to the forefront in 2001 when 
  her long-time enemy, the cruel and corruptive 
  sorcerer Skarn the Shaper, attempted to conquer 
  Earth by attacking its Parterres — specifically, it’s 
  “Faerie” dimension. Imperial military strategists 
  believe Skarn’s attention was attracted to Earth by 
  the Empire’s recent activities there, and that he 
  felt he could gain ground in his long-simmering 
  conflict with the Empress by conquering the 
  dimension himself. Rather than launch a frontal 
  assault, he planned to attack Humanity’s “psyche” 
  by assaulting and defeating its gods and legends. 
  Thanks to mystic “laws” imposed upon them 
  through a means unknown to the Empire, the 
  ancient gods of Humanity are unable to use their 
  magic against extradimensional enemies such as 
  Skarn.
  Thus, Skarn’s initial attacks went well. First he 
  challenged the war-gods of half a dozen pantheons 
  to simultaneous combat. Since they were unable 
  to use magic against him and could only rely on 
  physical strength, while his spells worked against 
  them flawlessly, he defeated them easily. Having 
  seen their greatest champions so quickly defeated, 
  the Human gods despaired of victory; many of 
  them changed their shapes and fled before Skarn 
  and his forces.
  The Empress considered this an intolerable 
  assault on a territory she’d already claimed and 
  determined to put a stop to it. She initiated a two-
  fold plan. First, she secretly passed word of what 
  was occurring to Human mystics, whose spells 
  would not be affected by the restriction on the gods’ 
  magic. Second, she sent a large force of D-Soldiers 
  to oppose Skarn directly.
  The Shaper soon found himself fighting a war 
  on many fronts. The gods attacked him as best they 
  could, and even without their magic they were 
  not an enemy he could casually dismiss. Second, 
  numerous Earth mystics, including Dweomer, 
  Rashindar, and the Devil’s Advocates, brought all 
  their sorcerous might to bear against him. Last 
  and worst of all, the Imperial Legions attacked 
  him from behind with weapons against which his 
  soldiers and spells were often less effective than 
  they were against arcane adversaries. After a week 
  WAr CASuALTIES
  Unfortunately the 
  First V’hanian War of 
  1998 was not without 
  its casualties among 
  Earth’s defenders. In 
  addition to thousands 
  of UNTIL agents, 
  VIPER agents, national 
  soldiers, and other 
  ordinary Humans who 
  found ways to get 
  involved in the fighting 
  and made the ultimate 
  sacrifice for their 
  world, many 
  superhumans 
  were also killed 
  in battle. Some of 
  them include:
  Azure Guardian, a 
  member of the Tiger 
  Squad
  Captain Corona, a solar-
  powered hero whose 
  powers were particu-
  larly strong in space
  Cobalt Crusader, a 
  hero with radioactivity 
  powers
  Devil Jack, a minor 
  supervillain with low-
  level teleportation and 
  fire powers
  Gladiatrix, a robotic 
  super“heroine”
  Human Arsenal III, a 
  weaponmaster hero
  Roktar, a villainous 
  “brick”
  Sierra, a stone-control-
  ling superheroine
  Tremor, a hero with 
  vibration powers
  1
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter One 
  17
  of being battered from all sides, Skarn retreated to 
  the Congeries to lick his wounds and devise other 
  plans.
  Excerpted from The Bloody Hand:
  After she defeated Skarn with Humanity’s 
  help, Istvatha considered adopting his strategy 
  and continuing his attack on Earth through its 
  Parterres. Ultimately she had to back down and 
  retreat to her own territory, though. It was not clear 
  to her whether Earth’s gods’ powers would work 
  against her forces, since they were technological 
  rather than mystical, and she didn’t want to risk it 
  when her plans for another invasion of Earth were 
  almost complete.
  THE STILLBOrN INVASION 
  (2002; AGE 465)
  Excerpted from The Bloody Hand:
  Having failed at her first attempt to conquer 
  the dimension designated Earth-1346, an enraged 
  Empress immediately began making plans for 
  another invasion. Four years of preparation 
  followed. As the planned date of the invasion 
  neared, certain members of the dissident under-
  ground within the Empire, including one of the 
  authors of this history, learned of it. In an effort to 
  stymie Istvatha’s plans they used stolen dimension-
  breaching technology to send a message to the 
  defenders of Earth.
  A group of Human “superheroes” known as the 
  Champions received the warning. After alerting 
  the rest of their species to the threat, they decided 
  to try to stop the invasion before it began... by 
  invading the Empire itself! Using a device created 
  by one of their colleagues they opened a gate into 
  V’han’s territory and came through. Their plan was 
  to conduct reconnaissance, and hopefully to disrupt 
  the Empire’s war effort. Fortunately for them, we 
  of the underground sensed their arrival and made 
  contact before the Imperial Security Force could 
  apprehend them.
  Learning from us of the existence of rebels 
  within imperial territories, the Champions began 
  an ambitious program of fomenting rebellions 
  wherever they could in the hope of bringing the 
  Empress down... or at least changing her plans to 
  invade their dimension. They traveled from planet 
  to planet and dimension to dimension, attacking 
  prominent targets and appealing to local rebels to 
  rise up and regain their freedom.
  To the surprise of some of us, their strategy 
  worked. Dozens of minor rebellions broke out, 
  as well as ten major ones that eventually engulfed 
  one or more entire dimensions. Istvatha put all 
  military campaigns and invasion plans on hold and 
  regrouped her forces to fight the revolutionaries. 
  Most of the rebellions were put down within two 
  years, but three of them linger on in some form, 
  and we who hope to cast off the imperial shackles 
  have the Champions to thank for it, and to provide 
  an eternal example of what just a few dedicated 
  sentients can do in the cause of freedom.
  Excerpted from Sapphire:  The Playboy Interview (August 
  2006):
  Q:  What was it like in Istvatha V’han’s empire?
  A:  It was... different. Some places we went were so 
  unusual it was like visiting an alien planet in 
  this galaxy; others were a lot like Earth, but not 
  quite right somehow in ways that always made 
  me a little nervous. And everywhere you went, 
  1
  
  18 n A Crusade Across Realities: The History Of Istvatha V’han 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  pictures of V’han with that slogan of hers; it was 
  like stepping into a strange Hollywood remake 
  of 1984. I’m glad we were able to do some good 
  there, and I hope it’s lasted.
  Q:  Did you get to meet any alternate versions of 
  yourself, or your teammates?
  A:  One time, in an alternate Earth dimension; I 
  forget the number. It was totally surreal. And 
  my costume is way better than what that other 
  Sapphire was wearing.
  Q:  Was there Playboy in this other Earth?
  A:  I don’t know; we didn’t have any time to visit any 
  magazine stands.
  THE SECOND V’HANIAN INVASION 
  (2007; AGE 470)
  Excerpted from The V’hanian Invasion 2007:  A Report to 
  the United Nations, by UNTIL:
  As anticipated by UNTIL and Earth’s major 
  governments, Istvatha V’han, the self-proclaimed 
  “Empress of a Billion Dimensions,” attacked Earth’s 
  dimension for a second time. Almost ten years had 
  passed since her first attempt (though informa-
  tion from the Champions indicates she planned an 
  attack in 2002, which they deflected with asym-
  metrical warfare tactics).
  During that interim, UNTIL had prepared for 
  another possible V’hanian invasion (or like event) 
  by coordinating with similar agencies and superhe-
  roes around the globe to establish a worldwide alert 
  network and make plans for the initial response. 
  Specific agencies and superhero teams were 
  assigned specific tasks in the event of an invasion 
  and told who to contact for further instructions. 
  This program was eventually designated Project 
  Citadel and placed under the primary command of 
  Major Alexander Shumeykin of Russia.
  Having learned a hard lesson in 1998, this time 
  V’han’s forces began their assault more warily. 
  They created their dimensional gate in the vicinity 
  of Saturn and brought an estimated one million 
  soldiers (and supporting vehicles) through it before 
  the Empress announced her intentions. GATE-
  WAY’s sensors detected what was going on before 
  the announcement but not in time to forestall the 
  invasion.
  Project Citadel responded with near-perfection 
  as Major Shumeykin, in consultation with Secre-
  tary-Marshall Eckhardt and the rest of the High 
  Command, kept Humanity’s response as organized 
  and effective as possible. Squadrons of superheroes 
  able to survive and move in outer space launched 
  from every part of Earth in unison, rendezvoused 
  near the Moon, and after destroying several scout 
  vessels met up with the bulk of V’han’s army in the 
  asteroid belt region. Being met with planned resis-
  tance so soon gave the invaders pause, and after the 
  superheroes inflicted significant casualties on the 
  fleet the V’hanians ceased their advance and drew 
  up defensive formations.
  This hesitation gave more of Earth’s superhe-
  roes time to reach the front lines as UNTIL and 
  several technologically-oriented heroes assembled 
  simple starbases and space vessels from component 
  modules built in advance and stored at Moonbase 
  Serenity. Furthermore, unlike the first invasion, 
  where Earth’s superpowered criminals did not 
  get involved until the situation seemed most dire, 
  this time many of them volunteered their services 
  from the beginning of the war. UNTIL would like 
  to acknowledge the early participation of Merc-
  Force 1, the Crimelords, Red Winter, Dr. Yin Wu, 
  Kinematik, Gravitar, the Warlord, and Holocaust 
  in particular and recommends that their efforts be 
  noted in their files.
  Unfortunately even this much combined super-
  human might wasn’t enough to stop the invaders 
  easily. Concentrating their attack on two specific 
  areas of our defensive lines, V’han’s forces smashed 
  through with sheer strength of numbers (though 
  Humanity’s defenders inflicted more than their fair 
  share of casualties in the process). Leaving behind 
  the remnants of many starbases and spaceships, 
  Humanity’s forces retreated to the vicinity of Mars.
  Thus the war went for nearly a month. V’han’s 
  forces relied on numerical superiority and a steady 
  stream of reinforcements; Humanity on the valor 
  of its superheroes, combined with aid from the 
  Star*Guard and other defenders of this dimension 
  (including, if some reports are to be believed, two 
  Galaxars, the Lawbringer and the Warmonger). 
  The turning point came when Dr. Wu, Rashindar, 
  and several other Human mystics cast a ritual that 
  temporarily stole the power of V’han’s own mystics 
  and then used that power to disrupt the func-
  tioning of V’han’s ships, weapons, and other tech-
  nology (including the dimensional gate). Unable to 
  get their technology to work properly, the Imperial 
  Legions fell into disarray and began to lose battle 
  after battle. Humanity’s hero army pushed them 
  back further and further, eventually all the way to 
  their gate... which they retreated through and then 
  destroyed behind them.
  CONCLuSION
  CONCLuSION
  Excerpted from Omniscient Narrator Magazine, favorite 
  periodical of GMs everywhere:
  Although Humanity has thwarted her plans to 
  invade the dimension she calls Earth-1346 (albeit 
  by the narrowest of margins), Istvatha V’han is not 
  yet done with Earth. That any dimension, particu-
  larly one championed by so “primitive” a people as 
  Humanity, should stymie her ambitions infuriates 
  her. Invading Earth is not the only focus of her 
  attentions, but it’s never far from her mind. See 
  Chapter Five for detailed information about V’han’s 
  current plans for, and activities on, Champions 
  Universe Earth and its dimension.
  Nor does V’han’s history end in the early 
  twenty-first century. As revealed in Galactic Cham-
  pions, she’s still in power as of the year 3000 AD (a 
  fact known to Captain Chronos, among others, and 
  which he may reveal to modern-day heroes if he 
  thinks they should be aware of it). Circumstances 
  prevent her from renewing her attacks on Earth 
  during most of the third millennium, but that 
  doesn’t mean she’s not active in other areas... just 
  that a thousand or more years of her future history 
  are beyond the scope of this book.
  1
  
  THE 
  PERSONAGE IMPERIAL
  Chapter 
  two
  
  20 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  A
  lthough she lacks the personal power 
  of the likes of Dr. Destroyer or Mech-
  anon, Istvatha V’han is nevertheless 
  an immensely powerful, immensely 
  dangerous individual. But more than that she’s a 
  complex individual, one not as easily reduced to a 
  simple one-sentence description as either of those 
  other two master villains. Player Character super-
  humans may become uncomfortable to find that 
  they’ve got more in common with her than they 
  might at first suspect.
  THE MIND IMPErIAL
  THE MIND IMPErIAL
  Analyzing a person as powerful, and in some 
  respects as isolated, as the Empress is a difficult 
  and potentially hazardous undertaking. Neverthe-
  less certain aspects of her personality soon became 
  apparent if one observes or interacts with her for a 
  reasonable period of time.
  IMPErIAL ArrOGANCE
  The first thing people tend to notice about 
  Istvatha V’han is her overwhelming self-assured-
  ness. As one spends more time around her, this 
  quality — call it arrogance or imperial disdain, if 
  you prefer — seems to predominate. It stems from 
  several sources.
  IntellIgence And competence
  Istvatha V’han is far more intelligent than 
  virtually everyone around her... and she knows it. 
  She’s also got the gift of competence, so to speak: 
  whatever she turns her hand to she usually does 
  well with and ultimately succeeds at. Despite a few 
  failures along the way, a long record of successes 
  in her centuries of life naturally tends to make her 
  intensely self-confident... and inclined to express 
  that self-confidence in the way she carries herself 
  and speaks to others.
  proof of posItIon
  More specifically, there’s the fact that she’s so 
  ably succeeded at the primary goal she set for 
  herself: to become a dimensional ruler. She controls 
  millions of dimensions and hundreds of octillions 
  of subjects, many of whom adore her and would 
  give their lives for her if she asked them to. What 
  greater proof does one need of her innate superi-
  ority? And if one is superior, that tends to show in 
  one’s dealings with others.
  UnIqUeness
  As discussed further below, Istvatha V’han is 
  “multiversally unique” (there are no other versions 
  of her in any known plane of existence). This in 
  turn leads her to believe that her V’ha is the One 
  True Dimension, the reality at the heart of all reali-
  ties, because she couldn’t have been created there 
  if it weren’t. That makes her a sort of “dimensional 
  key” or “multiversal linchpin”... again, proof of her 
  innate superiority that justifies her looking down 
  on lesser beings.
  prIde And VAnIty
  Lastly, the Empress has a strong streak of pride, 
  and has ever since she was a young girl. She’s been 
  known to fly into a rage if anyone questions her, 
  disobeys her, makes her look bad (especially in 
  front of others), or doesn’t treat her with the full 
  respect she feels she deserves. Anyone who actually 
  insults her, even indirectly, will merely find himself 
  imprisoned if he’s lucky, but more likely winds up 
  very, very dead.
  Accompanying this is her vanity: she’s a good-
  looking woman, and she’s well aware of that fact. 
  While she doesn’t play on her looks or sex appeal 
  to get things done — she’d consider that demeaning 
  — she spends time each day making sure she looks 
  just right. The women of her court know better 
  than to try to compete with her in the looks depart-
  ment; anyone who does so successfully is likely 
  to find herself exiled to a dull job in some distant 
  dimension, or married off to a repulsive husband.
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  21
  THIrST FOr POWEr
  Istvatha V’han is intensely interested in 
  acquiring power — she couldn’t have conquered a 
  hundred million dimensions if she didn’t have that 
  sort of drive and ambition. Many of her subjects 
  have speculated (in private) as to why this is so. 
  The higher-minded tend to think she wants power 
  because she believes she can govern civilizations, 
  worlds, and dimensions better than they can if left 
  to themselves. (This is certainly the position taken 
  by official publications, and given the state of her 
  Empire, if she does believe this there’s evidence to 
  suggest she’s correct.) It may also relate to her desire 
  for a legacy (see below).
  Somewhat less idealistic subjects think she 
  wants power as a way of insulating herself from 
  potential threats. As an immortal, her first goal 
  (consciously or subconsciously) must be to preserve 
  her own existence. While it’s true that being 
  Empress exposes her to some dangers she’d other-
  wise be safe from (such as assassination), for the 
  most part her lofty position protects her from the 
  everyday inconveniences, dangers, and threats most 
  beings are subject to.
  The most cynical view is that Istvatha V’han 
  seeks power for its own sake. It’s a good thing 
  to have, generally speaking, so why shouldn’t an 
  immortal want to obtain as much of it as she can? 
  Or perhaps she enjoys “lording it” over as many 
  people as possible, or has obsessive-compulsive 
  tendencies toward order and control (there’s 
  certainly some evidence in support of the latter 
  point; see below).
  Of course, it’s entirely possible that Istvatha 
  V’han’s hunger for power stems from all of these 
  reasons simultaneously. They’re not mutually exclu-
  sive, and any individual as complex as V’han could 
  easily have multiple motivations for something as 
  fundamental as seeking power.
  ALTruISM
  Despite what’s written in the pages of The Bloody 
  Hand and the other underground protest tracts that 
  circulate clandestinely through the Empire, Istvatha 
  V’han is in some ways a kindhearted person, plain 
  and simple. As arrogant and condescending as she 
  may sometimes be to individuals, and as prone to 
  settling difficult problems with violent means, she 
  genuinely and sincerely wants to make life better 
  for her subjects, whether that’s through managing 
  the infrastructure and economy, maintaining the 
  peace, providing them with jobs, ensuring equal 
  treatment under the law, or offering free medical 
  care. While her needs and the needs of the military 
  must come first, the Empire is so wealthy she can 
  afford to devote a lot of resources to improving the 
  quality of life for the subjects of the Empire. (See 
  Chapter Five for more information on how she 
  treats conquered peoples.)
  The source of V’han’s altruism is unclear. Some 
  observers attribute it to noblesse oblige, and there’s 
  definitely some element of that involved. Although 
  she’s never said so publicly, V’han does to some 
  extent believe that as a person of rank, privilege, 
  and wealth she has a duty to “give back.” Others 
  point to the fact that her family has (or more 
  accurately had, before she accidentally erased them 
  from existence) a long record of charity work going 
  back for generations — she may simply have been 
  raised to “do good for others,” and is following 
  through with that belief using all the power at her 
  command (and perhaps is trying to make up for 
  “causing” their “deaths”).
  While Earth heroes and others who prefer not 
  to sacrifice their freedom for V’hanian peace and 
  security may label her a “villain,” Istvatha V’han 
  definitely doesn’t think of herself as one, and 
  neither do most of her subjects. Some tolerate her 
  because they have no other real option; most truly 
  like her to some degree; some practically worship 
  her. She has no love for superpowered criminals, 
  and does not associate with them. Any within her 
  Empire are captured and given a simple choice: 
  join the Imperial Battalion and scrupulously obey 
  all military and civilian laws and regulations for 
  the rest of your life; or suffer the appropriate legal 
  punishment (typically a lengthy prison term or 
  execution).
  AntI-corrUptIon
  One aspect of V’han’s concern for her subjects that 
  everyone in the Empire’s well aware of is her intense 
  hatred of corruption. Given the size of her govern-
  ment, it’s inevitable that some less-than-honest people 
  will obtain government jobs or other official respon-
  sibilities. But any imperial employee found to be 
  involved in bribe-taking, influence-peddling, acting 
  in their own interest instead of the public good, or 
  the like is punished harshly. Severe cases of public 
  corruption merit the death penalty — and those 
  executions are carried out publicly as a warning.
  AntI-VIolence
  Unlike master villains such as Dr. Destroyer 
  and Mechanon, Istvatha V’han has no particular 
  bent for destruction, murder, or violence. There’s 
  no question that she’ll employ whatever level of 
  military force is necessary to complete a conquest 
  with minimal loss of life among her soldiers, up 
  to and including the use of Planetbuster Bombs or 
  Nova Igniters (see Chapter Three). But she does 
  so after carefully weighing the pros and cons and 
  deciding that’s ultimately the most merciful course 
  of action (since when it comes down to it she cares 
  more about the lives of loyal soldiers than the lives 
  of potential subjects [particularly potential subjects 
  so stubborn or stupid they’re determined to fight 
  her]). She prefers not to use any more violence than 
  she has to; she finds that she can often persuade 
  planets to surrender and join her Empire simply 
  by sending an army so large the inhabitants of that 
  planet know there’s no hope of resisting her.
  DESIrE FOr A LEGACY
  For whatever reason — perhaps as a side effect 
  of her immortality and dimension/time-traveling 
  powers — Istvatha V’han is biologically incapable 
  of having children. She could clone one from 
  her own cells, or adopt one, but neither solution 
  appeals to her. Since she’ll have no heirs of flesh 
  and blood to come after her, she wants her legacy 
  to be a Multiverse of peaceful, prosperous subjects 
  whose lives are better because of what she’s done.  
  2
  
  22 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Even though she’s immortal, she recognizes that 
  sooner or later something’s going to kill her (be 
  it a determined assassin, a cosmic catastrophe, or 
  a tragic accident), and she wants her Empire and 
  the benefits it provides to live on after her. The 
  longer she sits on the V’hanian Throne the more 
  this concerns her; she desperately wants to keep 
  her Empire from being torn apart by ambitious 
  underlings after she’s gone, but has no clear idea 
  about how to prevent that from happening (aside 
  from trying to appoint the most honorable qualified 
  people she can find to important positions).
  SuBTLE AND MANIPuLATIVE
  While the Empress has a well-deserved reputa-
  tion for using overwhelming force to get the job 
  done — after all, why not win a battle quickly and 
  easily if you can? — there’s more to her than brute 
  force. She can be extremely subtle and manipula-
  tive if she has to be; she’d have difficulty navigating 
  the social waters of her own court if she weren’t. 
  She’s been known to do things like walk among 
  her courtiers in disguise to hear what they’re really 
  saying, spread competing rumors to set two court-
  iers at one another’s social throats (thus deflecting 
  them from something she wants them paying less 
  attention to), and use the appearance of favoritism 
  toward one courtier to get others to do what she 
  wants them to. Similarly, while she knows how 
  to employ raw military force as needed, she also 
  understands the value of intelligence gathering and 
  special operations.
  A STuDENT OF DIVErSITY
  Istvatha V’han is endlessly fascinated by the 
  myriad species, cultures, and civilizations of her 
  Empire and often spends time studying them in 
  a casual way (she’s no anthropologist, and has no 
  ambitions to become one). There’s no prejudice or 
  bigotry in her; she finds such emotions repugnant. 
  (After all, she’s seen so many different species and 
  cultures in her dimensional travels that exalting 
  one above the others seems idiotic.) In her Empire, 
  everyone is equal before Imperial law and custom... 
  and equally below herself.
  If there’s any exception to this rule, it’s for her 
  native people, the V’hanians. While she doesn’t 
  grant them privileges or resources beyond those 
  of her other subjects, any V’hanian who wants 
  one can get just about any sort of government job 
  he wants... at significantly higher pay than other 
  species doing the same job. As a result, over 90% 
  of V’hanians are imperial employees... and are 
  intensely loyal to their Empress.
  OrDErLINESS
  The Empress has a passion for order. She likes 
  everything to be just so, and is a devotee of sched-
  ules, lists, and other forms of organization. Woe 
  betide the courtier or official who’s late to a meeting 
  with her! Her security personnel often try to get her 
  not to be such a creature of habit — routines create 
  patterns, and patterns are weaknesses enemies can 
  exploit — but for the most part she doesn’t listen to 
  them. It’s their place to inform her of these things... 
  and her place, as Empress, to do as she sees fit 
  regardless of their advice.
  V’HAN’S POWErS
  V’HAN’S POWErS
  The key to Istvatha V’han’s conquests is, ulti-
  mately, her personal superpowers. They made her 
  first conquests possible, which in turn allowed her 
  to build her Empire into what it is today. And as 
  noted in Chapter One, sometimes she uses them to 
  help her armies during particularly difficult battles.
  DIMENSIONAL TrAVEL
  First and foremost, Istvatha V’han is a dimen-
  sional traveler. She possesses one of the rarest of 
  superpowers, the ability to effortlessly travel to 
  nearly any dimension. Of course, certain dimen-
  sions are inimical to sentient life, or are otherwise 
  barred to some or all travelers based on their nature 
  (see Chapter Four), but the vast majority of the 
  planes of the Multiverse are open to the Empress, 
  should she care to visit.
  V’han’s dimension-traveling power involves 
  temporarily opening up a sort of “portal” between 
  the dimension she’s currently in and where she 
  wants to go. This looks like a shimmering, light 
  burgundy-colored, roughly oval-shaped field 
  slightly larger than V’han herself that appears right 
  in front of her. Although it seems to be a generic 
  “gate,” in fact it’s specifically attuned to her genetic 
  and neurological patterns. Other beings cannot 
  use it unless she’s touching them and wills them 
  to come with her. She can do this for up to seven 
  beings of roughly her own size and weight (or a like 
  amount of unliving mass, such as a small vehicle). 
  The apparent size of the portal is irrelevant; what 
  matters is the mass (the portal seems to “expand” to 
  cover any object that satisfies its mass threshold).
  The nature of V’han’s dimensional travel abilities 
  (and the technology her scientists have derived 
  from them) is such that it tends to be “easier” for 
  her to open “portals” at certain locations. These 
  locations are usually on or near planets that are 
  inhabited by sentient beings (or once were, or will 
  be in the future). That’s why her most common 
  invasion strategy is to open a D-Portal in an 
  inhabited system (usually the one that’s her primary 
  target for that dimension). It would often be a 
  better military tactic to open a D-Portal far away 
  from where anyone could detect or destroy it, bring 
  her forces through, and then go on the warpath... 
  but that’s “harder” (among other things, it takes 
  significantly more power). She’ll do it if she has to, 
  but uses the easier method when she can. (In game 
  terms, consider ignoring the Reduced Endurance (½ 
  END; +¼) Advantage on her Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement when she uses it in a location that’s 
  more than .25 light-years from a planet that has, 
  had, or will have a significant amount of sentient 
  life.)
  One danger V’han must remain aware of during 
  her journeys is entering a plane where her dimen-
  sional travel power doesn’t function properly... or 
  at all. If that happened she could be trapped. This 
  would be most likely to occur in the “lowest” of 
  Assiatic dimensions, where the level of ambient 
  magical energy is so minimal that no superhuman 
  abilities can possibly exist or function. But there are 
  certainly some other unusual Assiatic dimensions, 
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  23
  not to mention Yetziratic or Brialic ones, where the 
  natural laws and/or laws of magic might not work 
  to her advantage. If possible she “scouts” a dimen-
  sion with a Transdimensional Probe (page 80) first 
  to make sure it’s safe for her to enter. If that’s not 
  feasible she sends some members of the Impe-
  rial Scout Service through a D-Portal to examine 
  the place and determine whether they can build 
  another D-Portal there. If they can, she can safely 
  enter. If not... they’ve just become colonists in a 
  new reality unless and until the ISS can find a way 
  to rescue them.
  dImensIonAl destAbIlIzAtIon
  One “dimensional powers trick” V’han can 
  perform is something she calls Dimensional 
  Destabilization. She causes a millisecond-long 
  destabilization in the dimensional “fabric” in the 
  space occupied by the target. This creates “ripples” 
  or “forces” in the dimensional superstrata and 
  substrata in that location that can inflict significant 
  harm to the target (much like properly-focused 
  gravitic or magnetic waves could in normal space). 
  She avoids using this attack repeatedly on the same 
  precise physical location, though, since she fears 
  (correctly) that it could cause a permanent weak-
  ening of the dimensional barriers.
  dImensIonAl power trIcks
  At the GM’s option, the Empress could perform 
  other “dimensional power tricks” as well. She can 
  use her Power: Dimensional/Time Travel Powers 
  Skill to perform minor “power stunts” such as 
  opening a tiny portal she can look through (the 
  Dimensional Sense Modifier for her Normal Sight) 
  or perhaps fire an attack through (a naked Trans-
  dimensional Advantage). She shouldn’t be allowed 
  to do this frequently, however, since she hasn’t 
  paid Character Points for these abilities (though 
  the GM’s also free to rewrite her character sheet to 
  include such powers, if desired).
  TIME TrAVEL
  A close second to Istvatha V’han’s ability to 
  travel among the dimensions is her power to travel 
  through time. The entire spectrum of Time, insofar 
  as she and her scientists know it to exist, is open to 
  her; she can visit any point in the past or the future.
  The Empress’s time travel powers work in any 
  dimension she visits. According to her perceptions, 
  as influenced by the research conducted by her 
  scientists, there’s a single overall Stream Of Time 
  that applies throughout the Multiverse... but each 
  dimension’s “branch” of the overall Stream “runs” at 
  its own speed. In some dimensions (such as two or 
  more alternate Earths), time flows along at nearly 
  the same rate, with the same events happening at 
  more or less the same time. But in other planes time 
  moves faster, or slower, or “curves” in unusual ways. 
  V’han has the power to “perceive” which branch 
  of the Time-Stream she’s in, where she is in it (e.g., 
  near the end, in the middle, 40% from the begin-
  ning), and any unusual features it may have. (She 
  can only perceive these things once she’s actually in 
  a branch, though, so if time in a particular dimen-
  sion flows in odd ways she may be affected by them 
  even as she perceives them... which isn’t always a 
  desireable outcome for her.)
  V’HANIAN TIME TrAVEL
  In game terms, Istvatha V’han’s 
  ability to travel through time 
  is represented by two powers. 
  The first, used for regular 
  time travel, is Extra-
  Dimensional Movement. 
  The second, representing 
  precise control over 
  short-term time travel, 
  allows her travel back in 
  time up to a week day and 
  start the events of that period 
  all over again (thus giving 
  her a chance to avoid some 
  unpleasant event that occurred 
  the first time). The latter ability 
  is built using the optional 
  Replay power from APG2 40. 
  If you don’t have that book, 
  you can let her do this as a 
  “time travel powers trick” with 
  her Power Skill, or as a plot 
  device... or you can just ignore 
  it altogether.
  2
  
  24 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  chronAl nodes
  However, again according to her perceptions, 
  every branch of the Stream Of Time has chronal 
  nodes — dates/events/incidents of such impor-
  tance that their outcome can affect the future 
  flow of time by splitting off a new “branch” of the 
  Stream (and thus creating a new dimension in the 
  process). The typical events in the life of a typical 
  person don’t create or involve chronal nodes; they 
  can be changed by time travelers without affecting 
  the overall flow of time in any meaningful way. 
  But events of great significance, or the actions of 
  extremely important persons, are/create chronal 
  nodes. Interfering with a chronal node thus can 
  “change history” going forward from that point.
  Some chronal nodes are very specific and 
  discrete — such as whether a certain person does 
  or does not cross a certain street at a certain time. 
  But others are very “broad,” such as whether a 
  particular war is fought and who wins it. (Some 
  scientists consider the latter merely a large collec-
  tion of specific chronal nodes, rather than a single 
  large node; research is ongoing.) In either case, 
  it can be difficult, and potentially dangerous, for 
  Istvatha V’han to time travel across a chronal node. 
  She’s experienced enough at time travel that these 
  difficulties rarely cause her any problems more 
  significant than minor stomach upset or head-
  ache for a few minutes, but the potential dangers 
  are real. When possible she minimizes them by 
  intensely studying the historical events surrounding 
  and at the node; just knowing about them tends 
  to “smooth out the bumps” as she travels (and of 
  course makes it far more likely she can choose 
  wisely if she has to intefere with a node).
  In the modern-day Champions Universe Earth 
  (Earth-1346 as V’han knows it), the primary 
  chronal nodes are the emergence of superpowers 
  (1938) and the arrival of Mechanon (1985). The 
  American Revolution, American Civil War, and 
  some aspects of World Wars I and II are also nodes. 
  Istvatha V’han has the ability to perceive chronal 
  nodes, and has an extensive knowledge of the ones 
  in her Empire.
  meetIng herself
  Nothing in the nature of Istvatha V’han’s time 
  travel powers makes it impossible for her to meet 
  herself in the past (or future). In theory dozens of 
  V’hans could meet up at a specific place and time 
  to apply their group intellect to some problem. 
  However, in practice the Empress tries very hard to 
  avoid meeting herself through time travel. Because 
  she’s multiversally unique (see below), she and her 
  scientists are concerned that two or more of them 
  in the same point of space-time could have negative 
  effects on the Stream Of Time or otherwise harm 
  Reality in some fashion. She’ll risk it if she has to... 
  but she prefers not to. She keeps careful track of 
  where she’s been when in an effort to avoid any 
  accidental “encounters” with herself. If possible, 
  she in fact limits herself to no more than one V’han 
  in any one dimension at any given point in time 
  (though as shown in Chapter One, she’s willing to 
  visit the past to bring information or technology 
  that will help her former self’s soldiers/followers 
  overcome an enemy they otherwise probably could 
  not defeat).
  MuLTIVErSALLY uNIQuE
  As far as she and her subjects can ascertain, 
  Istvatha V’han is “multiversally unique.” Since 
  there are an enormous (perhaps infinite) number of 
  alternate versions of many dimensions (including 
  V’ha and Earth), there are likewise an enormous 
  (perhaps infinite) number of alternate versions 
  of most important people (if not everyone). 
  For example, most alternate Earths feature some 
  form of the Champions and most other renowned 
  superheroes. These alternate versions may be 
  significantly different (such as “evil” versions of 
  good characters, people being of different races or 
  coming from wildly different backgrounds, and the 
  like), but they’re still recognizable versions of the 
  same person.
  Not so Istvatha V’han. There is only one of her 
  in all the Multiverse... or at least all evidence points 
  to that being the case. In her extensive dimensional 
  travels, including visits to thousands of alternate 
  V’has, she’s never once met an alternate version of 
  herself, or even heard stories about one. Whenever 
  she visits a new dimension she’s regarded as being 
  unlike anyone there; she’s never drawn comparisons 
  with the “local” Istvatha. Nor has she ever encoun-
  tered, or learned about, anyone else who is multi-
  versally unique (aside perhaps from some cosmic 
  beings like the Galaxars, but they’re an entirely 
  different order or “scale” of existence). Not even 
  her arch-enemies Skarn and Tyrannon are unique 
  (though none of their alternates have developed 
  into dimension-conquering master villains; they’re 
  relatively mundane beings compared to the “true” 
  Skarn and Tyrannon).
  Given this state of affairs, V’han also believes 
  that her native dimension, V’ha (or V’ha-1, to be 
  more precise), is the “One True Dimension” from 
  which all others spring. Her theory is that only in 
  the One True Dimension could the Only Multiver-
  sally Unique Being be born. None of her scientists 
  have been able to determine if this is true, and if 
  true what the implications are for the nature and 
  structure of the Multiverse. But theories abound 
  and are the subject of extensive scientific-philo-
  sophical debates among a small coterie of her top 
  researchers and theoreticians.
  IMPLANTED DEVICES
  To protect her from assassins and other enemies 
  (and when necessary to allow her to engage in 
  superpowered combat), Istvatha V’han has had a 
  number of powerful micro-devices implanted in 
  her body. One of these, her Cerebellic Translator, is 
  simply for convenience (since even she doesn’t have 
  the time to learn even a fraction of the languages 
  spoken by her subjects), but the others are defen-
  sive. One establishes a “resistance field.,” a form of 
  force-field that protects her against a wide variety 
  of attacks. The other is a Cerebellic Shield that 
  prevents psionic powers from affecting her very 
  strongly (if at all).
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  25
  SurVIVABILITY
  Perhaps as some sort of adjunct to, or “side 
  effect” of, her time travel powers, Istvatha V’han is 
  immortal. She can still be killed through physical 
  trauma, but she never experiences the effects of 
  aging. Similarly, she doesn’t need to eat, sleep, or 
  breathe (though she often eats for the pleasure of 
  it) and is immune to harm from radiation, vacuum, 
  pressure, heat, and cold.
  Knowledge
  Knowledge
  Istvatha V’han is immensely knowledgeable 
  about a wide variety of subjects. Ordinarily even 
  an immortal wouldn’t have time to become as 
  well-informed as she is about so many subjects, 
  but the Empress has an ace up her sleeve: she’s a 
  time traveller. She can cram literally years’ worth of 
  learning into a single hour through the use of her 
  Replay power (or, if you prefer, time travel simply 
  becomes a “special effect” for high KS rolls). For 
  example, every day millions of reports are sent to 
  her on a vast array of subjects. Special devices can 
  feed thousands of those reports directly into her 
  brain in the space of an hour... then she simply 
  goes back to the beginning of the hour (having 
  forgotten nothing she’s learned in the past hour) 
  and starts over again with new reports. Similarly, 
  if she feels like becoming informed about topics 
  such as Cantralvian Literature or the diplomatic 
  customs of the Skreee, she can spend as much time 
  as she wants studying, then time travel back to 
  the moment she began studying... so that to other 
  people it seems as if she picked up expertise in the 
  subject in a split second. (In game terms, this is the 
  special effect for her high KS: Everything roll, other 
  KSs to some extent, and her Cramming.)
  Furthermore, since V’han doesn’t have to sleep, 
  she has three shifts of highly-trained servants (and 
  robots) who bring her reports and information 
  and manage her schedule around the clock. Much 
  to the chagrin of some of her staff, it’s not at all 
  uncommon for her to set briefings for, say, 3:00 AM 
  — to her one time is as good as another, after all.
  Subjects the Empress is particularly well-versed 
  in include:
  
  n what’s going on in her Empire. A significant 
  portion of the imperial bureaucracy consists 
  of people whose job it is to keep a watchful 
  eye open, investigate matters of concern, 
  study useful subjects, and just generally learn 
  things, and then send reports about them to 
  the Empress. Every day she spends hundreds 
  of subjective hours reading the most intriguing 
  or crucial reports and having others psionically 
  fed into her brain by special devices. To others 
  it seems as if she’s almost magically informed 
  about events in even the most backwater areas of 
  the V’hanian Empire. To her it seems like hour 
  after hour after hour of often boring work... but 
  work that’s absolutely crucial to the proper func-
  tioning of her Empire, and to her image.
  
  n the nature and structure of the Multiverse. If 
  Istvatha V’han isn’t the single most knowledge-
  able person in the Multiverse about the Multi-
  verse and the dimensions comprising it, she’s 
  certainly in the top five.
  
  n phsycis. The Empress is a world-class expert 
  on physics, particularly dimensional physics 
  (the science of the nature of the Multiverse, 
  how dimensional barriers function and can 
  be crossed, and so on). Although she has no 
  interest in performing experiments or building 
  devices, she can discuss theoretical physics at 
  the same level as most of the leading scientific 
  minds of her Empire. Her chief scientists usually 
  find this a blessing, since it makes briefing her 
  on scientific matters much easier... though 
  they’re less happy about it when she’s able to 
  discern their mistakes.
  
  n magic. V’han isn’t a spellcaster herself — she’s 
  tried to learn but, to her chagrin, simply doesn’t 
  have the innate “knack” for it. But she’s aware 
  that much of the nature and structure of the 
  Multiverse is, or depends upon, what people 
  tend to call “magic.” Therefore she’s become 
  quite the lay expert on the subject, and often 
  enjoys discussing such matters with practicing 
  mystics or watching them at work. (If a means 
  were discovered for her to learn to become an 
  actual spellcaster, she’d be highly tempted to do 
  so.)
  
  n politics. The Empress has seen a practically 
  infinite number of political and social systems 
  at work and has a strong grasp of why they work 
  (or don’t), and their implications. On those rare 
  occasions when someone has the daring (or 
  insanity) to debate political matters with her, she 
  can usually crush them intellectually by citing a 
  dozen examples of whatever it is she wants to do 
  that her “opponent” has never heard of.
  Weaknesses
  Weaknesses
  Istvatha V’han’s primary physical weakness — 
  one she does her best to keep secret, and in fact 
  has killed to keep secret — is that dimensional 
  attacks used against tend to be highly effective. 
  She theorizes this is because being multiversally 
  unique somehow renders her more “fragile” to such 
  assaults, but she has no way to be certain and isn’t 
  eager to experiment so she can find out. (At the 
  GM’s option, in addition to having a Vulnerability, 
  she might also be Susceptible to being Teleported or 
  Extra-Dimensionally Moved against her will.)
  Beyond that, the Empress has few real weak-
  nesses (not that she’d be likely to engage Player 
  Characters in direct combat anyway). However, her 
  imperial pride and arrogance could easily become 
  a chink in her armor. An appeal to that side of her 
  could drive her to make promises or commit to 
  courses of conduct she’d otherwise be smart enough 
  to avoid. Her desire for power and conquest could 
  also be exploited, perhaps luring her (or more accu-
  rately, a lot of her D-Soldiers) into a trap.
  2
  
  26 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  A DAY IN THE LIFE 
  A DAY IN THE LIFE 
  OF AN EMPrESS
  OF AN EMPrESS
  Istvatha V’han’s daily routine is hard to describe. 
  Since she uses her time travel powers to compress 
  thousands of subjective hours’ worth of work into 
  a single day, to others she often seems to flit from 
  one task to another with the speed and energy of a 
  Zugarian hummingbird. In an “instant” she learns 
  what she needs to know, figures out what she needs 
  to figure out, does what she needs to do, or issues the 
  necessary orders, and then it’s off to the next item on 
  the agenda.
  Additionally, since she doesn’t have to eat or sleep, 
  and she rules over tens of millions of dimensions 
  whose inhabitants use millions of different ways of 
  telling time and organizing their days, there’s no need 
  for V’han to adhere to any specific way of organizing 
  her day. She can schedule activities around the clock. 
  For example, most of her subject species are diurnal, 
  so she prefers to meet with them during the day, but 
  enough are nocturnal that she could fill an entire day 
  and night with meetings if need be.
  The Empress “begins” most days at 6:00 AM 
  Imperial Standard Time (a multiversal time stan-
  dard adhered to for all imperial business regardless 
  of local conditions). Most days she fills the early 
  hours with briefing meetings and review of reports, 
  constantly Replaying spans of time so that she has 
  thousands of meetings and learns millions of facts 
  within what objectively seem to be just a few minutes 
  or hours. Her advisors love the fact that she never 
  has to cut them off for lack of time; a meeting can go 
  on just as long as it needs to, then she steps back in 
  time to the beginning and starts all over again with 
  another meeting. She gets more work done, and so 
  do her servants.
  Various other tasks pertaining to the administra-
  tion of her Empire occupy her until approximately 
  mid-day. At that point she usually takes several 
  objective hours off for leisure time, including lunch 
  with friends or lovers (see below). She reads, plays 
  games, walks in her gardens, goes on a brief trip to 
  another dimension, plays games, or whatever other 
  light amusements catch her fancy. Of course, emer-
  gency situations may upset these plans... but once 
  again she can usually use her time travel powers to 
  let her do whatever she wants for as long as she wants 
  without any negative consequences.
  When her leisure time is over, V’han returns to 
  work. That leads to the early evening and formal 
  social occasions — state dinners, court balls, 
  attending artistic performances, and the like. This 
  is when she’s most likely to become involved with 
  activities that she doesn’t Replay, thus signalling how 
  serious they are to her.
  Late at night the Empress resumes her less formal 
  leisure schedule. Now her activities are more serious 
  than in the early afternoon: disguising herself and 
  going out to some nightclub with friends; romantic 
  rendezvous; and other sorts of “night life” activi-
  ties (though she avoids the use of alcohol or drugs 
  and tends to prefer that her companions do so as 
  well). Whenever she gets tired of that, it’s back to her 
  palace and back to work.
  Leisure Activities
  Leisure Activities
  Like most immortals, Istvatha V’han has devel-
  oped a wide range of interests as a way of staving off 
  boredom and routine. While she sometimes goes 
  through “fads” where she develops an obsession 
  with some particular activity and spends most of 
  her leisure time on it, usually she tries to balance 
  her leisure pursuits so that she’s always stimulating 
  her mind and senses in different ways. Some of her 
  typical leisure activities include:
  
  n collecting. If it’s rare, interesting, or valuable, 
  Istvatha V’han probably collects it. But there has 
  to be some challenge to assembling the collec-
  tion or it won’t hold her interest for long — since 
  she can buy anything she wants, collecting 
  anything that’s easily purchased usually doesn’t 
  attract her attention. But things that are rare 
  or difficult to obtain are a different matter... 
  especially since she has millions of dimensions’ 
  worth of collectibles to choose from! To keep 
  things challenging and fair, she never orders a 
  merchant or another collector to simply give 
  her something — if someone else has an item 
  she wants for her collection, she either pays fair 
  price for it through an intermediary or finds 
  some way to convince the owner to let her have 
  it without applying imperial pressure. (And of 
  course, many subjects like to give her gifts as a 
  way of attracting her notice or currying favor.) 
  Some of her main collections include art, rare 
  books, animals, plants, and gemstones. She 
  houses these collections on entire continents or 
  planets devoted to them. (In some cases these 
  “museums” are open to her subjects; in others 
  they’re kept private.) For example, the Jovian-
  sized terrestrial planet Ugong in the dimension 
  Traxus is where she keeps part of her collection 
  of animals from around the Multiverse. The 
  main job of the thousands of “game wardens” 
  who “curate” her animal collection is to keep 
  the ecology balanced. The Empress often enjoys 
  “going on safari” with her corps of huntsman 
  (and usually a lot of bodyguards) to acquire new 
  creatures for her animal collection; similarly she 
  enjoys browsing rare book stores and attending 
  art auctions (in disguise, of course!).
  
  n reading. There’s little the Empress enjoys more 
  than a good book, and she can choose from 
  the best literature of a hundred million dimen-
  sions. She often spends subjective days at a time 
  reading (she reads very quickly, though not at 
  Speed Reading level), particularly when she 
  discovers a genre or literary movement that’s 
  new to her and wants to really delve into it. 
  She’s probably the most well-read person in the 
  history of Reality.
  
  n music. The Empress enjoys many types of music, 
  from relatively sedate classical music to hard-
  core rock ’n’ roll (to put it in Human terms). 
  Becoming one of the Empress’s favorites is a 
  ticket to lifelong success and wealth for a musi-
  cian, since she loves command performances 
  and showers money and gifts on her preferred 
  musicians in a patron-like fashion. She often 
  combines listening to music with reading.
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  27
  
  n travel. After all, what’s the fun of being able to 
  visit any dimension if you don’t use that ability? 
  She usually goes in disguise (since otherwise she 
  can’t travel anywhere without causing all sorts of 
  havoc) but almost always has quite a few Impe-
  rial Battalioneers or robotic bodyguards (also 
  disguised) with her, just in case.
  
  n games. Nothing can quite capture the attention 
  and excitement of a good game, and Istvatha 
  V’han plays all sorts of games from throughout 
  her realm (ranging from board and card games, 
  to computer games, to games that require holo-
  chambers). A subject who introduces her to a 
  new one she particularly likes will find himself 
  richly rewarded.
  Social Circle
  Social Circle
  One aspect of her life where the Empress has 
  to be careful about using her time travel powers to 
  “compress time” and get things done quickly is her 
  social life. For everyday social engagements she can 
  sometimes use her Replay without giving offense. 
  Since everyone involved remembers everything that 
  happened the first time a given span of time passed, 
  people who attend a party the Empress Replays 
  actually get to go to the party twice! But there are 
  situations where it would be rude (not to mention 
  counterproductive) to Replay a meeting or activity 
  — it could make it seem as if the Empress were 
  taking the matter lightly, for example. That rarely 
  occurs (after all, she’s the one in charge and doesn’t 
  usually have to care about what other people think), 
  but there are circumstances where she prefers to go 
  through a social situation and then not Replay it as 
  a way of indicating how meaningful it is to her.
  Since friends make life sweeter, the Empress 
  cultivates a wide social circle. Most of her friends 
  are other women from high-ranking or wealthy 
  imperial families, but she knows and associates 
  with people from every walk of life. More than once 
  she’s struck up an interesting conversation with a 
  palace servant and accompanied that person home 
  to continue it and meet his family. (Such fortunate 
  souls usually find their wealth and station in impe-
  rial society rising swiftly thereafter.) On the other 
  hand she has no use for toadies, bootlickers, and 
  yes-men, and is quick to send them packing when 
  they try to ingratiate themselves with her.
  The only downside to being part of the V’hanian 
  social circle is that it’s basically a full-time job — 
  you have to be ready at any time to meet up with 
  the Empress and do whatever she feels like doing. 
  Maintaining a job is pretty much impossible; 
  maintaining close ties to one’s family is sometimes 
  almost as difficult. Fortunately the Empress is 
  aware of this and usually arranges for her favorites 
  to receive a comfortable salary from the imperial 
  treasury for being her “companions.”
  While Istvatha V’han has never married, and 
  never shown any real inclination to, she usually 
  maintains a group of three to four lovers at any 
  given time. Rarely has just one captured her 
  devoted attention for any length of time; she finds 
  it more fun to play them off against one another 
  or tease them with the fact of their rivals’ exis-
  tence. Although she’s had romantic companions 
  of every description, she seems to favor handsome 
  humanoids who are intelligent, active, caring, but 
  cognizant of the fact that she’s in charge. Sooner or 
  later she tires of every lover, but unless he’s done 
  something to anger her she usually shuffles them 
  off to some important imperial job that they’re 
  well-suited for and pays them a lavish salary for 
  life. Rumors constantly swirl around the Empire 
  that the Empress enjoys some... strange... romantic 
  activities, but all of her lovers have quite wisely kept 
  their mouths shut about this.
  2
  
  28 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ISTvATHA v’HAN
  ISTvATHA v’HAN
  EMPRESS Of A BILLION DIMENSIONS
  EMPRESS Of A BILLION DIMENSIONS
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  30 STR 
  20 15- Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 HTH damage [3]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  25 INT 
  15 14- PER Roll 14-
  25 EGO 
  15 14-
  30 PRE 
  20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  8 
  DMCV 15
  6 
  SPD 
  40  
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  25 PD 
  23  
  Total:  25 PD (20 rPD)
  25 ED 
  23  
  Total:  25 ED (20 rED)
  20 REC 
  16
  60 END 
  6
  16 BODY 
  6
  60 STUN 
  20  
  Total Characteristics Cost:  289
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  171 
  Dimensional Travel:  Extra-Dimensional Movement (any 
  location in any dimension, can travel through time), x8 
  Increased Weight 
  6
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  412 
  Precise Time Travel:  Replay (1 Week; see APG2 40) 16
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  80 
  Dimensional Destabilization:  Blast 20d6 
  10
  No Knockback (-¼)
  20 
  Resistance Field:  Resistant (+½) for 20 PD/20 ED 
  0
  20 
  Resistance Field:  Power Defense (20 points) 
  0
  25 
  Cerebral Shield:  Mental Defense (25 points) 
  0
  40 
  Vitality:  Life Support:  Total (including Longevity:   
  Immortality) 
  0
  15 
  Perceive Chronal Nodes:  Detect Chronal Nodes 14-  
  (no Sense Group), Discriminatory, Range
  13 
  Temporal Perception:  Detect Position In Stream Of  
  Time 14- (no sense Group), Discriminatory, Range
  18 
  Implanted Imperial D-Link:  Mind Link, specific group  
  of up to any 16 minds (her Regent/Viceroy/Herald 
  robots), Dimensional, No LOS Needed 
  0
  Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind 
  Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not 
  Mental Group (-½)
  15 
  Favor of Fortune:  Luck 3d6 
  0
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  20 
  Cerebellic Translator:  Universal Translator 14-
   
  Perks
  25 
  Fringe Benefit:  Empress of a Billion Dimensions
  3 
  Fringe Benefit:  Access To Briah
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
   
  All the Followers, Vehicles, and Bases she could possibly 
  need
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 15-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 15-
  3 
  Charm 15-
  3 
  Combat Driving 13-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 14-
  20 
  Cramming x4
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  3 
  High Society 15-
  19 
  AK: Chronal Nodes In Her Realm 30-
  3 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Space) 14-
  3 
  Oratory 15-
  3 
  Persuasion 15-
  11 
  Power:  Dimensional/Time Travel Powers 18-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  SS: Dimensional Engineering 14-
  3 
  SS: Physics 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Systems Operation 14-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms
  3 
  Scholar
  18 
  1)  KS: Her Realm And What Goes On In It 30-
  2 
  2)  KS: Dimensional History 14-
  18 
  3) KS: Dimensions Of The Multiverse 30-
  18 
  4) KS: Everything 30-
  2 
  5)  KS: Political Science 14-
  2 
  6)  KS: Layman’s Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  1,068
  Total Cost:  1,357
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  regal bearing and regalia (Conceal-
  able With Difficulty; Causes Major Reaction [fear and/
  or loathing])
  5 
  Enraged:  if questioned or disobeyed (Uncommon), go 8-, 
  recover 14-
  25 
  Hunted:  Tyrannon (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Complication:  Overconfidence; Regal 
  Bearing And Attitude (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Complication:  Wants To Conquer And 
  Rule The Multiverse (Common, Total)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from dimensional-based attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  Total Complications Points:  75
  Experience Points:  957
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  29
  OTHEr GENrES
  OTHEr GENrES
  A
  lthough Istvatha V’han is most appropriate 
  for Superhero campaigns, GMs running 
  other sorts of campaigns can easily adapt 
  her — or various aspects of her — to other 
  genres. A few examples are presented below, but 
  there are many other ways you can do this to suit 
  specific campaigns or PCs.
  Since V’han is a dimensional traveler and a time 
  traveler, you don’t necessarily have to “adapt” her 
  at all — she could show up, as-is, in pretty much 
  any sort of campaign. Of course, with the Impe-
  rial Legions and other resources at her beck and 
  call she could easily overwhelm most campaigns; 
  even extremely powerful superheroes have trouble 
  fending off her invasions. So you may have to 
  arrange matters to keep her from simply taking 
  over and relegating your PCs to the status of slaves. 
  For example, perhaps due to some sort of “dimen-
  sional storm” or accident she gets sent “off course” 
  while crossing dimensional barriers and ends up 
  in the campaign setting, temporarily trapped and 
  without any resources but her powers and whatever 
  she happened to be carrying with her.
  DArK CHAMPIONS
  DArK CHAMPIONS
  In Dark Champions, the Empress of a Billion 
  Dimensions becomes Vatha Vahana, an exoti-
  cally beautiful crimelord from India who’s come 
  to the United States both to escape enemies on 
  the subcontinent and to take advantage of the vast 
  opportunities offered by America. She’s brought 
  with her an enormous gang of minions. Most of 
  them are regular modern criminals, but a few are 
  skilled stranglers who worship her as an incarna-
  tion of the death-goddess Kali (thus adding a 
  little “color” to her organization). On the surface 
  she’s just another criminal threat for your PCs to 
  deal with, albeit a rather exotic one. In a larger, 
  symbolic, sense, she represents the potential perils 
  posed by immigration.
  FANTASY HErO
  FANTASY HErO
  In Fantasy settings Istvatha V’han becomes 
  Empress Istvatha, the sorcerer-queen of a vast, 
  powerful kingdom that threatens to conquer the 
  entire world. The Empress herself is a powerful 
  spellcaster specializing in conjuration, elemental 
  magics, and travel magics; among other things her 
  spells allow her to travel anywhere in the world in 
  the blink of an eye, and to visit other planes (such 
  as the astral plane, elemental planes, and various 
  hells) at will. Through summoning rituals she’s 
  conjured a seemingly endless host of half-demonic 
  warriors from some quasi-hell; their reddish skin, 
  claws, and eerie-looking armor make them distinc-
  tive amongst the various races of the world.
  2
  
  30 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  vATHA vAHANA
  vATHA vAHANA
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  12 STR 
  2 11- Lift 133 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  14 DEX 
  8 12-
  15 CON 
  5 12-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  16 EGO 
  6 12-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  6 
  DMCV 
  9
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  6 
  PD 
  4  
  Total: 9 PD (3 rPD)
  5 
  ED 
  3  
  Total: 8 ED (3 rED)
  7 
  REC 
  3
  35 END 
  3
  15 BODY 
  5
  40 STUN 
  10  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 133
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Perceptive: +1 to PER Rolls with all Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  30 
  Contacts: various in the underworld in India and among 
  the Indian immigrant community in Hudson City
  90 
  Followers: 2,000 Indian criminals and Thugs built on up 
  to 175 Total Points each
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  6 
  Striking Appearance +2/+2d6
   
  Skills
  12 
  +1 Overall
  3 
  Bribery 13-
  3 
  Charm 13-
  2 
  Combat Driving 10-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  2 
  Interrogation 10-
  1 
  Lockpicking 8-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  2 
  TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
  3 
  WF: Small Arms, Blades
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 189
  Total Cost: 322
  175 Matching Complications (50)
  15 
  Hunted: rival gang from India (Frequently, As Pow, NCI, 
  Limited Geographical Area, Kill)
  25 
  Hunted: FBI (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Greedy And Powerhungry 
  (Common, Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 50
  Experience Points: 152
  EQuIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
  Steyr SPP 
  +1 
  +1 
  1d6+1 
  +0 
  11 
  30
  Armor: Light Body Armor (3 PD/3 ED) in appropriate situations
  Gear: Lockpicks concealed in her clothing
  Clothing: On most occasions she wears Western-style women’s 
  casual wear, hand-tailored and designed to show off 
  her figure to best advantage. On formal occasions she 
  wears a sari and other traditional Indian garb made 
  from the finest silks.
  CYBEr HErO
  You can also use Vatha Vahana in Cyber Hero 
  campaigns. Just “upgrade” her with a few pieces of 
  cyberware so she fits the genre better:
  Cost Power
  7 
  Handrazors: HKA ½d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  5 
  Left Cybereye: Infrared Perception (Sight Group)
  3 
  Cerebral Recorder: Eidetic Memory; Only For 
  Things Seen Through Cybereye And Heard 
  Through Earbuds (-½)
  3 
  Linguachip Reader: Variable Power Pool, 2 Pool + 
  2 Control Cost; OAF (implanted reader but OAF 
  software chips; -1), Only For Languages (-1)
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  31
  EMPRESS ISTVATHA
  EMPRESS ISTVATHA
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  13 DEX 
  6 12-
  13 CON 
  3 12-
  23 INT 
  13 14- PER Roll 14-
  23 EGO 
  13 14-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  7 
  OMCV 12
  7 
  DMCV 12
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  10 PD 
  8  
  Total: 10 PD (10 rPD)
  10 ED 
  8  
  Total: 10 ED (10 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  60 END 
  8
  13 BODY 
  3
  36 STUN 
  8  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 175
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Teleportation: 
  Anywhere in the world  
   
  via spells
  Cost Powers 
  END
  200 
  Spells: 200 Character Points’ worth of spells and magical 
  abilities, including the spells described in the main text 
  (see HSG for hundreds of example spells you can use)
  10 
  Spells Of Protection: Resistant (+½) for 10 PD/10 ED 0
  10 
  Spells Of Protection: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Spells Of Protection: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  15 
  Magesense: Detect Magic 14- (Sight Group), Discrimina-
  tory, Analyze 
  0
   
  Perks
  100 
  Followers: 16,000 half-demon soldiers built on 150 Total 
  Points each
  20 
  Fringe Benefit: Empress of the V’hanian Empire
  15 
  Money: Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
   
  Skills
  30 
  30 points’ worth of Magic Skills, as appropriate for 
  campaign
  3 
  Conversation 14-
  2 
  Cryptography 14-
  Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  Interrogation 14-
  15 
  AKs/CKs: 15 Character Points’ worth, as appropriate for 
  campaign
  12 
  Languages: 12 Character Points’ worth, as appropriate for 
  campaign
  2 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 14-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  1 
  WF: Daggers
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  2 
  2) KS: The Arcane World 14-
  2 
  3) KS: Conjuration 14-
  2 
  4) KS: Demonology 14-
  2 
  5) KS: Elemental Magics 14-
  2 
  6) KS: Necromancy 14-
  2 
  7) KS: Witchcraft 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 482
  Total Cost: 657
  175 Matching Complications (50)
  15 
  Hunted: various rival kingdoms (Less Pow or As Pow, 
  Frequently, NCI, most to Kill, some Watching)
  5 
  Hunted: a band of powerful, noble-minded adventurers 
  (Less Pow, Infrequently, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Must Rule The World And 
  Crush Her Enemies Beneath Her Heel (Common, 
  Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 35
  Experience Points: 497
  EQuIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
  Enchanted Dagger +2 
  — 
  2d6 
  +1 
  10 
  —
  Lightning Wand 
  +0 
  +0 
  3d6 
  +0 
  — 
  37  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  which  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Never 
   
   
   
   
                      Recover
  Armor: None
  Gear: Various material components and spellcasting appurte-
  nances; lavish jewelry (including several gems secretly 
  sewn into her clothing as an “emergency fund” when 
  she goes plane-traveling); Expandable Cottage (a Base 
  she can “summon”; OAF)
  Clothing: Empress Istvatha dresses similarly to Istvatha V’han, 
  but her clothes are regal Fantasy-era robes and she 
  carries her imperial scepter in her right hand. Her skin 
  is a glossy black instead of teal.
  2
  
  32 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  HOrrOr HErO
  HOrrOr HErO
  In appropriate Horror campaigns, Istvatha 
  V’han becomes the Istvatha, a strange mystical or 
  alien force that takes over the minds and bodies 
  of innocent people and forces them to commit 
  horrible deeds. While she remains in a victim’s 
  body, that victim is slowly corrupted until he’s the 
  Istvatha’s willing servant. The Istvatha can then 
  move on to her next victim. Her goal is to take over 
  all of humanity, one person at a time. One possible 
  stumbling block: the eyes of a victim suffering from 
  Istvathan Possession (but not Temporary Posses-
  sion or Corrupted Soul) change to a distinctive 
  violet color, making it possible for Our Heroes to 
  figure out what’s happening and stop it... if they act 
  in time....
  PuLP HErO
  PuLP HErO
  In the pulse-pounding world of Pulp adventure 
  the Empress becomes Istvatha of V’han, ruler of 
  an entire system of planets (the chief of which is 
  called V’han). Her system’s sun will soon go nova, 
  so she’s used the awesome powers of Weird Science 
  to move the planets away from it and across the 
  Galaxy in search of a more suitable source of heat 
  and light. And now she’s found it: the star known 
  to its natives as Sol. All she has to do is get rid of its 
  existing planets — including that pesky third one, 
  inhabited by a few million slightly evolved apes — 
  and move her own right into their place!
  STAr HErO
  STAr HErO
  Istvatha V’han already has a very “Science 
  Fiction” feel to her, with her fleets of starships and 
  an empire that spans not just galaxies, but dimen-
  sions. By scaling down the level of her power you 
  could use her as-is in many Star Hero campaigns — 
  perhaps her goal is to conquer the Galaxy, not all of 
  Reality. But if you prefer to change her into a purely 
  Science Fiction villain, try this: Queen Ist, ruler of 
  an insectoid species that wants to take over all life!
  Background/History: Ist is the unquestioned ruler 
  of the Krch’ree, a species of humanoid insects 
  whose females stand about five feet tall (males are 
  a foot shorter on average). The queenship of the 
  Krch’ree is hereditary; each queen can only give 
  birth to other queens, and no other female of the 
  species can. If the queen has multiple daughters — 
  as Ist’s mother did — they eventually have to fight 
  among themselves for rulership of the species. A 
  particularly brutal and clever fighter, Ist handily 
  defeated her rivals to emerge as the unquestioned 
  ruler of the species.
  Among the Krch’ree, the females are highly 
  intelligent and lead society; the males are some-
  what slow-witted but quite strong (they make fine 
  laborers and excellent soldiers). But what really 
  makes the species dangerous is how it breeds. The 
  females must lay fertilized eggs in the bodies of 
  other sentient life-forms. When the tiny young 
  hatch, they begin altering the host body at the 
  genetic level, transforming it over a period of days 
  or weeks into a Krch’ree! (How long the process 
  takes depends on how similar the host is to the 
  Krch’ree to begin with.) Having eventually extermi-
  nated the other sentient species on their enormous 
  homeworld, the Krch’ree have moved out into 
  space with a vengeance, driven by the needs of their 
  biology to invade and conquer. And leading their 
  grand crusade across the stars is the ruthless and 
  clever Queen Ist.
  Personality/Motivation: As the queen of the 
  Krch’ree, Ist is genetically predisposed to be 
  supportive and protective of all of her people. It’s 
  instinctual; fighting it is like fighting the urge to 
  breathe. She’ll do whatever she has to — no matter 
  how ruthless, “evil,” cruel, cunning, underhanded, 
  or deceptive — to ensure that the Krch’ree survive 
  and thrive.
  That aside, Queen Ist is sometimes regarded 
  as being a bit frivolous. She loves the pomp and 
  dalliance of office — the grand receptions, the state 
  meals, the official ceremonies — as well as the more 
  intimate pleasures her office allows her. She’s practi-
  cally addicted to court gossip and has an enormous 
  retinue of ladies-in-waiting and other hangers-on 
  trying to curry favor by bringing her the latest 
  news.
  Quote: “We are Queen Ist, and you will soon be our 
  subjects.”
  Powers/Tactics: Queen Ist is the largest, strongest 
  female Krch’ree in existence. Her mandibles and 
  arm-spines are particularly large and sharp, giving 
  her plenty of natural weaponry to fight with if need 
  be. But she’s also well-versed in Krch’ree weap-
  onry, so if an enemy finds a way to break through 
  her Royal Guard she’s quite capable of defending 
  herself.
  Appearance: To Human eyes a Krch’ree sort 
  of resembles a humanoid mantis-roach sort of 
  being, though that’s a loose comparison at best. By 
  Krch’ree standards she’s extraordinarily beautiful, 
  though to Humans she’s hideous and terrifying. 
  Her exoskeleton is shades of purple, and she wears 
  special red royal robes.
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  33
  THE ISTVATHA
  THE ISTVATHA
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  0 
  STR 
  -10 9- 
  Lift 0 kg; 0d6 HTH damage [0]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  20 PRE 
  10 1x- PRE Attack: xd6
  3 
  OCV 
  0
  3 
  DCV 
  0
  8 
  OMCV 15
  8 
  DMCV 15
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  2 
  PD 
  0  
  Total: 2 PD (0 rPD)
  2 
  ED 
  0  
  Total: 2 ED (0 rED)
  8 
  REC 
  4
  40 END 
  4
  5 
  BODY 
  -5
  30 STUN 
  5  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 104
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  20m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  68 
  Istvathan Possession: Possession (Mind Control EGO 
  +60, Telepathy EGO +40) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), 
  Unified Power (with Temporary Possession; -¼)
  60 
  Temporary Possession: Mind Control 12d6 
  7
  Telepathic (+¼), Unified Power (with Istvathan 
  Possession; -¼)\
  40 
  Mental Communication: Telepathy 8d6 
  4
  17 
  Corrupted Soul: Severe Transform 1 point (ordinary 
  human into human who’s the Istvathan’s willing slave; 
  heals back through certain magical rituals) 
  0
  ACV (uses OMCV versus DMCV; +¼), AVAD (Mental 
  Defense; +0), Works Against EGO, Not BODY (+¼), 
  Damage Over Time (60 increments, one per hour for 
  60 hours, defense only applies once, cannot be used 
  again on same victim until all increments accrue; 
  +1½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  53 
  Cannot Be Touched: Desolidification (affected by certain 
  magical rituals; can “merge” with victims per APG 93) 0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+¼), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½)
  40 
  Cannot Be Seen: Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe 0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+¼), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½)
  20 
  Psychic Protections: Mental Defense (20 points) 
  0
  10 
  Doesn’t Scare Easily: +20 PRE 
  0
  Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
  35 
  Hovering: Flight 20m 
  0
  No Turn Mode (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  -12 
  Only Hovers: Running -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Only Hovers: Leaping -4m (0m total)
  -2 
  Only Hovers: Swimming -2m (0m total)
   
  Skills
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 330
  Total Cost: 434
  175 Matching Complications (50)
  20 
  Physical Complication: No Manipulation (can only 
  manipulate physical objects through possessed/
  controlled victims) (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Complication: Mute (can only communicate 
  telepathically) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 35
  Experience Points: 274
  2
  
  34 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ISTvATHA Of v’HAN
  ISTvATHA Of v’HAN
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  15 DEX 
  10 12-
  13 CON 
  3 12-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  6 
  DCV 
  15
  6 
  OMCV 
  9
  6 
  DMCV 
  9
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  6 
  PD 
  4  
  Total: 9 PD (3 rPD)
  6 
  ED 
  4  
  Total: 9 ED (3 rED)
  6 
  REC 
  2
  30 END 
  2
  15 BODY 
  5
  30 STUN 
  5  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 148
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Teleportation: 
  1m-30,000 km
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Transtheric Scepter: Multipower, 50-point reserve
  All OAF (-1)
  2f 
  1) Transtheric Blaster: Blast 10d6 
  [12]
  OAF (-1), 12 Charges (-½)
  2f 
  2) Transtheric Domination: Mind Control 10d6 
  5
  OAF (-1)
  10 
  Imperial Will: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  90 
  Instantaneous Travel: Teleportation 30m 
  4
  MegaScale (1m = 1,000 km; +1¾), Reduced Endur-
  ance (½ END; +¼)
   
  Perks
  100 
  Followers: 16,000 space troopers built on 150 Total Points 
  each
  20 
  Fringe Benefit: Empress of the V’han System
  15 
  Money: Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  3 
  Striking Appearance +1/+1d6
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 14-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  3 
  Charm 14-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  5 
  Cramming
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  AK: V’han 13-
  2 
  Navigation (Space) 13-
  3 
  Oratory 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 14-
  2 
  SS: Physics 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  4 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 324
  Total Cost: 472
  175 Matching Complications (50)
  5 
  Hunted: by various rivals and enemies at court 
  (Frequently, Less Pow, NCI, Watching)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Must Find A New Sun For 
  Her People (Common, Total)
  10 
  Vulnerability: 2 x STUN from Electricity attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  Total Complications Points: 35
  Experience Points: 312
  EQuIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
  Concealed Raygun +1 
  +0 
  2d6 
  +1 
  8 
  6
  Armor: Transtheric Field Belt (Resistant Protection (5 PD/5 ED))
  Gear: None
  Clothing: Imperial robes, jewelry, and crown appropriate to the 
  situation
  2
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Two 
  35
  QUEEN IST
  QUEEN IST
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH damage [2]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  18 CON 
  8 13-
  23 INT 
  13 14- PER Roll 14-
  18 EGO 
  8 13-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  6 
  DMCV 
  9
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  12 PD 
  10  
  Total: 12 PD (3 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 8 ED (3 rED)
  8 
  REC 
  4
  40 END 
  4
  15 BODY 
  5
  40 STUN 
  10  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 173
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Leaping: 
  8m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Arm-Spurs: HKA ½d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  4 
  Mandibles: HKA 1 point 
  1
  Armor Piercing (+¼); No STR Bonus (-½)
  3 
  Chitinous Exoskeleton: Resistant (+½) for 3 PD/3 ED 0
  2 
  Krch’ree Legs: Leaping +4m (8m total) 
  1
  5 
  Krch’ree Eyes: Increased Arc Of Perception (240 
  Degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
  6 
  Four Arms, Two Legs: Extra Limbs (2) 
  0
  Inherent (+¼)
   
  Perks
  15 
  Fringe Benefit: Ruler of the Krch’ree
  15 
  Money: Filthy Rich
   
  Talents
  6 
  Environmental Movement: Zero-G Training
   
  Skills
  10 
  +1 with All Combat
  3 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  1 
  Computer Programming 8-
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  KS: Krch’ree History And Culture 14-
  3 
  Oratory 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Only With Krch’ree (-0)
  4 
  WF: Common Krch’ree Melee Weapons, Krch’ree Small 
  Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 102
  Total Cost: 275
  175 Matching Complications (50)
  20 
  Hunted: enemies of the Krch’ree (Frequently, As Pow, NCI, 
  Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Protective Of The Krch’ree; 
  Will Do Anything To See Them Triumph/Succeed (Very 
  Common, Total)
  Total Complications Points: 45
  Experience Points: 105
  EQuIPMENT
  Weapon 
  OCV RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
  Royal Sceptre 
  +0 
  — 
  3d6 N 
  — 
  10 
  —
  Armor: Force-field belt (Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED))
  Gear: None
  Clothing: Royal robes
  2
  
  36 n The Personage Imperial 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  2
  
  THE IMPERIAL LEGIONS
  Chapter 
  Three
  
  38 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE IMPErIAL 
  THE IMPErIAL 
  BATTALION
  BATTALION
  I
  stvatha V’han has a military numbering in 
  the trillions. At the forefront of that vast 
  military machine, not only in the minds of 
  most of her subjects but in terms of which 
  soldiers Human superheroes are most likely to 
  encounter and remember, are the members of 
  the Imperial Battalion — or more formally, the 
  1st Imperial Battalion. Nicknamed “the Invincibles,” 
  the members of the Battalion are superpowered 
  warriors who serve Istvatha V’han with unswerving 
  loyalty.
  Organization And Function 
  Organization And Function 
  Of The Battalion
  Of The Battalion
  The Imperial Battalion functions differently 
  than other battalions within the V’hanian military, 
  and occupies an unusual “position” within the 
  overall table of organization. On paper, the Impe-
  rial Battalion is a single battalion like any other. 
  Most members hold the rank of Captain, though 
  they generally aren’t expected (or permitted) to 
  give orders to lower-ranking ordinary D-Soldiers 
  in combat. Battalion officers of course have higher 
  ranks.
  In practice, the Imperial Battalion doesn’t func-
  tion like a battalion at all. Instead, Battalioneers are 
  assigned to units of D-Soldiers in much the same 
  way that the unit might be assigned a hover-tank, 
  an artillery piece, or a heavy machine gun. Battal-
  ioneers’ assignments depend on the needs of the 
  unit and the Battalioneer’s powers; administrative 
  officers go to some trouble to ensure that Battal-
  ioneers are put to best use. As a result, many find 
  themselves re-assigned on a frequent basis. Some 
  enjoy this because they get to see lots of different 
  places and make friends throughout the military; 
  others dislike the uncertainty of it and the inability 
  to form long-term bonds with fellow V’hanian 
  soldiers. On the other hand, it’s not unknown for 
  commanders to assign a Battalioneer to the same 
  unit for years at a time. This usually happens when 
  the unit’s been given some sort of long-term duty 
  — typically pacification, peacekeeping, and/or 
  anti-rebellion activities on a particular planet or in 
  a particular sector of space.
  Additionally, some Battalioneers receive non-
  military assignments. This is most common with 
  Battalioneers whose powers are more suited to 
  “civilian” uses than combat, but it depends on the 
  nature of the assignment. Examples of this include 
  disaster relief, infrastructure construction, and 
  “traditional superheroing” (crimefighting) as an 
  “auxiliary officer” of the Imperial Security Force 
  (see page 165).
  SuPEr-SQuADS
  In ordinary circumstances Battalioneers don’t 
  work together; they’re either assigned to their units 
  solo, or at most come together in twos and threes 
  because they’re each working with units who are 
  part of the same military operation. But sometimes 
  the Empress or her commanders need a large 
  amount of “superhuman force” to handle some 
  problem (such as a team of superheroes invading 
  V’han’s realm from another dimension). In that 
  case they’ll form “superteams” of four or more 
  Battalioneers; these are known as super-squads and 
  assigned a temporary code number.
  When forming a super-squad, commanders give 
  some thought to team composition. They typically 
  prefer squads with a variety of superpowers (and 
  thus tactical flexibility). They also look for Battal-
  ioneers whose powers synergize well, and/or who 
  are used to working together. Military doctrine 
  dictates that a super-squad should have, if possible, 
  the following members:
  
  n at least one who’s superhumanly strong and 
  tough (a “brick”)
  
  n at least two who can fly (and more is better)
  
  n at least one with movement powers who can 
  transport the entire squad quickly
  
  n at least three who can attack at range
  
  n at least two who are skilled at hand-to-hand 
  combat
  
  n at least one with scientific and/or technological 
  skills
  
  n at least one who’s “sneaky” and/or skilled at 
  espionage fieldcraft
  
  n at least three who have different special effects 
  for their attacks
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  39
  Of course, it isn’t always possible to meet these 
  criteria, but given the vast number of Battalioneers 
  the commanders can usually come pretty close even 
  if they can’t satisfy them all.
  Since Istvatha V’han controls alternate versions 
  of many dimensions, the Imperial Battalion often 
  includes multiple “versions” of the same super-
  human. Commanders try to avoid assigning 
  “duplicates” to work together, since this has been 
  known to cause psychological or social prob-
  lems (and can even pose difficulties in the field, 
  if squadmates can’t tell the two apart easily). But 
  sometimes the military has a mission that’s best 
  suited to a squad whose members all have the same 
  or similar powers. For example, it’s not unheard 
  of for a mission to destroy an enemy installation 
  to be assigned to an all-brick team, or for a squad 
  composed entirely of gadgeteers to sneak into and 
  plant bugs in enemy facilities. If “duplicates” of a 
  specific Battalioneer are the most qualified candi-
  dates for this sort of mission, it’s possible that the 
  commanding officer might assemble a squad of “all 
  alternate Defenders” or “all alternate Dr. Silver-
  backs” (so to speak).
  Battalion recruitment 
  Battalion recruitment 
  And Training
  And Training
  By Imperial law, all superhumans in the Empire 
  automatically become members of the Imperial 
  Battalion. If a superhuman’s powers manifest in 
  childhood, he’s taken from his home and raised 
  to become a superhuman soldier; otherwise he’s 
  inducted whenever it’s discovered he has powers. 
  The Empress makes allowance for superhumans 
  whose powers aren’t effective in combat or who 
  have religious/moral objections to fighting. She 
  assigns them to non-combat duties, but they’re still 
  Battalioneers and draw military pay and benefits... 
  and are subject to military regulations, which are 
  harsher than civilian law.
  Of course, not all superhumans want to join the 
  Battalion. Some come from recently-conquered 
  species, others are villains or simply prefer to be 
  left alone. In that case severe methods of control 
  are used (see below). However, the Empress prefers 
  for the Battalioneers to be eager volunteers (since 
  one of their duties is protecting her, after all), and 
  if possible will try to arrange things to “sweeten the 
  deal” and get a recruit’s enthusiastic cooperation. 
  For example, it’s quite common for her to “bribe” 
  a Battalioneer by giving all of his family members 
  cushy, high-paying jobs.
  Once recruited, a Battalioneer undergoes exten-
  sive military training. Despite their powers and 
  often “unorthodox” approach to problem-solving, 
  superhuman soldiers are still soldiers, and are 
  expected to possess professional competence and 
  discipline. The accompanying Template describes 
  the basic skills taught to all Battalioneers, though 
  it’s certainly possible for one of them to request and 
  receive more extensive military training.
  CONTrOLLING THE BATTALION
  Superhumans are notoriously individ-
  ualistic and even iconoclastic — keeping 
  them under control and performing as 
  an effective military unit is a challenge in 
  any place and time. Istvatha V’han keeps 
  the Imperial Battalion under control 
  with a combination of the carrot, the 
  stick, and the really big stick.
  “The carrot” is the extensive benefits 
  received by Battalioneers. They’re 
  highly paid and have excellent quarters. 
  Their families receive good jobs with 
  the imperial government if they want 
  them. They get full pay if injured, and a 
  lavish pension after retirement (or death 
  benefits if they die in the line of duty). 
  If they need to leave the field for some 
  reason, they transition into some other 
  sort of military or imperial job with no 
  loss of pay or benefits. They’re regarded 
  as heroes by most imperial subjects, and 
  many of them are famous (with all the 
  corresponding “perks” fame entails).
  Of course, for many Battalioneers, 
  the benefits are just icing on the cake — 
  they’re loyal subjects of the Empire who 
  are proud to serve it. Many dimensions 
  have been part of the Empire so long that 
  they know no other way of life. Superhu-
  mans from these places usually join the 
  Imperial Battalion willingly; it’s regarded 
  as an excellent career and a way to fulfill 
  a duty to the Empire to which they owe 
  so much. The ranks of the Battalion 
  contain many die-hard V’hanian patriots 
  who joined with pride and serve proudly 
  all their lives.
  “The stick” is the significant punish-
  ments imperial law mandates for 
  superhumans who don’t willingly join the Battalion, 
  which range from imprisonment up to death. (If 
  necessary, the Empire will also threaten the super-
  human’s family and loved ones, but that’s a last-
  ditch tactic.) Thus, any supervillain in the Empire 
  has, in effect, committed a potentially capital 
  offense regardless of what crimes he committed, 
  since by definition he hasn’t joined the military. In 
  many cases the punishment for non-service also 
  extends to the superhuman’s family, any friends or 
  colleagues who knew about him and didn’t inform 
  the authorities, and the like. Trying to hide from 
  V’han’s recruiters, or not serving her loyally after 
  joining the Battalion, is a Very, Very Bad Idea.
  The “really big stick,” used only on those 
  superhumans who are so valuable that the Empress 
  prefers not to kill them, but so intractable that no 
  other alternative will work, is mind control. “Brain-
  washing” and related techniques are well within 
  the Empire’s technological capabilities, and V’han 
  doesn’t hesitate to use them on potential Battal-
  ioneers if appropriate. Kharrl Korathon, described 
  below, is an example of this. Ordinarily he’d never 
  serve the woman who removed his entire species 
  from existence... but thanks to V’hanian mind 
  control he’s now a highly loyal Battalioneer.
  IMPERIAL 
  BATTALIONEER 
  TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military 
  Science And Doctrine 
  11-
  2 
  Language: V’hanian (fluent 
  conversation)
  3 
  Tactics
  3 
  Teamwork
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Cost Equipment
  7 
  Imperial Battalion 
  Communicator: HRRP 
  (Radio Group); IIF (-¼), 
  Affected As Sight And 
  Hearing Group 
  As Well As Radio 
  Group (-½)
  Total Cost Of Template 
  Abilities And Equipment: 19
  Value Complications
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the 
  V’hanian Empire 
  (Infrequently, As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Social Complication: 
  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  Total Value Of Template 
  Complications: 30
  3
  
  40 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  EXAMPLE 
  EXAMPLE 
  BATTALIONEErS
  BATTALIONEErS
  Here are a few members of the Imperial 
  Battalion that the PCs might encounter. See page 54 
  for a list of some of the other members.
  ABrAXAS
  ABrAXAS
  Background/History: Toren Allep began his career 
  in the air force of his people, the Rilarans. He was 
  soon promoted into the astronautics program based 
  on his health, skills, and attitude. After several years 
  of training, Allep achieved his great ambition: he 
  flew into space as a member of a mission to explore 
  one of Rilara’s moons.
  But then something went wrong and the space-
  ship found itself almost powerless, drifting off-
  course with no hope of rescue. To Allep’s astonish-
  ment, the combination of the stress and exposure 
  to the cosmic rays of space activated his previously-
  dormant mutant ability to “tap into” the motion 
  of planets, comets, and other space bodies. Using 
  his newfound power he saved the spaceship and 
  everyone aboard. He became one of Rilara’s greatest 
  heroes, using his powers both to fight crime and to 
  advance the space program. He called himself, in 
  Human terms, Abraxas.
  That was twenty years ago. A mere two years 
  after his first flight, Istvatha V’han invaded and 
  quickly conquered Rilara’s dimension. Abraxas and 
  Rilara’s other heroes fought valiantly against her, 
  but her overwhelming numbers and technology 
  made it a futile effort. Since then Rilara and the rest 
  of its dimension have become a loyal territory of 
  the Empire (though some anger still lingers among 
  those old enough to remember the days before the 
  invasion). Abraxas survived the invasion and was 
  drafted into the Imperial Battalion and has served 
  in it ever since.
  Personality/Motivation: At first, Abraxas resented 
  being forced into the Battalion and having to serve 
  the woman who conquered his people. But he soon 
  realized just how beneficial the Empire could be, 
  and as the years passed his resentment turned into 
  acceptance, and then devotion. He now serves 
  V’han as a loyal soldier, one who’s quick to cham-
  pion her cause against those who think to resist her.
  Beyond that aspect of his personality (which 
  may make him seem villainous, or at least like 
  some kind of apologist, to Human PCs), Abraxas 
  is a valiant and heroic individual. He enjoys being 
  challenged and confronts the obstacles put in his 
  way with forthright vigor and optimism. Before 
  being a soldier he was one of Rilara’s superheroes, 
  and it shows in his deeds and words. He won’t use 
  excessive force or put innocents in danger if he can 
  possibly avoid doing so, and he’ll try to appeal to 
  the PCs’ better natures and sense of logic rather 
  than use force if he can.
  Quote: “Look, I’ve been where you are. It’s an inva-
  sion, it’s not pleasant at first. But think of it like 
  medical treatment — it hurts a little now, but your 
  world will be much, much better for it in the long 
  run. Don’t fight us; join us to help make a better 
  tomorrow a reality!”
  Powers/Tactics: Abraxas is a Rilaran mutant (he 
  doesn’t register as a mutant on Human mutant 
  detection devices) with the power to draw upon the 
  orbit of planets, comets, and other astronomical 
  bodies, and even large-scale planetary phenomena 
  like Coriolis force. He can then “project” a tiny 
  fragment of that power to attack his enemies, 
  propel himself through the air, or protect himself 
  from attacks. If he’s willing to unleash the full force 
  he can channel, he can “fire” a “blast” powerful 
  enough to affect even the strongest targets.
  However, for any of his powers to work, Abraxas 
  either has to be on a planet or within a solar system. 
  If he’s in interstellar space there’s not enough 
  motion for him to “tap.” (The motion of stars, 
  galaxies, and the like is too “broad” and powerful 
  for him to work with... at least for now. If he ever 
  becomes powerful enough to channel galactic 
  motion he’d be able to devastate entire worlds with 
  a wave of his hand.) Usually this isn’t a drawback, 
  but Istvatha V’han’s forces often have to fly through 
  space to reach their next target... and if he’s attacked 
  at that time he’s largely powerless (though his Char-
  acteristics remain at superhuman levels).
  In combat Abraxas usually prefers to start by 
  taking a support role. He augments his teammates’ 
  movement abilities and Entangles enemies to get 
  them out of the way. If he’s attacked directly or his 
  team needs help he’ll unleash his Orbital Bombard-
  ment or Coriolis Hurl, though. Unless an opponent 
  is obviously tough enough to take a full blast, he 
  starts Bombardment at 12-16d6 and ratchets up 
  from there until he determines what level of force is 
  most effective against a target without posing a risk 
  of causing significant harm or death.
  Campaign Use: Besides being a foe the PCs can face 
  in combat, Abraxas can fulfill several other poten-
  tial roles. First, he could serve as a “superpowered 
  diplomat” to Earth, stating V’han’s case from the 
  perspective of someone who’s been conquered by 
  the Empire but learned to appreciate all the benefits 
  it offers. Second, if the PCs have enough success 
  against V’han that they weaken her hold over 
  Rilara’s dimension, they could perhaps persuade 
  him to turn his back on the Empress and lead his 
  people to freedom.
  If you want to make Abraxas more powerful, 
  expand his powers to kinetic energy and 
  momentum control in general. Champions Powers 
  has plenty of sample powers suitable for him in that 
  case. To weaken him, reduce his SPD to 4 and his 
  Orbital Bombardment to 20d6.
  Appearance: Abraxas is 
  a member of the Rilarans, 
  a humanoid species with 
  distinctive horizontal 
  furrows or ridges along 
  the bridge of the nose, 
  the sides of the jaw, and 
  the elbow (and parts of 
  the arm just below it). 
  He wears a full bodysuit 
  that’s a sort of purple-
  grey, but with finger-thick 
  bands of random colors 
  circling the legs, waist, 
  torso, and arms (and one 
  around the top of his 
  head, like a fillet).
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  41
  ABRAXAS
  ABRAXAS
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  18 CON 
  8 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  15 EGO 
  5 12-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  9 
  DCV 
  30
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  5 
  DMCV 
  6
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  6 
  PD 
  4  
  Total: 26 PD (20 rPD)
  6 
  ED 
  4  
  Total: 26 ED (20 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  80 END 
  12
  12 BODY 
  2
  46 STUN 
  13  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 181
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  20m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  120 
  Keplerian Tapping: Multipower, 120-point reserve
  All slots Only When Abraxas Is On A Planet Or In 
  A Solar System (-0)
  12f 
  1) Orbital Bombardment: Blast 24d6 
  12
  4f 
  2) Coriolis Hurl: Telekinesis (60 STR) 
  9
  Only To Push Targets Away From Abraxas (-1)
  5f 
  3) Planetary Rotation: Entangle 8d6, 8 PD/8 ED 
  8
  Costs Endurance (to maintain; -½)
  2f 
  4) Movement Enhancement: Boost Movement  
  Powers 4d6 
  5
  Variable Effect (any one kinetic energy-based Move-
  ment Power at a time; +½), Ranged (+½); Costs 
  Endurance (to maintain; -½), Only Aid Other (-½), 
  Only Works On People/Objects Currently In Motion 
  (-¼), Points Fade Immediately When Person/Object 
  Stops Moving (-½)
  34 
  Planetary Force Shield: Resistant Protection  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  6
  Costs Endurance (to maintain; -½), Only When 
  Abraxas Is On A Planet Or In A Solar System (-0), 
  Unified Power (-¼)
  5 
  Force-Field Belt: Power Defense (8 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  13 
  Force-Field Belt: Life Support (Self Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: all) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  24 
  Planetary Flight: Flight 20m, x8 Noncombat 
  3
  Only When Abraxas Is On A Planet Or In A Solar 
  System (-0), Unified Power (-¼)
  15 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP (Radio 
  Group), Dimensional 
  0
  IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial 
  Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 with Keplerian Tapping Multipower
  2 
  Computer Programming 10-
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 11-
  2 
  PS: Astronaut 11-
  2 
  Language: V’hanian (fluent conversation; Rilaran is Native)
  2 
  SS: Astronomy 11-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 290
  Total Cost: 471
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Distinctive Features: Rilaran Mutant (Not Concealable; 
  Always Noticed; Detectable Only By Unusual Senses)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As 
  Pow, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Heroic; Willing To Place 
  Himself In Danger To Aid Others (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Imperial Patriot (Common, 
  Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 71
  3
  
  42 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ARS DIAVOLA
  ARS DIAVOLA
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  16 DEX 
  12 12-
  15 CON 
  5 12-
  25 INT 
  15 14- PER Roll 14-
  25 EGO 
  15 14-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  9 
  OMCV 18
  9 
  DMCV 18
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  6 
  PD 
  4  
  Total: 24 PD (18 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 26 ED (18 rED)
  8 
  REC 
  4
  60 END 
  8
  10 BODY 
  0
  40 STUN 
  10  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 195
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  303 
  Mastery Of The Infernal: Multipower, 455-point reserve
  All Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼)
  11f 
  1) Combat Conjuration: Summon up to two demons 
  built on up to 600 Total Points 
  22
  Expanded Class (demons and other infernal beings; 
  +½), Friendly (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), 
  Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼)
  8f 
  2) Ritual Conjuration: Summon up to 16 demons 
  built on up to 1,200 Total Points 
  45
  Expanded Class (demons and other infernal beings; 
  +½), Friendly (+¼); Concentration (0 DCV throughout 
  casting; -1), Extra Time (20 Minutes; -2½), Gestures 
  (throughout casting; -½), Incantations (throughout 
  casting; -½)
  6f 
  3) Greater Conjuration: Summon one demon prince 
  built on up to 1,500 Total Points 
  30 
  Expanded Class (demon princes and similarly 
  powerful infernal beings; +¼); Concentration (0 
  DCV throughout casting; -1), Extra Time (1 Hour; 
  -3), Gestures (throughout casting; -½), Incantations 
  (throughout casting; -½)
  62 
  Hellfire Spells: Multipower, 62-point reserve
  6f 
  1) Hellfire Lance: Blast 12d6 
  6
  6f 
  2) Hellfireball: Blast 8d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (18m Radius Explosion; +½) 
  6
  6f 
  3) Cutting Hellfire: Blast 9d6 
  6
  Armor Piercing (+¼)
  6f 
  4) Eternal Hellfire: Blast 5d6 
  6
  Constant (+½), Penetrating (+½), Uncontrolled (+½)
  64 
  Other Magics: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 50 Pool 
  + 50 Control Cost 
  var
  Only Magic (-¼), Can Only Be Changed With Access 
  To Spellbooks (-½)
  40 
  The Hellring: Mind Control 16d6 
  4
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OIF (-½), Only 
  Versus Demons And Infernal Beings (-1)
  12 
  The Hellring: PRE +35 
  0
  OIF (-½), Only For Presence Attacks And Interaction 
  Skills Against Demons And Infernal Beings (-1½)
  27 
  Mantle Of Mastery: Resistant Protection (18 PD/18 ED) 5
  Costs Endurance (-½), Side Effects (coloration of 
  Mantle reveals caster’s generally Good or Evil nature, 
  always occurs; -½)
  13 
  The Hellring: Mental Defense (20 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  13 
  The Hellring: Power Defense (20 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  5 
  Demon’s Eyes: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  15 
  Mage’s Eye: Detect Magic 14- (Sight Group), 
  Discriminatory, Analyze 
  0
  32 
  Demon Sense: Detect Infernal Beings 14- (no Sense 
  Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Range, Sense, 
  Targeting 
  0
  15 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP  
  (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
   
  Perks
  30 
  Contacts among, and Favors owed to her by, various 
  powerful demons
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial 
  Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Talents
  27 
  Danger Sense (out of combat, immediate vicinity, sense) 
  14-
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with Ranged Attacks
  3 
  Charm 14-
  5 
  Cramming
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  7 
  AK: The Netherworld 18-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 14-
  14 
  KS: Demons And Infernal Beings Of All Species 25-
  3 
  KS: The Mystic World 14-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 11-
  2 
  Language: Hebrew (fluent conversation; English is Native)
  2 
  Language: Greek (fluent conversation)
  2 
  Language: Latin (fluent conversation)
  2 
  Language: V’hanian (fluent conversation)
  2 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 14-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 12-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 805
  Total Cost: 1,000
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  43
  ArS DIAVOLA
  ArS DIAVOLA
  Background/History: For as long as she can 
  remember, Ruth Dellingham has been fascinated by 
  the scary, the creepy, the horrific. A love of horror 
  movies as a child metamorphosed into a full-blown 
  interest in the occult by the time she was a teenager. 
  Her first dabblings in layman’s occultism led her to 
  search for deeper, darker lore... and one day while 
  poring through the stock of an old used bookstore 
  she found it. That grimoire, a book of true magic, 
  was her portal to a larger, more dangerous world of 
  mysticism... and she loved it! She had talent for it, 
  too — not just a knack for spellcasting, but a “sixth 
  sense” that warned her what was too dangerous to 
  attempt and what she could safely try. As a result 
  she never made that one last fatal mistake so many 
  self-trained sorcerers eventually do.
  Dellingham’s most intense occult interest was 
  demonology. Demons and other denizens of the 
  infernal realms fascinated her, and she was particu-
  larly skilled at evoking them. As her magic became 
  stronger and stronger, she formed pacts with many 
  demons of power, though she never fully sold her 
  soul to any of them. Learning more about demons 
  — what they were like, how to summon them, how 
  to control them — became a full-blown obses-
  sion. Driven by her desires, she at long last tracked 
  down the fabled Hellstone in the Netherworld. 
  Journeying there, she dared to chip off a small piece 
  and fashion it into a ring that gave her even greater 
  powers over diabolic beings.
  Her power now greater than ever before, 
  Dellingham realized it wasn’t enough simply to 
  possess power; she had to use it. Soon she was using 
  demons to commit crimes for her, and in time she 
  became a part of the supervillainous world, chris-
  tening herself Ars Diavola (“the arts of the Devil”).
  As the years passed, Ars Diavola became histo-
  ry’s greatest expert on the demons of Humanity. 
  Whether the culture was Western, Eastern, or other, 
  she knew all that could be learned about their 
  demons. But still it wasn’t enough to satisfy her 
  obsession. She knew there were alien species and 
  extradimensional races out there — surely they had 
  demons too, didn’t they? She had to find out!
  And then she got the chance. In 1998 Istvatha 
  V’han made her first attempt to conquer Earth 
  and Earth’s dimension. Although she ultimately 
  failed, a handful of Human supervillains joined 
  the Empress’s cause — some for altruistic reasons, 
  some out of greed or a belief V’han would even-
  tually triumph, some for reasons of their own. 
  Ars Diavola was one of the latter. She realized a 
  dimension-traveling master villainess could give 
  her access to more species — and more demonolo-
  gies — than she could ever learn about on her own. 
  Pledging fealty to V’han was an easy thing to do 
  after that.
  Since then, Ars Diavola has revelled in the study 
  of demons while becoming one of the Imperial 
  Battalion’s most powerful mystics. When not on a 
  mission she spends her time studying other species’ 
  demons, visiting versions of the Netherworld, and 
  so on. As far as she’s concerned, it’s the ideal life — 
  and she’ll fight as hard as she can to prevent anyone 
  from taking it away from her.
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Distinctive Features: Infernal-Tinged Mystic Aura (Not 
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable Only With Unusual 
  Senses)
  5 
  Hunted: various mystics (Infrequently, As Pow, to take Hellring)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  5 
  Negative Reputation: consorts with demons (Infrequently)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Fascinated By All Things 
  Infernal (Common, Total)
  5 
  Rivalry: Professional, with other mystics who summon demons
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 600
  3
  
  44 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Personality/Motivation: Ars Diavola is monomania-
  cally obsessed with anything related to the demonic 
  or infernal. If she hears about demon lore she doesn’t 
  yet know, a demonic enchanted item she doesn’t 
  possess, or a notable demon she’s never conjured, 
  she won’t stop until she’s acquired it or done it. 
  Her loyalty to Isvatha V’han is born of this; only 
  the Empress can give he access to the demonology 
  of literally millions of dimensions. There’s always 
  something new to learn!
  Unfortunately, while she hasn’t yet sold her soul 
  (primarily because she doesn’t want to be beholden 
  to any one demon), Ars Diavola’s long associa-
  tion with the infernal has tainted her. She’s often 
  deliberately cruel and evil, rejoicing in the suffering 
  of others almost as much as a demon would itself. 
  She particularly enjoys toying with her adver-
  saries/victims, torturing them both physically and 
  emotionally.
  Quote: “Behold! — your fate is sealed! I have 
  conjured a Tyelgravian demon of the black-skinned 
  subspecies to slay you!”
  Powers/Tactics: Ars Diavola is perhaps the Multi-
  verse’s leading expert on demonology. She’s studied 
  the demon lore of over three thousand separate 
  species and civilizations (including Humanity’s, of 
  course). She’s also an expert on the Netherworld 
  itself. Unlike most mystics she’s aware of the Neth-
  erworlds of other species (see page 99) and often 
  visits them instead of Humanity’s Netherworld for a 
  “change of pace.”
  Although she’s mastered Hellfire and can cast a 
  wide variety of Superheroic Thaumaturty spells (see 
  HSG 266-80 or CU 66-68), Ars Diavola prefers not 
  to be a frontline combatant. She can conjure demons 
  from any culture she’s studied, and if possible does 
  so to have them do her fighting for her. If she has 
  time she can summon up to 16 powerful demons 
  (though she usually tries to keep at least 20% of 
  the ones she’s conjured as a personal bodyguard). 
  She can summon weaker demons in the middle of 
  combat (though only two of them), or given time 
  could even invoke a powerful demon prince. (The 
  latter, however, aren’t kindly disposed toward her the 
  way other demons tend to be.) Her Hellstone helps 
  her impress (and even control) demons she encout-
  ners, whether she’s summoned them or not.
  For Ars Diavola’s demons, use the ones on HSB 
  71-100. Just change the appearance (and perhaps 
  some powers) to represent demons from non-
  Human species and civilizations.
  Campaign Use: Ars Diavola provides a possible 
  Human connection for the PCs to use against V’han 
  — though a wicked and unreliable one at best. It 
  would require some truly special bit of demonic lore 
  or infernal enchanted item to tempt her to reveal 
  information about the Empress (much less betray 
  her).
  To make Ars Diavola stronger, assume that either 
  her magics or her frequent trips to the Netherworld 
  have corrupted her body, making her more demonic: 
  give her tougher skin, the ability to grow claws, 
  demonic senses, and so forth. To weaken her, reduce 
  her VPP’s Pool to around 30 points (and maybe the 
  Control Cost in proportion).
  ArS DIAVOLA 
  FACTS
  Here are some facts 
  characters and NPCs 
  might know about 
  Ars Diavola if they 
  succeed with an 
  appropriate Skill Roll:
  N/R: Ars Diavola is 
  a mystic villainess 
  who specializes in 
  summoning and 
  controlling demons.
  K/R: Ars Diavola 
  betrayed Humanity 
  to join forces with 
  Istvatha V’han during 
  V’han’s 1998 invasion 
  of Earth’s dimension, 
  and upon V’han’s 
  defeat left Earth’s 
  plane to go to 
  V’han’s home 
  dimension and 
  become one of 
  her superpow-
  ered soldiers.
  -1: Ars Diavola is 
  probably the greatest 
  living expert on 
  Human demonology... 
  and by now, perhaps 
  the demonology of 
  other species as 
  well.
  -2: Her real name is 
  Ruth Dellingham.
  -4: Ars Diavola once 
  worked with (or for) 
  the Sylvestris, but 
  they had a falling out 
  and now hate one 
  another.
  -6: Ars Diavola 
  possesses the 
  Hellring, a powerful 
  infernal artifact 
  that gives her even 
  greater power over 
  demons and devils. 
  Many mystics would 
  love to take it from 
  her for their own.
  OTHER HUMAN 
  RENEGADES
  Ars Diavola wasn’t the only supervillain — or 
  hero — to join forces with Istvatha V’han during 
  one of her invasions. Some who did so, and are 
  now part of her Imperial Battalion, include:
  Bird of Hope: A low-powered Brazilian super-
  hero who often crusaded against social injustice 
  and worked to improve conditions in the favela 
  slums of Rio de Janeiro, Bird of Hope decided 
  Istvatha V’han offers more hope for Humanity’s 
  poor and downtrodden than any Human leader. 
  He constantly petitions the Empress to renew 
  her assault on Earth’s dimension, arguing that 
  the oppressed masses of Humanity desperately 
  need her wisdom, power, and generosity.
  Monstrosity: A villain with the power to change 
  into various monstrous forms. Paranoid about 
  being used as a “guinea pig for super-science 
  experiments” if he were ever captured, he 
  defected to V’han’s side during her 2007 inva-
  sion attempt when she gave him her solemn 
  oath never to do such a thing.
  Mother Nature: A self-described “hippy eco-
  terrorist” with powers of plant and animal 
  control, Mother Nature spent years fighting 
  for the environment and social justice. She was 
  about to give up in despair, but learning about 
  Istvatha V’han and her “enlightened” govern-
  ment convinced Mother Nature to join the 
  Empire. She spends most of her time working 
  the the imperial departments in charge of plan-
  etary development and resources, and essen-
  tially has half a dozen planets under her “benign 
  oversight” to ensure their environments aren’t 
  improperly exploited.
  Steelhand: A powered armor-wearing British 
  supervillain who signed up with the Empress 
  for access to better technology and the chance 
  to “see the Multiverse.” Since his villainy was 
  mostly motivated by greed and V’han pays her 
  Battalioneers very well, he’s become an efficient, 
  disciplined superhuman soldier and a hero to 
  many of V’han’s subjects.
  Twister: A ruthless Chicago supervillain with 
  speedster/whirling powers who “jumped 
  ship” to avoid being captured by PRIMUS 
  and sentenced to Stronghold for life. V’han’s 
  commanders have to watch him carefully and 
  keep him on a tight leash. Sooner or later he’s 
  probably going to step over her line for accept-
  able behavior and end up in front of a firing 
  squad (so to speak).
  Warchild: A Greek mutant villain who regards 
  himself as an incarnation of the god Ares, 
  Warchild joined Istvatha V’han bercause of 
  the unlimited opportunities she provided for 
  combat. He’s been involved in some sort of 
  battle nearly every day since and couldn’t be 
  happier... though he does miss Human food.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  45
  Associates, Allies, And Adversaries: Although she 
  hasn’t really been a part of the Champions Universe 
  for over a decade, Ars Diavola hasn’t entirely been 
  forgotten — the Demonologist (a former lover) and 
  Talisman (a former bitter rival) still remember her, 
  for example. So do the Sylvestris; at one point she 
  worked with them on several “projects,” but even-
  tually they had a falling out (which each blames on 
  the other). Patriarch has a deep hatred for her (and 
  vice-versa) and has forbidden anyone in the family 
  to ally with or help her in any way.
  Luther Black would be particularly interested to 
  learn of the Hellring and how Ars Diavola obtained 
  it. He’s been tracking the Hellstone for decades 
  without success, and Ars Diavola might hold the 
  key to finding it (or at the very least her Ring would 
  be a great prize for him). If he learns about her/it, 
  he’ll stop at nothing to discover what she knows.
  Appearance: Ars Diavola is a white Human female 
  about six feet tall and well-proportioned. Her 
  costume consists of a long black evening gown slit 
  up the right side to the thigh and cut on the top 
  to display her figure to best advantage, plus black 
  evening gloves and a black cape with red lining. 
  The backs of the hands of the gloves have embroi-
  dered red pentacles. Her hair is brown and worn 
  shoulder-length. On the ring finger of her right 
  hand she wears the Hellring, a ring made of red 
  rock that glows like an ember.
  BLACK
  BLACK
  Background/History: The Lith’sa, a reptilian species 
  whose homeworld and dimension were conquered 
  by Istvatha V’han over a hundred years ago, have 
  a thriving, vibrant culture that’s flourished under 
  the Empire’s rule. Known for their skills as diplo-
  mats, talkers, traders, financiers, investigators, and 
  general busybodies, the Lith’sa were quick to take 
  advantage of the interdimensional trade opportuni-
  ties being imperial subjects had to offer.
  Seven years ago a young Lith’sa trader named 
  Tithshada F’hlaa was making his first trip through 
  one of V’han’s dimensional portals to trade with the 
  inhabitants of a planet in another of her dimen-
  sions. But something went wrong, or somehow the 
  dimensional transfer process activated latent abili-
  ties he possessed (though he doesn’t register as a 
  mutant). When he emerged on the other side of the 
  portal, he was a featureless jet-black color from tail 
  to toe! Testing soon revealed that F’hlaa now had 
  the ability to emit a semi-solid “shadow substance” 
  from his body. At first he could just “cover” himself 
  in it, rendering himself intangible (and invisible 
  in deep darkness), but he soon learned how to do 
  other things with it, including attack. So much 
  for his planned career as a trader — he became 
  a member of the Imperial Battalion, codenamed 
  Black.
  Personality/Motivation: Black is a pretty ordinary 
  guy, all things considered. While he’s loyal to the 
  Empire and V’han (after all, he’s become powerful, 
  popular, and wealthy because of them), it’s not 
  the overwhelming patriotic loyalty of Targe, the 
  implanted loyalty of Kharrl, the self-interested 
  loyalty of Ars Diavola, or the zealous convert 
  loyalty of Abraxas. It’s just the everyday devotion of 
  a man to his native country, based on the fact that 
  he’s prospered and never known anything else.
  Aside from that, Black’s a regular fellow in other 
  ways. He fights because that’s his job, but he doesn’t 
  enjoy violence and typically won’t use any more 
  than he thinks is necessary to get the job done 
  (and protect himself). His hobbies are those of the 
  common people (reading, watching video, various 
  sports) rather than the exotic pasttimes superhu-
  mans so often seem to prefer. Of all the members 
  of the Imperial Battalion described here, Black’s the 
  “everyman” that many PCs are most likely to get 
  along with.
  Quote: “Surrender now and you won’t be hurt. The 
  full force of imperial justice will protect you. Fight 
  us, or hurt anyone... and things won’t turn out so 
  well.”
  3
  
  46 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  BLACK
  BLACK
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1] 
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  15 INT 
  5 12- PER Roll 12-
  15 EGO 
  5 12-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  5 
  DMCV 
  6
  6 
  SPD 
  40  
  Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 28 PD (20 rPD)
  10 ED 
  8  
  Total: 30 ED (20 rED)
  12 REC 
  8
  80 END 
  12
  13 BODY 
  3
  50 STUN 
  15  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 198
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  24m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Shadow Substance Field: Darkness to Sight Group 
  15m radius 
  4
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ 
  END; +¼); Unified Power (-¼)
  75 
  Shadow Substance Projection:  
  Multipower, 94-point reserve
  All Unified Power (-¼)
  7f 
  1) Shadow Substance Lash: Blast 15d6 
  9
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Unified Power (-¼)
  7f 
  2) Shadow Substance Envelopment: Drain STUN 5d6 8
  Constant (+½), Personal Immunity (+¼); Unified 
  Power (-¼)
  7f 
  3) Shadow Substance Tendrils:  
  Entangle 7d6, 7 PD/7 ED 
  9
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Unified Power (-¼)
  7f 
  4) Shadow Substance In Your Eyes:  
  Sight Group Flash 15d6 
  9
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Unified Power (-¼)
  3f 
  5) Shadow Substance Barrier: Barrier 4 PD/4 ED, 
  4 BODY (up to 20m long, 4m tall, and 2m thick), 
  Dismissable, Non-Anchored 
  6
  Costs Endurance (to maintain; -½), Unified Power (-¼)
  40 
  Shadow Substance Shielding: Resistant Protection  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  3
  Costs Half Endurance (to maintain; -¼), Unified 
  Power (-¼)
  32 
  Shadow Substance Sheathing: Desolidification  
  (affected by Light powers and magic) 
  4
  Unified Power (-¼)
  100 
  Shadow Substance Sheathing: Affects Physical  
  World (+2) for any Shadow Substance Projection 
  Multipower slot using up to 50 Active Points 
  5
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Unified Power (-¼)
  11 
  Shadow Substance Sheathing Concealment:  
  Invisibility to Sight Group 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (to 
  Desolidification; -½), Only In Deep Darkness/ 
  Shadows (-1), Unified Power (-¼)
  10 
  Shadow Substance Skating: Running +12m  
  (24m total) 
  1
  Unified Power (-¼)
  2 
  Lith’sa Swimming: Swimming +4m (8m total) 
  1
  15 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP  
  (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
  5 
  Lith’sa Tail: Extra Limb (1) 
  0
  Inherent (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial 
  Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 with Shadow Substance Projection Multipower
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  2 
  Deduction 10-
  2 
  KS: Lith’sa Trade And Finance 11-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 11-
  2 
  Language: V’hanian (fluent conversation; Lith’sa is Native)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  3 
  Trading 13-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 469
  Total Cost: 667
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As 
  Pow, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing 
  (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Complication: V’hanian Patriot (Common, 
  Moderate)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 60
  Experience Points: 282
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  47
  Powers/Tactics: Black’s powers involve the emis-
  sion and control of shadow substance. This is a 
  pitch-black, utterly opaque semi-solid stuff that 
  has some properties of matter and some of energy 
  — imperial scientists don’t fully understand it and 
  it defies conventional analysis. Black can control 
  how much of it he emits, how it’s shaped, and how 
  “solid” it is. He can make it “dense” enough to hurt 
  when he hits someone with it, for exampe. On the 
  other hand, if he emits just enough to coat his body, 
  he becomes intangible (and cannot be seen in deep 
  enough shadows).
  In combat Black prefers to rely on his Entangle 
  and Flash as much as possible, stepping up to Drain 
  as necessary and his Blast solely as a last resort (or 
  when he has to damage unliving matter). He’s not 
  aggressive and prefers to let his teammates take the 
  lead while he plays more of a supporting role.
  Campaign Use: As mentioned above, Black is an 
  easygoing guy that Human PCs could easily get 
  along with — the Lith’sa in general tend to be 
  gregarious, not at all xenophobic, open to new 
  ideas, curious, and talkative. But that doesn’t mean 
  he’ll adopt their cause as his own or defect to their 
  side. The Empire treats him and his family well, he 
  thinks it’s an excellent form of government, and he 
  has no desire at all to “rock the boat.”
  To make Black more powerful, give him a wider 
  range of darkness powers (keeping his special effect 
  in mind, of course — he can’t, for example, Teleport 
  through shadows). Champions Powers has a section 
  of Darkness Powers you can consult for inspiration. 
  To weaken him, reduce his Multipower reserve to 
  75 points (and slots accordingly) and/or decrease 
  his SPD to 4-5.
  Appearance: Black is a member of the Lith’sa, a 
  serpent-man species. He’s 5’11” tall with ochre-
  colored scales and a tail; a line of triangular crests 
  runs down the center of his back and tail, become 
  progressively smaller as they proceed. He has three 
  fingers and a thumb on each hand; the fingers are 
  oddly long (by Human standards) but lack claws; 
  his toes are similarly proportioned. His costume, 
  such as it is, consists of black trunks, bracer-finger-
  less gloves, and toeless boots. Some uses of his 
  powers cause him to become a jet-black “silhouette” 
  of himself.
  KHArrL KOrATHON
  KHArrL KOrATHON
  Background/History: The planet Koratho exists — or 
  used to exist — in a dimension that Istvatha V’han 
  attempted to conquer relatively early in her imperial 
  career. What astonished her was that the Kora-
  thons were all superpowered. Every single member 
  of the species was immensely strong and tough... 
  and what’s more, they loved to fight. Although the 
  Korathons were only in an early starfaring stage 
  of civilization, they’d already begun building what 
  would one day no doubt have been a vast interstellar 
  empire — but they they ran into Istvatha V’han.
  V’han’s early attempt to conquer Koratho’s 
  dimension went well, but when she actually came 
  up against the Korathons in battle her forces were 
  smashed and routed. Defeat followed defeat, since 
  her soldiers’ most powerful weapons were largely 
  useless against the superhumanly strong, blue-
  skinned species. What was worse, now they were 
  aware of the existence of other dimensions, which 
  meant they’d want to conquer them, too.
  It was too great a threat for V’han to tolerate, so 
  she took a simple but drastic step. After entering 
  Koratho’s dimension, she traveled back in time and 
  prevented Koratho from coalescing into a planet, 
  thus eradicating the entire Korathon species from 
  reality in one fell swoop...
  ...or rather, the entire species but one. Unwilling 
  to waste a potential resource, V’han first captured 
  one Korathon, a former naval officer who’d been 
  drafted into the space navy, and put him in time-
  shield field in another dimension. This preserved 
  him from eradication. When the proper mind-
  altering technology was available, she freed him 
  from the field, erased his memories, and replaced 
  them with loyalty to her. Kharrl Korathon, now 
  widely known as “the strongest man in the Empire,” 
  has served her devotedly ever since.
  Personality/Motivation: Early in life Kharrl Kora-
  thon was a complex, intelligent individual who 
  served in the Korathon wet and space navies; he 
  was a Korathon patriot, a loving family man, and 
  a well-respected military figure. All that changed 
  when Istvatha V’han wiped out his species and 
  reprogrammed his mind. He’s still smart and has 
  a wide variety of interests, but two aspects domi-
  nate his personality. The first and foremost is an 
  overwhelming loyalty to the Empress. This is so 
  fundamental to him now that it’s almost genetic; 
  overcoming it would require intense Mind Control 
  or similar treatments.
  Second, Kharrl still retains much of the “macho 
  warrior’s code” that so affected Korathon history and 
  eventually drove his people onto the path of inter-
  stellar conquest. He’s a big, bluff, larger-than-life sort 
  of person... but woe be it to anyone who questions 
  his bravery, claims he can’t do something, “disre-
  spects” him, or insults his honor. Long-ingrained 
  military discipline and professionalism prevent him 
  from simply killing such fools (as so often happened 
  to them throughout Koratho’s history), but that 
  doesn’t mean he can’t put them in some serious pain. 
  His teammates have learned just how far they can 
  joke with him, and are careful never to cross that line.
  3
  
  48 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  KHARRL 
  KHARRL 
  KORATHON
  KORATHON
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  100 STR 
  90 29- Lift 25 ktons; 20d6 HTH damage [10]
  14 DEX 
  8 12-
  40 CON 
  30 17-
  15 INT 
  5 12- PER Roll 12-
  15 EGO 
  5 12-
  35 PRE 
  25 16- PRE Attack: 7d6
  9 
  OCV 
  30
  9 
  DCV 
  30
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  8 
  DMCV 15
  6 
  SPD 
  40  
  Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  40 PD 
  38  
  Total: 40 PD (40 rPD)
  40 ED 
  38  
  Total: 40 ED (40 rED)
  40 REC 
  36
  150 END 
  26
  25 BODY 15
  100 STUN 
  40  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 471
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  18m
   
  Leaping: 
  50m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  It Hurts Just To Hit Him: Blast 8d6 
  0
  Area Of Effect (personal Surface — Damage Shield; 
  +¼), Constant (+½), Persistent (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always On (-½), No Range 
  (-½), Only Versus Beings/Things That Hit Him (-½)
  20 
  Send ’Em Flying: Double Knockback (+½) for up to  
  100 STR 
  15
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x3 END; -1)
  40 
  Impervious Skin: Hardened (x2; +½) for 40 PD/40 ED 0
  40 
  Impervious Skin: Impenetrable (x2; +½)  
  for 40 PD/40 ED 
  0
  80 
  Impervious Skin: Resistant (+½) for 40 PD/40 ED 
  0
  Hardened (x2; +½), Impenetrable (x2; +½)
  30 
  Impervious Skin: Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, 25%, Resistant 
  0
  16 
  Psychic Shield: Mental Defense (20 points) 
  0
  IIF (armor chest/shoulder piece; -¼)
  16 
  Power Shield: Power Defense (20 points) 
  0
  IIF (armor chest/shoulder piece; -¼)
  4 
  Strong Lungs: Life Support (Extended Breathing:  
  1 END per 20 Minutes) 
  0
  6 
  Long Legs: Running +6m (18m total) 
  1
  23 
  Strong Legs: Leaping +46m  
  (50m forward, 25m upward) 
  5
  6 
  Strong Eyes: +12 versus Range Modifier  
  for Normal Sight 
  0
  15 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP  
  (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
  3 
  Long-Lived: Life Support (Longevity: 800-year lifespan) 0
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial 
  Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Skills
  32 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Breakfall 12-
  1 
  Computer Programming 8-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Marine) 12-
  2 
  PS: Sailor 11-
  1 
  Systems Operation 8-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 12-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 408
  Total Cost: 879
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As 
  Pow, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Loyal To Istvatha V’han 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Macho Warrior Code (see 
  text; Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  20 
  Vulnerability: 2 x Effect from Drugs/Chemicals/Poisons 
  (Common)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 479
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  49
  Quote: “Strength for the glory of the Empress!”
  Powers/Tactics: Kharrl Korathon is the last 
  existing member of the Korathon people, a species 
  of superhumanly strong humanoids who once lived 
  on a planet called Koratho. At a pinch he can lift 
  up to 25 kilotons, and his punches are powerful 
  enough to knock down buildings or affect nearly 
  any foe. If he winds up, he can smash a target back 
  through the air for many meters.
  Kharrl’s body is so tough and injury-resistant 
  that just hitting it hurts most people. But that’s not 
  to say he doesn’t have his weak points. First, he has 
  no innate Mental Defense or Power Defense (he 
  gets those from a force-field generated by a piece 
  of the armor he wears, and can obtain more if he 
  knows he’ll need it) and no Flash Defense or extra 
  senses (though again, he can get some goggles if he 
  knows he’s going to fight someone who uses a lot of 
  Flashes). What may be worse, his high-paced Kora-
  thon metabolism makes him particularly vulner-
  able to drugs, poisons, and similar chemical attacks, 
  a fact he and the Battalion work hard to keep secret.
  In combat, Kharrl follows his warrior’s code: 
  he steps boldly forward and challenges the biggest, 
  toughest-looking opponent (or possibly multiple 
  opponents) to battle. He won’t attack from surprise 
  or take unfair advantage, a fact his commanders 
  have to remember when assigning him to missions. 
  The first time he Stuns a foe, he often steps back 
  for a moment and lets him recover so the fight can 
  proceed on a fair footing (second and later times 
  just indicate that his opponent is weak and deserves 
  to lose; he’ll go on attacking in that case).
  Campaign Use: Given his “macho warrior’s code,” 
  Kharrl makes a good adversary or rival for a 
  similarly powerful Player Character — they might 
  even come to respect one another even though 
  circumstances force them to fight. That would 
  upset V’han, but not enough for her to punish him. 
  What’s of more concern to her is the tiny possibility 
  that a powerful mentalist could break his “brain-
  washing” and thus turn him into one of her greatest 
  enemies. She tries not to send him on missions 
  where he’s likely to encounter people with strong 
  psionic powers, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.
  If you need to make Kharrl more powerful, 
  increase his Damage Reduction. To weaken him, 
  remove his existing Damage Reduction and scale 
  his STR back to the 80-90 range.
  Appearance: Kharrl is a Korathon from Koratho, 
  which means he’s eight feet tall, superhumanly 
  muscled, and has light blue-ish skin and dark blue 
  hair cut short. His costume is a sort of modified 
  version of the field uniform worn by D-Soldiers: 
  grey pants with a wide dark blue belt with a large 
  oval buckle with an alien letter on it (the V’hanian 
  equivalent of K), dark blue kneepads, dark blue 
  boots, and a dark blue shoulder/upper chest piece 
  of armor (the rest of his chest, arms, hands, and 
  head are bare).
  TArGE
  TArGE
  Background/History: Orgad is an Earth-like planet 
  in a dimension that Istvatha V’han’s ruled for 
  centuries — so long that the Orgaddi have never 
  known any other way of life and are eternally 
  grateful for all the benefits the Empress bestows 
  upon them. Among other things the Empire 
  provides employment, directly or indirectly, for 
  approximately 80% of the Orgaddi population — 
  and even then, as longstanding imperial subjects of 
  great loyalty, they don’t have to work too hard most 
  of the time. As a result, the Orgaddi have been able 
  to channel a lot of their natural competitiveness 
  and ambition into sports, games, and related leisure 
  activities. In the past this drive resulted in almost 
  constant warfare between the dozens of Orgaddi 
  nations, but the Empire put a stop to that. Now 
  the Orgaddi compete on the sporting field, not the 
  battlefield.
  The most prestigious and popular sport on 
  Orgad is the use of the telava, or traditional 
  fighting-shield, in personal combat and other 
  competitions (such as throwing for accuracy and 
  distance). The most prestigious Orgaddi tourna-
  ment for this and other sports is the Pan-Orgad 
  Games, their equivalent of the Olympics (but with 
  even more cultural importance, fame, and money 
  involved). And during the period Humanity refers 
  to as “the 1990s,” one man dominated telava sports 
  at this and every other competition: Jorren Werar.
  Possessed of a competitive spirit the likes of 
  which had rarely been seen even on Orgad, Werar 
  trained constantly, pushing himself to heights 
  of fitness and skill never before achieved by any 
  Orgaddi. As a result he won the telava tournament 
  at the Pan-Orgad Games an unprecedented eight 
  years in a row, more than doubling the previous 
  record. This made him one of the most famous and 
  wealthy individuals on the planet...
  ...and he gave it all up to enter military service. 
  A devoted, some would say fanatical, V’hanian 
  patriot, Werar felt he’d achieved all he wanted to in 
  the arena and that it was now his civic duty to give 
  something back to the Empire that had nurtured 
  and supported him. Recognizing the value of his 
  skills, V’han’s drill sergeants took him out of basic 
  military training and put him into the Imperial 
  Battalion. Military scientists designed some special 
  telavaa for him that served as super-powerful 
  weapons and provided him with a battlesuit for 
  protection. After training with his new equipment 
  to ensure he wouldn’t suffer any loss of ability, 
  Werar began field duty with the Battalion as Targe.
  3
  
  50 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  TARGE
  TARGE
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH damage [2]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  10 OCV 
  35
  10 DCV 
  35
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  7 
  DMCV 12
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 23 PD (15 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 23 ED (15 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  70 END 
  10
  15 BODY 
  5
  60 STUN 
  20  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 240
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  20m
   
  Swimming: 
  6m
   
  Leaping: 
  10m/30m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  50 
  Orgaddi Throwing Shield: Multipower, 100-point reserve
  All OAF (-1), Lockout (cannot combine some effects 
  when using both shields, see text; -0)
  13f 
  1) Protection: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  Hardened (+¼), Impenetrable (+¼); OAF (-1), 
  Nonpersistent (-¼), Requires A Use Orgaddi Throwing 
  Shield Roll (no Active Point penalty; -0)
  1f 
  2) Thrown Shield Blocks Attacks: Deflection 
  2
  OAF (-1), Lockout (cannot use other Multipower slots 
  while using this one, and not until thrown shield is 
  retrieved; -½), Requires A Use Orgaddi Throwing 
  Shield Roll (no Active Point penalty; -0)
  1f 
  3) Shield-Bash: HA +6d6 
  3
  OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-¼)
  1f 
  4) Shield Edge-Blades: HKA 1d6 (2d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  OAF (-1)
  1f 
  5) Thrown Shield I: Blast 10d6 
  5
  OAF (-1), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼), Lockout 
  (cannot use Multipower until shield is retrieved; -½), 
  Range Based On STR (-¼), Requires A Use Orgaddi 
  Throwing Shield Roll (no Active Point penalty; -0)
  2f 
  6) Thrown Shield II: Blast 10d6 
  9
  Area Of Effect (40m Line; +¾); OAF (-1), Lockout 
  (cannot use Multipower until shield is retrieved; -½), 
  No Range (-½), Requires A Use Orgaddi Throwing 
  Shield Roll (no Active Point penalty; -0), 1 Recoverable 
  Charge (-1¼)
  2f 
  7) Thrown Shield III: Blast 10d6 
  10
  Area Of Effect (16m Radius Selective; +1); OAF 
  (-1), Lockout (cannot use Multipower until shield is 
  retrieved; -½), Range Based On STR (-¼), Requires 
  A Use Orgaddi Throwing Shield Roll (-1 per 20 Active 
  Points; -¼), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)
  1f 
  8) Thrown Shield With Extended Blades: HKA 1d6  
  (plus STR) 
  2
  Range Based On STR (+¼); OAF (-1), Lockout (cannot 
  use Multipower until shield is retrieved; -½), Requires 
  A Use Orgaddi Throwing Shield Roll (no Active Point 
  penalty; -0), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼)
  1f 
  9) Cover Your Eyes!: Sight Group Flash Defense  
  (20 points) 
  0
  Hardened (+¼); OAF (-1), Activation Roll 14- (-¼), 
  Nonpersistent (-¼), Lockout (cannot use other Multip-
  ower slots while using this one; -½)
  5 
  Orgaddi Throwing Shield: another Throwing Shield 
  (total of 2) 
  var
  30 
  Battlesuit Gauntlets: Multipower, 45-point reserve
  All OIF (-½)
  1f 
  1) Metal Gauntlets: HA +3d6 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), Lockout 
  (cannot be combined with Shields’ HA; -½)
  2f 
  2) Magnetic Attractors: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), Affects 
  Whole Object (-¼), Only Works On Ferrous Metal 
  Objects (-½), Only To Pull Objects Toward User (-½)
  30 
  Battlesuit: Resistant Protection (15 PD/15 ED) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  7 
  Helmet: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  3 
  Helmet: Hearing Group Flash Defense (5 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  8 
  Helmet: Mental Defense (12 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  7 
  Battlesuit: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  8 
  Fast Runner: Running +8m (20m total) 
  1
  1 
  Fast Swimmer: Swimming +2m (6m total) 
  1
  3 
  Strong Leaper: Leaping +6m (10m forward, 5m upward) 
  1
  10 
  Jump-Jet Boots: Leaping +20m (30m forward, 15m 
  upward) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½)
  13 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP (Radio Group), 
  Dimensional 
  0
  OIF (-½), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
  Quote: “You may be able to lift 
  buildings — but with skill and 
  determination a fighter like me 
  can overcome even the most 
  powerful opponent.”
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  51
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Talents
  15 
  Combat Sense 13-
   
  Skills
  80 
  +8 with All Combat
  12 
  +2 with Agility Skills
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Analyze Combat Technique 13-
  3 
  Analyze Superpowers 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  1 
  Computer Programming 8-
  3 
  Criminology 13-
  1 
  Cryptography 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Demolitions 13-
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  3 
  Forensic Medicine 13-
  3 
  KS: Humanity 13-
  3 
  KS: Superhumans Of Earth 13-
  3 
  KS: Superpowers 13-
  3 
  KS: Supervillains And Notorious Criminals Of The V’hanian 
  Empire 13-
  3 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 13-
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  2 
  Mechanics 10-
  17 
  Power: Use Orgaddi Throwing Shield 20-
  3 
  Security Systems 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  1 
  Systems Operation 8-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  5 
  WF: Orgaddi Common Melee Weapons, Orgaddi Throwing 
  Shield, V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 412
  Total Cost: 652
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: V’hanian Patriot (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Has To Be The Best; Keeps 
  Striving Until He Proves Himself (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 65
  Experience Points: 262
  Personality/Motivation: Targe is one of the most 
  driven, motivated people the PCs are ever likely to 
  meet. Earlier in life, when he was just an athlete, 
  what drove him was the desire to win — to be 
  acknowledged the best by everyone. Now that’s 
  still a strong part of his motivation (he hates to be 
  outdone at anything by anyone), but coupled with it 
  is a strong strain of what amounts to an inferiority 
  complex. Targe looks around himself at some of 
  his fellow Battalioneers, men like Kharrl Korathon 
  and Abraxas whose power and ability he can never 
  hope to match, and he subconsciously thinks to 
  himself, “Why am I here? What do 
  I have to offer?”. Rather than dare to 
  ask himself that directly and deal with 
  it through therapy, he pushes himself 
  to train more, to become better, to do 
  whatever he must to measure up — 
  and that includes taking foolish risks 
  in combat to prove that he’s worthy to 
  be a Battalioneer. One of these days 
  his unspoken desire to be the best, or 
  at least to think of himself as an equal, 
  may push him that one final step too 
  far.
  Appearance: Targe is a member of the 
  Orgaddi, a humanoid species externally 
  similar to Humans in most respects 
  (though the prevalent eye and hair colors 
  are different). His costume is a form-fitting 
  battlesuit that’s mostly silver-colored with 
  some green panels and highlights, plus a 
  high-tech silver helmet that conceals his 
  face. On each forearm he wears a small, 
  round metal shield (each one is a little 
  over a foot in diameter); he uses these 
  as both throwing and melee weapons. 
  Painted on each shield is a stylized T.
  3
  
  52 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Powers/Tactics: Targe is an expert at the use of 
  the telava, the traditional Orgaddi fighting-shield, 
  which functions as a weapon as well as a form of 
  protection. In addition to being used to bash and 
  smash, in the hands of a trained warrior it can 
  be thrown. Targe’s shields are special high-tech 
  versions of the traditional shield; they’re tougher 
  and have blades that pop out of the edges. When 
  he throws one, he either uses a Combat Skill Level 
  to Bounce it back to him, or he retrieves it later by 
  hand or with the Magnetic Attractors built into his 
  gauntlets.
  With his 8 Combat Skill Levels with All 
  Combat, Targe in effect has a “CSL Martial Art” 
  as discussed on HSMA 109 (though of course he 
  can’t apply those Levels to, say, Grab, given the 
  nature of the weapons in question). However, note 
  that even though he has two shields he can’t always 
  “combine” their effects. For example, he can’t use 
  Slot #1 in both Multipowers to gain a total of Resis-
  tant Protection (40 PD/40 ED); all he can get from 
  using them is 20 defense. Similarly, he can’t add the 
  HAs +6d6 together to get +12d6; he can only get 
  +6d6 from using the shields.
  Since he often finds himself fighting people 
  with far more raw power than he, Targe has trained 
  himself to analyze the combat techniques and 
  powers of his foes. He often spends the first few 
  Phases of a combat fighting defensively, studying 
  them and looking for the opportunity to make an 
  Analyze Skill Roll to detect a weakness, a pattern 
  in his opponent’s fighting, or the like. Then he can 
  counterattack more effectively than normal.
  Istvatha V’han has given Targe a special 
  assignment: he’s to become one of her experts on 
  Humanity and Earth, in preparation for her next 
  attempt at invading Earth’s dimension. He hasn’t 
  achieved a true depth of knowledge yet, but he’s 
  become well-versed on the subject of Humanity 
  in general (and super-Humans in particular). He’s 
  more likely than most other Battalioneers to recog-
  nize the PCs, know what powers they have, and 
  have formulated a plan for dealing with them.
  Campaign Use: As one of V’han’s experts on Earth, 
  Targe may know of the PCs, making him a natural 
  candidate to fight them or engage in “first contact.” 
  The Empress might even send him to Earth to infil-
  trate the Superhuman World, study it, and devise 
  ways to weaken or attack it.
  To make Targe tougher, assume he’s been 
  subjected to super-science treatments that raise his 
  STR, DEX, and other main Characteristics to 25, 
  30, or more. To weaken him, remove his second 
  shield and reduce his CSLs with All Combat to 4.
  VECTrON
  VECTrON
  Background/History: The world Ka’lek and its 
  dimension have belonged to the V’hanian Empire 
  for a little under two centuries. The Ka’lek’ta are a 
  quasi-humanoid species among whom superpowers 
  are rare, but possible. Ka’lek’ta soldiers are valued 
  for their discipline and efficiency (the Ka’lek’ta 
  being notably “humorless” and logical compared to 
  most sentient species).
  The Ka’lek’ta Bloo’dan-7 manifested mutant 
  powers of teleportation and energy projection 
  shortly after he underwent the Rite of Passage to 
  Adulthood. He basically grew up in the military, 
  with drill sergeants for parents and commanding 
  officers telling him what to do every day. But he 
  didn’t mind, since Ka’lek’ta culture is itself group-
  oriented, and has gone on to become a valued 
  member of the Imperial Battalion under the code-
  name Vectron.
  Personality/Motivation: Vectron spent his semi-
  mindless early childhood in a regular Ka’lek’ta 
  home, but his formative adolescent years in the 
  imperial military, and that’s shaped his outlook 
  on everything. Not only is he a staunch patriot of 
  the “my country, right or wrong” variety, but he 
  views every situation from a military perspective. 
  Something’s causing trouble? Pacify it or blow it up? 
  Riots slowing down trade in the capital city? Send 
  in the troops. He thinks (and acts) in an aggressive, 
  straightforward manner, which tends to make him 
  predictable in combat.
  Quote: “Overwhelming force in this situation is 
  ours. Two options are yours: surrender to the lawful 
  authority of the V’hanian Empire; or destruction.”
  Powers/Tactics: Vectron has two interrelated 
  mutant powers. The first is teleportation; he can 
  teleport over distances of as much as 20 kilometers, 
  and even carry others with him on short “jumps.” 
  The second is the power to “charge up” his body’s 
  bio-electric field so that it becomes powerful 
  enough to project electrical blasts. Through 
  biological and neurological mechanisms not clearly 
  understood by V’hanian scientists, Vectron’s tele-
  portation somehow charges up his body until it can 
  do this.
  Here’s how the GM should handle this in game 
  terms. Every time Vectron uses Teleportation, he 
  gets to “roll” Aid Endurance 1d6 for every full 4m 
  of Teleportation he uses. The Standard Effect Rule 
  applies, so each die comes up 3. Since the effect is 
  halved (and rounded in his favor), that means 2 
  Character Points of Aid to the END of his Endur-
  ance Reserve per d6 rolled — 10 END. That END 
  fades at the rate of 5 END per minute, but of course 
  is likely to be used up before then. In the interest 
  of smooth game play, it may be easier to ignore the 
  fade rate and just keep adding END at the rate of 10 
  per 4m Teleported until he reaches his maximum 
  (20 points of effect, or 100 END). If he reaches 
  maximum, he’s “topped out” until he uses some, at 
  which point he can add more END.
  Since his Endurance Reserve only starts out with 
  12 END, Vectron often spends a Phase or two at the 
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  53
  VECTRON
  VECTRON
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1]
  23 DEX 
  26 14-
  22 CON 
  12 13-
  18 INT 
  8 13- PER Roll 13-
  15 EGO 
  5 12-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  9 
  DCV 
  30
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  5 
  DMCV 
  6
  6 
  SPD 
  40  
  Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 28 PD (20 rPD)
  12 ED 
  10  
  Total: 32 ED (20 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  60 END 
  8
  10 BODY 
  0
  48 STUN 
  14  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 211
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Teleportation: 
  40m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  75 
  Bio-Electric Blasts: Multipower, 75-point reserve (all 
  slots draw END from Endurance Reserve)
  7f 
  1) Bio-Blast: Blast 15d6 
  7
  7f 
  2) Lightning Cone: Blast 10d6 
  7
  Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½)
  3f 
  3) Intense Bioelectric Charge: RKA 3d6 
  8
  Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½)
  5 
  Internal Power: Endurance Reserve (12 END, 3 REC) 
  0
  93 
  Teleportation Fueling: Aid Endurance 10d6 (see text) 0
  Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per 
  Minute; +1), Trigger (when Vectron uses Teleportation, 
  activating Trigger takes no time, Trigger immediately 
  automatically resets; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Only Aids Endurance Reserve END (-1), 
  Proportional Gain (amount of Aid gained depends on 
  amount of Teleportation used, see text; -¼)
  40 
  Teleportation Powers: Multipower, 40-point reserve 
  (all slots draw END from personal END)
  4f 
  1) Basic Teleportation: Teleportation 40m 
  4
  4f 
  2) Courier Teleportation: Teleportation 20m 
  4
  Position Shift, x8 mass
  4f 
  3) Long-Range Teleportation: Teleportation 20m 
  4
  MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1)
  3f 
  4) Focused Teleportation: Teleportation 20m 
  3
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½)
  3f 
  5) Blink Teleport: +8 DCV 
  4
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  40 
  Force-Field Belt: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  5 
  Ka’lek’ta Eye: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  15 
  Imperial Battalion Communicator: HRRP (Radio Group), 
  Dimensional 
  0
  IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As Well 
  As Radio Group (-½)
  5 
  Ka’lek’ta Legs: Extra Limbs (2) 
  0
  Inherent (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
   
  Perks
  8 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: Member of the Imperial 
  Battalion
  10 
  Money: Wealthy
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Range Sense
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Bio-Electric Blasts Multipower
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World 13-
  3 
  KS: V’hanian Military Science And Doctrine 13-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 366
  Total Cost: 577
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  10 
  Distinctive Features: Ka’lek’ta Mutant (Not Concealable; 
  Always Noticed; Detectable Only By Unusual Senses)
  10 
  Hunted: enemies of the V’hanian Empire (Infrequently, As 
  Pow, Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: V’hanian Patriot (Common, 
  Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Complication: Always Looks For The 
  Military Solution (Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 65
  Experience Points: 187
  3
  
  54 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  start of a combat making Full Moves with Telepor-
  tation to build up his energy reserves. Then he’s 
  ready to let his bio-electric blasts rip!
  Campaign Use: Vectron is a classic example of 
  someone the PCs will meet frequently if they 
  fight Istvatha V’han for long: the gung-ho mili-
  tary patriot. Her legions are filled with them; in 
  some times and places, holding back the enthu-
  siastic soldiers is one of the hardest parts of the 
  commander’s job.
  To make Vectron more powerful, increase 
  the base END of his Endurance Reserve, and/or 
  increase his SPD to 7-8 (and perhaps give him some 
  “teleportation tricks” to emphasize his speedster 
  nature). To weaken him, decrease his Aid to 5d6.
  Appearance: Vectron is a member of the Ka’lek’ta, 
  a squat, four-legged, neckless species with one large 
  eye. He wears a royal blue full-body suit that leaves 
  his face exposed, plus large gold bracers on his 
  wrists.
  Other Battalioneers
  Other Battalioneers
  Since Istvatha V’han has thousands of super-
  powered soldiers at her command (not to mention 
  the potential of multiple versions of the same 
  character, as discussed on page 6), the six Battal-
  ioneers described above are far from the only 
  ones the PCs might encounter in their struggle 
  against the Empress. The easiest way to create new 
  Battalioneers is to take a character from Champions 
  Villains or some other sourcebook and change his 
  name and appearance (and perhaps the special 
  effects of his powers). Here’s a list of Battalioneers 
  based on the villains in CV2 and CV3:
  The Overbrain: Brainburn, the living brain of a 
  psionic Battalioneer whose body was destroyed by 
  an enemy weapon.
  Ape-Plus: Borgus, a member of an ape-like species 
  granted high intelligence by an experiment gone 
  awry.
  Black Mist: Sorrag Lah, master of his peoples’ 
  fighting arts and stealth skills.
  Lynx: Verreka (named after a lynx-like cat native to 
  the planet Orlith VII).
  Mr. Zombie: Unstoppable, a golem-like being 
  created in an irreproducible laboratory project.
  Archdruid Airetach: The Weaver, mystic master of 
  knot-based magics and related spells.
  Martika Duquesne: Creona Blight, a minor mystic.
  Roger Duquesne: Creona’s long-suffering husband 
  Dokar, who wields an enchanted axe and knows a 
  few spells.
  Amnesia: Mnemosyne, a mentalist who can control 
  and alter memories.
  Cauldron: Red Dragon, who can breathe fire and 
  smoke.
  Flow: FlexiBull, a malleable mutant from a 
  bovinoid species.
  Minimax: Psize, a telekinetic who can mentally alter 
  the size of objects.
  Bobby Holmes: Thucho Saa’ren, who can create a 
  “telekinetic duplicate” of himself.
  Dreadnaught: SteelMan, a being of living metal.
  Morgaine the Mystic: Shirana the Sorceress, a 
  mystic specializing in elemental magics.
  Starflare: Brightstar, an energy projector.
  Tiger Lily: Jritha Jahar, a martial artist from a feli-
  noid species.
  Warhammer: Battlemaster, a powered armor 
  wearer.
  Dark Seraph: Demonic, an infernal-looking 
  superhuman whose heroic nature belies his evil 
  appearance.
  Bloodstone: Incarnadine, a biokinetic with control 
  over blood.
  Eclipse: Blackout, a darkness controller.
  Force: Auron, a force controller whose powers 
  manifest as a form of golden energy/matter.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  55
  Phoenix: Corona, a supervillainess who has fire and 
  light powers.
  Temblor: Faultline, an earth controller.
  Requiem: Dirge, a criminally-inclined super-
  human with sonic powers, who’d rather not be in 
  the Battalion but is forced into service by threat of 
  death.
  Frost: Blizzard, Dirge’s frost-manipulating and like-
  minded brother.
  The Demonologist: Infernus Princeps, a mystic 
  specializing in conjuration.
  Golem: The Living Statue, a disembodied being 
  who can take control of statues.
  Gyre: Spiralle, a wizardess whose spells involve 
  magic circles and spheres.
  Kapilasa: Parandu Vaa, a mystic from a grey-
  skinned humanoid species.
  Tartarus: Diabolus, a humanoid who can assume 
  demonic form for short periods.
  Vilsimbra: Simbara, a humanoid who’s mistress of 
  her species’s magics.
  Fiacho: Torgon, a cybernetically-enhanced martial 
  artist who also uses special weapons.
  Durak: Tomboy, a superstrong villainess with a chip 
  on her shoulder.
  Feuermacher: Firefiend, a fire controller.
  Mentalla: Psionica, a mentalist.
  Pantera: Cougrrrl, a beast-woman.
  Scorpia: Stinger, a martial artist who also wields 
  poisoned weapons.
  Ultrasonique: Sergeant Sound, a villain who uses 
  sonic-based weapons and gadgets.
  Der Westgote: Hrokt Dethen, a superstrong 
  humanoid with burnt orange-colored skin.
  The Fiend: The Torturer, a sadistic pain 
  manipulator.
  Morticus: Lord Lightning, who wears a suit of 
  powered armor with electricity weapons.
  Black Diamond: Ebon Avenger, a superstrong 
  heroine.
  Bluejay: Lady Peregrine, who wears a battlesuit 
  that allows her to fly and is equipped with several 
  weapons.
  Cheshire Cat: Sidestep, a teleporting martial artist.
  Hummingbird: Tina Tiny, a superheroine with 
  shrinking powers.
  Stareye: Stargazer, an energy projector.
  Piledriver: Sunstroke, a solar-powered “brick.”
  The Cahokian: Black Sagittarius, a skilled archer 
  with a super-tech crossbow and gimmicked bolts.
  Psimon: Psykon, a powerful mentalist and 
  psychokinetic.
  Medusa: Gorgon, a psychokinetic who specializes 
  in paralyzing her opponents. 
  Mind Slayer: Psykara, a psychokinetic and Psykon’s 
  sister.
  Deuce: DT (for “Double Trouble”), who has the 
  ability to separate her shadow from herself; both 
  selves have mental powers.
  Hypnos: Mesmeros, a mentalist specializing in 
  mental control.
  Soulfire: Pyrok, a powerful pyrokinetic.
  The Soviet Guard: Crimson Guardian, a “brick” 
  with combat training and a few gadgets.
  Drago: Silence, a mute weaponmaster specializing 
  in firearms; has also been enhanced with low-level 
  superstrength.
  Hammer: Smasher, a superheroine with a 
  “hammer-gauntlet.”
  Red Dawn: Megatron VII, a powered armor wearer.
  Sickle: Scythe, a weaponmaster who wields twin 
  super-tech sickles.
  White Wolf: Snow Wolf, a seductive female 
  lycanthrope.
  Smoke: Fuma, an Italian darkness manipulator.
  Mirrors: Rifletta, an Italian illusionist and Fuma’s 
  sister.
  Patriarch: Doctor Sylvestri, a powerful mystic who’s 
  made pacts with several powerful spirits.
  Astralle: Astromancer, a mystic who focuses on 
  celestial and planetary magics.
  Cornelius Liefeld: The Green Lion, a mystic hero 
  with alchemy powers.
  Bocal Mcfarlane: Draconic, a man-dragon hybrid 
  created by magic.
  Graniteman: Stoneface, a superstrong hero made of 
  stone.
  Red Bullet: The Bronze Blur, a speedster.
  Summer Cloud: TornadoMan, who has power over 
  air/wind (and also some whirling powers).
  Technocrat: The Technician, a gadgeteer.
  Winter Dragon: Frost Dragon, an ice/cold 
  manipulator.
  Binder: Tangler, a weaponmaster whose weapons 
  use super-tech glue to trap his foes.
  Blackstar: Whitestar, a density-controlling “brick.”
  Cyclone: Sky Sentinel, a powered armor hero 
  specializing in high-speed flight and maneuvering.
  Orion: Arcturus, an energy projector.
  Slick: SlipSlide, a devil-may-care friction controller.
  Thunderbolt: Thunderstorm, an electricity 
  manipulator.
  Adrian Vandeleur: Doctor Vandaleur, a powerful 
  mystic and patriarch of a family of mystics.
  Eduard Vandaleur: The Thaumaturge, a mystic with 
  a limited selection of very powerful spells.
  Anais Vandaleur: The Sorceress, wife of the Thau-
  maturge and similarly powered.
  3
  
  56 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Chatoyant: Jaguar, a mystic with astral projection 
  powers.
  Tobias “The Toad” Vandaleur: The Toad, an ugly 
  mage with a wide variety of non-combat spells.
  Alchemica: Transforma, whose mutant powers of 
  transformation are enhanced by a unique super-
  tech device.
  Ambush: The Messenger, a low-powered teleporter 
  who’s usually assigned to courier or scouting duties.
  Ankylosaur: Vlorgak, who wears a suit of powered 
  armor based on a powerful extinct creature native 
  to the planet Menkara IV in the dimension Yoron.
  Anubis: Chesaro, the incarnation of the death-god 
  of the Unagi people of the planet Ethamon in the 
  dimension Perrax.
  Arachne: The Silver Spider, a highly-trained athlete 
  and martial artist with spider-themed weapons and 
  gadgets.
  Armadillo: Loronk, a powered armor wearer 
  whose suit (and its powers) are partly inspired by 
  the loronk, a burrowing mammal from the planet 
  Belbara Secundus in the dimension Olekka.
  Arrowhead: Goldbow, a skilled archer with super-
  tech arrows.
  Automaton: Virus, sentient software who infiltrates 
  the computers of V’han’s enemies.
  The Basilisk: Theskaro, a reptilian villain with 
  petrification powers, named after a mythic creature 
  referred to in stories told on the planet Reladu in 
  the dimension Earth-845.
  Baykok: Karnarond, a death-spirit created by the 
  legends of the Pewacha people of the planet Gerada 
  III in the dimension Tollek.
  Black Fang: White Fang, a lycanthrope and some-
  times lover of Snow Wolf (see above).
  Blackguard: Brawler, a low-level “brick” and 
  martial artist.
  Black Harlequin: Clever Johnny, a highly-skilled 
  but somewhat mentally unbalanced espionage 
  agent whose weapons and gadgets often resemble 
  toys.
  Black Paladin: Silver Paladin, a man from Earth-84 
  who’s possessed by the spirit of a valorous medieval 
  knight and wields that knight’s mystical weapons.
  Bloodrage: Berzerk, a rage-controlling mutant.
  Blowtorch: Incendiary, a hero equipped with 
  various flame-based weapons.
  Brainchild: Brainpower, a mentalist and gadgeteer.
  Josiah Brimstone: Josephus Gaunt, a mystic who 
  specializes in acquiring and safekeeping dangerous 
  enchanted items and summoned beings and finding 
  ways to put them to heroic use.
  Bromion: As a cosmic being Bromion doesn’t really 
  have “duplicates” or alternate versions from other 
  dimensions, but beings from different realities 
  may perceive him different ways and/or have other 
  names for him.
  Bulldozer: Earthmover, a “brick” who’s full of brag-
  gadocio but has the skills and “brick tricks” to back 
  up his trash talk.
  Buzzsaw: Sawbones, a mutant doctor with some 
  unusual weapons.
  Cadaver: Scavenger, a semi-living being who can 
  graft others’ body parts onto his own body.
  Cairngorm: Steinzauberer, a mystic specializing in 
  Earth-related spells.
  Captain Chronos: The Timekeeper, who helps the 
  Empress keep track of the effects of her time travel.
  Cateran: Red Meg, a fiery-haired, fiery-tempered 
  immortal Scottish warrior-woman from Earth-922.
  The Curse: Kephren-Taa, an undead pharaoh who 
  must in unlife perform good deeds to compensate 
  for the many cruelties he inflicted on the world 
  when he was alive.
  Cybermind: Cybandit, a notorious hacker forced to 
  join the Battalion on pain of having himself and his 
  entire family thrown into jail to pay for his crimes.
  Deadman Walkin’: Mortuus, an undead D-Soldier 
  who continues to serve his Empress.
  Devastator: Ironside, a powered armor wearer.
  Doctor Teneber: Doctor Lux, a mystic specializing 
  in Life Magic and Light Magic spells.
  Double Dealer: The Two-Blade Kid, a skilled 
  knife-fighter.
  Dragonfly: Kshrax, greatest living hero of an insec-
  toid species from the dimension Jutaa.
  Dreamwitch: Morphea, mistress of sleep and dream 
  magics.
  Eclipsar: Nightwave, a powerful darkness 
  controller.
  Eclipse: Copycat, who has the ability to steal super-
  powers from other superhumans; commanders 
  often deploy her against “heroes” who invade the 
  Empire, sometimes by having her pose as a captive 
  who wants to “join” them.
  The Engineer: Psiborg, a human/robot hybrid with 
  cyberkinetic powers, superstrength, and various 
  other abilities.
  Entropy: The Barrister, a manifestation of the power 
  of Order and Law.
  Esper: Cerebra, a mentalist superheroine.
  Evil Eye: Eyebeam, a telekinetic whose beams of 
  power emerge from his eyes.
  Exo: X.O., a V’hanian military officer now irrevers-
  ibly welded into a super-tech exo-skeleton; due to 
  his tactical skills and experience he’s often put in 
  command of super-squads.
  Fenris: Wolfen, a human with wolf powers and 
  artificial claws.
  Firewing: Firehawk, the only surviving Malvan 
  of Earth-374, possessed of vast fire powers that 
  embody the spirit of his species.
  Fleshtone: The Sculptor, a biokinetic able to shape 
  and mold flesh.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  57
  Foxbat: Change Foxbat? Sh’ya, right. Why would 
  anyone want to change the greatest supervill... err, 
  hero ever?
  Frag: Shatter, a mutant with the ability to break 
  things and injure people just by touching them.
  Freakshow: Captain Fear, only survivor of a 
  superhuman soldier program designed not only to 
  augment him physically, but to give him the power 
  to inspire fear in the enemy.
  Galaxia: Solarion, a powerful mutant energy 
  projector.
  Galeforce: Windy, a young mutant with power over 
  air and wind.
  Gargantua: The Crimson Colossus, one of the few 
  surviving members of the Vorban (a species of red-
  skinned humanoids), who has the mutant power to 
  grow to tremendous heights.
  Gauntlet: Powerfist, whose super-tech gauntlets 
  have all sorts of built-in weapons.
  Geos: Steron To’dorgan, a mutant with power over 
  stone and earth.
  Geothermal: LavaMan, master of magma!
  Glacier: Icestorm, a monstrously large mutant with 
  ice/cold powers.
  Green Dragon: Crobar af Pelim, the greatest martial 
  artist of the Xeshtar species.
  Grenadier: Bombardier, a gadgeteer with a wide 
  variety of explosive missile weapons.
  Grond: Gronk, a highly-intelligent, four-armed 
  “brick” from a distant planet in the dimension 
  Qorvad.
  Grotesk: Masque, a superstrong hero who wears a 
  mask to hide his incredibly ugly face.
  Harpy: Griffin Girl, who has the ability to change 
  into a woman-griffin hybrid.
  Hazard: Hard Luck, a skilled D-Soldier with 
  astoundingly good luck.
  Hell Rider: Heavensent, a woman gifted with 
  angelic powers she’s driven to use to combat evil 
  and injustice.
  Herculan: Gameshtar, a Fassai from the dimension 
  Earth-73, with metabolism-draining powers and 
  superstrength.
  Hornet: EntoMaster, the Insect-Powered Man!
  Howler: Primal Scream, a woman with powerful 
  sonic abilities.
  Hurricane: Typhoon, who has both wind and water 
  powers.
  Incubus: Doctor Raven, who has powers of 
  shapechanging, illusion, and trickery.
  Jade Phoenix: Tala Huban, master of dozens of 
  martial arts styles.
  Kanrok the Acquisitioner: Shackle, a superhuman 
  expert at capturing/subduing other superhumans; 
  the Empress often assigns him to bring in renegade 
  or villainous supers.
  Lady Blue: Lady Sapphire, a loyal supporter of 
  V’han’s regime, who wears a force-manipulating 
  battlesuit.
  Lamplighter: Ch’wauchu, a mystic who specializes 
  in magics related to the soul, spirit, and life energy; 
  he’s a strange, sadistic man who has to be watched 
  carefully by his commanding officers.
  Lash: The Scarlet Lash, who wields a super-tech 
  whip.
  Lazer: Broathen Genshawkirio, sometimes 
  described as “the D-Soldier’s D-Soldier,” who’s 
  equipped with some of the most advanced personal 
  military technology available in the Empire.
  Leech: D’gwushaaj’ch’taa, a mutant member of a 
  dwarfish, semi-sentient, parasitic species that drains 
  the life essence from living beings for sustenance.
  Leviathan: Orell Rhan Tengarri, a sophisticated, 
  highly-educated member of a water-dwelling 
  sentient species who gained superstrength and 
  other abilities due to a strange laboratory accident.
  Li Chun the Destroyer: Kor Ronn, a mystic martial 
  artist who claims to possess the power of “a thou-
  sand angels” who live within him.
  The Living Sphinx: “Sammy,” a semi-sentient, 
  monstrous life-form from the planet Stordan in the 
  dimension Alaqron; specially-trained D-Soldiers 
  serve as his handlers, and he has a dog-like loyalty 
  to a few Battalioneers.
  Lodestone: Magnon, who controls and manipulates 
  magnetism.
  Mantara: Sheerala Nu’to, one of the most skilled 
  members of the Hostile Environment Legion, who’s 
  been given special equipment that allows her to be 
  an expert underwater operative and combatant.
  Mantisman: Iron Mantis, who wears a suit of 
  insect-themed powered armor.
  Masquerade: The Living Legion, a spy who can 
  assume any humanoid form (making him/her/it 
  one of the Imperial Legion’s most valued spies and 
  infiltrators).
  Mechassassin: Loku Geren, a former mercenary 
  who was “persuaded” to join the Battalion. He uses 
  several advanced energy weapons and other devices 
  of his own design.
  Megavolt: Gigawatt, an electricity projector/
  controller.
  Menagerie: Zo’on, who has the power to change 
  shape into various animals.
  Mindgame: Master Mind, a powerful psionic.
  Mirage: Sleight, a master of misdirection and 
  illusion who’s often assigned to create large-scale 
  deceptions to fool enemy armies.
  The Monster: Claw, a barely controllable, 
  murderous lab experiment who’s widely (and 
  rightly) feared by the Empire’s enemies.
  Morningstar: Smasher, an enormous, superstrong 
  brute who wields a ball and chain as a weapon.
  Morph: Myriad, a master shapechanger and one of 
  the Empire’s most valuable superhuman assets.
  3
  
  58 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Mother Gothel: The Gingerbread Lady, a strange 
  but sometimes powerful witch.
  Nebula: The Warden, who has the power to teleport 
  people to any of V’han’s prison-planets.
  Ogre: Orfath Clar, a superstrong but somewhat 
  dimwitted soldier.
  Onslaught: Bruiser, a low-level “brick.”
  Photon: Photonic, a being of light accidentally 
  trapped in a solid body.
  Plague: Eppie Demic, a strange girl with disease 
  control powers.
  Pulsar: Captain Quasar, an energy projector.
  Python: Mister Constrictor, a member of a serpen-
  toid species who has superhuman strength and 
  low-level stretching powers.
  Reaper: The Cold Hand, a scythe-wielding mystic 
  being who claims to embody the “essence of Death.”
  Ricochet: Rebound, a kinetic energy controller.
  Riptide: Undertow, a water controller who can 
  convert his entire body into water if necessary.
  El Salto: Señor Rana, the high-leaping acrobatic 
  adventurer with the good looks and panache to 
  drive the women crazy with desire!
  Samhain: The Antler-Crowned King, supreme 
  nature spirit of Earth-718 and a protector of nature 
  on all worlds.
  SARGON: TREGOS, a powered armor wearer.
  Scimitar: Tulwar, an Indian weaponmaster with a 
  razor-sharp questionite sword.
  Shadowdragon: Dragondark, a martial artist with 
  shadow control powers.
  Shrinker: Miss Molecule, the Multiverse’s tiniest 
  woman!
  Signal Ghost: Software Specter, a gadgeteer whose 
  devices allow him to fly and become intangible 
  (among other things).
  Snowblind: Frostbite, a young female ice/cold 
  controller with a wicked sense of humor.
  Spektr: Spectro, a hero with vast energy powers.
  Spirit Fist: Ghost Fist, a mystic martial artist.
  Stalker: The Night Watcher, a self-willed, heroic 
  vampire.
  Steel Commando: Steel Centurion, a super-soldier 
  who wears light powered armor and uses advanced 
  energy weapons.
  Stiletto: Poniard, a dagger-wielding weaponmaster.
  Stingray: Tethys, a swimming speedster who can 
  also manifest the powers of nearly any oceanic 
  creature (including shapechanging into them), 
  and who claims to be the living incarnation of the 
  sea-goddess of the Helarian people of the planet 
  Sudatho V in the dimension Transhormi.
  Stormfront: Stormsurge, a weather controller.
  Sunspot: Sunflare, whose energy projection powers 
  depend in part on his exposure to stellar energies.
  Syzygy: O.R.B.I.T., the Omniversal Robot for 
  Battle, Intelligence-gathering, and Technology, a 
  sophisticated sentient robot with several sphere-
  shaped “helpers.”
  Tachyon: Gorthoz ki Othemm, a superstrong 
  teleporter.
  Taipan: Venomous, a super-fast, highly-skilled 
  assassin specializing in killing superpowered 
  enemies of the Empire.
  Talisman: Lady Arcane, a super-mystic known for 
  her flirtatious manner.
  Wayland Talos: Ukmaro re’Tashi, a skilled gadge-
  teer who spends most of his time building (or 
  repairing) gadgets for other Battalioneers.
  Terrayne: Rockslide, a being made of stone who 
  claims to be an earth elemental trapped in the 
  material world.
  Thorn: Briar Scarlet, mistress of plant powers!
  Thunderbird: Captain Falcon, a highly-skilled 
  D-Soldier from a species of heavyworlders who 
  wields advanced energy weapons and has other 
  gadgets. He specializes in killing superhumans and 
  is often teamed with Venomous and/or Trickshot.
  Thunderbolt: Diesel, a superstrong speedster
  Timelapse: Timeframe, a time manipulator who 
  has the power to age people or things.
  Turs Al-sh’ab: Larem’do Q’Ratha, a crude, super-
  strong brawler.
  Utility: Trickshot, a highly-trained, gadget-
  equipped humanoid who specializes in defeating 
  superhuman opponents.
  Valak the World-Ravager: K’aval the Mighty, a 
  nigh-cosmic being kept under tight control through 
  V’hanian mind control technology reinforced by 
  periodic mind control sessions with various psionic 
  Battalioneers.
  Vector: Warp, a powerful speedster.
  Vesper: Tairon g’Lethar, a humanoid-bat being.
  Vibron: Shiver, a vibration-controlling character 
  with some minor fear creation powers as well.
  Vixen: Apparition, a super-skilled thief with the 
  ability to become intangible for short periods of 
  time.
  White Rhino: Black Rhino, a superstrong rhinoc-
  eros-man hybrid.
  Wildeye: Beastling, a short but vicious animal-man.
  Witchfinder: The Grey Hunter, a detective and 
  assassin who specialized in finding and killing 
  mystics.
  Zephyr: Sirocco Siren, a wind controller.
  Zigzag: Turnabout, a malleable/stretching hero.
  Zorran the Artificer: Ronzan the Renegade, a 
  powerful mystic who specializes in the creation of 
  enchanted items.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  59
  THE IMPErIAL 
  THE IMPErIAL 
  LEGIONS
  LEGIONS
  I
  stvatha V’han maintains a military, known 
  collectively as the Imperial Legions, numbering 
  in the trillions (with many times that number 
  in the supporting bureaucracy). Since her 
  desire to conquer more and more dimensions is 
  never quenched, the V’hanian Empire is always to 
  some extent on a “war footing,” with the military 
  commanding a large share of imperial resources 
  and attention. When a major war’s brewing with 
  Tyrannon, Skarn, or some other foe, the war 
  footing becomes more intense; during periods of 
  consolidation it ebbs to its lowest points. But at 
  no time does it ever vanish; even if V’han decided 
  to halt all conquest programs, she still has to keep 
  troops in place in much of her territory to fight 
  rebels, maintain the peace, or protect her subjects 
  from various threats.
  STruCTurE AND rANKS
  STruCTurE AND rANKS
  In the interest of efficiency, the Empress has 
  deliberately created a relatively simple structure for 
  her vast military machine. The rank system does 
  not differentiate between space-based and ground-
  based forces, so that in practice a captain of an 
  infantry unit stationed on Coromwal III can give 
  orders to a lieutenant serving on a starship orbiting 
  that planet. In practice, the troops tend to main-
  tain a de facto split between infantry (including 
  wet navy personnel) and space forces; it would be 
  considered odd (and even a little rude) for a star-
  ship officer to give orders to infantry personnel, or 
  vice-versa, even if that’s technically possible.
  On the other hand, military regulations do 
  maintain a strong division between “Combat 
  personnel” and “Administrative and Logistical 
  personnel.” Officers designed “A&L” generally don’t 
  have to risk their necks by entering war zones, 
  but except for certain very limited situations are 
  not entitled to give orders to Combat troops. The 
  Legions assume that only personnel trained for, 
  and experienced in, actual fighting should typi-
  cally command the soldiers who do that fighting. 
  On the other hand, Command personnel can’t 
  pull rank to force A&L personnel to supply them 
  with equipment, re-assign them, or the like. This 
  results in a certain amount of friction between the 
  two “branches,” but the Empress prefers that to the 
  possibility of some desk jockey giving orders in life-
  or-death situations he doesn’t really know anything 
  about.
  A D-Soldier’s military specialization (if any) 
  is indicated by a subtitle after his rank, such as 
  Ensign-Engineer m’thalGa or Captain-Infantry 
  Shawnet.
  The Imperial High Command
  The Imperial High Command
  The overall commander-in-chief of the Impe-
  rial Legions is, of course, the Empress herself. She’s 
  keenly interested in matters military and maintains 
  careful oversight of what her Legions are doing 
  (and planning to do) by reviewing hundreds of 
  daily reports. Skilled military advisors are avail-
  able to her at all times; these are considered plum 
  positions among the upper echelons of the Legions, 
  since the Empress has been known to lavishly 
  reward advisors whose insights she finds helpful.
  However, even a time-traveling immortal can’t 
  oversee every strategic, logistical, and administra-
  tive detail pertaining to trillions and trillions of 
  soldiers serving across millions of dimensions. 
  Thus, the day-to-day running of the V’hanian 
  military falls to a body known as the Imperial 
  High Command. The IHC’s members include the 
  Supreme Admiral, the Sector Admirals, and various 
  civilian personnel, consultants, and advisors. After 
  receiving input from V’han herself, the IHC deter-
  mines the overall strategic course of the Legions, 
  such as which dimensions to target for the next 
  campaigns of conquest, how to allocate personnel 
  and resources to address the current threats to the 
  Empire, and the like. Of course, V’han can override 
  any such decisions if she wants to, but in practice 
  she usually follows the IHC’s recommendations.
  3
  
  60 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Imperial Military ranks
  Imperial Military ranks
  The rank structure of the Imperial Legions is 
  as follows, from highest to lowest. Generally the 
  Legions policy is not to assign an officer to a posi-
  tion in his native dimension (much less his native 
  galaxy or homeworld), but an officer with the 
  proper skills and/or enough rank may be able to 
  pull strings to get a “close to home” posting.
  SuPrEME ADMIrAL
  The highest rank in the Imperial Legions is 
  Supreme Admiral, the overall commander of the 
  entire military (aside from Istvatha V’han herself, 
  of course). The Supreme Admiral has the final say 
  on many military issues, and even when the IHC as 
  a whole disagrees with him his views are typically 
  noted and explained in the relevant reports. He’s 
  one of the Empress’s most trusted advisors, and she 
  puts a lot of thought into picking a new Supreme 
  Admiral when the current one retires.
  sUpreme AdmIrAl pIettIk tA’rU
  As of mid-2011 in Champions Universe Earth 
  time, the Empire’s Supreme Admiral is Piettik Ta’ru, 
  a member of the blue-skinned humanoid Crothara 
  species from the planet Crotha XII in the dimen-
  sion Tirellan. A career military officer from a long 
  line of career military officers, Ta’ru first attended 
  the prestigious Karuda University and studied 
  Crotharan literature and imperial security before 
  enrolling in the Legions. Intelligent, decisive, and 
  charismatic, he rose through the ranks quickly 
  when he led the troops to victory in the Battle of IV 
  Piresta Shan as a mere lieutenant after all higher-
  ranking officers were killed.
  Having now served as Supreme Admiral for 
  nearly an imperial decade, Ta’ru has established a 
  reputation as one of the most skilled officers ever to 
  fill the position and as a commander who’s genu-
  inely concerned about the personnel serving under 
  him, all the way down to the lowliest private. The 
  Empress trusts him implicitly and consults with 
  him on a regular basis.
  SECTOr ADMIrAL
  With a hundred million dimensions to oversee, 
  the Empire and its military have to divide them 
  into administrative districts known as sectors. Each 
  sector encompasses an average of eight to twelve 
  million dimensions. A Sector Admiral commands 
  all Imperial Legion personnel and resources within 
  a sector. Each of them answers directly to the 
  Supreme Admiral.
  DIMENSIONAL ADMIrAL
  A Dimensional Admiral, or D-Admiral, 
  commands all Legion forces in a single dimension. 
  Ideally he maintains his headquarters on a heavily-
  secured starbase or planet near the center of the 
  dimension. But the military realities of the situation 
  may dictate otherwise; another location may be 
  more secure (or offer other benefits, like proximity 
  to galactic or intergalactic trade routes), or the 
  entire dimension may not yet be under imperial 
  control.
  dImensIonAl AdmIrAl sknAAg 7
  Sknaag 7, a member of a species that relies 
  heavily upon cloning, is a classic example of a 
  D-Admiral. He and his clone-brothers all joined 
  the service together, and each was able to learn 
  more (and faster) than ordinary soldiers due to 
  his psychic link to the other Sknaags. Several 
  of them have been killed in action or retired to 
  non-military careers over the years, but Sknaag 
  7 remained in the military and rose through the 
  ranks. A nearly unblemished record of successes in 
  major campaigns, battles, and military maneuvers 
  resulted in promotion after promotion, until he 
  now commands all Imperial Legionnaires in the 
  dimension Srogana.
  Intelligent and insightful, D-Admiral Sknaag 7 
  considers himself to some extent “responsible” for 
  the inhabitants of Srogana and does what he can to 
  “lobby” on their behalf with the Empress and the 
  imperial bureaucracy. A student of languages, he’s 
  learned five major Sroganian languages (in addition 
  to speaking seven languages from his native planet 
  and dimension).
  GALACTIC ADMIrAL
  Since most dimensions consist of multiple 
  galaxies, the Imperial Legion has the rank of 
  Galactic Admiral to command all the forces in 
  a specific galaxy. “G-Admirals” answer to the 
  D-Admiral. (In large dimensions some G-Admirals 
  may be informally promoted to “Dimensional 
  Sector Admiral,” the officer responsible for coor-
  dinating all the G-Admirals in a particular region 
  of the dimension.) Since galaxies differ in size, 
  number of sentient species, resources, and other 
  important aspects, so to does the importance of a 
  Galactic Admiral to his D-Admiral.
  gAlActIc AdmIrAl dgAk
  The V’hanian forces in the Silvery Eye galaxy in 
  the dimension V’ha-2216 fall under the command 
  of Dgak, one of the most-decorated officers serving 
  in the Imperial Legions today. A member of the 
  brutish-looking reptilian Ro’taggh species native 
  to the planet Yartha in the dimension V’ha-993, he 
  joined the military as a way to escape from a rela-
  tively bland life on his homeworld. For over twenty 
  years he served in combat zones, seeing battle an 
  average of twice a week during that period. He 
  earned a reputation for toughness and his instinc-
  tual tactical savvy. Despite his expressed preference 
  for the lower ranks, his experience and skills even-
  tually got him promoted up the chain of command. 
  Today, nearly thirty years later, he commands at the 
  galactic level, and could easily rise further — by his 
  species’s standards he’s only in early middle age.
  G-Admiral Dgak is very much a front-line 
  commander who looks for any opportunity to get 
  out from behind his desk and go out into the field. 
  If there are no major military actions he often 
  conducts surprise inspections of forward outposts 
  (though compared to most high-ranking officers 
  he’s pretty forgiving of the more-or-less incon-
  sequential violations of military standards and 
  protocol common in such facilities). When fighting 
  breaks out, it’s not unknown for him to show up 
  IMPErIAL LEGIONS 
  FrINGE BENEFIT
  Here are the Military Rank 
  Fringe Benefit costs for 
  the Imperial Legions:
  Cost
  Rank
  18
  Supreme Admiral
  16
  Sector Admiral
  15
  Dimensional 
  Admiral 
  (D-Admiral)
  14
  Galactic Admiral 
  (G-Admiral)
  13
  System Admiral
  12
  Admiral (General)
  11
  Army Commander
  10
  First Commander
  9
  Second 
  Commander
  8
  Captain
  6
  Lieutenant
  4
  Ensign
  2
  Sergeant
  1
  Corporal
  0
  Private
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  61
  and take command of a major push — sometimes 
  he even brings along his beloved energy rifle 
  Sn’greesha and heads right onto the battlefield (a 
  practice his superiors have repeatedly discouraged, 
  to no avail).
  SYSTEM ADMIrAL
  Below G-Admiral is the rank of System Admiral, 
  the officer in charge of all forces in a single solar 
  system (or multiple systems, in regions of space 
  where there are relatively few inhabited planets). 
  There are millions of System Admirals throughout 
  the Legions; this is the highest rank that most 
  soldiers can aspire to (and reaching even this far 
  requires a high degree of talent, intelligence, and 
  experience).
  ADMIrAL (GENErAL)
  An Admiral commands all Legionnaires 
  assigned to a specific planet. If he prefers to 
  command from a planetside facility, he’s often 
  referred to as “General” instead, a practice the 
  IHC doesn’t object to but also doesn’t acknowledge 
  in any official records. On many worlds he’s a far 
  better-known figure than the Planetary Governor 
  and is considered “the face of the Empire.” Despite 
  this, the military discourages even indirect involve-
  ment in local politics by Generals (or other officers, 
  for that matter), and is quick to punish personnel 
  who step out of line in this regard.
  generAl tre’l nA-hUjIn
  Tre’l na-Hujin, a member of the six-limbed 
  Throyde species which controlled a large interga-
  lactic empire in the dimension Oraxia before it 
  was conquered by Istvatha V’han over an impe-
  rial century ago, is the General commanding the 
  imperial forces occupying the planet Lentana IV in 
  the dimension Balnakar. The Imperial Legions only 
  finished conquering Balnakar three decades ago, 
  and Lentana IV remains home to many subjects 
  who remember pre-imperial times. As a result 
  minor rebellions and outbreaks of sedition are not 
  unknown, forcing General na-Hujin to keep a close 
  eye and a tight rein on the populace. However, 
  since he expects to spend the remainder of his 
  career here, he does his best to establish contacts 
  with Lentanan leaders and use the minimal force 
  necessary to uphold imperial law. He’d rather lead 
  the Lentanans into willing imperial subjectship by 
  showing them the benefits than using the imperial 
  fist on them.
  THE COMMANDEr rANKS
  Immediately below Admiral are three ranks 
  designated “commander.” The highest, Army 
  Commander, commands an entire army of the 
  Legions (approximately one million D-Soldiers, 
  plus supporting vehicles and equipment). Next 
  is First Commander, who’s in charge of an entire 
  corps (100,000 to 500,000 D-Soldiers) and Second 
  Commander, who commands a division (20,000 
  D-Soldiers). His Army Commander is the highest-
  ranking officer most D-Soldiers ever meet.
  THE LOWEr 
  rANKS
  The lower ranks, also 
  known in Legions 
  parlance as the “field 
  ranks” (because 
  they’re the ranks held 
  by D-Soldiers who 
  actually fight and go 
  on missions) are:
  
  n Captain 
  (commands a 
  brigade of 5,000 
  D-Soldiers, or one 
  large starship)
  
  n Lieutenant 
  (commands a 
  battalion of 1,000 
  D-Soldiers, or one 
  small starship 
  [in which 
  case he’s 
  referred 
  to as 
  “Captain” 
  when on 
  board])
  
  n Ensign (commands 
  a company of 200 
  D-Soldiers)
  
  n Sergeant 
  (commands 
  a platoon of 
  approximately 
  50 D-Soldiers, or 
  some equivalent 
  group such as a 
  hovertank platoon 
  or hyper-fighter 
  squadron)
  
  n Corporal 
  (commands a 
  squad of 8-12 
  D-Soldiers)
  
  n Private
  3
  
  62 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  YOu’rE IN THE 
  YOu’rE IN THE 
  D-ArMY NOW
  D-ArMY NOW
  Since it’s constantly fighting a wide variety of 
  wars on potentially millions of fronts, the Impe-
  rial Legions is constantly recruiting. The Empress 
  prefers to maintain a volunteer force, resorting to 
  a draft only during times of major conflict (such 
  as a war against Tyrannon). The Legions pays well 
  and usually has no difficulty attracting qualified 
  recruits. Serving in the military is widely regarded 
  as a way to climb the social ladder, to see parts of 
  the Empire a subject might otherwise never get 
  to see, and to escape the doldrums of living on a 
  backwater planet (or one that hasn’t yet received 
  the full benefits and services the Empire’s capable of 
  extending).
  The Legions maintains recruiting offices in most 
  major cities on most inhabited planets in most 
  imperial dimensions. It also stages “recruitment 
  fleet” drives where several smart-looking starships 
  travel together through the less populated regions 
  of the Empire to meet potential recruits who don’t 
  have access to an office. Once the ships’ quarters are 
  filled with new recruits, the “fleet” takes them to a 
  training facility and a new “fleet” moves into posi-
  tion to continue the drive.
  BASIC TrAINING
  A “class” of recruits usually numbering in the 
  thousands is taken to one of the tens of thousands 
  of training facilities maintained by the Imperial 
  Legions. Now referred to as “D-Recruits,” the new 
  troopers are taught what they need to know to 
  serve their Empress. They spend the first two days 
  learning basic V’hanian through hypno-pedagogy; 
  the Legions doesn’t want its personnel to depend on 
  translator devices, since those can get damaged in 
  combat.
  The next period of basic training involves 
  instilling military discipline in the recruits, who 
  come from dozens of different planets and species 
  — just learning how to get along as a cohesive 
  group is sometimes a major obstacle! They learn 
  how to march (and to fly in formation, in the case 
  of winged recruits), how the rank structure and 
  military law function, and how to communicate 
  with their officers and fellow soldiers in a militarily-
  approved manner.
  After a recruit has mastered those relatively 
  simply subjects, field training with weapons and 
  gear begins. Learning to use the standard-issue 
  energy rifle and other weapons is relatively simple; 
  what most D-Recruits find hardest to master is 
  the use of the Dimensional Shift Harness (and 
  the tactics that go with it; see below). The idea of 
  dimensional travel, even in a form so rapid it’s 
  tantamount to teleportation, is something most 
  sentients aren’t accustomed to; they have to physi-
  cally and psychologically acclimate themselves to it 
  through repeated exposure and practice. D-Recruits 
  who show an innate aptitude for this sort of thing 
  often get tapped to take advanced training classes 
  and become D-Navigators.
  The entire basic training program takes 
  approximately six months. At the end of that time 
  D-Recruits become D-Soldiers and are assigned to 
  an army (or to advanced training to join an elite 
  force, if appropriate).
  BASIC V’HANIAN MILITArY TACTICS
  The standard tactics used by the Imperial 
  Legions aren’t that different from those employed 
  by other advanced military forces in countless other 
  places and times: enfilade and defilade; arranging 
  the squad for covering fire and support; the proper 
  use of artillery, tanks, and other heavy weapons; 
  coordinated advancements of small units across a 
  front; and so forth. What sets the Legions apart is 
  the use of dimensional travel as a flanking tactic. 
  Each D-Soldier wears a Dimensional Shift Harness 
  that allows him to instantly shift to a hyperspace-
  like dimension, travel a short distance, and then 
  emerge back into the dimension he’s occupying in a 
  different position — in short, to teleport up to 20m. 
  In a close combat situations (such as city or jungle 
  warfare), this allows D-Soldiers to get behind or 
  beside an enemy and attack without being subject 
  to counter-fire. In larger-scale situations it lets 
  D-Soldiers move rapidly across the battlefield, often 
  from covered position to covered position, and 
  then overwhelm the enemy. If necessary, units can 
  use D-Shift Enhancers (see page 77) to increase the 
  distance they can “teleport,” thus allowing them to 
  “d-flank” enemies even across large battlefields.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  63
  D-Soldiers
  D-Soldiers
  The accompanying character sheet represents a typical 
  D-Soldier of the Imperial Legions. Although not as skilled, 
  powerful, or well-equipped as more specialized troops (who are 
  represented by the various training Templates discussed below), 
  the D-Soldier is the backbone of Istvatha V’han’s armies. With 
  his powerful energy rifle and ability to teleport, he’s a dangerous 
  combatant even against superhuman opponents.
  D-Soldiers come from the millions of dimensions Istvatha 
  V’han rules, and thus come in a nigh-infinite variety of shapes 
  and sizes. Most are humanoid, but the resemblance ends there: 
  their skin colors, number and orientation of limbs, size and 
  shape of head, size and shape of sensory organs, and other 
  features vary wildly. You can use the accompanying table to 
  generate a D-Soldier’s basic appearance and features randomly, 
  or simply choose whichever ones you want. Having special abili-
  ties (like wings or enhanced senses) often improves a D-Soldier’s 
  chances for a better posting... though they may also make it 
  more likely he gets assigned to a platoon that’s seeing combat on 
  a regular basis.
  rANDOM D-SOLDIEr 
  rANDOM D-SOLDIEr 
  GENErATOr TABLE
  GENErATOr TABLE
  Want to vary the type of D-Soldier your heroes face and 
  show the multi-dimensional diversity of Istvatha V’han’s 
  troops? Use these handy tables! See the “Options” for 
  the D-Soldier for the game effects of these selections, 
  where relevant.
  Roll
  Size
  1-2
  Notably smaller than Humans
  3-5
  Same average size as Humans
  6
  Notably larger than Humans
  Roll
  Mass
  1-5
  Mass is proportional for size
  6
  Unusually heavy
  Roll
  Skin Color
  1
  Red
  2
  Blue
  3
  Yellow
  4
  Green
  5
  Purple
  6
  White
  Roll
  Basic Racial Stock
  1-3, 1-3
  Mammalian
  1-3, 4-5
  Reptilian
  1-3, 6
  Icthyoid
  4-6, 1-3
  Avian
  4-6, 4-5
  Insectoid
  4-6, 6
  Plant
  Roll
  Extra Manipulatory Limbs
  1-3
  0 (just two arms/hands)
  4
  1 (possibly a prehensile tail)
  5
  2
  6
  4 or more
  Roll
  Extra Senses
  1-2
  None (has standard human senses)
  3
  Extra/better eyes
  4
  Acute hearing
  5
  Acute sense of smell
  6
  Unusual sense (such as radar or sonar)
  Roll
  Natural Weaponry
  1-3
  None
  4
  Claws
  5
  Fangs
  6
  Horn(s)
  Roll
  Unusual Features
  1
  Aquatic
  2
  Exotically attractive
  3
  Malleable form
  4
  Psionics
  5
  Wall-climbing
  6
  Wings
  3
  
  64 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  D-SOLDIER
  D-SOLDIER
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  13 STR 
  3 12- Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 HTH damage [1]
  16 DEX 
  12 12-
  15 CON 
  5 12-
  10 INT 
  0 11- PER Roll 11-
  10 EGO 
  0 11-
  12 PRE 
  2 11- PRE Attack: 2d6
  5 
  OCV 
  10
  5 
  DCV 
  10
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  3 
  DMCV 
  0
  3 
  SPD 
  10  
  Phases: 4, 8, 12
  5 
  PD 
  3  
  Total: 13 PD (8 rPD)
  5 
  ED 
  3  
  Total: 13 ED (8 rED)
  6 
  REC 
  2
  30 END 
  2
  12 BODY 
  2
  36 STUN 
  8 Total Characteristics Cost: 72
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Teleportation: 
  20m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  31 
  V’hanian Energy Rifle: Multipower, 50-point reserve [32]
  32 Charges for entire reserve (+¼); all OAF (-1)
  2f 
  1) Basic Setting: Blast 10d6
  OAF (-1)
  2f 
  2) Autofire Setting: Blast 6d6
  Autofire (5 shots; +½); OAF (-1)
  4 
  Gun-butt Club: HA +2d6 
  1
  OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-¼)
  14 
  Body Armor: Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 ED) 
  0
  OIF (-½), Activation Roll 14- (-¼)
  13 
  Dimensional Shift Harness: Teleportation 20m 
  2
  OIF (-½)
  3 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
  6 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Radio Perception/ 
  Transmission (Radio Group) 
  0
  OIF (-½), Affected As Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-¼)
   
  Perks
  0 
  Fringe Benefit: V’hanian Military Rank: Private
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with V’hanian Energy Rifle Multipower
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military 11-
  1 
  Language: V’hanian (basic conversation)
  1 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 8-
  2 
  PS: V’hanian Soldier 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  2 
  WF: Small Arms
  9 
  Choose 9 Character Points’ worth of the following: 
  Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, Combat Skill Levels, 
  Computer Programming, Demolitions, Electronics, 
  Fast Draw, Gambling (3 points’ worth), Interroga-
  tion, Lockpicking, Paramedics, Persuasion, Security 
  Systems, Streetwise, Systems Operation, Teamwork, 
  any Background Skill
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 106
  Total Cost: 178
  100 Matching Complications (30)
  5 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian uniform (Easily Concealed; 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  10 
  Hunted: V’hanian Imperial Military Police (Infrequently, Mo 
  Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Loyal To Istvatha V’han 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 30
  Experience Points: 78
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  var 
  Notably Smaller Than Human: buy appropriate Size 
  Template from 6E1 444
  var 
  Notably Larger Than Human: buy appropriate Size 
  Template from 6E1 443 or APG 100
  var 
  Unusually Heavy: buy appropriate Mass Template from 
  6E1 446 (typically Hefty or Weighty)
  2 
  Scaly Skin/Exoskeleton: Resistant (+½) for 2 PD/2 ED
  5 
  More Manipulatory Limbs: Extra Limbs (1 or more)
  5/10 Extra/Better Eyes: Increased Arc Of Perception (240 or 
  360 Degress) for Sight Group
  var 
  Better Eyes: Nightvision (5 points); Infrared Perception for 
  Sight Group (5 points); Ultraviolet Perception for Sight 
  Group (5 points); Telescopic (+6 versus Range Modi-
  fier) for Sight Group (9 points)
  var 
  Acute Hearing: +2 to PER Rolls with Hearing Group 
  (6 points); Ultrasonic Perception (Hearing Group) (3 
  points)
  var 
  Acute Smell: +2 to PER Rolls with Smell/Taste Group (6 
  points); Tracking for Smell/Taste Group (10 points)
  var 
  Unusual Sense: Active Sonar (15 points); Radar (15 
  points); Radio Perception (8 points)
  10 
  Claws: HKA ½d6 (possibly plus STR)
  5 
  Fangs: HKA 1 point (possibly plus STR)
  8 
  Horn(s): HKA ½d6 (possibly plus STR); Inaccurate (½ 
  OCV; -¼)
  9 
  Aquatic: Life Support (Expanded Breathing: breathe 
  underwater); Environmental Movement (Aquatic 
  Movement)
  3+ 
  Exotically Attractive: Striking Appearance +1/+1d6 (or 
  more)
  2 
  Malleable Form: Stretching 2m
  var 
  Psionics: the D-Soldier has one or more minor mental 
  powers, chosen by the GM
  10 
  Wall-Climbing: Clinging (normal STR)
  8 
  Wings: Flight 12m; Restrainable (-½)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  65
  Specialized D-Soldiers
  Specialized D-Soldiers
  The following Templates represent D-Soldiers 
  who’ve received special or advanced training in 
  some military discipline. They add to the standard 
  D-Soldier character sheet. These represent only a 
  few of specialized types of D-Soldiers; the GM can 
  easily create more if needed for a campaign that 
  focuses on the V’hanian military.
  COMBAT ENGINEEr
  In a military so dependent on advanced tech-
  nology, a Combat Engineer is sometimes the most 
  important member of the unit. Most platoons have 
  at least one, and in some “high activity zones” (i.e., 
  places where D-Soldiers see combat every day), that 
  number may rise to as high as one per squad.
  COMBAT ENGINEEr D-SOLDIEr TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  3 
  Demolitions
  3 
  Electronics
  3 
  Mechanics
  2 
  SS: Civil Engineering 11-
  2 
  SS: Electronic Engineering 11-
  3 
  Systems Operation
  Cost Equipment
  3 
  V’hanian Engineer’s Field Kit: +2 with 
  Demolitions, Electronics, and Mechanics; 
  OAF (-1)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 19
  COSMON
  “Cosmon” is the V’hanian military term for 
  D-Soldiers assigned to the starships of the Imperial 
  Legions (equivalent to Human terms such as “astro-
  naut” or “starship personnel”). A cosmon receives 
  training that covers standard situations aboard ship; 
  this is represented by the Basic Cosmon Template. 
  For more advanced training in fields such as ship’s 
  doctor or engineer, you can use the following 
  Professional Templates from Star Hero: Doctor (SH 
  57); Engineer (SH 58); Law Enforcement Agent 
  (“Security Officer”; SH 58-59); Pilot (“Helmsman”; 
  SH 59); Scientist (“Science Officer”; SH 61); Tacti-
  cian (SH 63); Tech (SH 63).
  BASIC COSMON TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  1 
  Systems Operation 8-
  2 
  One PS at 11- covering the character’s 
  primary job aboard ship
  2 
  PS: Zero-G Operations 11-
  6 
  Environmental Movement: Zero-G Training
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 11
  D-NAVIGATOr
  While all D-Soldiers wear 
  a basic Dimensional Shift 
  Harness that allows them to 
  “teleport,” imperial military 
  tactics often call for even 
  greater use of dimensional 
  travel. To make that possible, 
  some D-Soldiers are specially 
  trained as Dimensional Navi-
  gators, or D-Navigators. With 
  their advanced Dimensional 
  Shift Harnesses and special 
  skills, they can carry a squad 
  of D-Soldiers across dimen-
  sional barriers, then back to 
  their starting reality in the 
  perfect position to attack the 
  enemy.
  The Enhanced Dimen-
  sional Shift Harness can be 
  programmed to take the 
  wearer to any dimension. 
  However, when commanding 
  officers issue one to a D-Navi-
  gator it’s pre-programmed 
  with 10 dimensions (typi-
  cally the ten “closest” to the 
  dimension where the fighting’s 
  taking place). Most D-Naviga-
  tors aren’t able to reprogram 
  their Harnesses; they have to 
  take them to a military techni-
  cian to have that done.
  PILOT
  Like any other modern military, the Imperial 
  Legions relies on air power when fighting planet-
  side. With their high-speed Hoverjets (pages 93-94) 
  and other aircraft, the Legions can easily dominate 
  most planetary air forces. Flying these aircraft are 
  V’han’s brave aviators, who combine daring, tactical 
  skills, and a love of speed and adventure into a 
  winning package. Additionally, they receive basic 
  electronics and avionics training so they can assist 
  with the repair and maintenance of their vehicles.
  V’HANIAN PILOT TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  5 
  Combat Piloting (DEX Roll +1)
  1 
  Computer Programming 8-
  1 
  Electronics 8-
  1 
  Mechanics 8-
  1 
  Systems Operation 8-
  2 
  Navigation (Air) (INT Roll)
  2 
  TF: V’hanian Military Aircraft
  2 
  WF: weapons for two different V’hanian 
  aircraft
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 15
  D-NAVIGATOr TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +4 
  Increase Navigation (Dimensional) to  
  INT Roll +1
  2 
  KS: Dimensions Of The Multiverse 11-
  Cost Equipment
  +27 Enhanced Dimensional Shift Harness: 
  Change Harness to the following:
  33 
  Enhanced Dimensional Shift Harness: 
  Multipower, 50-point reserve; all OIF 
  (-½)
  1f 
  1) Personal Shift: Teleportation 10m, 
  MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1); OIF 
  (-½)
  3f 
  2) Group Shift: Teleportation 10m, x8 
  Increased Mass, MegaScale (1m = 1 
  km; +1); OIF (-½)
  3f 
  3) Dimensional Flanking: Extradimen-
  sional Movement (physical location in 
  any dimension corresponding to 
  D-Navigator’s position in the 
  dimension he’s leaving), x8 
  Increased Mass; OIF (-½), Has 
  To Be “Programmed” For No 
  More Than 10 Dimensions (see 
  text; -0)
  Total Cost Of Template  
  Abilities And Equipment: 33
  3
  
  66 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Imperial Elite Forces
  Imperial Elite Forces
  The D-Soldiers of the Imperial Legions are 
  usually all the Empire needs to take a target or 
  accomplish some other military objective... but 
  some missions call for special training and experi-
  ence. When that’s necessary, the Legions calls on 
  one of its elite forces to get the job done. Some of 
  the most prominent of these special soldiers are:
  THE rED LIONS
  The “standard” elite force of the Empire, the 
  one that’s numerically largest and that’s most often 
  referred to in the news, is the Red Lions, so named 
  because their insignia is the imperial “lion’s head” 
  in red. Strong, tough, and able to take the worst the 
  enemy can dish out, the Red Lions are suited for 
  a wide variety of missions where a small, highly-
  trained force can succeed at missions an entire 
  army would fail at.
  rED LIONS TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +2 
  Increase STR to 15
  +4 
  Increase DEX to 18
  +2 
  Increase CON to 17
  +3 
  Increase INT to 13
  +3 
  Increase EGO to 13
  +3 
  Increase PRE to 15
  +5 
  Increase OCV to 6
  +5 
  Increase DCV to 6
  +2 
  Increase PD to 7
  +1 
  Increase REC to 7
  +2 
  Increase END to 40
  +3 
  Increase BODY to 15
  +4 
  Increase STUN to 44
  2 
  Running +2m
  1 
  Swimming +2m
  12 
  Martial Arts (Commando Training)
  2 
  Navigation (Land) (INT Roll)
  +2 
  Add +1 to Stealth
  4 
  Survival (choose two environments) (INT Roll)
  3 
  Teamwork
  +3 
  Additional WFs of soldier’s choice
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 68
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  67
  29,555TH PLANETArY ASSAuLT DIVISION
  The Legions can invade most planets using 
  regular troops. But some planets are unusu-
  ally tough nuts to crack for some reason — their 
  weather and geography, a significantly higher 
  percentage of trained soldiers in the population, 
  weird magical effects, or any of a thousand other 
  things. When faced with such a world, the Legions 
  brings in the 29,555th Planetary Assault Division.
  The “PAs” (as they’re known) specialize in 
  studying a planet in detail, strategizing the best 
  invasion plans, and then leading V’hanian forces 
  onto the planet and onward to victory. Initially 
  their work is almost academic, so the PAs recruit 
  D-Soldiers who aren’t just tough and good fighters, 
  but smart and insightful as well. Once they’ve 
  finished thoroughly studying a planet, they use 
  what they’ve learned to plan the best strategies for 
  the invasion; this involves working closely with a 
  wide array of Legions personnel. When the attack 
  begins, the PAs are in the vanguard, putting their 
  theories into action by leading the attack. Once 
  a beachhead’s been established, though, their job 
  is done. Military transports take most of them 
  away from the planet (a few remain as advisors 
  to the assault’s commanders) and on to their next 
  assignment.
  PLANETArY ASSAuLT DIVISION TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +5 
  Increase INT to 15
  5 
  Cramming
  3 
  PS: Planetary Assault Analysis (INT Roll)
  3 
  SS: Geography (INT Roll)
  3 
  SS: Meteorology (INT Roll)
  2 
  Survival (one environment) (INT Roll)
  3 
  Scholar
  20 
  KSs pertaining to previous and current targets
  2 
  KS: Patterns Of Planetary Cultural Develop-
  ment (INT Roll)
  2 
  KS: Patterns Of Planetary Military Develop-
  ment (INT Roll)
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Planetary Invasion Strategies 
  (INT Roll)
  3 
  Traveler
  20 
  AKs, CKs, and CuKs pertaining to previous and 
  current targets
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 73
  71,137TH SPACE COMBAT DIVISION
  Typically a V’hanian “space combat division” is 
  a formal military term for the Legions’s marines. 
  But in one case it refers to something slightly 
  different: an elite force of soldiers specially trained 
  to engage in extravehicular combat in outer space. 
  The soldiers of the 71,137th Space Combat Divi-
  sion, sometimes referred to as the “Vacuum Dogs” 
  or “Vacuum Eaters,” come equipped with armored 
  space suits, impellers that allow them to “fly” from 
  ship to ship, and thousands of hours’ worth of prac-
  tice at approaching, attacking, and entering enemy 
  starships.
  Space Combat Division personnel usually 
  approach a target ship by stealth — their suits hide 
  them from the typical Radio Group senses star-
  ships would use to detect them, such as Radar. (Of 
  course, if they use their own radios they reveal their 
  position, but their “Vacuum Code” Language allows 
  them to communicate through a combination of 
  (a) sounds that mimic static and interference, and 
  (b) hand-signals.) The suits also have anti-reflective 
  coating, so it’s hard to see them in space with the 
  naked eye.
  71,137TH SPACE COMBAT 
  DIVISION TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +3 
  Increase INT to 13
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  3 
  KS: Starships (INT Roll)
  1 
  Language: Vacuum Code (basic conversation)
  1 
  Lockpicking 10; Starship Locks Only (-1)
  2 
  Mechanics 10-
  2 
  Navigation (Space) (INT Roll)
  2 
  SS: Astronomy 11-
  3 
  Systems Operation (INT Roll)
  3 
  Teamwork
  Cost Equipment
  20 
  Armored Spacesuit: Resistant Protection (10 
  PD/10 ED); OIF (-½)
  13 
  Armored Spacesuit: Life Support (Self-
  Contained Breathing; Safe Environments: 
  High Pressure, High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum); OIF 
  (-½)
  7 
  Armored Spacesuit Stealth Field: Invisibility 
  to Radio Group; OIF (-½)
  3 
  Armored Spacesuit Anti-Reflective Coating: 
  Change Environment (-2 to Sight PER Rolls 
  to see wearer), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); OIF (-½), No Range (-½), Only Works 
  In Outer Space (-1)
  18 
  Armored Space Suit Impeller: Flight 30m, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), 
  Only Works In Outer Space (-1)
  +0 
  Armored Spacesuit Helmet: Increase to HRRP
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 83
  3
  
  68 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  D-WALKErS
  When even a D-Navigator (see above) isn’t 
  quite enough, the Legions can send the Dimension 
  Walkers (D-Walkers) to complete a mission. The 
  Empress herself pays close attention to this unit and 
  makes sure that only the most loyal D-Soldiers get 
  chosen for it — she’s very cautious about whom she 
  allows to have dimensional travel technology that 
  approaches being as useful as her own powers.
  The accompanying Template is in addition to 
  the Red Lions Template.
  D-WALKEr TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +8 
  Increase Navigation (Dimensional)  
  to INT Roll +3
  3 
  KS: Dimensions Of The Multiver (INT Roll)
  +2 
  Survival (add one environment)
  3 
  Systems Operation (INT Roll)
  Cost Equipment
  +18 D-Walker Dimensional Shift Harness: 
  Change Harness to the following:
  28 
  D-Walker Dimensional Shift Harness: Multip-
  ower, 42-point reserve; all OIF (-½)
  1f 
  1) Personal Shift: Teleportation 10m, MegaS-
  cale (1m = 1 km; +1); OIF (-½)
  2f 
  2) Dimensional Flanking: Extradimensional 
  Movement (physical location in any dimen-
  sion corresponding to D-Walker’s position in 
  the dimension he’s leaving); OIF (-½)
  13 
  Dimensional Communications System: HRRP 
  (Radio Group), Dimensional (any dimension); 
  OIF (-½), Affected As Sight And Hearing 
  Group As Well As Radio Group (-½)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 34
  HELLIONS
  The HELlions — short for the Hostile Environ-
  ment Legion — are elite soldiers trained to function 
  in even the most inhospitable environments. Red 
  Lions who show an aptitude for outdoor survival 
  and maneuvering are often re-assigned to the 
  HELlions, where they receive advanced survivalism 
  training and special equipment.
  To create a HELlion, use the Red Lion Template, 
  but increase the Survival to any four environ-
  ments with +2 to the roll (costs 12 points total). 
  The environments chosen are typically Temperate/
  Subtropical, Tropical, Desert, and either Mountains 
  or Arctic, but it all depends on which “branch” 
  of the force a D-Soldier’s assigned to. The Impe-
  rial Legions have to fight in every environment in 
  the known Multiverse, and that sometimes means 
  mounting a military operation in “terrain” unlike 
  anything ever seen on terrestrial planets. If neces-
  sary troops from the Infinite Star (see below) may 
  be assigned to work with HELlion units to deal 
  with any magical problems that arise.
  THE OrDEr OF THE INFINITE STAr
  Much of the structure of the Multiverse depends 
  on magic, and in fact “higher” dimensions are often 
  entirely mystical in nature. Even in Assiah, where 
  most of Istvatha V’han’s activity occurs, dimensions 
  exist which “feature” much more magic than planes 
  such as Earth’s and V’ha’s. Conducting military 
  operations in magic-heavy realms is often difficult 
  for ordinary troops. When troubles arise, the Impe-
  rial Legions calls on the Order of the Infinite Star 
  — its elite force of soldier-sorcerers.
  The Infinite Star is one of the smallest of the 
  Empress’s elite units. To qualify for membership, a 
  D-Soldier first has to complete Red Lion training 
  successfully. Then he has to show an aptitude for 
  magic, either because he’s already capable of casting 
  spells or because he has the ability to learn to do 
  so. If he’s not already a spellcaster, he has to spend 
  two years in a crash course on matters mystic. If 
  he emerges with passing marks and sanity intact, 
  he has to pass several field test; upon successful 
  completion of those, he joins the Infinite Star.
  The Infinite Star Template is in addition to the 
  Red Lion Template.
  OrDEr OF THE INFINITE STAr TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +5 
  Increase INT to 18
  +5 
  Increase EGO to 18
  +9 
  Increase OMCV to 6
  +9 
  Increase DMCV to 6
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore (INT Roll)
  10 
  Other KSs and Languages pertaining to the 
  practice of magic
  13 
  Power: Magic 18-
  40 
  40 points’ worth of spells and other mystic 
  abilities
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 94
  Cost Option
  +11 Powerful Mystic: Change the basic 40 
  points’ worth of spells to: Variable Power 
  Pool (Magic Pool), 40 Pool + 40 Control 
  Cost; Magic Only (-¼), Can Only Change 
  Spells With Access To Spellbook (-½)
  +16 Really Powerful Mystic: As Powerful Mystic, 
  but remove Can Only Change Spells With 
  Access To Spellbook (-½)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  69
  rAPID rECON ASSAuLT FOrCE
  D-Soldiers can move fast thanks to their Dimen-
  sional Shift Harnesses, but sometimes the Legions 
  can obtain a tactical advantage with troops who 
  move really fast. The Rapid Recon Assault Force 
  (RRAF) is equipped with high-speed, one-man 
  hovercraft and has gone through pilot training. 
  Mounted on their “hoverbikes,” RRAF soldiers can 
  swiftly penetrate enemy lines to flank an opposing 
  force, carry messages, or conduct sabotage opera-
  tions. If necessary, a RRAF soldier can a special 
  “kamikaze” tactic he trains in: flying his hoverbike 
  directly into a target, but using his Dimensional 
  Shift Harness to teleport safely away right before 
  impact.
  rAPID rECON ASSAuLT FOrCE TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +4 
  Increase DEX to 18
  +5 
  Increase to DCV 6
  3 
  Combat Piloting
  3 
  Teamwork
  1 
  TF: RRAF Hoverbike
  1 
  WF: RRAF Hoverbike Weapons
  Cost Equipment
  +7 
  RRAF Dimensional Shift Harness: Add No 
  Relative Velocity
  +0 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Increase to HRRP
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 24
  -
  ZOrON AZKArI
  D-Soldiers are well-trained and well-armed... 
  but that’s not always enough. Sometimes troops 
  need to be stronger, tougher, and faster than 
  normal to get the job done. When the Empress 
  needs her best soldiers for a mission, and even one 
  of her elite forces isn’t up to the task, she calls on 
  the Zoron Azkari. Created through genetic tech-
  nology and raised to be nothing but warriors, the 
  Zoron Azkari are bred to be utterly loyal to Istvatha 
  V’han and to do anything she asks — if she told one 
  to commit suicide, he’d kill himself right then and 
  there. They’ll do whatever’s required to fulfill her 
  commands.
  The Zoron Azkari have the same basic training 
  as D-Soldiers, but they’re better at what they do 
  because they’re bred to be incredibly strong, smart, 
  and durable (i.e., they have higher Skill rolls). They 
  also carry better weapons and equipment.
  ZOrON AZKArI TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  +7 
  Increase STR to 20
  +8 
  Increase DEX to 20
  +5 
  Increase CON to 20
  +10 Increase INT to 20
  +8 
  Increase EGO to 18
  +8 
  Increase PRE to 20
  +10 Increase OCV to 7
  +10 Increase DCV to 7
  +9 
  Increase DMCV to 6
  +10 Increase SPD to 4
  +5 
  Increase PD to 10
  +5 
  Increase ED to 10
  +4 
  Increase REC to 10
  +4 
  Increase END to 50
  +8 
  Increase BODY to 20
  +7 
  Increase STUN to 50
  +3 
  Increase CSLs with Energy Rifle to +4
  6 
  Running +6m
  2 
  Swimming +4m
  +2 
  Make Infrared Perception a natural ability
  2 
  Language: Zoron Azkari Battle-Code (fluent 
  conversation)
  16 
  Martial Arts (Commando Training)
  2 
  Navigation (Land) (INT Roll)
  +2 
  Add +1 to Stealth
  4 
  Survival (choose two environments) (INT Roll)
  3 
  Teamwork
  +5 
  Additional WFs of soldier’s choice
  Cost Equipment
  +8 
  V’hanian Energy Rifle-ZA: Increase reserve 
  to 60 points, Slot 1 to Blast 12d6, and Slot 
  2 to Blast 8d6
  +3 
  Body Armor: Increase to Resistant Protection 
  (10 PD/10 ED)
  +0 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Increase to HRRP
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 
  176
  Value Complications
  +10 Increase Psychological Complication to Very 
  Common, Total
  Total Value Of Template Complications: +10
  3
  
  70 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE IMPErIAL 
  THE IMPErIAL 
  SCOuT SErVICE
  SCOuT SErVICE
  Most “branches” of the Imperial Legions are 
  purely military. But there are some “departments” 
  of the Legions that serve other functions as well yet 
  are grouped under the Legions’s umbrella because 
  of their importance to Istvatha V’han’s campaigns 
  of conquest. The best-known of these is the Impe-
  rial Scout Service, the Empress’s corps of explorers.
  As a division of the Legions, the ISS is first 
  and foremost responsible for military scouting 
  and reconnaissance. In their maneuverable star-
  ships (see page 90), scouts spread out in the space 
  around a V’hanian fleet to look for astronomical 
  phenomena that might cause problems (or present 
  tactical opportunities to take advantage of), try to 
  locate the enemy and determine how he’s arranged 
  his forces, locate possible points of ambush, deter-
  mine optimum arrival points for fleet teleportation 
  maneuvers, and so forth. It’s often a risky job, but 
  subjects who join the ISS are rarely the type of 
  people who prefer the comfort and quiet of staying 
  at home.
  The other major aspect of the ISS’s work, the one 
  it’s best known for in the public mind, is exploring 
  Istvatha V’han’s vast domain and the Multiverse 
  beyond. The Empress controls so much space that 
  even with Dimensional Scanners she can’t know 
  everything about every part of her realm (much 
  less planes she doesn’t control yet). Scouts travel 
  through the less well-known parts of her territory 
  in search of usable planets, exploitable resources, 
  sentient species that haven’t yet made contact with 
  (inter)galactic society in their native dimensions, 
  scientific phenomena meriting study (and/or 
  warning beacons!), and the like. The Empress has 
  been known to reward scouts who make particu-
  larly important finds with wealth and power; more 
  than one person has joined the ISS hoping to “strike 
  it rich” this way.
  Similarly, scouts often venture into dimensions 
  Istvatha V’han doesn’t control yet. In this case 
  they’re assessing what sort of target for conquest the 
  dimension is: its size; how many sentient species it 
  has; how powerful those species are; and so forth. 
  Once the decision’s been made to conquer a dimen-
  sion, though, the responsibility for further scouting 
  falls on the Dimensional Surveillers of the Imperial 
  Intelligence Command (see below).
  Generally speaking, imperial scouts try to main-
  tain a low profile when exploring (particularly in 
  dimensions not under imperial control). They don’t 
  want to alert existing or potential enemies to their 
  activities, scare species that might not yet be aware 
  of galactic or dimensional civilization, or attract 
  other forms of unwanted attention. The hulls of 
  their ships are designed to make them hard to sense 
  or see, and in some rare cases they’re even equipped 
  with full-blown cloaking fields.
  The ISS as a whole functions pretty efficiently 
  for an organization containing so many intensely 
  individualistic people, but a certain amount of 
  internal tension exists because of the dual nature 
  of the Service’s mission. Most of the Scouts prefer 
  to focus on exploration and discovery... but they’re 
  constantly finding themselves re-assigned to mili-
  tary scouting duties. Some of them chafe so much 
  at this that they eventually quit the Service — or in 
  rare cases go rogue, stealing their ship and striking 
  out into the Multiverse on their own. (If captured, a 
  “rogue Scout” faces the death penalty.)
  The accompanying Template describes a typical 
  ISS Scout. As you can see, Scouts have to be well-
  rounded individuals; they’re skilled pilots with 
  both military and scientific training. Since they 
  often spend weeks, months, even years at a time by 
  themselves, they also tend to be self-reliant loners 
  — renegade types who don’t really fit well into any 
  other segment of imperial society but are perfectly 
  suited for this sort of challenging work. Many of 
  them also come from “spacer” or “belter” cultures 
  that are used to spending most or all of their time 
  in space aboard starships.
  IMPErIAL SCOuT TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  6 
  +3 DEX
  2 
  +2 CON
  3 
  +3 INT
  3 
  +3 PRE
  5 
  +1 OCV
  5 
  +1 DCV
  3 
  Combat Piloting
  1 
  Electronics 8-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Military 11-
  1 
  Mechanics 8-
  4 
  Navigation (Air, Dimensional, Space)
  3 
  Stealth
  2 
  SS: Astronomy 11-
  2 
  SS: Physics 11-
  2 
  Survival (2 points’ worth)
  3 
  Systems Operation
  3 
  Tactics
  2 
  TF: V’hanian Military Starships
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 54
  Value Complications
  5 
  Distinctive Features: ISS uniform (Easily 
  Concealed; Noticed And Recognizable)
  10 
  Hunted: V’hanian Imperial Military Police  
  (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Loyal To Istvatha 
  V’han (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders  
  (Very Frequently, Major)
  Total Value Of Template Complications: 50
  Cost Option
  var 
  Experienced Scout: add 5 or more points’ 
  worth of AKs, representing galaxies, dimen-
  sions, and the like that the Scout’s explored
  (-15) Renegade: Remove Psychological Complication
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  71
  THE IMPErIAL 
  THE IMPErIAL 
  INTELLIGENCE COMMAND
  INTELLIGENCE COMMAND
  Another major “department” of the military, one 
  that’s not quite so well-known or well-regarded as 
  the ISS, is the Imperial Intelligence Command — 
  Istvatha V’han’s espionage agency.
  Headquartered primarily on the giant terrestrial 
  planet Ugarti III in the Sarennix system (a mere 
  three light-years from V’ha itself), the IIC is a vast, 
  powerful agency with many crucial responsibilities. 
  These include:
  
  n gathering and analyzing general intelligence 
  about the Empire’s rivals, competitors, and 
  enemies — everything from their demographic 
  patterns, to their economic and technological 
  data, to the skeletons their major figures have in 
  their respective closets... and much, much more.
  
  n gathering and analyzing military intelligence. 
  The Empress wants to know everything there 
  is to know about her enemies’ (and potential 
  enemies’) military capabilities, and the IIC 
  supplies that information to the best of its 
  ability. This is why the IIC falls under the “juris-
  diction” of the Imperial Legions rather than 
  being a distinct branch of government.
  
  n study and analysis of potential targets for 
  conquest (which could technically be considered 
  an aspect of military intelligence). Before the 
  Empress approves the conquest of a dimen-
  sion, she receives a detailed report on it, the 
  potential problems a campaign might encounter 
  (and solutions for them), and how the dimen-
  sion might best fit into the Empire after being 
  defeated.
  
  n counterintelligence. The Empress’s enemies want 
  to spy on her as much as she does on them, and 
  the IIC is responsible for stopping enemy spies... 
  or better yet, tricking them.
  
  n certain aspects of internal security. The Impe-
  rial Security Force (page 165) is the Empire’s 
  police agency, but the IIC is its “secret police.” 
  Among other things, the IIC holds primary 
  responsibility for infiltrating and stopping some 
  types of rebellions and seditious movements. All 
  this leads to some rivalry and friction with the 
  ISF, but for the most part the two agencies work 
  together pretty well.
  IIC Agent Templates
  IIC Agent Templates
  Here are some Templates for typical IIC agents 
  that Human superheroes might encounter. (All the 
  “specialized” ones are in addition to the basic IIC 
  Field Agent Template.) You can use the Random 
  D-Soldier Generator Table (page 63) to determine 
  the sort of species an agent comes from, if desired.
  IIC FIELD AGENT
  This Template represents the typical agent 
  the IIC sends into the field to gather intelligence, 
  “eliminate” troublesome enemies, and perform 
  other dangerous missions.
  IIC FIELD AGENT TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  6 
  +3 DEX
  3 
  +3 CON
  5 
  +5 INT
  3 
  +3 EGO
  5 
  +5 PRE
  5 
  +1 OCV
  5 
  +1 DCV
  3 
  +1 DMCV
  10 
  +1 SPD
  3 
  KS: The Espionage World (INT Roll)
  2 
  KS: The Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World 11-
  3 
  PS: Tradecraft (INT Roll)
  1 
  SS: Astronomy 8-
  1 
  SS: Physics 8-
  3 
  Stealth
  2 
  TF: V’hanian Military Starships
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  3 
  Fringe Benefit: Espionage Rank
  3 
  Fringe Benefit: Security Clearance
  18 
  18 points’ worth of Skills from the following 
  list: Acting, Bribery, Bureaucratics, Charm, 
  Climbing, Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, 
  Combat Skill Levels, Computer Program-
  ming, Concealment, Conversation, Cram-
  ming, Cryptography, Deduction, Demolitions, 
  Disguise, Forgery, Gambling, High Society, 
  Lipreading, Lockpicking, Martial Arts, 
  Mimicry, Navigation, Persuasion, Security 
  Systems, Shadowing, Skill Levels, Sleight 
  Of Hand, Streetwise, Survival, Systems 
  Operation, Tracking, Weapon Familiarity, any 
  Background Skill, Contacts, Deep Cover
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 86
  Value Complication
  20 
  Hunted: enemy espionage agency (Infrequently, 
  Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Hunted: the IIC (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Loyal To Istvatha 
  V’han (Common, Strong)
  Total Value Of Template Complications: 45
  Value Option
  10 
  Trusted Agent: Add Fringe Benefit: License To 
  Kill
  0 
  Undercover Spy: Choose as optional abili-
  ties Acting, Disguise, Deep Cover(s), and a 
  selection of appropriate Background Skills 
  for his Deep Cover(s)
  (15) 
  Psychological Complication: Womanizer; 
  Can’t Resist A Pretty Face (Common, Strong)
  (15) 
  Psychological Complication: Thrillseeker 
  (Common, Strong)
  (5) 
  Rivalry (Professional, with another IIC spy)
  INTELLIGENCE 
  ADMIrAL 
  BESHArO T’rAI
  As of the Earth year 
  2011, the commander 
  of the IIC is Besharo 
  T’rai, who holds the 
  rank of “Intelligence 
  Admiral” (equivalent 
  to a Sector Admiral). 
  He’s a V’hanian (the 
  Empress always 
  chooses a V’hanian for 
  this position, to ensure 
  maximum loyalty) and 
  has been a part of the 
  IIC for almost his entire 
  career. After a brief 
  stint as a D-Soldier he 
  transferred into the IIC 
  and slowly worked his 
  way up the ladder 
  from Field Agent 
  to adminis-
  trator. Twelve 
  years ago 
  V’han promoted 
  him to his current 
  position, and she’s 
  never regretted that 
  decision.
  Ruthless, logical, and 
  pragmatic to an extent 
  that even some of his 
  chief underlings some-
  times find disturbing, 
  I-Admiral T’rai is 
  ideally suited for his 
  job. He has a steel-
  trap mind (INT 23, 
  Deduction 15-, Eidetic 
  Memory) and seems to 
  be able to multitask as 
  well as a computer. He 
  constantly astounds 
  his personnel with 
  insights on the 
  relationship between 
  various bits of data 
  that had never 
  occurred to them. 
  On top of that he’s a 
  skilled shot with pistol 
  or rifle, goes rock-
  climbing and para-
  chuting for relaxation, 
  and enjoys reading 
  classic V’hanian litera-
  ture. Even the Empress 
  sometimes wonders 
  if there’s any subject 
  he’s not in some way 
  interested in.
  3
  
  72 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  CIVILIZATION ANALYST
  Also known as a Species Analyst or Plan-
  etary Analyst, a Civilization Analyst is a Field 
  Agent who’s been specially trained to study and 
  evaluate entire civilizations that Istvatha V’han 
  intends to conquer or interact with in some way. 
  Their primary tool for doing this is data gathered 
  remotely by secret probes and the like, but if neces-
  sary they have the skills to mingle with the popula-
  tion unnoticed. (Naturally, in choosing which 
  Analyst to assign to a civilization, the IIC chooses 
  agents from species that have similar body struc-
  ture, so that a humanoid agent doesn’t have to try to 
  disguise himself as a seven-limbed crustaceoid.)
  CIVILIZATION ANALYST TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  3 
  Acting
  3 
  Analyze Civilization/Species
  10 
  Cramming x2
  3 
  Disguise
  3 
  Mimicry
  3 
  Persuasion
  3 
  SS: Anthropology/Xenology (INT Roll)
  3 
  SS: Sociology/Xenosociology (INT Roll)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 31
  D-ASSASSIN
  Sometimes the best solution to a problem is to 
  eliminate the person causing it... personally. When 
  that’s the case, the Empress sends in one of her 
  feared D-Assassins, who combine combat skills 
  with dimensional shift technology into one lethal 
  package.
  D-SurVEILLEr
  A Dimensional Surveiller, or D-Surveiller, 
  is a scout-spy who specializes in studying and 
  observing dimensions that are targeted for 
  conquest. Once the decision is made to conquer a 
  dimension, the ISS’s responsibility for studying it 
  ends and the IIC’s responsibility begins. Compared 
  to a Scout, a D-Surveiller has more training in 
  evaluating military capabilities and threats, and in 
  discerning weaknesses the Imperial Legions can 
  exploit.
  To create a D-Surveiller, take both the IIC Field 
  Agent and Imperial Scout Templates (eliminate the 
  lower of any duplicated Skills or abilities), and add 
  Analyze Military Science/Capabilities (+3 Char-
  acter Points).
  INTErNAL SECurITY SPECIALIST
  The Empire calls them “Internal Security 
  Specialists.” Most imperial subjects refer to them 
  in private as “secret policemen.” Basically they’re 
  spies who spy on the Empress’s subjects rather than 
  her enemies. However, their authority to conduct 
  undercover operations is limited; in most situations 
  they have to turn such matters over to a Rebellion 
  Infiltrator (see below).
  INTErNAL SECurITY SPECIALIST TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  3 
  Bribery
  3 
  Bugging
  3 
  Concealment
  3 
  Interrogation
  3 
  KS: Current Events (INT Roll)
  5 
  Shadowing (INT Roll +1)
  5 
  Streetwise (PRE Roll +1)
  5 
  Forceful Intimidation: +10 PRE; Only To 
  Make Fear-/Intimidation-Based Presence 
  Attacks (-1)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 30
  D-ASSASSIN TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  5 
  +5 STR
  10 
  +5 DEX
  3 
  +3 INT
  5 
  +5 PRE
  10 
  +2 OCV
  5 
  +1 DCV
  10 
  +1 SPD
  10 
  +1 with All Combat
  3 
  Demolitions
  10 
  Martial Arts (10 points’ worth)
  3 
  SS: Pharmacology/Toxicology (INT Roll)
  3 
  Streetwise
  3 
  WF: three more points’ worth of WFs
  3 
  Fringe Benefit: Espionage Rank
  3 
  Fringe Benefit: Security Clearance
  6 
  +6 points’ worth of Skills from the IIC Field Agent list
  Cost Equipment
  33 
  Enhanced Dimensional Shift Harness: Multipower, 50-point 
  reserve; all OIF (-½)
  1f 
  1) Personal Shift: Teleportation 10m, MegaScale (1m = 1 km; 
  +1); OIF (-½)
  3f 
  2) Dimensional Flanking: Extradimensional Movement (phys-
  ical location in any dimension corresponding to D-Naviga-
  tor’s position in the dimension he’s leaving); OIF (-½), Has 
  To Be “Programmed” For No More Than 10 Dimensions (-0)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 129
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  73
  rEBELLION INFILTrATOr
  Revolts against Istvatha V’han’s rule aren’t 
  unknown (see page 187). While most of them are 
  quickly crushed by the Imperial Legions and/or 
  the Imperial Security Force, some develop enough 
  momentum to last for months or years. In that case 
  the IIC may be called upon to send in a Rebellion 
  Infiltrator to spy on the rebellion from within, and 
  hopefully corrupt it or otherwise bring it down.
  rEBELLION INFILTrATOr TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  3 
  Acting
  5 
  Cramming
  3 
  Disguise
  3 
  Mimicry
  3 
  Persuasion
  3 
  Streetwise
  6 
  +6 points’ worth of Skills from the IIC Field 
  Agent list
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities: 26
  SuPErPOWErED SPIES
  Some Imperial Battalioneers are assigned to 
  espionage duties. Some superpowers are ideally 
  suited for espionage activities, and subjects who 
  possess those powers are often assigned directly 
  to the IIC instead of the Battalion. Some typical 
  examples of this include:
  mystIc spIes
  Spellcasters and other mystics whose powers 
  focus on divination, scrying, and similar areas often 
  find themselves working for the IIC. Being able 
  to mystically ascertain the location of an enemy 
  fleet, or an opposing general’s battle plan, is a huge 
  advantage for the Imperial Legions. Such magics 
  have also doomed many a rebel movement.
  psIonIc spIes
  Mental powers often focus on gathering infor-
  mation or controlling the minds of others — both 
  abilities that the IIC can put to good use! The 
  Command is particularly interested in psionics 
  whose Telepathy and other powers can be used on 
  a target without the target being aware of it. Such 
  mentalists are often trained as Internal Security 
  Specialists or Rebellion Infiltrators. A few D-Assas-
  sins are telekinetics who use their powers, not 
  weapons, to kill their targets.
  shApechAngIng spIes
  The ability to change shape, particularly into 
  other sentients’ forms, is of obvious value to an 
  intelligence agency. Superhuman subjects with 
  those abilities are sometimes trained as Civiliza-
  tion Analysts, but are even better at being Internal 
  Security Specialists or Rebellion Infiltrators.
  creAtIng A sUperpowered spy
  There’s no Template per se for superpowered 
  spies, since their abilities can vary tremendously. 
  The easiest way to create one is to give 30-50 points’ 
  worth of appropriate superhuman abilities (possibly 
  more) to a character. Superpowered spies may or 
  may not receive Field Agent training based on the 
  nature of the missions they’re likely to perform.
  3
  
  74 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  V’HANIAN MILITArY 
  V’HANIAN MILITArY 
  TECHNOLOGY
  TECHNOLOGY
  T
  his section provides a brief overview of the 
  technology used by Istvatha V’han’s mili-
  tary (and some related devices that are also 
  used by civilians, depending on the circum-
  stances). It concentrates on devices D-Soldiers 
  frequently carry (and thus would use against PC 
  superheroes), or which are particularly impor-
  tant to V’han and her methods of dimensional 
  conquest. Naturally, given the size and scope of the 
  Empress’s resources, what’s described here barely 
  begins to scratch the surface of the technology 
  available to her and her military. If necessary, you 
  can easily supply her minions with more gadgetry 
  from The HERO System Equipment Guide.
  PErSONAL EQuIPMENT
  PErSONAL EQuIPMENT
  Here are some examples of equipment carried 
  by the D-Soldiers of the Empire.
  Weapons
  Weapons
   
  HDIMENSIONAL 
  BYPASS SYSTEM
  Effect: 
  Transdimensional (all 
  nearby dimensions) for a 
  V’hanian weapon built on 
  up to 120 Active Points
  Target: 
  One character
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  No Range
  Charges: 
  10 Charges
  Breakability: 
  18 PD/18 ED
  Description: This expensive, sophisticated device 
  is rarely issued to D-Soldiers... but when it is, it 
  can vastly increase their combat effectiveness. It 
  allows them to fire “through” dimensional barriers 
  at targets in nearby dimensions. A squad that’s 
  accompanied by a D-Navigator and can thus easily 
  shift into another dimension can make deadly use 
  of this device. However, the shooter needs some 
  way to “see” into the other dimension so he can aim 
  properly (such as Dimensional Viewer [see below]).
  Game Information: Transdimensional (all nearby 
  dimensions; +¾) for any V’hanian weapon built on 
  up to 120 Active Points (90 Activew Points); OAF 
  (-1), Extra Time (makes the weapon take a Full 
  Phase to use, or an Extra Segment if it already takes 
  a Full Phase or longer; -½), 10 Charges (-¼). Total 
  cost: 33 points.
   
  HV’HANIAN  
  ANTI-MATErIEL rIFLE
  Effect: 
  RKA 5d6, Extra Time (Full Phase)
  Target/Area Affected: One character
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  750m
  Charges: 
  15 Charges
  Breakability: 
  15 PD/15 ED
  Description: This large rifle is intended primarily 
  for use against buildings and vehicles... though 
  there’s no reason D-Soldiers couldn’t use it against, 
  say, superhumanly tough Human heroes. It’s slow to 
  fire, though, which limits its use in active combat.
  Game Information: RKA 5d6 (75 Active Points); 
  OAF (-1), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Two-
  Handed (-½), 15 Charges (-0). Total cost: 25 points.
  Options:
  1) Cross-D Anti-Materiel Rifle: For a true 
  surprise, attack, this form of the Anti-Materiel 
  Rifle can be used across dimensional barriers! The 
  shooter needs some way to “see” into the other 
  dimension so he can aim properly (such as Dimen-
  sional Viewer [see below]). Add Transdimensional 
  (any dimension; +1). 150 Active Points; total cost 
  50 points.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  75
   
  HV’HANIAN AuTOrIFLE
  Effect: 
  Blast 12d6, Autofire
  Target/Area Affected: One character
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  600m
  Charges: 
  60 Charges
  Breakability: 
  24 PD/24 ED
  Description: This is the heavy weapon most 
  commonly issued to squads of D-Soldiers. It packs 
  a powerful punch but is lightweight enough for a 
  single soldier to carry and use. It has folding bipod 
  legs so the firer can steady it when shooting from 
  the ground or a platform.
  Game Information: Blast 12d6, Autofire (5 shots; 
  +½), 60 Charges (+½) (120 Active Points); OAF 
  (-1), Two-Handed (-½). Total cost: 48 points.
   
  HV’HANIAN PArALYSIS rIFLE
  Effect: 
  Drain SPD 10d6
  Target: 
  One character
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  300m
  Charges: 
  10 Charges
  Breakability: 
  20 PD/20 ED
  Description: This weapon fires a beam of energy 
  that interferes with the nervous systems of most 
  living organisms. Once hit, they begin to move and 
  function more slowly. A strong hit, or repeated hits, 
  may live the victim virtually paralyzed.
  Game Information: Drain SPD 10d6 (100 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (300m; -¼), 
  Two-Handed (-½), 10 Charges (-¼). Total cost: 33 
  points.
   
  HV’HANIAN ENErGY rIFLE
  Effect: 
  Blast 10d6; Blast 6d6, Autofire
  Target: 
  One character
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  500m/450m
  Charges: 
  32 Charges
  Breakability: 
  10 PD/10 ED
  Description: This is the standard energy rifle issued 
  to D-Soldiers. It can fire a powerful single blast, or 
  the user can switch to automatic fire for a burst of 
  weaker bolts.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  31 
  V’hanian Energy Rifle: Multipower, 50-point 
  reserve, 32 Charges for entire reserve (+¼); all 
  OAF (-1)
  2f 
  1) Basic Setting: Blast 10d6; OAF (-1)
  2f 
  2) Autofire Setting: Blast 6d6; Autofire (5 shots; 
  +½); OAF (-1)
  4 
  Gun-butt Club: HA +2d6; OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-¼)
  Total cost: 39 points.
  Options:
  1) ZA Rifle: This is the version of the rifle carried 
  by the Zoron Azkari. Increase reserve to 60 points, 
  Slot 1 to Blast 12d6, and Slot 2 to Blast 8d6. Total 
  cost: 51 points.
  3
  
  76 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Defensive Equipment
  Defensive Equipment
   
  HD-SOLDIEr BODY ArMOr
  Effect: 
  Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 
  ED), Activation Roll 14-
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Persistent
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  0
  Breakability: 
  8 PD/8 ED
  Description: This is the standard protective wear 
  issued to D-Soldiers. It’s primarily made of super-
  tech fabrics and plastics, but the shoulder pieces 
  are a light, super-tech metal. The Imperial Legions 
  Helmet (see below) is a part of this suit as well.
  Game Information: Resistant Protection (8 PD/ 
  8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-½), Activation 
  Roll 14- (-¼). Total cost: 14 points.
  Options:
  1) Heavy Body Armor: The Zoron Azkari and 
  some other troops wear heavier body armor. 
  Increase to Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED). 30 
  Active Points; total cost 17 points.
  2) Light Powered Armor: One step up from 
  Heavy Body Armor are suits of light powered 
  armor. These often incorporate a Dimensional Shift 
  Harness, jump-jets, a jetpack, strength augmen-
  tors, sensory systems, and other devices as well (see 
  HSEG 247-67 for plenty of possibilities). Increase 
  to Resistant Protection (15 PD/15 ED). 45 Active 
  Points; total cost 26 points.
   
  HFOrCE-FIELD HArNESS
  Effect: 
  Resistant Protec-
  tion (18 PD/18 ED)
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  Self
  Charges: 
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  lasting 1 Hour
  Breakability: 
  18 PD/18 ED
  Description: This device, typically in the form of a 
  harness that also incorporates Dimensional Shift 
  technology (see below), generates a protective field 
  of force. The Imperial Legions generally prefers for 
  D-Soldiers to rely on body armor rather than force-
  fields (which run out of power, can suffer from 
  interference, and the like). But in some situations a 
  force-field is a better option, or provides some extra 
  protection to troops that really need it.
  Game Information: Resistant Protection (18 PD/18 
  ED) (54 Active Points); OIF (-½), 1 Continuing 
  Fuel Charge lasting 1 Hour (Easy to recharge; -0). 
  Total cost: 36 points.
  Options:
  1) Strong Field: Increase to Resistant Protec-
  tion (21 PD/21 ED). 63 Active Points; total cost 42 
  points.
  2) Weak Field: Decrease to Resistant Protec-
  tion (15 PD/15 ED). 45 Active Points; total cost 30 
  points.
  3) Broad-Spectrum Force-Field: This device 
  generates an enhanced force-field that protects 
  against more types of attacks. Change to Resistant 
  Protection (12 PD/12 ED/8 Sight Group Flash 
  Defense/8 Mental Defense/10 Power Defense) (75 
  Active Points); OIF (-½), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  lasting 1 Hour (Easy to recharge; -0). Total cost: 50 
  points.
  4) Concealed Harness: This form of the Device 
  can be woven into clothing so that onlookers don’t 
  know the character’s wearing it. This form of the 
  device is sometimes used by the Empress’s spies, or 
  other operatives who may get into trouble but can’t 
  be seen wearing body armor. Change OIF (-½) to 
  IIF (-¼). Total cost: 43 points.
  Movement Devices
  Movement Devices
   
  HDIMENSIONAL 
  SHIFT HArNESS
  Effect: 
  Teleportation 20m
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  2
  Breakability: 
  4 PD/4 ED
  Description: D-Soldiers are infamous among the 
  Empire’s enemies mainly because of their ability 
  to teleport by temporarily shifting themselves into 
  another dimension. This harness is how they do 
  it. (See the D-Navigator and D-Walker, above, for 
  advanced, specialized versions of this device.)
  Game Information: Teleportation 20m (20 Active 
  Points); OIF (-½). Total cost: 13 points.
  Options:
  1) Type II Harness: Some squads of D-Soldiers 
  have upgraded Harnesses. (Similarly, sometimes the 
  officer leading a unit has a Type II Harness, while 
  the rest of the troops have standard issue.) Increase 
  to Teleportation 40m. 40 Active Points; total cost 27 
  points.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  77
   
  HD-SHIFT ENHANCEr
  Effect: 
  MegaScale (1m = 50m) for 
  Dimensional Shift Harness
  Target: 
  Up to 8 D-Soldiers at once
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  No Range
  Charges: 
  1 Charge which Never Recovers
  Breakability: 
  8 PD/8 ED
  Description: This one-use device, which is about 
  the size of a modern Earth toaster, enhances the 
  power of a squad’s Dimensional Shift Harnesses 
  — when it’s in use a D-Soldier can Teleport up 
  to 1 kilometer instead of just 20m. Up to eight 
  D-Soldiers can take advantage of it at once. To use 
  it, they stand around it. One of them activates it, 
  then each of them has 3 seconds to use his Dimen-
  sional Shift Harness (typically they all Teleport to a 
  pre-arranged target location).
  Game Information: MegaScale (1m = 50m; +1) for 
  Dimensional Shift Harness, Usable Simultaneously 
  (up to 8 D-Soldiers at once; +1) (40 Active Points); 
  OAF (-1), 1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4). 
  Total cost: 7 points.
   
  HV’HANIAN JETPACK
  Effect: 
  Flight 20m
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  Self
  Charges: 
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  lasting 2 Hours
  Breakability: 
  4 PD/4 ED
  Description: The Imperial Legions rarely issues 
  jetpacks to its soldiers; it believes that the Dimen-
  sional Shift Harness provides each D-Soldier with 
  plenty of enhanced movement capability. However, 
  there are some tactical situations where being able 
  to fly is particularly advantageous; in those cases 
  D-Soldiers are equipped to take to the skies!
  Game Information: Flight 20m (20 Active Points); 
  OIF (-½), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 2 
  Hours (requires specially-refined fuel, Difficult to 
  obtain; -0). Total cost: 13 points.
  Communications And 
  Communications And 
  Sensory Gear
  Sensory Gear
   
  HDIMENSIONAL VIEWEr
  Effect: 
  Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group), Dimensional, 
  Mobile Perception Point
  Target: 
  One character
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  14,400m
  Charges: 
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge 
  lasting 1 Hour
  Breakability: 
  14 PD/14 ED
  Description: A squad-portable version of the 
  Dimensional Scanner (see page 78), this computer 
  monitor-sized device allows a squad to view 
  nearby dimensions. Typically it’s used to make sure 
  that the dimension “next door” is safe to travel 
  in before a D-Navigator takes a squad through 
  so they can flank an enemy by moving through 
  the other dimension then returning to the plane 
  they’re fighting in in a better position to attack. It 
  can view the other dimension for a range of over 
  14 kilometers (almost nine miles) from the point 
  corresponding to the viewer’s physical location in 
  his current dimension.
  Game Information: Clairsentience (Sight Group), 
  Dimensional (only dimensions “near” the dimen-
  sion the viewer currently occupies), Mobile Percep-
  tion Point (48m per Phase movement), 32x Range 
  (14,400m) (70 Active Points); OAF (-1), Concentra-
  tion (½ DCV throughout use; -½), Dimensional 
  Viewing Only (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), 
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 1 Hour (Easy to 
  recharge; -0). Total cost: 20 points.
   
  HIMPErIAL LEGIONS HELMET
  Effect: 
  Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group); Radio Perception/
  Transmission (Radio Group)
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Persistent
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  0
  Breakability: 
  2 PD/2 ED
  Description: The regulation helmet issued to 
  D-Soldiers not only protects the head (it’s part of 
  the overall Body Armor), it allows him to see heat 
  signatures and communicate with his comrades 
  using dransanian-wave technology.
  Game Information:
  Cost Power
  3 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Infrared Perception 
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½)
  6 
  Imperial Legions Helmet: Radio Perception/
  Transmission (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected 
  As Hearing Group As Well As Radio Group (-¼)
  Options:
  1) Improved Communi-
  cations Helmet: Some 
  versions of the Helmet 
  also can receive and 
  transmit video and on 
  other frequencies. Change 
  to HRRP (Radio Group) 
  and Affected As Sight And 
  Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½). Total 
  cost: 6 points.
  3
  
  78 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   
  HuNIVErSAL TrANSLATOr 
  DEVICE
  Effect: 
  Universal Translator (INT Roll)
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Persistent
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  0
  Breakability: 
  4 PD/4 ED
  Description: Many of Istvatha V’han’s minions, 
  from D-Soldiers on down to bureaucrats and 
  ordinary subjects of the Empire, use imperial 
  translation technology to communicate with beings 
  from other planets and dimensions. Typically 
  these devices are inobtrusively built into a soldier’s 
  helmet or a person’s clothing or jewelry.
  Game Information: Universal Translator (INT Roll) 
  (20 Active Points); IIF (-¼). Total cost: 16 points.
  Options:
  1) Cheap Translator: Imperial subjects who can’t 
  afford the better sorts of translators have to settle 
  for cheaper ones worn around the neck or head; 
  others can easily see them. Change IIF (-¼) to OIF 
  (-½). Total cost: 13 points.
  2) Cerebellic Translator: The wealthy and impor-
  tant often have their translators implanted, just 
  like the Empress. Remove IIF (-¼). Total cost: 20 
  points.
  OTHEr EQuIPMENT
  OTHEr EQuIPMENT
  The devices described above are ones a 
  D-Soldier could carry into the field if necessary. 
  Here are some others of importance to the Empire 
  that are stationary or can only be carried by 
  vehicles.
   
  HDIMENSIONAL SCANNEr
  Effect: 
  Clairsentience (Sight Group) to 
  scan/view entire dimensions
  Target: 
  Area
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  Throughout a dimen-
  sion (see text)
  END Cost: 
  224
  Breakability: 
  448 PD/448 ED
  Description: This device, which requires an entire 
  dedicated facility and staff of thousands of techni-
  cians and operators for maximum effectiveness, is a 
  sensor system that can scan an entire dimension at 
  once from any point in the Multiverse. The Empress 
  has several such facilities; they’re used primarily 
  by her Legions (to plan invasions and wars), the 
  Imperial Scout Service, and various ministries 
  such as Interdimensional Relations and Trade and 
  Economics. Since her minions can’t travel chrono-
  logically the way she does, booking time on a 
  Dimensional Scanner is often difficult and involves 
  a lot of bureaucratic wrangling.
  Game Information: Clairsentience (Sight Group), 
  Dimensional (any dimension), Multiple Perception 
  Points (16,000), Mobile Perception Point (1,536m 
  per Phase movement), MegaRange (1m = one-tenth 
  the size of Earth’s dimension, see page 97 regarding 
  dimensional sizes; +10), MegaScale (1m of Mobile 
  Perception Point movement = 1,000 light-years; +5) 
  (2,240 Active Points); OAF Immobile (-2), Concen-
  tration (½ DCV throughout use; -½), Dimensional 
  Viewing Only (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½). 
  Total cost: 498 points.
   
  HD-POrTAL
  Effect: 
  Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment (any location in 
  any dimension), Gate
  Target: 
  500m Radius
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  126
  Breakability: 
  126 PD/126 ED
  Description: A D-Portal (short for Dimensional 
  Portal), also known as a Reality Gate, is a large 
  device that creates an opening from one dimension 
  to another, thus allowing personnel and materiel 
  to travel to another plane. The opening is 500m 
  radius wide so that large vehicles can go through 
  (provided they meet the weight restriction of 
  50 million tons, more than enough to allow the 
  passage of a large starship and all of its contents). In 
  some instances the operator of a Portal can increase 
  its size or weight allowance by pumping extra 
  power into it (though this is risky; it could cause a 
  short circuit or other malfunction).
  To Human eyes a D-Portal looks something like 
  a gigantic gyroscope with twelve gimbals rotating 
  inside one another: the six outer gimbals desig-
  nate the dimension the gate opens into by the rate, 
  vibration, and harmonics of their spin, while the 
  inner six designate the specific location of the gate 
  within that dimension. When the gimbals reach the 
  proper velocity, they fade into intangibility and the 
  gate opens.
  D-Portals are a major imperial asset and are 
  heavily guarded by both the Imperial Legions and 
  the Imperial Security Force. Most major planets 
  in the empire have at least one. When the Empress 
  orders the construction of a D-Portal on a world, 
  it’s a sign that that planet has “arrived” in imperial 
  society — that it’s loyal and active enough to merit 
  such a resource — or that it’s important, heavily 
  populated, or well-placed enough to need one 
  regardless of its loyalty.
  Game Information: Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  (any location in any dimension), x500,000 mass (50 
  million tons), Area Of Effect (500m Radius; +2), 
  Constant (+½), Usable Simultaneously (up to eight 
  vehicles at once, provided they and their contents 
  meet the weight restriction; +1) (630 Active Points); 
  OAF Immobile (-2), Extra Time (takes a minimum 
  of 1 Turn and a maximum of about 1 Hour to acti-
  vate; -¾), Gate (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 
  END; -½). Total cost: 133 points.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  79
  Options:
  1) T-Portal: Istvatha V’han has a few D-Portals 
  that also allow her to send personnel and materiel 
  through time as well as space. These are even more 
  well-protected than ordinary D-Portals. Add any 
  physical location at any moment in time. 976 Active 
  Points; total cost 205 points.
  2) Legions D-Portal: The Imperial Legions has a 
  smaller, less effective version of the D-Portal that it 
  can quickly build on worlds where it’s established 
  a beachhead and needs to bring reinforcements 
  and supplies through. Unlike a standard D-Portal, 
  which can open a portal to any dimension, a 
  Legions D-Portal can only access “nearby” dimen-
  sions that Istvatha V’han already controls — it has 
  to “home in on” “beacons” her minions construct 
  in dimensions she rules. Change to: Extra-
  Dimensional Movement (any location in “nearby” 
  dimensions controlled by the Empire), x1,000 mass 
  (100,000 kg), Area Of Effect (64m Radius; +1¼), 
  Constant (+½), Usable Simultaneously (up to four 
  vehicles at once, provided they and their contents 
  meet the weight restriction; +¾) (297 Active 
  Points); OAF Immobile (-2), Extra Time (takes a 
  minimum of 1 Turn and a maximum of about 1 
  Hour to activate; -¾), Gate (-½), Increased Endur-
  ance Cost (x2 END; -½). Total cost: 62 points.
   
  HNOVA IGNITEr
  Effect: 
  RKA 1,000d6, MegaScaled to 
  cover an entire solar system
  Target: 
  One solar system, more or less
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  15,000,000 km
  Charges: 
  1 Charge which Never Recovers
  Breakability: 
  18,000 PD/18,000 ED
  Description: The single most feared weapon in the 
  arsenal of the Imperial Legions, used only when 
  absolutely necessary, is the Nova Igniter. This bomb 
  plunges into the heart of a star where it initiates 
  a reaction that causes the star to go supernova in 
  mere minutes. (Once started the process cannot be 
  stopped.) The exploding star does enough damage 
  to destroy everything within its solar system, and 
  possibly beyond (the GM may also want to address 
  the effects of the wavefront of radiation and pres-
  sure on nearby systems and starships). Given the 
  weapon’s relatively limited range (7.5 million km), 
  it has to be launched by a robotic ship, a suicide 
  vessel, or a ship with enough FTL capacity to escape 
  from the system in time.
  Game Information: RKA 1,000d6, Area Of Effect 
  (1m Radius; +¼), MegaScale (covers an entire 
  solar system the size of Earth’s; +3½), MegaRange 
  (each 1m of range = 100 km; +1½) (93,750 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Extra Time (takes 20 Minutes 
  after weapon enters the star’s corrective zone for the 
  supernova to occur; -2½), 1 Charge which Never 
  Recovers (-4). Total cost: 11,029 points.
  3
  
  80 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   
  HPLANETBuSTEr BOMB
  Effect: 
  RKA 10d6, MegaScaled to 
  destroy an Earth-size planet
  Target: 
  MegaScaled to cover 
  an Earth-size planet
  Duration: 
  Instant
  Range: 
  750,000 km
  Charges: 
  1 Charge which Never Recovers
  Breakability: 
  150 PD/150 ED
  Description: A step down from the Nova Igniter 
  in destructive potential, the ILX-36 Planetary 
  Detonation Device, better known as the Planet-
  buster Bomb, is designed to destroy entire worlds 
  at a single blow. It’s designed primarily for planets 
  of approximately the same size and composition as 
  Earth; blowing up a gas giant would require some 
  modifications and enhancements to the weapon.
  The Planetbuster is a favorite of some segments 
  of the Imperial Legions because (as one admiral put 
  it) “a lot of planets aren’t worth the trouble it would 
  take to conquer them, and their raw materials can 
  easily be mined from the rubble.” The Empress isn’t 
  quite so sanguine; as with Nova Igniters, she must 
  personally approve all uses of this weapon.
  See SH 230 for more information on destroying 
  planets in the HERO System.
  Game Information: RKA 10d6 (standard effect: 30 
  BODY), Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼), MegaS-
  cale (affects entire Earth-sized planet; +2), Mega-
  Range (each 1m of range = 1,000 km; +1¾) (750 
  Active Points); OAF (-1), 1 Charge which Never 
  Recovers (-4). Total cost: 125 points.
   
  HTIME-SHIELDED CAPSuLE
  Effect: 
  Change Environment (preserve 
  temporal existence of 
  things/beings in capsule)
  Target: 
  2m Radius
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  No Range
  END Cost: 
  2
  Breakability: 
  5 PD/5 ED
  Description: On rare occasions Istvatha V’han 
  finds it necessary to use her time travel powers to 
  deliberately change history to remove some existing 
  or potential threat. This usually means preventing 
  some species or civilization from arising. When she 
  does this, she often likes to preserve notable relics 
  or individuals so that whatever she’s destroying 
  isn’t entirely forgotten. To make that possible she 
  and her best scientists invented the Time-Shielded 
  Capsule. The objects or persons to be preserved 
  are placed in the capsule, which is then specifically 
  programmed to “link” to specific chronal nodes and 
  other “markers.” Once the Empress makes what-
  ever changes she has to make, the contents of the 
  Capsule can be removed and will continue to exist 
  despite the fact that the civilization or species that 
  created them no longer ever existed.
  Game Information: Change Environment (preserve 
  temporal existence of things/beings in capsule), 
  Area Of Effect (2m Radius; +¼) (25 Active Points); 
  OAF Immobile (-2), No Range (-½). Total cost: 7 
  points.
   
  HTrANSDIMENSIONAL PrOBE
  Effect: 
  Detect Nature/Contents 
  Of Dimension 18-
  Target: 
  Self
  Duration: 
  Constant
  Range: 
  Self
  END Cost: 
  5
  Breakability: 
  10 PD/10 ED
  Description: One of the things that terrifies Istvatha 
  V’han is the possibility of entering a dimension 
  where her powers don’t work (whether because of 
  an extremely low level of ambient magic, natural 
  mystic phenomena that interfere with her powers, 
  or some other reason). If that happened she’d wind 
  up trapped, possibly beyond hope of rescue. To 
  prevent that, whenever possible she sends a Trans-
  dimensional Probe into another dimension before 
  entering it herself. The Probe can analyze the basic 
  nature of the dimension and let her know with 
  reasonable certainty whether it’s safe for her to go 
  there or not.
  Game Information: Detect Nature/Contents Of 
  Dimension 18- (Radio Sense Group), Discrimina-
  tory, Analyze, Dimensional (any dimension) (44 
  Active Points); OAF Immobile (probe itself, plus 
  console to read/analyze its transmissions; -2), Costs 
  Endurance (-½). Total cost: 12 points.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  81
  V’HANIAN MILITArY 
  V’HANIAN MILITArY 
  VEHICLES
  VEHICLES
  W
  hile Istvatha V’han is best known for 
  her power to travel across dimensions, 
  conquering and traveling within most 
  dimensions typically requires the use 
  of starships. The Imperial Legions has hundreds 
  of millions of starships in its overall fleet, ranging 
  from the gargantuan flagship Invictor Imperius 
  to small, one-man fighter craft. Since Human 
  superheroes are likely to find themselves fighting 
  against her ships at some point (as they have in her 
  previous invasion attempts), this section provides 
  character sheets for a few of them. You can easily 
  adapt starships from other HERO System books 
  (such as Star Hero and HERO System Vehicles), 
  since the breadth and diversity of her fleet is as 
  mind-boggling as that of all her other resource 
  bases.
  Similarly, the Imperial Legions needs a vast and 
  varied fleet of ground-based vehicles and atmo-
  spheric aircraft for many of its missions. A few 
  examples are presented below; again, you can easily 
  find more to adapt in books like HSV.
  V’hanian ships are designated “IVV,” meaning 
  Imperial V’hanian Vessel. Ground vehicles are 
  designed “IVA” for “Imperial V’hanian Army,” a 
  centuries-old, obsolete term that’s remained in 
  place due to the inertia of the military bureaucracy.
  V’HANIAN STArSHIPS
  V’HANIAN STArSHIPS
  Imperial starships are like most other species’s 
  starships in many respects; they have artificial 
  gravity, life support, tractor beams, navigation 
  systems, and so on. However, certain technologies 
  are characteristic of V’han’s ships, or are particu-
  larly important to the way they function and fight.
  POWEr
  The standard power source for V’hanian star-
  ships is an antimatter engine that generates power 
  by annihilating raw matter with antimatter and 
  channeling the energy given off by the explosive 
  reaction. However, some larger or more advanced 
  ships may instead (or in addition) use a more 
  sophisticated (and in some ways still experimental) 
  system called a transdimensional generator. V’han’s 
  scientists have discovered that in much the same 
  way that the thermoelectric effect can generate 
  electricity, some dimensional barriers can generate 
  vast amounts of energy if a relatively tiny amount 
  of electrical current is sent across them in the 
  proper way. Initially there was some concern that 
  this might weaken the dimensional barriers in 
  question or create other “environmental” problems, 
  but so far testing and field use of transdimensional 
  generators has not uncovered any serious side 
  effects. Research continues, but the Empress is 
  sufficiently satisfied with the safety and usefulness 
  of the technology to allow engineers to install it on 
  some starships.
  PrOPuLSION
  V’hanian starships’ propulsion systems involve 
  extensive use of hyperspace dimensions where 
  the laws of physics don’t function quite the same 
  as they do in most Assiatic dimensions (such as 
  Earth’s and V’ha’s). Due to the altered nature of 
  space in these planes, travel there can be accom-
  plished much more quickly than in normal 
  dimensions, thus providing the ability to travel 
  significantly faster than the speed of light. Through 
  the use of a hyperspace shunt engine, a V’hanian 
  ship can shift into hyperspace, fly to a point corre-
  sponding to where it wants to be in the dimension 
  it left, and then return to the dimension it left.
  In HERO System terms, for long journeys this 
  is built as MegaScaled Teleportation with Extra 
  Time, since during a trip a starship doesn’t exist in 
  the dimension it left and thus can’t be targeted with 
  attacks. For short journeys it’s built as Teleporta-
  tion. The latter is known as a “hyperburst,” and 
  allows a starship to flank enemy vessels by tele-
  porting in much the same way D-Soldiers use their 
  Dimensional Shift Harnesses as a tactic against 
  ground-based foes.
  Travel at high subluminal speeds is accom-
  plished through a related device called a hyperspace 
  bridge. This technology, one of the most advanced 
  and closely guarded in the Empire, allows a ship to 
  partially shift into hyperspace. While in this state, 
  a ship can use ordinary energy rockets to fly at 
  velocities approaching the speed of light. “Bridging” 
  also has defensive advantages for a ship, but reduces 
  its offensive power (see below). Smaller ships, such 
  as fighters, that need to remain in normal space 
  when flying at high speeds have powerful energy 
  engines instead.
  Some V’hanian starships also incorporate a 
  form of D-Portal technology, allowing them to 
  travel across any dimension they want to.
  3
  
  82 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  WEAPONS
  The primary weapon mounted on most 
  V’hanian starships is the ultra-laser, a high-energy 
  beam powerful enough to penetrate most defen-
  sive shields and hulls. Large ships have multiple 
  laser cannons so they can attack targets anywhere 
  around them; smaller ships may only have one or 
  two that point in specific directions.
  For longer-range attacks, some ships also 
  carry antimatter torpedoes. These missiles 
  are controlled by the firing ship and can arc 
  around a target to attack from vulnerable 
  angles.
  When using the hyperspace bridge for 
  flight and/or defense, a V’hanian ship only 
  partly exists in normal space. Therefore its 
  weapons and attacks aren’t as effective. In 
  game terms, they’re reduced in power by 
  25/50/75% depending on the amount of 
  Damage Reduction the ship has (see below).
  DEFENSES
  Most V’hanian starships feature three 
  primary defensive systems. The first is their 
  sturdy hulls, which are constructed of super-
  tech metals and plastics to be resistant to 
  most forms of attack.
  Second, they mount powerful force-field 
  generators that protect the entire ship. At 
  full effect the field is quite strong, but attacks 
  gradually wear away at it until it collapses. In 
  some cases crucial parts or subsystems of a 
  ship will have their own individual force-
  field generators to provide extra protection, 
  but this is rare.
  Third, the use of the hyperspace bridge 
  (see above) places a ship partly in hyper-
  space, where weapons fired in normal space 
  can’t affect it as easily. In HERO System 
  terms this is represented by Damage Reduc-
  tion that costs END. When a ship uses its 
  hyperspace bridge to travel, it must engage 
  this defensive feature (though in the interest 
  of “realism” the GM may ignore the Damage 
  Reduction’s END cost in this case). The 
  amount of Damage Reduction in this case 
  depends on how fast the ship’s going: if it 
  flies at up to 49% of its maximum speed 
  it gets 25% Damage Reduction; 50-74% 
  of maximum speed gives it 50% Damage 
  Reduction, and 75% or more of maximum 
  speed gives it 75% Damage Reduction.
  Alternately, a ship can turn on its hyper-
  space bridge solely for defensive purposes 
  without moving (in which case the ship must 
  pay the END cost for Damage Reduction). 
  The more the ship shifts into hyperspace, 
  the more protected it is (i.e., the greater its 
  percentage of Damage Reduction, and the 
  more END it pays). However, sauce for the 
  goose is sauce for the gander: weapons that 
  only partly exist in normal space aren’t as 
  effective against targets in normal space. In 
  game terms, apply the Damage Reduction 
  percentage (25%/50%/75%) to the damage 
  done by the ship’s weapons.
  INVICTOr IMPErIuS
  INVICTOr IMPErIuS
  Description: The Invictor Imperius is the flagship of 
  the V’hanian Empire and Istvatha V’han’s personal 
  starship for many state visits, inspection tours, and 
  military campaigns. At four kilometers long and 
  two wide it’s virtually a city in space — a city that 
  INVICTOR 
  INVICTOR 
  IMPERIUS
  IMPERIUS
  Val Char Cost Notes
  33 Size 
  165 4 km x 2 km x 2 km; mass 800 mtons;  
  -33 KB; OCV+ 22
  175 STR 
  0 Lift 800 mtons; 35d6 HTH [0]
  12 DEX 
  4
  12 OCV 
  45
  4  
  DCV 
  5
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  30 PD 
  42
  30 ED 
  42
  400 BODY 357 Total Characteristics Cost: 680
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  120m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 2,880 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:   up to 100 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  154 
  Transdimensional Generator: Endurance Reserve  
  (900 END, 300 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  44 
  Auxiliary Antimatter Power: Endurance Reserve  
  (240 END, 90 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  24 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  24
  MegaScale (1m = 288 light-years; +5); OIF Immo-
  bile (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 1 Minute per 
  light-year traveled; -1½), Costs Endurance (-½), 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  16
  MegaScale (1m = 10 million km; +2¾); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  32 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 120m, x8 Noncombat 
  13
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in 
  the rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  83
   
  Tactical Systems
  164 
  Main Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 12d6 
  45
  Increased Maximum Range (x64 range, or 115,200m; 
  +1½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees 
  forward, only on same horizontal level; -¾)
  135 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: RKA 10d6 
  34
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 48,000m; 
  +1¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees 
  starboard; -½)
  10 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: 3 more Secondary 
  cannons (port, aft, and dorsal) (total of 4) 
  27 
  400 
  Antimatter Missiles: RKA 10d6 
  [100]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Mega-
  Scale (each 1m of Radius is 10km wide, broad, and 
  deep; +1¼), Indirect (Source Point is always the star-
  ship’s torpedo launcher, but Path can vary from use 
  to use; +½), Increased Maximum Range (x250 range, 
  or 375,000m; +2), 100 Charges (+¾); OIF Bulky (-1), 
  Can Be Deflected (-¼)
  34 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (40 PD/40 ED) 
  24
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  9 
  Ultra-Laser Point Defense System: Deflection 
  2
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only Works Against Physical Projectiles 
  (-¼)
   
  Operations Systems
  114 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool,  
  100 Pool + 100 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Senses And Communications 
  (-1), Costs Endurance (-½)
  212 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per 
  Active Point; +4¼) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  15 
  Long-Range Sensors: +20 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  140 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool,  
  120 Pool + 120 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  20 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group Flash  
  Defense (20 points) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +6 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  20 
  Internal Monitors: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing 
  Groups), 4x Range (up to 1,000m), Mobile Perception 
  Point, Multiple Perception Points (up to eight at once) 6
  OAF Immobile (-2), Perception Point Cannot Move 
  Through Solid Objects (-0)
  4 
  Navigation Computer: +4 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  45 
  Backup Life Support: 499 more Backup Life Support 
  chambers (total of 500) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating: no need 
  to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  43 
  Tactical Systems: +8 with Ranged Combat 
  6
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  13 
  Computer Programming 14-
  13 
  Cryptography 14-
  13 
  Demolitions 14-
  13 
  Electronics 14-
  13 
  Mechanics 14-
  15 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Incendiary 
  Weapons, Energy Weapons) 14-
  100 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 1,853
  Total Vehicle Cost: 2,533
  Value Complications
  25 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction [abject fear])
  15 
  Physical Complication: Cannot Enter Atmospheres 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 40
  Total Cost: 2,543/5 = 507
  can move at a speed of nearly three thousand light-
  years per day and mounts ultra-laser weaponry 
  capable of easily cutting most capital ships into 
  floating fragments.
  The interior of the ship ranges from utilitarian 
  to ultra-luxurious. The Empress’s quarters and 
  associated areas are so comfortable and capable 
  of accomodating her wishes that it’s almost as if 
  she never left one of her palaces. The ship’s main 
  areas are also lavishly decorated and appointed, 
  not only for the cosmons’ comfort but to impress 
  visiting dignitaries. Other parts of the ship, such 
  as the engine room, aren’t much different than on 
  standard V’hanian military vessels.
  3
  
  84 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  IVV HEAVY 
  IVV HEAVY 
  WARSHIP
  WARSHIP
  Val Char Cost Notes
  30 Size 
  150 2 km x 1 km x 1 km; mass 100 mtons;  
  -30 KB; OCV+ 20
  160 STR 
  0 Lift 100 mtons; 32d6 HTH [0]
  12 DEX 
  4
  9 
  OCV 
  30
  4  
  DCV 
  5
  3 
  SPD 
  10 Phases: 4, 8, 12
  24 PD 
  33
  24 ED 
  33
  240 BODY 200 Total Characteristics Cost: 465
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  80m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 1,440 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:
   
   
  up to 10 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  98 
  Transdimensional Generator: Endurance Reserve 
  (600 END, 180 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  29 
  Auxiliary Antimatter Power: Endurance Reserve 
  (160 END, 60 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  24 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  24
  MegaScale (1m = 144 light-years; +5); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 1 Minute per light-
  year traveled; -1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  12
  MegaScale (1m = 1 million km; +2½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  22 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 80m, x8 Noncombat 
  9
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in the 
  rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
   
  Tactical Systems
  136 
  Main Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 10d6 
  37
  Increased Maximum Range (x64 range, or 96,000m; 
  +1½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees 
  forward, only on same horizontal level; -¾)
  108 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: RKA 8d6 
  27
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 38,400m; 
  +1¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees 
  starboard; -½)
  10 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: 3 more Secondary 
  cannons (port, aft, and dorsal) (total of 4) 
  27 
  383 
  Antimatter Missiles: RKA 10d6 
  [64]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Mega-
  Scale (each 1m of Radius is 10km wide, broad, and 
  deep; +1¼), Indirect (Source Point is always the star-
  ship’s torpedo launcher, but Path can vary from use 
  to use; +½), Increased Maximum Range (x250 range, 
  or 375,000m; +2), 64 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), 
  Can Be Deflected (-¼)
  22 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection (30 PD/30 
  ED) 
  27
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  9 
  Ultra-Laser Point Defense System: Deflection 
  2
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only Against Physical Projectiles (-¼)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  85
  IVV HEAVY WArSHIP
  IVV HEAVY WArSHIP
  Description: A Heavy Warship is the 
  largest V’hanian ship Human superheroes 
  are ever likely to encounter. Over a mile 
  long on its largest axis, it carries some 
  of the most powerful weaponry in the 
  imperial fleet (and unlike smaller vessels, 
  it powers the weapons directly from the 
  ship’s transdimensional generator rather 
  than an individual battery system). It has 
  a crew of just over 1,000 (plus robots) 
  and can travel at the same speed as a war 
  cruiser (1,440 light-years per 24-hour 
  day).
   
  Operations Systems
  114 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool, 100 Pool +  
  100 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Senses And Communications 
  (-1), Costs Endurance (-½)
  212 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per  
  Active Point; +4) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  15 
  Long-Range Sensors: +20 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  140 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool, 120 
  Pool + 120 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  20 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group Flash  
  Defense (20 points) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +6 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  18 
  Internal Monitors: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing 
  Groups), 2x Range (up to 500m), Mobile Perception 
  Point, Multiple Perception Points (up to eight at once) 5
  OAF Immobile (-2), Perception Point Cannot Move 
  Through Solid Objects (-0)
  4 
  Navigation Computer: +4 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, 
  Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/ 
  Vacuum) 
  [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  45 
  Backup Life Support: 499 more Backup Life 
  Support chambers (total of 500) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating:  
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  43 
  Tactical Systems: +8 with Ranged Combat 
  6
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  15 
  Computer Programming 15-
  15 
  Cryptography 15-
  15 
  Demolitions 15-
  15 
  Electronics 15-
  15 
  Mechanics 15-
  17 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Incendiary 
  Weapons, Energy Weapons) 15-
  150 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 1,748
  Total Vehicle Cost: 2,213
  Value Complications
  25 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction [abject fear])
  15 
  Physical Complication: Cannot Enter Atmospheres 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 40
  Total Cost: 2,213/5 = 443
  3
  
  86 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  IVV WAR 
  IVV WAR 
  CRUISER
  CRUISER
  Val Char Cost Notes
  24 Size 
  120 500 x 500 x 250 m; mass 1.6 mtons;  
  -24 KB; OCV+ 16
  130 STR 
  0 Lift 1.6 mtons; 26d6 HTH [0]
  15 DEX 
  10
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  5  
  DCV 
  10
  3 
  SPD 
  10 Phases: 4, 8, 12
  20 PD 
  27
  20 ED 
  27
  200 BODY 166 Total Characteristics Cost: 395
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  80m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 1,440 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:   up to 10 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  65 
  Antimatter Power Plant: Endurance Reserve  
  (320 END, 150 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  20 
  Auxiliary Power: Endurance Reserve  
  (100 END, 45 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  24 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  24
  MegaScale (1m = 144 light-years; +5); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 1 Minute per light-
  year traveled; -1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  12
  MegaScale (1m = 1 million km; +2½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  22 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 80m, x8 Noncombat 
  9
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in the 
  rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
   
  Tactical Systems
  131 
  Main Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 8d6 
  [40]
  Increased Maximum Range (x64 range, or 76,800m; 
  +1½), 40 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (60 degrees forward, only on same horizontal 
  level; -¾)
  90 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: RKA 6d6 
  [30]
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 28,800m; 
  +1¼), 30 Charges (+¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (60 degrees starboard; -½)
  10 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: 3 more Secondary 
  cannons (port, aft, and dorsal) (total of 4) 
  [30]
  383 
  Antimatter Missiles: RKA 10d6 
  [40]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Mega-
  Scale (each 1m of Radius is 10km wide, broad, and 
  deep; +1¼), Indirect (Source Point is always the star-
  ship’s torpedo launcher, but Path can vary from use 
  to use; +½), Increased Maximum Range (x250 range, 
  or 375,000m; +2), 40 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), 
  Can Be Deflected (-¼)
  15 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  18
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  9 
  Ultra-Laser Point Defense System: Deflection 
  2
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only Against Physical Projectiles (-¼)
   
  Operations Systems
  114 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool,  
  100 Pool + 100 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Senses And Communications 
  (-1), Costs Endurance (-½)
  212 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per  
  Active Point; +4) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  15 
  Long-Range Sensors: +20 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  117 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool,  
  100 Pool + 100 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  20 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group Flash 
  Defense (20 points) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +6 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  18 
  Internal Monitors: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing 
  Groups), 2x Range (up to 500m), Mobile Perception 
  Point, Multiple Perception Points (up to eight at once) 5
  OAF Immobile (-2), Perception Point Cannot Move 
  Through Solid Objects (-0)
  4 
  Navigation Computer: +4 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  87
  IVV WAr CruISEr
  IVV WAr CruISEr
  Description: A War Cruiser is one of the largest, 
  toughest vessels in the typical V’hanian fleet. Fast 
  and maneuverable despite its size, it can travel up 
  to 1,440 light-years per 24-hour day and mounts 
  powerful ultra-lasers (it also carries antimatter 
  torpedoes). It has a crew of 500 cosmons, plus 
  numerous robots.
  IVV CruISEr
  IVV CruISEr
  Description: A Cruiser is similar to a War Cruiser, 
  though it’s slightly smaller and more agile. (It also 
  has the benefit of the main gun being small enough 
  that it doesn’t have to be fixed, giving it a better 
  angle of fire forward.) A common variant is the 
  “Carrier” form of Cruiser, which brings thirty IVV 
  Fighters to the battle and then retrieves them for 
  storage and repair afterward.
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, 
  Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/ 
  Vacuum) 
  [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  40 
  Backup Life Support: 249 more Backup Life 
  Support chambers (total of 250) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating:  
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  32 
  Tactical Systems: +6 with Ranged Combat 
  5
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  13 
  Computer Programming 14-
  13 
  Cryptography 14-
  13 
  Demolitions 14-
  13 
  Electronics 14-
  13 
  Mechanics 14-
  15 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Incendiary 
  Weapons, Energy Weapons) 14-
  100 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 1,575
  Total Vehicle Cost: 1,970
  Value Complications
  25 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction [abject fear])
  15 
  Physical Complication: Cannot Enter Atmospheres 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 40
  Total Cost: 1,970/5 = 394
  IVV CRUISER
  IVV CRUISER
  Val Char Cost Notes
  23 Size 
  115 400 x 400 x 200 m; mass 800 ktons;  
  -23 KB; OCV+ 15
  125 STR 
  0 Lift 800 ktons; 25d6 HTH [0]
  18 DEX 
  16
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  7  
  DCV 
  20
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  20 PD 
  27
  20 ED 
  27
  180 BODY 146 Total Characteristics Cost: 396
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  90m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 1,440 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:   up to 10 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  64 
  Antimatter Power Plant: Endurance Reserve  
  (300 END, 150 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  20 
  Auxiliary Power: Endurance Reserve  
  (100 END, 45 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  24 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  24
  MegaScale (1m = 144 light-years; +5); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 1 Minute per light-
  year traveled; -1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  12
  MegaScale (1m = 1 million km; +2½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  25 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 90m, x8 Noncombat 
  10
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in 
  the rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
  3
  
  88 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   
  Tactical Systems
  126 
  Main Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 7d6 
  [60]
  Increased Maximum Range (x64 range, or 67,200m; 
  +1½), 60 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (60 degrees forward; -½)
  90 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: RKA 6d6 
  [32]
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 28,800m; 
  +1¼), 32 Charges (+¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (60 degrees starboard; -½)
  10 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: 3 more Secondary 
  cannons (port, aft, and dorsal) (total of 4) 
  [32]
  383 
  Antimatter Missiles: RKA 10d6 
  [35]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Mega-
  Scale (each 1m of Radius is 10km wide, broad, and 
  deep; +1¼), Indirect (Source Point is always the star-
  ship’s torpedo launcher, but Path can vary from use 
  to use; +½), Increased Maximum Range (x250 range, 
  or 375,000m; +2), 35 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), 
  Can Be Deflected (-¼)
  13 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (18 PD/18 ED) 
  15
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  9 
  Ultra-Laser Point Defense System: Deflection 
  2
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only Works Against Physical Projectiles 
  (-¼)
   
  Operations Systems
  103 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool,  
  90 Pool + 90 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Only For Senses 
  And Communications (-1)
  191 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per 
  Active Point; +4¼) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  15 
  Long-Range Sensors: +20 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  105 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool,  
  90 Pool + 90 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  18 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group Flash  
  Defense (18 points) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +6 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  18 
  Internal Monitors: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing 
  Groups), 2x Range (up to 400m), Mobile Perception 
  Point, Multiple Perception Points (up to eight at once) 5
  OAF Immobile (-2), Perception Point Cannot Move 
  Through Solid Objects (-0)
  4 
  Navigation Computer: +4 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, 
  Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/ 
  Vacuum) 
  [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  40 
  Backup Life Support: 224 more Backup Life  
  Support chambers (total of 225) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating:  
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  27 
  Tactical Systems: +5 with Ranged Combat 
  4
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  11 
  Computer Programming 13-
  11 
  Cryptography 13-
  11 
  Demolitions 13-
  11 
  Electronics 13-
  11 
  Mechanics 13-
  13 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Incendiary 
  Weapons, Energy Weapons) 13-
  90 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 1,497
  Total Vehicle Cost: 1,893
  Value Complications
  25 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction [abject fear])
  15 
  Physical Complication: Cannot Enter Atmospheres 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 40
  Total Cost: 1,893/5 = 379
  OPTIONS
  Cost Option
  67 
  Carrier: one IVV Fighter
  25 
  Carrier: another 29 IVV Fighters (total of 30)
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  89
  IVV ESCORT
  IVV ESCORT
  Val Char Cost Notes
  19 Size 
  95 160 x 80 x 80 m; mass 50 ktons; -23 KB; 
  OCV+ 12
  105 STR 
  0 Lift 200 ktons; 21d6 HTH [0]
  18 DEX 
  16
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  8  
  DCV 
  25
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  16 PD 
  21
  16 ED 
  21
  130 BODY 101 Total Characteristics Cost: 324
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  100m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 1,440 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:  up to 10 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  64 
  Antimatter Power Plant: Endurance Reserve  
  (300 END, 150 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  20 
  Auxiliary Power: Endurance Reserve (100 END, 45 REC) 0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  24 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  24
  MegaScale (1m = 144 light-years; +5); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 1 Minute per light-
  year traveled; -1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  12
  MegaScale (1m = 1 million km; +2½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  27 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 100m, x8 Noncombat 
  11
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in the 
  rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
   
  Tactical Systems
  120 
  Main Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 6d6 
  [48]
  Increased Maximum Range (x64 range, or 57,600m; 
  +1½), 48 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (180 degrees forward; -¼)
  83 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: RKA 5d6 
  [30]
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 24,000m; 
  +1¼), 30 Charges (+¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (180 degrees starboard; -¼)
  10 
  Secondary Ultra-Laser Cannons: 3 more Secondary 
  cannons (port, aft, and dorsal) (total of 4) 
  [30]
  383 
  Antimatter Missiles: RKA 10d6 
  [16]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Mega-
  Scale (each 1m of Radius is 10km wide, broad, and 
  deep; +1¼), Indirect (Source Point is always the star-
  ship’s torpedo launcher, but Path can vary from use 
  to use; +½), Increased Maximum Range (x250 range, 
  or 375,000m; +2); OIF Bulky (-1), Can Be Deflected 
  (-¼), 16 Charges (-0)
  11 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (15 PD/15 ED) 
  12
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  9 
  Ultra-Laser Point Defense System: Deflection 
  2
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only Works Against Physical Projectiles 
  (-¼)
   
  Operations Systems
  91 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool, 80 Pool  
  + 80 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Only For 
  Senses And Communications (-1)
  170 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per 
  Active Point; +4¼) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  13 
  Long-Range Sensors: +18 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  93 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool,  
  80 Pool + 80 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  15 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group  
  Flash Defense (15 points) 
  0
  5 
  Sensor Enhancements: +5 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  17 
  Internal Monitors: Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing 
  Groups), Mobile Perception Point, Multiple  
  Perception Points (up to eight at once) 
  5
  OAF Immobile (-2), Perception Point Cannot Move 
  Through Solid Objects (-0)
  3 
  Navigation Computer: +3 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  IVV Escort
  IVV Escort
  Description: An Escort is a fast, maneuverable mid-size 
  ship that accompanies capital ships to provide protection 
  from fighters and other enemy attack ships. They also 
  perform more traditional escort duties such as leading 
  civilian vessels through potentially dangerous areas.
  3
  
  90 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The Scout/Explorer has several features that set 
  it apart from the larger ships described above. First, 
  it can enter atmospheres. Usually this simply helps 
  the crew on their missions of exploration, but in 
  some military encounters it’s tactically advanta-
  geous as well. Second, and more importantly much 
  of the time, it’s a sneaky little ship. The standard 
  version has a hull that’s shaped to avoid most Radio 
  Group-based sensor systems and is painted to 
  blend in with the dark of space (so its penalties to 
  Sight Group Senses don’t apply in situations where 
  that would make it stand out). The shape of the hull 
  has the additional benefit of making the ship look 
  far less threatening than a typical V’hanian military 
  vessel.
  The IIC version of the Scout takes the stealth 
  concept one step further and incorporates a full-
  blown cloaking field. This field isn’t compatible 
  with the ship’s defensive force-field; the pilot has 
  to choose to be stealthy or secure. Ships used by 
  Scouts who explore sensitive areas of the Multiverse 
  sometimes also come equipped with cloak-fields.
  IVV Fighter
  IVV Fighter
  Description: The IVV Fighter is the standard 
  one-man fighter of the Imperial Legions. It mounts 
  a single ultra-laser cannon forward.
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing;  
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation,  
  Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/ 
  Vacuum) 
  [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  35 
  Backup Life Support: 124 more Backup Life  
  Support chambers (total of 125) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating:  
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  21 
  Tactical Systems: +4 with Ranged Combat 
  3
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  11 
  Computer Programming 13-
  11 
  Cryptography 13-
  11 
  Demolitions 13-
  11 
  Electronics 13-
  11 
  Mechanics 13-
  13 
  Weaponsmith (Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Incendiary 
  Weapons, Energy Weapons) 13-
  80 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 1,410
  Total Vehicle Cost: 1,734
  Value Complications
  25 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction [abject fear])
  15 
  Physical Complication: Cannot Enter Atmospheres 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Complications Points: 40
  Total Cost: 1,734/5 = 347
  IVV SCOUT/
  IVV SCOUT/
  EXPLORER
  EXPLORER
  Val Char Cost Notes
  10 Size 
  50 20 x 10 x 10 m; mass 100 tons; -10 KB; 
  OCV+ 6
  60 STR 
  0 Lift 100 tons; 12d6 HTH [0]
  20 DEX 
  20
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  8  
  DCV 
  25
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  12 PD 
  15
  12 ED 
  15
  50 BODY 30 Total Characteristics Cost: 200
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  80m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 100 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:
   
   
  up to 1 million km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  27 
  Antimatter Power Plant: Endurance Reserve  
  (160 END, 51 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  13 
  Auxiliary Power: Endurance Reserve (80 END, 24 REC) 0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
  IVV Scout/Explorer
  IVV Scout/Explorer
  Description: The IVV Scout/Explorer 
  is a small vessel (most versions carry 
  just two personnel) that serves various 
  related functions. For the military, it 
  mainly serves as a scout, seeking out 
  the enemy or learning the “lay of the 
  land” in space near the main fleet. For 
  the Imperial Scout Service (see page 70) 
  it’s one of the primary ships used for 
  near-space exploration (and even a few 
  deeper space missions). The Imperial 
  Intelligence Command (see page 71) also 
  uses the Scout/Explorer for various covert 
  activities.
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  91
   
  Propulsion Systems
  18 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Multipower, 45-point reserve
  All OIF Immobile (-1½)
  1f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  16
  MegaScale (1m = 10 light-years; +4½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Extra Time (journey takes 14 Minutes per light-
  year traveled; -2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  1f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  12
  MegaScale (1m = 100,000 km; +2¼); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 80m, x16 Noncombat 
  9
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Side 
  Effects (reduces effectiveness of weapons and 
  requires use of Damage Reduction as described in the 
  rules, always occurs; -1)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
   
  Tactical Systems
  73 
  Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 4d6 
  [35]
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 19,200m; 
  +1¼), 35 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (180 degrees forward; -¼)
  9 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (12 PD/12 ED) 
  12
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  24 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  24
  OIF Immobile (-2), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½), Side Effects (reduces 
  effectiveness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, 
  always occurs; -1)
  18 
  Stealth Hull: Change Environment (-6 to Radio Group  
  PER Rolls to perceive the ship) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½)
  3 
  Low-Albedo Hull: Change Environment (-2 to Sight  
  Group PER Rolls to perceive the ship) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), 
  Only When In Space (see text; -½)
   
  Operations Systems
  91 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool,  
  80 Pool + 80 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Only For Senses 
  And Communications (-1)
  170 
  Long-Range Sensors: MegaScale (1 light-year per  
  Active Point; +4) for any Sensor Pool Sense 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  13 
  Long-Range Sensors: +18 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  47 
  Electronic Warfare Systems: Variable Power Pool,  
  40 Pool + 40 Control Cost
  OIF Bulky (-1), Only For Electronic Warfare (-1)
  8 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group Flash Defense 
  (8 points) 
  0
  5 
  Sensor Enhancements: +5 to Systems Operation 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  3 
  Navigation Computer: +3 to Navigation roll 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  6 
  Backup Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing; Safe Environments: High Radiation, In- 
  tense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) [1cc]
  Only Within Affected Area (5 x 5 x 2.5 m chamber; 
  -2), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Month; -0)
  10 
  Backup Life Support: 3 more Backup Life Support 
  chambers (total of 4) 
  [1cc]
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating: 
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Year; -0)
  15 
  Thibault Gravity Plating: Telekinesis (20 STR) 
  3
  Selective (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Only To Pull Objects 
  Straight Down To The Floor (-1)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  5 
  Tactical Systems: +1 with Ranged Combat 
  1
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  2 
  Computer Programming 10-
  2 
  Cryptography 10-
  2 
  Demolitions 10-
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  2 
  Mechanics 10-
  50 
  Other laboratories (defined by GM or player)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 643
  Total Vehicle Cost: 843
  Value Complications
  20 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [concern/fear])
  Total Complications Points: 20
  Total Cost: 843/5 = 169
  OPTIONS
  Cost Option
  +13 IIC Scout: Replace Force-Field Generator with this 
  Multipower:
  20 
  Field Generator: Multipower, 36-points reserve; all IIF 
  Bulky (-¾)
  1f 
  1) Force-Field: Resistant Protection (12 PD/12 ED); 
  IIF Bulky (-¾), Ablative (-½), Costs Endurance (-½), 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  1f 
  2) Cloaking Field: Invisibility to Sight and Radio Groups; 
  IIF Bulky (-¾), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  +0 
  High-Speed Scout: Decrease Extra Time on Teleportation 
  to 1 light-year per 5 Minutes
  14 
  Portal-Capable Scout: Add Extradimensional Movement 
  (physical location in any dimension corresponding to 
  the ship’s location in the dimension it’s currently in); 
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½)
  3
  
  92 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  IVV FIGHTER
  IVV FIGHTER
  Val Char Cost Notes
  4 
  Size 
  20 5 x 2.5 x 2.5 m; mass 1.6 tons; -4 KB; OCV+ 
  2
  30 STR 
  0 Lift 1.6 tons; 6d6 HTH [0]
  20 DEX 
  20
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  10 DCV 
  35
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  10 PD 
  12
  10 ED 
  12
  25 BODY 11 Total Characteristic Cost: 145
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  120m
   
  FTL Teleportation: up to 100 LY/day
   
  Short-Range Teleportation:
   
   
  up to 10,000 km
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
   
  Power Systems
  27 
  Fusion Power Plant: Endurance Reserve  
  (160 END, 51 REC) 
  0
  OIF Immobile (-1½),  
  Only Powers Electrical Devices (-¼)
   
  Propulsion Systems
  8 
  Hyperspace Shunt Engine: Teleportation 10m 
  6
  MegaScale (1m = 1,000 km; +1¾); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x2 END; -½)
  47 
  Energy Engines: Flight 120m, x8 Noncombat 
  6
  OIF Immobile (-1½), Costs Half Endurance (-¼)
  -12 
  Spaceflight Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Spaceflight Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
   
  Tactical Systems
  66 
  Ultra-Laser Cannon: RKA 4d6 
  [64]
  Increased Maximum Range (x32 range, or 19,200m; 
  +1¼), 64 Charges (+½); OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc 
  Of Fire (60 degrees forward; -½)
  9 
  Force-Field Generator: Resistant Protection  
  (12 PD/12 ED) 
  12
  OIF Bulky (generator; -1), Ablative (-½), Costs Endur-
  ance (-½), Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
   
  Operations Systems
  6 
  Sensor Arrays: Variable Power Pool,  
  20 Pool + 20 Control Cost 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1), Costs Endurance (-½), Only For 
  Senses And Communications (-1)
  9 
  Long-Range Sensors: +12 versus Range for Radio 
  Group 
  var
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  5 
  Electronic Warfare Defense: Radio Group  
  Flash Defense (5 points) 
  0
   
  Personnel Systems
  12 
  Life Support: Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing; 
  Safe Environments: High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  3 
  Food Supplies: Life Support (Diminished Eating: 
  no need to eat) 
  [1cc]
  1 Continuing Fuel Charge (easily replaced from 
  sources outside the ship; 1 Day; -0)
   
  Skills/Laboratories
  11 
  Tactical Systems: +2 with Ranged Combat 
  2
  Costs Endurance (-½)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 189
  Total Vehicle Cost: 334
  Value Complications
  20 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vessel (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [fear])
  Total Complications Points: 20
  Total Cost: 335/5 = 67
  3
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Three 
  93
  IVA 
  IVA 
  HOVERTANK
  HOVERTANK
  Val Char Cost Notes
  4 
  Size 
  20 5 x 2.5 x 2.5 m; mass 1.6 tons; -4 KB;  
  OCV+ 2
  30 STR 
  0 Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 HTH damage [0]
  16 DEX 
  12
  5 
  OCV 
  10
  5  
  DCV 
  10
  3 
  SPD 
  10 Phases: 4, 8, 12
  15 PD 
  19
  15 ED 
  20
  40 BODY 26 Total Characteristics Cost: 127
  Movement: 
  Ground: 12m
   
  Flight: 
  80m
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
  85 
  Hoverjets: Flight 80m, x4 Noncombat 
  0
  -2 
  Hover Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
  30 
  Main Pulson Gun: RKA 5d6 
  [16]
  OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 Degrees; -½), 
  16 Charges (-0)
  18 
  Secondary Pulson Guns: RKA 3d6 
  [16]
  OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 Degrees; -½), 
  16 Charges (-0
  10 
  Secondary Guns: total of 4 Secondary Guns 
  [16]
  16 
  Sensor-Scope: Radar (Radio Group), Discriminatory, 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees),  
  Telescopic (+14 versus Range Modifier) 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  6 
  Communicator Panel: HRRP (Radio Group) 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 163
  Total Vehicle Cost: 290
  Value Complications
  20 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vehicle (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [fear, awe])
  Total Complications Points: 20
  Total Cost: 290/5 = 58
  V’HANIAN PLANETArY 
  V’HANIAN PLANETArY 
  VEHICLES
  VEHICLES
  The Imperial Legions groups all vehicles 
  intended solely for travel on a planet into a broad 
  organizational category distinct from space vessels. 
  It includes ground vehicles, wet navy ships, and 
  aircraft incapable of leaving the atmosphere.
  IVA Hovertank
  IVA Hovertank
  Description: The HoverTank is a standard front-
  line military vehicle employed by the Imperial 
  Legions. Although the designation “tank” makes it 
  sound like a land-bound vehicle, it’s fully hover-
  capable (in short, it can fly). Fast, maneuverable, 
  well-armored, and able to carry up to half a dozen 
  fully-equipped D-Soldiers as its crew, it packs a 
  potent offensive punch. Its main weapon is a large 
  pulson cannon on a 60-degree swivel mount; it has 
  four secondary guns equidistantly spaced around 
  the rest of its hull.
  IVA Transport
  IVA Transport
  Description: The IVA Transport is an example 
  of a more utilitarian vehicle: a large, all-purpose, 
  limited-height hovercraft designed for troop trans-
  port. It can carry a dozen D-Soldiers in addition 
  to its pilot, or more if they’re all reallllly friendly. A 
  smaller version that carries only three passengers is 
  the V’hanian equivalent of a Jeep or HUMVEE.
  IVA HOVErJET III-A
  IVA HOVErJET III-A
  Description: The IVA Hoverjet III-A is one of 
  the main fighter aircraft of the Imperial Legions. 
  Its omnidirectional hoverjets allow it to move at 
  high speed and with great maneuverability and its 
  weapons — a 16-shot pulson cannon and 6 hyper-
  missiles — are powerful enough for it to destroy 
  most foes quickly.
  3
  
  94 n The Imperial Legions 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  IVA 
  IVA 
  TRANSPORT
  TRANSPORT 
  Val Char Cost Notes
  6 
  Size 
  30 8 x 4 x 4 m; mass 6.4 tons; -6 KB; OCV+ 4
  40 STR 
  0 Lift 6.4 tons; 8d6 HTH damage [0]
  16 DEX 
  12
  4 
  OCV 
  5
  4  
  DCV 
  5
  3 
  SPD 
  10 Phases: 4, 8, 12
  12 PD 
  15
  12 ED 
  15
  30 BODY 14 Total Characteristics Cost: 106
  Movement: 
  Ground:  
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  40m
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
  54 
  Hoverjets: Flight 40m, x4 Noncombat 
  0
  No Turn Mode (+¼), Sideways Maneuverability (+¼); 
  Must Remain Within 5m Of A Surface (-¼)
  -2 
  Hover Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
  18 
  Main Pulson Gun: RKA 3d6 
  [16]
  OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 Degrees; -½), 
  16 Charges (-0)
  6 
  Communicator Panel: HRRP (Radio Group) 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 76
  Total Vehicle Cost: 182
  Value Complications
  20 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vehicle (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [fear, awe])
  Total Complications Points: 20
  Total Cost: 182/5 = 36
  IVA
  IVA  
  HOVERJET III-A
  HOVERJET III-A
  Val Char Cost Notes
  8 
  Size 
  40 12.5 x 6.4 x 6.4 m; mass 25 tons; -8 KB; 
  OCV+ 5
  50 STR 
  0 Lift 25 tons; 10d6 HTH damage [0]
  24 DEX 
  28
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  8  
  DCV 
  25
  4 
  SPD 
  20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  10 PD 
  12
  10 ED 
  12
  30 BODY 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 174
  Movement: 
  Ground: 
  0m
   
  Flight: 
  120m
  Cost Abilities & Equipment 
  END
  195 
  Hoverjets: Flight 120m, x8 Noncombat 
  0
  No Turn Mode (+¼), Sideways Maneuverability (+¼)
  -12 
  Flies Only: Ground Movement -12m (0m total)
  -2 
  Flies Only: Swimming -4m (0m total)
  24 
  Main Pulson Gun: RKA 4d6 
  [16]
  OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 Degrees; -½), 
  16 Charges (-0)
  82 
  Hypermissiles: RKA 6d6 
  [6]
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½), Indirect 
  (Source Point is always the hoverjet, but Path can 
  vary from use to use; +½), Increased Maximum 
  Range (x8 range, or 7,200m; +¾); OIF Bulky (-1), 
  Can Be Deflected (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾)
  16 
  Sensor-Scope: Radar (Radio Group), Discriminatory, 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees),  
  Telescopic (+14 versus Range Modifier) 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  6 
  Communicator Panel: HRRP (Radio Group) 
  0
  OIF Bulky (-1)
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 309
  Total Vehicle Cost: 483
  Value Complications
  20 
  Distinctive Features: V’hanian military vehicle (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [fear, awe])
  Total Complications Points: 20
  Total Cost: 483/5 = 96
  3
  
  THE MULTIvERSE
  Chapter 
  Four
  
  96 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE FOur WOrLDS
  THE FOur WOrLDS
  T
  he Champions Universe extends beyond 
  Earth’s space-time continuum into count-
  less other spaces, realms, and dimensions. 
  As a whole, these form the Multiverse — 
  the totality of existence. Istvatha V’han’s empire 
  encompasses millions of these dimensions; others 
  are ruled by Skarn the Shaper, Tyrannon the 
  Conqueror, other powerful beings, or have no ruler 
  at all.
  Traveling through the Multiverse is most often 
  accomplished by mystic means: spells; arcane gates; 
  items of power. Thus the terms and framework 
  used for studying the nature of the Multiverse tend 
  to come from the mystic disciplines. However, 
  it’s possible to breach dimensional barriers using 
  super-science, as Istvatha V’han and her tech-
  nology so starkly demonstrate. But even though she 
  doesn’t cast spells to travel through the planes of 
  Reality, V’han herself uses much the same mystic 
  terminology to describe the territories of her realm 
  and how they’re accessed as, say, Witchcraft or the 
  Demonologist would.
  This chapter describes what knowledgeable 
  beings in the Champions Universe (primarily, but 
  not exclusively, mystics) know about their Multi-
  verse... or think they know. For ease of campaigning 
  you should assume that other dimensions and civi-
  lizations have (or will eventually learn) much the 
  same information, except where the text indicates 
  otherwise. Anyone who, like Istvatha V’han, has 
  relevant Skills — such as Navigation (Dimensional), 
  KS: Dimensions, or KS: Dimensional History — 
  may know much more than average about the 
  Multiverse and how it works.
  THE BASICS OF THE MuLTIVErSE
  The Multiverse contains more dimensions than 
  anyone can count — even Istvatha V’han, and she 
  has thousands upon thousands of highly intelligent 
  subjects who analyze such things for her. Anyone 
  who studies the Multiverse tries to make sense of 
  it all by classifying dimensions into some sort of 
  structure. The structures imposed by these schools 
  of thought often differ based on culture, species, or 
  other factors.
  On Earth, Western mystics use the language of 
  Kabbalism to describe the general arrangement 
  of the Multiverse as they perceive it. Many other 
  Human occultists have adopted this scheme as 
  well, but some use other methods, or perceive the 
  dimensional structure differently. The V’hanian 
  Empire uses other terms, of course, but gener-
  ally arranges/categorizes the Multiverse in a very 
  similar way.
  This method divides reality into four levels of 
  being, which mystics call the Four Worlds:
  
  n Assiah, the Material World. Assiah contains the 
  universes that run by the purely material prin-
  ciples of natural law. Earth’s plane is a typical 
  example; so are the various “alternate Earths” 
  superheroes sometimes visit. Inhabitants of 
  Assiatic planes may use magic, but their worlds 
  typically don’t run by magic.
  
  n Yetzirah, the Formative or Astral World. The 
  planes of Yetzirah do run by magic. On these 
  dimensions, symbols and beliefs control matter 
  and energy. An Astral Plane links the myriad 
  dimensions of Assiah and Yetzirah. (That’s why 
  mystics call Yetzirah the “Astral World.”)
  
  n Briah, the Creative or Mental World. The worlds 
  of Briah are completely spiritual. They embody 
  concepts, states of mind, and abstract aspects of 
  Reality such as Time, Death, or Number. They 
  aren’t made of matter at all. Conceptual entities 
  — the truly cosmic beings — dwell on these 
  dimensions.
  
  n Atziluth, the Archetypal World. Atziluth 
  contains the ultimate aspects of Reality, beyond 
  time, space and even separation into distinct 
  entities. Only the most powerful and enlight-
  ened mystics can even perceive Atziluthic planes 
  in visions, let along travel there physically.
  All the myriad dimensions fit within these four 
  layers. V’han’s empire mostly consists of Assiatic 
  and some Yetziratic dimensions, whereas Skarn and 
  Tyrannon focus more on Yetzirah (and to a very 
  slight extent Briah). The Atziluthic dimensions (and 
  many Briatic ones) are too “abstract” to be part of 
  any dimensional conqueror’s empire.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  97
  DIMENSIONAL 
  SIZE
  Dimensions vary 
  greatly in size. On the 
  upper end are dimen-
  sions such as Earth 
  and V’ha (and their 
  various alternates), 
  which include more 
  galaxies and interga-
  lactic space than the 
  sentient mind can 
  comfortably encom-
  pass. Conquering 
  such dimensions 
  often takes Istvatha 
  V’han decades, if not 
  longer, though the 
  vast resources they 
  possess makes the 
  effort worthwhile. 
  On the opposite end 
  of the spectrum are 
  “pocket dimensions” 
  that a traveler with 
  a fast starship 
  could cross in 
  a day or less. 
  Smaller dimen-
  sions often 
  possess unusual 
  physical/mystical 
  properties that make 
  them valuable, or are 
  repositories for rare 
  substances of great 
  worth.
  According to the 
  Ministry of Interdi-
  mensional Rela-
  tions, the average 
  dimension in the 
  V’hanian Empire is 
  approximately twice 
  the size of the Milky 
  Way Galaxy, and 
  roughly as popu-
  lated with stars and 
  planets (assuming it 
  has stars and planets 
  at all). Dimensions 
  the size of Earth’s 
  or V’ha’s constitute 
  22% of the imperial 
  holdings.
  THE SEPHIrOTHIC 
  THE SEPHIrOTHIC 
  TrEE OF LIFE
  TrEE OF LIFE
  Mystics superimpose a more detailed scheme 
  called the Tree of Life over the general plan of the 
  Four Worlds (scientists are more likely to refer to 
  this scheme as the “tree of dimensions” or “multi-
  versal system”). The Tree of Life consists of the 
  ten “Sephiroth” (emanations from God) cascading 
  down from Kether (“the Crown”) through various 
  concepts to Malkuth (“the Kingdom”). Western 
  occultists use the Sephiroth to subdivide the planes 
  into various groupings of “related” dimensions. 
  Mystics endlessly argue details about which planes 
  belong in which sephiroth (and scientists have 
  debates of their own), but they agree on the general 
  classification scheme. The layers of Atziluth, Briah, 
  and Yetzirah each contain three of the sephiroth; 
  Assiah receives just one.
  Assiah
  Assiah
  The bottom of the Tree of Life holds Malkuth, 
  the Kingdom or material world. Earth’s dimension 
  is a Malkuth dimension, and if a world resembles 
  Earth in important ways, most students of the 
  subject assign it to Malkuth.
  On the other hand, Assiah also includes dimen-
  sions whose systems of natural law make them very 
  unlike Earth and its cosmos. Every Malkuth-world 
  is in Assiah, but not every Assiatic realm is in 
  Malkuth. Careless scholars sometimes mix up these 
  divisions, though.
  Some mystics confuse the Hebrew Assiah 
  with the Greek Asia (from Askia, “Place Without 
  Shadows,” originally a reference to southern 
  Turkey). Mystics’ narratives of “travels in Asia” 
  may have caused those old stories about India and 
  Central Asia being inhabited by cyclopses, dog-
  headed men, and other strange creatures.
  Because Assiatic realms typically don’t run by 
  magic or feature common or widespread use of 
  magic, they’re rarely the home of, and are of rela-
  tively less interest to, mystic dimension lords like 
  Tyrannon and Skarn. On the other hand they’re the 
  preferred territory of Empress Istvatha. However, 
  some Assiatic planes possess great power or poten-
  tial for power, making them desireable acquisitions 
  for dimension lords; Earth’s plane seems particu-
  larly valuable to many such beings.
  ALTErNATE EArTHS
  Malkuth includes an enormous, perhaps infinite, 
  variety of what Humans call “alternate Earths” — 
  dimensions that are just like Earth’s except for some 
  sort of recognizable change, be it minor or major. 
  Examples include Britworld, Left-Handed Earth, 
  Malvaworld, Popeworld, and Powerworld (see 
  pages 129-38).
  Dimensional travelers have long experience 
  with powers that seem to change history, such as a 
  demon who grants a pacter’s wish to occupy high 
  office, or spells to pull the It’s A Wonderful Life trick 
  of showing how the world would change if a person 
  never lived. Until the Superheroic Age, however, 
  mystics never imagined that alternate Earths could 
  maintain a permanent existence, as “real”as the 
  mystic’s own world. But superheroes have visited 
  many such alternate Earths during the Superheroic 
  Age, and those dimensions seem to be as “real,” and 
  to have as extensive histories as, Earth’s own.
  Scholars still don’t know what to make of 
  parallel worlds. They frequently debate several 
  key questions. First, the use of the term “alternate” 
  implies that there could be one “true Earth” (or 
  true version of any other inhabited dimension that 
  has alternates; see below) from which all “alter-
  nates” spring. If so, it might be desireable to be 
  able to identify the “true Earth” and to study how 
  the alternates arose and how much they vary from 
  the true. Unfortunately no one has yet devised any 
  reliable method for identifying the true Earth (or 
  the true version of any other dimension). (V’han 
  has never succeeding in doing so despite centuries 
  of study, though she assumes her native dimension 
  is the original for all alternate V’has.) Some mystics 
  have tried to use methods of analysis similar to how 
  linguists identify and extrapolate missing words 
  from dead languages, but this has led to nothing 
  but even more arguments. On the other hand, some 
  scholars claim that “alternate” only means “different 
  from the observer’s home version of that dimen-
  sion,” that all alternates are equally “true,” and that 
  any efforts to identify one dimension as the “true 
  Earth” are an utter waste of time.
  Second, does every Assiatic dimension have 
  alternate histories? Based on both logic and a few 
  reports from dimension-traveling superheroes, it 
  seems that only a few Assiatic dimensions (and 
  possibly some dimensions in other parts of the 
  Multiverse) do (see below). However, it may be that 
  most beings (aside from natural dimension trav-
  elers like Istvatha V’han) have difficulty reaching 
  alternate versions of dimensions other than their 
  own. If so, that lends credence to the theory that 
  there’s such a thing as a “true Earth,” since presum-
  ably Human superheroes visiting other dimensions 
  are traveling to the “true” versions of them.
  Third, is there an infinite number of any given 
  being? This one scholars can answer with reason-
  able assurance: yes, for most beings. A few powerful 
  entities are “dimensionally unique,” meaning there’s 
  only one of them in all the infinite realities. As 
  discussed on page 24, Istvatha V’han is definitely 
  one such person, as are certain ultra-powerful 
  cosmic beings (such as the Galaxars; see Champions 
  Beyond, pages 41-48). But aside from those rare 
  exceptions, there seem to be many “duplicates” of 
  most beings. For example, many of the alternate 
  Earths have alternate versions of the Champions 
  superhero team. Some are virtually identical to the 
  Champions of Earth, while others have only the 
  barest similarities. For example, the Champions of 
  Left-Handed Earth (page 133) are “evil twins” of 
  Earth’s Champions — highly-feared villains instead 
  of beloved, respected heroes.
  4
  
  98 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE COSMIC 
  AXIS
  The “Cosmic Axis” 
  is a term used by 
  some scholars 
  (primarily scientists, 
  not mystics) to refer 
  to a series of Assiatic 
  dimensions that, 
  according to some 
  mapping schemes, 
  form an “axis” 
  running through 
  Earth’s dimension.
  According to most 
  estimates, the 
  number of dimen-
  sions in the Axis is 
  about 200, though 
  some studies claim it 
  includes as many as 
  300 or as few as 60. 
  Approximately half of 
  them are “alternate 
  Earth” dimensions; 
  the others 
  differ from 
  Earth’s plane 
  to greater or 
  lesser degree 
  (though almost all 
  of them are Malkuth 
  dimensions, and thus 
  material worlds with 
  their own systems of 
  natural laws). Earth’s 
  dimension is located 
  about two-thirds of 
  the way “up” the 
  Axis.
  For reasons not 
  understood by 
  Human scholars, the 
  infamous Janus Key 
  (see CU 16) allows its 
  possessor to travel 
  to any dimension 
  in the Cosmic Axis. 
  Most people assume 
  the Key is a magical 
  artifact, and it does 
  seem to possess 
  some mystical 
  properties, but a 
  few scholars argue 
  that it’s an extra-
  dimensional artifact 
  of some kind that 
  operates on purely 
  scientific principles 
  not yet understood 
  by Humanity.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  99
  The mystic masters of the Outer Planes don’t 
  seem to have heard of parallel dimensions; perhaps 
  to them, all lesser planes are as one. For the most 
  part, travel between alternate Earths is limited to 
  time machines, dimension-traveling vehicles, and 
  rare, innate superpowers (such as those of Istvatha 
  V’han).
  Spells for time travel or changing history call 
  power from Brialic dimensions such as the Stream 
  of Eternity, or cosmic entities like Los the Smith, an 
  aspect of Urthona. Because of this, some mystical 
  theorists speculate that alternate Earths exist in a 
  hitherto-unknown Brialic plane where all possibili-
  ties become real. Other mystics caution, however, 
  that the Tree of Life model may be incomplete: 
  perhaps mystics flat-out cannot access certain 
  aspects of the Multiverse. Only the GM knows for 
  sure.
  See page 129 for further discussion of alternate 
  Earths.
  ALTErNATE OTHEr DIMENSIONS
  Earth’s dimension isn’t the only one to have 
  “alternate” versions. Most dimensions are unique 
  (though there may be many dimensions that 
  are similar to some degree to any given dimen-
  sion). However, a few dimensions spawn so many 
  alternate dimensions that determining which one 
  was the original (if, in fact, there ever was one) has 
  so far proven impossible. Istvatha V’han and her 
  scientists refer to these as “keystone” dimensions, 
  on the assumption that they’re somehow funda-
  mental to the structure of the Multiverse. Known 
  keystone dimensions include:
  
  n V’ha (all theoretically springing from V’ha-1, 
  V’han’s native dimension)
  
  n Earth (including Earth-1346, the Champions 
  Universe Earth)
  
  n Harshazent
  
  n Lungorin
  
  n Sirmilor
  
  n Tau’valion
  All of these dimensions are more or less similar 
  to V’ha’s and Earth’s in size and nature, though 
  there are some differences. Tau’valion, for example, 
  has about a fifty percent greater amount/level of 
  magic, leading to far more sorcerers, the use of 
  spells in place of technology in many civilizations, 
  and so forth.
  Yetzirah
  Yetzirah
  Yetzirah holds most of the dimensions mystics 
  visit; non-mystic dimensional travelers are less 
  likely to visit here. First come the Imaginal Realms 
  (or Inner Planes) that accompany the Earth (and 
  planets inhabited by other sentient species). Beyond 
  them lie the Outer Planes, whose variety has no 
  end.
  The Astral Plane contains several sections of 
  its own. Most importantly, mystics divide it into 
  a Lower, Middle, and Upper Astral Plane. The 
  Lower Astral Plane connects the Imaginal Realms 
  to Earth and each other (and the Imaginal Realms 
  of other species to their worlds or dimensions). 
  The Lower Astral also contains the Dreamzone, a 
  psychic realm composed of all the dreams being 
  dreamed at any given moment. See page 104 for 
  detailed information on the Astral Plane.
  YESOD: THE IMAGINAL rEALMS
  Yesod, the Foundation, is the first division of 
  Yetzirah. Yesod holds the Astral Plane and Earth’s 
  psychic “Imaginal Realms,” so called because human 
  imagination creates them from the Astral Plane. 
  Mystics also call these realms the Parterres (the 
  “Lands To The Side”), and refer to the Parterres 
  and the Astral Plane as the “Inner Planes” because 
  they’re easily reached from Earth. The chief 
  Imaginal Realms are:
  
  n Faerie, also called the Land of Legends. Faerie 
  embodies the myths and legends of the ancient 
  world — and some modern myths, too. Elves, 
  nature spirits, mythological beasts, and pagan 
  gods dwell in this Land of Legends. Such crea-
  tures tend to act amorally, following codes that 
  pay little attention to good or evil.
  
  n Babylon, the City of Man. It embodies the social 
  settings humanity builds for itself. For better or 
  worse, it is the epitome of cities.
  
  n the Netherworld, which contains all the Hells 
  ever imagined. It’s dismayingly easy to enter... 
  but much harder to leave.
  
  n Elysium. The syncretic Heaven of Elysium, in 
  contrast, is the most difficult Parterre to reach. 
  This dimension of self-proclaimed pure Good 
  can be as dangerous to visit as the Netherworld, 
  for many lords of Elysium do not tolerate mortal 
  imperfection.
  pArterres of other specIes
  Humanity is not the only species to shape the 
  Astral Plane. Animal life on Earth creates its own 
  Parterre called the Blood Tide. Even plants get 
  into the act, creating the astral realm of Yggdrasil 
  (see page 142). Humans find these dimensions 
  extremely alien, dangerous, and hard to enter, even 
  though they qualify as Inner Planes.
  Furthermore, other species, both within 
  Earth’s dimension and from other dimensions 
  that are home to sentient life, have their own 
  Parterres based on their cultures, their perspec-
  tives on Reality, and so forth. Typically dimen-
  sional travelers (of any sort) are only aware of the 
  Imaginal Realms pertaining to their own species; 
  they can’t perceive (much less travel to) other 
  species’s Parterres. That’s why Humans don’t find 
  Perseids, Mon’dabi, V’hanians, or Ka-ree in Faerie 
  or Babylon, and why those realms don’t reflect 
  other species’s thoughts and beliefs. However, some 
  powerful mystics (including the likes of Skarn and 
  Tyrannon) can visit any Parterre they know of.
  Istvatha V’han and her chief dimensional scien-
  tists are aware of the existence of separate Parterres 
  for every species. The Empress tends to avoid any 
  and all Imaginal Realms for the most part (even 
  the V’hanian ones) — they’re too capricious, if not 
  actively dangerous.
  4
  
  100 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  HOD AND NETZACH: THE OuTEr PLANES
  From Yesod, the Tree of Life ascends to the 
  sephiroth Hod (Glory/Splendor/Fame) and Netzach 
  (Conquest/Victory/Permanence). These divisions 
  of Yetzirah contain primarily magical worlds that 
  have no connection to Earth/Humanity (or any 
  single other sentient species). To reach them, trav-
  elers must pass through the Middle Astral Plane. 
  Because of their greater “distance” from Earth, 
  astrally speaking, most scholars call these dimen-
  sions the Outer Planes.
  Mystics generally assign to Hod planes that 
  run by magic but still run by themselves. In Hod-
  realms, magic acts like a system of natural law, 
  with rational, quasi-scientific rules that anyone 
  can follow. Each Netzach plane, on the other 
  hand, holds a controlling intelligence who may 
  unite with the whole substance of his dimension. 
  There is no natural law, only the ruling entity’s 
  will. Thus, Netzach planes are also called “Domin-
  ions.” Istvatha V’han avoids Netzachic dimensions 
  entirely
  The inhabitants of the Outer Planes use magic 
  in their daily life and may possess innate super-
  natural powers. Outer Planes are often ruled by a 
  “dimension lord,” a spirit or sorcerer who wields 
  absolute power over the realm’s inhabitants. Skarn 
  the Shaper and Tyrannon the Conqueror both call 
  Netzach “home” (so to speak). Tyrannon seems far 
  more tightly bound to his native dimension than 
  Skarn is, but both are powerful, dangerous, and 
  insane.
  Many Outer Planes owe allegiance to the cosmic 
  abstractions of Order, Chaos, Artifice, and Nature. 
  The dimension lords of such planes are called 
  “Lords of Order,” “Lords of Nature,” and so on.
  DEMI-PLANES
  The Yetziratic World contains countless tiny 
  demi-planes with simple structures and contents. 
  For instance, the Trefoil Plane consists of nothing 
  but golden trefoil shapes floating in a cubic mile of 
  otherwise empty air.
  Scholars don’t always agree on where to include 
  the demi-planes. Some say they belong in Yesod by 
  default. Others suggest Hod, because the demi-
  planes seem fully supernatural but lack any spiritual 
  aspect or a ruling intelligence. Still others list them 
  under “Miscellaneous Yetziratic Dimensions” and 
  leave it at that.
  SMALLEr GrOuPINGS
  Just as Earth and the Parterres form a cluster 
  of linked dimensions, various Outer Planes may 
  have special connections to each other. The largest 
  such cluster consists of the many worlds ruled 
  by Tyrannon the Conqueror. This mighty entity 
  conquers dimensions faster than he can merge 
  them into his native plane. Until then, he links his 
  demesnes through interdimensional portals. (See 
  CV1 236-59 for more information about Tyrannon 
  and his domain.)
  Other dimensional clusters occur naturally. For 
  example, Earth’s mystics know of a federation of 
  dimensions called the Storlian Realms, whose sena-
  tors travel to parliamentary meetings using a spell 
  called the Vapors Of Vata, now famous throughout 
  the Multiverse. Nor is Earth the only Malkuth-
  world to bud off a set of astral realms for its gods 
  and spirits, as discussed above.
  Briah
  Briah
  Anyone can reach the planes of Assiah or 
  Yetzirah by magic or super-science — he merely 
  needs to know how to find his destination (which 
  usually involves Navigation (Dimensional) or a 
  similar Skill). The planes of Briah are different. 
  Before someone enters Briah, he must pass through 
  a realm called the Veil of the Temple, the “highest” 
  division of the Astral Plane (see page 142). Passing 
  the Veil takes wisdom, and no mortal is exempt, no 
  matter how great his power. Those who fail the test 
  are hurled back to the realms of matter or succumb 
  to dangerous monomanias. Those who succeed pass 
  to the realms of the gods — the Upper Planes.
  It’s possible to pass the Veil using super-science 
  dimensional travel devices, or powers like Istvatha 
  V’han’s... but it’s rare. Most beings who traverse the 
  Veil do so using spells or related mystic abilities. 
  Some scholars theorize that the wisdom necessary 
  to pass the Veil is more likely to be found among 
  those who study Magic than those who study 
  Science, though there’s no proof of this. V’han 
  herself can and has crossed the Veil, though she 
  prefers not to ascend into the Brialic realms.
  No corporeal being perceives the Brialic planes 
  as they really are. Human visitors perceive these 
  realms as material, because Human senses and 
  minds cannot perceive pure Spirit. Brialic realms 
  also sometimes carry emotional auras.
  The three sephiroth in Briah are Tiphereth 
  (Beauty), Pachad (Strength/Justice), and Chesed 
  (Greatness). The Veil goes in Tiphereth, the lowest 
  sephira. The Prime Avatars of Order, Chaos, Art, 
  and Nature, the highest of the Brialic powers, keep 
  their realms in Chesed. Other notable Upper Planes 
  include:
  
  n the Garden of Earthly Delights, where all 
  physical desires find satisfaction (see page 144);
  
  n the Plane of Numbers, a realm of mathematical 
  concepts;
  
  n the City of Pyramids, a place of perfect knowl-
  edge and intellectual despair; and
  
  n Death’s Dominion (see page 143).
  Some of these planes can entrap visitors.
  Even the mightiest deity or dimension lord 
  remains a finite creature, but in Briah mystics 
  encounter entities that personify universal 
  concepts. They call these conceptual entities the 
  Archetypes or Avatars. Some of the more famous 
  of these beings include Death; the Trickster; the 
  Triple Goddess; and Kryptos, the Lord of Secrets. 
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  101
  The mightiest of these entities are the Four Zoas, 
  or Prime Avatars. Urizen, the Archetype of Order, 
  rules the starry wheels and labyrinths of Ulro. 
  Urthona, Prime Avatar of Artifice, dwells in the 
  cosmic city of Golgonooza. Tharmas, master of all 
  Nature, commands a realm simply called Genera-
  tion: things have no names in nature, so neither 
  does his dimension. Luvah the Anarch, the Zoa of 
  Chaos and passion, occupies an ambiguous Eden 
  called Beulah. (See page 144 for more information 
  on these dimensions.)
  Although dwellers in the material worlds have 
  great difficulty reaching Briah, the Brialic powers 
  can send emissaries into the lower worlds. Sorcerers 
  may summon such emissaries, though they run the 
  risk of angering the spirits’ masters. The Avatars 
  themselves may send anthropomorphic personi-
  fications of themselves, of great but finite power, 
  or they may possess the gods known to mortals. 
  For instance, the Native American god Coyote is 
  usually a minor deity in Faerie — but when the 
  Trickster possesses him, he gains nigh-infinite 
  powers of transformation, deception, and illusion. 
  Only the most powerful sorcerers try to summon or 
  control the Avatars, and few of them succeed.
  Atziluth
  Atziluth
  Beyond the realms of the Four Zoas lies the 
  Abyss, the edge of space, time, and division into 
  discrete entities. The Abyss is an even more difficult 
  barrier than the Veil of the Temple. Anyone who 
  tries and fails to cross the Abyss is annihilated, 
  body and soul, or warps into something monstrous 
  beyond recognition.
  In theory it’s possible to cross the Abyss using 
  super-science or non-mystic dimensional powers. 
  In practice, if anyone’s actually done this, no one’s 
  ever heard about it. Istvatha V’han has never even 
  tried to cross the Abyss.
  Atziluth contains three sephiroth, each consid-
  ered a single plane by mystics. They call Binah 
  (or Understanding) the Dark Sea of Being. It’s an 
  infinite reservoir of power for creation or destruc-
  tion. Chokmah (or Wisdom) is called the Bright Sea 
  of Forms. It contains every possible archetype of 
  objects, actions, ideas, structures, or any other cate-
  gory you could name. Mystic tomes say the light 
  of Chokmah shines on the dark waves of Binah — 
  form combines with substance — and the sparkling 
  reflections off the waves forms the Multiverse.
  Even the distinction between form and 
  substance breaks down in Kether, the Crown, the 
  most inaccessible of the planes. Kether, also called 
  the Primum Mobile, the Mundane Shell, or the 
  Aleph, is the ultimate realm of indivisible being. In 
  Kether, everything becomes One. Someone who 
  reaches Kether will see everything, in fact be every-
  thing, the whole multiversal expanse of time, space, 
  and dimension.
  Reaching Kether isn’t a feat for a mystic, because 
  anyone who could reach Kether wouldn’t be a 
  mystic anymore. He’d be God — Supreme Being of 
  the Multiverse. What’s more, to those on the lower 
  levels of reality he has always been God, because 
  Kether stands outside Time. (Everyone else who 
  ever has or ever will reach Kether is God too — but 
  don’t think about this too hard, you’ll hurt your 
  brain.)
  The Atziluthic World also includes a fourth 
  element, the “lost sephira” called Da’ath: the link 
  between Wisdom and Understanding, balanced in 
  the Abyss between timeless Atziluth and the realms 
  below. Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long 
  enough, and a place to stand, and I will move the 
  Earth.” Da’ath is that place. From Da’ath, a mystic 
  can call on the limitless power of Binah, shape 
  it with the archetypes of Chokmah, and cast his 
  creation into the realms of Time. Only the mystic’s 
  intelligence, patience, and skill limits what he can 
  create, from a flower to a galaxy. What’s more, since 
  Da’ath exists outside time, the mystic can insert his 
  new creation at any point in history — past, present, 
  or future. Da’ath’s nature renders it, rather under-
  standably, one of the greatest secrets in sorcerous 
  lore.
  The Qliphothic World
  The Qliphothic World
  Some sorcerers add a fifth level to the kabbal-
  istic scheme, the Qliphothic realm — either resting 
  below Assiah, or as a sort of dark “back side” to the 
  Tree of Life. The Qliphothic World contains ancient 
  dimensions whose energies decayed into forms 
  inimical to all normal sorts of life and existence. No 
  traveler has ever explored more than a few dimen-
  sions in the Tree of Death. Seeking knowledge of 
  the Qliphothic Realm is morally and physically 
  dangerous: mystics and scientists who study the 
  Tree of Death tend to die messily, or they develop a 
  sick fascination with destruction and oblivion.
  Just as the Atziluthic world contains the foun-
  tainhead of all existence, the Qliphothic world 
  holds the drain down which all existence eventually 
  runs. At the absolute limit of negative existence 
  lurks the Solipsist, or Decreator — the Anti-God. 
  The Decreator itself is unknowable: Just as anyone 
  who reached Kether would become one with the 
  Creator and Creation alike, anyone who reached 
  the Solipsist would join its total Unbeing and suffer 
  profound annihilation.
  The closest any being can come to the Solip-
  sist is the entity called Quemetiel, the “Crowd of 
  Gods.” Quemetiel is a churning, chaotic fusion of 
  long-defunct cosmic entities. It mindlessly sucks in 
  anything that comes near, like a supernatural black 
  hole. Anything eaten by Quemetiel is gone forever.
  4
  
  102 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE KINGS OF EDOM
  But many other strange and horrifying beings 
  exist in the Qliphothic dimensions. Among the 
  most powerful are the so-called Kings of Edom, 
  beings of mind-numbing mystic power who existed 
  perhaps even before the Tree of Life fully came 
  into existence. Parables from cosmic oracles and 
  the ravings of mystics driven mad by studying the 
  Kings suggest these entities came from dimensions 
  that fell to Oblivion eons ago. For billions of years 
  no other power could stand against them. Not one 
  in a thousand worlds might suffer a King of Edom’s 
  visit in a million years — but where Kings of Edom 
  came, they and their servant creatures brought 
  incredible horror and destruction.
  At last, other powers made alliances across 
  the dimensions against the Kings of Edom. After 
  titanic struggles whose nature Champions Universe 
  Earth’s inhabitants can only speculate about, these 
  powers defeated and imprisoned the Kings. But he 
  bindings were not always complete, and the Kings 
  not entirely forgotten. Some servant creatures and 
  artifacts of power escaped destruction, and in time 
  some mystics learned to contact the Kings. A few 
  disturbed individuals even worship them.
  Champions Universe Earth includes some of 
  these individuals; Luther Black is one example 
  (see CU 159-60), another is the Slug and his Elder 
  Worm followers (see CV1 191). Most of them 
  believe their masters shall reward them with 
  dominion over the Earth as gods themselves, once 
  they have freed them.
  They could not be more mistaken. Despite 
  bargaining with Human sorcerers, Edomite crea-
  tures are not demons. Demons embody Human 
  evil, with Human (if unpleasant) motivations. The 
  Kings are not even gods, or at least they are nothing 
  like the gods of Earth. The Kings of Edom do not 
  need their worshippers. No mystic law binds them 
  to honor pacts. No symbols or True Names can 
  compel them to serve. It’s not even entirely certain 
  they’re aware that anyone worships them or seeks to 
  contact them. To the extent they are, what DEMON 
  and most other servants of the Kings don’t realize is 
  that to the Kings of Edom, dickering with Humans 
  for power does not differ much from a Human 
  leading a donkey with a carrot. To the Kings who 
  are aware of Humanity, Humans are animals — at 
  best, pets they can train, at worst, food... or vermin, 
  to exterminate once they serve their purpose. If the 
  Kings of Edom broke free and took Earth for their 
  own, neither Luther Black nor any of their other 
  Human servants would gain anything but slavery 
  more hideous than they can imagine.
  VISITING QLIPHOTHIC DIMENSIONS
  Within the Qliphothic planes, devices and many 
  types of powers don’t work properly at first; they 
  have to “adjust.” A character find out every Phase 
  whether each of his abilities has adjusted; the GM 
  should make the necessary rolls out of sight from 
  the player (so the character doesn’t know if he 
  succeeded until he uses the ability). For techno-
  logical devices and weapons, the character must 
  succeed with an Inventor roll at -3. Characters 
  with spellcasting ability must succeed with a Spell 
  Research (Inventor) roll at -3. Characters with 
  innate energy projection powers must succeed with 
  both an INT Roll and an EGO Roll, both at -3. 
  Other abilities are usually unaffected, though the 
  GM may impose rolls on other characters as he sees 
  fit.
  SPECIAL DIMENSIONS
  SPECIAL DIMENSIONS
  The Tree of Life isn’t a perfect or total model of 
  the Multiverse (in fact, perfectly or totally modeling 
  the Multiverse is probably impossible, even for the 
  likes of Istvatha V’han, Tyrannon, or Skarn). The 
  GM can treat any location that’s not accessible by 
  normal travel through space as another dimen-
  sion, and characters can reach such locations using 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement. Some of these 
  “dimensions” are well known to scholars, but are 
  too small or localized to count as complete planes 
  of reality. The Superheroic Age also exposes mystics 
  and scientists to realms and aspects of reality they 
  never imagined, such as microverses, parallel 
  worlds, and cyberspace.
  POCKET WOrLDS
  Pocket worlds form a notable exception to the 
  Tree of Life model. A “pocket world” is a space 
  entirely tucked within some object — for instance, 
  a painting you can step into and it becomes real. A 
  djinn bottle is another example: the interior of the 
  bottle is a “dimension” whose defining property is 
  that once once you enter, you cannot leave until 
  someone uncorks the bottle.
  Characters cannot normally reach pocket worlds 
  by Extra-Dimensional Movement through the 
  Astral Plane. Instead, they must find the object 
  that contains the pocket world. Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement works at that point. Often, the object 
  itself carries the power to bring people to the 
  pocket world (in game terms, Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement is built into the object itself, so that 
  anyone, not just mystics, can access the pocket 
  world).
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  103
  MINDS AS DIMENSIONS
  A person’s mind and memories forms an entire 
  world of their own. Characters with appropriate 
  powers may enter another person’s mind, perhaps 
  corporeally, to explore memories or hidden 
  thoughts. Normal astral travel can take a mystic 
  into a person’s dreams, but not into other areas of 
  the mind: mindscapes count as their own class of 
  dimension, distinct from astral realms.
  MICrOVErSES
  Superbeings with shrinking powers sometimes 
  report worlds that exist on the scale of bacteria, 
  atoms, or subatomic particles. Mystics believe such 
  characters find natural portals to other dimensions. 
  Reported “microverses” seem to follow strange 
  but consistent natural laws, so most mystics think 
  they must be Assiatic realms. Some microversal 
  explorers, however, tell stories of talking bacteria, 
  a Quantum Casino where God plays dice with the 
  universe, and other oddities. Mystics speculate 
  that these super-shrinkers may find their way into 
  strange Yetziratic or even Brialic realms.
  Some mystics also believe that macroverses may 
  exist — zones of reality only perceived and entered 
  by creatures the size of planets, solar systems, or 
  galaxies. A few mystics actively research hyper-
  Growth spells in hopes of discovering macroverses 
  before the likes of Skarn or Tyrannon find and 
  exploit them.
  CYBErSPACE
  Cyberspace falls completely outside most 
  mystics’ experience. The virtual worlds within 
  computer networks count as a sort of dimension, 
  but one that unlike most dimensions is far more 
  easily accessed by Science than Sorcery. But some 
  mystics believe Humanity’s machines generate an 
  astral realm of their own. This hypothetical realm 
  of “machine consciousness” would not be cyber-
  space, exactly, but it might enable a mystic to enter 
  such virtual realms. The Brialic Plane of Numbers 
  might also provide a key to entering cyberspace by 
  magic.
  4
  
  104 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE ASTrAL PLANE
  THE ASTrAL PLANE
  O
  f all dimensions, the Astral Plane has the 
  closest connection to Earth. (For that 
  matter, it has a similar link to any other 
  planet in any dimension that has life.) 
  Every point on Earth touches part of the Astral 
  Plane. Human souls touch the Astral Plane as 
  well, and may travel to that dimension in dreams, 
  or sojourn there after death. Mystics consider 
  the ability to see the Astral Plane one of the most 
  important occult arts. Advanced mages may even 
  learn to leave their bodies and travel through the 
  Astral Plane as “living ghosts.” (Non-mystics can 
  use super-science devices to accomplish these 
  same feats, but this is very rare compared to using 
  magic.) The Astral Plane provides access to all the 
  other Inner Planes, too. Characters who visit the 
  Astral Plane soon learn, however, that it can be an 
  interesting — and dangerous — place in its own 
  right.
  GENErAL NATurE
  GENErAL NATurE
  The Astral Plane doesn’t have geography. It has 
  various divisions, each with its own distinctive 
  nature and appearance, but they’re not arranged 
  according to north or south, up or down, or other 
  normal conceptions of space. “Here” may connect 
  to “there” because they look like each other, or 
  because they have a similar emotional aura.
  The ability to reach one section of the Astral 
  Plane by Extra-Dimensional Movement does not 
  automatically grant a character the ability to reach 
  the other divisions: in some ways, the Astral Plane 
  actually consists of several loosely-connected 
  dimensions. Each section contains access routes to 
  other divisions, though.
  Scholars divide the Astral Plane into the Lower, 
  Middle, and Upper Astral.
  THE LOWEr ASTrAL PLANE
  The Lower Astral Plane impinges directly on 
  Earth and its dimension (or any other Malkuth 
  realm). It includes various divisions of its own, 
  such as the realm of dreams. Dimensions in other 
  “levels” of the Multiverse have their own Lower 
  Astral zones, but these tend to be rudimentary: 
  Outer Planes realms conserve their innate magic, 
  instead of spilling it out to form astral shadow-
  realms. Only the fully material worlds of Malkuth 
  seem to generate complex Lower Astral Planes. 
  When a character speaks of the “Lower Astral” 
  without other qualifiers, however, he means the 
  Lower Astral Plane of Earth (or his home planet, if 
  he’s not Human).
  The Lower Astral Plane has several “divisions,” 
  discussed below.
  THE MIDDLE ASTrAL PLANE
  The Middle Astral Plane enables mystics to 
  move between all the worlds within Assiah and 
  Yetzirah. An astral voyager moves from Earth’s 
  Lower Astral, to the Middle Astral, to the Lower 
  Astral of the other plane, and from there perhaps to 
  the dimension itself.
  The Middle Astral Plane connects the Outer 
  Planes. Travel through the Middle Astral looks like 
  flying though a kaleidoscope. Glittering, rainbow-
  hued circles, ellipses, and other shapes swirl in 
  an endless, multi-dimensional vortex. Count-
  less smaller gyres spin within Limbo; a traveler 
  who enters one of these vortices finds it explodes 
  outward, revealing another level of whirling motion 
  with its own smaller gyres.
  From close up, each colorful fleck within the 
  Middle Astral provides a view into another dimen-
  sion. An astral traveler seeks the proper gyre for 
  his target plane, then selects a portal for a specific 
  region. The portals to a plane share a similar shape 
  and color. Finding the right portal in the ever-
  changing swirl is entirely a matter of intuition and 
  force of will, like any astral journey. A portal grows 
  large enough to accommodate any creature who 
  wants to pass through it. Astral voyagers constantly 
  see strange denizens of other planes pop out of 
  distant portals or dive into them again.
  Most characters don’t spend much time in the 
  Middle Astral. But whenever someone uses Extra-
  Dimensional Movement to go to or from an Outer 
  Plane he glimpses the fractal swirl of the Middle 
  Astral.
  VISITING AND 
  PErCEIVING THE 
  ASTrAL PLANE
  If a character wants 
  to travel to any part 
  of the Astral Plane, he 
  needs to buy Extra-
  Dimensional Travel 
  to “a related group 
  of dimensions”; 
  travel to a single 
  dimension has 
  to be defined 
  as taking him 
  to either the 
  Lower, Middle, 
  or Upper Astral.
  On the other hand, 
  if a character just 
  wants to perceive the 
  Astral Plane, it counts 
  as a “single dimen-
  sion” for purposes 
  of the Dimensional 
  Sense Modifier and 
  the like.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  105
  THE uPPEr ASTrAL PLANE
  The Upper Astral Plane grants access to the 
  higher, spiritual dimensions of Briah, but mortals 
  do not easily make the passage to the Upper Planes. 
  See page 142 for more information about the Veil of 
  the Temple.
  ECTOPLASM
  None of the Astral Planes consist of normal 
  matter. Instead, they and their denizens are made 
  of ectoplasm — a substance that bridges the gap 
  between ideas and matter. On the Lower Astral, 
  thought can create objects all by itself. That’s how 
  ghostly pirates get ghostly ships to sail, for example. 
  Buildings, objects, or places that become the focus 
  of great thought and emotion for a long time can 
  endure on the Lower Astral long after their material 
  form was destroyed. For example, on the Lower 
  Astral Plane Stonehenge and the Parthenon stand 
  undamaged. In fact, thoughts can create quasi-
  living beings on the Lower Astral Plane. Such 
  spirits form a significant fraction of the Lower 
  Astral’s population.
  Connections To Other Planes
  Connections To Other Planes
  The Lower Astral Plane connects to several 
  other dimensions that grow out of it. A character 
  can reach the many districts of Faerie, the Nether-
  world, Elysium, or Babylon from the Astral Plane 
  by normal astral movement, without using any sort 
  of additional Extra-Dimensional Movement power. 
  Once characters enter these realms, however, they 
  can leave only through some sort of EDM or by 
  pre-existing nexus points.
  Human life and thought created the Lower 
  Astral zones known to most sorcerers, but mystics 
  know that animal and plant “consciousness” bring 
  their own astral planes into existence. Currently, the 
  most popular names for these dimensions are the 
  Blood Tide and Yggdrasil. Only masters of astral 
  travel can locate and enter these strange, inhuman 
  dimensions.
  If a mage travels in the right direction through 
  the Lower Astral — “into the Fourth Dimension,” 
  as mystics sometimes say — he leaves Earth for the 
  colorful, swirling chaos of the Middle Astral. From 
  here he can reach countless other dimensions. 
  Again, this doesn’t require any sort of additional 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement power. It’s just 
  a matter of knowing which route to take — in 
  game terms, of the Navigation (Dimensional) Skill. 
  (Characters who buy EDM powers to take them to 
  other dimensions don’t need this Skill; buying such 
  a power confers proper knowledge of how to use 
  it.) If anything dwells permanently on the Middle 
  Astral, it remains unreported so far. Some charac-
  ters call this dimension Limbo, or the Void, because 
  nothing exists there except a way to someplace else.
  Beyond the Middle Astral lies the Upper Astral 
  Plane, also called the Veil of the Temple. Because of 
  the Upper Astral Plane’s importance and unusual 
  properties, it receives a separate description (see 
  page 142).
  Perceiving Earth
  Perceiving Earth
  A person traveling in the Lower Astral sees the 
  point on Earth (or whatever other world he’s on) 
  corresponding to his location in the Lower Astral. 
  However, colors are washed out and everything has 
  a silvery cast, as if it shone with a faint greyish light. 
  This “astral glow” doesn’t provide any real light; 
  it’s just an odd effect of normal light as seen from 
  the Astral Plane. If there isn’t enough light to see at 
  that point on Earth, a character in the Lower Astral 
  can’t see anything, either. An astral traveler in a 
  pitch-black cave would be just as blind as a normal 
  person.
  The Lower Astral mutes all other sensations, too. 
  Sounds made in the material world come thinly, as 
  if from a distance. Astral entities suffer a -2 penalty 
  to PER Rolls for hearing sound from the material 
  world. Taste and smell don’t exist on the Lower 
  Astral. The astral counterparts of Earthly objects 
  can be felt only faintly (and cannot be picked up, 
  thrown, or manipulated unless the character has a 
  Transdimensional power enabling him to do so). 
  Texture and temperature hardly exist at all. Even 
  pain from attacks diminishes, though damage stays 
  just the same.
  ASTrAL AWArENESS
  As discussed on 6E1 212, characters can apply 
  a Dimensional Sense Modifier to various Senses 
  or Sense Groups (primarily Sight) to perceive into 
  other dimensions. One of the most common uses 
  for this Sense Modifier is to allow a character on 
  Earth to see and hear the Astral Plane (primarily 
  the Lower Astral). Mystics sometimes call this 
  “second sight.” The most precise term, however, is 
  Astral Awareness. Most people cannot see or hear 
  astral travelers and spirits, because these entities 
  exist in another reality. People with Astral Aware-
  ness, however, perceive astral entities that are in 
  the Lower Astral location corresponding to that 
  person’s location on Earth (or whatever other 
  world he’s on). Spiritual entities look transparent 
  and almost colorless, like a stereotypical ghost, and 
  speak with thin, hollow voices. People with Astral 
  Awareness also see “ghost” buildings that no longer 
  exist in the material world, and other such “objects.”
  The other Inner Planes impinge on Earth in a 
  few places. A person with the appropriate Dimen-
  sional Sense Modifier could see through these 
  nexus points to the various Inner Planes, but few 
  mystics bother to develop such talents. Nexus 
  points leak onto the Lower Astral as well, so a 
  person with Astral Awareness can spot a nexus 
  anyway, and probably guess where it leads: Neth-
  erworld portals reek of evil and dread, while Faerie 
  portals carry an aura of mystery and allure. Nexi 
  to Babylon feel exciting, while portals to Elysium 
  radiate peace and holiness.
  4
  
  106 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  DIVISIONS OF THE 
  DIVISIONS OF THE 
  LOWEr ASTrAL
  LOWEr ASTrAL
  Travel between the various divisions of the 
  Lower Astral sometimes may be difficult, but it 
  requires no special powers once a character gets to 
  the Lower Astral. In other words, in the Champions 
  Universe setting, Extra-Dimensional Movement to 
  the Lower Astral provides a character with access 
  to various other dimensions “for free” due to the 
  fact that the Lower Astral “links” to so many other 
  planes. These include: the “astral realms” described 
  below; and the Quaternion Planes (Faerie, the 
  Netherworld, Elysium, and Babylon).
  Reaching the appropriate nexus point or “link” 
  in the Lower Astral to a plane the character wants 
  to visit may entail some travel within the Lower 
  Astral itself. This may be dangerous — the fact that 
  characters can use these nexi without paying Char-
  acter Points for the privilege doesn’t mean they’re 
  exempt from what goes on in the Lower Astral as 
  they travel it. That’s why some characters buy better 
  forms of Extra-Dimensional Movement that allow 
  them to bypass the Lower Astral and travel to such 
  planes directly. (In setting terms, they still pass 
  through the Lower Astral; they’re just guaranteed to 
  do so safely.) See Travel On The Astral Plane, page 
  108, for general rules about this “free” astral travel.
  The list of dimensions that “link” to the Lower 
  Astral this way isn’t exclusive. The GM can add 
  other astral territories as desired.
  ASTrAL EArTH
  An astral traveler can merely skim the edge, as 
  it were, of the Astral Plane. He exists astrally, but 
  can still see and hear the material world, and move 
  through material objects like a ghost. (In game terms, 
  this typically means buying an “Astral Form” power, 
  such as the one on Champions Powers, page 241, and 
  possibly Linked powers such as Flight and Invisibility. 
  The Spirit Self power on Champions Powers, page 303 
  may also be appropriate for some characters.)
  Places that no one thinks about “thin out” or 
  compress in the Astral Plane. The Lower Astral 
  oceans, for instance, fade into grey limbo a few 
  miles from shore, because nobody pays much atten-
  tion to any particular part of, say, the mid-Atlantic. 
  Antarctica hardly exists at all on the Astral Plane. 
  The same fading occurs if a traveler moves up into 
  the sky of Astral Earth, or down below the surface. 
  An unwary traveler might stray in the trackless 
  silver glow, and end up in another division of the 
  Lower Astral.
  Mystics call this zone of interface “Astral Earth.” 
  Astral projectors begin on Astral Earth. From there, 
  they can travel to other divisions of the Astral Plane 
  — all the way to Briah, if they possess enough skill 
  and courage.
  IMAGINArY PLACES
  The Lower Astral includes locations with no 
  physical counterpart at all — they grow from the 
  imagination. To locate most of these places, charac-
  ters must abandon the guide of Earthly geography. 
  Some imaginary places are archetypes, generalized 
  examples of locations. The ghost city of Windyburg, 
  for instance, grows from memories and stories 
  about the “age of gangsters.” Windyburg doesn’t 
  correspond to any particular city in 1920s America, 
  but it contains the classic elements of any city from 
  a tale of cops, gangsters, speakeasies, and bootleg-
  gers. Other imaginary places grow from common 
  dreams, such as the Spooky Empty House, the High 
  School Where You’re Naked, or the Sky Where You 
  Fly.
  THE DrEAMZONE
  Most of the time, people’s astral selves stay safely 
  connected to their bodies. When humans dream, 
  however, their spirits enter a special section of the 
  Lower Astral called the Dreamzone.
  An astral traveler can enter the Dreamzone just 
  by finding a person who sleeps and dreams. That 
  person’s astral self now exists in the Dreamzone. A 
  skilled astral traveler can follow the link from body 
  to spirit, and so enter the person’s dream. (In game 
  terms, this typically requires the Navigation (Astral) 
  Skill.) Mystics enter dreams to learn about people, 
  to deliver messages, or sometimes to torment 
  sleeping victims.
  Similar dreams tend to overlap, enabling a 
  mystic to move from one person’s dream to another. 
  In fact, ordinary dreamers sometimes stray into 
  other people’s dreams without knowing it.
  A mystic can leave a dream and return to Astral 
  Earth, but other destinations are possible, too. 
  If a dreamer wakes up suddenly, astral intruders 
  are cast into a dark space studded with countless 
  transparent, silver-glowing sacs of various sizes. 
  Each womblike sac holds a transparent human 
  form, curled in fetal position — the astral selves 
  of everyone on Earth. The tiny sacs of unborn 
  children glow with fierce brilliance. As people grow 
  up, their sacs enlarge but most of them dim. When 
  a person is awake in the material world, his astral 
  form sleeps and becomes faint almost to invis-
  ibility. When the person dreams, his astral form’s 
  eyes open and the dream plays out in a soap-bubble 
  shimmer across the shining surface of the sac.
  Astral projectors do not have such a Dream-
  zone womb; they birthed themselves into the 
  wider Astral Plane. Either they keep their astral 
  bodies safely locked within their bodies when they 
  dream, or they wander the dreams of all humanity. 
  That’s not entirely a good thing for astral travelers, 
  because the dream-womb provides nearly inde-
  structible protection for a soul. Astral projection 
  means abandoning this protection from demons 
  and other malign astral forces. Freedom, as always, 
  has its price.
  CYSTS
  Powerful magic or strong, weird thoughts may 
  create pockets of the Astral Plane with incredibly 
  strange properties — astral cysts. No one could 
  catalogue all of these pockets of strangeness. They 
  appear and disappear without warning in the 
  remote, unfrequented areas of the Lower Astral. 
  Some powerful enchantments can create an astral 
  cyst and shape it to order.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  107
  Sample regions
  Sample regions
  Here are some example locations astral voyagers 
  might visit.
  THE GHOST HOuSE
  This house in what is now a slum district existed 
  for almost a century. It acquired three ghosts. 
  The real house burned down a decade ago; its lot 
  remains vacant. The astral house still exists, though, 
  maintained by the ghosts. The spirits are friendly 
  in most ways, but they protect their phantom home 
  fiercely.
  PuErTO MuErTO
  This ramshackle port consists of old-fashioned, 
  run-down buildings of wood and stucco on the 
  shore of a Caribbeanesque bay. Clumsily-built 
  docks reach out from the sandy shore. Dilapidated 
  boats with rotting sails are tied up at the docks 
  or rest at anchor further out in the little bay. The 
  whole town is totally quiet. At first, characters 
  see no one except a fisherman mending a net out 
  on the dock. His shabby clothes drip water. He’s 
  missing an eye, the flesh has fallen away from his 
  bones in a few places, and he’s slightly translucent. 
  Welcome to Puerto Muerto, a real ghost town.
  Visitors see the other inhabitants of Puerto 
  Muerto only after they meet the net-mending fish-
  erman. The village features all the people of an old-
  time waterfront: fishermen, floozies, sailmakers, 
  carpenters, tradesmen and their wives, even a few 
  guttersnipe children. Everybody is a translucent 
  specter. Some look quite lifelike. Other ghosts 
  range from the merely drowned or knifed, through 
  various stages of decay, to skeletons in seafaring 
  garb. The people don’t like “breathers,” as they call 
  the living, but fear or a good bribe in booze or 
  Spanish gold can overcome their surliness.
  The best place in Puerto Muerto to meet people 
  and get information is a sleazy waterfront dive 
  called Cutthroat Carl’s. You can see how it got its 
  name: Carl the bartender has a slit throat. Lurly 
  the barmaid is downright gorgeous. The way her 
  damp, low-cut gown clings to her body could make 
  any man ignore the seaweed in her hair. 
  Lurly flirts with visiting men but she’s a dangerous 
  girl to romance, for her kisses literally drown men. 
  “Lurly” is actually Lorelei, the ghost of a woman 
  who drowned herself in the Rhine because of a 
  faithless lover, and subsequently lured men to a 
  watery doom. What she’s doing in Puerto Muerto is 
  anybody’s guess.
  A few miles up the shore from Puerto Muerto, 
  another inlet holds a small, ruined fort occupied by 
  ghost pirates. The skeletal pirates roister in Puerto 
  Muerto now and then, or they sack the town. 
  Fortunately, none of the people in Puerto Muerto 
  can really die because they’re already dead (or 
  imaginary). The pirates occasionally sail their ghost 
  ship to Earth’s waters, though....
  Half a mile from shore, the grey sea fades away 
  into the grey space that lies between astral loca-
  tions. The same happens only a quarter mile inland. 
  Puerto Muerto thus consists of a strip of coastline 
  a few miles long, fading out on every side into 
  nothingness.
  THE SPOOKY EMPTY HOuSE
  This zone grew from nightmares about being 
  chased by unseen monsters through an endless 
  house. Once you enter the Spooky Empty House, 
  the nightmare begins. If you let the nightmare run 
  its course, the monsters (which you never see, only 
  hear) chase you for several minutes. Eventually 
  you open a door and fall down an endless precipice 
  back to the general Dreamzone, or back to Astral 
  Earth — wherever you encountered the Spooky 
  Empty House. A character who succeeds with an 
  EGO Roll can break out of the dream’s storyline 
  and change its course, such as turning and facing 
  the monsters. The monsters turn out to be less 
  terrible than he imagined.
  NEW GOLGOTHA
  This cyst consists of a few distorted, night-
  marish city blocks. It folds back on itself: moving 
  four blocks in any direction brings you back where 
  you started. New Golgotha grew from a paranoid’s 
  fantasies of power and persecution. He believed he 
  was Jesus and that the CIA was after him with pain-
  ray projectors. As a further complication, the para-
  noid died long ago but his ghost keeps the fantasy 
  running. To escape, characters must confront the 
  paranoid’s ghost and make a convincing effort to 
  counter his delusions. Not only do the CIA Men 
  in Black stalk the lost characters, the paranoid 
  responds to challenges by calling blue bolts from 
  Heaven.
  ASTrAL INHABITANTS
  ASTrAL INHABITANTS
  Many sorts of beings visit the Astral Plane. 
  Some creatures dwell there permanently. Normally, 
  everyone on the Astral Plane is visible and solid to 
  everyone else, though astral beings may be harder 
  to damage than physical creatures.
  GHOSTS
  Large numbers of ghosts dwell on the Lower 
  Astral Plane. Most ghosts spend only a short time 
  (if any) on the Lower Astral before they evapo-
  rate and the person’s soul moves on to its eternal 
  reward, but Earth’s vast population ensures a steady 
  supply of new ghosts. A few ghosts endure for 
  decades or even centuries. Ghosts usually stay in 
  Astral Earth, but some of them move to imaginary 
  places or other astral regions.
  DrEAMErS
  Dreamers stay within the Dreamzone, but 
  occasionally they venture into the general Lower 
  Astral without realizing it, as spontaneous astral 
  projectors. Dreamers can also enter the Lower 
  Astral through dreams that become so common 
  they achieve independent existence and generate 
  locations in the Astral Plane. Common nightmares 
  like the Spooky Empty House, for instance, can act 
  as portals from the Dreamzone to the rest of the 
  Astral Plane.
  People who die while dreaming may endure as 
  ghosts. Some move from the Dreamzone to Astral 
  Earth, while others remain caught in a dream that 
  never ends.
  4
  
  108 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  IMAGINArY PEOPLE
  Many of the imaginary locations come with 
  imaginary people to complete the scene. The 
  Spooky Empty House has its elusive monsters, 
  while Puerto Muerto boasts a complete population 
  of imaginary fishermen, sailors, and tradesmen. 
  Most of these imaginary people seem like ordi-
  nary humans except they never really die and they 
  cannot leave their assigned roles. For instance, 
  Cutthroat Carl cannot leave his bar in Puerto 
  Muerto, while characters can never persuade New 
  Golgotha’s Men In Black to stop pursuing the para-
  noid who dreamed them into existence.
  ATAVISMS
  When humans experience strong, visceral 
  emotions such as rage, pain, ecstasy, or terror, 
  they create a grotesque little spirit on the Lower 
  Astral — an atavism. These spirits might evaporate 
  in a few days, or hang around for centuries. Most 
  atavisms are not actually evil, but they embody raw 
  emotions and drives most good magicians prefer 
  to restrain. Some evil magicians deliberately create 
  and control atavisms.
  A creature who kills and eats an atavism 
  experiences the sensation or emotion that created 
  the spirit. Since most atavisms owe their creation 
  to very unpleasant feelings, spirits leave most 
  atavisms alone. On the other hand, atavisms from 
  sex and other strong pleasures seldom survive long 
  before someone eats them. The massed thought 
  of religious ceremonies can create strong positive 
  atavisms. In particular, spirits flock to ceremonies 
  in which an animal is killed, cooked, and eaten, 
  because that lets the ghosts smell and taste food 
  again. Demons, on the other hand, feast on the 
  most negative atavisms.
  VISITOrS FrOM OTHEr PLANES
  Spirits from Elysium and the Netherworld 
  enter the Lower Astral to observe human affairs 
  and prompt good or evil thoughts. Entities from 
  Babylon or Faerie may visit the Lower Astral too. 
  For instance, an astral traveler might encounter 
  a mythological god moping around a shrine 
  where mortals once worshipped him, or a demon 
  whispering temptations into a mortal’s ear. Rare 
  astral travelers from the Outer Planes visit as well. 
  Not all the visitors from other planes are friendly... 
  some are indifferent to humans, and some are astral 
  predators.
  THE DrAGON
  The Dragon — the supreme Power of Human 
  Evil, born from the Human mind and unable to 
  truly be destroyed so long as Evil exists in Human 
  thought — is the most powerful dweller in the 
  Astral Plane. (Other sentient species have their own 
  versions of the Dragon, but members of one species 
  generally cannot perceive or interact with another 
  species’s “Dragon.”) It falls in a class by itself, as a 
  god to the gods. The Dragon ceaselessly watches the 
  Dreamzone’s myriads of silver bubbles from across 
  the Void of Dreamless Sleep, and it watches every 
  bubble at once. Its belly holds the Netherworld 
  and Faerie rests on its back. Men give the Dragon 
  many names — Tiamat, the Midgard Serpent, Satan 
  — but these myths capture only a fraction of the 
  Dragon’s awful reality. (For more information about 
  the Dragon, see page 138 of The Mystic World.)
  TrAVEL ON THE 
  TrAVEL ON THE 
  ASTrAL PLANE
  ASTrAL PLANE
  Distance doesn’t mean the same thing on the 
  Astral Plane as it does on Earth. Places can be 
  “near” or “far” based on their similarity. To an 
  experienced astral voyager, the grainfields of Kansas 
  are nearer the grainfields of the Ukraine than to the 
  mountains of Colorado. Astral Colorado, in turn, is 
  not far from Astral Chile or Astral Switzerland — 
  they are all lands of high, rugged mountains.
  Characters have three options for astral travel. 
  First, they can travel through Astral Earth by 
  following landmarks on Earth. Second, they can 
  travel more quickly, using “astral shortcuts,” if they 
  have enough will and skill. Third, a skilled traveler 
  may be able to travel instantly from one point on 
  the Astral Plane to another.
  MuNDANE TrAVEL
  A traveler on Astral Earth can follow the mate-
  rial world’s geography using his normal movement 
  abilities. All the freeways, road signs, and cities 
  remain visible from the Lower Astral. Many of the 
  most interesting parts of the Astral Plane are purely 
  imaginary, however, and do not correspond to any 
  specific place on Earth. A character cannot reach 
  them unless he uses the Navigation (Astral) Skill.
  FAST TrAVEL (SHOrTCuTS)
  Characters may want to bypass normal geog-
  raphy, or reach imaginary locations such as Puerto 
  Muerto. To do this, a character thinks about the 
  desired location as strongly as possible, and keeps 
  moving. It doesn’t matter whether he walks, flies, 
  or rides an astral train. Eventually he arrives. A 
  character taking an “astral shortcut” like this can 
  lead other characters with him.
  How quickly the scenery shifts depends on the 
  character’s mental discipline (i.e., his EGO) and 
  experience (i.e., his Navigation (Astral) Skill). A 
  successful shortcut requires nothing more than a 
  successful EGO Roll, but the character may use 
  Navigation (Astral) as a Complementary Skill 
  Roll. The GM may rule that some shortcuts aren’t 
  possible at all unless the character has Navigation 
  (Astral) as a Skill.
  A “shortcut” journey never takes more than 
  one hour, or less than one minute. A trip between 
  similar locations takes less time than a trip between 
  very different locations. A character can more 
  quickly and easily reach a familiar locations than 
  ones he knows little about. If people travel in a 
  group, they all travel at the rate set by the person 
  with the highest EGO. A character who succeeds 
  at an Navigation (Astral) skill roll automatically 
  beats anyone who didn’t, even if he doesn’t have the 
  highest EGO.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  109
  Gamemasters who want a more precise system 
  can start by assuming that an astral shortcut takes 
  20 minutes, and adjust the duration up or down 
  the Time Chart based on how well the character 
  succeeded at his EGO Roll, the similarity or 
  familiarity of the regions, and other factors. See the 
  accompanying text box for modifiers.
  Characters can never leave the Lower Astral 
  through shortcuts. Reaching other Inner Planes or 
  the Middle Astral always requires use of the Navi-
  gation (Astral) Skill.
  If two characters would make an astral journey 
  in the same time, as indicated by the chart, use the 
  differences between their EGO scores, Navigation 
  (Astral) rating, and target familiarity to determine 
  who arrives first. If he prefers, the GM can ignore 
  such complexities and simply decide who arrives 
  first. As a genuinely supernatural place, the Astral 
  Plane doesn’t have to follow consistent, scientific 
  rules (as much as super-scientists who study it 
  would like it to!).
  If a character fails the EGO Roll to take an 
  astral shortcut, he can try again and again if need 
  be — but he cannot be sure he failed until an hour 
  has passed. A character with MegaScaled move-
  ment may find it quicker and easier to eschew astral 
  shortcuts, at least if he stays on Astral Earth.
  ASTrAL SHOrTCuTS
  ASTrAL SHOrTCuTS
  Modifier
  Time Chart Adjustment Factor*
  +1
  Destination resembles starting location 
  (example: desert to desert, city to city)
  +1
  Destination is a mystic site
  +1
  Destination is a focus of great emotion and 
  attention (example: the Statue of Liberty)
  +1
  Willing to spend an hour reaching destination
  +1
  Familiar with target location (example: the 
  character’s best friend’s home)
  +2
  Intimately familiar with target location 
  (example: the character’s own home)
  +1
  Maintain a Mind Link or a basic Mind Scan 
  lock-on to a person at the target location
  +2
  Maintain an EGO +10 Mind Scan lock-on to 
  a person at the target location
  +3
  Maintain an EGO +20 Mind Scan lock-on to 
  a person at the target location
  -1
  Target is in another section of the Lower 
  Astral (Dreamzone, Astral Earth, or the like)
  -2
  Target is an imaginary location or astral cyst
  -3
  Character is lost and lacks the Navigation 
  (Astral) Skill
  *: The base time for an astral shortcut is 20 Minutes. 
  A “+” indicates to take a step or steps up the Time 
  Chart, which reduces the time needed; a “-” to take a 
  step or steps down the Time Chart, which increases 
  the time needed. The GM can vary the time as desired 
  instead of sticking rigidly to the Time Chart steps if he 
  prefers (for example, he could rule that a “5 Minutes” 
  result is actually 6.5 minutes, or 8 minutes, or the 
  like).
  INSTANTANEOuS TrAVEL
  Some spirits and experienced astral voyagers 
  can move anywhere in the Astral Plane at the speed 
  of thought. A character who succeeds at a Naviga-
  tion (Astral) roll can disappear from one place and 
  appear at another. The character doesn’t need any 
  special Power to perform an “Astral Jump.” Such 
  instantaneous travel is a property of the Astral 
  Plane. A character using instantaneous astral travel 
  cannot take other characters with him, or lead them 
  to where he’s going (nor can he take large amounts 
  of matter with him, like a Vehicle).
  For instantaneous travel within the Lower 
  Astral, modify the Navigation (Astral) Skill Roll 
  using the same chart as for astral shortcuts, 
  applying the modifiers to the Skill Roll rather 
  than the Time Chart. For instantaneous travel to 
  another dimension or division of the Astral, such as 
  reaching the Middle Astral or one of the Parterres, 
  a character simply has to make an unmodified 
  Navigation (Astral) roll to find the appropriate 
  “link” or “nexus” (or just to cross over into the next 
  “layer” of Astral space).
  The catch with instantaneous travel lies in 
  arriving at the right place. If a character fails his 
  Navigation (Astral) roll, he doesn’t appear where he 
  wants. Failing the roll by 4 or more guarantees he 
  becomes utterly lost: he isn’t even in the same zone 
  of the Lower Astral. He might find himself in an 
  astral cyst, in the Dreamzone, or shunted to one of 
  the other Inner Planes.
  4
  
  110 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  MegaScaled Teleportation on the Lower Astral 
  follows the rules for instant travel, unless the char-
  acter moves to a Fixed Point on the Astral Plane. 
  The entire Lower Astral counts as one dimension 
  for purposes of Teleportation, but remember that 
  some locations (such as dreams) may cease to exist 
  after a time.
  Of course, a character can buy an Extra-Dimen-
  sional Movement power that takes him directly to 
  a plane such as the Middle Astral or Babylon. In 
  game terms, that lets him bypass all the Skill Rolls 
  and other such difficulties. In setting terms, he 
  still travels through the Astral Plane to get there, 
  he just does so unerringly and without difficulty 
  (unless the Limitations on the powers expose him 
  to difficulties...).
  GETTING LOST
  As long as a character remains in the same divi-
  sion of the Lower Astral, such as Astral Earth or 
  the Dreamzone, getting lost doesn’t present serious 
  problems. He can “shortcut” back to a familiar loca-
  tion and start over. Occasionally, however, charac-
  ters run into difficulties.
  Astral cysts and other weird and disorienting 
  locations that lack connections to Earthly geog-
  raphy can be hard to leave. A character cannot 
  just attempt Skill or EGO Rolls over and over. 
  Characters must wait a while between attempts, 
  which means they must interact with the new 
  environment.
  The GM decides how long characters wait 
  before they can try again to escape. As a suggestion, 
  however, the character’s condition must change 
  and he must experience a dramatic scene of some 
  sort. At its simplest, this scene could consist of the 
  character(s) exploring the location and discovering 
  a route back to the normal Astral Plane. To raise the 
  drama level, perhaps the character must experience 
  some emotion or perform some action before he 
  can escape. In such cases, the GM should provide 
  plenty of clues about what the character should do. 
  After all, this is an interruption, not an adventure 
  of its own.
  Some locations may include inhabitants who 
  help or hinder lost characters. Lost travelers may 
  need to face some danger or gain the help of a local 
  spirit to escape. Strange locations may sport equally 
  strange inhabitants. Indeed, some bizarre pockets 
  of the Astral Plane can be intrinsically damaging in 
  physical or mental ways.
  ADVENTurE uSE
  ADVENTurE uSE
  Characters most often use the Astral Plane as 
  a route to other places, but the divisions of the 
  Lower Astral may themselves become the site of 
  adventures.
   Astral Earth’s chief value for characters lies in 
  surveillance. From the Astral Plane, a character can 
  spy on people in the material world with no chance 
  of discovery... unless the target has Astral Aware-
  ness or similar abilities (in which case the subject 
  may perceive that someone’s watching him, or get 
  an uncomfortable feeling that he’s being observed).
  The Dreamzone provides a somewhat unreliable 
  view into other people’s memories and motiva-
  tions. For instance, the dreams of a supervillain 
  may provide clues to his current activities as well 
  as his past and his Psychological Complications. 
  The GM may rule that a character who wants to 
  obtain information from dreams needs PS: Dream 
  Interpretation.
  Astral cysts and imaginary locations provide 
  unusual locations for adventures. For instance, 
  characters could try a little swashbuckling in Puerto 
  Muerto. If no one in a group of mystics can reach 
  the Outer Planes, astral cysts and imaginary places 
  offer a second-best substitute as unearthly, magical 
  environments.
  Both heroes and villains can come from the 
  Astral Plane. Ghost characters, for instance, 
  normally exist on the Astral Plane (even if they 
  buy Desolidification to represent walking through 
  walls and similar abilities). Characters with “dream 
  powers” typically have some connection to the 
  Astral Plane, whether they’re trained mystics or 
  not. For instance, a character could merge with 
  his “dream self” to become a superhero. You could 
  even create a “Haunted Hero” campaign in which 
  all the characters are ghosts, mediums, or astral-
  projecting mystics.
  ASTRAL vERSUS 
  DESOLIDIfICATION
  Anyone on Astral Earth is effectively Desolidified to 
  anyone in the material world, and Invisible to anyone 
  who lacks Astral Awareness. Any attack with the Affects 
  Desolidified Advantage can affect entities in Astral 
  Earth, however; so can Mental Powers and other abili-
  ties that can affect Desolidified beings.
  Characters who are astral beings, or who have “Astral 
  Form” powers or the like, have to pay Character Points 
  for these abilities (Desolidification [affected by magical 
  attacks or the attacks of astral beings] and Invisibility, 
  for example). Some, like certain ghosts, have such 
  strong connections to Earth that they don’t buy any sort 
  of Extra-Dimensional Movement power — they simu-
  late their “astral-ness” with just the Desolidification 
  and Invisibility (and possibly other powers reflecting 
  aspects of those abilities, adding Affects Physical World 
  to attacks so they can hurt solid beings). Others have 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement so they can place them-
  selves fully in the Astral Plane, then use powers with the 
  Transdimensional Advantage to affect the world (such 
  a character would even need Transdimensional Images 
  just to allow people on Earth to see him).
  Normally, everyone on the Astral Plane is solid to 
  each other, whether they dwell permanently in that 
  dimension, reach it through Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment, or have Desolidification defined as “astral form.” 
  Characters with suitable special effects for Desolidifi-
  cation may interact with astral entities, too, but they 
  cannot leave Astral Earth or employ shortcuts or instant 
  travel: they remain too bound to the material world.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  111
  FAErIE: THE LAND 
  FAErIE: THE LAND 
  OF LEGENDS
  OF LEGENDS
  F
  aerie, sometimes called the Land of Legends, 
  is the home of nature spirits and pagan 
  gods — beings born when people imagined 
  everything in Nature possessed a human will. 
  For millennia before the “ethical religions” pushed 
  the Godhead beyond the sky, every stream, moun-
  tain, and forest grove had its ruling spirit. Greater 
  gods spoke in the crash of thunder and the ocean 
  waves. These gods and spirits were not abstract or 
  symbolic. Few people did not encounter a god, elf, 
  or spirit sometime in their lives. Faerie and Earth 
  intertwined.
  Did human beliefs change and push the gods 
  and spirits from the world? Or did Faerie pull away 
  from Earth, and mortals responded by inventing 
  new faiths? The gods themselves don’t know. By 
  around 500 BC, however, Faerie became a recogniz-
  able dimension of its own and the “legends” became 
  legendary. Spontaneous nexus points from wilder-
  ness areas still cast the occasional human into 
  Faerie, or let an elf or satyr visit its former haunts. 
  As humanity cut the forests, plowed the land, and 
  bound the world in concrete and steel, such nexus 
  points became more rare. Century after century, the 
  Ban on travel between worlds became tighter.
  But gods now walk the Earth again — mortal 
  gods, bound by no mystic law or covenant. The 
  ancient Ban crumbles in the new Age of Heroes. 
  Ancient powers wake, eager to reclaim their 
  empires, unwilling to sleep again. (See CV1 227 for 
  more on the Ban.)
  GEOGrAPHY
  GEOGrAPHY
  Faerie has forests, seas, meadows, deserts, 
  mountains, and all the other landscapes of the 
  natural world. Nexus points to Faerie always lead 
  from an Earth location to a very similar region 
  in the Land of Legends, so a person could walk 
  through Faerie for hours without knowing it.
  The Land of Legends, however, is a “good bits” 
  version of the mortal world. Large, homogeneous, 
  boring regions such as oceans, deserts, or steppes 
  are smaller in Faerie than on Earth. Faerie holds 
  nothing the size of the Atlantic Ocean, Sahara 
  Desert, or American Great Plains. A few days by 
  boat or horseback suffices to cross any district of 
  the Land of Legends.
  Faerie geography doesn’t make sense on the 
  large scale. Landscapes flow into each other in 
  impossible ways: mountain into swamp, jungle into 
  desert. Different regions can experience different 
  seasons — it might be snowing in one region while 
  the area right next to it is humid and swampy in the 
  summer sunshine.
  Connections between regions aren’t consistent, 
  either. For instance, suppose two travelers set out 
  from the same location in the Faerie. One traveler 
  goes 100 miles north, then 100 miles east. The 
  other traveler goes 100 miles east, and then 100 
  miles north. They probably won’t arrive at the same 
  place! Connections between regions can change 
  depending on the time of day, the weather, the 
  emotional state of the traveler, or other factors.
  Faerie does, however, possess structure on the 
  largest scale. It is flat, not a sphere. The sky is a 
  dome of unbreakable blue glass during the day, star-
  spangled black glass at night; the Sun and Moon 
  move along their tracks by hooks hanging from the 
  dome (or are carried in chariots by gods).
  The Land of Legends also has a bottom. It rests 
  on the back of an immensely, impossibly huge 
  dragon: the Dragon, chained beneath Faerie until 
  the end of the world. Beneath the Dragon lies 
  Chaos — the Astral Plane.
  LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
  Certain elements occur again and again in 
  Faerie landscapes. The most wondrous, unearthly 
  regions are set on islands, mountains, or under-
  ground. The Land of Legends has no modern cities, 
  but spectacular, fairy-tale castles dot some regions. 
  These castles can be made of gold, or perch on 
  clouds or pillars, or spin like tops. Other traditional 
  elements include fountains, jewels, caves, and 
  gardens with miraculous trees or flowers. Many 
  regions seem caught in perpetual spring or early 
  summer. Evil regions look ugly and frightening. 
  Faerie includes nightmare forests of twisted, dead 
  trees and deathly fungi, and wastelands inhabited 
  by slinking abominations. It also has plenty of caves 
  and caverns, some of which give way to an entire 
  “Sunless Realm” of various subterranean races and 
  monsters (the Onyx Kingdom, described below, is 
  one part of this region).
  4
  
  112 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  PANTHEON rEALMS
  The lesser spirits, such as the elven-folk, hold 
  most of Faerie in common. Old (and not so old) 
  pantheons such as the Greco-Roman, Celtic, Norse, 
  Yoruban, and Shinto gods rule pockets of the Land 
  of Legends. These regions are called by names 
  known to Humans familiar with mythology: the 
  Greco-Roman gods live on Mount Olympus (see 
  Achaea, below); the Norse gods inhabit the Nine 
  Worlds (with their homes proper in the world 
  Asgard); the Aztec gods reside in the Upper Worlds 
  (thirteen heavens, the best-known of which is 
  Tlalocan); and so on.
  The pantheons once kept to themselves and 
  closed the borders of their demesnes. In recent 
  centuries, however, the pantheons have communi-
  cated more. Even if Humans stopped believing in 
  some of them, they could believe in each other and 
  live off the immense reserve of stored belief that is 
  the Land of Legends itself.
  Sample regions
  Sample regions
  Here are a few notable locations within Faerie.
  ACHAEA
  The demesne of the Greek gods takes as its name 
  the most ancient appellation for Greece. Zeus, Hera, 
  and the other Olympian gods rule over a realm of 
  nymphs, centaurs, satyrs, and other sylvan creatures, 
  as well as thousands of humans. Every “city” (actu-
  ally, fortified villages) has a patron god. Half-divine 
  kings, heroes, and warlords battle monsters and 
  each other for glory, revenge, lust, or booty. The 
  gods themselves live atop Mount Olympus, in the 
  middle of the realm, while lesser spirits (such as 
  river-gods and dryads) reside in bodies of water, 
  trees, and other natural features closer to mortals. 
  Achaea is much smaller than the historic Greek 
  realm, but shows Greece’s characteristic landscape of 
  rugged mountains and an island-studded sea.
  THE HIGHEr LANDS
  The gods and spirits of the Chippewa live in this 
  part of Faerie, which adjoins territories controlled 
  by the gods of the Iroquois, Lakota, Haida, Pueblo, 
  Cherokee, and other American Indian tribes 
  (though those lands aren’t as large as once they 
  were, as discussed below). The land roughly resem-
  bles that of the Great Lakes region, though spirits, 
  including the fearsome cannibalistic Wendigo, lurk 
  among the forests. The hideous demon Baykok 
  (CV3 26-27) comes from here.
  THE ONYX KINGDOM
  A cave in the Dragon Mountains leads through 
  miles of passages to a huge cavern hung with 
  gigantic stalactites. Equally huge stalagmites squat 
  about the cavern floor. All the cavern, however, is 
  made of black onyx. Dim light shines from huge 
  jewels hung from the stalactites on silver chains. 
  The largest stalagmites bear delicately carved little 
  onyx palaces. This is the Onyx Kingdom, princi-
  pality of the svartalf Clan Ectol, and the original 
  home of Vilsimbra (see CV2 92). The Dark Elves 
  devote their immortal lives to endless, tangled 
  intrigues for prestige. They try to ensnare mortal 
  visitors into these plots and counter-plots.
  THE SHADOW rEALM
  Brangomar the Shadow Queen (CV1 169), a 
  dragoness who can assume Human form, rules 
  over this part of Faerie, which derives from the 
  vision of classic European fairy tales (though as the 
  name implies, Brangomar’s evil and tyranny cast 
  a gloom over the land much of the time). It’s filled 
  with enchanted castles, ogres who live in caves 
  and eat Humans, plucky young woodcutters who 
  brave all sorts of peril to rescue beautiful maidens, 
  princesses suffering from curses that only a hero 
  can break, and wise talking animals ready to offer 
  advice. The superhero Bravo, a member of the 
  Justice Squadron, comes from here and can return 
  more or less at will.
  THE EVEN WILDEr WEST
  North American Indian gods and spirits once 
  controlled much larger sections of Faerie than they 
  do today — but even here, the white man invaded. 
  A flood of dime novels and movies created a 
  surge of old-style mythic belief about the Western 
  Frontier. That belief grounded in the section of 
  Faerie most like the mortal West. At first, the Native 
  American mythic realm swelled (or at least lost no 
  territory).
  Native Americans themselves became the first 
  inhabitants of the changing realm. Sometimes, the 
  Ghost Dance really worked. Hundreds of Native 
  Americans transported themselves to the Land 
  of Legends, where the buffalo roamed and the 
  white man did not. As the myth of the West grew, 
  however, Faerie insisted on players to fill all roles. 
  Nexus points sucked in cowboys, homesteaders, 
  outlaws, Ambrose Bierce, and anyone else conve-
  nient. Within a few decades, the Even Wilder West 
  took shape, and many of the Indian lands were 
  diminished... or found themselves in a state of 
  perpetual warfare with white settlers.
  The land itself encourages mortal visitors to act 
  like cowboys, sherriffs, prospectors, schoolmarms, 
  and other classic roles. It even supplies clothing and 
  other necessary props through outrageous coinci-
  dence. Visitors and residents interact with Native 
  American tribes, but also with Native American-
  styled elves, gods, spirits (“manitous”), and 
  monsters. The whites have guns (which hardly ever 
  need reloading); the Native Americans have magic 
  and the friendship of the supernatural powers. 
  Unlike the real world’s history, the two sides are 
  quite evenly matched.
  WONDrOuS ISLANDS
  Many islands dot the seas of Faerie, and they 
  tend to be quite strange. A few have useful or 
  dangerous features or inhabitants; most are just 
  colorful bits of scenery to pass by. For instance, a 
  spike-topped brass palisade carrying a brass fishnet 
  encircles one island. The wind in the net makes a 
  menacing hum. A dense forest of wild shrubbery 
  and gloomy cypresses covers most of the island. The 
  center holds a natural fountain of water perfumed 
  with bittersweet myrrh. This “Water of Death” 
  repairs any damage to a corpse, but infallibly slays 
  any living creature that drinks it. The magic water 
  also acts as a Dispel Magic 15d6 when sprinkled on 
  something or someone.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  113
  For inspiration, see accounts of the voyages 
  of Maeldun, St. Brendan, or Sinbad the Sailor, all 
  of whom clearly spent much of their time sailing 
  Faerie’s seas.
  XLOPTuN
  This portion of Faerie resembles mythic Russia, 
  complete with likes of Baba Yaga, Koschei the 
  Deathless, vodyanoi, domovoi, and the bogatyrs 
  of legendary Kiev. It features thick forests, lush 
  meadows, and a climate that’s harsh winter nearly 
  three-fourths of the time. The demonic being 
  Eretsun, who plagues Russia in not only the Cham-
  pions Universe Earth but various alternate Earths, 
  comes from Xloptun.
  INHABITANTS
  INHABITANTS
  Faerie’s inhabitants are as diverse as mythology 
  itself. In some parts of Faerie, legendary creatures 
  now live all mixed together, without regard to their 
  mythology of origin. Visitors might encounter 
  North European elves, Greek satyrs, the Finnish 
  witch Louhi, and Japanese tengu in the same forest. 
  In other parts, beings remain strictly segregated by 
  culture and the like. Fortunately, in Faerie every-
  body (including visitors) speaks the same language. 
  The inhabitants fall into six general categories.
  FAIrY-FOLK
  Cultures around the world believe in a 
  humanoid but supernatural race. Europeans 
  called them Sidhe, Tylwyth Teg, or Fays (among 
  many other names). The Persians call them Peris. 
  Cherokee legend describes the Nunnehi — and 
  that’s only the beginning of the roster. For conve-
  nience, they can all be called by their most familiar 
  name: elves.
  Some traditions divide the elves into “good” and 
  “bad” tribes, such as the Gaelic Seelie and Unseelie 
  Courts or the Norse Light Elves and Dark Elves. 
  None of the fairy-folk, however, are truly “good” 
  in a human sense. Some races of elves simply do 
  not actively seek to harm humanity. The careless 
  immortals of folklore are capricious, deceptive, 
  and dangerous. Elves are amazingly generous when 
  it suits them, but they can just as easily wreck a 
  mortal’s life for sport.
  Elves live in forests, grottoes, or palaces under 
  hills. Variant races live in other environments. 
  Undines, for instance, reside in lakes or beneath the 
  sea; the sinister svartalfar, the Dark Elves, dwell in 
  caverns deep underground and fear the sun.
  The ranks of the faerie-folk also include 
  numerous intelligent but distinctly nonhuman 
  races, such as Greek centaurs and satyrs, Norse 
  giants and dwarves, and Japanese tengu. As with 
  the elves, these are flesh and blood creatures like 
  humans, rather than spirits. Some of these races 
  have magical powers; others do not.
  See The HERO System Bestiary for character 
  sheets for dozens of such beings.
  TruE NATurE SPIrITS
  The fairy-folk often show strong connections 
  to the powers of Nature, but the Land of Legends 
  also holds spirits who embody specific natural 
  phenomena. Dryads, for instance, are the spirits of 
  the trees; they wield magic powers over vegetation. 
  Air-spirit Sylphs dwell in the clouds. Naiads live in 
  rivers, lakes, and fountains; Oreads in mountains.
  Nature spirits wield great magical control over 
  their own home, and some count as low-powered 
  gods. For instance, the Wild Huntsman or the 
  supernatural hag Baba Yaga are powerful enough to 
  fight whole superhero teams with a good chance of 
  winning.
  MYTHOLOGICAL MONSTErS
  Many cultures tell tales about monsters. All of 
  them now live in Faerie. Listing all the mythological 
  monsters possible would take a very large book, but 
  The HERO System Bestiary has information about 
  many of these creatures.
  GODS
  Not every godling or tribal spirit survives. Lots 
  of people must believe in a god for hundreds of 
  years before it coalesces out of the Astral Plane 
  and takes up residence in Faerie. The gods of small 
  tribes are usually just different names for the same 
  spirits held in common by a wider culture.
  Some pantheons command more power than 
  others. The old European and Middle Eastern gods 
  barely scrimp by after two millennia of Christianity 
  and Islam, though modern interest in mythology 
  has done much to keep them alive (and even 
  strengthen them). Still-worshipped pantheons such 
  as the Hindu, Japanese, and West African gods 
  remain powerful and active. The gods of weakened 
  pantheons, however, still wield much greater power 
  than most superhumans — at least within their own 
  demesnes. The mightiest mythological gods can 
  overpower even the most formidable mortal.
  The different cultural pantheons don’t neces-
  sarily like each other, any more than different 
  human cultures like each other. The mutual threat 
  posed by the “ethical religions,” however, prompted 
  an indefinite truce between most pantheons. This 
  unprecedented contact between pantheons has 
  resulted in inter-cultural amours, and even a few 
  children — new godlings unknown to mythology.
  These nascent demigods have power comparable 
  to powerful superhumans. Similarly, extra-dimen-
  sional threats such as Skarn (see CV1 173) can 
  bring diverse gods together in common cause.
  TALKING ANIMALS
  Faerie includes Earthly wildlife. Some animals 
  can talk or display other remarkable powers. In 
  fairy tales and legends, talking animals help the 
  hero in return for some favor the hero did for them. 
  But talking animals seldom fight — they’re advi-
  sors, wish-granters, and givers of gifts, not another 
  notch on the sword.
  HuMANS
  Humans still slip into Fairyland now and 
  then. Not all of them get out again. Mortals who 
  live in the Land of Legends must find roles for 
  themselves suitable for a myth or fairy tale. Faerie 
  accepts humans who become hermits, consorts to 
  elfin lords or ladies, peddlers, knights, poor but 
  honest woodcutters, and the like. Some regions, 
  like the Even Wilder West; come with their own 
  4
  
  114 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  set of archetypal roles. A Human who finds a 
  place among the mythic races — with the satyrs, 
  centaurs, dwarves, or tengu, for instance — trans-
  forms into a member of that race after a few days.
  The elves eventually capture Humans who 
  refuse any sort of assimilation and place them in 
  an enclave with other stubborn Humans. This little 
  village of exiles lies within the Sullen Country. 
  Treacherous, viper-infested bogs completely 
  surround this drab moor. As long as the exiles 
  don’t try to leave, the faerie-folk let them farm in 
  peace. The exiles have a hard life, with the dubious 
  compensation of immortality.
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  Faerie is not just Earth with magic — its funda-
  mental laws of reality change in far-ranging ways. 
  Representing these differences in terms of game 
  mechanics is often difficult, and usually pointless. 
  Fortunately, GMs can simply treat them as plot 
  devices, as much a natural part of the world as air 
  or gravity on Earth.
  FLEXIBLE TIME
  The passage of time in Faerie bears little relation 
  to time on Earth. A person can spend months in 
  Faerie, yet return to Earth mere hours after he left 
  — or he can return from a night’s revels in Faerie 
  and find that decades passed back home. The differ-
  ence between Earth time and Faerie time is usually 
  less extreme (in game terms, only 1 step difference 
  on the Time Chart either way) — but you never 
  know. Time remains consistent only within a group 
  of visitors. If anyone leaves the group for more than 
  a few minutes, time might go funny for him.
  The GM shouldn’t impose severe time differen-
  tials arbitrarily or often. Minor time differentials 
  simply emphasize how the heroes passed “beyond 
  the fields we know.” The threat of more severe time 
  distortion gives heroes an added reason to stay 
  together in Faerie: characters will think twice about 
  striking off on their own if they know they could 
  come back a day later and find the rest of the group 
  gave them up for lost and returned to Earth weeks 
  ago.
  On the other hand, if circumstances separate 
  one hero from the group, a time differential can 
  create mind-blowing effects. The separated PC 
  might experience an adventure lasting weeks or 
  even years (narrated in summary by the GM) — 
  then rejoin the other PCs and find he was gone only 
  a few minutes! In short, the GM should use time 
  differentials to enhance a story, not just to make the 
  characters’ lives more difficult.
  Gods and the greater faerie lords can control the 
  time differential. For instance, if the heroes please 
  the elf-king Oberon, he might make their two-week 
  quest through Faerie take only two hours on Earth. 
  Conversely, if the PCs visit an elf-mound and give 
  offense, their host might make their night in Faerie 
  last a century on Earth... but only if the GM wants 
  to do a time travel adventure next.
  The time distortions become especially severe in 
  the Australian section of Faerie, called the Dream-
  time. (A few scholars claim the Dreamtime is actu-
  ally a separate dimension “next to” Faerie.) Here, 
  time hardly exists at all. Events replay themselves, 
  and even death is not permanent. Mortal visitors 
  to the Dreamtime soon feel like they were always 
  there, and always will be. Perhaps, in some sense, 
  they are. Even other faerie-folk find the Dreamtime 
  uncanny.
  rETArDED AGING
  The natives of Faerie remain one age forever. 
  Human residents and visitors may gain the same 
  benefit in some regions, or if a powerful spirit or 
  faerie lord wills it. In most realms, Humans age 
  slowly but consistently, equal to 1 to 4 points of 
  Longevity. The exact amount depends on the gods 
  or creatures who dominate a demesne. In Achaea, 
  the district of the Greek gods, mortals receive two 
  points of Longevity. The Egyptian gods’ demesne 
  grants 4 points of Longevity: the Egyptians placed 
  great store on an immortal afterlife. The Even 
  Wilder West grants just one point of Longevity. 
  The Sullen Country makes all residents completely 
  immortal... but Faerie’s agelessness carries a curse 
  as well as a blessing.
  In the Land of Legends, mortal fertility drops as 
  lifespans lengthen. Mortals completely exempt from 
  time cannot have children. Any children who enter 
  Faerie remain children forever, like Peter Pan. Gods 
  or elf-lords can suspend this effect if they choose, 
  at least long enough for a child to be born or grow 
  up. Pantheon leaders typically extend this benefit to 
  their realms, so that their mortal subjects can breed 
  more of themselves.
  Sometimes aging is merely deferred, not avoided 
  completely. On returning to Earth, a person might 
  gains back lost aging — based on the passage of 
  time on Earth rather than Faerie. If the deferred 
  aging amounts to decades, returning home can be 
  a shock, as Rip Van Winkle found out! Legends 
  speak of gods or elf-lords storing the deferred aging 
  in a small box they give to a returning mortal, with 
  instructions never to open it. Unfortunately, the 
  Human never receives an explanation of why the 
  box should remain closed... so eventually someone 
  opens it, and the person instantly grows old.
  FIXED PATHS
  The Land of Legends tries to ramrod visitors 
  into its ancient story motifs, and sometimes it isn’t 
  at all subtle. A danger foreshadowed becomes a 
  danger unavoidable: if the PCs learn the route to 
  their goal holds certain hazards, Faerie might not 
  let them bypass those hazards. For instance, if a 
  hermit says you must face a monster to get through 
  a mountain pass, it’s no good trying to fly, teleport, 
  or tunnel past the monster. The pass just goes 
  on forever, and when you finally stop, there’s the 
  monster again, waiting to ask its riddle, demand its 
  tribute, or issue its challenge.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  115
  This doesn’t mean a whole adventure in Faerie 
  must run on rails. Characters can always choose 
  how they deal with a foreordained situation. The 
  Land of Legends even adjusts itself to reflect the 
  characters’ choices. For instance, if visitors insist 
  on fighting every adversary, Faerie reacts by casting 
  them as warrior-heroes like Beowulf and supplies 
  more monsters to battle. If the characters try to 
  outwit opponents, Faerie offers riddles, illusions, 
  and other chances for heroes to show off their 
  cleverness.
  The GM can reflect this “story reality” by 
  applying bonuses to Skill Rolls if the charac-
  ters actively try to play out legendary roles and 
  storylines. In Faerie, what Champions refers to as 
  “appropriate unlikely actions” (i.e., dramatically, 
  if not realistically, proper conduct) become more 
  likely to succeed than they would on Earth. The 
  Land of Legends seldom, if ever, imposes penal-
  ties for refusing to follow a particular style or story, 
  however. Heroes who refuse to follow one plot 
  create a new story of their own — a new legend for 
  the Land of Legends.
  CurSES
  Any permanent resident of Faerie can curse 
  anyone who deeply wrongs him. Typical situations 
  for laying a curse include: a dying person, upon his 
  killer (if he didn’t die in a fair fight); a host, against 
  a treacherous guest; a guest, against a treacherous 
  host; a parent, against an ungrateful child; or on 
  yourself, as a penalty if you break an oath. People 
  can also lay a “whoever” curse, linked to a place 
  or item, such as the curse Alberich placed on the 
  Rhinegold when Wotan robbed him. A person must 
  possess a genuine grievance for a curse to work, 
  such as murder, theft, or betrayal of trust. Merely 
  disliking someone doesn’t suffice.
  Game mechanics cannot easily represent a 
  proper Legendary Curse because its effects are so 
  complex and far-reaching. If GMs absolutely must 
  represent a Legendary Curse as an attack, treat it as 
  a Major Transform: Person to Cursed Person. Since 
  this power operates only within Faerie, however, 
  the GM can leave it as a plot device. The curse’s 
  effects, however, can hound a victim through the 
  Multiverse.
  A Legendary Curse doesn’t involve direct 
  attacks. Instead, it manipulates future events to 
  the victim’s detriment. Curses can wait for years to 
  act. No one can avoid a Legendary Curse: the very 
  actions the victim takes to block a curse can set its 
  effects in motion.
  Legendary Curses often backfire, making the 
  curse a hollow vengeance. A classic case forms the 
  plot of the Iliad. The Greek hero Achilles asks his 
  mother (a goddess) to make the Greeks lose battles 
  until the Greek leader Agamemnon apologizes 
  for an insult. The curse works: the Greeks suffer 
  a crushing defeat and Agamemnon grovels... but 
  Achilles’s best friend Patroclus dies in the battle.
  The person who set a curse can revoke it. A few 
  extremely powerful persons — pantheon heads 
  and the mightiest faerie monarchs — can lift some 
  curses. So can most cosmic entities. Persuading 
  someone to break or revoke a curse usually requires 
  some difficult and/or dangerous act of atonement. 
  Some curses come equipped with atonement 
  loopholes: “Henceforth, you will suffer [fill in the 
  torment] until you [fill in the task].”
  The GM should use Legendary Curses with 
  caution. Curses are a threat to prevent PCs from 
  charging through Faerie as if it were a shooting 
  gallery or a monster-filled dungeon crawl. One 
  good curse from an elf they beat up should 
  convince most PCs to mind their manners in the 
  future.
  A Legendary Curse can drive an adventure, 
  even when the heroes aren’t the target. A really 
  big curse can start wars, manipulate kingdoms, 
  propagate through generations, and drag in the 
  gods themselves.
  ADVENTurE uSE
  ADVENTurE uSE
  Faerie can easily become an important part 
  of a campaign, since a GM can work with all of 
  mythology and folklore. A quest through the Land 
  of Legends can make an uncommonly memorable 
  adventure. The goal of the quest matters less than 
  the striking characters the PCs meet along the way: 
  tricky elven nobles, helpful talking animals, pagan 
  gods, wicked witches in gingerbread houses.... 
  Mythic quests often include contests where things 
  are not as they seem (perhaps because an opponent 
  is disguised through illusion, or because of some 
  danger a hero didn’t know about).
  Questing heroes can seek many useful things 
  and people in Faerie. If a recipe for a magic potion 
  calls for dragon scales or centaur blood, characters 
  must go to the Land of Legends. What’s more, some 
  of the Land’s inhabitants know much that is hidden, 
  or have special magic powers. The trick is getting 
  them to help. Gods or wizards of long ago might 
  hide powerful magic items in remote corners of 
  Faerie.
  Faerie makes an excellent source for heroes 
  and villains. In the Champions Universe, super-
  beings create new legends every day. What could 
  be more natural than for some of the old legends 
  to join them? Champions Villains describes four 
  characters (the dark elf Vilsimbra, the fairy-tale hag 
  Mother Gothel, the Shadow Queen, and the god 
  Tezcatlipoca) who bring their evil to Earth. Gods 
  can project avatars or empower mortals; the new 
  generation of demigods may seek adventure on 
  Earth as well. Mortals cast into Faerie may return 
  with magic weapons or powers.
  A daring GM can even set campagns in Faerie 
  — after all, it’s a place built on stories. The charac-
  ters could be anything from mortal children cast 
  into Faerie to aspiring demigods hoping to make 
  new legends. For a twist on an old story, maybe the 
  characters are Heroic-level Faerie denizens hurled 
  to a disbelieving Earth, who must complete a quest 
  to go home before they end up shot, in jail, or in 
  an insane asylum. A sneaky GM could even start a 
  campaign that seems to be set in mythic Greece, a 
  Weird Wild West, or some other fantasy setting — 
  and let the players gradually discover the setting is 
  actually much wider and much stranger.
  4
  
  116 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE NETHErWOrLD
  THE NETHErWOrLD
  T
  he Netherworld is the Imaginal Realm built 
  from Human ideas of evil. Here dwell the 
  demons, incarnations of hate, fear, rage, and 
  all other negative emotions, in a chaotic 
  landscape as hostile as themselves. The Nether-
  world isn’t just Hell: it’s every Hell ever imagined, 
  mashed together.
  GEOGrAPHY
  GEOGrAPHY
  The Netherworld has no consistent, large-scale 
  geography. It can seem completely different from 
  visit to visit. Particular regions are locally stable, 
  but the connections between them remain fluid. 
  Large sections of the Netherworld seem to follow 
  some overall plan, but different visitors can find 
  completely different geographies. On one visit, 
  heroes might land in the nine descending circles of 
  Dante’s Inferno. On a return visit, they might find 
  the city of Pandemonium from Milton’s Para-
  dise Lost instead. If a visitor travels long enough, 
  though, eventually he can find any Hell he wants.
  LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
  The Netherworld’s landscape varies widely 
  but it is all unpleasant, composed of elements 
  that people find ugly or frightening. There’s lots 
  of traditional fire, smoke, lava, and barren stone. 
  Most of the Netherworld is dimly lit and the air 
  reeks. Other traditional features for Netherworld 
  scenery include: sandy desert; glaciers and plains of 
  ice; pits and trenches; swamps; rivers and lakes of 
  fire, boiling blood, pitch, slime, or icy black water; 
  garbage and offal; dark, trackless forests; reptiles; 
  vicious beasts; insects, worms, and maggots.
  CuLTurAL HELLS
  The Netherworld includes more than the Judeo-
  Christian-Islamic ideas of Hell. A Hindu visitor 
  arrives in that religion’s demon-realm of Naraka. A 
  Taoist or Buddhist encounters the Chinese Hells. 
  Even the Greek Hell of Tartarus and the Norse Hell 
  of Hel survive, although visitors probably wouldn’t 
  appear in them spontaneously. In fact, no matter 
  what Hell a character appears in, he can enter other 
  cultures’ Hells — for instance, he could descend a 
  crevasse in the icy ninth circle of Dante’s Inferno 
  and end up in equally chill part of Hel.
  DEMON LOrD FIEFDOMS
  The more powerful demon lords shape stable, 
  personal desmesnes according to their tastes. Here 
  they torment the souls of former pacters and people 
  whose ruling passion placed them in the demon’s 
  jurisdiction. The tortures of the damned often show 
  a certain rough justice... or would if they weren’t 
  infinite punishment for finite crimes.
  PErSONAL HELLS
  The Netherworld also tucks in very personal 
  Hells. Everyone has “personal demons” — private 
  fears, feelings of guilt, situations they dread facing. 
  A visitor to the Netherworld can turn a corner 
  and step into his private Hell. Personal Hells 
  need not be confined to a single location: they 
  can take the form of a subplot or a sequence of 
  characters threaded through other sections of the 
  Netherworld.
  The GM should design a “personal Hell” scene 
  for at least one character on any adventure to 
  harrow the Netherworld, using the character’s 
  personality and history as a guide. Encountering 
  a personal Hell might be no more than a jab at a 
  character’s Psychological Complications, or it might 
  put a hero in deadly peril.
  Of course, everything that heroes hear and 
  see in their private Hells is a lie: all the characters 
  they encounter who accuse them and play on their 
  guilts, fears, hatreds, and desires are demons in 
  disguise or illusions, and they’re lying their heads 
  off. One seldom finds truth in the Netherworld.
  Sample regions
  Sample regions
  Here are a few regions characters might find in 
  the Netherworld.
  Bu JING SuO
  The Chinese possess hundreds of Hells, each 
  specializing in its own punishment for particular 
  malefactors (see the list on HSMA 282-83 for 
  a representative sample). These are arranged in 
  ten tribunals, overseen by the Yama-Kings and 
  a bureaucracy as large (and bribeable) as the old 
  Imperial government. Unlike the Abrahamic Hells, 
  most Chinese Hells are temporary. Sinners expiate 
  their crimes, then have their memory erased before 
  reincarnation.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  117
  Bu Jing Suo, in the first tribunal, punishes lazy 
  Buddhist priests, monks, and nuns who did not 
  perform the prayers and devotions that other 
  people paid them to, and so endangered their 
  clients’ souls. These dishonest clerics must copy 
  the prayers and scriptures they neglected, over and 
  over, in a cold and windy schoolroom, with no light 
  except a tiny, flickering oil-lamp.
  HEL
  Hel is the Norse Hell, the destiny of those who 
  died “straw deaths” as cowards. (The Prose Edda 
  says this included all men who died of sickness or 
  old age, but other epics tell of men who died peace-
  fully yet achieved Valhalla. The GM can decide the 
  truth of the matter.) Hela, daughter of Loki, rules 
  Hel. She is normal flesh color on one side of her 
  body and the blue-black of dead flesh on the other.
  Icy fog wreathes dark Hel. The fortress hall of 
  Hela is named Sleet-Cold; its threshold, Falling 
  To Destruction. Hela’s dish is Hunger; her knife, 
  Famine; her servant, Idler; her maid, Sloven; her 
  bed, Disease; and her bed cover, Unhappiness. A 
  gigantic dog called Garm, whose breast is sprinkled 
  with blood, guards Hela’s hall.
  Hel includes a special hall for the very worst 
  sinners, set apart on Nastrand, the Shore of the 
  Dead. As the Prose Edda explains, “It is all woven 
  of serpent backs like a wattle house; and all the 
  snake heads turn into the house and blow venom, 
  so that along the hall run rivers of venom; and they 
  who have broken oaths, and murderers, wade those 
  rivers.” Some tales say the dragon Nidhogg lives 
  here and sucks on the corpses of men.
  THE LABYrINTH OF GrEED
  The Lord of Avarice, Lucifuge Rofocale, owns 
  a spectacular desmesne of twisting, jewel-studded 
  caverns. Magical darkness shrouds the caverns, 
  however, because Lucifuge Rofocale is so greedy 
  that he can’t stand the thought of anyone but 
  him even looking at his possessions. Here avarice 
  demons oversee chain gangs of pirates, con men, 
  industrial robber barons, petty thieves, bankers, 
  and princes — all people whose lives were ruled by 
  greed, slaving for eternity among unseen riches.
  MOuNT MuLCIBEr
  Mulciber, Hell’s greatest smith and artificer, 
  maintains a very small desmesne. The Demon-
  Smith keeps his forges and workshops in the 
  cavern-riddled depths of a barren, black vocano. 
  Since very few people fall into evil through a 
  passion for craftsmanship, Mulciber buys damned 
  souls from other demon lords. But they are raw 
  materials, not slaves — Mulciber does his best work 
  in soul-alloyed metal.
  PANDEMONIuM
  The town-sized palace of Pandemonium is the 
  seat of government for the Descending Hierarchy. 
  Here Mephistopheles, the Lord of Pride, files the 
  pacts between devils and mortals and coordinates 
  the ceaseless war against God for Human souls. 
  All the demon lords of the Descending Hierarchy 
  keep apartments in Pandemonium, and the palace 
  forms the principle setting for their intrigues. 
  Pandemonium is built entirely of gold and jewels; 
  mortal visitors describe it as gaudy and tasteless, 
  but with a certain grotesque grandeur from its 
  sheer size. The palace-city is built on the shore of 
  a lake of all-destroying fire. According to Milton’s 
  Paradise Lost, the rebel angels fell into this lake of 
  fire and emerged as devils. According to the Book 
  of Revelations in the Bible, at the Last Judgment 
  God will consign all the devils and the damned to 
  this lake. The fire shall destroy them instantly and 
  utterly, but the smoke of their burning shall rise 
  forever.
  THE WAr ZONE
  Baphomet, Lord of Wrath, receives the souls 
  of people who lived by anger and violence. His 
  desmesne is a patchwork of the battlefields of 
  Humanity’s dirtiest wars, from the jungles of 
  Vietnam to the trenches of Gallipoli. Here damned 
  soldiers and terrorists fight and re-fight their 
  wars for eternity, against each other and against 
  the gangs of thugs and brigands who revelled in 
  brutality. Superhero visitors to Baphomet’s war 
  zone will certainly meet a few deceased supervil-
  lains — and maybe a former hero or two.
  INHABITANTS
  INHABITANTS
  All the Netherworld’s inhabitants are spirits. 
  They fall into two main groups: the demons and the 
  damned.
  DEMONS AND DEVILS
  The dominant inhabitants of the Netherworld, 
  of course, are the demons. Gamemasters can get 
  a lot of gaming mileage from demons based on 
  Judeo-Christian-Islamic mythology, but a little 
  research in mythology and folklore can turn up 
  fascinating demons from other cultures, such as 
  Hindu Rakshasas or the plague-causing Maskim 
  from Mesopotamian myth. Several gods of evil or 
  death from defunct mythologies remain active as 
  demon lords. In fact, famous demons like Beel-
  zebub and Astaroth started as the gods of nations 
  competing with the ancient Hebrews (most notably 
  the Phoenicians and Syrians).
  Mystics sometimes call the demons of the Abra-
  hamic traditions “devils,” to distinguish them from 
  the evil spirits of other mythologies. The lords of 
  devilkind hold feudal ranks such as Earl, Marquis, 
  Prince, and King, in an infernal Descending 
  Hierarchy. Some devils also claim titles such as 
  Chancellor or Knight Commander. Devils even 
  boast their own order of knighthood, the Order 
  of the Fly, whose members compete in deeds of 
  awfulness. The Descending Hierarchy is not very 
  orderly: Devils may hold multiple ranks, and their 
  intrigues for power surpass the Borgias for ruthless 
  treachery. The mightiest archdevils call themselves 
  the Sin Emperors — supreme exemplars of one 
  particular brand of evil. Mephistopheles, Prince of 
  Lies, claims the title of Emperor of Pride; Baphomet 
  styles himself Emperor of Wrath; Beelzebub, leader 
  of the cohort of fallen Middle Eastern gods, became 
  Emperor of Envy through jealousy of the God who 
  supplanted him.
  4
  
  118 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  demonIc AnImAls
  In some parts of the Netherworld, animals assist 
  the demons. Many demon lords ride some sort of 
  beast: the grimoires describe demons riding horses, 
  wolves, and crocodiles. Infernal “hell hounds” 
  are traditional, too. (The HERO System Bestiary 
  describes both hell hounds and demon steeds.) 
  Dragons, vipers, and other vicious beasts also help 
  the demons torment their charges.
  DAMNED SOuLS
  Damned human souls form the largest bloc 
  of the Netherworld’s inhabitants. The damned 
  usually look just as they did at their time of death 
  — aside from any damage inflicted on them by 
  their torments. Depending on what punishment 
  they receive, the damned might be naked, dressed 
  in tattered clothes they wore in life, or something 
  more exotic. In Dante’s Inferno, people who sold 
  holy offices had to walk in immensely heavy cowled 
  robes of gilded lead. In some cases, the damned 
  might be altered in strange and horrible ways. In 
  Dante’s Wood of the Suicides, for instance, the 
  damned are turned into bleeding, speaking trees.
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  The Netherworld and its denizense follow a 
  number of special rules. The GM doesn’t have to 
  represent these special conditions in terms of game 
  mechanics, any more than he needs to write up 
  Earth’s gravitational field as Telekinesis: they’re 
  intrinsic features of the dimension itself.
  INDESTruCTIBLE SPIrITS
  None of the Netherworld’s inhabitants can truly 
  die or lose consciousness no matter what torture 
  or mutilation they endure, because they’re already 
  dead. Conditions that would mean death for a 
  living person (sufficient negative BODY) merely 
  incapacitate a damned soul. Given time, the demon 
  or damned soul regenerates at a rate of 1 BODY 
  per Turn. Likewise, negative STUN simply means 
  a damned soul cannot act. The person remains 
  aware of what happens around him, or to him, as if 
  he were continually Stunned. This lets the demons 
  do truly horrible things to their charges... and the 
  damned stay conscious through it all.
  On their home turf, demons share these immu-
  nities. They can’t be dispelled, and they ignore 
  pentagrams and magic circles. Certain special 
  methods can, however, truly destroy a demon or a 
  damned soul. Being eaten is one method: demons 
  and devils feed upon damned souls. The more 
  refined demon lords have their own version of 
  gourmet cooking. Lesser demons who fail in their 
  assignments may end up on the dinner table, too.
  Some kinds of magic might permanently destroy 
  a soul or spirit. These should be fairly exotic attacks, 
  such as AVAD Killing Attacks or Adjustment 
  Powers. A Killing Attack whose only defense is a 
  Mental Defense Force Field, a Penetrating BODY 
  Drain, or a strong enough Dispel once a demon or 
  soul is incapacitated by BODY loss might suffice. 
  Avarice demons Transform the damned into metal 
  and stone, then break them up for raw materials for 
  their craftsmanship; this is pretty final, too.
  Any method chosen to kill a Netherworld 
  inhabitant should be somewhat difficult. Christian 
  theologians call Hell “the Second Death.” Delivering 
  a third and ultimate death to a spirit should be a 
  momentous event that holds serious consequences 
  — not something a character does lightly.
  ENVIrONMENTAL CONTrOL
  The highest ranks of the Netherworld’s lords, 
  the true Arch-Devils and Demon Kings, wield 
  special power over their personal demesnes. This 
  is really a power of the demesne itself, to respond 
  to its master’s desires. A demon lord’s large Vari-
  able Power Pool can generate these effects. In most 
  cases, though, GMs do not need exact numbers. 
  They are plot devices. None of these environment-
  control effects cost any END.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  119
  chAnge enVIronment
  A Netherworld demesne’s master can produce 
  any environmental condition that has no significant 
  combat effect (i.e., no more than a single -1 penalty 
  or the like) and is even remotely appropriate for 
  the master’s territory. This can cover as much of the 
  desmesne as the demon lord wants. Typical effects 
  include greater light, gloom, wind, rain, heat, cold, 
  or odors.
  topogrAphIc control
  A demon king can change its demesne’s land-
  scape at will to create or destroy hills, valleys, rivers, 
  gorges, and other landforms. The demon cannot 
  use this by itself as an attack, though topographic 
  control may serve as the Special Effect of an attack 
  (see below). Changing the landscape can still incon-
  venience intruders. For instance, a demon king 
  might fracture the land with a network of canyons 
  to hinder someone who tries to escape from him 
  on foot.
  IllUsIons
  A demon king can create wide-area, virtually 
  undetectable illusions in its demesne. Archdevils 
  use illusions to deceive intruders about where they 
  are, who they face, and what sort of danger they’re 
  in. Any combat automatically breaks the illusion. 
  Illusions are especially popular with the subtler sort 
  of demon lord, who would rather trick and seduce 
  the heroes.
  lImIted omnIscIence
  The master of a Netherworld demesne has 
  great awareness of local events. The demon king 
  effectively has Clairsentience with all its Senses, 
  enabling it to “look” anywhere in its demesne that 
  it pleases. The demon king can also Mind Link with 
  any of its minions at will. Fortunately for heroes, 
  archdevils don’t spend all their time spying on their 
  fiefdoms — only if they have reason to suspect a 
  threat, or once in a while just to keep their minions 
  paranoid.
  enVIronmentAl AttAcks
  Demon lords can evoke and control features of 
  the environment as attacks. In a volcanic demesne, 
  for instance, a demon king can create small 
  eruptions (RKA Area Of Effect Explosion) and 
  streams of lava (RKA with Area Of Effect [Line]). 
  In a swamp, a ruling spirit can lay down belts of 
  quicksand (Entangle with Area Of Effect and Limi-
  tations) and animate the plant life to clutch and 
  strangle (Telekinesis, Area Of Effect Nonselective).
  If the GM doesn’t want to create environmental 
  attacks through a Variable Power Pool, simply set 
  the Active Point cost of such attacks at about the 
  same as the demon king’s main attack powers, but 
  give them the following Power Advantages for free: 
  Constant, Uncontrolled, Indirect, and No Range 
  Modifier.
  The GM should give long-distance environ-
  mental attacks a fairly low OCV: it’s no fun for 
  a player to have his character exterminated by 
  an enemy he never sees. Environmental attacks 
  should also come with fair warning, such as a small 
  earth tremor and wisps of smoke a Phase before 
  a volcanic eruption, or a light sprinkling of acid 
  rain a Turn before it becomes a deadly downpour. 
  Environmental attacks serve to weaken and hinder 
  heroes, not kill them outright, and to demonstrate a 
  demon lord’s power on its home ground.
  Once the heroes face the demesne’s master 
  directly, though, GMs can suspend this gentlemanly 
  code. A demon lord can use its environmental 
  attacks simultaneously with its personal attacks 
  (remember, the land itself attacks, not the demon), 
  and the demon uses these powers to maximum 
  effect in combat. Doubling a demon lord’s attack 
  capability is not in the least bit fair to the players... 
  but what sort of idiot expects fair play in Hell?
  ADVENTurE uSE
  ADVENTurE uSE
  Heroes can find many reasons to harrow Hell. 
  In fact, a trip to Hell is practically obligatory 
  for heroes in mythology. While modern heroes 
  (mages or otherwise) might simply be stranded in 
  the Netherworld by accident and have to escape, 
  mythic heroes go to Hell deliberately. Many legends 
  tell of heroes who go to Hell to obtain something 
  they need. A demon lord might own an artifact 
  the PCs require, or one of the damned might have 
  knowledge the heroes cannot obtain any other way. 
  If a demon lord or evil god holds a hero’s DNPC 
  captive, the hero must go to the Netherworld to free 
  him.
  A demon lord’s plot to wreak havoc on Earth 
  could also draw heroes to a personal confronta-
  tion in the Netherworld. Heroes should be warned, 
  though, that attacking a high-ranking demon lord 
  in its own fortress is extraordinarily dangerous. 
  Foolhardy, even. And in the Netherworld, there 
  really are fates worse than death.
  The Netherworld is, of course, an unlimited 
  reservoir of villains ranging from feeble minion 
  imps to beings like Beelzebub and Mephistopheles 
  who have god-like powers. Other villains might be 
  mortals who sell their souls for power. Heroes from 
  Hell take more work to justify, but some Eastern 
  traditions stress that demons exist to punish sin, 
  not encourage it. Buddhism describes an especially 
  large panoply of such “righteous demons.” A mortal 
  might be fused with a demon or discover partial 
  diabolical parentage, and strive to use his powers 
  for good instead of evil. Such characters find 
  themselves torn between their human morals and 
  demonic passions — good for some angst-ridden 
  roleplaying.
  SAMPLE 
  TOrMENTS OF 
  THE DAMNED
  In the unlikely event 
  that a GM lacks a 
  suitably sadistic, 
  perverted imagination, 
  here are some typical 
  punishments for the 
  damned. They come 
  from that excellent 
  guide to the Nether-
  world, the Inferno of 
  Dante Alighieri.
  THE LUSTFUL are 
  blown about like 
  leaves in perpetual 
  storms.
  HOARDERS AND 
  WASTERS, natural 
  enemies, spend eter-
  nity trying to smash 
  each other by rolling 
  huge rocks around.
  HERETICS 
  are sealed 
  into tombs of 
  red-hot iron.
  MURDERERS wade 
  through a river of 
  boiling blood. Centaur 
  archers on the banks 
  prevent them from 
  getting out.
  FLATTERERS march 
  through excrement 
  that comes from their 
  own mouths.
  FORTUNETELLERS 
  march with their 
  heads twisted back-
  wards; nevermore 
  will they see where 
  they’re going.
  SOWERS OF DISCORD 
  get sliced up by 
  demons, over and 
  over.
  TRAITORS are frozen 
  into a lake of ice.
  4
  
  120 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ELYSIuM
  ELYSIuM
  T
  he realm of Elysium formed from human 
  ideals of Goodness; more specifically, the 
  ideals set by the so-called “ethical” religions. 
  Elysium coalesced out of the Astral Plane 
  around the fifth century BC. The previous 400 
  years saw a remarkable wave of religious reformers, 
  prophets and mystics. In China, Lao Tzu revealed 
  the mystic vision of Taoism; Confucius proposed 
  a more worldly philosophy of good conduct and 
  social contracts. In India, Siddhartha Gautama 
  became the Buddha — the Enlightened One — and 
  set forth a path of inner peace and transcendence. 
  Vardhamana, founder of Jainism, preached a 
  doctrine of total nonviolence and reverence for 
  all life. In Persia, Zoroaster proclaimed the duty 
  of every person to choose the right side in the 
  eternal war of Good and Evil. The Jews in Palestine 
  reformed the Torah after their captivity in Babylon, 
  and so laid the foundations for Christianity and 
  Islam as well. In Greece, philosophers like Thales 
  and Pythagoras explored rational inquiry and 
  humanism.
  All these thinkers rejected the capricious, 
  all-too-human gods of their time. They created 
  new moralities based on higher laws than mere 
  tribal custom and the whims of fickle deities. They 
  intended their new laws for all people and all 
  circumstances. New beliefs created new spirits and 
  new spirit-realms that gradually pulled away from 
  the Land of Legends, even as Faerie pulled away 
  from Earth.
  GEOGrAPHY
  GEOGrAPHY
  Elysium is the most difficult Imaginal Realm to 
  reach from the Astral Plane. Without an invitation 
  from a resident or a total religious commitment, 
  all attempts to reach Elysium suffer a -5 penalty 
  on Navigation (Astral or Dimensional) rolls. The 
  GM may even want to require a roll from charac-
  ters whose Extra-Dimensional Movement powers 
  normally work automatically.
  It’s not easy to go from one section of Elysium 
  to another, either. In the other Parterres, connec-
  tions between regions are easy and visible: it’s just 
  a matter of traveling the right path. In Elysium, 
  however, the regions did not grow together tightly. 
  To pass from one region to another, a traveler 
  must locate hidden nexus points, or use Extra-
  Dimensional Movement powers. As a general rule, 
  the Heavens of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, 
  Christianity, and Islam) have pretty good access to 
  each other. The Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist 
  Heavens also enjoy good connections, and even 
  admit each other’s existence. Between the Eastern 
  and Western Heavens, however, there is no direct 
  contact. A traveler from one set of demesnes to 
  the other must find paths through small, marginal 
  regions of Elysium.
  On the other hand, nexus points link Elysium 
  to the other Imaginal Realms — even its enemy, 
  the Netherworld. The Abrahamic Elysians care-
  fully guard all nexus points from the Netherworld 
  and Babylon, but the zones of the Eastern religions 
  maintain strong, even promiscuous, connections 
  to regions within the Netherworld and Faerie. 
  Taoism, for instance, is only half an ethical religion: 
  popular Taoism retains its ties to older, animistic 
  beliefs in gods, nature spirits, and ancestor worship. 
  The Celestial Emperor’s court in Elysium rules the 
  Chinese sections of Faerie and exchanges diplo-
  matic missions with the Yama-Kings in Chinese 
  Hell.
  LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
  Many cultures imagine Heaven in terms of 
  gardens and palaces. Even when the abode of the 
  blessed features mountains and forests, these are 
  stylized, well-behaved landscapes, with terraces and 
  pavilions from which characters can enjoy the view.
  All the symbols of ease, pleasure, and wealth 
  show up repeatedly in Elysium. Palaces, fountains, 
  and even trees are made of silver and gold. Jewels 
  appear as gravel in streambeds, or form the pave-
  ment of halls. Fruit trees and flowers abound. The 
  blessed wear clothes of costly fabrics and dine on 
  the finest food and drink, but no one has to do 
  laundry or go to the bathroom.
  The regions where the Great Powers themselves 
  dwell, however, go for grandeur instead of luxury. 
  Here the scenery runs to mammoth temple-palaces 
  of gold, marble, and jewels, with rivers of fire, 
  blazing light, and hosts of spirits singing praises.
  rELIGIOuS HEAVENS
  Most regions of Elysium derive from the 
  Heavens or Paradises envisioned by a particular 
  religion. Here you find the luxurious Seven 
  Heavens of Islam, the paradisaical island of P’eng-
  lai from Chinese mythology (and many more 
  — popular Taoism and Buddhism have invented 
  dozens of Heavens). Since human ideas of Paradise 
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  121
  are often quite fuzzy, many regions in Elysium 
  merely echo general ideas of what a Heaven should 
  be, without following specific myths too closely.
  The Jewish, Christian, and Muslim demesnes 
  form the most isolated bloc of Elysian regions. 
  These regions communicate somewhat because 
  the three religions share their God (even if they 
  disagree on His message). The Abrahamic spirits, 
  however, refuse to admit the existence of the other 
  Heavens. In fact, the angels are under orders not 
  to tell the blessed of each religion that believers 
  in other Abrahamic faiths made it to Heaven. The 
  Eastern-bloc spirits (Buddhism, higher Taoism, and 
  higher Hinduism) think this is funny.
  Ironically, the region that gave Elysium its name 
  is small and isolated from the rest of the dimension. 
  The original Elysium was the Paradise envisioned 
  late in the history of Greek religion, when Pythag-
  oras and other mystics created an ethical religion 
  on a mixture of Greek, Middle Eastern, and even 
  Hindu ideas. Pythagoreanism lasted until at least 
  the second century AD, but the triumph of Christi-
  anity stifled it.
  POPuLAr HEAVENS
  Several of Elysium’s regions were never formally 
  defined by dogma. These Paradises grew from the 
  popular imagination. Here, for instance, one finds 
  the Heaven of folk Christianity, all fluffy white 
  clouds and harp music. Specialized Heavens for 
  particular occupations fall into this category too, 
  such as Gourmet Heaven (all dining room) and 
  Doctor’s Heaven (a golf course). There’s a Lawyer’s 
  Heaven too, but it’s completely empty.
  Sample regions
  Sample regions
  Here are some examples of Elysian demesnes. 
  Some come from “official” religious doctrines (with 
  descriptions drawn from various scriptures), while 
  others come from popular mythology.
  THE HEAVENLY JEruSALEM
  It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at 
  the gates twelve angels.... The wall was built of jasper, 
  while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The 
  foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with 
  every jewel... and the twelve gates were twelve pearls, 
  each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street 
  of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass... And 
  the city had no need of sun or moon to shine upon 
  it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the 
  Lamb.
  —Revelation 21:12-23
  The Christian districts of Elysium all connect 
  to the Heavenly Jerusalem. The most devout of the 
  blessed dwell within. The Book of Revelation says 
  that after the final defeat of Satan, this divine city 
  shall manifest on a transformed Earth. Until then, 
  anyone who seeks a face-to-face meeting with the 
  saints must dare the city’s golden streets. The truly 
  righteous and redeemed may enter in safety, but 
  any mortal who is less than perfectly devout and 
  penitent commits blasphemy just by passing the 
  city gates. The Heavenly Jerusalem’s guards punish 
  such blasphemy with death and consignment to 
  Hell.
  the gArden of eden
  And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in 
  the east.... And out of the ground the Lord God made 
  to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and 
  good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the 
  garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and 
  evil.
  —Genesis 2:8-9
  Four rivers spring from the hill where the Tree 
  of Life and the Tree of Knowledge grow. Eden never 
  sees rain, but a mist periodically rises from the 
  ground to water the plants. All kinds of animals 
  dwell in peace within the Garden, except the 
  accursed serpent.
  Unlike most paradises, Eden looks relatively 
  natural. The trees and plants bear flowers and 
  fruit continuously, and the animals are all vegetar-
  ians, but the plants are still just plants and the 
  animals are just animals: they aren’t made of gold 
  or anything like that. Even the Trees of Knowledge 
  and Life look like regular fruit trees — an apple and 
  a peach, as it happens.
  Although Eden connects to other Abrahamic 
  Heavens, access is forbidden. Angelic guards with 
  flaming swords stand at Eden’s access points with 
  orders not to let any Human enter for any reason.
  pop heAVen
  Countless movies, cartoons, and TV commer-
  cials portray Christian Heaven as a realm of puffy 
  clouds inhabited by white-robed men and women 
  with white wings and tinsel haloes. Some of them 
  carry little harps. Pop Heaven is entered through 
  a gate of golden filigree. The gatekeeper, St. Peter 
  (or at least someone who says he’s St. Peter) owns a 
  book listing who’s due to arrive.
  JANNAT
  The Koran describes Jannat (“Garden”), the 
  Heaven of Islam, thus: “This is the similitude of 
  Paradise which the godfearing have been promised; 
  therein are rivers of water unstaling, rivers of milk 
  unchanging in flavor, and rivers of wine — a delight 
  to the drinkers; rivers, too, of honey purified; and 
  therein for them is every fruit, and forgiveness from 
  their Lord” (Sura 47:16).
  Other stanzas mention the houris, the beautiful, 
  dark-eyed and perpetually virginal maidens who 
  wait to pleasure the faithful Muslim man when he 
  wants a change from drinking water, milk, honey, 
  and the wine that was forbidden to him in life. The 
  Koran is a little fuzzy about any corresponding 
  rewards for faithful Muslim women. Muslim theo-
  logians say the rewards of Jannat are symbolic, and 
  therefore gender-neutral. As always, however, the 
  popular imagination stays firmly literal.
  4
  
  122 n The Multiverse 
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  P’ENG-LAI SHAN
  These three islands form the Eastern Paradise of 
  popular Taoism. Here life is all ease and pleasure. 
  The houses are built of gold and silver, and the 
  trees bear coral and pearls. The snow-white birds 
  and animals drink, like the inhabitants, from the 
  Fountain of Life. Flowers scent the breeze with 
  delicious perfumes, and their seeds grant immor-
  tality to whoever eats them. P’eng-lai’s most famous 
  inhabitants are a group of deathless sages called the 
  Eight Immortals.
  Legends claim that P’eng-lai is hard to reach 
  even for an Earthly paradise. The water around the 
  islands has no buoyancy, so ships sink; the three 
  islands can only be reached by magic. Actually, 
  P’eng-lai never existed on Earth at all, but it’s still 
  true that no one can sail or swim in the waters 
  around these blessed isles.
  AMITABHA
  Amitabha is only the most well-known of the 
  Buddha-land Heavens. Amitabha features lotus 
  ponds, avenues of trees decorated with jewels, birds 
  that sing in tune with spirit musicians, perfumed 
  air, and gemstones strewn like gravel. Buddhas, 
  boddhisattvas (Buddhist “saints”), angelic spirits, 
  and minor gods dwell in Amitabha along with 
  other blessed souls.
  Unlike most religions, the Heavens of Buddhism 
  are not places for permanent residence after death. 
  They merely serve advanced souls as pleasant 
  way-stations between incarnations. The real goal of 
  Buddhism is nirvana — dissolving the self into the 
  Cosmic Mind that is the only true reality. The wise 
  inhabitants of Amitabha are just a few steps from 
  this goal, or have done so but resumed mortal limi-
  tations to teach the rest of humanity. The blessed 
  who attain Amitabha learn how to take those final 
  steps, and the Buddha-land’s sages know many 
  great secrets of the Multiverse.
  rOCK CANDY MOuNTAIN
  “Oh, the buzzing of the bees in the peppermint 
  trees, and the soda water fountain....” The modern 
  version of the garden of luxury, as envisaged by a 
  hobo, features candy growing on trees and other 
  tasty surprises. A fellow can loaf to his heart’s 
  content, or tease the ineffectual, wooden-legged 
  cops and the dogs with rubber teeth. Rock Candy 
  Mountain gets boring after a while, though.
  No supernatural powers have yet claimed this 
  pagan bit of Paradise. Rock Candy Mountain is 
  one of the safest parts of Elysium to visit. It also 
  contains hidden nexus points to other folk Heavens 
  and the Land of Legends.
  INHABITANTS
  INHABITANTS
  The inhabitants of Elysium lack the diversity 
  of Earth’s other Parterres, but they include some 
  of the most powerful of spirits. Billions of people 
  actively worship the gods of Elysium, so they 
  receive abundant magical energy to share with their 
  subordinates.
  Some of the Elysian spirits have roles in 
  more than one religion. The Archangel Gabriel, 
  for instance, is an important figure in Judaism, 
  Christianity, and Islam. Gabriel must hop between 
  demesnes and pretend in each one that the other 
  Heavens don’t exist; he is not a happy archangel.
  All Elysians are good, by the standards of the 
  religions that spawned them. They’re not neces-
  sarily gentle, merciful, or in other ways “nice.” Most 
  religious codes of morality place a strong emphasis 
  on punishment... or at least most believers think so, 
  even if the official doctrine centers on forgiveness 
  or renunciation of violence.
  ANGELIC SPIrITS
  Each of the ethical religions defines its own 
  classes of servitor spirits. The Abrahamic traditions 
  call them angels. The amschaspands and yazatas 
  of Zoroastrianism are very similar. Hinduism 
  and Buddhism share the devas. Popular Taoism 
  describes assorted fairies and genies called shen. 
  Confucianism propounds no spirits of its own, but 
  advises followers to revere their ancestors and the 
  gods of Taoism, because they are part of tradition.
  The Abrahamic angels are currently the most 
  active and militant Elysian spirits. Most of them are 
  not warm and fuzzy benefactors of mankind. Only 
  the Angels of Mercy fit that modern, watered-down 
  conception. Older lore says that angels punish as 
  often as they reward or assist.
  BLESSED SOuLS
  Just as notably evil souls go to the Netherworld, 
  the souls of notably good (or at least notably 
  religious) people go to Elysium when they die. 
  Elysium’s population of former mortals is consider-
  ably smaller than the Netherworld’s.
  sAInts And sAges
  The mightiest among the blessed are the saints. 
  Their “god” delegates power to them; some saints 
  developed magic powers of their own, before their 
  death; some even receive significant worship on 
  their own. The term “saint” here refers not just 
  to Christian figures, but also to Hebrew prophets 
  such as Elijah and Isaiah, Muslim imams and Sufi 
  mullahs, great Hindu gurus and yogins, Buddhist 
  bodhisattvas, and Taoist and Confucian sages. Even 
  a few secular people whose virtues brought them 
  reverence become saints in Elysium, including rare, 
  saintly wizards such as Apollonius of Tyana.
  Having been mortal themselves, saints feel more 
  sympathy for the problems of ordinary people 
  than the great lords of Elysium ever do. The Ban 
  seldom permits saints to help people on Earth 
  directly. They may help the faithful through visions, 
  however, or through subtle miracles on behalf of 
  mortals who are themselves holy.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  123
  GODS AND DEMIGODS
  The gods of the various religions dwell in 
  Elysium. Their ranks include Jehovah/Christ/
  Allah, Shang Ti the Celestial Emperor, and deified 
  founders of religions such as the Buddha and Lao 
  Tzu. These powerful figures tell the angelic spirits 
  what to do, and bear the responsibility for their 
  actions.
  Worship by billions of mortals makes the gods 
  of Elysium tremendously powerful by mortal (or 
  even super-mortal) standards. There’s no point 
  in writing up such powerful characters (even if 
  doing so would not be deeply offensive to many 
  believers). In most case, the GM can treat the gods 
  as plot devices: they talk, and if need be can do 
  pretty much anything they want, but heroes and 
  villains chiefly interact with the saints and angelic 
  spirits.
  For all their power, however, the rulers of 
  Elysium are not the cosmic figures that official 
  doctrine claims. They merely embody mortal ideas 
  about gods. The Jehovah who rules the Heavenly 
  Jerusalem is not the Supreme Being and Creator 
  of the Universe; neither is the Buddha found in 
  Elysium the actual, historic Buddha. The gods of 
  Elysium are not all-knowing or truly all-powerful. 
  They make mistakes and have temper tantrums. 
  Kabbalistic mystics refuse to call the God in 
  Elysium by the name of Jehovah. Instead, they call 
  him the Shekhinah, or “Countenace” — the mask 
  of God. Most Christian and Muslim sorcerers also 
  follow this practice, while Eastern mystics refer to 
  Elysium’s gods and Buddhas as avatars. The Elysians 
  may help simple folk approach the divine, but the 
  wise treat them as conduits for worship rather than 
  the subjects of worship in their own right.
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  Like the other Parterres, reality in Elysium 
  follows certain rules that visiting characters must 
  keep in mind. Some of these rules echo the condi-
  tions in the Netherworld.
  INDESTruCTIBLE SPIrITS
  Like the demons and the damned of the Neth-
  erworld, the blessed spirits of Elysium cannot be 
  destroyed by any normal means. “Death” on other 
  planes just dispels them back to Elysium, and 
  “death” in Elysium itself just forces a temporary 
  discorporation. The spirit eventually forms again. 
  Certain terrible magic spells can bring true death to 
  an Elysian — but if giving the final death to one of 
  the damned is a thing not done lightly, think how 
  portentous it must be to kill one of the blessed!
  IMMOrTALITY
  In all the districts of Elysium, there is no sick-
  ness or death (at least, no natural death). While in 
  Elysium, mortals become immortal: all diseases 
  are healed and aging stops for the duration of 
  the visit. Visitors easily become permanently 
  immortal (i.e., they can buy Life Support [Immu-
  nity and/or Longevity]), if one of the Great Powers 
  concurs; stealing immortality is more difficult and 
  a character can make powerful enemies that way. 
  In fact, some districts of Elysium contain items that 
  cure disease and prolong life even if taken to Earth, 
  such as the Peaches of Immortality from Chinese 
  mythology.
  ENVIrONMENTAL CONTrOL
  Just as the chief powers of the Netherworld 
  can control the environment or their personal 
  demesnes, the Great Powers of Elysium can 
  manipulate the Heavens under their control. (See 
  the Netherworld description for details.)
  ADVENTurE uSE
  ADVENTurE uSE
  With all the enemies heroes have, they’d like 
  a few powerful friends. Elysium would seem to 
  offer such allies... but in truth, Elysium offers fewer 
  friends than PCs might expect.
  The Great Powers of Elysium aren’t especially 
  cordial. Some gods won’t offer anything but advice. 
  Others expect a complete religious commit-
  ment from anyone who asks for help. Elysians 
  may demand that characters prove they deserve 
  any help, and they have very high standards. The 
  Elysians certainly insist on favors in return.
  What’s more, misery on Earth is not necessarily 
  bad for Elysium. Secularism presents as great a 
  threat to the gods of Elysium as any evil power of 
  the Netherworld. Religion — all religion — flour-
  ishes in times of trouble. As long as a menace 
  doesn’t directly threaten to reduce their worship, 
  Elysium’s gods might not care.
  Desperate characters may try to steal some aid 
  from Elysium. For instance, a person with a DNPC 
  dying of cancer or AIDS might try to steal an all-
  curing apple from the Tree of Life in Eden. This 
  would lead to conflict with Elysian spirits, either in 
  Elysium or on Earth afterward.
  Since the religions that created Elysium don’t all 
  tolerate each other, neither do the Elysian powers. 
  Religious conflicts on Earth may invite super-
  natural intervention — for example, heroes who try 
  to stop a “holy war” may find themselves fighting 
  against Elysian spirits. After that, one of the Great 
  Powers might put them on a hit list. Elysians may 
  also be deceived, deluded, or misguided, or just in 
  the wrong place at the wrong time.
  Elysium makes an excellent source for heroes, 
  though. An angel or boddhisattva could decide 
  his duty lies on Earth, among mortals. Such a 
  hero probably suffers a form of exile for placing 
  mortals above doctrine, but sets an example of 
  virtue second to none. Wizard-saints like Albertus 
  Magnus or Lao Tzu could also give superpowers 
  to people of great moral courage, to help humanity 
  fight the Netherworld’s minions.
  Supervillains may come from Elysium as well, 
  but these villain are not so much evil as inflex-
  ible. For example, a warrior angel exists to destroy 
  the enemies of God. He wasn’t created to make 
  moral judgments of his own. Left unsupervised, he 
  might attack pornographers, “infidel” (i.e., Hindu 
  or Buddhist) temples, or people who work on the 
  Sabbath.
  4
  
  124 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  BABYLON: 
  BABYLON: 
  THE CITY OF MAN
  THE CITY OF MAN
  B
  abylon completes the Great Quaternion 
  of the Inner Planes. This dimension was 
  once very small, but it exploded in size 
  and power as the human race multiplied 
  and bound the Earth in railroads, highways, and 
  cities. The lords of Elysium and the Netherworld 
  view Babylon’s rise with both hope and fear, for it 
  tips the ancient balance of power. An alliance with 
  Babylon could give either realm a final victory... or 
  Babylon might conquer all the Parterres and make 
  Man truly the measure of all things.
  Babylon echoes all the great cities of the past 
  and present, real and imagined — perhaps even 
  cities to come. Mere size doesn’t confer greatness: a 
  city must radiate its image into men’s thoughts, so it 
  became a thing of symbol as much as of wood and 
  stone and steel, before Babylon reflects its qualities. 
  The London of Queen Victoria is more real than 
  the London of today — at least in Babylon. Hiro-
  shima, whose famous cherry groves bloom a short 
  walk from humanity’s most terrible feat of destruc-
  tion, echoes more powerfully in Babylon than does 
  Osaka, a sprawling megalopolis that exists only 
  because it’s useful.
  Babylon thus resembles every great city on 
  Earth, only more so. Its skyscrapers tower impos-
  sibly high. Its freeways sprawl wider than football 
  fields; its back alleys form a cramped and tangled 
  maze. It’s built on a bay, a river, a crossroads, and 
  an oasis. Like Rome and San Francisco, it has seven 
  hills. In its malls, department stores, arcades, and 
  bazaars you can buy anything possible to Human 
  art or fancy — but some things cost more than 
  money.
  Babylon is, above all, the realm of secular 
  ambition. Power, money, and skill rule affairs in 
  Babylon. The world’s great religions often place 
  their hearts in cities (Jerusalem, Rome, Mecca, 
  Benares...), and Babylon holds many a temple, 
  cathedral, and mosque. But the cities find so much 
  more to occupy men’s minds, so many ways to 
  distract people from religion. Saint Augustine 
  advised Christians to renounce the City of Man for 
  the City of God. As fewer and fewer people take his 
  advice, Babylon grows. What happens to the gods 
  when Humanity realizes it can build a new Heaven 
  and new Earth all by itself?
  GEOGrAPHY
  GEOGrAPHY
  Characters can journey to Babylon directly, or 
  approach it from the Astral Plane. From the Astral 
  Plane, Babylon looks like a tightly bounded blur 
  of towers. Once you enter the city gates, however, 
  Babylon explodes outwards and you stand in the 
  thick of the city. From the inside, in fact, Babylon 
  doesn’t seem to have an outside: whichever way a 
  character goes, he finds more city. Babylon’s main 
  streets seem to go straight but actually form closed 
  loops. You can find the city gates again and leave 
  for the Astral Plane, but you must know the proper 
  route.
  The city contains many districts, each with 
  its own character. The districts interpenetrate, 
  appearing and disappearing like overlaid mirages. 
  A flight of steps might connect imperial Beijing to a 
  Middle Eastern bazaar or a modern mall. Walking 
  down a single road, a character might see exam-
  ples of the architecture and customs of cultures 
  separated by thousands of miles and thousands of 
  years standing side-by-side, or just across the street 
  from each other. Somewhere in Babylon — it’s not 
  shown on any map — a subway leads to the city of 
  Pandemonium in the Netherworld, and an elevator 
  reaches the New Jerusalem in Elysium.
  Characters can buy guides to the mazy, shifting 
  streets of Babylon, but interpreting the multi-
  dimensional maps is a task fit for an Einstein. 
  Inexperienced visitors should hire expert help, such 
  as a cabby or a street urchin.
  HISTOrICAL DISTrICTS
  Most districts of Babylon mimic the great cities 
  of the past and present, from ancient Athens to 
  modern Los Angeles. Some of the oldest districts 
  are fading, though. Only fragments remain of cities 
  from more than 2,000 years old.
  IMAGINArY DISTrICTS
  Babylon also contains hints and fragments of 
  imaginary cities such as the Emerald City of Oz or 
  the sky-piercing spires of the Traditional Science 
  Fiction city, complete with monorails and hover-
  craft pads. Visitors may see these districts in the 
  distance, but it’s quite difficult to actually reach 
  them.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  125
  ABSTrACT DISTrICTS
  Some districts are based on abstract, stripped-
  down aspects of cities. Babylon includes a neigh-
  borhood where only the plumbing of the buildings 
  stands; a huge, tangled cloverleaf where it’s always 
  rush hour and the traffic is always jammed; and a 
  district entirely composed of funeral parlors and 
  tombs.
  Sample Locations
  Sample Locations
  Here are a few of the unusual or important 
  places within Babylon.
  FuTurOPOLIS
  This classic Sci-Fi movie city features mile-high, 
  Art Deco skyscrapers and aircars flitting about. 
  Everyone is Caucasian and wears a silver jumpsuit. 
  Fins make buildings, vehicles, and machines look 
  aseptically high-tech, in a quaint and clunky sort of 
  way. There’s no sign of plant or animal life, wild or 
  domesticated.
  BYZANTIuM
  Artifice shows itself most beautifully in the 
  administrative district of Babylon. Byzantium 
  features broad streets and plazas lined with stately 
  public buildings and villas, with lots of white 
  marble, columns, domes, mosaic floors, and carved 
  friezes. Even the apartment buildings, shops and 
  taverns on the district’s fringe show a crisp, Clas-
  sical dignity (regardless of what cultural or archi-
  tectural style they embody).
  In the middle of Byzantium stands the palace 
  compound of the Emperor. The vast, labyrinthine 
  place includes gardens and barracks. The huge 
  throne room features a vaulted roof of dark blue 
  lapis lazuli set with jeweled constellations. Abso-
  lutely everything in the palace is beautiful, or at 
  least not ugly. The palace contains enough Greek 
  statues, Ming vases, Japanese scroll paintings, 
  jeweled Fabergé knicknacks, and Persian carpets to 
  pay off the debts of every nation on Earth. Whole 
  businesses in Byzantium work full time creating 
  more objets d’art to divert the Emperor and his 
  court.
  In some ways, the Imperial Palace is a micro-
  cosm of Babylon, just like Babylon is a microcosm 
  of Earth. The Palace extends into several districts 
  of Babylon, where it takes the form of celebrated 
  palaces from history and legend. In the Old China 
  districts, the Palace resembles the Forbidden City. 
  In Istanbul, you enter it through a copy of the 
  Topkapi Palace. In Victorian London, the Palace 
  looks and feels like the Tower of London.
  THE LIBrArY
  The Library’s hushed chambers hold copies 
  of nearly every book or magazine ever formally 
  published on Earth, and a lot that weren’t. It is the 
  greatest repository of information in the Parterres. 
  A character with a borrower’s card can read 
  newspapers, novels, or magazines in languages 
  he doesn’t actually know: Everyone within the 
  Library’s walls receives the Universal Translator 
  Talent for purposes of reading the Library’s 
  contents.
  4
  
  126 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The most amazing materials reside in the closed 
  stacks. The Library boasts extensive collections of 
  works lost to Earth, such as the plays of Sophocles 
  that burned with the library of Alexandria, or the 
  histories that the first emperor of China burned so 
  people would know nothing from before his reign. 
  Special vaults hold scrolls, tablets, and tomes from 
  lost civilizations, all the way back to mankind’s 
  earliest civilizations (such as Atlantis) and beyond, 
  though these collections are far less complete.
  The Library’s acquisitions program extends to 
  books that might never exist. One endless room in 
  the Library’s basement holds millions of automated 
  printing presses churning out every book that could 
  ever be written. For centuries, the presses simply 
  printed pages of random letters, on the theory that 
  eventually they would print out everything. In 
  1973, however, the master wizard Archimago gave 
  the Library a spirit of Artifice that sifts meaningful 
  information out of random processes. The spirit 
  ensures that the presses print syntactically mean-
  ingful statements — real words in real languages, 
  not gibberish. Archimago’s gift vastly accelerated 
  the Library’s program, though the librarians still 
  face the problem of finding out what stuff is actually 
  true. The spirit knows nothing but grammar; it can’t 
  sort truth from falsehood.
  A borrower’s card for the Library of Babylon is a 
  1-point Fringe Benefit. This lets a character use the 
  Library’s reference services at a low level. Effec-
  tively, the Library has at least an 11- rating in every 
  conceivable Knowledge Skill. Reference searches 
  take hours to days, at GM’s whim, with no benefits 
  for extra time. A card-holder cannot consult the 
  closed stacks, however, without special permission 
  from a librarian or various city officials.
  A privileged membership costs 5 Character 
  Points. This raises the Library’s effective knowl-
  edge rating to at least 13-, and lets the character 
  can use the closed stacks (though he still cannot 
  check out these special books). No PC can start as 
  a high priority user. The Library grants this Fringe 
  Benefit only in return for a bequest as magnificent 
  as Archimago’s information-spirit.
  THE rOOKErIES
  The name comes from Victorian London, but 
  most major cities contain these noxious, violent, 
  crowded slums — the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the 
  ghettoes of modern American cities, and more. 
  Babylon’s Rookeries are the worst of all. The slab-
  like public housing high-rises of concrete jostle 
  smaller tenements of decaying red brick. Streets 
  and alleys between buildings have been roofed 
  over and divided into rooms. Shanties perch on the 
  rooftops; improvised bridges, tunnels, and ladders 
  connect the various structures. The chief industry is 
  crime; the inhabitants see all intruders as targets for 
  robbery and murder. If a criminal escapes into the 
  Rookeries, nothing short of magic can locate him 
  or drag him out again.
  VICTOrIANA
  This part of Babylon derives from steampunk 
  fantasy versions of Victorian England and the 
  Industrial Revolution. London’s usual foggy gloom 
  is made worse by the belching of smokestacks. 
  Scientists and adventurers equipped with clock-
  work gadgetry and chemistry that owes as much 
  to alchemy as to Faraday battle (or create) various 
  menaces. Airships traverse the skies. Modern 
  super-scientists using technological devices to visit 
  Babylon are likely to end up here... regardless of 
  which part of the City of Man they were aiming for.
  INHABITANTS
  INHABITANTS
  A city is made of people as much as streets and 
  buildings. The people of Babylon are as remarkable 
  as their home.
  HuMANS
  Most inhabitants of Babylon are just ordinary 
  Humans, gathered from all the great urban civiliza-
  tions. Most Babylonians live with their own kind 
  in their own districts, but they travel through 
  the city freely. Walking down a street in Babylon, 
  visitors see a Chinese rickshaw dodge an elephant 
  bearing a sumptuous Indian howdah, a medieval 
  bishop arguing theology with a Greek philosopher, 
  pinstriped Chicago mobsters eyeing Los Angeles 
  gangbangers strutting in their colors, a French 
  courtier dripping with lace and jewels, Victorian 
  streetwalkers, spacers from future cities in the 
  asteroid belt, and merchants of Timbuktu.
  Every native of Babylon speaks at least three 
  languages fluently. This usually includes English. 
  More people live on Earth now than in all of history 
  put together, so the languages that are most popular 
  on modern Earth are also the most common 
  languages in Babylon.
  CONurBITES
  This magical race is analogous to the elves of 
  Faerie. The conurbites live TV-commercial lives 
  of glamor and conspicuous consumption. They 
  look mostly Human; some of them sport “cyborg” 
  machine parts, and their skin has a plastic sheen.
  Like the faerie-folk, conurbites possess innate 
  abilities. Conurbite powers usually deal with 
  controlling or reshaping matter. Each one also has 
  a special attack form based on an appliance, such 
  as “morphing” a hand into an electric carving knife 
  (HKA) or a super-powerful blow dryer (Blast with 
  Double Knockback). The conurbite race is very 
  new, and hasn’t found its final form yet.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  127
  POP ICONS
  People, real or imagined, can materialize in 
  Babylon if enough people think about them. John F. 
  Kennedy and Elvis live in Babylon. So do Sherlock 
  Holmes, Bugs Bunny, and Ronald McDonald. 
  Watch out for Jack the Ripper: Babylon’s version is 
  as lethal and unstoppable as people imagine Jack 
  to be, making him far nastier than the real Ripper. 
  Iconic real people never appear in Babylon until 
  they die.
  THE EMPErOr
  The Emperor of Babylon might be Human, but 
  then again he might not. Nobody knows what the 
  Emperor looks like, because he always goes masked 
  or in disguise. The Emperor often moves about 
  Babylon incognito. He’s reputed to be an extremely 
  powerful magician or spirit; that would explain 
  how he balances the many competing factions of 
  Babylon and keeps the city from self-destructing.
  The Emperor doesn’t care about good or evil; 
  he simply tries to keep Babylon from tearing itself 
  apart. He is The Man — authority without a face. 
  Anyone who wants his help must show some 
  respect for procedure, and explain why a course of 
  action benefits the city. Still, the Emperor is a bit 
  of a trickster, too. Petitioners sometimes find the 
  minor functionary they badgered for an audience 
  was actually the Emperor himself.
  INTELLIGENT ANIMALS
  Just like cities on Earth, many animals live 
  in Babylon. The city’s rats, pigeons, and roaches, 
  however, are sometimes intelligent. The sentient 
  animals set up their own communities outside the 
  view of most Humans. The rat cities among the 
  sewers and other underground tunnels are particu-
  larly extensive.
  LIVING MACHINES
  Everybody treats the machines in their lives as 
  though they had thought and will... so in Babylon, 
  some of them do. Earthly cities have to deal with 
  packs of stray dogs; Babylon has problems with 
  packs of stray cars.
  LIVING ArT
  People in Babylon encounter the occasional 
  living statue, store mannequin, or gargoyle. Even 
  if these creatures can’t move, they can talk. Talking 
  paintings are common, too. In Babylon, anything 
  that counterfeits the Human form tends to come to 
  life.
  rEALLY WEIrD THINGS
  Babylon now generates strange creatures worthy 
  of the wildest urban legends. More than one hook-
  handed serial killer stalks Babylon’s streets. You 
  really don’t want to meet the mutant alligators in 
  Babylon’s sewers, or the elementals of smog and 
  toxic waste. This is final proof, if any were needed, 
  that Babylon has come of age as a dimension: it 
  generates places, creatures, and images of its own, 
  instead of merely copying directly from Human 
  imagination.
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  SPECIAL CONDITIONS
  Except for its geographic peculiarities, the 
  dimension of Babylon has few physical conditions 
  that could affect adventures. In many ways it is 
  the most Earthlike and “Human” of the Parterres. 
  Most of Babylon’s “special conditions” are social 
  or economic. For instance, how does Babylon feed 
  its population? It’s magic... and anyone who wants 
  more of an explanation must discover the truth for 
  himself.
  FINDING YOur WAY
  All movement within a district 
  follows normal rules. Travel between 
  districts, however, becomes more 
  problematic.
  Like the Astral Plane, distance in 
  Babylon depends on the traveler’s will 
  and how much the destination resembles 
  the starting-point. Use the rules for astral 
  shortcuts to find how long a character 
  takes to find a particular district: such 
  travel takes a base time of 20 minutes 
  and involves crossing several districts. 
  You can attempt a quicker, more direct 
  journey, but at less chance of getting 
  where you want to go. But Naviga-
  tion (Astral) doesn’t Complement the 
  EGO Roll to reach the desired location; 
  instead, characters can buy CK: Babylon 
  and use it as a Complementary Skill. See 
  the accompanying text box for additional 
  modifiers; as with astral shortcuts, these 
  indicate steps up or down the Time 
  Chart from 20 Minutes, not dice roll 
  modifiers.
  For every 2 points by which a char-
  acter succeeds with his EGO Roll, the 
  duration of his journey improves by one 
  step up the Time Chart (minimum of 1 
  Minute). Failing the roll means he ends 
  up somewhere he didn’t plan, but carries 
  no worse penalty.
  A character’s actual movement rate 
  doesn’t affect cross-district travel. A 
  character who flies at 100 miles an hour, 
  for instance, arrives no sooner than a 
  person who simply walks: he moves 
  faster, but passes through many more 
  districts.
  Teleportation doesn’t work between 
  districts unless the destination is a Fixed Point or 
  the character can actually see his target location. 
  If a character looks down a cross-street and see 
  another district, he can Teleport there. Characters 
  who want to travel instantly to locations in other 
  districts must use Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  and succeed with a CK: Babylon roll, with the same 
  modifiers as normal movement. The character may 
  use Navigation (Astral) as a Complementary Skill 
  Roll.
  BABYLON 
  BABYLON 
  TrAVEL
  TrAVEL
  Modifier
  Time Chart 
  Adjustment 
  Factor
  +1
  Destination comes 
  from the same 
  time period as the 
  starting district
  +1
  Destination comes 
  from the same 
  culture as the 
  starting district
  +1
  Destination is a 
  major city land-
  mark (example: 
  Acropolis of 
  Athens)
  +2
  Destination is 
  Byzantium
  -1
  Destination is a 
  city from more 
  than 2,000 years 
  old that no longer 
  exists
  -1
  Destination is a 
  non-historical 
  district (example: 
  Futuropolis)
  -2
  Destination is 
  an abstract 
  district (example: 
  Plumbing District)
  4
  
  128 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  LONG-rANGE SCANNING
  Babylon’s twisted, interwoven, many-folded 
  space makes it both easier and difficult to locate 
  things at a distance (as by Mind Scan or Telescopic 
  Enhanced Senses). For purposes of scanning, 
  nothing in Babylon is more than 1 kilometer away. 
  After that, Range modifiers stop. On the other 
  hand, characters cannot register the direction 
  of anything more than 100 meters away. A scan 
  beyond this range registers a shimmer of readings 
  from all directions, appearing and disappearing 
  as the districts rearrange themselves. Babylon is a 
  great place to hide.
  mInd scAn In bAbylon
  Characters can still use Mind Scan to form a 
  mental link across districts of Babylon, or to target 
  Mental Powers. (Similarly, they can maintain a 
  Mind Link across districts, unless the GM rules 
  otherwise based on special effects, dramatic sense, 
  or other considerations.) To target other charac-
  ters across districts, however, requires that the 
  Power used have the Advantages Indirect (at least 
  at the +½ level to change the power’s Path) and 
  Transdimensional (to or within Babylon; +½). The 
  character still doesn’t know his target’s actual loca-
  tion, no matter how good a Mind Scan lock-on he 
  obtains.
  Most districts have a population in the 
  thousands. Mind Scanning such districts suffer a 
  penalty from -6 to -8. If a character doesn’t know 
  what district his Mind Scan target occupies, he 
  must scan the entire dimension at a -14 OMCV 
  penalty — equal to scanning the largest cities on 
  contemporary Earth.
  MONEY
  Babylon accepts all forms of currency, from all 
  periods in history. You may have trouble finding a 
  shop that accepts stone disk money from Yap, but 
  the banks can handle it. You can pay for some-
  thing in florins and receive change in a mixture of 
  dollars and denarii.
  None of the money in Babylon, however, is 
  quite like any on Earth. Archaic money looks new. 
  An Earthly numismatist might pronounce it a fair 
  copy of an old coin, but worthless except for the 
  metal it contains. Contemporary paper money 
  isn’t even a convincing fake. A Babylon dollar, for 
  instance, looks like Monopoly money.
  You can spend Earth money in Babylon. In fact, 
  it’s worth more in Babylon than on Earth — about 
  five times as much! The Babylon government, 
  however, frowns on people tossing Earth money 
  around freely. Any honest citizen directs visitors 
  from Earth to the nearest bank, where they can 
  exchange their cash or (in modern districts) with-
  draw money from their Earthly checking accounts 
  in Babylon currency. Dishonest citizens accept the 
  Earth money, but lie about how much it’s worth, or 
  do not offer the full exchange rate.
  Money from Earth has such value in Babylon 
  because money is concentrated secular power — a 
  talisman carrying the power of the State, and that’s 
  big magic. The Netherworld takes power from 
  damned souls; Babylon takes power from money. 
  As more money from Earth lodges in Babylon, 
  the city-dimension becomes more real and gains a 
  tighter connection to Earth.
  SECrET SOCIETIES
  Politics turns bizarre in Babylon. The diverse 
  population holds no consensus about how to rule 
  the city. To make things worse, beings from other 
  dimensions — demons, gods, and dimension lords 
  — lobby and conspire for influence. The result is 
  a plethora of scheming secret societies. A major 
  fraction of Babylon’s population belongs to one 
  society or another. Mystics often lead these soci-
  eties, and the Emperor personally infiltrates most 
  groups. Here are two of the largest conspiracies:
  the shAdow cAbInet
  The Shadow Cabinet serves the cause of Order. 
  It seeks to subvert the government of Babylon and 
  create a regimented society as prelude to taking 
  over the Earth itself. Many rich and powerful 
  people in Babylon belong to the Shadow Cabinet. 
  The supreme leaders, however, all serve various 
  Lords of Order, such as Bromion (see CV3 52-56). 
  The Shadow Cabinet offers group solidarity and 
  protection, a religious experience of the Great 
  Unity, and the promise of power and influence in 
  the New World Order.
  The Shadow Cabinet controls an array of spirits 
  with strange powers and even stranger appear-
  ances. These include the War Pigs, large hogs with 
  self-working machine guns mounted on their 
  backs; the Futures Traders, two-faced men in suits 
  who talk backwards and forwards and remember 
  the future as well as the past; and the Young 
  Pioneers, truculent boys in coonskin caps, armed 
  with oversized hatchets and paralyzing squirt-guns.
  the fool’s pArlIAment
  The Shadow Cabinet’s chief enemy promotes 
  Chaos through a program that outsiders describe 
  as “political surrealism” but which the leaders 
  describe as “Jell-O wrestling with penguins.” 
  Order-lovers often deride individuality and 
  impulse as foolish. The Fool’s Parliament replies 
  that if freedom is folly, they are glad to be fools — 
  and dress the part, too.
  Membership in the Fool’s Parliament offers 
  some practical benefits. The secret society acts as 
  a labor union of sorts, helping workers deal with 
  management injustice or financial problems. Those 
  who want a pietistic religious experience can find 
  one with a Lord of Chaos. Some people join for 
  a chance to strike back at society, or for a chance 
  to wear a silly outfit. A few people even join for 
  serious philosophical reasons.
  The Parliament’s greatest weapon is Carnival. 
  By declaring Carnival, the Fools can paralyze 
  whole districts of Babylon as revelry draws people 
  from work to jam the streets. Carnival can force 
  business leaders to take the Parliaments’s demands 
  seriously. The Fools can also cause or provoke 
  sabotage, walkouts, and other labor actions. 
  Against politicians, they prefer weirder methods 
  such as guerilla home redecoration.
  The Fool’s Parliament controls its own strange 
  creatures and agents, such as living toys; the 
  insidious Men In Plaid with their hypnotic googly-
  eye glasses; and the enigmatic Balloon Man.
  ADVENTurE uSE
  Babylon’s merchants can 
  obtain just about anything 
  (if the price is right). Its 
  library infinitely surpasses 
  anything on Earth. Finding 
  an object or consultant 
  in Babylon, however, can 
  be an adventure in itself 
  — especially if someone 
  else doesn’t want the PCs 
  to succeed. Of course, 
  mystic villains can exploit 
  Babylon, too. Villains of all 
  types find Babylon espe-
  cially useful as a hideout, 
  since location spells and 
  powers are nigh-useless in 
  the City of Man.
  Both real and imaginary 
  celebrities manifest in 
  Babylon. The City of Man 
  gives PCs a chance to team 
  up with Sherlock Holmes 
  or superheroes from their 
  favorite comic books. 
  On the other hand, 
  heroes might have 
  to fight Al Capone’s 
  gang or Jack the 
  Ripper — or both!
  Heroes and villains 
  themselves could come 
  from Babylon. The City of 
  Man could produce urban 
  analogs to “tall tale” char-
  acters like Paul Bunyan or 
  Pecos Bill. Such characters 
  could have adventures 
  both in Babylon and on 
  Earth. Babylon also permits 
  characters who seem to 
  come from other periods 
  in history, without the 
  need for actual time travel. 
  On the other hand, urban 
  legends could inspire some 
  very grim villains, too.
  You could even create 
  campaigns set in Babylon. 
  For instance, a “Cops 
  in Babylon” campaign 
  could combine the police 
  of all ages, from Roman 
  city guards to futuristic 
  “Science Police” — with 
  equally diverse perps. For 
  a lighter campaign, “Be 
  Prepared” takes on new 
  meaning for the young 
  heroes of a Babylon scout 
  troop.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  129
  ALTErNATE EArTHS
  ALTErNATE EArTHS
  T
  he dimensions PCs in many Champions 
  campaigns are most likely to visit are 
  alternate Earths, which are discussed in 
  general on page 97. Here are several briefly-
  described examples the GM can use, either as-is or 
  as inspiration for his own creations. Most of them 
  involve changing some significant historical detail 
  (like a major sociopolitical trend not developing [or 
  developing differently]), or some key resource not 
  becoming available. All of these are Assiatic worlds 
  in the sephiroth of Malkuth.
  BrITWOrLD
  BrITWOrLD
  In the alternate Earth of Britworld, the United 
  Kingdom, not the United States, is the dominant 
  superpower in the world, as it has been for nearly 
  two centuries, and colonialism still flourishes as 
  of 2011. This has come about as a result of several 
  historical factors that developed differently than 
  they did on Champions Universe Earth.
  First, the American Revolution didn’t happen 
  — or perhaps more accurately, it happened, but it 
  wasn’t really a “revolution.” Instead of continuing to 
  harshly tax the American colonies and giving them 
  no representation in government, Parliament chose 
  to respond to American grievances by allowing the 
  “colonies” to go their own way. As a result Britain 
  lost no resources to fighting the Revolution or the 
  War of 1812.
  Second, the nineteenth century saw less conflict 
  between the great European powers. Plenty of 
  minor wars flared up as Britain, France, and other 
  nations sought colonial possessions in Africa and 
  Asia, but those pitted poorly-equipped natives 
  against modern European weaponry and rarely 
  lasted long. As a result, weapons technology and 
  military tactics didn’t develop at quite the same 
  rate.
  Third, as a result when World War I broke out 
  in 1914, it was fought less with trench warfare and 
  more with methods similar to those of the last 
  quarter of the nineteenth century on Champions 
  Universe Earth. Furthermore, America entered 
  the war in early 1916 and as a result the conflict 
  ended by the end of that year. The social pressures 
  that brought about significant upheaval and change 
  during the Twenties and Thirties were thus dimin-
  ished... but not removed.
  When World War II broke out in 1943, Japan’s 
  neutrality was bought by recognizing its “coloniza-
  tion” of northern and eastern China, allowing the 
  United States to focus all of its efforts and industrial 
  base on supporting its ally Great Britain in Europe. 
  The Nazis didn’t stand a chance, particularly when 
  Stalin abrogated the Molotov-von Ribbentrof Pact 
  in 1944 so he could grab his share of the spoils. 
  British and Soviet forces met in Berlin in early 
  1945, captured most of the German high command 
  (including Hitler), and eventually tried and 
  executed nearly all of them at Nuremburg.
  In the over sixty years since, the Cold War and 
  arms race that developed were between Britain 
  (backed by its chief ally the United States, rather 
  than vice-versa) and the USSR. The Great Powers of 
  Europe have seen much less diminishment of their 
  power and prestige than they did in Champions 
  Universe Earth, and thus were able to resist what 
  pressures arose regarding independence for their 
  colonies (which were also much less than in CU 
  Earth).
  THE CurrENT STATE OF THE WOrLD
  Without a full World War II to push develop-
  ment, technology in Britworld lags behind that of 
  Champions Universe Earth. As of 2011, the tech 
  there is roughly the same as that of 1970-75 on CU 
  Earth.
  The colonial system that was so prominent a 
  part of Champions Universe Earth geopolitics 
  from the sixteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries 
  remains in full effect in Britworld. The British 
  Empire is larger than it ever became on CU Earth, 
  and there are no “dominions.” Many other Euro-
  pean powers also have colonies, though their hold-
  ings aren’t as extensive. Here’s how the possessions 
  line up:
  Great Britain: Canada, Jordan, all of eastern and 
  southern Africa not colonized by Italy (see below), 
  India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, 
  Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, 
  the Philippines, parts of Indonesia, Hong Kong, 
  over half of Oceania, Australia.
  France: Syria, Lebanon, most of western Africa 
  (including Morocco and the Congo), Vietnam, 
  Laos, Cambodia, parts of Oceania.
  Germany: None (stripped of all colonial possessions 
  following World War I).
  4
  
  130 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Spain, Portugal: None (lost to Great Britain or 
  France in various minor conflicts).
  Netherlands: Those parts of Indonesia not colo-
  nized by Great Britain, parts of Oceania.
  Italy: Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, parts of Somalia.
  USSR: None, since colonies are just a form of impe-
  rialist control of the masses. Mongolia is a depart-
  ment of the Soviet Union, though, like Kazakhstan, 
  and Iran is as closely tied to the Soviets as Latin 
  America is to the US.
  United States: The US doesn’t have colonies per 
  se, but the European powers recognize that South 
  and Central America (including Mexico and the 
  Caribbean) are “America’s backyard” and don’t go 
  there without permission. The nations of South and 
  Central America are nominally independent, but in 
  fact are so closely tied to the US (and US corpora-
  tions) as to be American territories.
  Japan: Northern and eastern China, some parts of 
  Oceania.
  The primary geopolitical conflict is the ongoing 
  “Cold War” between the UK and the USSR, which 
  affects all sorts of activities in the unaligned Third 
  World. Japan is also considered ambitious. It wishes 
  more territory in Oceania and Asia, and an alliance 
  between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan 
  is something the British and Americans deeply fear.
  CAHOKIAN EArTH
  CAHOKIAN EArTH
  The Champions Universe Earth supervillain 
  the Cahokian (CV2 138) comes from an alternate 
  Earth that’s similar to CU Earth except for some 
  major geopolitical changes. Put briefly, many major 
  nations of CU Earth are split up into groups of 
  smaller nations on Cahokian Earth, whereas some 
  areas where CU Earth has many nations only have 
  one on Cahokian Earth. Specifically:
  
  n the United States doesn’t exist. In its place are: 
  New England (a republic including CU Earth 
  New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New 
  Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland); the Desotan 
  Empire (all the states east of Texas/Oklahoma 
  and south of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and 
  Ohio); the Empire of Cahokia (Minnesota, 
  Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, 
  Ohio, Michigan); the Texas Republic (Texas, 
  Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico); 
  the Kingdom of California (Arizona, California, 
  Nevada, Oregon); the Deseret Republic (Utah); 
  and the Northern Republic (Washington, Idaho, 
  Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming). 
  Compared to Champions Universe Earth, 
  several of these states (such as Cahokia and 
  the Texas Republic) have larger populations of 
  American Indians, who are far more involved in 
  mainstream life and politics.
  
  n Canada doesn’t exist. Most of its territories are 
  independent nations, though Quebec includes 
  the Maritimes in its territory. Ottawa and 
  Quebec are bitter enemies who frequently go 
  to war (and often try to lure Cahokia or New 
  England into the fray).
  
  n Europe is united as the Empire of Europe. 
  England and Russia are independent sover-
  eign states; Russia remains an empire ruled by 
  the House of Romanov and includes Iran and 
  Afghanistan among its territories.
  
  n Africa is home to several major nations. The 
  Empire of Egypt controls the Middle East 
  (and there is no Israel), the Arabian penin-
  sula, North Africa, and the Sahel states. The 
  republics of Kenya, Nigeria, Congo, and South 
  Africa balance it by controlling eastern, western, 
  sub-Saharan central, and southern Africa, 
  respectively.
  
  n India is an independent empire; its territories 
  include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, 
  Myanmar, and Thailand. For years it has fought 
  wars hot and cold with its arch-enemy, Indo-
  nesia, for control of the Malaysian Peninsula and 
  various island territories. The Empire of Japan 
  and republic of Australia also contend for power 
  in the Oceania and Indian Ocean regions.
  
  n China is divided into half a dozen nations, and 
  Tibet is an independent theocracy ruled by the 
  Dalai Lama.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  131
  Compared to Champions Universe Earth, 
  superhumans in Cahokian Earth are far more likely 
  to work directly for their governments as soldiers, 
  spies, or in other capacities. With so many more 
  nations, warfare is far more common, even in 
  First World areas like North America, and every 
  side needs superhumans to maintain its strategic 
  and tactical effectiveness. On the bright side, 
  such a heavy reliance on superhumans has kept 
  the nations of the world from developing nuclear 
  weapons; instead, researchers mainly try to find 
  ways to reliably create more superhumans.
  EMPErOr 
  EMPErOr 
  MArTINEZ EArTH
  MArTINEZ EArTH
  On this alternate Earth, history proceeded more 
  or less the same as on Champions Universe Earth 
  until 1980. In January of that year the arch-villain 
  Dr. Destroyer unleashed one of his projects, the 
  twin mentalists Menton and Mentalla, on the world 
  in the form of a plot to attack the United States 
  government with mind-controlled supervillains. 
  On CU Earth, superheroes foiled this scheme. On 
  Emperor Martinez Earth, things went differently in 
  two important respects.
  First, the attack by mind-controlled supervil-
  lains succeeded to a much greater extent. Under 
  Menton and Mentalla’s control hordes of villains 
  attacked two major targets: Washington, DC, where 
  they killed most of the top American elected offi-
  cials and bureaucrats (including President Reagan, 
  who’d been inaugurated just days before); and New 
  York City, where they virtually leveled Manhattan 
  and severely disrupted America’s financial markets.
  Second, Menton proved to be even more 
  powerful than he is on CU Earth. After Dr. 
  Destroyer concluded the operation, Menton 
  decided he wasn’t interested in taking orders 
  from Destroyer or anyone else. He burned out 
  Destroyer’s brain, killing him, and took over his 
  organization.
  For the next four years Menton and his forces, 
  including not just Destroyer’s agents and robots 
  but his sister Mentalla and dozens of other psionics 
  drawn to their cause by the promise of power and 
  wealth to come for homo psionicus, fought the 
  forces of law and Justice. It was a long and bitter 
  battle that cost millions of lives and nearly saw 
  Menton become the ruler of Earth. If not for the 
  heroic efforts of UNTIL and numerous super-
  heroes, things would have become much, much 
  worse...
  ...but one might argue that in this case, victory 
  was just defeat of a different color. After UNTIL 
  agents killed Menton and Mentalla in 1984, 
  Menton’s criminal empire collapsed. The worldwide 
  public backlash against mentalists was intense, with 
  many of them being lynched by angry mobs. Even 
  superheroic psionics who’d fought against Menton 
  were looked upon with strong suspicion.
  Juan Martinez, Secretary-Marshal of UNTIL 
  and a political opportunist and schemer of 
  the first water, played upon these fears and his 
  organization’s record in the recent conflict to have 
  himself appointed Secretary-General of the United 
  Nations, and then to obtain greater powers for the 
  UN as a whole. He promised to put an end to “the 
  mentalist threat” once and for all, and established 
  special squads of UNTIL agens to hunt out and 
  capture... or “kill while resisting arrest”... “rogue” 
  mentalists. By 1988 he arranged to have the mere 
  possession of mental powers declared a crime both 
  internationally and in most nations.
  He didn’t stop there. Since most psionics were 
  mutants, by 1990 he’d played upon public concerns 
  enough to expand his crusade to all mutants, not 
  just those with mental powers. Unable to deal with 
  the problem individually, the grateful nations of 
  the world voted Martinez and the UN more and 
  more power so he could hunt the “muties” down 
  and protect normal Humans from them. Martinez’s 
  scientists invented special “Hunterbots” that could 
  locate mutants and then help UNTIL agents battle 
  them.
  Naturally, mutant superhumans didn’t go to 
  their destruction quietly. Secret resistance cells 
  sprang up, sometimes aided by normal Humans 
  who despised what was happening. The greatest 
  leader of the resistance was Kinematik (CV1 71). 
  He and his people fought back for years, but it was 
  a losing cause. One by one mutants were captured 
  and sent to concentration camps, or simply killed. 
  By 2004 even Kinematik realized the cause was lost; 
  he fled his world for CU Earth, where he now fights 
  to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring there.
  In 2006 the anti-Martinez forces got a brief 
  boost when the psionic Lancer, who’d escaped from 
  Hunterbots years before by being sent to CU Earth 
  by one of her comrades, returned at the head of a 
  small army of mutants (mostly mentalists) to try 
  to restore the rightful order of things. She failed 
  miserably. Since she left her home dimension, 
  Martinez’s rule had become even more entrenched, 
  and the power of UNTIL and his Hunterbots 
  greater. Her small group of partisans didn’t stand 
  a chance. They fought the good fight for several 
  years and achieved a few victories, but Martinez’s 
  forces steadily attritted their ranks. The remaining 
  superhumans, including Lancer, were ambushed 
  during a 2008 attack on an UNTIL armory in 
  Toronto and wiped out (though rumors persist that 
  Lancer herself and one or two others escaped the 
  slaughter).
  As of 2011, “Emperor Martinez Earth” remains 
  a hellish place for some and a paradise for others. 
  Martinez himself, his life extended by super-
  science treatments, remains Secretary-General of 
  the United Nations. The countries of the world 
  have so vastly increased the power of the UN that 
  it amounts to a world government, and Martinez 
  himself is often referred to as “Emperor” behind 
  his back or by his enemies. Mutants are still hunted 
  and persecuted; fetuses are tested for mutations 
  before birth, and if any are found the mother is 
  required by law to abort the baby. UNTIL is Marti-
  nez’s personal army and police force. On paper, 
  it’s still only supposed to protect the world from 
  superhuman menaces and the like. In practice it 
  combats all types of crime (and has vastly increased 
  4
  
  132 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  in size and authority as a result), and its “Special 
  Security Operations” branch serves as Martinez’s 
  secret police. Anyone who speaks out against “the 
  Emperor” too loudly often ends up getting dragged 
  out of his house in the dead of night, is thrown 
  into an UNTIL van or hovercraft... and is never 
  seen alive again by his loved ones. Superheroes are 
  discouraged, and those few who remain active must 
  (a) register with the UN, and (b) are watched very, 
  very closely.
  Most people of the world don’t mind these 
  changes; they agree with Martinez’s propaganda 
  that the world’s a safer, more prosperous place with 
  the UN in control. But there are those who think 
  harder and look deeper, who realize the truth: that 
  Martinez is a ruthless dictator and that no amount 
  of “security” is worth sacrificing freedom. Some of 
  these people have formed underground movements 
  to try to oust Martinez and scale back the UN, but 
  so far they haven’t made much progress. Perhaps 
  your heroes can help them....
  FOXBATWOrLD
  FOXBATWOrLD
  When your heroes are in the mood for a more 
  lighthearted stop during their dimensional jour-
  neying, send them to Foxbatworld — the Foxbat-
  tiest place in the Multiverse! In this version of 
  Champions Universe Earth, the fantabulous Foxbat 
  has become the most important superhuman in 
  the world, and the most beloved. He’s simultane-
  ously the greatest supervillain (able to pull off heists 
  and clever capers no other villain would even dare 
  attempt!) and greatest superhero (he defeated Dr. 
  Destroyer and Mechanon singlehandedly!) in the 
  world. No one seems to notice or care about the 
  apparent contradiction.
  As if that weren’t enough, Foxbat’s also the 
  richest, most popular man in the world. His 
  product endorsement deals alone earn him billions, 
  and his face can be seen on everything from 
  billboards, to cereal boxes, to television ads and 
  website banners. His first rock album, Foxbat For 
  Your Love, broke sales records worldwide, and the 
  albums he’s released since then have sold nearly 
  as well (his venture into heavy metal, Föxbät, was 
  particularly well-received). He’s starred in half a 
  dozen blockbuster films (including the animated 
  “Foxbat Adventures” series), plays power forward 
  in the NBA, has his own NASCAR team, and won 
  57 gold medals in the 2008 Olympics. Hollywood 
  starlets line up just for the chance to go on a dinner 
  date with him.
  And how, you ask, did this amazing state of 
  affairs come to be? No one’s quite sure. Perhaps the 
  Foxbat of this alternate Earth — who is, of course, 
  a prince of a guy — got his hands on a magic ring 
  that granted him a wish, or made friends with a 
  djinn who altered reality to suit his new bestest 
  buddy. Or maybe the Foxbat of CU Earth was 
  granted a wish by some god for some reason, and 
  his wish to be the most awesomest, popular guy on 
  Earth split off Foxbatworld as an alternate reality. 
  Or, strangest of all, perhaps Foxbatworld is the 
  true Earth, with all other Earths but pale, distorted 
  reflections of the Way Things Should Be.
  Whatever the reason, the Multiversal Powers 
  What Are suggest that your heroes find a way to fix 
  it. Fast.
  LAurENTIA
  LAurENTIA
  As if Britworld weren’t a strange enough permu-
  tation of Champions Universe Earth geopoli-
  tics, consider Laurentia. In this alternate Earth, 
  Christianity never arose — the dominant faith 
  of the ancient world was the worship of Cybele, 
  the mother goddess of ancient Anatolia (modern 
  Turkey). This religion evolved in strange ways, 
  developing a mix of pagan ceremonies (including 
  bloodletting) and what would seem to a CU 
  Earth visitor like medieval Roman Catholic rites 
  transposed to the worship of the ancient mother 
  goddess.
  In the late nineteenth century, a monk named 
  Sister Yvette discovered an alien artifact called the 
  Foundationstone buried in northern Quebec. The 
  artifact established a telepathic link with her and 
  quickly determined that her greatest desire was 
  to spread the Holy Mother Church worldwide. 
  The Foundationstone downloaded the advanced 
  scientific knowledge of its civilization into Sister 
  Yvette and reshaped itself into a super-technolog-
  ical facility: the Real Cathedral, a techno-medieval 
  gothic masterpiece in the heart of Quebec City.
  But knowledge is only the beginning. It took 
  many years, but using what she’d learned Sister 
  Yvette constructed the Meter Theon Machina 
  (“Mother Goddess Machine”). This psionic device 
  telepathically broadcast her religious beliefs around 
  the globe, forcing people to convert to her faith 
  and live their lives as devout Catholic Cybelites. 
  For those whose will was strong enough to resist 
  her powers, she built the Norn Cathecists, suits of 
  sacred powered armor that could only be worn by 
  eunuchs of her faith. The armies of the rest of the 
  world didn’t stand a chance against them.
  By the second quarter of the twentieth century, 
  the leaders of the Catholic Cybelites controlled 
  the entire world. They consolidated both secular 
  and temporal power in Quebec City, which they 
  renamed True Paris to celebrate its prominence. 
  They replaced most of the world’s major languages 
  with Quebec French (with Latin as the ceremonial 
  language), declaring the use of any other tongue a 
  crime.
  LAurENTIA TODAY
  Modern Laurentia is a unified world ruled by 
  the Catholic Cybelite Church (and thus by French 
  Canada). The Supreme Chatelaine, overseer of 
  the Catholic Cybelite faith, dwells in luxury and 
  power in an enormous, luxurious cathedral-palace 
  complex in True Paris that’s one of the architec-
  tural and artistic marvels of the world. (The Real 
  Cathedral occupies the heart of this facility.) 
  Thanks to the ongoing effects of the Meter Theon 
  Machina (not to mention well over a century of 
  custom and tradition), every single human being 
  on Laurentia Earth is a devout Catholic Cybelite. 
  In the rare event that anyone breaks free from 
  the faith, commits a crime, or causes trouble, the 
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  133
  Norn Cathecists put a stop to the trouble quickly. 
  In many respects it’s a peaceful, ideal civilization... 
  albeit one built on a lie.
  Catholic Cybelite society is extremely repressed, 
  staid, and proper. The Church encourages Intel-
  lectual pursuits (especially the sciences) and forbids 
  most physical pastimes such as sports and dancing; 
  it allows art only in service of the faith. But every 
  year there’s an anarchic winter festival with blood-
  letting rites and emotional catharsis (in other words 
  — rioting) to honor the Mother Goddess. During 
  the ten days of the festival, the mask of Laurentian 
  rigidness falls aside to reveal raw, unfettered human 
  emotions and desires.
  Analogs of most individuals from CU Earth 
  exist on Laurentia, though none other than those 
  gifted by the Machinism Ascensus (see below) have 
  genuine superpowers. However, magic is present 
  in Laurentia (though at a fraction of its potency 
  on CU Earth). Many people can cast simple folk 
  magic spells (such as blessings and minor curses). 
  Full-blown rituals are forbidden except during the 
  winter festival or when sanctioned by the Church as 
  part of the worship of the Mother Goddess.
  Laurentia is more technologically advanced 
  than CU Earth, with numerous astronomical 
  and medical breakthroughs as well as advanced 
  weapons and material sciences that on CU Earth 
  are unknown or limited only to superhumans. 
  Without this technology Laurentia would pose no 
  threat to CU Earth.
  LAurENTIAN CONTACT WITH 
  CHAMPIONS uNIVErSE EArTH
  Laurentia first came into contact with CU Earth 
  in 1924, when Church scientists discovered CU 
  Earth’s existence and sought to expand their faith to 
  other worlds. The Catholic Cybelites’ first attempt 
  to invade CU Earth was foiled by the efforts of the 
  famed Quebec mystic Brother Joseph, who was 
  aided by a band of Quebecois pulp adventurers. 
  During their time in Laurentia these heroes made 
  sure to destroy all information about and evidence 
  of CU Earth to prevent another invasion.
  The Laurentians didn’t regain contact with 
  CU Earth until 1996, when they rediscovered the 
  existence of other dimensions. They tried to invade 
  both CU Earth and the alternate Earth of Cabotia 
  (where English Canada rules much of the world), 
  but were foiled by the combined forces of the 
  Northern Guard and Cabotia’s official superteam, 
  the Imperial Sword. They attacked CU Earth again 
  in 2009 through a portal that opened in Montreal, 
  but L’esprits Guardiens, Quebec’s premiere superhe-
  roes, beat the invasion back and sealed the portal.
  Despite these failures, the Supreme Chatelaine 
  wants nothing less than total dominion over every 
  alternate Earth, starting with CU Earth. Seeing the 
  effectiveness of Earth’s superheroes, the Catholic 
  Cybelites have built a device called the Machinism 
  Ascensus to create low-grade superhumans to 
  bolster their next invasion attempt.
  V’han has sent spies into Laurentia to monitor 
  its technology and invasion schemes. She’s consid-
  ering trying to co-opt it by posing as the Mother 
  Goddess herself.
  LEFT-HANDED EArTH
  LEFT-HANDED EArTH
  Among the infinite possibilities of the Multi-
  verse, a hero can find some strange places... but few 
  as strange as Left-Handed Earth.
  LE Earth is just like Champions Universe 
  Earth — but everything is the opposite of what it 
  is on CU Earth. The average person is left-handed 
  rather than right-handed. The same languages 
  are used, but they’re spoken backwards. In a few 
  cases, genders even change. The sun rises in the 
  west and sets in the east. Evil, cruelty, treachery, 
  and injustice are regarded as virtues (or at least, 
  ordinary behavior), while Justice, hope, and charity 
  are sinful. On LE Earth, things that are good on 
  CU Earth become bad or dangerous; things that are 
  already bad or dangerous on CU Earth may become 
  beneficial... or just get worse.
  LEFT-HANDED VILLAINS AND HErOES
  Most intriguing to CU Earth superheroes who 
  have the misfortune to visit this unpleasant dimen-
  sion is the fact that the moral roles of criminal 
  and crimefighter are reversed. Heroes are villains 
  the public lauds for their power and viciousness; 
  villains are heroes fighting against the evil status 
  quo. A few examples:
  
  n the Champions are the Ravagers, and the 
  members are: Assault (who wears black, red, 
  and gold powered armor with spiked gauntlets, 
  spiked elbow and knee pads, spiked shoulder 
  pads, and a helmet shaped like a stylized skull); 
  Ironclad (whose skin is rusty and corroded-
  looking, and who uses his gladiatorial sword 
  far more often than his CU Earth counterpart); 
  Kinetik (whose costume is black with red 
  lightning bolts); Sapphire (who wears envel-
  oping robes with a cowl that hides her face); 
  and Witchcraft (who wears a revealing costume 
  consisting of a mini-skirt and see-through 
  blouse).
  
  n Black Mask is a ruthless killer and thief; her 
  costume is a dominatrix-style black leather 
  outfit, and she wields a whip with deadly 
  accuracy.
  
  n Dr. Silverback is far more bestial-looking, and is 
  a true mad scientist, willing to experiment upon 
  people without regard for their health, safety, or 
  willingness to be involved with his projects.
  
  n UNTIL and PRIMUS agents wear uniforms 
  reminiscent of Nazi and Soviet secret police 
  organizations: lots of black and grey, rank 
  symbols involving birds of prey and lightning, 
  and so on.
  
  n Foxbat is an outright villain, not a buffoon who 
  thinks he’s living in a comic book. He carries 
  a powerful handgun instead of a ping-pong 
  ball gun, wields razor-sharp “foxbat throwing 
  blades,” and has a far more predatory look to his 
  costume.
  4
  
  134 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  
  n the members of GRAB are vicious murderers 
  who leave a trail of bodies behind them when-
  ever they rob someone — after all, it’s safer to 
  kill all the witnesses, and more fun to boot.
  
  n the powered armor-wearing Professor Preserver 
  champions the causes of the downtrodden and 
  oppressed against the tyranny of super“heroes” 
  and the world’s governments.
  
  n the beneficent robot Organitron seeks to create a 
  utopian world where man and machine co-exist 
  peacefully.
  
  n Takofriel the Arch-Angel was sent to Earth by 
  God to try to mitigate Human suffering and 
  evil... but hasn’t had much success so far.
  
  n master geneticist Teleios seeks to use his 
  research skills to end disease and genetic disor-
  ders worldwide, but governments and pharma-
  ceutical companies who want to exploit the poor 
  and sick seek to stop him.
  
  n Dr. Yin Wu uses his magic powers to keep one 
  part of China free from all evil influences and 
  oppression, while the Communist Chinese 
  government (and its Dragon Squad of super-
  human agents) want to crush him and rule his 
  people with the same iron fist it uses on the rest 
  of China’s millions.
  
  n the sky-blue-skinned Grond, a highly intelligent 
  scientist-turned-superhero by a lab accident, 
  uses his great strength to fight evil, stop crime, 
  and free people from oppression.
  chAngIng cU sUperhUmAns
  The exact appearance of the Left-Handed super-
  humans (and normal people, corporate logos, and 
  the like) is in the GM’s capable hands, but here are 
  some ideas:
  
  n Reverse the color scheme or darken the colors 
  of a superhero’s costume. For instance, Victory’s 
  costume changes from gold to a fiery burnt 
  orange. Similarly, supervillains favor lighter, 
  more pleasant colors: Firewing’s costume is a 
  noble gold and red; Mechasentinel (rather than 
  Mechassassin) has light powered armor that’s 
  royal blue and silver.
  
  n Less costume and more skin. For example, Lady 
  Blue’s form-fitting bodysuit is really more of 
  a bikini on LE Earth. This trick also works in 
  reverse: a CU Earth hero who wears a revealing 
  costume might cover himself completely on LE 
  Earth.
  
  n Skulls and spikes. One sure way of telling how 
  bad the bad guy is: count the skulls.
  
  n Reverse or otherwise change the logo, color 
  scheme, or the like. For example, Bulldozer’s 
  tattoo is on his left arm, not his right (and on LE 
  Earth, he’s as big a bad-ass as he only thinks he 
  is on CU Earth).
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  135
  JANuS AND THE DOOrWAY
  In 1987, two scientists — Dr. James Sullivan of 
  Champions Universe Earth, and Dr. Janice Stevens 
  of Left-Handed Earth — simultaneously discovered 
  a pocket dimension containing a 20m radius spher-
  ical device they later dubbed “Doorway.” Doorway 
  is a link between CU Earth and LE Earth, but the 
  two scientists kept it secret so they could have a 
  love affair. Their son, Janus, a strange mingling of 
  CU Earth and LE Earth genetics and morality, was 
  born in 1988. His parents disappeared in 2005 and 
  have never been found, despite all his searching. 
  With powerful technology in his possession and 
  access to both dimensions, Janus could pose a 
  threat to the stability of both planes.
  For more information on Janus and Doorway, 
  see Teen Champions, pages 137-40.
  uSING LEFT-HANDED EArTH
  Left-Handed Earth is an example of that classic 
  comic book story, the dimension where the heroes 
  encounter their Evil Twins. Not only does this lead 
  to some fun stories with tense, slam-bang battles, it 
  saves the GM a lot of work because he doesn’t even 
  have to come up with any new character sheets! Just 
  change the paint jobs on existing ones, and perhaps 
  tweak a power or two, and you’re set.
  The downside is that Left-Handed Earth isn’t 
  a place the heroes can “rescue.” It’s contrary/evil 
  nature is as much a part of its “fabric” and “self” 
  as “right-handedness” is to Champions Universe 
  Earth. All they can achieve is the small victory of 
  helping a few of the good guys for a little while 
  and making some peoples’ lives a bit easier... but 
  perhaps that’s enough. On the other hand, Left-
  Handed villains (such as the heroes’ doppelgangers) 
  may see Champions Universe Earth as soft, weak, 
  and ripe for the picking — unless the heroes act fast 
  and fight hard, they may end up facing a full-scale 
  dimensional invasion!
  Since people on Left-Handed Earth speak 
  “backwards” from CU Earthers, characters from 
  one dimension can’t communicate with characters 
  from the other unless they use Universal Trans-
  lator, Mind Link, Telepathy, some similar method, 
  or good old-fashioned ingenuity. Even if they can 
  communicate, though, Left-Hand and Right-Hand 
  Earth superhumans tend to have a certain native 
  antipathy that’s hard to overcome... particularly 
  when they’re on opposite sides of the law.
  Janus, of course, is a wild card in all this. 
  Lacking any true morality other than loyalty to 
  himself and his desires, he could wreak havoc in 
  both dimensions while searching for his parents (or 
  anything else he decides he wants). The PCs and 
  their Left-Handed counterparts may have to find a 
  way to team up to defeat him.
  THE LITTLE BANG
  THE LITTLE BANG
  As discussed on page 97, not all dimensions 
  are equal in size. The “Little Bang” plane is one 
  that got the short end of the stick back at the time 
  of creation. The cosmic explosion that created it 
  wasn’t nearly as energetic as the one that created 
  the dimension of Champions Universe Earth. As a 
  result the entire dimension is roughly the size of the 
  Milky Way Galaxy.
  What’s even more unusual is that space has 
  some unusual properties there. The entire dimen-
  sion has a sort of “spherical” shape. If it were 
  viewed as a two-dimensional map a traveler could 
  fly off one edge of the map and instantly appear 
  at the same place on the opposite side of the map. 
  It’s possible to navigate along the outer edge of the 
  dimension the way people travel on the surface of 
  a planet. In fact, that’s often quicker than traveling 
  through the center of the dimension, since time 
  along the outer edge is oddly “compressed” in a way 
  that makes movement effectively faster.
  Fewer sentient species have evolved in the Little 
  Bang dimension than in the Milky Way. The best 
  guess of Earth superheroes who’ve visited the Little 
  Bang is that it has only about one-fourth as many, 
  and none that they’ve encountered have been 
  alternate Earth-style variations on sentient species 
  known to them. The most advanced of them is the 
  Elepstorians, who as of 2011 have low-speed FTL 
  starships and are slowly establishing an interstellar 
  empire. They’re a mammalian humanoid species 
  superficially similar to Humans, but with greenish 
  skin and significant internal differences. Their chief 
  rivals for dominance on the dimensional stage are 
  the Plar, a dark-skinned reptilian race ruled by a 
  fascist-like government.
  MALVAWOrLD
  MALVAWOrLD
  Champions Universe Earth isn’t the only 
  Malkuth dimension Istvatha V’han’s tried and failed 
  to conquer. Another alternate Earth that’s evaded 
  her clutches so far is Malvaworld. In this plane, 
  the Malvans defeated the Elder Worm much more 
  quickly and thoroughly than they did in CU Earth 
  (see Champions Beyond, pages 101-03), and the 
  Elder Worm never cursed them into decadence. 
  As a result the Malvans went right on exploring, 
  conquering, and researching. By 400,000 BC they 
  ruled the entire Milky Way Galaxy... and then kept 
  right on going.
  As of 2011, the Malvans rule not only Earth’s 
  galaxy but the Magellanic Clouds, the Sagitar-
  rius and Canis Major dwarf galaxies, the Omega 
  Centauri Galaxy, and the Andromeda Galaxy, and 
  are currently bringing the Virgo Stellar Stream 
  under their sway. Perhaps more importantly, 
  they’ve continued to develop their technology for 
  the past half-million years, which as a result is far 
  more advanced than that of the Malvans in CU 
  Earth. In fact, it may be the most advanced tech-
  nology in the Multiverse.
  4
  
  136 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  In Malvaworld, every inhabited planet in the 
  galaxies controlled by the Malvans is ruled by a 
  Malvan “chancellor” or by an ultra-tech robot who 
  looks like one (depending on the planet’s perceived 
  importance). The Malvans are generally benevolent 
  rulers, since they can destroy nearly any rebellion 
  or pockets of discontent with casual ease, but they 
  insist on all sorts of grandiose trappings of empire. 
  For example, there isn’t a major city on any of their 
  planets without a colossal statue of Valzad XIII (or 
  whichever of his predecessors had one built there), 
  and all subjects of the empire are forced to learn 
  and speak a sort of “pidgin Malvan” instead of 
  using translation devices. In short — a person can’t 
  go very far or spend very much time awake without 
  being starkly reminded that he’s a subject of the 
  Phazor.
  Istvatha V’han discovered the Malvaworld 
  dimension thirty years ago, but after one brief 
  attempt has taken no further steps to invade it. 
  While she knows she has vast numerical superi-
  ority over the Malvaworlders, their technology 
  is so much more advanced than hers that she’s 
  not certain she could conquer them. In fact, she’s 
  concerned that if they ever conquer their entire 
  dimension and decide to invade other dimensions 
  they could become a serious threat to her. (This 
  is unlikely, though, since there simply aren’t that 
  many Malvans, and they generally don’t trust other 
  species with positions of responsibility in their 
  empire.) For now she uses her own technology 
  to keep a covert watch on them, and devotes a 
  staggering amount of resources to the creation 
  of a Maginot Line-like system of defenses to wall 
  Malvaworld off from her territory.
  THE MuLTIFArIAN
  THE MuLTIFArIAN
  Of all the alternate Earths known to Humanity, 
  the strangest, perhaps, is the dark and dangerous 
  realm known as Multifarian Earth, or simply 
  “the Multifarian” (or “Multifaria”). Less than 
  half a dozen mystics have visited it throughout 
  Earth’s history, though in recent years contact 
  has increased thanks to the machinations of the 
  fiendish supervillain Shadow Destroyer (see below). 
  It’s a place where Science exists, but Magic rules, 
  and a strange darkness underlies all.
  What makes the Multifarian so unusual is 
  that its timestream doesn’t flow in the ordinary 
  linear way time does in nearly every other dimen-
  sion. It’s not a straight line; it swirls and eddies, 
  bringing together people, places, and things that 
  cannot possibly co-exist on Champions Universe 
  Earth at the same point. Past, present, and future 
  history mingle together in ways that someone from 
  CU Earth (or any other alternate Earth, for that 
  matter) might find baffling, and where historical 
  dead-ends on CU Earth sometimes continue on to 
  bear strange fruit. A section of Victorian buildings 
  stands right next to glittering twenty-first century 
  skyscrapers in New York. Overhead, dirigibles, 
  da Vinci flying machines, 1970s-era fighter yets, 
  and super-tech hovercraft all traverse the sky... 
  and sometimes a bat-winged demon can be seen 
  flapping its way across the clouds on some mission 
  for whatever master it serves. A twenty-fourth 
  century space station rides the heavens as a twin to 
  the Moon. As you walk down a London street, you 
  might pass Benjamin Disraeli, then Shakespeare, 
  then Tony Blair, then the 38th century warlord 
  Forsythe Rutledge... none of whom might be 
  present in the city tomorrow.
  Fortunately for PCs who might end up visiting 
  the Multifarian, time doesn’t flow at the same pace 
  there as on CU Earth. Thus, Luther Black comes to 
  the Multifarian in 1896 to obtain the Liber Terri-
  bilis, and Shadow Destroyer destroys Detroit in 
  1992 — nearly a century’s difference. But in the 
  Multifarian it was but a few years between one 
  event and the next, and mere months after his own 
  destruction of Detroit that Shadow Destroyer had 
  gathered the power needed to bring himself and his 
  followers and resources to CU Earth to aid Black’s 
  plan. None of this troubles or inconveniences 
  Shadow Destroyer at all, but it may cause serious 
  problems for heroes who visit his home realm... 
  then return to discover that years or decades 
  have passed in the space of what seemed to them 
  days. On the other hand, if they fail and Shadow 
  Destroyer captures them, when they escape his 
  concentration camps years later and make their way 
  home it may be that just a week or two has passed 
  on CU Earth.
  To add to visitors’ confusion, while most people 
  from CU Earth (particularly famous or important 
  people) have their Multifarian counterparts, those 
  doppelgangers may differ from them in ways subtle 
  or not so subtle. For example, in the Multifarian, 
  Shakespeare is a cold-hearted wastrel who steals 
  the works of talented men and passes them off 
  as his own, Foxbat is a competent and respected 
  crimefighter, Ronald Reagan is a radical California 
  liberal, Genghis Khan is a holy man of peace and 
  wisdom, and late twenty-first century religious 
  reformer Carla Atwood is ruthless, pragmatic 
  opportunist who doesn’t hesitate to have her 
  political opponents “removed.”
  Most intriguingly, the natural laws that cause 
  this “time confusion” to occur also “balance the 
  scales” so that most forms of technology remain 
  equally effective despite advances that rendered 
  them obsolete on CU Earth. For example, in CU 
  Earth, an air battle that pits jetfighters against 
  zeppelins means the zeppelins don’t stand a chance. 
  But in the Multifarian the natural laws somehow 
  “tilt the balance” so that early twentieth century 
  airships are just as tactically viable and effective as 
  advanced warplanes — it all boils down to the skill 
  of the user and the tactical situation more than the 
  technological “imbalance.”
  uSING 
  MALVAWOrLD
  If your PCs get 
  involved in a major 
  conflict with Istvatha 
  V’han, the Malvans 
  of Malvaworld 
  represent that rarest 
  of assets: poten-
  tial allies with the 
  power to stand up 
  to the Empress of 
  a Billion Dimen-
  sions. However, 
  it’s possible that 
  recruiting the 
  Malvans to their 
  cause may simply 
  be trading one 
  master for another, 
  since the Malvans 
  might decide that 
  their home plane 
  would make an ideal 
  first dimensional 
  conquest....
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  137
  MuLTIFArIAN SuPErHuMANITY
  Superhumans exist in the Multifarian, though 
  as noted above they’re often very different from 
  their CU Earth versions — many CU Earth villains 
  are kinder (or even heroic) in the Multifarian, 
  while CU Earth heroes become cruel-hearted 
  villains (or at least apathetic men and women more 
  interested in their own pursuits and pleasures than 
  crimefighting).
  The most notable Multifarian superhuman, 
  and certainly the one best known to CU Earth, 
  is Shadow Destroyer (see CV1 153-68 and CU 
  153-54). The James Harmon IV of the Multi-
  farian, he commands the powers of both Science 
  and Sorcery, and rebuilt ruined Detroit as New 
  Harmon, a nation he rules as absolute dictator. It 
  occupies most of what would be the north-central 
  United States on CU Earth. Some of his chief 
  enemies include Dr. Yin Wu and Mechanon, both 
  of whom are far more beneficent than on CU Earth; 
  Teleios is a sometimes ally. Gravitar, Holocaust, 
  Borealis, Sunburst, and Joseph Otanga are all rivals 
  — they, too, rule large nations they’ve conquered 
  with their powers. But his chief political adver-
  sary at this time is Invictus, who rules a nation 
  consisting of New England, New York, Pennsyl-
  vania, and most of the eastern seaboard down to 
  Virginia — territory Shadow Destroyer would very 
  much like to add to his own empire.
  There is no Multifarian equivalent of Takofanes 
  the Arch-Lich. Some mystics speculate that the 
  Undying Lord’s spirit somehow “resides” in Shadow 
  Destroyer and is what gives him such vast arcane 
  power.
  POPEWOrLD
  POPEWOrLD
  Laurentia (see above) is far from the only 
  alternate Earth where the history and nature of the 
  Roman Catholic Church differs from that of CU 
  Earth. Consider, for example, perhaps the most 
  extreme example of what Human scholars call 
  “Catholicized” Earths: Popeworld.
  The history of Popeworld diverges from that 
  of CU Earth in the late eleventh century, during 
  the First Crusade. On CU Earth, the First Crusade 
  succeeded. On Popeworld, it succeeded phenom-
  enally, allowing the forces of Christianity to shatter 
  the military might of the Muslim world so thor-
  oughly that the Near East, Arabia, and North Africa 
  all quickly came under European control. The 
  Second Crusade, rather than being directed against 
  the Turks, was an attack on the Eastern Orthodox 
  Church. It sacked Byzantium, slaughtered Emperor 
  Manuel I Comnenus and all his relatives, and 
  destroyed every building, relic, and priest associ-
  ated with the Eastern version of Christianity. It then 
  turned northward into the Russias and wiped out 
  all traces of Eastern Orthodoxy there.
  The next thousand years of Popeworld history 
  are a chronicle of further crusades against the non-
  Catholic regions and religions of the world: Africa 
  and its animistic faiths; India, where Hinduism and 
  Buddhism were wiped out in cold-blooded massa-
  cres that reduced the subcontinent’s population by 
  more than 50% over the course of several centuries; 
  the New World, where primitive Mesoamerican 
  and American Indian civilizations were unable to 
  resist the religious fervor and superior armaments 
  of the conquistadors; and lastly the Far East, where 
  hundreds of years of struggle were required to 
  eradicate Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism.
  4
  
  138 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Today Popeworld is an almost-unified Earth 
  ruled from Rome, where Pope Nicodemus XXIII 
  holds sway. The nations are more or less the same as 
  those of CU Earth, but nearly all of them are theo-
  cratic regimes where the true ruler is the Roman 
  Catholic Church — the cardinals, archbishops, and 
  bishops wield the rule power, as do priests at a local 
  level. A rather strict, conservative form of Catholic 
  doctrine and custom applies to most activities and 
  aspects of daily life. For example, contraception, 
  abortion, and sex before marriage are highly illegal 
  and harshly punished; divorce is extremely rare; 
  woman are generally expected to stay home and 
  raise the children, and comprise only 18% of the 
  work force on average; Catholic interpretations of 
  history, science, and other subjects are taught in all 
  schools. Italian is the official world language and 
  spoken (in varying degrees of fluency) by over 95% 
  of Earth’s population, with Latin used for Bibles and 
  much Church business.
  However, the Church’s dominance doesn’t 
  amount to mind control. More than a few people 
  resent Catholic policies, want religious freedom, or 
  simply object to the Church’s tyranny in general. 
  Underground resistance cells (or terrorists, 
  depending on their conduct) exist in every major 
  city and region. The largest and most popular of 
  these is Arbor Libertas, the Tree of Freedom, which 
  seeks gradual, ongoing change in Church policies 
  through largely peaceful (albeit sometimes sneaky) 
  means. On the other hand, groups like the Sword of 
  Progress resort to outright attacks on churches and 
  other Catholic institutions.
  POPEWOrLD SuPErHuMANITY
  Superhumans exist in Popeworld; most super-
  humans of CU Earth have counterparts there. 
  However, Church doctrine regards superpowers 
  (including super-technology) with suspicion, 
  regarding them as bordering on “black magic” and 
  as a blasphemous attempt to steal or ape the power 
  of God. Thus, only superhumans who work directly 
  for the Church and are forced to lead their lives 
  according to special doctrines of constant peni-
  tence are allowed to exist unhindered. Those who 
  resist the Church’s beneficent instructions in these 
  matters are hunted down, captured, and sent to 
  monastery-prisons for life.
  Superhumans who actually use magic are 
  regarded as Devil-worshipping blasphemers and 
  destroyed out of hand unless they can make a 
  convincing case that their powers come from God 
  rather than the Devil. A superhuman with “holy 
  light” spells, or one whose incantations depend on 
  gematria, could probably persuade the Church to 
  let them live... but the likes of Witchcraft, not to 
  mention Talisman or the Demonologist, end up 
  executed and buried in an unhallowed grave with 
  no last rites.
  POWErWOrLD
  POWErWOrLD
  Of all the alternate dimensions they’re likely 
  to visit, your PCs may find Powerworld the most 
  disturbing... because it’s the one where they’re not 
  really special at all.
  Powerworld is pretty much the same as Cham-
  pions Universe Earth in most respects, but there’s 
  one important difference: everyone has super-
  powers. Literally everyone is born with them or 
  develops them in childhood; tests performed 
  during pregnancy can usually identify the general 
  nature of a child’s powers before he’s even born. But 
  of course, not everyone has an equal level of power 
  — thanks to the luck of the draw some people get 
  minor or not very useful powers, while others are 
  incredibly powerful or blessed with a power they 
  can use to become rich and successful.
  In Powerworld, people tend to join professions 
  their powers suit them for. People with powerful 
  offensive, defensive, or sensory abilities often 
  become soldiers or cops, whereas people with 
  various forms of super-intellect favor teaching, 
  science, or the law. The GM can use the tables on 
  the following page to randomly determine the 
  general type of superpowers any given NPC has, if 
  he doesn’t just want to make something up that’s 
  suitable for that character; choose specific powers 
  from Champions Powers, if desired.
  uSING POWErWOrLD
  Powerworld presents some intriguing role-
  playing opportunities. In most dimensions 
  (including CU Earth), what makes the PCs special 
  is that they have superpowers — they can do things 
  other people can’t. But that’s not the case on Power-
  world, where the average person they meet is likely 
  to be as superpowered as they are, if not moreso. 
  The average person’s powers may not be as useful 
  for crimefighting and saving the world, and he 
  certainly may not have the adventuring experience 
  they do, but he has the same raw power.
  That being the case, the PCs have to find other 
  ways to distinguish themselves — specifically, 
  their Skills/knowledge, their heroic attitude, and 
  roleplaying. Without the “crutch” of their powers 
  to set them apart, they’ll need something else to 
  make themselves useful to the authorities. Other-
  wise they’ll probably be told to go away and let the 
  professionals handle things.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  139
  WALKINGWOrLD
  WALKINGWOrLD
  In the panoply of alternate Earths, some dimen-
  sions barely change compared to Champions 
  Universe Earth, some “get lucky” and are signifi-
  cantly better in some way, and some are much, 
  much worse. From many perspectives Walking-
  world fits squarely in the latter category.
  Two simple, yet profound, changes make Walk-
  ingworld a very different place from CU Earth. 
  First, no large, tameable draft or riding animals 
  evolved there. Walkingworld has no horses, camels, 
  cattle, llamas, yaks, or the like. It has some similar 
  beasts (zebras and antelopes, for example), but for 
  reasons of biology, temperament, or geography 
  they’ve never been successfully tamed on any large 
  scale. It does have domesticated animals for food 
  (such as pigs, sheep, and chickens), but nothing big 
  enough to pull a loaded cart.
  Second, there’s almost no oil and comparatively 
  little coal, making the development of most types 
  of engines effectively impossible. Walkingworld 
  has water-wheels and the like to power immobile 
  machines (such as wheat and lumber mills) to grind 
  grain, but no automobiles, planes, gasoline genera-
  tors, or the like.
  The result is a world where travel and tech-
  nology are both extremely limited. Since the only 
  real means of transportation is walking, and the 
  only way to carry large burdens is Human porters 
  or travois-like devices, large political entities, 
  trading houses, and similar institutions never 
  evolved. The entire planet is a patchwork of thou-
  sands of relatively small political units whose reach 
  extends only as far as they can keep an army or 
  navy supplied... which isn’t very far.
  Walkingworld also suffers in one other impor-
  tant respect: magic is at a very, very low ebb in 
  this dimension. Since the existence of ambient 
  magic makes not only spellcasting but superpowers 
  possible in the Champions Universe Multiverse, 
  there are no superheroes in Walkingworld, and the 
  only mystics are just philosophers (or con men). 
  What’s worse is that if superpowered beings enter 
  Walkingworld, their powers may no longer func-
  tion! When PCs (or other superhumans) enter 
  Walkingworld, their powers immediately acquire a 
  16- Activation Roll. Each hour the Activation Roll 
  for each power drops by 1 point (to 15-, 14-, and 
  so on). (This also applies to super-technology and 
  the like.) When a character fails a roll to use a given 
  power, that power stops functioning until such time 
  as the character leaves Walkingworld. Thus, the 
  odds are that in less than a day, a superhuman in 
  Walkingworld will find himself totally powerless... 
  and quite likely trapped.
  Istvatha V’han is aware of Walkingworld and 
  its nature. As a result, she avoids the place like the 
  plague. She has considered using either Walking-
  world itself or one of the dimension’s other habit-
  able planets as a prison for superhuman criminals 
  (who’d no longer be superhuman there), and may 
  consider exiling any meddling CU Earth superhe-
  roes who invade her territory there as a “test case” 
  for the project.
  rANDOM SuPErPOWErS TABLE
  rANDOM SuPErPOWErS TABLE
  Roll 
  (first d6)
  Roll 
  (second d6)
  Roll 
  (third d6)
  General Nature Of Powers
  1-5
  1
  1
  Acid
  1-5
  1
  2
  Air And Wind
  1-5
  1
  3
  Animal powers
  1-5
  1
  4
  Body Control
  1-5
  1
  5
  Chaos and Entropy
  1-5
  1
  6
  Cosmic Energy
  1-5
  2
  1
  Cyberkinesis
  1-5
  2
  2
  Darkness
  1-5
  2
  3
  Density Alteration
  1-5
  2
  4
  Dimensional Manipulation
  1-5
  2
  5
  Duplication
  1-5
  2
  6
  Earth And Stone
  1-5
  3
  1
  Electricity
  1-5
  3
  2
  Emotion Control
  1-5
  3
  3
  Energy Manipulation
  1-5
  3
  4
  Fire And Heat
  1-5
  3
  5
  Force
  1-5
  3
  6
  Gravity
  1-5
  4
  1
  Hyper-Attributes
  1-5
  4
  2
  Ice And Cold
  1-5
  4
  3
  Illusion
  1-5
  4
  4
  Kinetic Energy
  1-5
  4
  5
  Light
  1-5
  4
  6
  Luck
  1-5
  5
  1
  Magnetism
  1-5
  5
  2
  Matter Manipulation
  1-5
  5
  3
  Mental And Psionic
  1-5
  5
  4
  Precognition
  1-5
  5
  5
  Radiation
  1-5
  5
  6
  Shape Alteration
  1-5
  6
  1
  Size Alteration
  1-5
  6
  2
  Sleep And Dream
  1-5
  6
  3
  Solar And Celestial
  1-5
  6
  4
  Sonic
  1-5
  6
  5
  Speedster
  1-5
  6
  6
  Spirit Projection
  6
  1
  1-3
  Strength And Toughness
  6
  1
  4-6
  Stretching
  6
  2
  1-3
  Telekinetic
  6
  2
  4-6
  Teleportation
  6
  3
  1-3
  Time
  6
  3
  4-6
  Vibration
  6
  4
  1-3
  Water
  6
  4
  4-6
  Weather
  6
  5
  1-3
  Wood And Plant
  6
  5
  4-6
  Miscellaneous superpower(s)
  LEVEL OF POWEr TABLE
  LEVEL OF POWEr TABLE
  Roll 
  (2d6)
  Level Of Power
  2
  Very Weak (NPC is built on approximately 100-150 Total Points)
  3-6
  Weak (NPC is built on approximately 151-300 Total Points)
  7-9
  Average (NPC is built on approximately 301-400 Total Points)
  10-11
  Powerful (NPC is built on approximately 401-600 Total Points)
  12
  Very Powerful (NPC is built on approximately 601 or more Total Points)
  4
  
  140 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  OTHEr EXAMPLE 
  OTHEr EXAMPLE 
  DIMENSIONS
  DIMENSIONS
  N
  ot all dimensions call for the detailed treat-
  ment suggested for the Astral Plane and 
  the Parterres. These brief sketches illustrate 
  the sorts of planes found in the various 
  divisions of the Multiverse (aside from alternate 
  Earths, which are featured in the preceding section 
  of this chapter). If a dimension isn’t meant to 
  become an important setting within a campaign, 
  you don’t need more than a few striking images 
  and important characters. If the players enjoy their 
  characters’ visit to a dimension, or want to create 
  PCs from that world, you can invent more details. 
  Some dimensions could become the settings for 
  major story arcs or whole short-term campaigns.
  MALKuTH: LOEZEN
  MALKuTH: LOEZEN
  A dying green star gives this tiny ancient dimen-
  sion, and its primary world of the same name, a 
  tenth as much light as Earth receives from its sun. 
  Bright stars remain visible even during the day. Life 
  persists on Loezen thanks to magical megaliths that 
  boost the sun’s light for miles around them, giving 
  light equal to a heavily overcast day on Earth. The 
  civilized folk of Loezen dwell near the megaliths. 
  Beyond the areas of full effect, the light gradually 
  dims and the land becomes colder and wilder.
  Humans, or beings much like Humans, form a 
  majority in the civilized regions. Loezen also holds 
  Human-animal hybrids, such as the pterodactyl-
  like rhamphors, and wholly alien intelligences. 
  About half a million years ago, Loezenian mages 
  explored other planes and imported numerous 
  species from them, including some that were 
  sentient. Other things came too, unbidden — subtle 
  forces that the wizards did not detect until it was 
  too late to control or dispel them. One of these 
  caused the sun’s decline: a Qliphothic entity entered 
  the heart of Loezen’s sun and has grown larger for 
  hundreds of millennia, draining away the sun’s 
  energy.
  Long ago, Loezen’s mages created the megalith 
  network to delay planetary death and hold back 
  the monsters. Since the Time of the Blazing Star, 
  however, the greatest magical knowledge has been 
  lost. As the emerald sun weakens and erosion and 
  mischance take their toll, a megalith falls every few 
  centuries; less often, a Loezenian mage repairs one. 
  The wild regions grow, and the monsters become 
  bolder and more powerful. By now, some former 
  settlements couldn’t be restored even if someone 
  drove away the monsters. Ancient spells mixed and 
  decayed there, producing perils to the soul as well 
  as the body.
  The perils of the wildlands include many 
  terrifying monsters: “They Who Laugh and Leap,” 
  degenerate hyena-like humanoids; Spidertrap 
  Vines, which telepathically lure victims to the 
  deadly heart of their nets of tendrils; the three-
  headed Slow Howlers; and the Specter Groves, 
  where bizarre mutilations of the spirit take place. 
  Some of Loezen’s more prominent sorcerers 
  include: the Sacred One, who wields incredible 
  telekinetic powers from within the sarcophagus 
  that holds his aged body in suspended animation; 
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  141
  Norom Barcaldine, the Prince Who Never Was, 
  who erased his kingdom from history through an 
  ill-considered experiment with time magic; and 
  Queen Charsadda of the city of Olm, whose eternal 
  youth and beauty may have some connection to the 
  Talisman of Invulnerability she inherited from her 
  late husband, Olm’s last king.
  Loezen stands out from most sentient-inhabited 
  worlds in having almost no astral extension. The 
  planet’s Lower Astral Plane is dark and wracked 
  with fierce spiritual winds. Anything caught in the 
  wind blows further and further from Loezen until 
  the astral storm carries it into the sun. Loezen’s 
  gods all tie their spirit realms to the planet as 
  pocket worlds so they don’t blow away. No ghosts 
  haunt this ancient world: the astral storm takes any 
  deceased spirit who lacks a god to offer refuge.
  Clearly, Loezen is a doomed world. The ancient 
  wizards understood this. They intended the mega-
  liths as a stopgap measure. In time, they folded 
  Loezen’s god-realms into the Blazing Star and most 
  Loezenians departed for another world, leaving the 
  planet with its maimed Astral Plane. Some people, 
  however, stayed behind. Rescuing Loezen from 
  its slow doom would be an impressive quest for 
  Human super-mages. Many powerful mystics still 
  live on Loezen, but they’re all too jealous of their 
  own power and independence to work together. 
  Most of them would rather flee to another world, 
  such as Earth, and leave the rest of their world to 
  die.
  MALKuTH: LYTHruM
  MALKuTH: LYTHruM
  Lythrum is what scholars refer to as a “high 
  Assiatic” dimension — one that, while subject 
  to the typical natural laws of a material realm, 
  has sufficient magical energy that it “borders on” 
  Yetzirah. The inhabitants of such planes often 
  use magic as much as, or sometimes more than, 
  science.
  Lythrum fits this category to a T. Although 
  inhabited by a species that’s basically identical to 
  Humans both internally and externally, Lythrum is 
  a realm suffused with dark mystical energies where 
  people accomplish things with sorcery as often as 
  science. In fact, Lythrum’s science mixes magic 
  and technology in ways that would baffle Human 
  scholars (and utterly fascinate Professor Paradigm). 
  Compared to Champions Universe Earth, scientists 
  tend to prefer to work alone, perhaps helped by 
  apprentice-like assistants. They’re aware of the exis-
  tence of other dimensions and often enjoy traveling 
  to them to explore or study.
  The magical energies of Lythrum are referred 
  to as “dark” for two reasons. First, they often 
  manifest as various forms of shadow, darkness, or 
  gloom. Human scientists who’ve studied Lythrum 
  speculate that the “dark matter” in the Lythruman 
  universe is actually a magical, perhaps even semi-
  sentient, force that mystics can manipulate with 
  spells. Second, the nature of this mystic shadow-
  stuff tends to be a corrosive force that corrupts the 
  soul if one lacks the willpower to control it instead 
  of being controlled by it. Many a Lythruman 
  sorcerer (or scientist) has turned to evil as a result 
  of this effect, forcing the better-natured Lythruman 
  mystics to spend a great deal of time and effort 
  combating them.
  Lythrum is a small dimension, and is named by 
  Humans after the planet best known to them. This 
  is the homeworld of the father of the superheroine 
  Black Rose, a member of the Sentinels and also of 
  the Lythruman royal family. The Sentinels have 
  visited Lythrum with her several times. By their 
  description (and her own), Lythrum is an often-
  dangerous place where political intrigue, espionage, 
  assassination, and clever social maneuvering are 
  much more a part of society than on CU Earth.
  MALKuTH: THE SIXTH 
  MALKuTH: THE SIXTH 
  DIMENSION
  DIMENSION
  While Assiatic realms generally follow material, 
  natural laws the way Champions Universe Earth’s 
  dimension does, that’s not to say they follow the 
  same natural laws as CU Earth, or are structured 
  the same. In some of these planes fundamental 
  forces CU Earth takes for granted (like gravity) 
  don’t exist or function differently; in others natural 
  laws no one in CU Earth’s ever heard of or theo-
  rized apply.
  One such dimension, known to CU Earth 
  Humans from only a few scant instances of contact, 
  is the so-called Sixth Dimension. The supervil-
  lainess Tesseract has mentioned this place on 
  several occasions; her powers may have some 
  connection to it. The Japanese supervillain Teikei 
  (“Trapezoid”) claims to be from the Sixth Dimen-
  sion; that his powers bear some similarity to 
  Tesseract’s may support his story. In either case the 
  term “Sixth Dimension” isn’t the plane’s real name, 
  simply a term CU Earth Humans have learned to 
  refer to it by.
  The inhabitants of the Sixth Dimension appar-
  ently occupy six dimensions of space, instead of the 
  three CU Earth inhabitants are accustomed to. In 
  theory this would allow them to reach “through” or 
  “into” three-dimensional space to achieve seem-
  ingly impossible effects that three-dimensional 
  beings could not perceive, or would perceive oddly 
  (much as the one- and two-dimensional inhabit-
  ants of Edwin Abbott’s Flatland can only partially 
  perceive their three-dimensional visitors). That 
  could explain the reality-warping powers displayed 
  by Teikei and Tesseract, as well as Teikei’s unusual 
  appearance).
  Similarly, if a being from a three-dimensional 
  plane such as CU Earth were to visit the Sixth 
  Dimension, his perceptions and ability to move 
  would theoretically be restricted, at least until he 
  acclimated to the dimension or received some 
  help from its residents. Since Teikei claims to be 
  a “criminal from the Sixth Dimension,” it seems 
  likely that the Sixth Dimension has societies with 
  “people” of different moral persuasions, so finding 
  assistance isn’t beyond possibility. There might even 
  be sixth dimensional superheroes and villains!
  4
  
  142 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  YESOD: YGGDrASIL, 
  YESOD: YGGDrASIL, 
  rEALM OF PLANT LIFE
  rEALM OF PLANT LIFE
  Yggdrasil is most simply defined as the Astral 
  Plane created by plant consciousness, but this 
  requires some explanation. Plants possess no 
  consciousness in any Human sense, but they 
  react to their environment and to each other. An 
  individual plant’s “mental” field is much weaker 
  than a Human’s, or even an animal’s, but there are 
  an awful lot more plants on Earth than there are 
  sessile creatures! Yggdrasil, the ash tree supporting 
  the world in Norse myth, supplies the most popular 
  name for the dimension created by these massed 
  “mental” fields.
  Unlike Faerie, which grew from Human ideas 
  about Nature, Yggdrasil is truly a realm apart from 
  Humanity. A wizard who enters Yggdrasil — physi-
  cally, astrally, or clairvoyantly — finds nothing 
  comprehensible in Human terms. Sight and sound 
  do not exist in Yggdrasil. Something like touch, 
  taste, and smell exist in this dimension, since plants 
  react to tissue damage and chemicals, but even 
  these senses register in ways alien to Human minds. 
  Just learning to interpret the sensations of Yggdrasil 
  can take years.
  Yggdrasil is deadly. Humans who think plants 
  are placid and gentle don’t know much about the 
  vegetable kingdom. Plants compete with each other, 
  as individuals and as species. The trees in a forest 
  strive to overspread each other and claim a greater 
  share of precious light. Different species secrete 
  chemicals to attract or repel insects, or to boost or 
  inhibit another species’ growth, a vegetable diplo-
  macy known to every master gardener. Parasitic 
  plants slowly, vampirically feed upon their hosts. 
  Forests and fields are places of silent, ruthless war.
  Yggdrasil reflects this war. Human visitors to 
  Yggdrasil encounter the psychic equivalent of 
  chemical warfare, parasites burrowing into their 
  bodies, and even less comprehensible attacks, all 
  driven by passionless, relentless hunger. Yggdrasil 
  doesn’t ignore animal intruders: to the spirits of 
  Yggdrasil, animals are fertilizer that needs to stop 
  moving. Visitors must leave quickly or go mad... or 
  maybe not leave at all.
  HOD: THE CITY-
  HOD: THE CITY-
  STATES OF YONG
  STATES OF YONG
  On the plane its inhabitants call Yong, the largest 
  bodies of matter are no more than a few miles in 
  diameter. These planetoids have surface gravities 
  comparable to Earth, but the gravity fades quickly 
  with altitude. Yongese animal life looks reasonably 
  Earthlike as well, though the plants resemble giant 
  mushrooms and fungi. The inhabitants look like 
  Caucasian Humans, except for catlike eyes and hair 
  colored black, green, blue, or purple, fading to grey 
  or white as they age. Orbiting rings of glowing, 
  yellow-white rocks illuminate these small worlds. 
  Meteor streams of such rocks occur naturally.
  Groups of these planetoids form the City-States. 
  A cluster has just one city. Notable city-states 
  include Yelbock in Pinchwell cluster, Vimpstead in 
  Skartaven, and Pelferlost (cluster and city have the 
  same name).
  A council of each cluster’s leading merchants 
  elects an Autocrat. To cement the election, the new 
  Autocrat receives superhuman magical powers. The 
  Autocrats are all intense rivals, though the physical 
  nature of the plane makes real war and conquest 
  impractical. Espionage is an accepted part of inter-
  city relations, and has a code of professional ethics 
  of its own. Most of the Yongese are farmers, but a 
  sizable minority lives in the cities as tradesmen and 
  artisans. Pirates raid the remote clusters.
  The entire plane is filled with air. Pterodactyl-
  like riding beasts and magical flying boats carry 
  people and goods between planetoids. The little 
  worlds within a cluster are only a day or so apart, 
  whereas travel between clusters can take up to a 
  month. Of course, Yong doesn’t actually have “days” 
  or “months.” Instead, Yongese tell time by “oscilla-
  tions” of the rings, which last from 16 to 48 hours.
  The Yongese accept magic as a normal part of 
  life. Yongese magic always requires lengthy rituals, 
  so sorcerers prefer to craft magic items for ready 
  use. All magic items incorporate yongspar, the 
  glowing mineral that makes up the rings.
  Autocrats gain their powers through a some-
  what risky magic ritual, but few are themselves 
  sorcerers. No two Autocrats receive exactly the 
  same powers, but physical enhancement and energy 
  projection are common results. The ritual is kept a 
  great secret, because it strains the fabric of Yong’s 
  reality and can have unpredictable side effects. For 
  instance, the ring around Pelferlost City is pale 
  green instead of yellow, because the empowerment 
  ritual was used three times in a single day.
  Yongspar retains some of its magical value on 
  other planes. In game terms, incorporating yong-
  spar into an enchanted item contributes 1 Char-
  acter Point to the item’s Real Cost. The very rare 
  yongspar crystals act as 10 point Variable Power 
  Pools that add to a sorcerer’s existing spellcasting, 
  but these crystals never hold more than 6 Charges 
  of this effect, and cannot be recharged.
  TIPHErETH: THE VEIL 
  TIPHErETH: THE VEIL 
  OF THE TEMPLE
  OF THE TEMPLE
  Beyond the Middle Astral lies the endless, 
  rippling greyness that every visitor first sees on 
  entering the Upper Astral — the Veil of the Temple. 
  Actually, the Upper Astral Plane is a very important 
  dimension, but by its nature, very little about it can 
  be defined in advance. What characters encounter 
  in the Veil of the Temple depends entirely on them 
  and the GM.
  The Upper Astral Plane is almost infinitely 
  responsive to thoughts — so responsive that it 
  externalizes and makes real any hopes, fears, or 
  expectations a visitor has. A character can materi-
  alize whole phony dimensions from the Veil of the 
  Temple. On the Upper Astral, all gods and beliefs 
  become true, because the dimension shapes itself 
  to fit.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  143
  The great challenge of the Veil, in fact, is to 
  stop projecting onto it. The Upper Astral can copy 
  anything. Does the character keep on his guard 
  against attack? The Veil obligingly creates enemies. 
  Does a character seek Enlightenment? God Himself 
  appears to give it... but this God says nothing the 
  character did not think already. Within minutes 
  of a character’s arrival, the Upper Astral Plane 
  cocoons him in a pocket dimension patterned on 
  his personality.
  Mystics call this plane the Veil of the Temple 
  because it blocks access to the Brialic Planes of pure 
  Spirit. To enter the realms of the cosmic conceptual 
  entities, characters must confront their own minds. 
  Successfully passing the Veil is one of the greatest 
  initiations a wizard can undergo. (Characters who 
  travel the dimensions using non-mystic powers 
  or technology rarely, if ever, cross the Veil into the 
  Higher Realms; Istvatha V’han can enter Brialic 
  and Atziluthic dimensions but almost never does.)
  Pocket dimensions created by the Veil have any 
  attributes the GM wants. Anything can happen in 
  them, for essentially the characters are subjected to 
  a Mental Illusion of unlimited power. Characters 
  can revisit their own past, meet omnipotent gods 
  (or experience godhood themselves), die and be 
  reborn — anything. But none of it is real; none of 
  it has any effect outside the astral pocket, except 
  for what the characters may learn about themselves 
  and each other.
  Adventures in the Veil tend toward psycho-
  drama. The Veil of the Temple chiefly responds 
  to the unconscious minds of visitors: it isn’t 
  an Instant Magic Wish-Fulfilling Dimension. 
  The Veil builds its pocket dimensions based on 
  visitors’ memories, deep-seated attitudes, and 
  mythic archetypes. Visitors to the Veil often find 
  painful memories replaying themselves, perhaps 
  in disguised form. Phobias, obsessions, and other 
  neuroses find expression. In short, the Upper Astral 
  Plane wrenches characters by their Psychological 
  Complications.
  Visitors to the Veil may even become more than 
  one person. The Veil often externalizes suppressed 
  aspects of a person’s psyche. A macho, tough-
  guy character might encounter his Anima, the 
  suppressed feminine side of his personality. A char-
  acter much concerned with virtue might meet his 
  Shadow, a compilation of amoral drives he never 
  wanted to face. Conversely, a cynical villain might 
  be shocked to encounter his own lost idealism in 
  the person of his younger self... and if this sounds 
  a lot like “A Christmas Carol,” well, it is. Dickens 
  wrote an excellent model for adventures on the 
  Upper Astral Plane.
  All this psychological wrenching has its rewards, 
  though. An adventure in the Upper Astral gives 
  characters a great excuse to buy down a Psycho-
  logical Complication that has become too great a 
  nuisance. Cosmic entities may use the Veil of the 
  Temple as a testing ground for PCs, to see if they 
  deserve a boon.
  Anyone who wants to gain access to the Brialic 
  dimensions must run the gauntlet of the Upper 
  Astral. Characters can pass the Veil in two ways. 
  The usual way is to show spiritual progress in a 
  psychodrama. A character could encounter an 
  “other self” and reconcile with it in a convincing 
  display of roleplaying; or he might triumph over an 
  important Psychological Complication. Instead of 
  Experience Points, the character receives the Fringe 
  Benefit Access To Briah (3 Character Points).
  Alternatively, however, a character might pass 
  the Veil by totally, dismally failing the Veil’s chal-
  lenges. Every Psychological Complication chal-
  lenged in the psychodrama gains 5 points of effect 
  — either the character becomes more fanatical, or 
  becomes more sensitive to circumstances that could 
  trigger the Complication. (The character doesn’t 
  receive any extra Character Points because of this.) 
  For instance, a character with the Psychological 
  Complication, Vengeful (Common, Strong) could 
  have his obsession become Total (he cannot keep 
  himself from seeking revenge), or Very Common 
  (any insult or defeat becomes grounds for consid-
  ering revenge). Only a few Brialic planes become 
  accessible to a person who becomes crazier in the 
  Veil — the ones belonging to the cosmic entities 
  most related to one’s obsessions.
  TIPHErETH: DEATH’S 
  TIPHErETH: DEATH’S 
  DOMINION
  DOMINION
  Everyone has his own image of Death’s 
  Dominion. For one person, Death might be a 
  desert under starlight. Another person might see 
  the realm of Death as an endless graveyard, while 
  a third person might imagine Death’s Dominion as 
  an infinite slaughterhouse where the dead hang on 
  hooks like so many slabs of beef.
  Whatever form it takes, Death’s Dominion is 
  cold, still, and dark. The dead wait, buried or not, 
  patient and unmoving as a trunk of forgotten 
  magazines in the attic. Nothing moves, for this is 
  where all stories end.
  Only the living can bring change to Death’s 
  Dominion. Living visitors, who cast no shadows 
  here and leave no footprints, can briefly rouse the 
  dead. In most cases the dead merely speak for a few 
  seconds but do not move. The specters of family, 
  friends, and loved ones can be roused to movement 
  and speech for a few minutes, but no more. Visitors 
  find the dead who matter to them more easily than 
  they find strangers, but there’s no rush. It’s too late 
  for Time.
  Sooner or later, a visitor comes to the one 
  fixed part of Death’s Dominion, a palace of ebon 
  stone. The doors stand always open. A tall, vaulted 
  passage leads to Death’s throne room. Light comes 
  from torches on the walls, their heatless white 
  flames caught in mid-flicker forever. Death’s stark, 
  angular throne looks empty... but anyone who 
  looks upon it somehow knows that it is occupied. 
  To speak for Death, a vistor’s deceased relative or 
  loved one stands at the foot of Death’s huge throne. 
  The living cannot see or hear Death itself, no matter 
  what their power.
  Aside from being creepy, Death’s Dominion 
  follows several rules of its own.
  4
  
  144 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The GM picks one character to supply the 
  image for Death’s Dominion. This might be the 
  character with the highest EGO, or the GM can 
  choose randomly. Ask the player how his character 
  imagines Death.
  Everything in Death’s Dominion is absolutely 
  indestructible, except visitors. What visitors do to 
  each other is their own business. Characters have 
  no way to harm the dead, or even to take a souvenir 
  from this plane.
  Time in Death’s Dominion is an illusion. 
  No matter how long a visitor stays in Death’s 
  Dominion, he returns to the worlds of time and 
  matter at the same moment he left. Visitors do not 
  need to eat, excrete, or sleep, and nothing in Death’s 
  Dominion could cause them harm except Death 
  itself, who usually won’t bother. Heroes may fight 
  Death’s avatars — mere gods of death, the “masks” 
  it wears to make itself seen and heard by mortals 
  in the lower worlds — but on its home turf, Death 
  wears no mask and cannot be fought. No one can 
  even target Death, no matter what Enhanced Senses 
  the character might possess.
  Characters can bargain with Death to restore 
  someone to life, but Death always demands a life in 
  return: If someone lives beyond the span of years 
  allotted by fate, someone else must take their place 
  in Death’s Dominion. Sometimes, Death demands 
  that heroes fetch to its Dominion someone who 
  cheated Death and lived too long, such as by 
  becoming undead or by stealing other people’s 
  bodies.
  The true measure of Death’s power comes with 
  the restoration to life if a bargain is fulfilled. This is 
  no vulgar opening of tombs. Death simply rewrites 
  the past so the person didn’t die: the fatal bullet 
  missed, the heart attack wasn’t quite so bad, or the 
  medics arrived sooner. Only the people who went 
  to Death’s Dominion know that history changed; 
  even the person restored to life won’t remember. 
  The resurrection, however, is not a rejuvenation. If 
  the person died when old, he remains old when he 
  comes back.
  Alternatively, Death can restore a person 
  through transmigration. Someone must offer to die 
  so the other person can live again — to sacrifice 
  all his remaining years. In this case, Death puts 
  the resurrected person’s soul in the selfless person’s 
  body, to live out that person’s destined lifespan. 
  Death never says how long that will be.
  The final mystery of Death’s Dominion concerns 
  its relationship with the lower astral realms such 
  as the Netherworld and Elysium. How can the 
  deceased exist in both Death’s Dominion and 
  whatever afterlife his religion decrees, or as a ghost 
  on the Astral Plane? Some mystics propose that 
  people have multiple souls, with multiple destinies 
  after death. Others say that Death can fetch souls 
  out of any “afterlife” whenever it pleases and lodge 
  them in its Dominion for visitors to meet, or that 
  the solid specters in Death’s Dominion are mere 
  “records” of the dead, like a photo album equipped 
  with memories. No one knows for sure... except 
  Death, and he isn’t telling.
  PACHAD: THE GArDEN 
  PACHAD: THE GArDEN 
  OF EArTHLY DELIGHTS
  OF EArTHLY DELIGHTS
  At first, visitors to the Garden of Earthly 
  Delights might think they landed in a section 
  of Elysium. The Garden is just that — a lush, 
  fantastic garden or park filled with fruit, flowers, 
  and brilliantly colored birds. This dimension’s 
  magic surpasses Elysium, however. In the Garden 
  of Earthly Delights, anything a visitor wishes for, 
  becomes real.
  Anything.
  That is, anything physical. The Garden cannot 
  grant knowledge or wisdom. It can, however, 
  satisfy any desire for pleasure, possessions, power, 
  or nearly anything else. It materializes whatever 
  objects, people, or other “props” it needs. Want to 
  be Emperor of the World? The Garden of Earthly 
  Delights creates a whole phony Earth if it must.
  So what’s the catch? Simply this: nothing that 
  happens in the Garden is real. It seems real by any 
  test that any visitor could attempt, but nothing 
  created by the Garden can pass beyond it. The 
  luxuries, the perfect friends and lovers, the powers 
  given by the Garden vanish the moment you try to 
  take them from the Garden to another dimension. 
  The Garden is the sweetest, most seductive trap 
  imaginable: everything a character could want, with 
  no responsibility, forever. But a gilded, upholstered, 
  perfumed cage is still a cage.
  The ultimate futility of the Garden’s pleasures 
  is best shown by two visitors trying to fight. The 
  Garden accommodates them both by tracelessly 
  substituting a fake for each opponent. That way, 
  both people can win — and yet neither of them 
  really achieved anything. They both received 
  private fantasies of victory, and the Garden keeps 
  them separate to preserve the delusion.
  The Garden is limited by the visitor’s imagina-
  tion — the one thing this dimension can’t create is 
  a surprise. By the time the Garden becomes boring, 
  though, a visitor might lack the will and discern-
  ment to leave: he wants to go, so the Garden makes 
  him a Gate... that leads to another simulation 
  conjured from his memories.
  CHESED: rEALMS OF 
  CHESED: rEALMS OF 
  THE FOur ZOAS
  THE FOur ZOAS
  Chesed holds the four highest astral realms, the 
  domains of Order, Chaos, Art, and Nature — the 
  four great abstractions that contend in the lower 
  worlds, personified by the cosmic entities called 
  the Prime Avatars, or the Four Zoas. Each of these 
  dimensions flickers between a set of images. In fact, 
  mystics say the realms of the Four Zoas are really 
  just one dimension, viewed four different ways. The 
  best evidence for this view comes from the dark 
  forest called Entuthon Benython, which exists in all 
  four realms.
  4
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Four 
  145
  ulro
  ulro
  Ulro is the realm of Urizen the Prince of Light, 
  Prime Avatar of Order. Ulro shows four faces to the 
  visitor. First a visitor sees the Forest of Entuthon 
  Benython. The entire forest grew, banyan-like, from 
  the Tree of Mystery that sprang up under Urizen’s 
  heel as he sat writing his books of laws. The tree 
  trunks rise like pillars; the leafy branches interlace 
  in a dense web, creating dark, vaulted spaces like 
  caves, the second image of Ulro.
  In this view, Ulro becomes a labyrinth of 
  caverns, with the peculiar property that every 
  path, from every point, leads downhill. You cannot 
  backtrack, because the caves change behind you. 
  Crystals in the walls and ceilings glitter with points 
  of light like stars in the night sky, the third image.
  Ulro becomes a huge void holding layer on layer 
  of slowly turning, concentric rings bearing stars 
  and planets, like an old armillary sphere model of 
  the Solar System. The rings themselves are made 
  of crystal, only visible by an occasional glint of 
  reflected light. The sky of Ulro is full of clockwork.
  Each star or planet is an entrance to a shining, 
  crystalline space, the fourth face of Ulro, where 
  dwell the spirits who serve Urizen. The “sun” in 
  the center of the starry wheels is Urizen’s palace 
  of marble and crystal, blazing with light to illumi-
  nate all the space around it. Around the palace are 
  Urizen’s garden and orchard, including the Tree 
  of Mystery, which easily expands and darkens to 
  become the Forest of Entuthon Benython again.
  Urizen is not always found in his palace. Some-
  times he explores the cave and forest with a globe 
  of fire in his hands, seeking he knows not what. 
  Sometimes he makes adjustments to his starry 
  wheels. He often goes to the Tree of Mystery to 
  argue fruitlessly with Orc — one of the forms taken 
  by the Prime Avatar of Chaos.
  Beulah
  Beulah
  The demesne of Luvah, Prime Avatar of Chaos 
  and emotion, is a moonlit realm of summer nights 
  and perfumed bowers. It also manifests as the 
  wilderness of Entuthon Benython in its fiercest 
  aspect. Beulah changes to echo the mood of visi-
  tors. The Realm of Chaos can become a maudlin 
  romance-land, a garden for play, a hellish waste 
  of hate and violence, or anything in between — 
  but the moonlit, summer garden of love and the 
  wilderness of tortured, twisted passions are its most 
  common forms. In the latter form, Luvah takes 
  the form of Orc, a young giant wrapped in flames, 
  chained to the Tree of Mystery. In the romance-
  land version of Beulah, Luvah and his feminine 
  aspect Vala appear as young lovers. Luvah and 
  Vala take many other forms as well, one for every 
  passion ever felt by mortals.
  Generation
  Generation
  The realm of Tharmas, Prime Avatar of Nature, 
  has no proper name. Names do not exist in Nature. 
  “Generation” describes what Tharmas does: he 
  creates and maintains the blind cycles of birth, life, 
  and death.
  Under the influence of Tharmas, Entuthon 
  Benython becomes wild and tangled, almost a 
  jungle, with spirits resembling wild animals. The 
  forest can change without warning to other images, 
  such as a forest-like kelp bed (but visitors can 
  breathe underwater), or the tangled jungle of veins, 
  nerves, and tissues inside a vastly magnified living 
  body.
  The central image of Generation, however, 
  is a wild and rocky shore. Entuthon Benython 
  surrounds a dark and bitter lake called Udan Adan. 
  This lake can expand in a moment to a seashore, 
  with Tharmas rising from the water like a tidal 
  wave.
  Golgonooza
  Golgonooza
  Golgonooza is the city of Urthona, Prime Avatar 
  of Art. The forest of Entuthon Benython completely 
  surrounds the city, with the farmlands of Alla-
  manda as a buffer zone. Golgonooza is a square, 
  fortified city with castellated, golden walls, four 
  gates in each wall, and four massive statues by each 
  gate. Golgonooza’s walls are low but the intercon-
  nected buildings within tower thousands of feet 
  into the air.
  Golgonooza lacks most of the features of a 
  real city, like shops or vehicles. This architectural 
  fantasy of towers, terraces, streets, and courtyards is 
  more an idea of city-ness than a city itself.
  In the middle of Golgonooza stand the twin 
  citadels of Luban and Cathedron. Luban holds the 
  great forge of Los the Smith, one aspect of Urthona. 
  Cathedron holds the looms of Enitharmon the 
  Weaver, Los’s wife and another aspect of Urthona. 
  There do Los, Enitharmon, and their children 
  create spaces and times for other beings to inhabit. 
  Anyone can see that Luban and Cathedron have a 
  top, but no one can ever reach it, no matter how far 
  or how fast they travel.
  The character of Golgonooza changes to suit the 
  visitor’s mood. The buildings of Golgonooza can 
  be made of gold like the walls, or silver, iron, or 
  brick and stone. The city may hold crisp, Art Deco 
  spires like something from an old Science Fiction 
  illustration; or lush palaces with carved walls, 
  onion domes, and minarets; or the grim, forbidding 
  skyscrapers of an urban nightmare. Golgonooza 
  shows all the faces of Artifice, from the best to the 
  worst.
  4
  
  146 n The Multiverse 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  QLIPHOTHIC: THE 
  QLIPHOTHIC: THE 
  SHINING DArKNESS
  SHINING DArKNESS
  Nearly everything in this mystical cosmos is 
  black, in a multitude of shades and hues. Darkness 
  itself becomes a form of radiation in this dimen-
  sion. Human eyes do not like to see the Shining 
  Darkness. Many sorts of Qliphothic entities dwell 
  in this plane; though it cannot be said that such 
  creatures “live” in most beings’ sense of the term.
  In the Shining Darkness, huge, angular masses 
  rise from vast, warped planes in utter disregard for 
  gravity. Indistinct things flop and writhe between 
  them. Every few miles stands a loose cluster of 
  Humanoid statues like huge, squatting fetuses made 
  of compacted grey ash. Qliphothic horrors nest in 
  the empty eyesockets of their oversized heads.
  Humans and other organic beings face danger 
  just from being in this realm. The darkness slowly 
  leeches away life energy and replaces it with the 
  plane’s own mysterious energies. In game terms, 
  mortal visitors suffer a Severe Transform 1d6, 
  Penetrating every 10 minutes. As the Transform 
  proceeds, a visitor’s skin darkens. When the Trans-
  form is three-fourths complete, the character’s body 
  turns completely black and starts to glow with the 
  Shining Darkness’s radiance. When the Transform 
  completes, the being’s body crumbles and the 
  victim becomes a Qliphothic entity.
  If the victim returns to Earth from the Shining 
  Darkness before the Transform is complete, he 
  radiates a 2m radius field of Darkness to Sight 
  Group for one minute for every point of Transform 
  damage taken over the victim’s BODY. (This would 
  make a great mystical “radiation accident.”)
  Mundane light sources such as flashlights or 
  matches explode the moment someone activates 
  them in the Shining Darkness — the dimension 
  rips out their stored energy. A simple kitchen match 
  becomes an RKA ½d6, Area Of Effect (1m Radius 
  Explosion); a flashlight or cigarette lighter full of 
  fluid becomes an RKA 2-3d6, Area Of Effect (2-3m 
  Radius Explosion); a more powerful light source 
  produces an even more powerful blast. Other 
  energy-emitting Powers and devices suffer a similar 
  effect, turning into RKA Explosions of 1½ x the 
  Active Points of the Power and using up triple END 
  or Charges.
  QLIPHOTHIC: 
  QLIPHOTHIC: 
  TATTErDEMALION
  TATTErDEMALION
  This Qliphothic dimension might be better 
  described as an agglomeration of leftover dimen-
  sions. As planes of reality decay or corrode and 
  become Qliphothic, sometimes they tear apart 
  or shrink. By a process not even mystics under-
  stand, dozens of these “dimensional fragments” 
  have become attracted to one another by some 
  gravity-like extradimensional force and coalesced 
  to form a patchwork reality Humans would call 
  Tatterdemalion.
  In Tatterdemalion, the “landscape” (such as it is) 
  can change entirely over just a few miles as a trav-
  eler crosses from a fragment of one dimenstion to a 
  fragment of another. Where the two fragments were 
  previously similar or have “knitted together” well, 
  this change may be gradual and subtle, but in most 
  cases it’s as abrupt as a cliff’s edge. And since they’re 
  rotten pieces of ancient dimensions, none of the 
  “zones” of Tatterdemalion are in any way pleasant.
  The creatures and beings who once inhabited 
  the various component realms of Tatterdemalion 
  have mingled and interbred throughout the eons, 
  creating things monstrous and strange even by 
  Qliphothic standards. Some of them that Cham-
  pions Universe Earth superheroes have encoun-
  tered include: Carrionites, whose semi-undead flesh 
  constantly remolds itself into different forms; the 
  Foul-Skinned Men, humanoid warriors whose very 
  touch is corruptive both physically and spiritually; 
  Orons, invisible things who seem to be composed 
  entirely of fanged mouths; Skeinrippers, who have 
  the power to harm living beings by attacking their 
  destinies; and Zodiac Beasts, predators said to be 
  made of the stuff between constellations.
  4
  
  THE v’HANIAN EMPIRE
  Chapter 
  Five
  
  148 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  STruCTurE 
  STruCTurE 
  OF EMPIrE
  OF EMPIrE
  T
  he V’hanian Empire is a vast, sprawling 
  government that rules a hundred million 
  dimensions and hundreds of octillions of 
  subjects. Reconciling the various needs, 
  wants, and interests of those subjects, governmental 
  agencies, interests groups, and organizations is 
  a non-stop task; sometimes it requires a scalpel, 
  sometimes a sledgehammer. More than one person 
  has remarked that Istvatha V’han’s greatest super-
  power isn’t dimensional travel or time travel, it’s her 
  ability to manage and administrate her empire so 
  successfully for so long.
  THE HIErArCHY 
  THE HIErArCHY 
  OF POWEr
  OF POWEr
  At the top of the imperial hierarchy is, of course, 
  the Empress herself — the absolute, unquestioned 
  ruler of the greatest empire in the known history 
  of the Multiverse. Technically speaking, not only is 
  her word law, but everything in the Empire belongs 
  to her. However, preferering to rule benevolently 
  whenever possible and to let her subjects enjoy 
  the fruits of their labor, V’han takes some pains to 
  make things appear otherwise. First, she doesn’t 
  usually pass laws swiftly or on a whim. Most impe-
  rial laws are first proposed to her by the Imperial 
  Law Council (see page 164) or some other division 
  of the government, and are carefully studied by 
  various government agencies and other interested 
  parties before the Empress makes a final decision. 
  It’s not unknown for her to simply make a decree 
  based on her personal inclinations or experiences, 
  but she recognizes that this generally isn’t a good 
  way to rule and avoids it unless she’s strongly 
  moved to act.
  Second, except on rare occasions the Empress 
  never enforces her claim to possession of all prop-
  erty in the Empire. She’ll lay claim to something if 
  it’s necessary for imperial purposes, but even then 
  she recompenses whoever it was taken from. She 
  realizes that one of the best, easiest ways to keep 
  her subjects content is to let them prosper and 
  own things, so that’s exactly what she does. After 
  all, one of her chief promises to potential or recent 
  conquerees is to improve their standard of living, 
  and that’s not likely to happen if she takes most of 
  what they own or produce. (Similarly, she makes 
  sure local officials obey relevant imperial laws and 
  don’t take her subjects’ possessions without cause.)
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  149
  regents And Viceroys
  regents And Viceroys
  Even a dimension-hopping time-traveler can’t 
  be everywhere at once in over a hundred million 
  dimensions, so Istvatha V’han needs capable people 
  to rule at a local level on her behalf. But finding 
  trustworthy underlings isn’t always the easiest thing 
  to do. So at the highest levels of imperial rule the 
  Empress usually resorts to the use of sentient robots 
  who are programmed to think like her and to be 
  utterly loyal to her. A Regent Robot rules entire 
  dimensions in the Empress’s name (or dimen-
  sional sectors — the same as those used by the 
  Imperial Legions); a Viceroy Robot rules entire 
  galaxies (or sometimes just one or more extremely 
  important planets). These robots have extensive 
  built-in weapons and defenses and are capable of 
  fighting superheroes if need be. They can also travel 
  dimensionally just like their creator does (though 
  they lack the Access To Briah Fringe Benefit, barring 
  them from certain higher planes.)
  A Regent Robot looks just like Istvatha V’han 
  wearing elaborate gold and purple robes. However, 
  its facial features, while accurate, are obviously 
  robotic — no one could mistake a Regent Robot for 
  the Empress herself (except perhaps in bad light). 
  A Viceroy robot is similar, but slightly shorter and 
  dressed in red and black.
  Imperial Designees
  Imperial Designees
  Below the level of the Regent and Viceroy 
  robots, the Empress prefers to rely on flesh-
  and-blood officials, since they’re more likely to 
  have daily contact with the people they rule. As 
  a class, they’re referred to as imperial designees, 
  since they’re appointed by V’han’s decree. Typical 
  designee positions include:
  
  n Star Governor (chief administrator of an entire 
  sector of space within a galaxy)
  
  n Planetary Governor (chief administrator of 
  a planet; sometimes upgraded to “System 
  Governor” in the case of star systems with 
  multiple inhabited planets)
  On particularly important planets the Empress 
  may also designate Continental Governors or 
  Regional Governors, who report to the Planetary 
  Governor, or even City Governors over key urban 
  areas.
  During Stage Zeta (Integration) of a dimen-
  sional conquest (see page 182), one decision V’han 
  has to make is whether to leave existing local 
  officials (the surviving ones) in positions of power 
  as imperial designees, or replace the “old regime” 
  with people of her own choosing. (The latter may or 
  may not be locals. An apppointment to a position 
  of significant authority in a dimension may be a 
  reward for a loyal courtier, supporter, or retiring 
  military officer... or a de facto exile for a nuisance 
  Istvatha V’han prefers to get out of her hair.) The 
  Empress prefers to keep local officials on in new 
  capacities if she’s satisfied as to their loyalty to her, 
  and their general competence. She doesn’t want to 
  get rid of a useful underling, but neither does she 
  want to solidify bunglers or bullies in power or 
  give official “sanction” to longstanding abuses of 
  political power.
  In situations where the former rulers haven’t 
  done a good job, have oppressed large segments of 
  the population, or are likely to cause trouble, she 
  has them removed (usually executed, but some-
  times sent to a distant planet or dimension) and 
  replaces them with a native who’s more fit to lead. 
  If problems persist (as they often do in cases of 
  longstanding racial or religious differences), it’s 
  not unknown for her to resolve the issue by killing 
  everyone involved — in short, by committing 
  genocide on a massive scale — and then opening 
  the territory for settlement by more rational, 
  mature people. For example, if the Empress ever 
  conquers Champions Universe Earth, it’s likely that 
  significant portions of the Middle East, Africa, and 
  the Indian subcontinent will be “scoured” (as the 
  Imperial Legions puts it) and then made available 
  for other Humans to settle. The Empress expects 
  her subjects to behave so they can take advantages 
  of the opportunities being an imperial subject offers 
  — and if they don’t behave, she will punish them.
  The Imperial Bureaucracy
  The Imperial Bureaucracy
  Below (or sometimes to the side of) the level of 
  imperial designees are the vast ranks of the imperial 
  bureaucracy. Typically these functionaries answer 
  to the higher-ups in their ministry (see below) first 
  and local officials second, but there are enough 
  exceptions to that rule, enough unwritten rules, and 
  enough exceptional circumstances to make many a 
  bureaucrat’s life “interesting.”
  Istvatha V’han takes an unusually high level of 
  interest in the workings of her bureaucracy. Many 
  of the reports she reads each day are from major 
  and minor departments within the bureaucratic 
  halls, not just from the dimensional or galactic 
  level but right on down to individual planets and 
  cities. She expects her “court officials” (as they’re 
  formally known) to serve her subjects, and to do so 
  as competently and swiftly as possible. There’s no 
  tenure, no unions, and no guarantee of job security 
  other than doing your job well. She expects public 
  employees who can’t live up to standard to be fired 
  by their bosses or moved into a different position 
  where they can do better. And woe be unto the 
  bureaucrat who takes bribes, engages in influence-
  peddling, or uses his office for the benefit of himself 
  or his friends. That sort of corruption quickly 
  reaches the level of being a capital offense in the 
  Empire; even lesser offenders are often subject to 
  severe corporal punishment and/or prison terms. 
  The Empress does not suffer those who take 
  advantage of her power, or abuse her subjects in her 
  name, gladly.
  5
  
  150 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  V’HANIAN 
  V’HANIAN 
  REGENT ROBOT
  REGENT ROBOT
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  50 STR 
  40 19- Lift 25 tons; 10d6 HTH damage [5]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  30 CON 
  20 15-
  25 INT 
  15 14- PER Roll 14-
  10 EGO 
  0 11-
  30 PRE 
  20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  8 
  DCV 
  25
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  8 
  DMCV 15
  6 
  SPD 
  40  
  Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  30 PD 
  28  
  Total: 30 PD (30 rPD)
  30 ED 
  28  
  Total: 30 ED (30 rED)
  20 REC 
  16
  60 END 
  8
  20 BODY 10
  70 STUN 
  25  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 335
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  24m
   
  Flight: 
  40m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Weapons Array: Multipower, 90-point reserve
  9f 
  1) Pulson Bolt (Offensive Mode): Blast 18d6 
  9
  9f 
  2) Pulson Bolt (Defensive Mode): Blast 12d6 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  9f 
  3) Autofire Pulson Bolt: Blast 9d6 
  3
  Autofire (5 shots; +½), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +½)
  7f 
  4) Focused Pulson Bolt: Blast 12d6 
  7
  Armor Piercing (+¼)
  9f 
  5) Neuro-Blaster: Blast 10d6 
  3
  NND (defense is Mental Defense or not being a living 
  organic being; +½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  5f 
  6) Tangle-Cable: Entangle 6d6, 6 PD/6 ED 
  [12]
  12 Charges (-¼)
  4f 
  7) Flare: Sight Group Flash 8d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½); No Range (-½)
  8f 
  8) Neuro-Interference Ray: Drain Characteristics 4d6 8
  Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any two Character-
  istics at a time; +1)
  7f 
  9) Built-In Mini-Rocket Launcher: Blast 10d6 
  [12]
  Area Of Effect (12m Radius; +¾); 12 Charges (-¼)
  15 
  Robotic Form: Hardened (+¼) for 30 PD/30 ED 
  0
  37 
  Robotic Form: Resistant (+½) for 30 PD/30 ED 
  0
  Hardened (+¼)
  10 
  Psi-Shield: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Structural Support Field: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Hardened Visual Sensors: Sight Group Flash Defense 
  (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Electronic Countermeasures: Radio Group Flash 
  Defense (10 points) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy: Knockback Resistance -12m 
  0
  10 
  Emotional Control: +20 Presence 
  0
  Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
  35 
  Robotic Form: Life Support: Total 
  0
  45 
  Dimensional Travel: Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  (any physical location in any dimension) 
  4
  67 
  Foot-Jets: Flight 40m, x4 Noncombat 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  12 
  Robotic Legs: Running +12m (24m total) 
  1
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 
  Degrees) (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: x100 Microscopic for Sight Group 
  0
  9 
  Visual Sensors: Telescopic (+6 versus Range for Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  15 
  Auditory Sensors: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) 
  0
  3 
  Auditory Systems: Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  27 
  Radio Sensors: HRRP (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  15 
  Radar: Radar (Radio Group) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +2 to PER Rolls with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  20 
  Imperial D-Link: Mind Link, specific group of up to any 
  16 minds (Istvatha V’han and other Regent/Viceroy/
  Herald robots), Dimensional, No LOS Needed 
  0
  Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind 
  Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not 
  Mental Group (-½)
  57 
  Self-Destruct System: RKA 7d6 
  [1nr]
  NND (defense is ED Resistant Protection defined as a 
  force-field or the like; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger 
  (encrypted radio signal from self, Istvatha V’han, or 
  other authorized personnel; +¼); Self Only (-1), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers (-4)
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Range Sense
  3 
  Absolute Time Sense
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  6 
  Speed Reading: x100 times normal speed
  20 
  Universal Translator 14-
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  151
   
  Skills
  40 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Computer Programming 14-
  3 
  Cryptography 14-
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  19 
  AK: The V’hanian Empire 30-
  3 
  Mechanics 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Dimensional History 14-
  18 
  2) KS: Dimensions Of The Multiverse 30-
  28 
  3) KS: Everything 40-
  18 
  4) KS: What Goes On In The V’hanian Empire 30-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 807
  Total Cost: 1,142
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  25 
  Hunted: Tyrannon (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Destroy)
  10 
  Physical Complication: can be affected by Mental 
  Powers that affect either the Human or Machine 
  class of minds (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Utterly Loyal To 
  Istvatha V’han (Very Common, Total)
  Total Complications Points: 60
  Experience Points: 747
  V’HANIAN 
  V’HANIAN 
  VICEROY ROBOT
  VICEROY ROBOT
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  40 STR 
  30 17- Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 HTH damage [4]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  25 CON 
  15 14-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  10 EGO 
  0 11-
  30 PRE 
  20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  7 
  DMCV 12
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  25 PD 
  23  
  Total: 25 PD (25 rPD)
  25 ED 
  23  
  Total: 25 ED (25 rED)
  20 REC 
  16
  60 END 
  8
  16 BODY 
  6
  60 STUN 
  20  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 273
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  24m
   
  Flight: 
  30m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  80 
  Weapons Array: Multipower, 80-point reserve
  7f 
  1) Pulson Bolt (Offensive Mode): Blast 15d6 
  7
  7f 
  2) Pulson Bolt (Defensive Mode): Blast 10d6 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  8f 
  3) Autofire Pulson Bolt: Blast 8d6 
  3
  Autofire (5 shots; +½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +½)
  7f 
  4) Focused Pulson Bolt: Blast 12d6 
  7
  Armor Piercing (+¼)
  7f 
  5) Neuro-Blaster: Blast 8d6 
  3
  NND (defense is Mental Defense or not being a living 
  organic being; +½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  5f 
  6) Tangle-Cable: Entangle 6d6, 6 PD/6 ED 
  [12]
  12 Charges (-¼)
  4f 
  7) Flare: Sight Group Flash 8d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½); No Range (-½)
  8f 
  8) Neuro-Interference Ray: Drain Characteristics 4d6 8
  Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any two Character-
  istics at a time; +1)
  6f 
  9) Built-In Mini-Rocket Launcher: Blast 9d6 
  [12]
  Area Of Effect (12m Radius; +¾); 12 Charges (-¼)
  12 
  Robotic Form: Hardened (+¼) for 25 PD/25 ED 
  0
  31 
  Robotic Form: Resistant (+½) for 25 PD/25 ED 
  0
  Hardened (+¼)
  10 
  Psi-Shield: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Structural Support Field: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Hardened Visual Sensors: Sight Group Flash Defense 
  (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Electronic Countermeasures: Radio Group Flash 
  Defense (10 points) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy: Knockback Resistance -12m 
  0
  10 
  Emotional Control: +20 Presence 
  0
  Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
  35 
  Robotic Form: Life Support: Total 
  0
  45 
  Dimensional Travel: Extra-Dimensional Movement  
  (any physical location in any dimension) 
  4
  52 
  Foot-Jets: Flight 30m, x4 Noncombat 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  12 
  Robotic Legs: Running +12m (24m total) 
  1
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 
  Degrees) (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: x100 Microscopic for Sight Group 
  0
  9 
  Visual Sensors: Telescopic (+6 versus Range for Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  15 
  Auditory Sensors: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) 
  0
  3 
  Auditory Systems: Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  27 
  Radio Sensors: HRRP (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  15 
  Radar: Radar (Radio Group) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +2 to PER Rolls with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5
  
  152 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE IMPErIAL 
  THE IMPErIAL 
  MINISTrIES
  MINISTrIES
  Over the centuries, Istvatha V’han has organized 
  the machinery of her government into several 
  dozen Ministries of varying size and importance. 
  Within each Ministry are various Vice Ministries, 
  then Subministries, and finally Bureaus, as needed. 
  A Minister oversees each Ministry, making him 
  one of the highest-ranking figures in the impe-
  rial government. Nearly all Ministers are native 
  V’hanians, the people Istvatha V’han most trusts, 
  but she makes some effort to include other species 
  when she finds a qualified candidate. The ranks of 
  Vice Ministers, Subministers, and Bureau Directors 
  are filled by members of thousands (if not millions) 
  of different species.
  Most of the Ministries maintain their head-
  quarters on V’ha, along with all the other major 
  governmental offices (see below). However, each 
  also has other major offices scattered throughout 
  the V’hanian Empire based on its need and 
  mission. The headquarters buildings are typically 
  city-sized complexes precisely organized according 
  to rank and function. By knowing where a Ministry 
  employee’s office is in relation to that of the 
  Minister, and its size, one can easily judge where 
  he stands in the Ministry’s pecking order (and 
  probably make a strong educated guess as to exactly 
  what his job responsibilities are).
  Some of the major Ministries include:
  The Grand Chancellery
  The Grand Chancellery
  The office of the Grand Chancellor is essentially 
  that of a “chief of staff” to the Empress. These are 
  her right-hand men, the officials responsible for 
  helping her with day to day affairs, controlling 
  access to her, and generally making her life easier. 
  Among other things, the Grand Chancellor coordi-
  nates the activities of the other Ministers, making 
  sure they know what they’re responsible for, what 
  the Empress expects, and where their jurisdiction 
  ends. It’s a small Ministry compared to most of the 
  others, but its influence and power far exceed its 
  size.
  GrAND CHANCELLOr CHITTHOrAM
  The Grand Chancellor, head of the Chancellery 
  and the Empress’s right-hand man, is Chitthoram, 
  a rare example of a Minister who’s not V’hanian. 
  He’s a member of the Ka-ree, a species of five foot-
  tall humanoids from the V’ha-1 dimension with 
  bulbous heads, reddish-pink skin, and three fingers 
  on each hand. He wears a beautifully-made caftan-
  like open robe embroidered with the imperial 
  symbol, a short tunic, pants, and shoes. He usually 
  carries an ultra-advanced portable computer.
  20 
  Imperial D-Link: Mind Link, specific group of up to any  
  16 minds (Istvatha V’han and other Regent/Viceroy/
  Herald robots), Dimensional, No LOS Needed 
  0
  Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind 
  Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not 
  Mental Group (-½)
  49 
  Self-Destruct System: RKA 6d6 
  [1nr]
  NND (defense is ED Resistant Protection defined as a 
  force-field or the like; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger 
  (encrypted radio signal from self, Istvatha V’han, or 
  other authorized personnel; +¼); Self Only (-1), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers (-4)
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Range Sense
  3 
  Absolute Time Sense
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  6 
  Speed Reading: x100 times normal speed
  20 
  Universal Translator 13-
   
  Skills
  40 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Cryptography 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  20 
  AK: The V’hanian Empire 30-
  3 
  Mechanics 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Dimensional History 13-
  19 
  2) KS: Dimensions Of The Multiverse 30-
  29 
  3) KS: Everything 40-
  19 
  4) KS: What Goes On In The V’hanian Empire 30-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 761
  Total Cost: 1,034
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  25 
  Hunted: Tyrannon (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, Destroy)
  10 
  Physical Complication: can be affected by Mental Powers 
  that affect either the Human or Machine class of minds 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Utterly Loyal To Istvatha 
  V’han (Very Common, Total)
  Total Complications Points: 60
  Experience Points: 649
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  153
  Chitthoram’s qualifications for his position are 
  many. First, his species is quite long-lived compared 
  to most sentients, so the Empress doesn’t have to 
  train a new Grand Chancellor every few decades. 
  Second, his mind is nearly as good as her own 
  in general, and his memory is as perfect as hers. 
  Between the two of them there’s no detail of high-
  level imperial government that escapes their notice 
  and recollection. Chitthoram also makes a point 
  of pride of knowing the name of every imperial 
  bureaucrat down to the mid-Bureau level. Any 
  time the Empress needs to know who’s handling a 
  particular situation, he can tell her — or at least tell 
  her who knows.
  In fact, Chitthoram is so invaluable to Istvatha 
  V’han that she’s made a point of gathering up all 
  the Chitthorams from all the alternate V’has she’s 
  conquered and putting them to work under him. 
  Many of the high-level officials of the Chancel-
  lery are Chitthorams; all of them but the first wear 
  slightly different clothing from him, and their iden-
  tification badges prominently indicate their number 
  along with their name.
  The Ministry Of 
  The Ministry Of 
  Diplomatic Affairs
  Diplomatic Affairs
  Despite her well-deserved reputation as a 
  warmonger, Istvatha V’han recognizes the value of 
  diplomacy and negotiation. Sometimes it’s easier, 
  faster, and cheaper to negotiate for what you want 
  instead of just trying to take it. When that’s the 
  case, she calls on her Ministry of Diplomatic Affairs 
  to handle the situation.
  Diplomatic Affairs’s responsibilities cover many 
  aspects of formal, peaceful interaction between 
  sovereign or semi-sovereign entities and the 
  Empire. For example, Ministry officials are respon-
  sible for protocol at all state dinners and similar 
  functions. But perhaps their best-known (and most 
  dangerous) job is to convince potential targets 
  of conquest to join the Empire peacefully. Before 
  she sends in her conquering Legions, the Empress 
  often sends a legation of diplomats. Their message: 
  agree to join the Empire now, without quarrel or 
  conflict, and you’ll be spared the horrors of war. 
  This isn’t always an easy sell, because the diplomats 
  aren’t really empowered to offer any concesssions 
  — a civilization that joins the Empire voluntarily 
  doesn’t retain any special freedom to govern itself, 
  isn’t spared any taxes or obligations, and doesn’t 
  necessarily get to keep its currect government or 
  other institutions. All the diplomats can promise is 
  this: your cities won’t be destroyed; your sons and 
  daughters won’t die in a needless war; and you’ll 
  receive the benefits of being an imperial holding 
  more quickly and extensively than if the Empress 
  takes your world by force (see page 182). For more 
  than a few worlds that’s enough incentive to sign on 
  the dotted line.
  THE VICE-MINISTrY FOr FIrST CONTACT
  The most important Vice-Ministry of Diplo-
  matic Affairs is First Contact. After the Imperial 
  Scout Service discovers a civilization that has no 
  contact with its galactic or dimensional society 
  (see page 70), it reports this to Diplomatic Affairs. 
  The Vice-Minister then sends veritable brigade of 
  diplomats, sociologists, anthropologists, and other 
  social scientists to study the planet and its civiliza-
  tions and determine the best way to “introduce” the 
  Empire to them. Depending on the nature of the 
  cultures involved, this ranges from a smooth and 
  generally trouble-free process to situations where 
  the First Contact personnel are in serious danger of 
  being lynched or imprisoned. (If the latter happens, 
  First Contact immediately calls in the Imperial 
  Legions, and the offending society quickly learns 
  the consequences of xenophobia.) In the “typical” 
  case, a first contact is generally peaceful but not 
  without its “growing pains” and societal upheavals 
  for the civilization involved.
  After the initial task of revealing the existence 
  of the Empire (and the greater multiversal civiliza-
  tion in general) has been performed, First Contact’s 
  job is done. It turns the civilization over to other 
  branches of the imperial bureaucracy, primarily the 
  Vice-Ministries of Unification and Technological 
  Analysis (see below).
  5
  
  154 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The Ministry Of Energy
  The Ministry Of Energy
  Like any other advanced civilization, the 
  V’hanian Empire requires copious amounts 
  of energy — its technology, and the economic 
  advancements and creature comforts technology 
  provides, depend on power. The Ministry of 
  Energy’s job is to ensure that all parts of the Empire 
  have enough energy, and that it’s properly “trans-
  ported” from wherever its generated to wherever it’s 
  needed. Fortunately, imperial technology generally 
  makes this a routine affair; anti-matter, fusion, and 
  solar power are all available in copious quantities. 
  The Ministry of Energy is far from the most glam-
  orous division of Istvatha V’han’s government, but 
  it’s one of the most crucial, and she never forgets 
  that.
  The Ministry Of History
  The Ministry Of History
  Unsurprisingly, as an immortal time-traveler 
  Istvatha V’han is keenly interested in history. 
  Not only does she want to know What Has Gone 
  Before, she wants every aspect of her government 
  and civilization to be recorded for posterity. This is 
  the responsibility of the Ministry of History.
  Under the able leadership of Imperial Historian 
  Jorgon Baren, a V’hanian whom the Empress has 
  granted a vastly extended lifespan via imperial tech-
  nology, the Ministry of History tries to chronicle 
  every event or statistic of significance throughout 
  the Empire. Perhaps more importantly for the 
  Empress’s purposes, it’s also responsible for promul-
  gating the official version of imperial history, which 
  omits details that don’t show the Empress in a good 
  light and presents others in a way that shows her to 
  best advantage. The Chronica Imperialis V’han’a, as 
  it’s known, is already tens of millions of words long 
  and grows with every passing year. Most imperial 
  subjects own an electronic copy; truly loyal subjects 
  often spend the money for elaborately-bound 
  printed editions, which they display proudly in 
  their homes.
  Unlike most Ministries, History maintains only 
  a small office on V’ha. Its true headquarters is the 
  planet Zendaris, located a hundred light-years from 
  the seat of imperial power. The Ministry controls 
  the entire planet; everyone who lives there either 
  works for it, or provides some necessary service for 
  those who do. Its record computers and archives 
  are the most extensive in the Empire and contain, 
  among other things, the true history of the Empress 
  and her Empire. Non-unique items are copied or 
  backed up to dozens of other facilities on other 
  planets throughout the Empire; unique items are 
  kept far underground in the most secure holding 
  vaults the Empire can create.
  THE TEMPOrAL SECurITY PATrOL
  As the Empress well knows, time travel can 
  interfere with history, changing a known event into 
  something completely different (or preventing it 
  from happening at all). She doesn’t want anyone but 
  herself affecting the imperial timeline (or existence) 
  in any way. As much as possible she wants history 
  to be “locked” into what she considers the “correct” 
  version, changed only by her when she thinks it’s 
  absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, she’s not the 
  only person through the timeline of Reality who 
  has the ability to travel through time — and thus 
  the ability to alter imperial history.
  To prevent this from occurring, she estab-
  lished the Temporal Security Patrol as a branch 
  of the Ministry of History. (It’s technically a 
  Vice-Ministry, but no one ever refers to it that 
  way outside of the most formal government 
  documents.) The officers of the TSP use imperial 
  technology to monitor the timeline in search of 
  unauthorized time travelers, possible undesired 
  changes to imperial history, and the like. They’re 
  also in charge of overseeing all imperial time travel 
  technology (and related devices) and authorizing 
  trips to the future or past by imperial personnel. 
  (The latter is something they very rarely allow. The 
  Empress prefers not to let her subjects use time 
  travel unless it’s absolutely necessary, though she’s 
  far less concerned about using chrono-viewers to 
  watch the past in the interest of gathering historical 
  data or the like. Watching the future, on the other 
  hand, can rise to the level of a capital offense.)
  TEMPOrAL SENTINEL TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  3 
  +3 CON
  5 
  +5 INT
  5 
  +5 PRE
  3 
  Acting
  5 
  Cramming
  3 
  Disguise
  3 
  KS: History Of Technology (INT)
  6 
  KS: Imperial History (INT +3)
  3 
  PS: Use Time Travel Device (INT Roll)
  3 
  SS: Time Travel Theory And Mechanics (INT Roll)
  2 
  SS: Physics 11-
  3 
  Stealth 11-
  2 
  Systems Operation 10-
  5 
  Fringe Benefit: Temporal Police Powers
  Cost Equipment
  34 
  Time Travel Belt (or sometimes bracelet, pendant, or the like): 
  Extradimensional Movement (any moment in time, same physical 
  location); OIF (-½), Requires A PS: Use Time Travel Device Roll 
  (-¼), Side Effects (end up in wrong time and can’t time travel 
  again for at least 1d6 Hours; -¼)
  15 
  Chrono-Communicator: HRRP (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  (including through time, in this case); IIF (-¼), Affected As Sight 
  And Hearing Group As Well As Radio Group (-½)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 100
  Value Complications
  5 
  Distinctive Features: TSP Uniform (Easily Concealed; Noticed And 
  Recognizable)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, Major)
  Total Value Of Template Complications: 25
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  155
  Temporal Sentinels — the dedicated agents 
  of the TSP — are a tireless group who take their 
  heavy burden of responsibility quite seriously; their 
  intense outlook on life is often the subject of jokes 
  and metaphors. While they spend most of their 
  time in the present monitoring the Empire’s past 
  timeline remotely, popular thought (and more than 
  a few holo-entertainments) prefers to focus on their 
  more colorful (and dangerous) duty: traveling into 
  the past to prevent “time criminals” from commit-
  ting crimes or, worse, changing history.
  The Ministry Of 
  The Ministry Of 
  Interdimensional relations
  Interdimensional relations
  Since the Empire consists of approximately one 
  hundred million dimensions, there are a nearly 
  infinite number of ways for those dimensions and 
  their inhabitants to interact with one another, and 
  with the Empire itself. There’s also a nearly infinite 
  array of resources for the Empire and its subjects to 
  take advantage of — everything from spectacular 
  natural locations that attract tourists from across 
  the Multiverse, to new sources of energy or trade 
  items, to ways for one dimension to communicate 
  with another.
  All of this falls within the purview of the 
  Ministry of Interdimensional Relations. Compared 
  to the modern United States in Champions 
  Universe Earth, Interdimensional Relations fulfills 
  many of the same functions as the Department 
  of the Interior, the president’s press secretary, and 
  the Federal Communications Commission, plus 
  as a “department of propaganda.” It’s responsible 
  for managing imperial natural resources properly 
  (and seeing that the commercially exploitable ones 
  are exploited to the correct extent in the correct 
  manner), for ensuring that the lines of communica-
  tion throughout the Empire remain open, and for 
  communicating official messages to all imperial 
  subjects.
  THE VICE-MINISTrY FOr uNIFICATION
  Every year Istvatha V’han conquers new dimen-
  sions... and she needs to integrate those dimen-
  sions into her Empire as quickly and smoothly 
  as possible. And that’s the responsibility of the 
  Vice-Ministry for Unification. Unification’s job is to 
  ease the transition from “not imperial territory” to 
  “imperial territory” as much as possible. A certain 
  amount of tension and problems are to be expected, 
  but the experienced officials of Unification have 
  seen it all (or nearly all) before and usually have 
  a solution. They often work closely with their 
  counterparts in Diplomatic Affairs, Technological 
  Resources, and Technological Analysis.
  IMPErIAL HErALDS
  There are times when the Empress wants to 
  make an announcement to a planet or dimension 
  in a particularly impressive, spectacular, or majestic 
  way, or when she wants to convey how important 
  she thinks something is by sending a personal 
  message rather than communicating electronically. 
  In either case she calls upon her Imperial Heralds, 
  special robots who work for Interdimensional 
  Relations.
  Imperial Heralds are designed to fly at great 
  speed to any location within the Empire, deliver a 
  message, and if necessary convey any response to 
  the Empress. They’re among the most sophisticated 
  devices in the imperial arsenal, since their systems 
  include starship hyper-travel and power systems in 
  a human-sized frame. They have built-in blasters 
  to protect themselves or eliminate obstacles if they 
  have to, but if attacked usually flee to bring word 
  of this grave insult to V’han. Assaulting a Herald 
  is a good way to get an army of Imperial Legions 
  soldiers and/or Imperial Security Force officers sent 
  to “take charge of the situation” (i.e., kill anyone 
  who resists or causes trouble, pacify everyone else). 
  Their most impressive “weapon,” though, is the 
  Planetary Announcement System that allows them 
  to tap into any sort of communications network, 
  take it over, and broadcast the Empress’s message 
  around the globe. (In the case of civilizations that 
  don’t have widespread radio, television, or better, 
  a Herald simply has to travel from place to place 
  making vocal announcements at the top of its 
  considerable “lungs.” This can damage the hearing 
  of people near the Herald, break glass, and so forth, 
  so if necessary they’re careful about where they do 
  this.)
  Imperial Heralds wear simple red robes with 
  gold accents and highlighting (compared to 
  many imperial uniforms and fashions, a Herald’s 
  robes could be considered ostentatious in their 
  simplicity). They carry short gold staffs topped with 
  small plaques bearing the imperial “lion” symbol.
  5
  
  156 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  V’HANIAN 
  V’HANIAN 
  IMPERIAL HERALD
  IMPERIAL HERALD
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  30 STR 
  20 15- Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 HTH damage [3]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  10 EGO 
  0 11-
  40 PRE 
  30 17- PRE Attack: 8d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  6 
  DCV 
  15
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  7 
  DMCV 12
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  20 PD 
  18  
  Total: 20 PD (20 rPD)
  20 ED 
  18  
  Total: 20 ED (20 rED)
  20 REC 
  16
  60 END 
  8
  20 BODY 10
  60 STUN 
  20  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 242
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  24m
   
  Flight: 
  120m
   
  Teleportation: 
  1m-1,440 light-years
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Pulson Blaster: Blast 12d6 
  6
  57 
  Planetary Announcement System: Multipower, 
  115-point reserve
  All Set Effect (-1)
  6f 
  1) Tap Into Global Communications: Sight and 
  Hearing Group Images, +6 to PER Rolls 
  11
  Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼), MegaScale (large 
  enough to cover pretty much any inhabited planet; 
  +2¼); Set Effect (only to make announcements/
  broadcast messages; -1)
  3f 
  2) Loudspeakers: Hearing Group Images,  
  +6 to PER Rolls 
  5
  Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼), MegaScale (1m = 
  10 km wide, broad, and deep; +1¼); Set Effect (only 
  to make announcements/broadcast messages; -1)
  10 
  Robotic Form: Hardened (+¼) for 20 PD/20 ED 
  0
  25 
  Robotic Form: Resistant (+½) for 20 PD/20 ED 
  0
  Hardened (+¼)
  48 
  Hyperspace Bridge Defensive Effect: Physical and 
  Energy Damage Reduction, 75%, Resistant 
  12
  Costs Endurance (-½), Side Effects (reduces effective-
  ness of weapons in equal proportion, see text, always 
  occurs; -1)
  10 
  Psi-Shield: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Structural Support Field: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Hardened Visual Sensors: Sight Group Flash Defense 
  (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Electronic Countermeasures: Radio Group Flash 
  Defense (10 points) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy: Knockback Resistance -12m 
  0
  10 
  Emotional Control: +20 Presence 
  0
  Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
  35 
  Robotic Form: Life Support: Total 
  0
  45 
  Dimensional Travel: Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  (any physical location in any dimension) 
  4
  60 
  Hyperspace Shunt Systems: Multipower, 60-point 
  reserve
  2f 
  1) Long-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  6
  MegaScale (1m = 288 light-years; +5); Extra Time 
  (journey takes 1 Minute per light-year traveled; -1½)
  4f 
  2) Short-Range FTL Travel: Teleportation 10m 
  4
  MegaScale (1m = 10 million km; +2¾)
  87 
  Hyperspace Bridge: Flight 120m, x8 Noncombat 
  13
  Side Effects (reduces effectiveness of Pulson Blaster 
  and requires use of Damage Reduction as described 
  on page 82, always occurs; -½)
  12 
  Robotic Legs: Running +12m (24m total) 
  1
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Visual Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 
  Degrees) (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Visual Sensors: x100 Microscopic for Sight Group 
  0
  9 
  Visual Sensors: Telescopic (+6 versus Range for Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  15 
  Auditory Sensors: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) 
  0
  3 
  Auditory Systems: Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  27 
  Radio Sensors: HRRP (Radio Group), Dimensional 
  0
  15 
  Radar: Radar (Radio Group) 
  0
  6 
  Sensor Enhancements: +2 to PER Rolls  
  with all Sense Groups 
  0
  20 
  Imperial D-Link: Mind Link, specific group of up to  
  any 16 minds (Istvatha V’han and other Regent/
  Viceroy/Herald robots), Dimensional, No LOS Needed 0
  Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind 
  Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not 
  Mental Group (-½)
  49 
  Self-Destruct System: RKA 6d6 
  [1nr]
  NND (defense is ED Resistant Protection defined as a 
  force-field or the like; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger 
  (encrypted radio signal from self, Istvatha V’han, or 
  other authorized personnel; +¼); Self Only (-1), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers (-4)
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Range Sense
  3 
  Absolute Time Sense
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  6 
  Speed Reading: x100 times normal speed
  20 
  Universal Translator 13-
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  157
  The Ministry Of 
  The Ministry Of 
  Military Affairs
  Military Affairs
  The Imperial Legions is a separate “branch” of 
  the imperial government from the Ministries and 
  answers directly to the Empress herself. However, 
  there are still plenty of issues related to the military 
  that Istvatha V’han needs someone to handle. These 
  include various aspects of logistics and procure-
  ment; studies of military effectiveness by outside, 
  impartial observers; the development of military 
  technology (and the transition of less advanced 
  technologies from “classified” to “available to the 
  general public”); services for Legions veterans; and 
  so forth. These duties are all taken care of by the 
  Ministry of Military Affairs.
  The Ministry has no authority over the military 
  at all (though it’s not unknown for the Empress to 
  take the Ministry’s advice on some military matter 
  over that of Legions personnel). Relations between 
  it and the Legions are sometimes antagonistic; 
  some officers view Military Affairs inspectors and 
  scholars with all the enthusiasm and camaraderie 
  that a modern Human police officer feels toward 
  the Internal Affairs division. Ultimately, though, 
  the Legions are loyal to the Empress, and if Istvatha 
  V’han tells them to cooperate with Military Affairs, 
  cooperate they will... or else.
  The Ministry Of 
  The Ministry Of 
  Mystic Affairs
  Mystic Affairs
  Since so much of the structure and nature of 
  the Multiverse depends on magic (or at least is best 
  understood as a mystic phenomenon), Istvatha 
  V’han doesn’t ignore the existence of magic the way 
  so many of her subjects do. Instead she has millions 
  of scholars devoted to studying mysticism in all its 
  many forms and facets. But they do more than just 
  study it — they recommend ways for the Empress 
  to use her magical resources for the benefit of the 
  Empire and her subjects as a whole. This includes 
  providing mystic advisors to the Imperial Legions, 
  suggesting ways to use mass magics to improve 
  manufacturing or society, and so on.
  A serious division exists within the Ministry 
  between “mystics” and “scientists.” The former 
  consider magic a purely arcane matter, one that’s 
  not subject to any scientific laws and that can only 
  be understood at its most fundamental level in a 
  philosophical/metaphysical way. The latter think 
  that magic is merely a form of science that has so 
  far defied understanding (much the same way that 
  phenomena like gravity, light, and FTL travel once 
  did). They think that with enough study scholars 
  can eventually discern the scientific laws that 
  govern how magic works (and thus in theory make 
  it usable by anyone). The Empress’s sympathies are 
  definitely with the scientists, but she does nothing 
  to interfere with the ongoing debate, since she 
  knows that truth and understanding come from a 
  free exchange of ideas.
  The Ministry Of Science 
  The Ministry Of Science 
  And Technology
  And Technology
  One of the largest and most important Minis-
  tries is Science and Technology, which deals with 
  matters ranging from the cutting edge of theoretical 
  science to regulating technologies that subjects 
  of the Empire use every day. “S&T” (as it’s widely 
  known) studies almost every sort of scientific 
  subject known to the Empire, provides grants for 
  independent research conducted at universities 
  and corporations, funds exploratory expeditions of 
  scientific merit, and educates the public on relevant 
  issues.
  The head of S&T is Minister Hovmen Trena, 
  a V’hanian with advanced degrees in physics, 
  chemistry, and dimensional engineering. He’s a 
  polymath whose career highlights have included 
  two Imperial Science Prizes (the highest such award 
  in the Empire), winning the Imperial Chugara 
  Tournament last year (he now holds the lifetime 
  rank of Grandmaster in the game), and being one 
  of the Empress’s lovers several years ago. But he’s 
  also a gifted administrator who manages to keep 
  all the competing prima donna scientists and their 
  wildly divergent theories working toward their 
  common goal of improving the technological level 
  of the Empire (see page 172 for more on imperial 
  technology).
   
  Skills
  40 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Cryptography 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  2 
  Electronics 10-
  20 
  AK: The V’hanian Empire 30-
  2 
  Mechanics 10-
  17 
  Navigation (Space, Dimensional) 20-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Dimensional History 13-
  19 
  2) KS: Dimensions Of The Multiverse 30-
  29 
  3) KS: Everything 40-
  19 
  4) KS: What Goes On In The V’hanian Empire 
  30-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 898
  Total Cost: 1,140
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  25 
  Hunted: Tyrannon (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Destroy)
  10 
  Physical Complication: can be affected by 
  Mental Powers that affect either the Human 
  or Machine class of minds (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Utterly Loyal To 
  Istvatha V’han (Very Common, Total)
  Total Complications Points: 60
  Experience Points: 755
  5
  
  158 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE VICE-MINISTrY OF 
  TECHNOLOGICAL rESOurCES
  Two of S&T’s Vice-Ministries are heavily 
  involved with the process of integrating new 
  worlds and dimensions into the Empire. The first is 
  Technological Resources, which works with other 
  offices such as the Vice-Ministry of Unification 
  to spread the Empire’s technological bounty to its 
  subjects. The Empress isn’t willing to give just any 
  sort of technology to any world, but she wants to 
  show her subjects that being a part of her Empire 
  has benefits, and one of them is an improvement in 
  their level of technology. Technological Resources is 
  responsible for handling this with minimal disrup-
  tions to the societies involved.
  THE VICE-MINISTrY OF 
  TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
  The other is the Vice-Ministry of Technological 
  Analysis, which in some ways is the opposite of 
  Technological Resources. Instead of finding ways 
  to distribute imperial technology to new subjects, 
  Technological Analysis studies new worlds’ 
  technologies and science in search of inventions, 
  discoveries, or developments that might benefit 
  imperial science as a whole. By this stage of the 
  Empire’s evolution it’s rare for a newly-conquered 
  world to have any sort of technology the Empire 
  doesn’t already possess, but most worlds have at 
  least a few interesting “twists” on existing tech-
  nologies or devices that Technological Analysis 
  considers worthy of inclusion in the overall impe-
  rial technological “portfolio.”
  The Ministry Of Security
  The Ministry Of Security
  The highly important (and quite large) Ministry 
  of Security is responsible for the internal safety and 
  peace of the Empire. Since the Imperial Intelligence 
  Command handles counterintelligence duties for 
  the most part, primarily this means managing the 
  Empire’s police (the Imperial Security Force), court 
  systems, and prisons. See page 164 for more infor-
  mation on these institutions.
  Leading Security is Minister Trelan Morla, a 
  V’hanian who served as an ISF officer for nearly 
  forty years before transitioning into administration. 
  Despite his experiences, and the fact that his job 
  often requires him to be hard-nosed and ruthless, 
  Minister Morla isn’t a mindless thug. He prefers to 
  try to understand why lawbreakers do what they do 
  and to respond with the minimal force necessary, 
  rather than to simply “nuke” the problem with a 
  violent response. This puts him at odds with some 
  of his officers, many of whom are veterans of the 
  Imperial Legions and absorbed its philosophies 
  and practices from an early age. But despite the 
  fact that some of his men don’t entirely trust him, 
  the Empress does, and that means he’s not going 
  anywhere anytime soon.
  The Ministry Of Trade 
  The Ministry Of Trade 
  And Economics
  And Economics
  Aside from military matters, economics is 
  perhaps the Empress’s strongest interest, so it 
  comes as no surprise that the Ministry of Trade and 
  Economics is one of the largest Ministries in her 
  government. Like History, it maintains a relatively 
  small headquarters on V’ha, but has an entire 
  planetary system — Karespa Viranus, located about 
  thirty light-years from V’ha — dedicated to its use. 
  It also maintains prominent offices on every major 
  imperial world (and most of the minor ones).
  T&E’s job is to facilitiate economic exchange 
  both within the Empire, and between the Empire 
  and similar sovereign entities (though there’s 
  relatively little of that). This includes both trade 
  within a given dimension, and between different 
  dimensions. The Ministry’s responsibilities include 
  advising the Empress and Imperial Law Council 
  on laws and regulations it considers necessary 
  for improving trade, building and managing 
  infrastructure primarily related to trade (such as 
  highway systems on imperial worlds, and space-
  lanes between them), managing the imperial 
  economy to prevent undesireable consequences 
  such as inflation and unemployment, running 
  the Imperial Bank and related financial institu-
  tions, gathering and studying economic data, and 
  overseeing other matters related to the imperial 
  economy. It’s a gigantic task, and one involving 
  phenomena that aren’t entirely controllable, but 
  T&E does the best job it can and the Empress 
  usually has no complaints.
  See page 170 for more on imperial trade.
  IMPERIAL AWARDS 
  AND COMMENDATIONS
  Like any other government, the V’hanian 
  Empire likes to recognize the greatest achievements 
  of its subjects with various awards, medals, rewards, 
  and commendations. Some of the highest awards 
  imperial subjects can aspire to include:
  Military: The Imperial Service Ribbon (given to 
  anyone who serves ten years in the Legions; addi-
  tional ribbons recognize each successive five years); 
  the Award of Valor (copper, silver, or gold “wings” 
  given in recognition of particularly brave acts in 
  battle); the Imperial Lion (copper, silver, or gold 
  “lion’s” heads given in recognition of bravery above 
  and beyond the call of duty, often awarded posthu-
  mously); and the Empress’s Orb (for Legionnaires 
  for whom even the Imperial Lion is insufficient 
  recognition).
  Civilian: The Imperial Science Prize (given for the 
  most noteworthy contributions in the fields of 
  science); the Imperial Service Medal (for signifi-
  cant service to the imperial government or people, 
  often awarded to important bureaucrats when they 
  retire); the Trinatha Medals (given for noteworthy 
  accomplishments in the arts); and the Imperial 
  Star (the highest award given by the Empress to a 
  civilian, often for lifesaving acts during a crisis).
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  159
  LIFE IN THE 
  LIFE IN THE 
  V’HANIAN EMPIrE
  V’HANIAN EMPIrE
  W
  ith hundreds of octillions of subjects 
  on trillions of worlds across a hundred 
  million dimensions, it’s impossible to 
  label any one way of life or style of daily 
  existence as “typical” of the V’hanian Empire. But 
  there are certain basic realities about life in Istvatha 
  V’han’s realm that all of her subjects have to deal 
  with.
  IMPErIAL POLITICS
  IMPErIAL POLITICS
  Even with an Empress as powerful as Istvatha 
  V’han on the throne, the game of politics is still 
  constantly played in the V’hanian Empire, with 
  every major figure in her government struggling 
  and strategizing about how to preserve his own 
  power while obtaining more at the expense of his 
  rivals and enemies.
  The Palace Imperial
  The Palace Imperial
  The seat of the imperial government is the 
  Palace Imperial, Istvatha V’han’s city-sized “home” 
  on the planet V’ha in the dimension V’ha-1. Centu-
  ries ago it started as a more or less ordinary palace 
  in the heart of the city of Gaburi, the capital of the 
  planet. Over the decades it became larger and larger 
  as Istvatha V’han’s empire, and thus her needs and 
  her perquisites of power, grew. By the Earth year 
  2011 it encompasses more than three thousand 
  square miles of land.
  PALACE TrAVEL
  Given the Palace’s size, just moving around 
  inside it takes some effort. For destinations not 
  within easy walking distance most people rely on a 
  network of underground high-speed hover-trains 
  the Empress had installed centuries ago (and has 
  periodically improved and refurbished since then). 
  However, the Empress herself, as well as certain 
  top imperial officials and favored courtiers, use a 
  network of teleportation platforms. Being granted 
  the right to use the platforms is regarded as a sign 
  of V’han’s favor and a valuable perk. (In HERO 
  System terms, it’s a 1-point Fringe Benefit for impe-
  rial characters.)
  The Palace also features numerous landing pads 
  for hovercraft on its roof (and in some courtyards). 
  Wealthy courtiers and visitors typically prefer to 
  use this more “prestigious” form of travel than the 
  underground railway.
  PALACE SECurITY
  The security of the Empress and her subjects 
  within the Palace is ensured by the Palace 
  Guard, a unit of specially-trained and -equipped 
  D-Soldiers (see accompanying Template, which 
  is in addition to the standard D-Soldier character 
  sheet from Chapter Three). Pairs of them can be 
  seen standing at every major corridor intersec-
  tion and important doorway in the Palace, and 
  patrols of them walk the hallways day and night; 
  their distinctive red, gold, and black uniforms 
  are instantly recognizable by any imperial 
  subject. But those Guards, while as competent as 
  any of their brethren, are mostly just for show. 
  There are also plenty of Guards around during 
  most imperial functions who aren’t so obvious 
  — either they’re working behind the scenes or 
  they’re in the crowd in disguise. The relatively 
  placid appearance of the uniformed Guards is 
  belied by the constant hum of Guard activity that 
  the imperial public ideally never sees or hears 
  about. While outright assassination attempts 
  are rare, the fact remains that the Empress has 
  many enemies (including Tyrannon and Skarn) 
  and her life is constantly in danger. To protect 
  her the Guard subtly (and sometimes not so 
  subtly) inspects the rooms of the Palace, searches 
  visitors, taste-tests her food, and mystically and 
  mentally scans the Palace and its surroundings 
  for potential threats.
  Additionally, the Guard can call on robotic 
  assistance. It has an army of several thousand 
  “Type 1” Securitybots, humanoid constructs 
  that help it keep the peace, perform inspections, 
  and protect the Empress. The Type 1 robots are 
  designed to look impressive but not frightening 
  to visitors and are only lightly armed. When true 
  danger rears its ugly head, the Guard breaks out 
  its force of approximately one hundred “Type 2” 
  Securitybots. Type 2s are only partly humanoid 
  and are designed for combat; they carry enough 
  weaponry to level the entire Palace if need 
  be. (For Type 1s, use the Guardbot character 
  sheet on CV1 54; for Type 2s, use the Type I-37 
  Combat Unit on CV1 114.)
  5
  
  160 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Life At Court
  Life At Court
  Daily life in the Palace Imperial is an odd blend 
  of high-level government functions and a gala 
  social calendar. Living and working in the Palace 
  is unlike any other sort of existence in the Empire; 
  many subjects work and plan their whole lives for a 
  chance at a job there, or to get invited to court.
  WHO’S WHO
  Millions of permanent and temporary residents 
  call the Palace Imperial home (or live elsewhere on 
  V’ha, since any place on the planet can be reached 
  in minutes via teleportation platforms or high-
  speed transport). By and large they fall into one of 
  several categories:
  ImperIAl bUreAUcrAts And workers
  As the seat of Empire, the planet V’ha in general, 
  and the Palace Imperial in particular, are home to 
  all sorts of major imperial officials (including most 
  of the Ministers; see above). In fact, V’ha and every 
  other inhabitable planet in its system are given over 
  to nothing but imperial government jobs, or jobs 
  that support imperial workers (such as running a 
  restaurant where bureaucrats eat lunch, or oper-
  ating a cleaning service for their homes). At most 
  places and times at least four out of five people you 
  see walking the halls of the Palace Imperial are offi-
  cials or bureaucrats of Istvatha V’han’s government.
  coUrtIers
  Like any other powerful person, Istvatha V’han 
  attracts a huge number of wealthy and/or influ-
  ential people who seek her favor, want her to do 
  something for them, try to make money from her 
  government, or simply enjoy being at the absolute 
  center of the imperial social scene. These people are 
  PALACE GuArD TEMPLATE
  Cost Ability
  2 
  +2 STR
  4 
  +2 DEX
  3 
  +3 CON
  5 
  +5 INT
  5 
  +5 EGO
  10 
  +2 OCV
  10 
  +2 DCV
  9 
  +3 DMCV
  10 
  +1 SPD
  3 
  Bureaucratics
  3 
  Concealment
  3 
  AK: The Palace Imperial (INT Roll)
  3 
  KS: Palace Imperial Personnel (INT Roll)
  16 
  Martial Arts (a Jujutsu-like style focused on grabs, holds, 
  disarms, and nerve strikes more than punches and kicks)
  3 
  Genetic Modifications: Life Support (Diminished Sleep: no 
  need to sleep)
  Cost Equipment
  20 
  Palace Guard Uniform: Resistant Protection (12 PD/12 ED); 
  OIF (-½), Activation Roll 14- (-¼)
  5 
  Palace Guard Helmet: Mental Defense (8 points); OIF (-½)
  6 
  Palace Guard Force-Field Belt: Power Defense (8 points); 
  IIF (-¼)
  13 
  Palace Guard Communicator: HRRP (Radio Group), Dimen-
  sional; OIF (-½), Affected As Sight And Hearing Group As 
  Well As Radio Group (-½)
  Total Cost Of Template Abilities And Equipment: 133
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  161
  generally referred to as “courtiers,” though many 
  of them never show up at any official government 
  function the Empress presides over, and most never 
  get to speak to her directly. The most influential 
  courtiers are, of course, the ones the Empress 
  knows personally and speaks with frequently — the 
  members of her own social circle, in other words.
  Becoming a courtier is a relatively easy matter, 
  though it’s not cheap. Anyone who can afford to do 
  so can petition for residence at the Palace Impe-
  rial. Assuming he passes the Palace Guard’s intense 
  security check and can provide some plausible 
  reason for living there, officials of the Vice-Ministry 
  for Palace Imperial Affairs (a division of the Grand 
  Chancellery) will grant his request. There’s always 
  room; for every person whose petition is granted 
  there’s at least one who has to leave the Palace 
  for some reason (typically death, disgrace, a new 
  assignment, or poverty).
  Once someone becomes a Palace resident, 
  the next step is to get involved in the social whirl 
  somehow. This isn’t easy; existing courtiers won’t 
  allow just anyone into their sphere. The usual 
  methods of worming one’s way onto the right invi-
  tations lists are:
  
  n be perceived as having the Empress’s attention 
  or favor;
  
  n be perceived as being “important” for some 
  other reason;
  
  n make friends with someone who’s already a part 
  of the social scene (typically by meeting them 
  through volunteer work, at public places of 
  entertainment, or the like);
  
  n be in some way impressive or intriguing to the 
  right people (in some cases, simply being highly 
  attractive or very wealthy may be enough); and
  
  n bribery.
  ImperIAl gUests
  At any given time tens of thousands of people 
  come to the Palace Imperial as guests of the 
  Empress (even though she may never actually see 
  or speak to them). These include dignitaries and 
  officials from various parts of her Empire, ambas-
  sadors and diplomats from other sovereign entities, 
  artists she’s interested in, noteworthy imperial 
  subjects come to receive an award or some other 
  sort of official recognition, and the like.
  ImperIAl hostAges
  One way that Istvatha V’han both defuses the 
  possibility of rebellion in her Empire, and extends 
  her influence over generations of its leaders to 
  come, is to require powerful or influential families 
  from conquered dimensions to send children and 
  other family members to her as “guests” — which 
  is to say, hostages for good behavior. The Palace 
  Guard watches these people carefully to make sure 
  they don’t conspire against the Empress, but for the 
  most part they’re well-behaved and take advantage 
  of the tremendous opportunities being a hostage 
  can present. The Empress tends to take a healthy 
  interest in her hostages, making it possible for 
  many of them to potentially become influential (or 
  at least get invited to a lot of great parties). By the 
  time most of them are allowed to go home again, 
  they have more in common with the Empress 
  than with their own families. On the other hand, 
  if a hostage’s family back home doesn’t behave as 
  the Empress wishes it to, their hostage will soon 
  find his life cut short in a most unpleasant way no 
  matter how fond of him the Empress may be.
  VIsItors
  The Palace Imperial is a popular tourist destina-
  tion for many imperial subjects. Millions of them 
  come each month to tour the public areas of the 
  Palace and participate, however indirectly, in court 
  social life.
  THE DAILY rOuTINE
  As discussed on page 26, it’s difficult to say that 
  Istvatha V’han herself has any sort of specific daily 
  routine; since she doesn’t have to sleep or eat and 
  can travel in time, she can arrange her day however 
  she sees fit, and “re-do” parts of it if something 
  doesn’t work out as intended. But her servants and 
  subjects don’t have the same luxury; they need 
  schedules and routines to keep the Palace Impe-
  rial functioning at the Empress’s expected level of 
  efficiency.
  The Palace officially “opens for business” at 0600 
  hours (V’ha has a 24-hour day, just like Earth; this 
  forms the basis for Imperial Standard Time, which 
  is used throughout the Empire in addition to local 
  methods of gauging the passage of time). Various 
  servants are on duty or working throughout the 
  night, of course, but 0600 is when everyone thinks 
  of the day as beginning. The “standard breakfast” 
  time is 0700, but people who don’t have to worry 
  about work and meetings often prefer a “late break-
  fast” at 0800 or 0900, or just go straight to brunch/
  lunch.
  After the morning meal, bureaucrats and 
  workers go to their jobs; those who are indepen-
  dently wealthy or have some outside source of 
  support pursue whatever activities interest them. 
  For most workers the most important meetings of 
  the day occur now, usually around 0900 or 1000 
  hours.
  The midday meal occurs somewhere in the 1100 
  to 1300 range, depending on personal preference 
  and the demands of the workplace. For those who 
  don’t have to work, lunchtime is usually when the 
  daily social calendar really gets moving. Lunch 
  dates lead to a round of spectator sports, art 
  presentations, shopping expeditions, and afternoon 
  “salons” that attract those who are looking to stave 
  off the ever-present threat of boredom.
  For most imperial personnel the workday 
  concludes at 1700 or 1800, though some jobs 
  require more time or allow workers scheduling flex-
  ibility. For many people the evening meal follows 
  about an hour after that, though social dinners 
  usually wait until 2000 or later.
  By 2200 or so nightclubs and other evening 
  entertainments have begun and the true “social 
  season” of the day begins. For those with the 
  stamina, parties, dancing, and related activities 
  can go on nearly until dawn. Part of the attraction 
  for the social set is that since the Empress never 
  sleeps, there’s always the chance she might show up 
  at some particularly fabulous or intriguing social 
  event late at night.
  5
  
  162 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Factions And Movements
  Factions And Movements
  Although Isvatha V’han is the absolute ruler 
  of the V’hanian Empire, that doesn’t mean she 
  acts without seeking the advice of knowledgeable 
  people, or can do whatever she wants whenever she 
  wants. There are literally millions, if not billions, 
  of people trying to influence what she does every 
  single day. Some of the major factions and “move-
  ments” that are a part of the imperial political scene 
  include:
  HAWKS
  At nearly all times the Empire’s at war on 
  numerous fronts as Istvatha V’han seeks to 
  extend her Empire... or protect it from the likes of 
  Tyrannon and Skarn. Despite this there are those 
  who want to see more wars of conquest — particu-
  larly against dimensions like Earth-1346 that have 
  previously defied/defeated the Empress, or against 
  Tyrannon and/or Skarn directly. These “hawks,” 
  many of them current or former members of the 
  Imperial Legions, believe that as the Empire’s 
  grown in size it’s also grown “soft,” as the demands 
  of ruling what she’s conquered have sapped V’han’s 
  ability to focus on further military campaigns. 
  Hawks argue for greater military spending, more 
  scientific and mystical research with military capa-
  bilities in mind, and an increase in the number of 
  dimensional invasions.
  DOVES
  On the other hand, there are those among the 
  exalted ranks of imperial officials and subjects who 
  think that less war, not more, is the best course of 
  action for the Empire. They’d prefer to see time and 
  resources devoted to developing existing territories 
  and resources, making even more improvements 
  in the lives of the Empress’s subjects, and finding 
  non-military applications for advanced technolo-
  gies. They see the constant campaigns of expansion 
  as draining the Empress’s time and resources to no 
  good purpose — she already has a hundred million 
  dimensions, how many more does she really need? 
  They recognize the need for defense against the 
  Empire’s enemies and support that wholeheartedly, 
  but beyond that would prefer to see military opera-
  tions reduced to, at most, consolidation of existing 
  gains rather than seeking new ones.
  ECONOMIC ADVOCATES
  Related to the doves are various related factions 
  collectively thought of as “the economic advocates.” 
  These people and organizations argue in favor of 
  channeling some military spending into economic 
  improvements — things that enhance trade and 
  prosperity. Their views on how best to do this vary 
  wildly, though. Some of them want the Empire to 
  build more roads, establish more spacelanes, make 
  more D-Portals available for civilian use, and/or 
  build more mass transit. Others want sweeping 
  reforms to certain laws (such as the ones pertaining 
  to rents or property taxes) and more public funds 
  devoted to correcting the problems the former laws 
  caused (e.g., more money for affordable housing). 
  Some want to see advanced technology spread 
  more quickly. And some of them want all of these 
  things at once!
  PrO-MArrIAGE
  A not-inconsiderable segment of the imperial 
  population think the Empress ought to get married 
  and have children. Despite the fact that she’s 
  immortal and thus technically doesn’t need an heir, 
  there’s always the chance she’ll be killed by some 
  enemy or in a tragic accident. The pro-marriage 
  faction doesn’t want to see the Empire disintegrate 
  into war-torn fragments if that happens, and that 
  means there has to be a legitimate heir for a regency 
  council and the Imperial Legions to support. V’han 
  treats this faction with mild amusement but doesn’t 
  pay much attention to it otherwise.
  BurEAuCrATIC rEVISIONISTS
  There are some within the Empire who feel (and 
  not without some justification) that the imperial 
  bureaucracy is too extensive and powerful. Even an 
  immortal, dimension-crossing time traveler can’t be 
  everywhere at once, which means the Empress has 
  to depend on underlings and minions to run most 
  aspects of her Empire on a day-to-day basis. That 
  puts a lot of power in the hands of the bureaucracy 
  — too much, the bureaucratic revisionists argue. 
  However, different factions within this group each 
  have their own preferred solution for this problem. 
  Some want the bureaucracy reduced and the impe-
  rial government to maintain less oversight of the 
  average subject; some want most major bureau-
  cratic offices to be filled by election rather than 
  imperial appointment; some simply want more 
  rigorous standards for who’s appointed to a position 
  and how he’ managed.
  PErSON-SPECIFIC FACTIONS
  Many important or wealthy people in the 
  Empire (such as some of the movers and shakers 
  described below) have their own groups of 
  supporters and sycophants. These “minions” do 
  whatever they can to support their “candidate,” 
  such as trying to persuade imperial officials to give 
  him a job he wants. Typically they do this because 
  they hope to ride along on his coattails and benefit 
  from his success (in the form of jobs or prestige for 
  themselves, for example).
  FrEEDOM FACTIONS
  The term “freedom factions” describes a huge 
  number of “lobbying groups” that try to persuade 
  the Empress to release some planet or dimension 
  from her Empire, or at least to grant its inhabit-
  ants greater liberties of some sort. Few of them 
  ever make any progress at all, and certainly none 
  has ever succeeded at persuading V’han to give up 
  some part of her Empire entirely.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  163
  Movers And Shakers
  Movers And Shakers
  Aside from the Empress herself, the most 
  important people in the Palace Imperial (and thus 
  on V’ha) tend to be high-level imperial officials 
  and bureaucrats like the Ministers and Vice-Minis-
  ters. But they’re certainly not the only ones who 
  wield influence. Some other movers and shakers 
  that a newcomer would often do well to become 
  acquainted with include:
  TruBOKC HANNTA LE’AZH STrEL
  A staggeringly wealthy member of the Hnutru 
  species from Hnuan VII in the dimension Polarion, 
  Trubokc Hannta Le’azh Strel began life as a simple 
  textiles merchant but eventually parlayed that busi-
  ness into a vast financial and industrial empire. He 
  basically owns Hnuan VII; most of what he doesn’t 
  own is public property he can’t buy. A few years ago 
  he left the business in the capable hands of his four 
  sons and three daughters and came to enjoy life 
  at the imperial court. He frequently “lobbies” the 
  government on matters pertaining to high finance 
  and related subjects, but he also spends a great 
  deal of time on the social circuit, where his jovial, 
  gregarious nature makes him a hit at any party. 
  Between his connections and his money he can get 
  into any social event he wants.
  PrINCE PELDON G’ArNETH
  Centuries ago, long before Istvatha V’han was 
  born, V’ha went through a medieval period similar 
  in many respects to that of Earth. During this time 
  a number of families came into power and became 
  hereditary royalty and nobility. Many died out or 
  were destroyed over the years, but some survived 
  and prospered, becoming fabulously wealthy as well 
  as powerful. Even after society adopted different 
  forms of government, they remained part of the 
  social, political, and business elite.
  Once Istvatha V’han conquered V’ha, any 
  shred of formal power these old noble families 
  might still have possessed was lost forever, but that 
  didn’t mean the end of the families themselves. 
  Recognizing that they were no real threat to her, 
  V’han allowed them to continue to exist as a sort of 
  morale booster for a populace often fascinated by 
  their escapades and adventures. In turn they tended 
  to become strong supporters of her.
  Peldon G’arneth, Prince of Trulassia, is the latest 
  scion of a family that once ruled a major kingdom 
  on one of V’ha’s continents. With a family fortune 
  so large it’s virtually inexhaustible to draw on, 
  he’s one of the glittering lights of court. He cares 
  nothing for politics, but any social occasion he 
  attends is by definition a hit. His interests include 
  sailing, sports hovercraft, court gossip, and beau-
  tiful women; he’s widely considered one of the most 
  eligible bachelors at court despite having never 
  given the slightest indication of any desire to marry.
  LADY rANJA MTuO
  The Mtuo family rules most of the planet 
  Thalavar in the dimension Bazinaq... or they did 
  until Istvatha V’han conquered that dimension. 
  Thalavar was the scene of some of the fiercest 
  fighting in that campaign, and to ensure the 
  planet’s loyalty V’han summoned Ranja, the young 
  daughter of the Mtuo patriarch, to court on V’ha.
  Fully aware of the nature of her situation, 
  Lady Ranja takes it all in stride and tries to enjoy 
  the opportunities that come her way. Dazzlingly 
  beautiful, insightfully intelligent, and a witty 
  conversationalist, she’s very much in demand on 
  the social scene. Unfortunately for her, the conquest 
  of Thalavar left the Mtuo family without most of its 
  ancestral wealth, so she’s constantly struggling to 
  make ends meet on the relatively small allowance 
  the Empire gives her.
  Lady Ranja is more or less on the “outermost 
  edge” of Istvatha V’han’s social circle. She’s actu-
  ally met and spoken with the Empress twice, and 
  impressed her by making just the right observa-
  tions. If she plays her cards right, she could easily 
  end up as one of V’han’s confidantes.
  COrrANA uNA’MO’THEF
  Corrana Una’mo’Thef is one of the pillars of 
  the imperial court’s social scene. The widow of a 
  wealthy financier, she has a large, lavish home in the 
  Palace Imperial and loves to throw parties. Rarely 
  does a week go by when she doesn’t host at least 
  one event at her home, and sometimes it’s as many 
  as five. Her parties have a reputation for attracting 
  a combination of all the “best sorts” of people along 
  with a smattering of “interesting” guests that she 
  meets in her various doings, so invitations are very 
  much in demand.
  On top of that, Una’mo’Thef has a well-deserved 
  reputation as a matchmaker. She seems to have 
  a marked aversion to seeing people in her circle 
  single and does her best to pair them up with 
  just the right person... regardless of whether they 
  want to be paired or not. But given the number of 
  weddings, bonding ceremonies, and contractual 
  unions that have resulted from her “meddling,” one 
  has to concede that she has a certain wisdom about 
  these matters.
  5
  
  164 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  LAW AND CrIME
  LAW AND CrIME
  In addition to defending itself and its subjects 
  from external threats such as Tyrannon, the Empire 
  also does its best to ensure the internal security of 
  its subjects. In short, it passes and enforces laws to 
  protect people and ensure the smooth and produc-
  tive functioning of society. Unfortunately, even in a 
  state as relatively well-run and well-policed as the 
  V’hanian Empire, many sorts of crime continue to 
  exist... and sometimes even flourish.
  LOCAL LAW VErSuS IMPErIAL LAW
  While imperial law applies to all of Istvatha 
  V’han’s subjects, the Empress allows some aspects 
  of the legal system to vary from world to world, 
  dimension to dimension. As a way of demon-
  strating her benevolence, the Empress lets some 
  local laws that don’t conflict with imperial policy 
  remain as they were before her conquest. This gives 
  her subjects the comfort of long-standing customs 
  and practices, though it sometimes makes things 
  difficult for the Imperial Security Force.
  The most common examples of this are so-called 
  “morality crimes” such as prostitution, drug use, 
  and adultery. In some parts of the Empire the sex 
  trade and drug use are entirely legal, and adultery 
  is seen as as private matter. In others, prostitution, 
  drugs, and adultery are harshly punished by the 
  authorities. Imperial officials see this as beneficial 
  to the economy and the morale of the Empress’s 
  subjects; someone who doesn’t like the legal regime 
  where he’s living can move to a place where the laws 
  are more in tune with his lifestyle.
  The Imperial Law Council
  The Imperial Law Council
  In the Empire, all laws are decreed by Istvatha 
  V’han... but she doesn’t think them all up and 
  write them all down herself. Most of the work of 
  suggesting and creating laws to her is performed 
  by a group called the Imperial Law Council. ILC 
  members hear proposals from other branches of 
  government and civilians for new laws, study the 
  issues involved, debate the public policy implica-
  tions, and then make recommendations to the 
  Empress (with a draft law for her consideration, if 
  merited).
  The ILC is a 10,000-person strong agency 
  whose members are appointed by the Empress for 
  four-year terms. Most of the members have some 
  background in law, public policy, or the social 
  sciences, but the Empress makes sure that at any 
  given time at least ten percent of them are ordinary 
  subjects selected more or less at random. (In a 
  sense it’s like modern American jury duty, except 
  that it lasts a lot longer, pays a lot better, and is 
  a prestigious duty few people ever try to avoid.) 
  Although some members are so wise or useful that 
  the Empress has re-appointed them again and again 
  for decades, typically she tries to ensure a certain 
  amount of turnover so that fresh perspectives are 
  always available.
  At the start of every imperial year the ILC 
  elects a president and a twelve-member Leadership 
  Committee. These thirteen people then appoint 
  other ILC members to fill committee chairman-
  ships and other positions within the organization. 
  This creates a certain amount of internal tension 
  and even dissent, but overall the system seems to 
  work well and the Empress doesn’t seem inclined to 
  change it.
  Over the years the Council has frequently been 
  criticized for being too powerful and influential, 
  too stuck in its ways, too willing to make change 
  for the sake of change, too elitist, too populist, or 
  commiting just about any other sort of sin a group 
  like that could commit. At various times and to 
  various extents, all of these complaints have some 
  measure of truth — but with the possible exception 
  of the one about being too powerful and influen-
  tial, most of them are generally wrong. The ILC is 
  too large, and has too many issues to deal with, to 
  follow any one course consistently for any length 
  of time. Even if it wanted to, that would simply 
  make the Empress more inclined to ignore the 
  ILC’s suggestions and advice, thus weakening the 
  organization. Generally speaking the members of 
  the ILC prefer to try to serve with sincerity and 
  loyalty; that’s the best way to get their voices heard 
  and maximize the chance for a rich reward from 
  the Empress upon retirement.
  The Imperial Judicial Corps
  The Imperial Judicial Corps
  The imperial court system is known collectively 
  as the Imperial Judicial Corps, or IJC. The use of 
  the word “Corps” is deliberate; the Empress wants 
  her courts to function with military efficiency and 
  her subjects to be as awed of them as they are of an 
  army of D-Soldiers. Despite the fundamental reality 
  that her word is law, she prefers to govern according 
  to an established rule of law, and she considers the 
  majesty and dignity of the court system an impor-
  tant part of that.
  The IJC is organized in multiple “tiers” similar 
  to the Imperial Legions. At the top stands the Impe-
  rial High Court — the highest court in the Empire 
  whose rulings apply throughout the Empress’s 
  territory unless she herself specifically changes or 
  abrogates them. Immediately below the IHC are 
  two layers of courts of appeal, the Courts of Second 
  Appeal and the Courts of First Appeal. Getting 
  your case heard by either is extraordinarily difficult, 
  and only the thorniest legal issues actually make it 
  to the High Court.
  Next come the hundred million Dimensional 
  High Courts, whose rulings apply only in the 
  dimension each of them has jurisdiction over. 
  Depending on the size of the dimension and how 
  long Istvatha V’han’s controlled it, a DHC may be 
  one of the most important entities in the dimen-
  sion or have no real impact at all. Cases come to 
  the DHC from the various Galactic High Courts, 
  which hear cases from a specific galaxy (or region 
  of space). Within a galaxy there are Sector High 
  Courts, then Planetary High Courts, then court 
  systems with jurisdiction over specific continents or 
  other regions of a world.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  165
  LEGAL PrOCEDurE
  A panel of three judges hears each criminal case 
  (there are no juries in the imperial legal system). 
  The accused is considered guilty unless he can 
  prove his innocence to the court’s satisfaction. 
  However, the Imperial Advocate (the lawyer repre-
  senting the Empire) must present the court with a 
  Basis Of Accusation explaining what occurred and 
  why the accused is believed to have committed 
  the crime. If the court finds the Basis insufficient 
  it throws out the case regardless of the presump-
  tion of guilt. If the Basis is adjudged sufficient the 
  accused is allowed to present his case; he may hire a 
  legal advocate but has no right to one. If the judges 
  find that the accused is in fact guilty, they assess 
  an appropriate punishment, ranging from a fine to 
  execution (see Crime In The Empire, below).
  Civil cases, on the other hand, are heard only by 
  a single judge in most instances. Each side presents 
  its case according to certain formal rules, and the 
  judge then makes his decision. Once filed, a case 
  proceeds on a very tight deadline that can rarely 
  be changed or extended; if the plaintiff can’t finish 
  assembling his case for presentation by his sched-
  uled court date, his case is dismissed with prejudice 
  (meaning he can never file it again).
  Since judicial resources aren’t unlimited, the 
  Empire frowns on people or organizations who 
  bring frequent litigation (with allowance for the 
  size and complexity of an organization, of course). 
  An entity who files too many civil cases may be 
  accused and convicted of the crime of “abuse of 
  the judicial process,” which can be punished by by, 
  among other things, depriving him of the ability to 
  ever file any more lawsuits.
  The Imperial Security Force
  The Imperial Security Force
  The organization most imperial subjects asso-
  ciate with the law is the Imperial Security Force 
  — the Empress’s police department. Its billions of 
  officers and administrative personnel work hard 
  to ensure the safety of V’han’s subjects, capture 
  wrongdoers, and prevent crime.
  OrGANIZATION
  The ISF is organized along more or less the same 
  lines as the Imperial Legions (an organization it 
  frequently works together with, particularly the 
  Imperial Intelligence Command in its counterin-
  telligence role). A Director of Imperial Security 
  heads the organization from the ISF’s large and 
  elaborate headquarters in the Palace Imperial. 
  Sector Directors responsible for entire dimensional 
  sectors report directly to him; each of them has an 
  entire planet (sometimes more) for to his command 
  offices. Under the Sector Directors are Dimensional 
  Directors, Star Sector Directors, Galactic Directors, 
  Sector Directors, Planetary Directors, and finally 
  directors in charge of specific regions, nations, or 
  cities on a given planet. Within each jurisdiction 
  are chains of command based both on rank and 
  on divisions of labor (such as the Investigators’ 
  Unit, the Major Crimes Unit, the Piracy Unit, the 
  Treason Investigation Unit, and so forth).
  Isf dIrector blUnrA pen’rel
  As of the Earth-1346 year 2011, the Director 
  of Imperial Security is Blunra Pen’rel, a V’hanian 
  woman who transitioned into the ISF after a 
  short but distinguished career in the Imperial 
  Legions and soon began rising through the ranks. 
  5
  
  166 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  At heart she’s still a pavement-pounding 
  “beat cop” who sympathizes with the 
  average officer, a sentiment she indicates 
  by wearing her old uniform and sidearm 
  to the office most days.
  That aside, Director Pen’rel is generally 
  regarded as a very unsentimental, hard-
  nosed, by-the-book leader. She doesn’t 
  tolerate inefficiency, incompetence, or 
  excuse-making in her high command, and 
  expects lower-ranking directors to adopt 
  the same attitude for their personnel. 
  Despite that she’s a talented negotiator 
  who’s good at balancing the sometimes 
  competing needs of the various branches 
  of the ISF, and at obtaining whatever the 
  ISF needs from the Empire. She’s seen 
  as one of the Empress’s most valued and 
  frequently-consulted advisers; indeed, the 
  two could be considered friends, since 
  they do sometimes socialize together.
  Although her job usually demands 
  around-the-clock attention (she’s even 
  received the special imperial treatments 
  that remove her need to sleep), Director 
  Pen’rel strives to carve out some family 
  time to spend with her three children 
  every day. The stress of her job broke up 
  her marriage long ago, but she’s deter-
  mined to minimize its impact on her kids 
  as much as she can.
  OFFICErS
  The accompanying character sheet 
  describes a typical ISF officer (you can use 
  the D-Soldier Generator Table on page 63 
  to determine an officer’s species, general 
  appearance, and so on if desired). 
  Officers typically join the Force either after 
  graduating from the Imperial Security Academy 
  (which most attend right after completing their 
  secondary education) or after 
  retiring from the Imperial Legions. 
  Most begin their careers patrol-
  ling the streets of some city (or 
  the spacelanes of some region of 
  space), and many never go much 
  beyond that. But an officer with 
  enough smarts and experience can 
  aspire to specialized training (see 
  below) or to rise up the ranks into 
  administration.
  specIAlIzed offIcers
  The options for the accompa-
  nying character sheet represent 
  several types of ISF officers with 
  specialized training:
  Advanced Weapons & Tactics: 
  These officers handle situations 
  calling for quasi-military force and 
  tactics. They were light powered 
  armor and carry military blaster 
  rifles.
  Interrogations Specialist: An officer trained in 
  special techniques of interrogation and inter-
  viewing (this includes some forms of torture, 
  though generally the ISF frowns on torture 
  as an unreliable means of gathering accurate 
  information).
  Investigator: A detective, in Human parlance — an 
  officer who looks into significant crimes and does 
  the legwork and deductive work necessary to solve 
  them.
  Piracy Unit: Space piracy is a problem in some 
  parts of the Empire, and Piracy Unit officers are 
  trained to track down, defeat, and capture such 
  outlaws.
  Riot Control: In parts of the Empire that are past 
  the stage of open rebellion but not yet truly loyal, 
  anti-imperial riots sometimes occur. Riot Control 
  officers are trained to deal with these events; their 
  specially-padded uniforms and advanced helmets 
  protect them from the mob’s impromptu weapons, 
  while their stunners and other weapons let them 
  break up the riot without having to resort to lethal 
  force.
  Undercover Officer: An officer trained to infil-
  trate criminal organizations by pretending to be a 
  criminal himself.
  ISf OffICER
  ISf OffICER
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  14 DEX 
  8 12-
  13 CON 
  3 12-
  10 INT 
  0 11- PER Roll 11-
  10 EGO 
  0 11-
  13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6
  5 
  OCV 
  10
  5 
  DCV 
  10
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  3 
  DMCV 
  0
  3 
  SPD 
  10  
  Phases: 4, 8, 12
  5 
  PD 
  3  
  Total: 13 PD (8 rPD)
  5 
  ED 
  3  
  Total: 13 ED (8 rED)
  6 
  REC 
  2
  30 END 
  2
  10 BODY 
  0
  30 STUN 
  5  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 59
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  ISF Sidearm: Multipower, 30-point reserve 
  [50]
  50 Charges for entire Multipower (+½); OAF (-1), 
  Beam (-¼)
  1f 
  1) Standard Setting: Blast 6d6
  OAF (-1), Beam (-¼)
  1f 
  2) High-Frequency Setting: RKA 2d6
  OAF (-1), Beam (-¼), Requires 3 Charges (-¾)
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  167
  30 
  Combat Stick: Multipower, 60-point reserve
  All OAF (-1)
  1f 
  1) Striking: HA +3d6 
  1
  OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-¼)
  1f 
  2) Blocking: +3 DCV 
  1
  OAF (-1), Costs Endurance (-½),  
  Only In HTH Combat (-½)
  2f 
  3) Stunner Tip: Blast 6d6 
  [8]
  NND (defense is Resistant ED defined as a force-field, 
  an insulated suit, or the like; +1); OAF (-1), No Range 
  (-½), 8 Charges (-½)
  8 
  Armored Uniform: Resistant Protection (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  OIF (-½), Activation Roll 14- (-¼)
  6 
  ISF Communicator: Radio Perception/Transmission 
  (Radio Group) 
  0
  OIF (-½), Affected As Hearing Group As Well As Radio 
  Group (-¼)
  3 
  Observant: +1 to PER Rolls with all Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Perks
  4 
  Contacts (4 points’ worth)
  1 
  Fringe Benefit: V’hanian Law Enforcement Rank: Officer
  2 
  Fringe Benefit: Local Police Powers
  1 
  Fringe Benefit: Weapon Permit
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with ISF Sidearm
  1 
  Combat Driving 8-
  3 
  Criminology 11-
  2 
  AK or CK appropriate to job or jurisdiction, 11-
  2 
  KS: V’hanian Criminal Law And Procedure 11-
  2 
  KS: The Law Enforcement World 11-
  2 
  PS: ISF Officer 11-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  2 
  WF: V’hanian Small Arms
  6 
  6 points’ worth of Skills from the following list: 
  Acting, Bribery, Bugging, Bureaucratics, Climbing, 
  Combat Driving, Combat Piloting, Combat Skill Levels, 
  Computer Programming, Concealment, Conversation, 
  Deduction, Demolitions, Disguise, Electronics, Fast 
  Draw, Forensic Medicine, Gambling, Interrogation, 
  Lockpicking, Martial Arts, Navigation, Paramedics, 
  Persuasion, Security Systems, Shadowing, Skill Levels, 
  Stealth, Tactics, Weapon Familiarity, Weaponsmith, any 
  Background Skill, Contacts, Deep Cover
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 108
  Total Cost: 167
  100 Matching Complications (30)
  5 
  Distinctive Features: ISF uniform (Easily Concealed; 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  10 
  Hunted: ISF Internal Affairs (Infrequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Loyal To Istvatha V’han 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 30
  Experience Points: 67
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  var 
  Military Veteran: upgrade any Characteristics below 
  those of a D-Soldier (page 64) to D-Soldier levels
   
  Advanced Weapons & Tactics: Add the following:
  +16 ISF Light Powered Armor: Increase Resistant Protec-
  tion to 12 PD/12 ED and remove Activation Roll; ISF 
  Communicator is built into Armor
  3 
  ISF LPA Helmet: Infrared Perception (Sight Group); OIF 
  (-½)
  3 
  ISF LPA Helmet: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group); OIF 
  (-½)
  +17 Change ISF Sidearm to the V’hanian Energy Rifle from the 
  D-Soldier character sheet (page 64)
   
  Interrogation Specialist: Add the following:
  3 
  Conversation
  5 
  Interrogation (PRE Roll +1)
  3 
  Persuasion
   
  Investigator: Add the following:
  2 
  Criminology 10-
  3 
  Deduction
  2 
  Forensic Medicine 10-
  +2 
  +1 to Streetwise
  +1 
  Increase Fringe Benefit: Law Enforcement Rank
   
  Piracy Unit: Add the following:
  3 
  Combat Piloting
  2 
  Navigation (Space)
  2 
  Systems Operation 10-
   
  Riot Control: Add the following:
  +12 Protective Gear: change Armored Uniform to: +6 PD; OIF 
  (-½) plus Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 ED); OIF (-½)
  60 
  Riot Control Weapons: Multipower, 90-point reserve; all 
  OIF (weapons harness; -½)
  4f 
  1) Stunner: Blast 8d6, NND (defense is Resistant ED 
  defined as a force-field, an insulated suit, or the 
  like; +1), 32 Charges (+¼); OAF (-1), Limited Range 
  (150m; -¼)
  3f 
  2) Sleepygas Grenades: Blast 6d6, NND (defense is Life 
  Support [Diminished Sleeping or appropriate Immu-
  nity]; +1), Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +½); OAF (-1), 
  Range Based On STR (-¼), 8 Charges (-½)
  2f 
  3) Stickyfoam Grenades: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED, Area 
  Of Effect (8m Radius; +½); OAF (-1), Range Based On 
  STR (-¼), 8 Charges (-½)
   
  Undercover Officer: Add the following:
  3 
  Acting
  5 
  Cramming
  2 
  Disguise 10-
  5
  
  168 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Crime In The Empire
  Crime In The Empire
  Despite how many Imperial Legions soldiers and 
  ISF officers Istvatha V’han has, she can’t entirely 
  eliminate crime from the Empire — it’s a part of 
  some sentients’ natures to want illegal things, to act 
  according to impulse rather than rational thought, 
  to want to profit from the weaknesses or misery 
  or others, or simply to be bad people. (And that’s 
  not even taking into account the crime of rebelling 
  against the Empress; see Rebels Of The Realities later 
  in this chapter.)
  V’ha-1 and most of the core dimensions of the 
  Empire are largely crime-free; they’re very safe 
  places to live and work. The further out from the 
  core one goes, the less control the Empire tends 
  to have over its subjects, and thus the greater the 
  possibility for crime. No part of the Empire is truly 
  lawless, but some regions have significantly fewer 
  ISF officers and installations than others.
  OrGANIZED CrIME
  Since the Empire’s subjects belong to billions 
  of sentient species and there’s significant scope for 
  travel and immigration, the typical prerequisite 
  for organized crime — a minority some of whose 
  members are willing to become criminals to exert 
  control over and make money from their fellows 
  within a larger society — exists in many, many 
  places. Thus, minor organized crime groups, those 
  confined to a particular city or planet, are fairly 
  common outside of the core realities. The ISF 
  combats these with standard police tactics. As part 
  of her “make life better for my new subjects” poli-
  cies, it’s not unknown for Istvatha V’han to institute 
  incredibly draconian and ruthless measures on a 
  new imperial planet to wipe out local organized 
  crime, then revert to ordinary law enforcement 
  when the problem is deemed resolved.
  However, some such groups are so successful 
  that they’re able to transcend their humble begin-
  nings to become a threat on a much larger scale. 
  These groups control criminal empires covering 
  star sectors, galaxies, entire dimensions, or even 
  that span multiple dimensions. As such, they merit 
  special attention from the ISF. Some of the more 
  dangerous of them include:
  the coVen of the blAck portAl
  The Empire’s conquest of the planet Srodanga 
  in the dimension Torudha left it war-ravaged and 
  partly uninhabitable, resulting in a massive exodus 
  of Srodanganese — a species known for the preva-
  lence of mystics among its population. A group 
  of less than ethical sorcerers decided this situa-
  tion provided the perfect opportunity to get rich 
  by preying on their fellow refugees. Beginning on 
  the world Doroma III, they committed robberies, 
  set up protection rackets, and became the chief 
  purveyors of vice and other illegal services to the 
  Srodanganese. They were so successful (thanks in 
  large part to adroit use of magic) that they soon 
  expanded beyond their native community and 
  came to dominate organized crime first on that 
  planet... then in that galaxy... and then throughout 
  Torudha. All this time the ISF fought them tooth 
  and nail, but the wily criminal conjurers always 
  survived the setbacks and found a way to thrive.
  Today the Coven of the Black Portal (named 
  for the mystic devices it uses to enable cross-
  dimensional smuggling) is in the eyes of most ISF 
  officers the chief organized crime threat facing the 
  V’hanian Empire. It routinely flouts the Empress’s 
  laws about dimensional travel (and sometimes 
  even time travel/viewing) and is a blot of corrup-
  tion on several dimensions. The Empress is eager 
  to wipe the group out and has authorized stag-
  gering amounts of funding and other resources for 
  anti-Coven operations. Unfortunately the Coven’s 
  widespread use of magic — most members can 
  cast at least simple spells, and all the higher-ups 
  are accomplished super-mages — would make it 
  difficult to destroy even if it didn’t have its tentacles 
  in so many aspects of society in the dimensions 
  where it’s active.
  the gIolnI UretzA
  Many criminals who go into Istvatha V’han’s 
  prisons never come out again... but some who 
  do learn dangerous lessons and make dangerous 
  friends on the inside. The Giolni Uretza (a term in 
  the main language of the Vvendaxi species roughly 
  meaning “Guardian Brotherhood”) got its start as a 
  minor jailhouse gang on the prison planet Chugori 
  VII in the dimension Oralithtanjru. Several 
  inmates banded together to protect themselves 
  from prison violence, but soon the group grew 
  large and powerful enough to take over some of the 
  prison’s underground economies. When uretzori 
  (as members were called) were released, they got 
  together on the outside to continue the group’s 
  illicit activities.
  Thanks to its members’ intelligence and ruth-
  lessness, the Giolni Uretza succeeded to such an 
  extent that today it’s the dominant criminal force in 
  the dimension Heçkilgon. Despite the best efforts of 
  the ISF and Imperial Legions, the uretzori virtually 
  rule countless cities across the dimension. They’re 
  smart enough not to expose themselves to imperial 
  reprisal by doing anything that invites too much 
  attention or presents too big a target... but there are 
  lots of ways to make a living at crime while sticking 
  to the shadows.
  According to the ISF’s best intelligence, the 
  leaders of the Giolni Uretza are a fifteen-member 
  council known as the Amovodru (“the Head” or 
  “the Command”). It’s said they almost never gather 
  in the same place, instead maintaining contact via 
  encrypted transmissions and similar methods. Each 
  member of the Amovodru commands a “brigade” 
  of roughly 1/15 the organization, though of course 
  underlings and minions handle the day-to-day 
  business of the group so the leaders can maintain 
  deniability.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  169
  the kUrAtI syndIcAte
  Kurati is a large galaxy in the dimension 
  Taraxn. However, unlike the Milky Way and many 
  similar galaxies, its planets inhabitable by Human-
  like sentient life are few and far between. In the 
  parlance of some ISS scouts it’s an “archipelago 
  galaxy.”
  When Istvatha V’han conquered Taraxn nearly 
  three hundred years ago, most species in Kurati 
  either hadn’t achieved spaceflight, or had reached 
  space but not yet developed the FTL drives that 
  would let them reach other, distant, inhabitable 
  worlds. The V’hanian Empire changed that, raising 
  the technology level and the standard of living 
  across the galaxy. As usual, this created some social 
  turmoil... and a group of criminals found a way 
  to take advantage of that. Some refugees from the 
  planet Vangaut III stole a poorly-guarded impe-
  rial ship and used it to become pirates. Their early 
  successes attracted other outlaws, and eventu-
  ally they had a small criminal fleet under their 
  command.
  Eventually the fleet became so large it was 
  unwieldy to command and too much of a target for 
  the Imperial Legions. So the Vangauti split it up, 
  transforming it into a criminal confederation where 
  each “sub-fleet” controlled a specific territory. That 
  turned out to be a wise decision; if any part of the 
  Kurati Syndicate (as they now called themselves) 
  were destroyed by the authorities, the other parts 
  remained viable and could soon replace what was 
  lost.
  In recent decades the Syndicate has grown 
  strong enough to expand into other galaxies near 
  Kurati. Their experience controlling an archipelago 
  galaxy’s underworld has served them well as they 
  make their way across the vast intergalactic gulfs to 
  other swirls of stars. The ISF fears that it if doesn’t 
  strike a serious blow against the Syndicate soon, 
  within a century it will dominate all of Taraxn the 
  way the Giolni Uretza do Oralithtanjru.
  the rUndorrU
  Taking its name from a word meaning “to 
  threaten,” the Rundorru began as allied groups of 
  smugglers working together to evade the authori-
  ties on Lrotan II (their native planet, in the dimen-
  sion Dorax). As members of the Torrog, a religious 
  minority oppressed by the authorities and popular 
  prejudice, the only way they could earn a good 
  living was crime. As the Lrotani advanced techno-
  logically and moved out into space, the Rundorru 
  adapted, taking their criminal empire to the stars.
  The V’hanian conquest 137 years ago gave 
  the Rundorru new power. While regular social 
  mechanisms crumbled under the impact of war 
  and the changes brought about by becoming part 
  of the V’hanian Empire, the Rundorru were used 
  to dealing with adversity and easily weathered 
  the storm. Today they dominate the underworld 
  throughout much of Dorax and in many places are 
  considered the true government despite a barrage 
  of imperial propaganda stating otherwise.
  One of the things that binds the Rundorru 
  together is its religion. Anyone who joins must 
  convert to the Torrog faith (though the vast 
  majority of Rundorru “members” don’t actually 
  join, they’re just associates and hangers-on). This 
  creates a common bond above and beyond the 
  more tawdry connections of profit and power, 
  giving the organization a cohesiveness that many 
  organized crime groups lack.
  DISOrGANIZED CrIME
  Not all crime within the Empire qualifies as 
  “organized.” Despite the efficiency (and often near 
  omnipresences) of the ISF, many people still find 
  ways to make a living illegally. Some crimes of note 
  in imperial territory include:
  glAdIAtorIAlIsm
  Istvatha V’han finds most bloodsports 
  disgusting and generally outlaws them regard-
  less of local custom or tradition. (She makes some 
  exception for athletic fighting competitions where 
  all participation is voluntary and carefully regu-
  lated.) But in some cultures the concept of gladi-
  atorial fighting, or even animal bloodsports, is so 
  ingrained that they can’t let it go simply because 
  a woman ten million dimensions away says they 
  should. On such worlds the gladiatorial matches 
  simply move underground, away from prying 
  imperial eyes. Every time the ISF raids one secret 
  arena it seems like another one springs up.
  slAVery
  Similarly, slavery isn’t unknown among the 
  billions of cultures in the Empire — but it’s abso-
  lutely anathema to Istvatha V’han. There is no 
  slavery within her realm. Anyone who holds slaves 
  will be punished if caught, and the punishment 
  ranges up to the death penalty in cases of serious 
  abuse, extensive slaveholding, or being a slave 
  trader.
  smUgglIng
  In an Empire as vast as the V’hanian, with so 
  many different species and civilizations, so many 
  different products, and so many variations in local 
  law pertaining to things like drugs, smuggling 
  inevitably arises. The vast majority of smuggling in 
  the Empire is intradimensional — from one planet 
  or galaxy to another within the same dimension. 
  However, the existence of D-Portals and related 
  technology has created the potential for interdi-
  mensional smuggling (from one dimension to 
  another). This is much more difficult due to the way 
  the Empire controls access to all forms of dimen-
  sional travel, but that just makes success all the 
  more profitable for the smuggler.
  5
  
  170 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Punishment
  Punishment
  ISF officers usually get their man... and that 
  means he’s going to suffer whatever punishment 
  the law prescribes for his offense. Istvatha V’han 
  likes to think of herself as a firm but fair ruler, so 
  she takes her job of protecting her subjects very 
  seriously. And that in turn means that anyone who’s 
  caught committing a crime is going to suffer.
  CAPITAL OFFENSES
  The Empress is not at all shy about imposing 
  the death penalty on those who flout her most 
  important criminal laws. Imperial technology 
  coupled with the aid of psionics and mystics usually 
  makes it a relatively easy matter to determine who 
  committed a crime and what his state of mind was, 
  so it may not take long from the time a criminal’s 
  captured to the time the executioner relieves him 
  of his head (metaphorically speaking, that is — the 
  standard method of execution in the Empire is a 
  robotic firing squad).
  Some imperial capital offenses include:
  
  n murder
  
  n bureaucratic corruption or influence-peddling 
  (see page 149)
  
  n unauthorized time travel
  
  n unauthorized viewing of the future
  
  n treason
  
  n aggravated sedition
  
  n committing three or more major felonies
  IMPErIAL PrISONS
  However, most crimes aren’t capital offenses. 
  The typical penalty for most minor crimes is a fine 
  and/or some jail time; the typical penalty for most 
  serious crimes is a prison sentence.
  V’hanian prisons fall into two categories. The 
  first would be recognizable to a twenty-first century 
  Human; it’s a large, heavily-secured building where 
  inmates are segregated into small cells most of the 
  time. These facilities are usually run by a combina-
  tion of living imperial subjects and robots. The use 
  of robots minimizes contact between the living 
  guards and potentially dangerous inmates, though 
  imperial penologists recognize that it’s unhealthy 
  for prisoners to have no contact whatsoever with 
  living authority.
  The most serious offenders don’t end up in a 
  normal prison, though. Throughout her Empire 
  Istvatha V’han maintains thousands of “prison 
  planets” for criminals too dangerous to mix with 
  less hardened criminals but not dangerous enough 
  to merit the death penalty. These are worlds on 
  the bare edge of habitability — not suitable for 
  colonization without extensive effort, but where a 
  small, determined population might survive if it 
  struggles hard enough. Prisoners who receive life 
  sentences are often sent to one of these worlds and 
  left there with nothing more advanced than medi-
  eval technology. Periodically a robotic probe from 
  the Vice-Ministry for Prison Maintenance surveys 
  these worlds to ensure that no one’s smuggled more 
  advanced technology onto the planet, or that the 
  “natives” have developed it on their own somehow. 
  If advanced technology is detected, the ISF or 
  Imperial Legions show up and remove it.
  TrADE
  TrADE
  The V’hanian Empire has a vast, vibrant 
  economy with a near infinity of products, commod-
  ities, and consumables available to most impe-
  rial subjects. In part the strength of the imperial 
  economy derives from its large number of inhabit-
  ants and vast fund of natural and manufactured 
  resources. But the fact that the Empire’s constantly 
  on some degree of “war footing” also keeps the 
  economic engines running at full speed. Between 
  the needs of the military and the needs of the 
  bureaucracy alone, the Empire pumps quadrillions 
  of credits into the economy every imperial month.
  From a broad perspective, the imperial economy 
  can be divided into two categories: intradimensional 
  trade and interdimensional trade. Intradimensional 
  trade — trade within a single dimension, whether 
  that’s from country to country on a planet, planet to 
  planet within a galaxy, or galaxy to galaxy — consti-
  tutes approximately three-fourths of all economic 
  activity within the Empire. Most manufacturers 
  and companies don’t have the reach to extend their 
  sales into other dimensions, or don’t offer anything 
  for sale that people in another dimension want. 
  However, the existence of D-Portals that civilians 
  can use has created interdimensional trade — trade 
  between people in one dimension and people in 
  another. This is most common with luxury items, 
  rare consumables, pharmaceuticals, and rare or 
  unique items (such as works of art or antiques), 
  but it exists across the manufacturing spectrum to 
  some degree.
  The dream of many companies is to come up 
  with a product so popular or sought after that it 
  sells throughout the Empire. Some of the Empire-
  spanning brands as of 2011 include Krellingerite (a 
  sort of soft drink), Porthuva’s (a restaurant and food 
  chain), NeuTronix (an electronics manufacturer), 
  Mandarra (a line of personal hovercraft), and 
  Colagga’s (a chain of food stores).
  CurrENCY
  The standard currency of the Empire is the 
  venar, or V’hanian credit, whose value is set by 
  the Ministry and adjusted periodically as needed. 
  Credits are primarily an electronic form of money, 
  but the Vice-Ministry for Printing and Engraving 
  is responsible for manufacturing coins and paper 
  money for those who require or prefer it.
  IMPErIALLY-APPrOVED PrODuCTS
  Sometimes a product earns renown throughout 
  the Empire because the Empire itself buys it! When 
  the Empire needs large quantities of something — 
  and it needs practically everything somewhere at 
  some time — it has officials from the Ministry of 
  Procurement research the available options. The 
  Ministry then either chooses one, or opens the 
  process to bidding by potential suppliers it approves 
  of. If the chosen company is willing to provide the 
  Empire with a discount, for the duration of the 
  contract it can refer to the product as “The Official 
  [whatever it is] of the V’hanian Empire.” This 
  usually leads to an increase in sales that more than 
  makes up for the discount. In some cases entire 
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  171
  commercial empires have arisen because decades or 
  centuries ago a predecessor company obtained an 
  “imperial official” designation for a product, then 
  funneled the vast profits earned into growth and 
  expansion.
  Even more prestigious is the designation, “By 
  Appointment to Her Sovereign Majesty,” which 
  indicates a product Istvatha V’han uses personally. 
  Millions of manufacturers send free products to the 
  Empress every year, and her staff winnows out all 
  but a few of the highest quality for her to try. If she 
  likes one enough to continue using it, she’ll favor 
  the manufacturer with “imperial preferred” recog-
  nition. (She’s also been known to send rewards to 
  the inventor and other people associated with the 
  product, not just the company whose name’s on the 
  label.)
  COMMuNICATIONS
  COMMuNICATIONS
  The V’hanian Empire maintains a vast commu-
  nications network, both for its own use and for the 
  use of its subjects. The network reaches across all 
  the dimensions of the Empire (though of course 
  there are sub-networks within specific dimensions, 
  galaxies, star sectors, and the like). As a whole it’s 
  referred to as the Imperial CommuniNet.
  INTErPErSONAL COMMuNICATIONS
  Subjects of the Empire can use the Imperial 
  CommuniNet to talk to one another and access 
  the Imperial DataNet (the Empire’s equivalent of 
  the Internet, roughly speaking). There are multiple 
  levels of service — some free, some for pay, and 
  some restricted.
  The Obsidian levels of access are restricted to 
  the government and the military, with numerous 
  gradations of access depending on one’s security 
  clearance, job, and the like. Only the Empress 
  herself and a handful of high-ranking personnel 
  have completely unrestricted access to the entire 
  CommuniNet and DataNet.
  The Gold levels of access are the highest a 
  civilian subject can purchase. The Tier 1 Gold level 
  allows access to all non-classified broadcasts and 
  data in the Empire, a flood of information so vast 
  no one can follow more than a minuscule fraction 
  of it. The Gold levels are most commonly purchased 
  by corporations, hard-core data and computer 
  usage junkies, and the like.
  The Silver levels of access are the ones most 
  commonly purchased throughout the Empire. They 
  allow nearly all forms of video and audio commu-
  nications and access to the majority of imperial 
  broadcast channels (see below) and DataNet sites. 
  Various levels are tailored to specific needs (such 
  as families, people primarily interested in sports or 
  finance, and so on).
  The Bronze levels of access are much more 
  restricted than the Silver. They allow most audio 
  and some video communications, and access to 
  roughly half as many broadcast channels and 
  DataNet sites (mostly major government, commer-
  cial, and basic information sites). The less well-off 
  subjects of the Empire usually settle for Bronze.
  The lowest form of access are the Iron levels, 
  which allow only basic audio communications, a 
  small number of broadcast channels, and govern-
  ment DataNet sites. Iron access is free to all subjects 
  of the Empire.
  (In game terms, Gold access is a 3–point Fringe 
  Benefit, Silver a 2-point Fringe Benefit, and Bronze 
  a 1-point Fringe Benefit. Obsidian Access can’t be 
  purchased; it’s obtained by buying the appropriate 
  Security Clearance and other Perks in addition to 
  Gold access.)
  BrOADCASTING
  By Imperial law, all broadcasting of informa-
  tion or entertainment is under the control of the 
  Empire and/or organizations it licenses to perform 
  this function. The Ministry of Communications 
  oversees this function of government, ranging from 
  the administrative nuts and bolts to the creation of 
  entertainment programs.
  5
  
  172 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Channels 1 to 1000 are reserved for various sorts 
  of official government broadcasts. If necessary the 
  Empire can override all other broadcasts and force 
  all receivers to show something on one of these 
  channels, and can even turn on receivers that are 
  turned off so they can show an official broadcast. 
  (Owning a receiver that’s had this feature removed 
  or disabled, or removing or disabling it one’s self, is 
  a serious crime.)
  The remaining channels are devoted to various 
  sorts of information or entertainment program-
  ming. Most of what’s shown on these channels 
  is produced by the Empire itself, but some is 
  produced by outside companies and sold to the 
  Empire, or created under imperial license.
  TECHNOLOGY
  TECHNOLOGY
  The Empire is highly technologically advanced. 
  While its technology isn’t the equal of Malvan 
  technology, it’s still one of the most technologi-
  cally sophisticated entities in the known Multiverse 
  (and certainly the largest state with such advanced 
  science). This is the result of several factors.
  First, to a greater or lesser extent the Empire’s 
  always on a “war footing.” The needs of war drive 
  technological advancement like almost nothing 
  else, and in time those advancements trickle down 
  (in some form) to the civilian population of the 
  Empire.
  Second, the Empire’s vast population allows for 
  equally vast synergies that give rise to new tech-
  nologies. The Empire has an entire Vice-Ministry, 
  Technological Analysis, that studies the technolo-
  gies of newly-conquered civilizations to determine 
  what, if anything, they have to offer to imperial 
  technology as a whole. Anything of benefit is 
  quickly made known to the rest of the Empire... and 
  then countless scientists, researchers, inventors, 
  and technorati go to work on it, finding ways to 
  improve it, adapt it, or combine it with other tech-
  nologies to create something new and useful. The 
  constant stream of improvements and inventions is 
  so large that just keeping up with “what’s coming” is 
  a big part of any technologist’s job.
  CuTTING-EDGE AND MuNDANE 
  TECHNOLOGIES
  Like any other government, the V’hanian 
  Empire tends to keep the most recent, important, 
  valuable, or militarily useful technologies to itself, 
  at least for awhile. Thus, the everyday technology 
  found throughout the Empire lags behind the 
  best of what the Imperial Legions and some other 
  branches of government have access to.
  The most advanced technologies available to the 
  V’hanian government include:
  
  n fast FTL drives for starships
  
  n antimatter power generation
  
  n teleportation
  
  n limited matter transmutation
  
  n genetic tailoring able to create some types of 
  superhuman powers
  
  n advanced weaponry such as powerful blasters, 
  powered armor, and the like
  
  n picotechnological devices for various 
  applications
  
  n weather control technology for terrestrial 
  planets
  As a general rule of thumb, many of the most 
  advanced devices in the Empire can be roughly 
  one-tenth the size and/or up to five times as durable 
  as comparative devices on modern Earth.
  The more basic technologies generally available 
  throughout the core dimensions of the Empire, and 
  often beyond that, include:
  
  n medium-speed FTL drives for starships
  
  n cold fusion power generation
  
  n genetic tailoring that allows subjects to deter-
  mine the basics of a child’s appearance (hair and 
  eye color, height, and so on); wealthier subjects 
  can also afford to make their children smarter, 
  stronger, more dexterous, and the like
  
  n nanotechnological devices for various 
  applications
  As a general rule of thumb, many of the daily 
  devices in the Empire can be roughly one-seventh 
  the size and/or up to three times as durable as 
  comparative devices on modern Earth.
  IMPErIAL TECHNOLOGY LEVELS
  The Ministry of Science and Technology 
  ranks the technological advancement of a society 
  according to a 21-point scale. At the bottom level is 
  -10, representing the most primitive stone and bone 
  tools prepared by prehistoric sentients. At the top 
  is 10, representing the most advanced technology 
  known to the Empire (theoretical advancements 
  which do not yet actually exist aren’t considered in 
  this scale).
  The technology level 1 — representing roughly 
  what the United States had in the 1970s — is gener-
  ally Istvatha V’han’s acceptable “minimum” for 
  any of her subjects. Any species or civilization she 
  conquers which isn’t yet at that level will be raised 
  to Level 1 as soon as practical. How long that takes 
  depends on how far there is to go, and how disrup-
  tive the changes will be. A Bronze Age society 
  might be raised at the rate of 1-2 technology levels 
  per decade, whereas one with nineteenth century or 
  early twentieth century technology might be raised 
  to Level 1 immediately.
  If a society’s already at Level 1 or higher, the 
  Empress has to decide how far to “upgrade” it, and 
  how quickly. (Fortunately, advanced societies can 
  more easily deal with the social shocks of rapid 
  technological improvements than primitive ones.) 
  V’ha and the core dimensions of her Empire tend to 
  be at 10, or close to it; beyond the core she usually 
  prefers to limit her subjects to Level 7-8, generally 
  (though inevitably some types of higher technology 
  trickle out to the peripheries of the Empire quicker 
  than others). In theory the plan is that some day 
  nearly all the Empire will be at Level 10; it’s just a 
  question of allocating resources, dealing with the 
  consequences, and making sure her base of power 
  remains strong enough to repel all threats.
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
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  DOMAINS OF 
  DOMAINS OF 
  EMPIrE
  EMPIrE
  Chapter Four describes many dimensions that 
  Istvatha V’han doesn’t control. Here are descrip-
  tions of just a few of the hundred million realities 
  that comprise her Empire. These are all Assiatic 
  planes.
  Broadly speaking, Istvatha V’han divides her 
  Empire into four “spheres”:
  
  n core imperial dimensions, which she controls 
  entirely (many of these are “close” to V’ha, hence 
  the name);
  
  n first sphere dimensions, of which she controls 
  75-99%;
  
  n second sphere dimensions, of which she controls 
  50-74%; and
  
  n third sphere dimensions, of which she controls 
  less than 50%.
  Approximately 62% of the Empire consists of 
  core and first sphere dimensions. In all first, second, 
  and third sphere realities, the Imperial Legions 
  are fighting hard to bring the rest of the dimen-
  sion under imperial control. There are few things 
  Istvatha V’han likes less than a dimension she only 
  partly rules.
  NAMING DIMENSIONS
  When one rules a hundred million dimen-
  sions, naming them can become something of a 
  problem... and it gets even worse when one jumps 
  backward and forward in time so that the two thou-
  sandth dimension that become part of the Empire 
  (as the Empress perceives things subjectively) was 
  actually conquered before the thousandth dimen-
  sion was (as her subjects perceive things objec-
  tively). The Ministry of History has established an 
  elaborate set of procedures for naming dimensions, 
  which by and large boil down to the following:
  1. Each dimension is assigned a code number 
  indicating the order in which it was conquered 
  according to the Ministry’s objective perception. 
  These numbers are rarely used outside of official 
  records, though.
  2. If the inhabitants of the dimension are suffi-
  ciently unified and knowledgeable to have given 
  their dimension a name, the Empire usually 
  adopts that name (assuming a V’hanian can 
  speak it). If only some of the inhabitants are 
  “dimensionally aware,” the Empire will adopt 
  the dimensional name used by either (a) the first 
  such civilization it encounters, or (b) the most 
  important or powerful civilization it encounters.
  3. Keystone dimensions (see page 99) are identi-
  fied by both name and number; the number 
  indicates the order in which the dimension 
  was first discovered by V’hanian scouts (which 
  usually corresponds roughly to the order the 
  dimensions were conquered in). Thus, V’ha-1 is 
  Istvatha V’han’s native plane; Earth-1346 is the 
  Champions Universe Earth, Lungorin-73 is the 
  seventy-third version of Lungorin catalogued by 
  imperial personnel.
  4. If the dimension is unique and the inhabitants 
  have no name for it, the Ministry of History 
  usually names it after the first named planet 
  discovered there, or the most important/promi-
  nent planet there. In written communication, a 
  person referring to the dimension rather than 
  the planet indicates this with a (D) after the 
  name (for example, Earth(D) if Earth’s dimen-
  sion were unique); in spoken communication 
  whether one’s talking about the dimension or 
  the planet has to be made clear in context.
  5. If none of the above applies, Ministry computers 
  will make up a unique name for the dimension.
  ALTETHrYA
  ALTETHrYA
  A core dimension of the Empire that’s relatively 
  “close” to V’ha as imperial personnel measure these 
  things, Altethrya was the twelfth dimension the 
  Empress conquered. More importantly from the 
  perspective of imperial history, it was the first one 
  she conquered that had substantial magic.
  As compared to V’ha’s or Earth’s dimensions 
  (which are both three times as large), Altethrya’s 
  natural laws are about 50% physical, 50% magical. 
  Among most species native to the dimension, 
  knowledge of science and spellcraft grew hand in 
  hand so that there’s no real distinction between 
  them in most peoples’ minds. A Human from 
  Champions Universe Earth would have a hard time 
  determining where one begins and the other ends.
  5
  
  174 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The dominant species of Altethrya, the Munahr, 
  are maroon-skinned humanoids who have a sort of 
  “blocky” look compared to Humans because their 
  bones and muscles are much heavier (the average 
  Munahr has STR 15, rather than STR 5-10 as for 
  Humans). Prior to Istvatha V’han’s invasion they 
  controlled a space empire spanning about a third 
  of the dimension. Initially they resisted her as hard 
  as they could, but they couldn’t stand up to her 
  constant stream of reinforcements and supplies. 
  After she defeated them the rest of the dimension 
  fell quickly. Despite the usual initial discontent and 
  minor flarings of rebellion, in time the Altethryans 
  accepted their lot. They’ve gone on to become loyal 
  imperial subjects, and their quality of life has risen 
  accordingly. Technological Analysis and Mystic 
  Affairs continue to study Altethryan mystico-
  mechanics extensively but have made few discov-
  eries worth using in most of the Empire; Altethryan 
  technology simply doesn’t work in less magic-rich 
  dimensions.
  BALGArABA
  BALGArABA
  Not every dimension is a success story. Some 
  exist for a time, then flare and die, or are destroyed 
  in some multiversal catastrophe. Balgaraba is one 
  such dimension. Istvatha V’han “conquered” it over 
  150 years ago, but given that almost nothing lives 
  there, the conquest was more like moving into an 
  empty house.
  Balgaraba has reached the end of its entropic 
  life and has nearly decayed into nothingness; in 
  another few thousand years, at most, it will be 
  gone. Its stars have almost all burned out; the few 
  planets that haven’t collapsed into fields of rubble 
  are simply large rocks hanging in the vast cold 
  blackness of a space unlit by suns. Almost nothing 
  moves; even gravity, momentum, and inertia seem 
  weak, tired out, moribund.
  Since it’s not really a fit place for anyone to live, 
  the Empire found another use for Balgaraba: as a 
  dimensional junkyard. It uses Balgaraba as a vast 
  receptacle for duodecillions and duodecillions of 
  tons of imperial waste. A few imperial subjects have 
  found a way to make a living scavenging through 
  the scrap for potentially usable/repairable bits and 
  pieces, but the vast majority of what’s tossed into 
  Balgaraba is of no use to anyone. Imperial scientists 
  wonder what will happen to the trash (and any 
  other matter there) when Balgaraba finally “dies” 
  and vanishes.
  BOTANOWOrLD
  BOTANOWOrLD
  Nearly all of the dimensions Istvatha V’han 
  rules are inhabited by physical beings, and nearly 
  all of them that are sentient are descended from 
  some form of animal or animal-like creature (much 
  as Humans evolved from apes). Botanoworld (a 
  popular nickname used by imperial subjects) is a 
  definite exception.
  In Botanoworld, a first sphere dimension that’s 
  about one-fifth the size of Earth’s reality, animals 
  larger than great cats haven’t evolved on any world 
  V’hanian personnel have discovered, and they’re 
  never very numerous. Instead the dominant 
  lifeforms are all botanical. Many of them would 
  seem like “ordinary” plants to Humans (sessile 
  living things that create their own “food” from soil, 
  water, and sunlight), though their sentience would 
  come as a surprise (assuming Humans could even 
  understand their speech). But others are wholly 
  alien — plants that have evolved the ability to 
  move, even fly. None of them are exactly “plant-
  men” in the sense used in some Human fiction, but 
  across the dimension planet after planet has seen 
  sentient plant species evolve and create civilization. 
  All the civilizations have one thing in common: a 
  deathly fear of fire. Starting a fire is a capital offense 
  in many of them; using fire as a weapon in war is 
  the equivalent of launching a nuclear bomb. As a 
  result, Botanoworld’s technology has evolved in 
  very different ways from that of most dimensions; 
  it’s much more “organic” and doesn’t “mix” well 
  with other dimensions’ technology.
  Botanoworld has one significant advantage for 
  Istvatha V’han: its version of Yggdrasil (page 142) 
  is particularly large and “rich” in certain resources... 
  and it’s very, very easy for V’han or her people to 
  reach via Botanoworld. They still haven’t found a 
  really good way to exploit it, since sentient animals 
  have difficulty remaining sane and alive in a dimen-
  sion manifested by sentient plants, but its promise 
  is so great they keep trying.
  COrYPHALON
  COrYPHALON
  A dimension roughly the size of Earth’s plane, 
  and similar to it in nature, Coryphalon exists on the 
  current frontier of the V’hanian Empire. Techni-
  cally speaking it qualifies as a first sphere dimen-
  sion, since when she invaded a few decades ago 
  V’han went in fast and hard and overwhelmed the 
  often warlike inhabitants (most of whom possessed 
  highly advanced technology and were “dimension-
  ally aware” prior to her attack). However, in some 
  respects Coryphalon might best be described 
  as “pacified” rather than “conquered.” All the 
  inhabitants remember what life was like before 
  the V’hanian Empire. While the downtrodden, 
  oppressed, and poor are quite happy with the 
  current state of affairs, the more prosperous and 
  those who were in power generally are not.
  In the past year alone, two major and four 
  minor rebellions have flared in various parts of 
  Coryphalon. The major ones center in the Andusha 
  and Skyflare galaxies, but both have spread beyond 
  that. With a fleet of vehicles cobbled together from 
  dozens of species the rebels face massive logistical 
  problems in addition to the threat of V’han, but 
  they seem determined to win their freedom or die 
  trying.
  The Imperial Legions maintains a strong pres-
  ence in Coryphalon, including the fortress planets 
  Tuvald III and Wxtr’aa II, and is doing its best to 
  stamp out the rebellions. Given the extent of the 
  crisis, the Empress has sent one of her best military 
  men, D-Admiral Nolos vaan Dereth, to take charge 
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  175
  of the Legions there and resolve the situation. 
  A hard-bitten man not given to philosophizing, 
  D-Admiral Vaan Dereth is ramping up the size of 
  his forces and repositioning them for some major 
  assaults that he expects will break the backs of 
  the rebellions. But it may be that only time and 
  dimension-wide demonstrations of the benefits of 
  belonging to the Empire will quell the fierce Cory-
  phalonese spirit.
  Given its size and nature, some of V’han’s 
  dimensional scientists have speculated that it might 
  be another keystone dimension (see page 99). 
  However, despite extensive searching by imperial 
  scouts, no alternate Coryphalons have been located 
  so far.
  THE EMANATIONS 
  THE EMANATIONS 
  OF VYrON
  OF VYrON
  While most of the dimensions in the V’hanian 
  Empire are more or less “normal” as V’hanians 
  (or Humans) would define the term, more than a 
  few are decidedly odd. The Emanations of Vyron 
  definitely falls into the latter category; in many 
  ways it’s an object lesson for the Empress and her 
  chief enemies.
  The Vyron from whom the dimension takes its 
  name is a powerful supermage... or was, uncounted 
  millennia ago. After he came into the fullness of 
  his power, he aspired to be what V’han, Tyrannon, 
  and Skarn are: a ruler of dimensions. Like them, 
  he first started with his own dimension, whose 
  name in his language (or any other) has been lost to 
  history. After he has brought all its peoples under 
  his sway, in a fit of hubris he decided to establish 
  his power over them permanently by making them 
  all “aspects” of himself. No thing would exist, no 
  person would live, but that he willed it so, and all 
  would be as he wished it to be. To achieve this aim 
  he cast a great spell — the greatest ever seen in 
  that plane of existence, and perhaps in any plane of 
  existence.
  The spell worked... but not as he’d intended. In 
  his pride and folly he’d underestimated his under-
  standing of reality-altering magics that worked on 
  such a vast and fundamental scale. He achieved 
  his aim in part, but other parts of the spell did not 
  work as intended. The dimension became nothing 
  but a part of him, and he nothing but a part of it, 
  creating an endless mystic cycle where each was 
  dependent on the other. In the end he had control 
  over the dimension and its people, but it had 
  opened up his mind to itself in ways that drove him 
  catatonically insane.
  When V’hanian scouts found the dimension 
  decades ago, the mage Vyron had grown to nearly 
  the size of a planet from absorbing dimensional 
  energies. He floated, curled into a fetal ball, at 
  the dimension’s very center, with all its galaxies 
  orbiting around him in their great cosmic dance. 
  The living beings of the dimension, all “linked” 
  together at a sort of subliminal level through and 
  because of him, worshipped him as a god. But they 
  could not tell if he really heard their prayers. At 
  times strange things would occur at random — 
  perhaps in response to a prayer, perhaps because 
  one of Vyron’s random thoughts reached enough 
  lucidity to make it so, or maybe for no reason at 
  all. Some of the changes were disastrous, shattering 
  entire worlds or displacing entire species; others 
  immensely beneficial.
  It didn’t take long for the Imperial Legions to 
  conquer the Emanations of Vyron (as V’han’s mages 
  dubbed the dimension). Its people had never fought 
  since Vyron’s spell “linked” them, so they had no 
  real hope of resistance other than Vyron himself. 
  And the god-mage did nothing, so perhaps it was 
  his will that the burden of leadership be turned over 
  to one who’d succeeded where he had failed. Since 
  then most of the inhabitants of the Emanations 
  have become imperial bureaucrats and officials; 
  they work together with phenomenal efficiency. But 
  they hate to leave their home dimension, for doing 
  so cuts them off from the dimension-wide “link” 
  until they return. The Empress has assigned two of 
  her mystics to “keep watch” on Vyron at all times, 
  for he remains too much of an unknown quantity 
  for her comfort.
  HADLA DOrANA
  HADLA DOrANA
  Another of the more unusual dimensions in 
  the Empire is Hadla Dorana, which was conquered 
  about 135 years ago. When ISS scouts first entered 
  it, they found a plane about the size of the Milky 
  Way Galaxy. Their sensors registered extensive life, 
  yet they couldn’t find a single inhabited planet or 
  sign of civilization.
  It took several years of exploration, study, and 
  analysis, but they finally realized that the life-forms 
  of Hadla Dorana were the planets themselves! Its 
  worlds are all sentient beings — gargantuan entities 
  moving only at the whim of gravity and inertia. 
  They’re unable to speak but can communicate with 
  each other (and some humanoids) through what 
  imperial mentalists call “geotelepathy.” They have 
  the ability to sense each other across the intraga-
  lactic gulfs, and as a result friendships and rivalries 
  have arisen over the eons. They can send gifts (such 
  as crystals and gems) to one another by gently 
  “shooting” them to another planet via volcanic 
  action; they can attack one another the same way.
  Hadla Dorana has relatively little to offer the 
  Empire, since the Empress has no intention of 
  slaughtering these unique beings simply to obtain 
  their mineral resources. Instead the dimension has 
  become something of a tourist destination. Some 
  of the world genuinely enjoy being visited by “tiny 
  moving thinking things” (as they put it) and often 
  get involved in extensive philosophical discussions 
  with humanoids. Sometimes the conversations bog 
  down for lack of a common frame of reference, but 
  some concepts are eternal. A few Doranan worlds 
  have expressed an interest in seeing other dimen-
  sions, but the Empress has not yet seen fit to devote 
  the resources necessary to move an entire world 
  through a D-Portal.
  5
  
  176 n The V’hanian Empire 
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  MArSWOrLD
  MArSWOrLD
  “Marsworld” is a slang term for one of the 
  alternate Earth dimensions Istvatha V’han has 
  conquered — Earth-1218, by imperial reckoning. 
  In this reality time seems to run more quickly than 
  in most alternate Earths, for it’s thousands of years 
  later than 2011 — V’hanian scientists approximate 
  the date to 6346 AD. Human civilization long ago 
  collapsed; as near as ISS scouts can determine, the 
  Human species went extinct roughly five thousand 
  years ago. But another has arisen to take its place.
  On the fourth world from Sol — Mars — 
  sentient life evolved at about the same time as on 
  Earth, but progressed up the ladder of civiliza-
  tion more slowly. Long before it had the ability to 
  look closely at other planets, Humanity was gone, 
  leaving only the remnants of its cities and other 
  artifacts. And long before Martian explorers were 
  actually able to visit Earth and learn more about it 
  first-hand, Humanity’s home had assumed a place 
  in its fiction and folklore not only as a potential 
  source of danger, but a possible site for coloniza-
  tion or source of strange, ancient wonders. In short, 
  Earth became to them what Mars is to modern-day 
  Humans in the Champions Universe Earth.
  When the Imperial Legions arrived, the 
  Martians were just beginning to test their earliest 
  faster-than-light drives. Lacking any real means 
  to fight back, they quickly fell before the V’hanian 
  military machine, which went on to conquer the 
  entire dimension. The Martians have since become 
  loyal subjects of the Empire; the last Martian who 
  was alive in pre-imperial times died nearly half a 
  century ago.
  The Martians of Marsworld are tall, thin, 
  reddish-skinned beings with angular features. Their 
  body chemistry is based more on nitrogen than on 
  oxygen and water. They have a strange, acrid odor 
  to many other species, but their highly-evolved 
  senses of smell causes them to label many other 
  species as “bland.” As a species they seem to have a 
  strong streak of curiosity; Martians often join the 
  ISS or become civilian explorers. They also have a 
  higher than usual percentage of psionics among the 
  population.
  NArGArOTH
  NArGArOTH
  Nargaroth is a small dimension that Istvatha 
  V’han conquered nearly a century ago... and she’s 
  been wondering if it’s worth the trouble ever since.
  In Nargaroth, magic is a much more common 
  and potent force than in most Assiatic dimen-
  sions. In fact it’s so strong that it’s not entirely 
  controllable, even by the most powerful mystics. 
  At unpredictable intervals, in unpredictable loca-
  tions, an arcane natural phenomenon known 
  as a “manastorm” occurs. Manastorms typically 
  manifest as gigantic, swirling fields of colored light 
  and mist. They’re not in any way physical; they 
  can pass through solid objects as easily as through 
  air or space. They move at unpredictable speeds 
  in unpredictable directions, and where they pass, 
  reality changes. Entire species might be wiped out, 
  though it’s more likely they’ll change into some-
  thing different. Worlds are remade or repositioned, 
  physical things change, the very laws of physics 
  might turn topsy-turvy.
  When the Imperial Legions first invaded, all 
  went well, though the high number of mystics 
  made the Nargarothians much harder to fight than 
  the average dimensional population. But then the 
  Empire’s soldiers experienced their first manas-
  torm, and their offensive ground to a screeching 
  halt. It took years for the Legions’ scientists to find a 
  way to protect the Empress’s soldiers against mana-
  storms. They did this primarily by establishing 
  “Stasis Fortresses” — facilities that are immune to 
  manastorms — and by providing D-Soldiers in the 
  field with short-term force-fields that incorporate 
  the same technology. Thus, when a manastorm 
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  177
  occurs, troops in the field can protect themselves 
  long enough to retreat to a safe area.
  Those inventions made the conquest of Narga-
  roth possible, but the Empress still isn’t sure exactly 
  what to do with it. Establishing large-scale mining 
  or trading operations is difficult when reality 
  around you can change in an instant! For now she’s 
  leaving it as an open playing field for adventurous 
  explorers, prospectors, and traders (all of whom 
  have to apply for a permit to go there, and sign a 
  waiver), but if they ever uncover anything really 
  valuable she’ll find a way to turn it to the Empire’s 
  advantage somehow.
  NOCuTArIS
  NOCuTArIS
  Like Altethrya, the dimension of Nocutaris was 
  one of Istvatha V’han’s earliest conquests. Lying 
  “close” to V’ha (multiversally speaking), it was 
  the twenty-fifth plane to fall before the Empress’s 
  inexorable march. It’s since become one of the 
  most important realms of the Empire because of 
  one unusual property: it has a remarkably high 
  percentage of terrestrial planets compared to the 
  “average” V’ha- or Earth-like dimension (and more 
  of them than usual never developed native sentient 
  life). In the early years of the Empire it attracted 
  a great deal of colonization and settlement; many 
  planets went from being devoid of sentient life to 
  heavily settled in a matter of decades.
  Eventually the Empress decided there was a 
  better use for Nocutaris. She decreed laws that 
  stemmed most forms of immigration and encour-
  aged a specific industry: agriculture. She knew that 
  the teeming masses of her growing Empire needed 
  food and lots of it, so she decided to devote as 
  much of Nocutaris as possible to food production. 
  Her plan worked superbly; Nocutaris is now widely 
  known as “the breadbasket of the Empire.”
  However, Nocutaris also represents something 
  of an Achilles’s heel for V’han. Also unlike most 
  similar dimensions, Nocutaris is relatively difficult 
  for dimensional travelers to reach. Neither the 
  Empress nor her scientists have ever figured out 
  why this is, though some theorize that whatever 
  causes this phenomenon also gives rise to the large 
  number of terrestrial worlds. Since establishing and 
  maintaining portals into Nocutaris is difficult, most 
  of the ones that exist are primarily used to export 
  foodstuffs... and they could relatively easily be cut 
  off, inflicting significant hardship on the Empire. 
  To prevent this, the Empress has strongly fortified 
  every Nocutaris D-Portal and maintains a much 
  stronger military presence in the dimension itself 
  than in almost any other core dimension.
  STALOSIA
  STALOSIA
  Stalosia has the distinction of being the part of 
  the Empire that the Imperial Legions had the most 
  difficulty conquering. This is because it reverses the 
  usual “pattern of existence” found in most dimen-
  sions. In a typical dimension, material objects 
  (planets, for example) sometimes inhabited by 
  living beings orbit (or are otherwise “connected 
  with”) sources of energy (such as stars). Not so 
  Stalosia. In this bizarre plane, there are no stars or 
  other such energy sources; what little matter exists 
  is usually in a form that V’hanians or Humans 
  would call “crystalline.” The lifeforms are even 
  stranger. Most of them are beings made of light/
  heat who essentially provide all their own energy 
  (and energy for things around them). They live 
  “inside” some of the crystalline structures, though 
  they can travel freely through space under their 
  own power. Additionally, there seem to be some 
  species made not of light but of shadow. They’re 
  inimical to the light-beings and used to war with 
  them constantly. Since the V’hanian conquest the 
  Empire has largely exterminated them because they 
  refused to obey orders to stop fighting the light-
  beings, but some rebellious pockets of them exist 
  here and there.
  Fighting nigh-immaterial energy beings was a 
  new experience for the Imperial Legions, who had 
  to invent new weapons that would affect them and 
  devise new strategies for dealing with an enemy 
  who was even more mobile than a D-Soldier. It 
  took two decades and trillions of imperial credits, 
  but V’han finally defeated Stalosia and made it a 
  part of the Empire. Since then the Stalosians have 
  largely kept to themselves, though some find the 
  thought of exploring other dimensions or taking 
  specialized, high-paying jobs among the “fleshly 
  ones” irresistible.
  ÜBErMENSCHENWELT
  ÜBErMENSCHENWELT
  Übermenschenwelt is another of the many 
  “alternate Earth” dimensions the Empire’s 
  conquered over the centuries. This plane diverges 
  from Champions Universe Earth during World War 
  II. In Übermenschenwelt, der Sturmvogel, Earth’s 
  first true superhuman, revolts against Adolf Hitler 
  in 1943. After killing the Fuhrer he takes Hitler’s 
  place as leader of Germany, though he definitely 
  leads from the front as much as from the staff 
  room. With Sturmvogel in the lead, Germany’s 
  legions of superhumans helped the Wehrmacht 
  win the war. After crushing the Soviet Union, 
  Germany’s military turned its attention to Western 
  Europe, completing the conquest of Britain by the 
  end of 1945.
  Next it was America’s turn. With superhumans 
  manifesting in Germany at an unprecedented rate, 
  the United States simply couldn’t keep up. It fought 
  long and hard, but in 1948 surrendered uncondi-
  tionally to spare the civilian population. By 1953 
  the rest of the world had either been taken over by 
  Germany or was in the orbit of the Third Reich.
  In the fifty years between then and the V’hanian 
  conquest, Germany’s hold over the world only 
  increased. Jews and other “undesireables” were 
  either exterminated on a vast scale, or confined to 
  parts of the world where Germans could control 
  them without having to interact with them any 
  more than necessary. German became the world’s 
  official language; dozens that were widely spoke 
  in the Forties and Fifties were largely forgotten. 
  Native-born Germans were assured of good, 
  5
  
  178 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  high-paying jobs, while everyone else was a second 
  class citizen. Berlin was the glittering capital of the 
  world, while every major non-German city seemed 
  run-down and grimy by comparison.
  Germany was just planning to extend its empire 
  to the planets, and eventually the stars, when 
  Istvatha V’han invaded. As powerful as the Third 
  Reich was, it wasn’t nearly strong enough to with-
  stand the Empire’s attack. That Earth, and eventu-
  ally all of its dimension, fell to the Imperial Legions.
  Since then there’s been significant upheaval on 
  Übermenschenwelt Earth. Germany still rules the 
  world, either directly or effectively; the Empire 
  hasn’t changed that. What it has changed is German 
  policies regarding other races and nations. The 
  Empress insists that everyone be treated equally 
  and that segregationist and genocidal programs 
  against certain races end immediately. Übermen-
  schenwelt Germany has complied with poor grace; 
  mutterings of discontent are often heard in the 
  streets (but never publicly rise to the level of sedi-
  tion). The rest of the world is cautiously optimistic, 
  eager for a return to freedom but still fearful of 
  Germany lest this new ruler from another dimen-
  sion abandon them somehow.
  V’HA
  V’HA
  V’ha-1, Istvatha V’han’s native dimension, is the 
  glittering heart of the V’hanian Empire. Its inhabit-
  ants, particularly the natives of the planet V’ha, 
  are the Empress’s favorite subjects and enjoy the 
  highest standard of living in the Empire (including 
  universal access to the most advanced technology 
  made available to civilians). Nearly all of them 
  work for the imperial government in some respect 
  (usually for very good pay), or have jobs supporting 
  those who do. It’s the dream of many an imperial 
  subject to get to live in V’ha-1 someday — the 
  Empress strictly controls immigration to prevent 
  overcrowding and a worsening of general living 
  conditions.
  As a dimension, V’ha is similar to Champions 
  Universe Earth’s dimension in most respects 
  (size, proportion of planets that give rise to native 
  sentient life, physical laws, and so on), though its 
  galaxies seem to have a higher percentage of Type 
  O and B (blue and blue-white) stars. Thanks to 
  the Empress’s power and influence, every sentient 
  species is dimensionally aware, and interstellar/
  intergalactic travel are as common as airplane travel 
  is on modern-day Earth. To Human visitors the 
  whole dimension would seem like a science fiction 
  paradise, where a happy populace works hard at 
  meaningful jobs and has no real cares or social 
  problems to worry about thanks to high technology.
  The crown jewel of V’ha-1 is, of course, the 
  planet V’ha itself, the site of the Palace Imperial 
  and the seat of the Empire (see page 159). Every-
  thing V’ha-1 is, the planet V’ha is even more. Every 
  city is clean and productive, every natural area is 
  achingly beautiful, every resident is content with 
  his lot in life if not deliriously happy.
  While ISF officers and D-Soldiers aren’t obvi-
  ously standing around anywhere in V’ha-1, the 
  dimension as a whole is highly secure — the 
  Empress wouldn’t have it any other way. Powerful 
  security robots remain in hiding until activated by 
  some emergency, superhuman ISF officers mingle 
  with the population undercover, and at least one 
  fortress planets manned by some of the Legions’ 
  best can be found in every star sector. On the 
  surface V’ha-1 may look like a soft, sometimes even 
  decadent, dimension that would be easy pickings 
  (especially for a powerful, mobile strike force of 
  superheroes)... but in fact it’s armed to the teeth and 
  quite ready to defend itself.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  179
  THE MArCH 
  THE MArCH 
  OF CONQuEST
  OF CONQuEST
  Although she already rules a hundred million 
  dimensions, Istvatha V’han is always eager to 
  expand the size of her Empire. But despite her 
  power and vast resources, conquering an entire 
  dimension is no easy matter. It’s not something that 
  can be done on a whim; it requires careful plan-
  ning, preparation, and execution.
  CHOOSING HEr TArGETS
  Before she can even think about launching 
  another campaign of conquest, the Empress has to 
  decide which dimension to target. She makes these 
  decisions with the help of advisors from the Impe-
  rial Legions, the ISS, the Ministry of Diplomatic 
  Affairs, and other imperial agencies. Some of the 
  factors she considers include:
  
  n how easy or difficult it will be to invade and 
  conquer the dimension (including logistical 
  matters);
  
  n what resources the dimension possesses (raw 
  materials, species with useful abilities and/or 
  superhumans, inhabitable planets, advanced 
  technology, and so on);
  
  n the strategic benefits and drawbacks of control-
  ling this dimension in light of her ongoing 
  conflicts with Tyrannon, Skarn, and other 
  enemies (and of launching a new military 
  campaign in that dimension at this time); and
  
  n how easy or difficult the dimension will be to 
  pacify and integrate once conquered.
  STAGE ALPHA: 
  STAGE ALPHA: 
  PrEPArATION
  PrEPArATION
  Before V’han can launch an invasion, she has to 
  prepare for such an extensive undertaking. Several 
  potential problems have to be addressed.
  First, she has to make sure she has sufficient 
  military personnel and equipment available 
  to conduct the campaign. Although the Impe-
  rial Legions is enormous, it also has enormous 
  demands on its resources. Some D-Soldiers are 
  already fighting in ongoing campaigns; others 
  quell rebellions, stand guard in dangerous areas, 
  and perform thousands of other crucial duties. 
  V’han can’t simply take millions (if not billions) of 
  D-Soldiers and their equipment away from their 
  current assignments and task them with a new 
  campaign that may tie them up for years; she has to 
  make sure doing so doesn’t leave her vulnerable in 
  some way.
  Second, she must consider how her strug-
  gles against Tyrannon and Skarn are currently 
  progressing. To some extent the V’hanian Empire 
  is always engaged in “trench warfare” against the 
  Conqueror and the Shaper, with each side holding 
  the line in “front” dimensions to prevent a whole-
  sale attack by the others. None of them dare show 
  any sort of weakness or leave any sort of gap in 
  their “defensive lines,” or someone will take advan-
  tage of it. It’s not worth conquering one dimension 
  if she loses two others due to enemy attack because 
  she pulled so many D-Soldiers off defensive duty.
  Third, she has to think about logistics: how will 
  she get her troops to the target dimension, and 
  how will she keep them supplied after they arrive 
  (particularly after they expand their zone of control 
  beyond the immediate location of the D-Portal(s))? 
  “An army marches on its stomach,” as the Human 
  general Napoleon observed, and Istvatha V’han 
  has certainly found this to be true. The surest 
  way to victory, in her experience, is to make sure 
  her troops in the field are well-fed, well-supplied, 
  and well-reinforced when necessary. She plans to 
  make that happen from the beginning, rather than 
  counting on providence or the spoils of war to keep 
  her Legions going.
  Fourth, she must take political conditions 
  within the Empire into account. Her word may be 
  law, but she’s not such a fool as to think there are 
  no other influences over her subjects. There are 
  political and bureaucratic currents through which 
  she must swim, and she wants them to propel her 
  in the direction she wishes to go rather than having 
  to struggle against the tide. If the major movers 
  and shakers in her government and among her 
  people don’t seem to favor the launching of another 
  campaign, or have good reasons for preferring 
  some other target than the one she’s considering, 
  she gives serious consideration to their opinions... 
  and has more than once changed her own because 
  of them.
  5
  
  180 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  STAGE BETA: 
  STAGE BETA: 
  rECONNAISSANCE
  rECONNAISSANCE
  While Stage Alpha is underway, the Imperial 
  Legions also commences Stage Beta: reconnais-
  sance of the target dimension. The earliest recon-
  naissance of a dimension by the ISS usually takes 
  place stealthfully to map out major landmarks and 
  civilizations, and occurs on discovery of the dimen-
  sion even if there’s no military interest yet. Stage 
  Beta reconnaissance is much more thorough and 
  purposeful.
  The first step sends scouts in cloaking field-
  equipped starships to fan out across the dimen-
  sion. They carefully note the locations of major 
  planets, the nature and strength of various military 
  forces and assets, astronomical phenomena that 
  advancing troops should be aware of, and a thou-
  sand other facts of use to general and footsoldier 
  alike. Depending on the size of the dimension and 
  how many scouts the High Command can assign to 
  this duty, this step may take months or even years.
  The second step brings the IIC into the picture. 
  Once the major species have been identified and 
  studied, IIC infiltrators worm their way into their 
  civilizations to gather on-the-ground intelligence 
  (so to speak). They’re usually genetically altered so 
  that it’s almost impossible for science less advanced 
  than the Empire’s to determine they’re not who they 
  claim to be. Again, this step may take a very long 
  time depending on how concerned the Legions 
  is about possible opposition and interested in 
  collecting data about it.
  STAGE GAMMA: 
  STAGE GAMMA: 
  WEAKENING
  WEAKENING
  Once the Empress is satisfied that her personnel 
  have collected as much data as the Legions needs, 
  the High Command orders the commencement 
  of Stage Gamma: covert (and sometimes not so 
  covert) operations to weaken the foe and make the 
  Imperial Legions’ job easier. In short, during Stage 
  Gamma the target is “softened up.” Depending on 
  the nature of the dimension, the expected major 
  elements of opposition, and other factors, Stage 
  Gamma can include any or all of the following:
  
  n subverting corruptible elements. This may 
  include hiring (or otherwise recruiting) 
  criminals or villains to wreak havoc throughout 
  society. (Once an invasion succeeds, any such 
  cat’s-paws are executed as unreliable and 
  treacherous.) However, it can also be as prosaic 
  as blackmailing important figures into making 
  decisions that will benefit the Empire’s mili-
  tary campaign (for example, getting a corrupt 
  politician to sway his people not to join an anti-
  V’hanian coalition).
  
  n stirring up trouble. Two potential adversaries 
  who hate one another might be tricked into 
  going to war, so that by the time the Empire 
  invades, they’re exhausted from their own 
  struggle and much less likely to join forces 
  against the Legions. As an added layer of decep-
  tion, sometimes the Empire secretly causes some 
  sort of trouble or disaster, then swoops in to save 
  the victims as a way of showing the benefits of 
  becoming part of the Empire.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  181
  
  n secretly recruiting helpers. Given the Empire’s 
  wealth and power, it can influence easily-
  swayed elements within a dimension. Promises 
  of monetary rewards, control of a desired star 
  system, or many other things can tempt a person 
  or an entire species into V’han’s camp. For 
  example, as discussed below and on page 262 of 
  Champions Beyond, one part of Stage Gamma 
  for the Empire’s next attack on Earth has been 
  to recruit the Gadroon with a combination 
  carrot-and-stick approach to cause trouble, thus 
  distracting and weakening Human superheroes.
  
  n openly recruiting helpers. V’han has no 
  particular love of violence; if she can accomplish 
  her goal of conquest peacefully she’s glad to 
  do so. This usually involves one or both of two 
  approaches. First, she can send in high-ranking 
  legates from the Ministry of Diplomatic Affairs 
  with a simple message: the V’hanian Empire is 
  great and strong. Join us and you will have all 
  the benefits of being an imperial subject (these 
  are explained in great detail); refuse and you 
  will be destroyed. More than a few species have 
  seen the wisdom of surrendering and swearing 
  fealty to Istvatha V’han. Second, she can make 
  outright public appeals to entire species or inter-
  stellar entities: join me and I’ll spare your lives 
  and property, wipe out poverty and inequalty, 
  give you better technology, and increase the 
  general standard of living. Even if the elites of a 
  society don’t want to accept this offer, it’s often 
  enormously appealing to the weak, down-
  trodden, poor, and oppressed. This tactic has 
  already born some fruit on Champions Universe 
  Earth (see below).
  STAGE DELTA: INVASION
  STAGE DELTA: INVASION
  When the High Command feels a target dimen-
  sion has been sufficiently “softened up,” it requests 
  the Empress’s permission to proceed with the inva-
  sion. Typically a dimensional invasion begins in 
  one of several ways, each with its own benefits and 
  drawbacks.
  neArby beAchheAd
  The first is the “establish a nearby forward 
  base” method. This approach involves opening a 
  D-Portal or -Portals near one of the dimension’s 
  primary targets — within the same star system at 
  least, and often at a planet within a few AUs of the 
  target. V’han used this tactic during both of her 
  invasions of Champions Universe Earth’s dimen-
  sion; in 1998 she opened her first portals near 
  Mars, while in 2007 she used Saturn as the locus. 
  The benefits to this method are twofold. First, 
  for reasons not clearly understood, it seems to be 
  “easier” to open a D-Portal near a major popula-
  tion center — it requires less power and the portal 
  is more stable. Second, this shortens the supply 
  lines, since the Imperial Legions are right on top 
  of their first major target. The drawback is that it’s 
  more likely for defenders to detect her presence and 
  the location of the D-Portal quickly, and it’s easier 
  for a determined strike force (such as, say, a team 
  of Human superheroes...) to reach and attack the 
  D-Portal itself.
  dIstAnt beAchheAd
  Her second method is the opposite of the first: 
  open the first D-Portals far away from any inhab-
  ited system. This is a little harder to do, but well 
  within the capabilities of V’hanian science. The 
  Legions can usually then bring through all the 
  troops and materiel they want before heading out 
  to attack the nearest targets, since no species is 
  close enough to detect the dimensional intrusion. 
  However, this procedure results in lengthy supply 
  lines right from the start, which leaves the V’hanian 
  military vulnerable in some respects. (On the other 
  hand, once it captures a major planet or two it’s easy 
  to set up more D-Portals.) V’han is strongly consid-
  ering this tactic for her next invasion of Champions 
  Universe Earth’s dimension.
  dImensIonAl enVelopment
  Third, at a considerable cost in power, the 
  Empress can surround a target by opening up 
  multiple D-Portals all around it and sending entire 
  armies through. This “shock and awe” tactic has 
  proven highly effective in the past, though it’s very 
  risky in that it requires tight coordination of her 
  forces and is relatively easy to disrupt.
  LEADING THE TrOOPS
  In most cases the Empress leaves the command 
  of her troops in the field in the capable hands of 
  her generals and other officers. However, in situ-
  ations where she thinks it would be a good idea 
  to improve the D-Soldiers’ morale or impress 
  the enemy, she sometimes leads the Legions into 
  battle herself! When she does this she’s equipped 
  with a cutting-edge force-field (Resistant Protec-
  tion (40 PD/40 ED/30 Mental Defense/30 Power 
  Defense/20 Sight Group Flash Defense)) and 
  flanked by a squad of heavily-armed bodyguards 
  resplendent in the best powered armor the Empire 
  can manufacture. Her “escort” also includes at least 
  two powerful mages and two powerful psionics, 
  and often more. The very sight of their beloved 
  Empress sharing the field of battle with them is 
  usually enough to inspire her D-Soldiers to fight 
  even harder.
  STAGE EPSILON: 
  STAGE EPSILON: 
  CONQuEST
  CONQuEST
  Once a foothold is established in a new dimen-
  sion during Stage Delta, it’s usually just a matter of 
  time before V’han conquers that plane. From this 
  initial base her D-Soldiers spread out across the 
  dimension, attacking in multiple directions at once 
  to minimize the possibility of concerted resistance 
  and strike before other civilizations learn of what 
  happened during the first attack.
  Based on how the initial attacks go, the High 
  Command either continues with its initial strate-
  gies and plans, or adjusts them for unforeseen 
  contingencies. At this point the Empress considers 
  herself thoroughly committed to the conquest. 
  5
  
  182 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  If necessary she’ll withdraw troops from other, less 
  crucial duties in other dimensions to assist with the 
  attack (though except in the most extreme circum-
  stances she will never, ever weaken her forces in the 
  “frontline” dimensions where she struggles against 
  Skarn and Tyrannon).
  In ideal circumstances Istvatha V’han prefers 
  for a dimensional invasion to take no more than a 
  single imperial year, but there are so many possible 
  complications in an undertaking of this magnitude 
  that her loyal soldiers can’t always meet that time-
  table. In particular, the size of the dimension and 
  the number of galactic and/or dimensionally aware 
  civilizations are important factors. A dimension as 
  large and heavily inhabited as Champions Universe 
  Earth’s could easily take a decade or more to 
  conquer (especially in light of the strong resistance 
  imperial forces are likely to meet on many fronts).
  STAGE ZETA: 
  STAGE ZETA: 
  INTEGrATION
  INTEGrATION
  Once Diplomatic Affairs and/or the Imperial 
  Legions have brought a new dimension under 
  control of the Empire (or even such a significant 
  portion of a dimension that Istvatha V’han is confi-
  dent of retaining control of it without difficulty), 
  the imperial bureaucratic machinery goes to work 
  to make the new territory firmly a part of the 
  Empire. In imperial parlance this is referred to as 
  “integrating” or “incorporating” the dimension.
  Most of the responsibility for this work falls on 
  the Vice-Ministry for Unification (page 155), which 
  sends legions of highly-trained administrators, 
  sociologists, species psychologists, anthropologists, 
  and government officials to the new dimension to 
  make the integration process as swift and smooth 
  as possible. The Empress wants to impress her 
  new subjects with the benefits of being part of the 
  Empire, so the last thing she wants is to make them 
  think that her government’s mired in red tape, 
  delays, and favoritism. The Vice-Ministries of Tech-
  nological Resources and Technological Analysis 
  start their work as well.
  However, before Unification can get to work, 
  the Empress has to be certain that a dimension is 
  sufficiently safe for her civilian personnel to visit. 
  Depending on how hard-fought the conquest was, 
  and how likely the High Command thinks it is that 
  there’ll be rebellions, the Imperial Legions may 
  remain in a dimension in force for decades after 
  a conquest is technically complete. The Empress 
  prefers not to have such “peacekeepers” present in 
  a dimension for longer than a decade at most, and 
  preferably less, but the decision’s made on a case-
  by-case basis.
  Similarly, while in theory all new imperial 
  subjects are treated equally, in fact there tends to be 
  disparity of treatment based on how a given planet 
  or civilization reacted to the invasion. Civiliza-
  tions that voluntarily surrendered and requested 
  to join the Empire tend to be treated very leni-
  ently (though if they show that a stronger hand’s 
  needed to control them, the Empress will oblige). 
  Civilizations that only put up a token resistance 
  before coming to their senses or being over-
  whelmed also receive fairly good treatment. On 
  the other hand, civilizations that resist to the bitter 
  end usually find themselves experiencing a brutal 
  occupation, since D-Soldiers don’t take kindly to 
  those who killed their comrades. The Empress 
  strives to prevent the worst abuses, but the message 
  is clear to any future targets of invasion: resisting 
  the V’hanian Empire has harsh consequences.
  But generally the Empress prefers to win 
  the hearts of her new subject with butter and 
  computers rather than guns. She wants them to 
  start experiencing the benefits of belonging to the 
  Empire as quickly as possible, since that tends to 
  quell dissent and cause rebellions to fizzle better 
  than anything else. Technological Resources gets 
  to work as soon as possible and usually raises a 
  civilization’s technology level by 1-2 (if not or 
  more) within as little as a year (see page 158). Other 
  improvements to the economy, food production 
  and distribution, civil rights, and the like happen 
  equally quickly whenever possible, though of 
  course the situation in each dimension is unique 
  and thus requires a unique approach.
  INVADING EArTH
  INVADING EArTH
  Naturally, what’s of most concern to most 
  Human superheroes in the Champions Universe 
  Earth (and thus to Champions GMs) is Istvatha 
  V’han’s current plans for attempting yet another 
  invasion of Earth’s dimension. And they have good 
  reason to be concerned.
  The V’hanian Empire has so far twice tried 
  and failed to conquer Earth-1346 (and a third 
  planned invasion attempt was aborted due to the 
  actions of Human superheroes; see Chapter One 
  for more details on all of these attacks). It’s rare 
  for the Empire to fail to conquer a dimension; 
  it’s extremely rare for it to fail more than once. 
  What’s worse is that Earth-1346 is a highly valuable 
  acquisition — it has copious natural resources, a 
  relatively high level of magic for dimensions of its 
  type, and a huge number of superhumans and like 
  assets. Between her offended pride and the dimen-
  sion’s desireability, Istvatha V’han is extremely 
  annoyed that she hasn’t conquered Earth yet, and is 
  determined to do so...
  ...but not at the cost of everything else she’s 
  achieved. Annoyed she may be, but she’s no fool. 
  If she really, really wanted to, she could sweep the 
  political and administrative obstacles aside, reassign 
  billions of D-Soldiers and war-robots, and simply 
  overwhelm Earth’s defenders and then proceed to 
  conquer the rest of the dimension. Powerful and 
  numerous Earth’s superheroes may be, but when it 
  comes right down to it there’s absolutely no ques-
  tion she could defeat them with sheer numbers... 
  then go on to do the same to the Star*Guard, the 
  Progenitors, the Andromedan civilizations, and 
  anyone else who tried to stop her. Given this she 
  easily qualifies as the most dangerous “supervil-
  lain” known to Champions Universe Earth’s heroes, 
   THE DIVINE 
  TrAGEDY
  It sometimes occurs to 
  a dimension’s defenders 
  (as it may to Human 
  superheroes) to try to 
  enlist their gods to fight 
  off a V’hanian invasion. 
  Sadly for them, this will 
  almost certainly not 
  happen.
  As discussed on page 61 
  of The Mystic World, the 
  gods of Earth owe their 
  existence and power 
  to Human belief; the 
  gods of other species 
  are similarly dependent 
  on their worshippers. 
  That means that a god’s 
  supernatural powers 
  cannot directly affect 
  anything or anyone from 
  beyond the Inner Planes 
  defined by that species. 
  This means, for example, 
  that Earth’s gods are 
  largely helpless against 
  Tyrannon and Skarn...
  ...and against 
  Istvatha V’han. 
  While she’s not 
  strictly from an 
  Outer Plane, she’s 
  discovered time and 
  time again that a real-
  ity’s gods don’t seem 
  to have any power over 
  her. Whether she’s 
  sufficiently “multiversal” 
  to “count” as being from 
  an Outer Plane or her 
  multiversally unique 
  nature makes her the 
  equivalent of an Outer 
  Plane being, or there’s 
  some other explanation, 
  no one can say. But the 
  fact remains that gods’ 
  mystic powers will not 
  bite on the Empress of a 
  Billion Dimensions.
  Of course, there are 
  gods and god-like 
  beings in some dimen-
  sions whose powers 
  don’t depend on sentient 
  belief. They can fight 
  dimensional invaders 
  and conquerers without 
  any such restrictions.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  183
  dwarfing even the threats posed by the likes of Dr. 
  Destroyer, Mechanon, or Xarriel.
  But if she did that she’d create so many prob-
  lems for herself that it’s not worth the sop to her 
  wounded pride. First, the expense of such an 
  undertaking would be so enormous that it would 
  likely eat up the potential profits from controlling 
  Earth-1346 for years to come. Second, it would 
  take her just as long, if not longer, to unsnarl the 
  administrative and political problems she’d cause 
  for herself by wielding her power so bluntly.
  Third and most importantly, moving so many 
  military assets around would leave her Empire 
  vulnerable. The most likely possibility is that she’d 
  attack Earth-1346 by reassigning lots of regular-
  duty troops stationed throughout the Empire, and 
  if she did that rebels and potential rebels would 
  take it as an opportunity to revolt. What’s right 
  now a relatively placid, smooth-running Empire 
  would be plunged into a maelstrom of internecine 
  warfare. Once Earth-1346 was conquered she could 
  probably crush nearly all of these rebellions easily, 
  but given that dimension’s size and complexity 
  conquering it might take years. That would mean 
  years of civil unrest that would inflict untold harm 
  on quadrillions of her subjects, a thought she finds 
  intolerable.
  Alternately she could reduce the strength of her 
  defensive troop placements on the “dimensional 
  fronts” she maintains against Tyrannon and Skarn. 
  Once they learned of this, the Conqureror and the 
  Shaper, after pinching themselves to make sure they 
  weren’t dreaming (metaphorically speaking) and 
  casting a few divination spells to make sure it wasn’t 
  all a trick, would immediately attack to exploit 
  this new weakness. Imperial forces, weakened by 
  the reckless attack on Earth-1346, would likely be 
  defeated and the Empire would face a major inva-
  sion on at least one front, and quite possibly two. 
  Gains V’han has worked for centuries to acquire 
  and consolidate could be taken away from her in 
  the space of a few months or years, and she simply 
  will not allow that to happen.
  Her Current Plans
  Her Current Plans
  Therefore, as much as she might like to crush 
  all resistance and conquer Earth-1346 in one rapid, 
  all-powerful attack, she’s proceeding to plan her 
  next invasion of that dimension just like she would 
  any other. As of 2011, her long-range plans call for 
  the launching of another assault on Earth-1346 in 
  2016, or possibly 2017 if her underlings uncover 
  reason to delay.
  The invasion is currently in Stage Gamma 
  (though Stage Beta also continues, since the more 
  intelligence she has on her adversaries the better). 
  After failing twice before, the Empress doesn’t 
  intend to fail a third time, and one way to guar-
  antee success is to weaken and disrupt potential 
  defenders. She’s primarily focusing on the obstacle 
  that’s defeated both her previous invasions: the 
  planet Earth and its superheroes. Some of the 
  efforts underway include:
  MANIPuLATING OTHEr SPECIES
  As discussed on page 262 of Champions Beyond, 
  V’han is using two alien species — the Gadroon 
  and the Qularr — to distract Earth’s superheroes 
  and cause havoc on the planet. Briefly put, officials 
  5
  
  184 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  from Diplomatic Affairs approached the Gadroon 
  with a simple offer: join the Empire and we’ll give 
  you a new homeworld after the conquest. The 
  unspoken second part of the offer was, of course, 
  “refuse and we’ll destroy you right now.” The 
  Gadroon accepted (though some aren’t happy about 
  it), and she then ordered them to attack the Qularr. 
  Qularr high officials previously subverted by the 
  IIC suggested that the Qularr could obtain the new 
  weapons needed to fight this new foe by attacking 
  Earth (where they could obtain lots of superhuman 
  DNA for creating bioweapons). Furthermore, since 
  the Gadroon were interested in Earth as well, it 
  was incumbent upon the Qularr to take it so they 
  couldn’t have it.
  This plan worked perfectly. The Gadroon and 
  Qularr are now both on Earth, fighting Humanity 
  and each other. Many Human superheroes and 
  other authorities are involved in the battles, thus 
  taking their attention away from the true threat: 
  Istvatha V’han. If she’s really lucky, her alien 
  puppets may kill a few of them too. When she actu-
  ally begins her invasion, both forces will assist her 
  (the Gadroon according to her orders, the Qularr 
  through indirect control).
  Since the Gadroon and the Qularr aren’t the 
  only alien species interested in Earth, V’han has 
  considered expanding this strategem. For example, 
  she’s aware of the Hzeel and their plans, and may 
  approach them with the same “offer” she made the 
  Gadroon. See Champions Beyond for more details 
  on the Hzeel and other extraterrestrial threats she 
  could exploit.
  ENCOurAGING MAJOr 
  SuPErHuMAN ADVErSArIES
  “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” so the 
  saying goes, and Istvatha V’han’s certainly willing 
  to follow that precept to the extent it benefits her. 
  Earth’s superhumans have plenty of enemies, and 
  one of the best ways to weaken and distract them is 
  to help those enemies fight them. (At the same time 
  she has to be careful not to make any of them so 
  powerful that they could themselves pose a threat 
  to her when she invades.)
  For example, genetically-disguised IIC agents 
  have been assisting VIPER with various projects for 
  some years now. They’ve infiltrated the organiza-
  tion primarily as renegade scientists, engineers, and 
  mercenaries so they can make the snakes’ weapons 
  better, improve their anti-superhero tactics, and so 
  forth. Among the projects they’re currently working 
  hard on are:
  
  n tailoring a virus that targets the genes that give 
  rise to mutant superpowers so that mutants 
  become too sick to fight (V’han doesn’t want to 
  just kill them; she sees them as potential recruits 
  for the Imperial Battalion);
  
  n improving VIPER weapons that weaken super-
  strong, super-tough heroes; and
  
  n Operation Snake-Eyes, designed to enhance 
  VIPER’s ability to spy on and gather informa-
  tion about superheroes (information that, of 
  course, also gets channeled right to the Imperial 
  Legions).
  IIC agents are also secretly aiding (among 
  others) the Warlord, Kinematik, the Devil’s Advo-
  cates, Eurostar, and Sunburst.
  ALLIES, SYMPATHIZErS, AND 
  FIFTH COLuMNISTS
  One of Istvatha V’han’s most potent “weapons” 
  in her plans to conquer Earth’s dimension are 
  certain Humans themselves. Both of her previous 
  attacks on Earth have included her standard “pitch” 
  to try to sway people to her side: join the Empire 
  and life will be better for you. No one will be poor. 
  No one will go hungry. Everyone will have a mean-
  ingful job. Everyone will be safe and secure. Social 
  justice will prevail!
  For many Humans — the poor, the disenfran-
  chised, the oppressed, the residents of the Third 
  World, and even those who are just plain bitter 
  and angry about the current state of affairs — this 
  is a potent message. To someone who has nothing 
  and is essentially controlled by others (politicians, 
  corporations, the wealthy...), the thought of still 
  being controlled but actually having things and 
  living a better life is very, very appealing. These 
  opinions haven’t changed or disappeared... and the 
  IIC’s agents do whatever they can to encourage and 
  support them.
  The most active voice raised in Istvatha V’han’s 
  favor is the V’hanian Unification Movement, a loose 
  political coalition of organizations and voters who 
  support surrendering to V’han and petitioning 
  to join her Empire voluntarily. It was founded 
  in the United States and is most vocal there and 
  in Europe, but it enjoys substantial followings in 
  Africa, Latin America, and Asia — the regions that 
  would benefit the most from joining the Empire. 
  VUM partisans have yet to achieve serious political 
  power in any nation, but the organization’s voice 
  is getting louder and it’s attracting more attention 
  every day.
  Of considerably more militant bent is the 
  V’hanian Liberation Army, a terrorist organization 
  that seems to be based somewhere in central Asia 
  or northern Africa. Disaffected members of certain 
  other terrorist groups latched on to Istvatha V’han’s 
  promises and decided that where Humanity had 
  failed to provide justice and prosperity for all its 
  people on its own, perhaps an alien overlord could 
  do better. They support V’han’s eventual third 
  invasion by sabotaging the offices of governments 
  that would oppose her, attacking military installa-
  tions, and so forth. The IIC is considering whether 
  to support them with super-tech weaponry, but 
  so far is against the idea for fear it would expose 
  the Empire’s involvement in what’s better seen as a 
  native organization.
  sUperhUmAn sUpporters
  Some members of Earth’s superhuman commu-
  nity have also indicated their support for (or at least 
  interest in) Istvatha V’han’s proposals. As discussed 
  on page 44, for their own personal reasons some 
  superhumans have left Earth to join V’han’s cause 
  directly, but others who aren’t willing to go so far 
  can still espouse her cause in some way.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  185
  The pro-mutant superhuman Kinematik has 
  stated that if Istvatha V’han is willing to turn 
  control of Earth and Humanity over to him (as 
  her “viceroy” or “governor” of the planet) and his 
  mutant followers, he would consider supporting 
  her cause. “Given the successes she’s achieved, she’s 
  most likely a mutant herself, and should aid the 
  causes of mutants everywhere,” according to one of 
  his Internet postings.
  Professor Paradigm believes that he (and 
  Humanity in general) may have a lot to learn from 
  Istvatha V’han, and would like to encourage further 
  contact. He has no desire whatsoever to be ruled by 
  her... but his interest in her (and her chief enemies) 
  could be a lever with which the IIC manipulates 
  him into unknowingly helping her.
  The Futurists think that Istvatha V’han may be 
  able to help them achieve their ultimate goal of 
  saving Humanity from itself and creating a more 
  enlightened society. However, their willingness to 
  support her depends entirely on her willingness to 
  set them in positions of power to “improve Human-
  ity’s lot” once she takes over. They don’t want to 
  be ruled, they want to do the ruling. (It’s possible 
  that quite a few other villains would support her 
  in similar circumstances, though how long they’d 
  tolerate taking orders from her once they were 
  made rulers of Earth would remain to be seen.)
  The supervillainess Lady Blue is on record as 
  stating that “maybe Istvatha V’han is someone 
  Humanity needs to set it on a better course.” She’s 
  never taken any action to support V’han, and in 
  fact fought against her troops during the 2007 
  invasion, but at least philosophically is intrigued by 
  what she claims she wants to do.
  PrACTICE MAKES PErFECT?: 
  CONQuErING ALTErNATE EArTHS
  The V’hanian Empire includes many alter-
  nate Earths similar, to greater or lesser degrees, 
  to Champions Universe Earth (Earth-1346, in 
  V’hanian records). The Imperial Legions has 
  studied, and is continuing to study, its records of 
  those conquests as a way of preparing for the third 
  invasion of Earth... but the truth is there’s only so 
  much benefit they can obtain from doing this.
  While alternate Earths are often very similar, 
  they’re never exactly alike. Some are larger or 
  smaller than Earth-1346. Some have mildly or 
  wildly different histories or timelines. Some have 
  greater levels of magical energy, some less. Some 
  have fewer superhumans, some more; in some of 
  them the average superhuman is weaker or stronger 
  than in Earth-1346. Major species or civiliza-
  tions that are key aspects of Earth-1346 may not 
  exist, or may exist differently, in an alternate Earth 
  dimension; major historical figures may never have 
  been born, or may have gone on to very different 
  destinies.
  Thus, it’s hard to predict how any particular 
  invasion will go just by analyzing some other 
  invasion. All that research can’t hurt, but it doesn’t 
  necessarily help that much. For all the similarities 
  between Earth 1346 and alternate Earths, there are 
  just as many differences... and the Devil’s in those 
  details.
  how the empress deAls 
  wIth AlternAte eArths
  When the V’hanian Empire conquers an alter-
  nate version of Champions Universe Earth, she 
  tends to deal with certain beings or elements in 
  specific ways. She will almost certainly do the same 
  thing in Earth-1346, should she ever succeed in 
  taking it over. Some of her actions include:
  
  n she exterminates the Elder Worm.
  
  n she eradicates DEMON and anyone and 
  anything else associated with Qliphothic entities. 
  Long experience has taught her that it’s best to 
  have nothing to do with the Qliphothic dimen-
  sions or their inhabitants.
  
  n she destroys Takofanes. Handling the Undying 
  Lord is one of the most difficult projects she 
  faces during any conquest of an Earth. Simi-
  larly, she kills Archimago (if he exists) and any 
  other mystic too powerful and/or evil to join the 
  Imperial Battalion.
  
  n she kills any master villain powerful enough to 
  pose a serious threat to her (and thus most likely 
  too powerful to be controlled); this includes 
  Dr. Destroyer, Shadow Destroyer, Dr. Yin Wu, 
  Mechanon, Xarriel, Valak the World-Ravager, 
  Galaxia, and Menton. Even on those rare occa-
  sions where an alternate Earth version of one of 
  these villains wants to ally himself with her, it’s 
  at best a short-term relationship — she makes 
  use of him briefly (keeping a careful watch on 
  him the entire time), then kills him when she 
  thinks he’s become too dangerous (or when he’s 
  no longer useful).
  
  n she destroys the Malvans if she cannot conquer 
  them. In most alternate Earths the Malvans are 
  weaker than in Earth-1346, and thus conquer-
  able. In other dimensions (including Malva-
  world; see page 135), they’re so powerful they 
  either can stop her invasion, or could if roused 
  to the effort. Those sorts of Malvans (“greater 
  Malvans,” as imperial sociologists refer to them) 
  possess technology far better than hers, which 
  makes them a major threat (and potentially a 
  very, very valuable resource). That means they 
  have to be removed or contained somehow.
  
  n she dismantles the Star*Guard and turns their 
  devices over to Technology Analysis for study.
  
  n she destroys the Progenitors. This, too, is 
  extraordinarily difficult and requires an enor-
  mous amount of power and resources.
  
  n to the extent that cosmic entities like the 
  Galaxars pose a concern (and it remains unclear 
  to her whether they’re multiversally unique indi-
  viduals or not), she negotiates with them or finds 
  some other way to pacify or neutralize them. She 
  fights and destroys them only as a last resort.
  
  n she locates any cosmic artifacts she can (such 
  as the Kdothri Mirror) and keeps them for 
  study/use if they’re reliable and controllable, or 
  destroys (or hides) them if not. For example, 
  several members of the Imperial Battalion are 
  loyal D-Soldiers to whom she granted a Cosmic 
  Gem. She watches them closely, since in the past 
  subjects imbued with the power of a Gem have 
  sometimes become uncontrollable and had to be 
  destroyed.
  5
  
  186 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ENEMIES 
  ENEMIES 
  OF EMPIrE
  OF EMPIrE
  A
  s powerful as it is, the V’hanian Empire is 
  not without its enemies, both internal and 
  external. Istvatha V’han remains as vigilant 
  as possible, and takes all necessary precau-
  tions to protect her Empire and her subjects from 
  all significant threats, but some enemies are too 
  strong to simply eradicate.
  TYrANNON AND SKArN
  TYrANNON AND SKArN
  As discussed elsewhere in this book, the 
  Empress’s two main enemies are Tyrannon the 
  Conqueror and Skarn the Shaper, fellow dimen-
  sional conquerors with whom she competes for 
  territory and subjects. (See Champions Villains, 
  Vol. 1, for detailed information on them.) Both of 
  them rely almost entirely on magic, as opposed 
  to her natural superpowers and technology, so 
  their “empires” (which tend to involve “absorbing” 
  conquered dimensions into their own rather than 
  simply ruling them) focus as much or more on 
  Yetziratic (and sometimes even Brialic) dimensions 
  as on Assiatic ones. But ultimately all of them still 
  want to rule the entire Multiverse (or as much of it 
  as any non-cosmic entity can), which puts them on 
  a collision course of competition.
  Istvatha V’han considers both overlords’ 
  habit of “merging” other dimensions with their 
  own (Thulkos or the Congeries, respectively) 
  to be utterly abhorrent. She wants to rule other 
  dimensions, not to destroy/remake them through 
  powerful arcane rituatls. To her, what they’re doing 
  is akin to bulldozing a national park to turn it into 
  a shopping center or destroying art treasures just 
  to get at the raw materials used to make them. It 
  disgusts her, and she’d like nothing better than to 
  put a stop to it. From a more practical perspec-
  tive, she and her chief dimensional scientists are 
  unsure what sort of “stress” Tyrannon’s and Skarn’s 
  activities may place on the “structure” of the Multi-
  verse. She’s concerned that if too many dimen-
  sions are merged into one, the entire Multivers 
  might “unravel” or “shatter.” That’s all the more 
  reason why the Conqueror and the Shaper must 
  be stopped as soon as possible. (She won’t hesitate 
  to point this fact out to, say, Human superheroes 
  who attack her, gladly painting herself as the lesser 
  of three evils if that will direct their attentions 
  elsewhere.)
  Of the two, V’han considers Tyrannon the 
  more dangerous opponent. He’s personally more 
  powerful, has existed longer, and has fought two 
  major and several minor wars with her Empire. 
  The “front line” dimensions where she maintains 
  a watch on him (and he on her) are at best places 
  of fragile tension, at worst examples of dimension-
  spanning trench warfare.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  187
  But in recent years, Skarn has been the more 
  aggressive opponent. He has focused more intently 
  on the sorts of dimensions Istvatha V’han wants, 
  and unlike her doesn’t have to completely “conquer” 
  a dimension before he can begin the process of 
  absorbing it into the Congeries (a process which, 
  if successful, renders any further resistance to him 
  largely moot). She’s spent more time and effort 
  reinforcing her “front line” dimensions against 
  him than against Tyrannon, and would dearly love 
  to find some way to distract him or redirect his 
  efforts... or better yet, destroy him.
  rEBELS OF THE 
  rEBELS OF THE 
  rEALITIES
  rEALITIES
  Although the vast majority of her subjects 
  are content with her rule, or even patriotic, not 
  everyone is so sanguine about Istvatha V’han’s 
  power over them. Here and there throughout her 
  domain rebellions flare from time to time. Most 
  are swiftly put down by the ISF and/or the Imperial 
  Legions... but some survive and grow, becoming 
  long-standing cankers. Besides the revolt in Cory-
  phalon (see page 174), as of 2011 the Empress faces 
  four major rebellions (and the Crusaders of the 
  Infinite Realities; see below).
  The Exrandal’rian revolt
  The Exrandal’rian revolt
  The oldest and largest of the rebellions against 
  the Empress is the Exrandal’rian Revolt, which 
  began nearly a decade ago in the Exrandar Galaxy 
  in the dimension Koruba Thumasoor. The domi-
  nant aliens in that region of space were the Thrund, 
  a porcinoid species of strong, tough humanoids led 
  by the members of a fierce warrior culture. They 
  fought against the V’hanian Empire tooth and nail, 
  and after losing were subjected to a brutal military 
  occupation designed to pacify them.
  It didn’t work. The Thrund patiently endured 
  the situation for over a generation, biding their 
  time until the Empire thought things had calmed 
  down. Once the Empress reduced her military 
  presence in Exrandar, the Thrund secretly laid 
  their plans. Taking up their long-hoarded weapons 
  they attacked en masse, slaughtering thousands of 
  D-Soldiers in a bid for freedom. By the time the 
  Empire learned what had happened, the Thrund 
  had retaken control of Geratton VI (their home-
  world), fortified it, then moved outward to reclaim 
  their former empire from the V’hanians.
  Unable to respond in full force due to her 
  ongoing conflicts with Tyrannon and Skarn (not 
  to mention other plans in the works), Istvatha 
  V’han has settled for pouring as many troops as 
  she can into Koruba Thumasoor. The first part of 
  her strategy is to contain the revolt so that it doesn’t 
  spread dimension-wide. In this she’s partially 
  succeeded, though the rebellion’s become large 
  and successful enough to reclaim Exrandar and 
  three other galaxies. The second step, which the 
  High Command’s now focused on, is to defeat the 
  Thrund and crush the Revolt once and for all.  
  And the Empress won’t make the same mistake 
  again: after she defeats the Thrund this time, she’ll 
  exterminate them.
  LEADErS OF THE rEVOLT
  One of the reasons the Exrandal’rian Revolt’s 
  succeeded to this point is the brilliance of several 
  of its leaders. Had they wanted to they could have 
  gone on to noteworthy careers in the Imperial 
  Legions, but their pride, honor, and desire to live 
  free have driven them to fight against the V’hanian 
  enemy instead of joining it.
  Besides the Revolt’s high commander, General 
  Korth Torgo (see accompanying character sheet), 
  some of its other leaders include:
  
  n Chroodslishru Shinwagutani, a member of the 
  four-armed, two-headed Scruthandi species. A 
  master of small unit tactics and unconventional 
  warfare, Shinwagutani commands the Revolt’s 
  elite forces.
  
  n Doreg Charld, a Thrund known for his skill as 
  a starfleet admiral. Time and again he’s found 
  a way to win through to victory despite being 
  outnumbered and outgunned by Legions fleets.
  
  n Hisuda, a member of the quasi-feline Oroth 
  Ch’tai species, who leads the Revolt’s military 
  intelligence division.
  
  n Choapen Thurl, a Thrund who seems to excel at 
  practically every military skill known, including 
  strategic command.
  GENErAL KOrTH TOrGO
  GENErAL KOrTH TOrGO
  Background/History: Korth Torgo was born into an 
  aristocratic Thrund family with a history of mili-
  tary service going back centuries. He’d joined the 
  Thrund Military Forces and worked his way up the 
  chain of command to lieutenant when the V’hanian 
  Empire invaded Koruba Thumasoor. Excited at the 
  prospect of war but concerned about the enemy’s 
  strength, he fought the Empress’s forces to the best 
  of his ability.
  During the Battle of the Cindrian Reach, all of 
  the higher-ranking officers aboard his starship were 
  killed, leaving him in command. Without hesitation 
  he swung into action, rallying his crewmen and 
  then the rest of the fleet to strike back and defeat 
  the V’hanians. Deeply impressed, the Thrund 
  promoted him to General and formally approved 
  his role as a commander.
  Torgo survived the war, though the fact the 
  Thrund were defeated nearly crushed his spirit. 
  But rather than give in to despair, he became part 
  of the underground planning an eventual revolt. 
  He assisted in any way he could despite the watch 
  put on him by the V’hanians. When the time was 
  right he led the Thrund to throw off their chains 
  and reclaim their freedom, and now commands 
  their anti-V’hanian crusade as they seek allies 
  throughout their home dimension.
  5
  
  188 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  GENERAL 
  GENERAL 
  KORTH TORGO
  KORTH TORGO
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  25 STR 
  15 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 HTH damage [2]
  16 DEX 
  12 12-
  22 CON 
  12 13-
  15 INT 
  5 12- PER Roll 12-
  15 EGO 
  5 12-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  8 
  OCV 
  25
  8 
  DCV 
  25
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  5 
  DMCV 
  6
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  10 PD 
  8  
  Total: 10 PD (0 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 8 ED (0 rED)
  9 
  REC 
  5
  45 END 
  5
  18 BODY 
  8
  50 STUN 
  15  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 182
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  33 
  Thrundian Blaster: RKA 3d6 
  [32]
  +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+¼), 32 Charges 
  (+¼); OAF (-1)
  7 
  Thrundian Tusks: HKA ½d6 
  1
  No STR Bonus (-½)
  12 
  Combat Training: HA +3d6 
  1
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (-¼)
  10 
  Combat Training: +15 STR 
  1
  Only For Grabs And Other STR-Based Combat 
  Maneuvers (-½)
  16 
  Armored Uniform: Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 ED) 
  0
  OIF (-½)
   
  Perks
  10 
  Fringe Benefit: Military Rank: supreme commander of the 
  Exrandal’rian Revolt
  6 
  Positive Reputation: military genius and tenacious fighter 
  (among the Thrund and the members of the Revolt, 
  14-), +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Environmental Movement: Zero-G Training (no penalties in 
  zero gravity)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 with All Combat
  7 
  Analyze Military 14-
  2 
  Bureaucratics 10-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  1 
  Demolitions 8-
  1 
  Gambling (Card Games) 8-
  9 
  AK: Koruba Thumasoor 18-
  2 
  Navigation (Space) 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  2 
  PS: Soldier 11-
  2 
  PS: Military Commander 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  11 
  Tactics 16-
  4 
  WF: Common Thrundian Melee Weapons, Thrundian Small 
  Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 173
  Total Cost: 355
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  5 
  Distinctive Features: military uniform (Easily Concealed; 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  25 
  Hunted: the V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Kill)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Determined To Defeat The 
  V’hanian Empire And Win The Thrund Their Freedom 
  (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently, 
  Major)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 0
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  189
  Personality/Motivation: Korth Torgo is the very 
  embodiment of the four ancient Thrund qualities 
  of honor, duty, strength, and wisdom. V’hanian 
  propaganda depicts him as an unthinking brute 
  who throws his forces into battle without regard 
  for casualties, but nothing could be further from 
  the truth. He plans his attacks (and defenses) as 
  thoroughly as possible, resents every death inflicted 
  by the enemy, and is immensely popular with his 
  troops (and the people of Koruba Thumasoor 
  generally). Although circumstances have forced 
  him to become nothing but a fighter, he also appre-
  ciates the finer things (like art and philosophy) and 
  looks forward to the day when he can relax and 
  pursue his varied interests.
  Quote: “Colonel, move your forces forward on 
  my signal. Before the V’hanians know it they’ll be 
  trapped!”
  Powers/Tactics: The most gifted military 
  commander in his dimension, and one of the most 
  gifted in the Multiverse, Korth Torgo is the perfect 
  choice to lead the Exrandal’rian Revolt (though 
  he still has to answer to the Thrundian Emperor). 
  Although he prefers to lead from the front, he 
  recognizes how dangerous that can be and usually 
  remains toward the rear in his flagship, where he 
  can “see” and analyze the battle and direct his forces 
  to best effect.
  General Torgo has a keen eye for militarily 
  useful assets (such as Human superheroes visiting 
  his dimension) and will be quick to try to strike 
  reasonable bargains with them (or trick/force 
  them into doing what he wants, if they seem weak 
  enough — he comes, after all, from a warrior 
  culture that exalts strength in all its forms). He’d 
  happily ally himself with Earth (or planets outside 
  his dimension) to strike at the V’hanian Empire in 
  a more unified fashion, but he won’t allow himself 
  and his people to be used simply as a way to take 
  the Empress’s pressure off of someone else.
  Appearance: General Korth Torgo is a member of 
  the Thrund, a humanoid species descended from 
  an animal similar to an Earth boar. His head is 
  porcine, and his mouth features two large, sharp 
  tusks jutting from his lower jaw. However, even by 
  Human standards there’s a certain handsomeness 
  and nobility to his features; he doesn’t look ugly 
  or “swinish.” He wears a simple military uniform 
  consisting of a blue jacket and pants, with a blaster 
  sidearm in a holster on his right hip.
  The L’sandron Army
  The L’sandron Army
  The Exrandal’rian Revolt is a large, militarily 
  sophisticated rebellion against Istvatha V’han’s 
  rule. But not everyone has the Revolt’s resources or 
  opportunities; they have to find other ways to fight. 
  The L’sandron Army is the largest, most successful 
  example of this in V’hanian space.
  The dimension L’sandr became part of the 
  V’hanian Empire nearly fifty years ago. For the 
  most part it capitulated in the face of the Empire’s 
  might and has more or less peacefully settled into 
  the imperial fold. But some species and individuals 
  strongly disagreed with the decision to surrender 
  to Istvatha V’han. Rather than meekly give up their 
  arms in exchange for imperial largesse, they went 
  underground and created a guerrilla resistance 
  movement — or a terrorist organization, depending 
  on your perspective.
  Over the decades the soldiers of the L’sandron 
  Army have become masters at unconventional 
  warfare, sneak attacks, sabotage, espionage, and 
  other forms of warfare that allow them to strike 
  back at the V’hanian Empire without fighting 
  pitched battles. Through theft, prizes of war, and 
  scavenging they’ve amassed a respectable space 
  fleet, but they keep it dispersed and hidden so the 
  Empire has no major target to strike at. Similarly, 
  the Army doesn’t have any one headquarters — it 
  has five, each connected to the other by encrypted 
  transmissions. As a result there’s no way to destroy 
  the Army in one fell swoop, much to the Imperial 
  Legions’ frustration.
  The commanders of the five headquarters (all 
  of which are carefully hidden on out-of-the-way 
  planets) form a “ruling council” that guides the 
  Army and plans its overall strategy. At this point 
  none of them has any real hope of ever forcing the 
  V’hanian Empire to leave L’sandr — most of the 
  dimension’s inhabitants have become happy, loyal 
  subjects of Istvatha V’han thanks to her generous 
  policies — but they’re stubbornly determined to go 
  on fighting to their last breath rather than submit to 
  her tyranny. They’re constantly in need of supplies, 
  medicine, ships, weapons, and any other help they 
  can get, and will eagerly welcome any assistance 
  (such as, say, Human superheroes fighting Istvatha 
  V’han) with open arms... once they get over their 
  initial suspicions that any offers are IIC traps.
  5
  
  190 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The Psubversives
  The Psubversives
  One of the most dangerous revolts against the 
  V’hanian Empire is one the Empress doesn’t even 
  know about... yet.
  Within the ranks of the Empire’s bureaucrats 
  and soldiers are more than a few with psionic 
  powers. As so often seems to be the case with 
  mentalists in any place or time, many of them 
  tend to consider themselves superior to beings 
  not so gifted. Some years ago a group of powerful 
  psionics in the Imperial Legions decided that 
  they could do a far better job running the Empire 
  than Istvatha V’han herself could. The more they 
  discussed the matter, the better it sounded to them, 
  and the firmer their resolve became. Thus was the 
  conspiracy its members jokingly refer to as “the 
  Psubversives” born.
  Proceeding with extreme caution, the first 
  members began sounding out other psionics, 
  looking for ones who shared their views or could 
  be persuaded to. When possible they covertly used 
  their powers to get at the unquestionable truth of a 
  potential member’s beliefs, but in many cases they 
  had to rely on mundane speech. But they did well, 
  never exposing their conspiracy to anyone who’d 
  turn them in and recruiting many new members.
  The Psubversives have since spread their 
  tentacles throughout imperial society. The group’s 
  members include several highly-placed court-
  iers, two members of the Imperial Law Council, 
  several admirals (including one Sector Admiral), 
  numerous lower-ranking military personnel, and 
  hundreds of bureaucrats and officials throughout 
  the Empire. They’ve mainly restricted their 
  recruiting to V’hanians and other species whose 
  loyalty to the Empire is assured — they want to take 
  over the Empire from within, not tear it apart by 
  allying themselves with rebels and malcontents.
  As of mid-2011, the Psubversives are not quite 
  poised to strike, but they’re nearly ready. They plan 
  to roll out their takeover in stages. The first step 
  is to take mental control of a huge number of key 
  imperial personnel ranging from military officers, 
  to Ministers and Vice-Ministers, to the socially 
  influential. Once they’ve succeeded in establishing 
  this “secret psionic army,” they launch the second 
  step, which is to disrupt imperial society enough 
  to make Istvatha V’han look weak, incompetent, 
  and foolish. After that idea’s firmly taken hold in 
  the public consciousness (perhaps with a little help 
  from weak, broad-area mental control) they’ll move 
  to topple her and replace her with an oligarchy 
  of Psubversive leaders. If their plan works, the 
  upheaval it causes will probably allow numerous 
  dimensions to break free from imperial rule, and 
  may even prompt Tyrannon or Skarn to attack... 
  but the Psubversives are confident they can solve 
  all such problems quickly once absolute power is 
  theirs.
  IMPERIAL 
  PSIONICS RANKINGS
  The V’hanian government considers its 
  psionic personnel a powerful asset — but also a 
  sometimes unpredictable and inscrutable one. 
  To make it easier to analyze and study psionic 
  powers, and to assign psionic personnel to the 
  duties they’re best-suited to, the Empire’s devised 
  the following scale. It’s a relatively loose ranking 
  system, since psionic powers often defy logic and 
  it’s not unknown for a psionic to be immensely 
  powerful in one area (such as telepathy or 
  psychokinesis) but weak in others.
  Rank 1: Rank 1 psionics have the lowest recorded 
  levels of mental powers. In HERO System terms, 
  this means Talents or Powers worth a maximum 
  of 12 Active Points. Typically speaking a Rank 1 
  psionic doesn’t have more than 30 total Active 
  Points’ worth of mental powers.
  Rank 2: Rank 2 psionics can be up to twice as 
  powerful as 1s, with abilities that have up to 25 
  Active Points. Typically a Rank 2 psionic doesn’t 
  have more than 50 total Active Points’ worth of 
  mental powers.
  Rank 3: Rank 3 represents the level at which a 
  psionic almost certainly is required by law to 
  become a full-time imperial employee (lesser 
  ranks can work in private industry without direct 
  government supervision, just periodic licensing 
  checks and other review). They can have abilities 
  with up to 40 Active Points. Typically a Rank 3 
  psionic doesn’t have more than 75 total Active 
  Points’ worth of mental powers.
  Rank 4: Rank 4 psionics can have abilities with 
  up to 60 Active Points. Typically a Rank 4 psionic 
  doesn’t have more than 90 total Active Points’ 
  worth of mental powers.
  Rank 5: Ranks 5 and above represent the highest 
  levels of psionic power; relatively few psionics 
  with this much ability exist compared to lesser 
  psionics. A Rank 5 psionic can have abilities with 
  up to 80 Active Points. Typically a Rank 4 psionic 
  doesn’t have more than 120 total Active Points’ 
  worth of mental powers.
  Rank 6: A Rank 6 psionic can have abilities 
  with up to 100 Active Points. Typically a Rank 6 
  psionic doesn’t have more than 180 total Active 
  Points’ worth of mental powers.
  Rank 7: A Rank 7 psionic can have abilities 
  with up to 120 Active Points. Typically a Rank 7 
  psionic doesn’t have more than 200 total Active 
  Points’ worth of mental powers.
  Rank 8: A Rank 8 psionic has powers greater 
  than those of a Rank 7. The most powerful 
  psionic in the imperial records had some powers 
  with as much as 160 Active Points, though 
  there’s some evidence that he died at a young age 
  because his vast mental powers “burned out” his 
  physical body.
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  191
  The Ta!ra Freedom Fighters
  The Ta!ra Freedom Fighters
  Like the L’sandron Army, the Ta!ra Freedom 
  Fighters is a guerrilla-style rebellion against 
  Istvatha V’han’s rule, one that hopes to succeed 
  through secrecy, unconventional warfare, and the 
  justice of its cause rather than sheer force of arms. 
  However, it’s significantly different in one crucial 
  way: it’s a rebellion of superheroes.
  In the dimension Ta!ra, superhuman powers are 
  approximately three to four times as common as in 
  Champions Universe Earth, and on average just as 
  powerful. The result is a large, widespread super-
  human community. These superhumans, hero and 
  villain alike, fought valiantly against the V’hanian 
  Empire when it invaded, but ultimately could not 
  prevail against the Empress’s overwhelming might. 
  But rather than give up entirely, many of them 
  went into hiding so they could continue the good 
  fight without exposing innocent people and places 
  to imperial reprisals. In essence they form a loose, 
  dimension-wide outlaw superteam.
  The unacknowledged “first among equals” 
  of the TFF is Galacto, an immensely strong, 
  immensely tough hero with the ability to fly fast 
  enough to cross a galaxy the size of the Milky Way 
  in mere minutes. Much of the continued exis-
  tence (and, perhaps, eventual success) of the TFF’s 
  efforts depends on him, since he can easily keep 
  the various “cells” in contact with one another. 
  (Members with far-reaching mental powers or 
  spells of mystic communication are highly desire-
  able for this same reason.) Other prominent 
  Freedom Fighters include: Yanorj Hfee, who 
  has powerful energy projection abilities; Mister 
  Trickster, master of stealth, illusion, and deception; 
  Sunwalker, who has fire powers; Truth, a mentalist; 
  Gun-Saint, a weaponmaster; and Blockade, a 
  powered armor wearer.
  It’s important to note that the TFF includes 
  both heroes and villains — any Ta!ran superhuman 
  who’s willing to join forces to fight against the 
  Empire. This often results in disputes within the 
  group as “former” villains want to use consider-
  ably more force and attack much more ruthlessly 
  than the superheroic members do. Galacto and 
  the other leaders do their best to find ways to 
  defuse this tension, but it’s possible the TFF may 
  someday splinter into two groups if their different 
  approaches prove irreconcilable.
  OTHEr ENEMIES
  OTHEr ENEMIES
  Some other forces Istvatha V’han must periodi-
  cally contend with include:
  The Fracture
  The Fracture
  Some superheroes in the Champions Universe 
  Earth are aware of cosmic beings sometimes known 
  as space gods — entities like the Galaxars, the 
  Corelords, and Mortalus whose powers and “juris-
  diction” dwarf those of even the mightiest super-
  humans. It remains unclear to Istvatha V’han and 
  her scientists whether these beings are in essence 
  multiversally unique (though they appear in 
  different dimensions in different forms), or whether 
  they have alternates like most ordinary people in 
  the keystone dimensions do.
  About at least one such being, though, the 
  Empress has no such questions, for he seems to be 
  more than just a space god. The Fracture, as he’s 
  known, could best be described as a “Multiverse 
  god.” According to the Empire’s most scholarly 
  mystics and scientists, this abstract entity is the 
  being who enables all Reality to split into multiple 
  dimensions. Were it not for the Fracture, they 
  postulate, all dimensions would collapse into one — 
  and he almost certainly has the power to “combine” 
  dimensions at will if he so chooses (an ability that 
  makes him of intense interest to Tyrannon and 
  Skarn).
  The Fracture’s thoughts on sentient life and 
  other matters remain largely unknown. Istvatha 
  V’han has met him just once, and found him 
  exceedingly difficult to communicate with; his 
  frame of reference is so “vast” and “diffuse” that 
  getting him to understand the petty concerns of 
  more limited beings strains the intellect. To her he 
  appeared as a gargantuan humanoid form whose 
  body shifted views from one dimension to another 
  like a viewscreen shifts scenes. The only constant 
  features were his large, golden, glowing eyes.
  The Time-Beast
  The Time-Beast
  No one’s quite sure where the Time-Beast comes 
  from, or who named it. What is known is that 
  it’s a monstrous thing that can cross dimensional 
  barriers and travel through time. It preys on other 
  time travelers, wreaks havoc with the timestream, 
  and otherwise makes life miserable for the likes of 
  Istvatha V’han. She’s offered an enormous reward, 
  including ownership of an entire terrestrial planet, 
  to whoever kills the Beast... but so far no one’s come 
  close to collecting.
  5
  
  192 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The Crusaders Of The 
  The Crusaders Of The 
  Infinite realities
  Infinite realities
  The L’sandron Army and Ta!ra Freedom Fighters 
  are both true guerrilla movements (or terrorist 
  groups, according to the Empire). They’re orga-
  nized, they have long-range plans, they conduct 
  themselves with something approaching (para)mili-
  tary professionalism. By contract, the Crusaders of 
  the Infinite Realities is more akin Robin Hood.
  Depending on which member you ask, the 
  Crusaders was started years or centuries ago — it’s 
  hard to say when one’s dealing with a cabal of time-
  traveling, dimension-hopping, intensely individu-
  alistic wizards. Its founders were a small group of 
  super-mages who opposed Istvatha V’han’s rule of 
  their respective dimensions but couldn’t muster 
  the force to fight back in conventional ways. They 
  explored ways to use magic to travel through time 
  and turn her own powers against her. While that 
  came to naught, they somehow discovered a strange 
  species of “time dragons” — flying reptilian beings 
  with the native power to cross dimensional barriers 
  and soar through the timestreams like a bird sails 
  through the air. They recruited/captured/coerced/
  bribed (again, stories differ) these time dragons 
  into joining their cause, thus providing them with 
  a quick, easy, and reliable way to do what Istvatha 
  V’han can do naturally.
  Riding their time dragons like steeds, the 
  Crusaders began to strike fast and hard, using 
  their magics to attack rich imperial targets, steal 
  anything of value, and then escape before any force 
  could be brought against them. Typically they give 
  some of what they steal to people oppressed by, 
  or fighting against, the Empress. But they keep a 
  large chunk of it for themselves, using it to turn 
  their secret lair (said to be based on an enormous 
  asteroid that they can shift between dimensions if 
  necessary) into an opulent home.
  No two members of the Crusaders seem to 
  come from the same species. The only qualifica-
  tions for joining are (a) the ability to use magic on 
  the “super-mage” level, and (b) a genuine, sincere 
  desire to oppose Istvatha V’han (something they 
  can ensure via their spells). They allow some lesser 
  mages to assist them as researchers, apprentices, 
  manufacturers of enchanted items, and the like, but 
  never let them go into the field.
  Every Crusader wields a potent weapon known 
  as a soulblade. This is a sword, staff, axe, dagger, or 
  some similar item forged from the souls of millions 
  or billions of Istvatha V’han’s victims — souls that 
  voluntarily agree to be made into weapons for use 
  against the one who destroyed them. A soulblade 
  can not only cut through almost anything (HKA, 
  Armor Piercing (x2), Penetrating), it enhances its 
  wielder’s magical powers in various ways. (These 
  can include providing END from an Endurance 
  Reserve, an Aid Magic, or even adding to a caster’s 
  Variable Power Pool for magic.)
  The leader of the Crusaders is Hrunara Shemm, 
  a golden-skinned elemental super-mage from one 
  of the Lungorin dimensions. She’s not the most 
  powerful spellcaster in the group (though she’s 
  close), but what she lacks for in arcane power she 
  more than makes up for in intelligence, tactical 
  brilliance, and leadership skills. Despite the fact 
  that her fellow Crusaders are headstrong, eccentric, 
  and just plain strange individuals, she somehow 
  finds a way to keep them united and working 
  5
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Five 
  193
  toward their common goals. (For Hrunara, use 
  Morgaine the Mystic’s character sheet from CV2 48, 
  with the addition of appropriate Skills like Naviga-
  tion (Dimensional) and Tactics.)
  Besides Shemm, notable Crusaders include:
  
  n Shimmering Scarlet, a quasi-energy being whose 
  energy-manipulating and matter transmutation 
  magics are particularly potent.
  
  n Doctor Archon, a sometime superhero whose 
  world fell to the Imperial Legions; he joined the 
  Crusaders to help the oppressed and obtain a 
  measure of revenge for his fallen species. His 
  spells are extremely powerful, though his control 
  over them isn’t always as strong as he’d like it to 
  be.
  
  n Grenshol Argelan, an Ixendarian super-mage 
  from an alternate Earth dimension. At first he 
  was a relatively “ordinary” sorcerer... but then he 
  began studying the magics of the Elder Worm of 
  several planes. This has made him dangerously 
  corrupted; it won’t be long until he abandons the 
  Crusaders for outright villainy, or turns on them 
  in a destructive fit of suicidal passion.
  
  n Abrabaras, a mage of studious bent forced into 
  a more active role when the V’hanian Empire 
  invaded his home plane. He’s become quite the 
  combat wizard, but would happily return to his 
  home and library (which he’s hidden in a pocket 
  dimension) if he could.
  
  n Qqethru Helq, a master of fire magics whose 
  powers become stronger the closer he gets to a 
  star.
   
  For character sheets for these Crusaders, please 
  see pages 229-240.
  THE TIME-BEAST
  THE TIME-BEAST
  Background/History: See above.
  Personality/Motivation: For reasons no one knows, 
  the Time-Beast is compelled to hunt and eat 
  time- and dimensional travelers, wreak havoc with 
  timestreams throughout the Multiverse, destroy 
  time machines, and so on. There seems to be no 
  specific pattern to its predations; it goes wherever 
  the “scent” of what it seeks tells it to go.
  Some time-travelers believe the Time-Beast is 
  a manifestation or pet of some sort of “Multiverse 
  god” responsible for chronal and dimensional 
  barriers. This would certainly explain why it hunts 
  time-travelers and dimensioneers, but not why it 
  likes to distort or change timestreams.
  Quote: None; the Time-Beast cannot speak, it can 
  only roar and growl.
  Powers/Tactics: Despite its great power, the Time-
  Beast prefers to ambush its prey rather than engage 
  in a frontal assault. Using its dimension- and time-
  traveling powers, Teleportation, and Desolidifica-
  tion, it can sneak up on nearly anyone. When it gets 
  close enough it pounces, using its fearsome talons 
  and teeth to rend its target into bloody shreds. If 
  necessary it can somehow absorb the essence of 
  the magnitude of time, causing it to grow to an 
  enormous size. If confronted with force it’s not 
  confident of overcoming, it flees to await a better 
  opportunity.
  Campaign Use: The Time-Beast is both a threat and 
  a possible weapon for PC superheroes. On the one 
  hand, going after Istvatha V’han may force them to 
  travel through time and the dimensions themselves, 
  and that may attract the unwanted attentions of the 
  Beast. On the other hand, Istvatha V’han is the prey 
  it most desires, so if they could catch it and unleash 
  it on her, or somehow point it in her direction, it 
  would at the very least provide a serious distraction 
  they could no doubt make use of.
  To make the Time-Beast a tougher, more fright-
  ening opponent, give it Invisibility (to the Sight 
  Group and/or Danger Sense), mental powers, or 
  time-manipulation powers (see Champions Powers 
  for plenty of ideas for the latter). To weaken it, 
  remove its Growth (and the other Unified Power 
  abilities).
  Appearance: In its natural form, the Time-Beast 
  is about the size of a large lion. It has an octopedal 
  (eight-legged) form; each leg has claws on the feet 
  (and the feet are as manipulable as Human hands, 
  if necessary). Its head is sort of wedge-shaped, 
  with three eyes and a large mouth that’s filled with 
  fangs. Its skin has a sort of scaly/reptilian look. At 
  will it can grow to become up to fifty feet tall at the 
  shoulder.
  5
  
  194 n The V’hanian Empire 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  THE TIME-BEAST
  THE TIME-BEAST
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  40 STR 
  30 17- Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 HTH damage [4]
  24 DEX 
  28 14-
  30 CON 
  20 15-
  25 INT 
  15 14- PER Roll 14-
  25 EGO 
  15 14-
  30 PRE 
  20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6
  10 OCV 
  35
  10 DCV 
  35
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  10 DMCV 21
  8 
  SPD 
  60  
  Phases: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12
  40 PD 
  38  
  Total: 40 PD (40 rPD)
  40 ED 
  38  
  Total: 40 ED (40 rED)
  30 REC 
  26
  100 END 
  16
  25 BODY 15
  80 STUN 
  30  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 442
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m (36m)
   
  Teleportation: 
  20m-20,000 LY
  Cost Powers 
  END
  152 
  Dimensional/Temporal Travel: Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement (any location in any dimension, can travel 
  through time) 
  6
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  60 
  As Large As Time: Growth (+30 STR, +10 CON,  
  +10 PRE, +6 PD, +6 ED, +6 BODY, +12 STUN,  
  +3m Reach, +24m Running, -12m KB, +4 to others’ 
  OCV to hit character, +4 to others’ PER Rolls to 
  perceive character, 8m tall, 4m wide, 6,400 kg) 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Unified Power (-¼)
  101 
  Time-Talons: HKA 3d6 (4d6+1 with STR) 
  4
  Penetrating (x2; +1), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  43 
  Time-Talons When Grown: HKA +2d6
  Penetrating (x2; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Linked (to Growth; -½), Unified Power (-¼)
  67 
  Time-Bite: HKA 2d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  3
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), +2 Increased STUN Multi-
  plier (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  43 
  Time-Bite When Grown: HKA +2d6
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), +2 Increased STUN Multi-
  plier (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked 
  (to Growth; -½), Unified Power (-¼)
  20 
  Hard To Hurt: Hardened (+¼) for 40 PD/40 ED 
  0
  50 
  Hard To Hurt: Resistant (+½) for 40 PD/40 ED 
  0
  Hardened (+¼)
  30 
  Hard To Hurt: Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 
  25%, Resistant 
  0
  15 
  Hard To Hurt: Mental Defense (15 points) 
  0
  20 
  Hard To Hurt: Power Defense (20 points) 
  0
  125 
  Rapid Dimensional Transferral: Teleportation 20m 
  6
  MegaScale (1m = 1,000 light-years; +5), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  47 
  Sensing Its Prey: Detect Time And Dimensional  
  Travelers 14- (no Sense Group), Discriminatory, 
  Dimensional (any dimension), Increased Arc Of 
  Perception (360 Degrees), Range, Sense, Targeting 0
  52 
  Time-Beast Perceptions: Spatial Awareness 14-  
  (no Sense Group), Dimensional (any dimension), 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) 
  0
  5 
  Time-Beast Perception: Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  5 
  Time-Beast Perception: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  40 
  Dimensional Desynchronization: Desolidification 
  (affected by magic) 
  4
  6 
  Eight Legs: Extra Limbs (4) 
  0
  Inherent (+¼)
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Time Sense
   
  Skills
  24 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Space) 14-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 914
  Total Cost: 1,356
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  5 
  Hunted: all responsible time-travelers (Infrequently, Less 
  Pow, Report on its activities at the very least, Kill it if 
  possible)
  25 
  Psychological Complication: Must Hunt Time- And 
  Dimensional Travelers (Very Common, Total)
  Total Complications Points: 30
  Experience Points: 1,001
  5
  
  GAMEMASTERING 
  THE EMPRESS
  Chapter 
  six
  
  196 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  ISTVATHA V’HAN 
  AND THE
  AND THE 
   CHAMPIONS uNIVErSE
  CHAMPIONS uNIVErSE
  A
  s noted on CV1 61, Istvatha V’han doesn’t 
  have formal relations with anyone on 
  Earth. With the exception of a few super-
  humans who’ve joined her forces (see page 
  44), and organization like the V’hanian Unification 
  Movement which support her cause, she regards 
  all of Humanity (and everyone else in dimension 
  Earth-1346) as an enemy, a potential subject to be 
  conquered in the near future, or both. Nevertheless, 
  whether she knows it or not she does interact with 
  some elements of the Champions Universe in some 
  ways. Besides what’s described on pages 183-85, 
  these include:
  CAPTAIN CHrONOS
  Captain Chronos and Istvatha V’han know 
  about one another, though they’ve never met. 
  He’s well aware of what happens during her future 
  invasions (at least as Champions Universe Earth’s 
  history is supposed to play out), that she’s still 
  ruling the V’hanian Empire a thousand years from 
  now, and so on. However, he doesn’t 
  consider her a significant threat to 
  the Earth-1346 timestream, since he 
  knows how cautious she is about the 
  consequences of her time travel powers. 
  If she wanted to alter the Earth-1346 
  timestream, she would almost certainly 
  have done so already. He remains wary 
  but isn’t deeply concerned. For her part, 
  V’han would like to control or eliminate 
  the Captain; as someone who can track her 
  through time and meddle with her schemes he’s a 
  significant threat.
  DOCTOr MACABrE AND THE JANuS KEY
  As of 2011 there is no Dr. Macabre and the 
  Janus Key is missing. If and when it’s found, or 
  another Dr. Macabre arises, Istvatha V’han’s agents 
  will study him closely. Anyone who can easily 
  move between even a limited subset of dimensions, 
  and/or who has power over dimensional energies 
  and warps, is someone the Empress pays close 
  attention to when planning an invasion. She has 
  instructed her agents on Earth to remain on the 
  lookout for the Janus Key; if it becomes possible to 
  obtain it she’ll do everything she can (and even risk 
  exposing some of her agents) to acquire it.
  THE INCuBuS
  Humans aren’t the only 
  subjects of this diminutive trick-
  ster’s pranks and jokes; someone as 
  proud, powerful, and dimen-
  sionally aware as Istvatha 
  V’han is a target he just 
  cannot, from time to 
  time, resist. (As a result 
  he knows a good bit about 
  her and could perhaps be 
  persuaded to share what 
  he knows with Human 
  superheroes... for the right 
  “price.”) The Empress regards 
  him as an intolerable nuisance and would like to 
  see him confined or killed. If a Human somehow 
  does either of those things, she may very well send 
  that person a generous reward of some sort.
  PrOFESSOr PArADIGM
  Istvatha V’han deeply intrigues Professor 
  Paradigm because of her ability to move between 
  dimensions at will, and the fact that she’s conquered 
  so many of them. He’s studied everything 
  Humanity knows about her 
  and is eager to learn more. 
  Given his powers and knowl-
  edge, he might be one of 
  Humanity’s greatest resources 
  for fighting off her next inva-
  sion attempt... assuming the 
  world can persuade him 
  to join the battle rather 
  than study her (or even 
  join her).
  Conversely, V’han 
  would definitely find 
  the Professor and his 
  Paradigm Pirates worth 
  studying. She’s always 
  interested in other dimension-
  travelers and -manipulators. 
  On the one hand she considers 
  them prime candidates for 
  recruitment to the Imperial 
  Battalion; on the other she 
  wants to make sure they 
  pose no threat to her.
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  197
  THE SHADOW QuEEN
  As discussed on CV1 170, the Shadow Queen, 
  as the ruler of a dimension (or to be more accu-
  rate, part of a dimension — the Shadow Realm 
  in Champions Universe Earth’s Faerie), has no 
  desire whatsoever to see any part of Earth-1346, its 
  Parterres, or associated dimensions taken over by 
  Istvatha V’han (or anyone else). She’s just one of 
  many supervillains who’ll offer their assistance to 
  Humanity the next time V’han launches an inva-
  sion of Earth’s dimension. Whether Humanity will 
  take it remains to be seen, though — Brangomar 
  isn’t exactly trustworthy.
  SKArN AND TYrANNON
  As discussed on page 186 and elsewhere in this 
  book, these other two dimensional conquerors 
  are Istvatha V’han’s greatest enemies. Aside from 
  occasional diplomatic efforts that fool no one and 
  accomplish nothing, and a few romantic trysts 
  between V’han and Skarn in an effort to romanti-
  cally manipulate one another, they interact by 
  fighting, spying on one another, and trying to 
  exploit each other’s weaknesses.
  uNTIL: PrOJECT CITADEL
  In light of the threat posed by Istvatha V’han, in 
  2004 UNTIL established one of its special programs 
  for studying her and finding ways to cope with her 
  invasions. Dubbed Project Citadel, it’s headed by 
  Major Alexander Shumeykin of Russia. Citadel’s 
  responsibilities and activities include:
  
  n coordinating with similar agencies and superhe-
  roes around the globe to establish a worldwide 
  alert network to detect and counteract dimen-
  sional intrusions of any sort. Various agencies 
  and superteams have been assigned to specific 
  zones and/or given specific tasks in the event of 
  an invasion, and told who to contact to be inte-
  grated into the overall chain of command.
  
  n coordinating with the Star*Guard and other 
  known entities in the Milky Way Galaxy (and 
  when possible, beyond) to detect and counteract 
  V’hanian activity away from galactic population 
  centers
  
  n researching and developing weapons to coun-
  teract V’han’s dimensional technology, both on 
  a large scale (to, for example, disrupt a D-Portal) 
  and on a tactical scale (to block D-Soldiers’ 
  ability to teleport, for instance). These efforts 
  have been only partially successful so far given 
  budgetary restrictions, but work continues.
  
  n gathering and analyzing as much intelligence 
  as possible on Istvatha V’han and her military 
  capabilities. This hasn’t been an easy task, given 
  how difficult dimensional travel is, but Citadel’s 
  researchers have helped to expand Humanity’s 
  knowledge of the Empress. When possible they 
  try to persuade superheroes with stealth and/or 
  movement powers to go into her realm (usually 
  with a friendly super-mage providing the 
  dimensional transport) to “spy” on her.
  6
  
  198 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  uSING 
  uSING 
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  ISTVATHA V’HAN
  G
  iven her vast resources, Istvatha V’han is 
  the single most dangerous supervillain 
  in the Champions Universe. Many others 
  possess far more personal power, or more 
  frequently threaten Humanity, but none have the 
  potential to conquer Earth (and indeed, Earth’s 
  entire dimension) that she does.
  That being the case, you have to handle her deli-
  cately when using her in your Champions games. 
  A villain who simply steamrolls all opposition and 
  cannot be stopped in any way isn’t fun. Fortunately, 
  as discussed on page 179 and elsewhere in this 
  book, Istvatha V’han’s actions aren’t unrestricted. 
  Unlike a less politically powerful villain (such 
  as Dr. Destroyer or Mechanon), she can’t simply 
  decide what she wants to do and do it — or at least, 
  not without causing significant disruption in her 
  Empire and potentially creating a weakness for 
  her enemies to exploit. Whatever “activities” she’s 
  involved with on Earth (or in Earth’s dimension as 
  a whole) have to fit within the scope of what she 
  can do without creating administrative, logistical, 
  or strategic problems for herself.
  BEFOrE THE INVASION 
  BEFOrE THE INVASION 
  PLOT SEEDS
  PLOT SEEDS
  Therefore the best way to incorporate Istvatha 
  V’han into your campaign before you’re ready to 
  run a full-blown “dimensional invasion” story arc 
  is to focus on what page 180 refers to as Stages Beta 
  and Gamma — reconnaissance and weakening. The 
  sorts of things V’han’s personnel do to weaken a 
  target (in this case Earth, and by extension Earth’s 
  dimension) could give rise to all sorts of scenarios. 
  Here are a few examples:
  ArMS rACE
  One of the best ways to weaken Earth is to 
  reduce the number of superhuman defenders it 
  has. The best tool for getting rid of superheroes is 
  supervillains, and vice-versa. To that end, agents of 
  the Imperial Intelligence Command who are spying 
  on Earth as undercover Humans have secretly been 
  supplying super-criminals and criminal organiza-
  tions with better weapons.
  If you want to keep this as a small-scale plot, 
  various weapon-using villains have simply awak-
  ened one morning to find that someone’s left better 
  weapons for them on their doorstep (so to speak). 
  The next time the heroes face them, those villains 
  will be miuch tougher to defeat and hit much harder 
  when they attack. If all goes well for V’han, a hero 
  or two will die. Once the heroes defeat the villains 
  and can study their weapons, tiny technological 
  clues will point to the fact that these devices are 
  not entirely of this Earth... or even this dimen-
  sion. From there it shouldn’t be a big logical jump 
  to realizing Istvatha V’han is behind the weapons; 
  it might even be possible to use some of them to 
  ferret out a few of her IIC agents or find a way to 
  strike back at her.
  On the other hand, you might want to turn 
  this into a multiple-game session, world-spanning 
  threat. In that case IIC agents have infiltrated 
  VIPER (and possibly ARGENT and any other such 
  organizations in your campaign) and introduced 
  technological innovations through their research 
  and development branches. This provides a conve-
  nient means to upgrade all of VIPER’s weapons, 
  and by extension anyone they supply weapons to 
  (assuming the snakes are willing to part with their 
  new “inventions”). However, assuming you want 
  any degree of “realism” in your campaign, keep in 
  mind that giving VIPER better technology means 
  it will probably always have that better tech — they 
  can’t easily lose all of it, much less the plans, specs, 
  and research notes in their computer databases.
  COrruPTION OF THE WOrLD’S-BLOOD
  In Earth-1346 (and most other keystone dimen-
  sions), magic is a powerful force. It may be a subtle 
  thing underlying reality, or it may be as well-known 
  and manipulable as electricity, but in either case 
  it’s there. And those who can work magic — spell-
  casters, mages, wizards, sorcerers, whatever they’re 
  called locally — represent a significant roadblock to 
  V’hanian invasion plans. Magic is an unpredictable 
  and sometimes very powerful force, and is often 
  one of the major weapons used against the Imperial 
  Legions. Therefore it behooves Istvatha V’han to 
  find ways to blunt or redirect that weapon.
  To that end, mystics from the Imperial Battalion 
  have secretly infiltrated Earth and begun casting 
  special spells to “corrupt” Earth’s magic tempo-
  rarily. If their rituals succeed, for a year or more 
  the spells cast by Humans (and other mages native 
  to Earth-1346) won’t work properly, and may fail 
  altogether.
  The first sign that something unusual is 
  happening is when mystics who can ordinarily use 
  magic more or less effortlessly (i.e., super-mages 
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  199
  like Witchcraft, the Demonologist, Talisman, and 
  even Takofanes) begin having to succeed with 
  Skill Rolls to cast their spells. Casting a spell seems 
  like pushing through a thick curtain or struggling 
  through murky water; it’s harder, more limiting. 
  The longer the V’hanian mages are left alone, the 
  more difficult spellcasting becomes (the Skill Rolls 
  suffer penalties, spells acquire Limitations like 
  Extra Time and Concentration, and so on).
  Fortunately, no magic this powerful can be cast 
  without leaving some sort of aetherial or arcane 
  traces. Though the very spell they’re trying to trace 
  makes the tracing harder, PC and friendly NPC 
  super-mages can eventually track the V’hanian 
  mages to their lair or lairs. Enemy NPC mages — 
  villains, in other words — may even offer to help, 
  on the grounds that whatever’s doing this affects 
  them to. This could provide an excellent oppor-
  tunity for some roleplaying, and perhaps give the 
  heroes a chance to sway a villain who’s not really 
  that villainous over to the side of Good.
  Once they find the V’hanian mages, the PCs 
  have to defeat them or drive them away. At all costs 
  the V’hanians will want to get away; Istvatha V’han 
  will not be happy if one of them is captured and 
  subjected to interrogation. They’ll do whatever they 
  have to (in some cases even commit suicide) to 
  keep themselves from falling into Human hands.
  CHArACTEr ASSASSINS
  V’hanian technology makes it a relatively simple 
  task to impersonate a Human hero. A V’hanian 
  can be altered to look just like him, and be given 
  most superpowers through medical treatments (or 
  simply equipped with devices that emulate powers). 
  Similarly, the V’hanians can easily create fake video 
  footage and the like.
  With these resources available, the Empress can 
  weaken Human superheroes by smearing them in 
  the press. At first a hero’s merely shown to be doing 
  unpopular things, like shouting racial slurs or being 
  drunk in public. But over time this escalates to the 
  point where he commits serious crimes and has to 
  be locked up. But of course the hero going to prison 
  is the real hero, not the V’hanian copy who’s been 
  doing these awful deeds.
  The targeted PCs will of course protest their 
  innocence. At least at first you should arrange 
  matters so they don’t have airtight alibis; it should 
  be possible and plausible that they committed 
  these embarrassing acts. They they have to start 
  investigating, looking for clues that will clear their 
  names before the imposters do something that 
  will get the hapless heroes targeted by the law. One 
  way of doing this is through criminalistics; if the 
  V’hanians leave any biological evidence behind, 
  analyzing it will quickly prove they’re not Human 
  regardless of what they look like.
  PrE-EMPTIVE STrIKE
  In 2002, the Champions prevented V’han’s 
  planned invasion of Earth by taking the fight to her 
  instead and stirring up so much trouble that the 
  Empress had to deal with that rather than attack 
  Earth-1346. If your heroes suspect she’s plan-
  ning another invasion (perhaps because of one of 
  the plot seeds above), they might want to try the 
  same tactic. This could lead to an entire campaign 
  story arc as the PCs rampage across the V’hanian 
  Empire, sparking rebellions, destroying impe-
  rial outposts and resources, and generally making 
  tremendous nuisances of themselves. If they’re 
  powerful and daring enough they might even try to 
  assault V’ha itself... though that’s probably biting off 
  more than they can chew.
  THE INVASION AND 
  THE INVASION AND 
  BEYOND PLOT SEEDS
  BEYOND PLOT SEEDS
  Obviously Istvatha V’han’s next invasion of 
  Earth can provide multiple game sessions’ worth of 
  adventures for your campaign. Depending on how 
  you want to orchestrate things, the story arc could 
  begin with a massive war scenario where V’hanian 
  forces portal into Earth’s solar system and imme-
  diately attack. Or the PCs could detect her earliest 
  intrusion into Earth’s dimension several light-years 
  away and attack her beachhead not to stop the 
  invasion (which is almost certainly impossible once 
  she’s at that stage) but to slow it down and give 
  Earth time to prepare its defenses.
  Either way, the story arc will probably end up 
  mixing high-action pitched battle scenarios where 
  the PCs get to take on brigades of D-Soldiers and 
  destroy V’hanian starships singlehandedly with 
  lower-intensity conflict where the PCs essentially 
  become “special forces soldiers” making surgical 
  strikes on V’hanian military assets. In both situ-
  ations they’re likely to encounter members of the 
  Imperial Battalion and may develop some intense 
  “nemesis” relationships with specific Battalioneers.
  An invasion story arc can go on as long as 
  the GM wants it to — after all, even in real Earth 
  history some wars have lasted for years or decades. 
  If the Imperial Legions establishes a foothold in 
  Earth-1346 that the PCs just can’t shake loose, they 
  may have to fight Istvatha V’han off and on for the 
  rest of the campaign until they find a way to make 
  her withdraw her forces.
  Some possible sub-plots within an invasion 
  story arc (or campaign!) include:
  SINK THE INVICTOr IMPErIuS
  One of the best sorts of war story is one where a 
  determined band of heroes has to get past multiple 
  obstacles to destroy some target of high military 
  value — a bridge, a new type of airplane, a key 
  orbital defense station, or what have you. In a 
  V’hanian invasion story the most obvious target 
  for this sort of tale is the Invictor Imperius, Istvatha 
  V’han’s massive flagship. The loss of the Invictor 
  would not only deprive the Imperial Legions of a 
  major military asset, it would strike a serious blow 
  against imperial morale and show that the Empress 
  is not untouchable. Indeed, just the fact of its being 
  destroyed might spark rebellions across the Empire. 
  And given her interest in conquering Earth, it’s not 
  at all outside the realm of possibility that she might 
  come to Earth-1346 in the Invictor, thus putting it 
  within easy range of an assault by the PCs.
  6
  
  200 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  The key to running this scenario is giving the 
  PCs more to do than “attack the starship and blow 
  it up.” First they have to penetrate enemy territory 
  undetected. Then they have to disguise themselves 
  and infiltrate the ship to learn its secrets and weak-
  nesses — a mission where they have to rely more 
  on personal skills and cleverness than on their 
  vaunted superpowers, and one that entails all sorts 
  of tension, suspense, and deadly risks. And then at 
  long last they have to attack the ship and destroy it. 
  And that’s no easy task given its size, armaments, 
  and defenders (both ordinary and superpow-
  ered, since the Empress will certainly have a few 
  members of the Imperial Battalion along to supple-
  ment her personal guard).
  EMBASSY TO MALVA
  One of the best ways to increase the odds of 
  defeating a V’hanian invasion is to recruit powerful 
  allies. And in the Milky Way Galaxy, who’s more 
  powerful than the Malvans? They don’t use their 
  power anymore, but they still have it. So the PCs are 
  tasked with the unenviable diplomatic assignment 
  of journeying to Malva and persuading the Galaxy’s 
  most decadent species to go to war for the first time 
  in two hundred thousand years. Along the way they 
  encounter unreliable Malvans, V’hanian agents 
  trying to distract them (or even turn the Malvans 
  against them), unscrupulous gladiatorial fans who 
  want to capture them and force them to fight in the 
  super-arena, and a Phazor whose desire for glory 
  might make him receptive to the PCs’ message but 
  who may not have the will or means to convince his 
  people to take up the sword once more.
  If Malva’s not your cup of tea, you can substitute 
  any other highly powerful Champions Universe 
  entity or organization that wouldn’t immediately 
  be opposed to Istvatha V’han. For example, the 
  PCs might have to seek out a Galaxar (or all the 
  Galaxars) and convince them to get involved. Just 
  finding such enigmatic cosmic entities would be an 
  adventure in itself! For an even more difficult task, 
  have them try to convince a villain (such as Xarriel 
  or Mordace) or a sentient natural force (such as 
  Astron) to help them. What sort of price would, say, 
  Xarriel ask to get involved... and are the PCs willing 
  to pay it?
  DOuBLE AGENT
  Page 44 lists a few Humans who’ve gone over to 
  the other side and joined the Imperial Battalion. 
  You could structure a scenario around the PCs 
  having to get to one of these people and convince 
  him to switch sides again. In essence he’d become a 
  double agent, feeding Humanity information about 
  V’han while giving her misleading advice. And of 
  course, finding and persuading him aren’t the only 
  problems; meeting up with him on a regular basis 
  to receive his reports will be even more difficult. 
  Suddenly the PCs find themselves cast less as super-
  warriors and more as espionage agents/handlers 
  with superpowers.
  CAMPAIGN FrAMEWOrKS
  CAMPAIGN FrAMEWOrKS
  Besides the obvious “V’han invades Earth!” 
  story arc/campaign framework, here are some 
  other campaigns (or extended story arcs) you 
  could structure around the Empress of a Billion 
  Dimensions.
  CruSADErS OF THE INFINITE rEALITIES
  Rather than fighting Istvatha V’han as Human 
  superheroes, the PCs could all be members of the 
  Crusaders of the Infinite Realities (page 192). They 
  travel across the dimensions and time, robbing 
  from the V’hanian rich and giving to the V’hanian 
  oppressed, supporting rebellions and resistance 
  movements, and learning new mystic lore. Throw 
  in some romance, a Crusader who’s really a traitor, 
  an ancient artifact or two that no one understands 
  (yet...), and plenty of raids and battles and you’ve 
  got the recipe for all sorts of fun.
  THE SHOT HEArD ’rOuND THE MuLTIVErSE
  Similarly, the PCs could be members of a more 
  conventional rebellions against V’han’s rule — such 
  as the ones listed in Chapter Five and elsewhere in 
  this book, or a brand-new one they start themselves 
  from the ground up. It helps any campaign for the 
  PCs to have an ultimate goal, and this one has one 
  of the most impressive goals of all: overthrow a 
  dimension-spanning empire and win freedom for 
  your people!
  YOu’rE IN THE LEGIONS NOW
  Since Istvatha V’han isn’t exactly a “villain” in 
  the conventional sense of the term, it might be 
  possible to run a campaign where the PCs work 
  for her rather than fight her. Either they could be 
  members of the Imperial Battalion, or simply a 
  special force of D-Soldiers assigned to all sorts 
  of important but risky secret missions. Along the 
  way they’d eventually have to reconcile their feel-
  ings about the good things V’han does (improve 
  standards of living, distribute advanced technology, 
  protect her subjects) with what they think about 
  her less charitable activities (like attacking dimen-
  sions that have never bothered her, or committing 
  genocide against bothersome populations).
  COurT INTrIGuE
  For gaming groups that prefer intrigue and 
  manipulation to violence and action, consider 
  running a campaign where the PCs are all highly-
  placed members of Istvatha V’han’s court. Using 
  the Social Combat rules from APG2, the PCs could 
  engage in verbal sparring with rivals, get involved 
  in torrid love affairs, and try to get their enemies 
  assigned to jobs on backwater outposts of the 
  Empire while avoiding the same fate themselves. 
  The ultimate goal, of course, is to join the Empress’s 
  inner circle and be in a position to exert significant 
  influence over policies that will affect trillions of 
  lives.
  VIVA LA 
  rESISTANCE
  Suppose the 
  worst comes to 
  pass: Istvatha 
  V’han succeeds in 
  conquering Earth. 
  What do the PCs do 
  now? Why, start the 
  resistance move-
  ment, of course! 
  The campaign shifts 
  from one of PCs 
  leading/working 
  with the Human 
  military forces in an 
  all-out war effort to 
  one where they’re 
  sneaking around, 
  using covert opera-
  tions, sabotage, and 
  ambushes to whittle 
  away at V’han’s 
  forces and resources 
  in an effort to 
  make it too 
  costly for her 
  to hold what 
  she’s taken. 
  This may also 
  include an “embassy 
  to Malva” situation 
  (see above) where 
  the PCs go to recruit 
  help, or at least get 
  someone to distract 
  V’han’s attention so 
  they can prepare 
  and execute a major 
  strike against one 
  of her vulnerable 
  points.
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  201
  DIMENSIONAL 
  DIMENSIONAL 
  CAMPAIGNING
  CAMPAIGNING
  C
  hapters Four and Five provide a fully-
  described multiverse for you to use if you 
  want — the Multiverse of the Champions 
  Universe. However, some GMs may prefer 
  to create their own multiverses. After all, if you 
  want to run a campaign (or a story arc within an 
  existing campaign) that involves a lot of dimen-
  sional travel and “plane hopping,” the first thing 
  you’re going to need is dimensions for your PCs to 
  visit!
  This section of Chapter Six discusses the various 
  sorts of dimensions and how to use them in a 
  campaign. It includes suggestions on designing 
  dimensions of your own, and even a series of 
  Random Dimension Design tables if you just 
  want to “roll one up” to see what sort of weirdness 
  results.
  DIMENSIONAL PurPOSE
  DIMENSIONAL PurPOSE
  Before you get down to the nuts and bolts of 
  designing a dimension, you should consider a 
  dimension’s importance to your campaign — or put 
  differently, what’s its purpose in the story you and 
  your players are creating? For example, how often 
  will characters visit a dimension, or interact with its 
  inhabitants? If it’s just once or twice, you probably 
  don’t need to know a lot of details about the place. 
  Designing dimensions can be a lot of work, so don’t 
  do more than you need to.
  BACKGrOuND
  A dimension might exist solely as part of a 
  campaign’s background information. Gods and 
  spirits come from other planes (as do rival dimen-
  sional conquerors), or wizards tap power from 
  them, but the PCs never actually visit. Perhaps 
  mortals cannot enter the dimension... or perhaps 
  you simply don’t want to run transdimensional 
  adventures (or at least not ones involving a 
  particular plane).
  In this case, you don’t need to define many 
  details about the dimension. A paragraph or two 
  describing the main features of the plane may 
  suffice. What beings live there (if any)? How does it 
  connect to/relate to the primary dimension of the 
  campaign, and have any details about it become 
  well known there? For instance, you can sum up the 
  popular image of Christian Hell in a few phrases: 
  caves of fire and brimstone; people tormented by 
  devils with red skin, horns, cloven hooves and 
  barbed tails; the Devil himself has a palace, or at 
  least a throne room.
  OCCASIONAL VISITS
  Characters might take brief excursions to a 
  dimension (or maybe just visit there a single time). 
  In this case, you merely have to decide what peril or 
  obstacle, if any, the heroes face; what reward they 
  gain for overcoming the peril; any specific charac-
  ters the heroes will (or are likely to) meet; and a few 
  details of the local scenery. The “obstacle” can be as 
  simple as being lost, and the “reward” no more than 
  figuring out how to get home. You probably need to 
  develop only a few parts of settings in detail: even 
  if the dimension in question is as big as the real 
  Universe (and that’s very large indeed), the part 
  the characters see might be just a few hundred feet 
  wide. For example, imagine a superhero team on 
  a raid into Hell to rescue someone kidnapped by 
  devils and taken to the iron city of Dis, as described 
  in Dante’s Inferno. The GM brushes up on Dante’s 
  description of Dis, decides what sort of devils the 
  PCs must fight (using character sheets from The 
  HERO System Bestiary to save time and effort), 
  and writes down the other details needed for the 
  adventure. In case of surprises, though, he also 
  reads Dante’s description of the circles of Hell near 
  Dis, and jots down a few scenes the heroes might 
  see — and ways to guide straying characters back to 
  the plot.
  MAJOr SETTING
  On the other hand, characters might visit a 
  specific dimension frequently, making it an impor-
  tant part of the campaign. In that case you need 
  to design this dimension as carefully as the rest of 
  your setting. In time, you may end up describing 
  several locations in detail and writing up a large 
  selection of denizens.
  6
  
  202 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Continuing the example above, heroes might 
  find many reasons to invade Hell and clash with 
  demons and devils frequently. In this case, you 
  should define many features of Hell. If you stick 
  with Dante, you should flesh out descriptions of 
  several areas the heroes might visit, and may even 
  need a map or two of the dimension as a whole (if 
  for no other reason than to make notes on when 
  you refer to a location, or creates one on the fly 
  in mid-game). Do the devils have some sort of 
  government that assigns them tasks and organizes 
  a response to the heroes’ intrusions? Are there 
  diabolic rivalries the PCs might exploit? How do 
  the fundamental rules of Hell differ from Earth? 
  For instance, what happens to the soul of a mortal 
  who dies in Hell? Do the devils wield powers in 
  Hell they lack on Earth? Can damned souls be 
  rescued from Hell? As you answer these questions, 
  the nature of Hell for your campaign becomes far 
  more detailed than “fire and brimstone, screaming 
  people, devils.”
  DIMENSIONAL FuNCTION
  DIMENSIONAL FuNCTION
  Besides a dimension’s basic purpose within the 
  overall campaign, you should also think about its 
  function in the setting. How do other planes affect 
  the human world? Do their inhabitants visit Earth? 
  Why would characters ever visit these other worlds? 
  Or why would you, the GM, want the characters to 
  visit?
  COOL SETTING
  Some dimensions make colorful settings for 
  adventures. Visits to other planes give heroes a 
  chance to encounter environments, situations, and 
  people that could never exist in the campaign’s 
  principle setting. While an Earthlike world has its 
  uses as a setting for Fantasy, it’s also fun to imagine 
  someplace spectacularly different. A vivid descrip-
  tion of an extradimensional scene raises the players’ 
  sense of wonder.
  Alien dimensions, like alien worlds, also give the 
  GM a chance to play with bizarre cultures. An alien 
  culture may be no more than another bit of local 
  color (“Hey Witchcraft, why does everyone wear 
  fruit on their head like Carmen Miranda?”) or it 
  may form the focus of the adventure. The dimen-
  sion’s inhabitants might turn hostile when the 
  characters break some odd cultural taboo (“Whad-
  daya mean, I have to marry her because I tried on 
  her fruit hat?”), or try to be helpful but in coun-
  terproductive ways. You can even try a little social 
  satire by exaggerating some modern trend or fad of 
  modern society, in the style of Gulliver’s Travels.
  Other dimensions can present interesting 
  strategic challenges to the PCs. In an alien cosmos, 
  the different environment can change the rules of 
  combat. To give a few simple examples, the GM can 
  invent dimensions where all combat uses EGO and 
  MCV instead of DEX and CV; where some types 
  of powers don’t work (such as flame powers in a 
  water-filled dimension); where space is so bent and 
  twisted that Ranged attacks are as likely to hit the 
  attacker as an enemy; or where space is filled with 
  some continuous harmful effect, such as a contin-
  uous Darkness versus one Sense Group, Blast, 
  Drain, or Transform. The special environment 
  makes the dimension a place of danger (see below) 
  as well as a place of strangeness and wonder.
  DANGEr
  A dimension can pose a threat to the charac-
  ters. The danger may come from the dimension’s 
  inhabitants, the environment, the nature of the 
  dimension itself, or all of the above. For instance, 
  a netherworld of the dead might slowly leech away 
  a visitor’s life and also provide his enemies with 
  legions of undead servitors.
  Heroes might enter a dangerous dimension 
  for several reasons (assuming they even know it’s 
  dangerous before they go there). They might need 
  something or someone from a hazardous plane. 
  Some accident might hurl them into the dimen-
  sion. An enemy might trick or force the heroes into 
  another world — even if the dimension itself isn’t 
  dangerous, he might think the characters have no 
  way to leave.
  When you design a dangerous dimension, 
  concentrate on the threats the heroes face, and how 
  they can overcome those dangers and escape. If 
  the characters have Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  powers (as many super-mages do), you must invent 
  some reason why the heroes can’t just pop back to 
  Earth.
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  A dangerous dimension can add excitement 
  and a special strategic challenge to a fight. Reasons 
  why the heroes and villains fight in the dimension 
  range from sheer accident (“I told you not to use 
  that spell in the temple”) to a formal challenge (“So, 
  pathetic humans, meet me for combat in the Plane 
  of Perilous Pyramids — if you dare!”) Perhaps the 
  villain knows how the dimension affects combat 
  and hopes this ensures the heroes’ defeat; perhaps 
  the villain is just as surprised as the heroes!
  A dimension may also serve as the source of a 
  threat. See Dimensional Invasions, page 218, for a 
  discussion of this option.
  OPPOrTuNITY FOr A GOOD DEED
  For a variation on dimension-as-a-threat, the 
  danger could be directed at the inhabitants of the 
  dimension, and the natives want the PCs’ help to 
  deal with it. (On a planetary scale, this is the story 
  structure used by many episodes of Star Trek and 
  Doctor Who.) Perhaps the locals can reward the 
  heroes with something they need (making the 
  dimension a resource, too); maybe they can only 
  offer their thanks and a Favor in return. The local 
  problem may or may not bear any relation to the 
  ongoing conflicts of the campaign. In either case, 
  the most important aspect of the dimension is the 
  problem the PCs must solve.
  EMBODY A CONCEPTuAL FrAMEWOrK
  A set of dimensions can physically represent 
  a system of concepts (usually, but not necessarily, 
  mystical or philosophical ones). The environment 
  and inhabitants of each dimension illustrate the 
  dimension’s guiding concept. If the overall setting 
  includes gods, they certainly dwell in conceptual 
  dimensions.
  Moral or philosophical concepts make a good 
  basis for a set of dimensions. In the Abrahamic 
  tradition, for instance, the opposing moral forces 
  of Good and Evil each have their own dimension: 
  Heaven, the realm of God, and Hell, the realm of 
  Satan. A setting based on Taoist ideas might feature 
  dimensions of Yin and Yang, the cosmic principles 
  of stasis and energy.
  The Champions Universe employs two sets of 
  morally-aligned dimensions. The four cosmic prin-
  ciples of Order, Chaos, Art, and Nature each have 
  their own remote and abstract dimension. Locally, 
  Earth emanates four spirit-realms that represent 
  these concepts projected into the more concrete 
  form of Human activities and beliefs: the syncretic 
  Heaven of Elysium for Order and the “ethical” 
  religions; the Netherworld, a fusion of every Hell 
  ever imagined, for Chaos; Faerie, the realm of 
  wild magic and pagan mythology, for Nature; and 
  Babylon, the City of Man, for the secular realm and 
  Artifice. (See Chapter Four for more information 
  on these dimensions.)
  A set of dimensions can also embody the forces 
  mystics call upon, or the system of concepts that 
  underlies their magic (or, for that matter, some 
  system of science). For instance, if you base a 
  setting’s magic on the classic four elements of Fire, 
  Air, Water, and Earth, you could design a realm 
  around each element, with suitable gods, elemental 
  spirits, and an environment based entirely on 
  that element. A world of Taoist magic might have 
  spirit-realms of Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, and 
  Wood instead. The seven astrological planets, the 
  ten sephiroth of kabbalism, the runes of Northern 
  Europe, the cards of the tarot, or the eight trigrams 
  of the I Ching are other mystical systems around 
  which you could build sets of dimensions... and 
  of course you can always create your own occult 
  philosophical framework and use that as the basis 
  for your Multiverse.
  HABITAT
  Other dimensions provide a home for creatures 
  of magic and Fantasy, from goblins to gods. This 
  becomes especially important for campaigns set on 
  Earth, such as most Superhero, Urban Fantasy, and 
  historical Fantasy games. Gods, demons, dragons, 
  and other magical creatures conspicuously do not 
  exist on Earth: as long as the campaign setting 
  preserves the illusion that it could be the “real” 
  world, the monsters and magical races need to 
  live somewhere else. The “other dimension” can 
  obviously be another world, or it might be a hidden 
  aspect of Earth that most people never see and 
  cannot reach. For example, Clive Barker’s novel 
  WeaveWorld features a Fantasy-realm hidden inside 
  a carpet.
  COMMON 
  DIMENSIONAL STORIES
  In the Superheroes genre, dimensional travel 
  stories often revolve around certain basic plots. 
  These include:
  Save The Dimension: Something’s wrong with 
  the other dimension and only Our Heroes can 
  put a stop to it! This ranges from having to 
  overthrow the Evil Dimensional Overlord, to 
  preventing the dimension from self-destructing 
  due to some environmental or mystical 
  catastrophe.
  See The Sights: This more light-hearted sort of 
  scenario features a dimension the PCs are just 
  there to experience for the sheer fun of it. Typi-
  cally the dimensions in question are humor-
  ously goofy (Cartoon World, Sit-Com World) 
  or historically intriguing (alternate Earths 
  where Rome still rules, for example).
  Survive The Trip: In this scenario, whatever’s 
  wrong with the dimension (typically an Evil 
  Dimensional Overlord) is so powerful that 
  even a team of experienced superheroes has 
  no hope of defeating him. Once the PCs find 
  themselves in such a dimension, their goal is to 
  survive and find a way home again, not to put a 
  stop to the wrongness. (But of course, in more 
  optimistic games, you may want to give the PCs 
  a chance to figure out a way to right the wrong 
  so they can come back and defeat it later in the 
  campaign.)
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  Fantasy realms with no connection to Earth 
  still may need other dimensions. Spirit-realms 
  and Otherworlds appear in mythology around the 
  world. Netherworlds of the dead are common; so 
  are mystic realms of the gods. Any place beyond a 
  culture’s experience tends to become an Otherworld 
  as well: traveler’s tales like the Odyssey, Mandeville’s 
  Travels, the stories of Sinbad the Sailor, and the 
  voyages of St. Brendan feature visits to supernatural 
  realms of pure Fantasy, from the Earthly Paradise 
  to the borders of Hell. Other places that normal 
  people can’t reach, like the Hollow Earth or the 
  interior of a fairy mound, might be treated as other 
  dimensions as well.
  Magic can also be hidden in the past or future. 
  For instance, a campaign might involve creatures 
  and magic from ancient Atlantis intruding on the 
  modern world. The Atlantean Age (a time and place 
  of High Fantasy) becomes the other dimension 
  from whence the threat comes. In the course of 
  the campaign, the heroes might even travel back in 
  time to visit Atlantis themselves.
  rESOurCE
  Some dimensions give characters something 
  of value. Substances from a supernatural plane 
  may have uses in magic. For instance, a wizard 
  who wants to craft a powerful magic wand might 
  visit a faerie realm in search of a unicorn’s horn or 
  dragon bones, while a demonologist could forge 
  a deadly magic sword in the fires of Hell. Alterna-
  tively, heroes might need a legendary magic item 
  owned by an inhabitant of a mystic realm. Imagine 
  superheroes who need Thor’s magic belt of strength 
  to subdue an unstoppable villain, for example.
  Dimensions may offer that most important of 
  resources — information — in the form of knowl-
  edgeable spirits or records long lost to the mortal 
  world. European grimoires describe several demons 
  who specialize in arcane lore. In H. P. Lovecraft’s 
  The Dream-Quest Of Unknown Kadath, dreamer 
  Randolph Carter consults scrolls written by sages 
  “too wise to be born in the waking world.” Of 
  course, some gods traditionally know the future 
  or all the lore hidden from mortals: if you can’t 
  get an answer from Apollo’s oracle at Delphi, go to 
  Mount Olympus and beg an answer from the god 
  in person.
  Gods and other powerful entities may become 
  the patrons of characters. A patron deity may offer 
  advice and the occasional helpful miracle. On the 
  other hand, patron deities demand a lot of service 
  in return. Of course, Servants of Higher Powers 
  accept this sort of arrangement already.
  Characters may even find ways to exploit the 
  natural (or supernatural) features of a dimension. 
  Sometimes, mystics already know the utility of a 
  dimension. In occult tradition, for instance, visitors 
  to the Astral Plane can travel in spirit-form around 
  the world, or to various other mystic realms.
  In these cases, the GM must decide what 
  resource a dimension offers to characters, and what 
  obstacles they must face to get it. Depending on the 
  campaign, the resource might turn the dimension 
  into an important part of the milieu, or it might be 
  the setting for a one-shot treasure hunt. If the GM 
  develops a dimension in much detail, though, odds 
  are good that players will exploit the dimension in 
  ways the GM never planned.
  DESIGNING DIMENSIONS
  DESIGNING DIMENSIONS
  Comic books, mythology, Fantasy, and Science 
  Fiction offer many sorts of otherworlds, from the 
  purely mystical to the purely scientific/rational. 
  Some dimensions resemble Earth; others look 
  completely alien. Once you decide on the purpose 
  and function a dimension should have in your 
  campaign, you can invent that plane’s environments 
  and the creatures that dwell within them. Once 
  again, though, don’t worry about details that won’t 
  actually appear in adventures. For most dimen-
  sions, you can get by with a few paragraphs about 
  the nature of the dimension, what it looks like, and 
  who lives there, with a few specific locations and 
  creatures described in detail.
  Types Of Dimensions
  Types Of Dimensions
  Here are some types of dimensions that 
  frequently appear in comic books, Science Fiction, 
  mythology, and Fantasy stories. Select the types that 
  suit your campaign. For instance, a Fantasy Hero 
  campaign based on Greek myth would only need 
  a divine realm (Olympus) and a realm of the dead, 
  with “heaven” and “hell” subdivisions (the Elysian 
  Fields and Tartarus). A Champions campaign, 
  on the other hand, might include every sort of 
  dimension.
  ABSTrACT DIMENSIONS
  Some dimensions are built around concepts 
  such as numbers, fear, colors, or time. These dimen-
  sions exist as representations of the concept. For 
  instance, you could build a dimension of time 
  around some familiar metaphor or image, such as 
  a river, a clock, or a calendar. A visitor to a “Plane 
  of Time” might see a river with images of historical 
  events flickering across its surface — upstream for 
  the past, downstream for the future. Another possi-
  bility is a realm consisting entirely of timepieces, 
  such as clocks, hourglasses and sundials. Cosmic 
  entities often dwell in abstract dimensions.
  An abstract dimension provides more than just 
  surreal images. The inhabitants of such dimensions 
  — talking numbers on a mathematical dimension, 
  incarnate phobias and anxieties on a plane of fear, 
  and so on — know a great deal about their partic-
  ular concept. For instance, the dwellers on a Plane 
  of Time can see the past and future, and the crea-
  tures on a Plane of Fear know what scares everyone, 
  including the characters’ arch-enemy. Encounters 
  with these creatures emphasizes role-playing more 
  than combat — the environment is so abstract there 
  just isn’t much for characters to affect. How do you 
  get in a fight with “red,” “5,” or “July 13, 1964”?
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  AFTErLIFE rEALMS
  Just about every culture has some notion of an 
  afterlife. The earliest distinct lands of the dead take 
  the form of dismal subterranean realms such as the 
  Egyptian Duat or Greek Hades, where the spirits 
  of the dead mope around in a perpetual grey funk. 
  When the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh summoned 
  the ghost of his dead friend Enkidu, the slain 
  hero said he’d rather be the poorest man among 
  the living than king of the entire Underworld. 
  Somewhat later, various cultures invented separate 
  realms of the dead where the righteous dwelled in 
  perpetual joy, and the wicked received perpetual 
  torment. The Greeks, for instance, supplemented 
  the dreary Underworld of the common dead with 
  the bright and pleasant Elysian Fields for heroes 
  and the virtuous, and the dungeon-realm of 
  Tartarus for extraordinary sinners and enemies of 
  the gods.
  heAVens
  Afterlife realms that reward the virtuous can 
  generically be called Heavens. In addition to the 
  shining cloud-land of pop Christianity, notable 
  Heavens include Muslim Jannat, the ultimate 
  pleasure-garden; the Field of Reeds from Egyptian 
  myth, an idealized version of life along the Nile; the 
  Norse Valhalla, where heroes fight and feast while 
  they wait for Ragnarok; and the bejeweled Buddha-
  Land paradises from Buddhism.
  Heavens emphasize the parts of life that people 
  enjoy. Valhalla is simply a Norse hall with a party 
  that never ends, only no one gets hurt (perma-
  nently) or suffers a hangover. The people of the arid 
  Middle East saw Heaven as a well-watered garden. 
  Jews and Christians living in the urbanized Roman 
  Empire added an idealized city of the blessed — a 
  heavenly Jerusalem. Heavens also feature extrava-
  gant luxury: everything is made of gold and jewels, 
  including the flowers and trees; perfume and music 
  fill the air; fountains flow with milk, honey, or wine. 
  No one has to do chores or go to the bathroom.
  hells
  Hells are afterlife dimensions where the wicked 
  receive their punishment. While some theologians 
  may speak of Hell metaphysically, as separation 
  from deity or simple annihilation, many cultures 
  imagine Hells of very concrete torture: the damned 
  burn, freeze, boil; are crushed, pierced, sliced, 
  and torn; endure stench from excrement, burning 
  sulphur, or blood; receive their torment from 
  demonic spirits or ferocious beasts. The two most 
  creative and extensive visions of Hell are the Inferno 
  of Dante Alighieri and the manifold Hells from 
  Chinese popular religion.
  The demons who populate a Hell often have 
  perverse motives. On the one hand, they exist to 
  punish sin. On the other hand, many traditions 
  say they encourage those sins, or readily torment 
  the virtuous if they can escape into the world of 
  mortals. Hell dimensions not only receive evil, the 
  infernal powers try to spread it. Hell-gods like the 
  Sumerian Ereshkigal, Greek Hades, or Abrahamic 
  Satan make excellent arch-villains for a mystical 
  setting.
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  ALTErNATE EArTHS
  One important class of dimensions consists 
  of different versions of the Earth (or even other 
  dimensions; see page 99). It’s the same world... but 
  some crucial factor is changed.
  AlternAte hIstorIes
  In the most common sort of alternate world, 
  history took another path. Alternate histories are 
  based on “What If” questions: What if the South 
  won the Civil War? What if Christianity never 
  caught on? This allows you to keep history the same 
  until a crucial “breakpoint” is reached, then devise 
  a version of Earth based on what happens when 
  things don’t turn out the same way they did in 
  real-world history. The modern world could be very 
  different, in both gross and subtle ways.
  Alternate histories based on big changes usually 
  come from Science Fiction. Some SF stories posit 
  alternate histories resulting from meddling time 
  travelers. One interpretation of quantum mechanics 
  suggests that all possible histories could exist, and 
  another set of SF stories explores the possibility of 
  contact and travel between these worlds of What If.
  Gamemasters may hesitate to include alternate 
  histories in a Multiverse with mystical dimen-
  sions, gods, and cosmic entities. When Earth’s 
  history splits, do other dimensions split as well? 
  For instance, do damned souls from alternate 
  Earths go to separate, alternate Hells? In a mystical 
  Multiverse, alternate histories provoke many such 
  questions. Fortunately, only comic book worlds 
  give characters the option of visiting both alternate 
  histories and mystical dimensions, and comic book 
  writers generally ignore the resulting complications.
  Some stories send characters to more personal 
  alternate histories. The most famous example is 
  the movie It’s A Wonderful Life, in which a man 
  sees what his town would be like if he’d never lived. 
  Alternate histories also occur because someone 
  makes a wish to be President, or to make some 
  other change to his personal circumstances. Such 
  personal alternate worlds have long been a staple of 
  Fantasy. However, these “dimensions” exist only in 
  relation to one character: other people don’t usually 
  travel back and forth between the world where Joe 
  Schlumpf is a janitor and the world where he made 
  a wish to be a billionaire.
  AlternAte genres
  A world can be more drastically altered by 
  showing it in terms of another genre. Typical 
  examples include contemporary Earth turned into 
  a Fantasy world, or a world where everyone is a 
  humanoid, talking animal. It’s hard to imagine how 
  any change to history could result in such a world. 
  Alternate-genre worlds sometimes exist to make a 
  satiric point, but more often they’re pure whimsy.
  A few Science Fiction writers combine alter-
  nate genres with alternate history. Stories like Poul 
  Anderson’s Operation Chaos or Robert Heinlein’s 
  Magic, Incorporated portray alternate worlds where 
  magic supplements and partly replaces technology. 
  These stories presume magic is an alternate “tech-
  nology” the real world neglected. Though these 
  stories tend to be whimsical in intent, they develop 
  their magic with the rigorous internal logic of 
  Science Fiction.
  Most Fantasy worlds are Earth translated more 
  completely into another genre. The Fantasy world 
  has different continents, as well as sorcerers, 
  dragons, elves, and whatnot — but Humans are 
  still human. They ride horses through forests of 
  Earthly trees, and raise Earthly crops and animals 
  on their farms. But some write Humanity out of the 
  picture altogether, such as an alternate Earth where 
  the dinosaurs evolved to sentience and humanoid 
  form and primates never had the chance to leave 
  the forests.
  other physIcAl UnIVerses
  Another dimension might be a universe as large 
  as Earth’s, but with somewhat different natural laws. 
  For instance, matter in Earth’s universe collects in 
  spheres. In another universe, gravity might pull 
  matter into lines, doughnuts, or other shapes. This 
  is a primarily a science-fictional sort of dimension, 
  but such a universe could include magic, too — just 
  not as the defining feature of reality.
  ASTrAL PLANES
  The Astral Plane is a new idea with ancient 
  roots. Philosophers and mystics in Greece and 
  India thought souls might dwell among the stars, 
  and be made of the same celestial substance — so 
  they spoke of spirits with astral bodies, dwelling 
  in astral worlds. Occultists like Eliphas Levi and 
  Madame Blavatsky updated the idea and imagined 
  a spiritual extension of the universe called the 
  Astral Plane.
  Philosophy aside, mystics generally describe 
  the Astral Plane as an aspect of reality that most 
  people can’t see or touch, but in which spiritual 
  phenomena take place. Ghosts and spirits dwell 
  on the Astral Plane; souls of the living may travel 
  the Astral Plane as well, clothed in a body of spirit 
  instead of flesh. Astral creatures can travel around 
  the world instantly. The astral substance responds 
  to and records human thoughts: thus, a mystic 
  attuned to the Astral Plane can obtain visions of the 
  past, and a magician can shape the astral substance 
  by force of will, creating “thought-forms” to help or 
  harm the spirits of other people.
  Mystics generally agree the basic Astral Plane 
  coexists with the Earth. A dream about a distant 
  place may actually be a confused memory of an 
  astral visit to that location. Some occultists say all 
  dreams play themselves out on the Astral Plane, 
  or at least an Astral Plane — some mystics believe 
  several tenuous dimensions exist, of greater or 
  lesser corporeality, with God dwelling in the most 
  abstract and immaterial plane. Other mystics say 
  the Astral Plane has layers representing various 
  mystical concepts and stages of enlightenment.
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  For practical magicians and mystics, the Astral 
  Plane matters most as a medium for spiritual travel. 
  In their astral bodies, they can visit distant loca-
  tions, hobnob with spirits, and spy on unsuspecting 
  people. An Astral Plane may also grant access to 
  various other dimensions. The basic Astral Plane 
  has no environment of its own: it’s just an aspect 
  of Earth that most people can’t visit. The GM can 
  add features such as ghost buildings — the astral 
  shadows of buildings destroyed in the material 
  world, created by the thoughts of the people who 
  lived and worked in them.
  If the Multiverse includes an Astral Plane as a 
  “between place” giving access to other dimensions, 
  a GM can give this realm any appearance he wants 
  — occultists haven’t provided detailed or consistent 
  descriptions. In comic books, this limbo between 
  worlds often looks like a colorful chaos of blobs and 
  streamers. Such a “between place” usually doesn’t 
  have inhabitants of its own, but dimensional trav-
  elers may encounter visitors from other planes.
  DIVINE rEALMS
  In mythology, gods often dwell up in the sky, 
  below the earth, in the deeps of the sea, or other-
  wise beyond the normal world. For the Norse, their 
  gods lived in the realm of Asgard, literally over the 
  rainbow. The Sumerian god Ea lived in Apsu, the 
  primal sea underneath the world. Divine realms 
  overlap with afterlife realms: some god typically 
  rules the dead, such as the Greek Hades or the 
  Hindu Yama. Many divine realms also serve as a 
  Heaven for the virtuous dead.
  Aside from the magnificent temple-palaces of 
  the gods themselves, though, divine realms tend 
  to look much like the natural world. The halls of 
  Asgard are thatched in gold — but a giant built 
  the town wall of ordinary stone. The Greek gods 
  sleep in beds, not on clouds. In Chinese myth, the 
  peaches of Heaven make people immortal, but they 
  grow on a tree like normal fruit.
  The most important inhabitants of a divine 
  realm are, of course, the gods themselves. Super-
  natural animals may also appear, such as the horses 
  that pull Apollo’s sun-chariot, the giant rat steed 
  of Ganesha, or Odin’s ravens and wolves. A few 
  mortals may find themselves in a god-realm as 
  servants: Zeus brought at least two mortal lovers, 
  Ganymede and Hebe, to serve as his cup-bearers in 
  Olympus. If a divine realm is also an afterlife realm, 
  the spirits of the dead also dwell there.
  ELEMENTAL PLANES
  Elemental dimensions emphasize a particular 
  form of matter or energy. For instance, a Plane of 
  Water might be an endless ocean, while a Plane of 
  Air might feature cloud-islands with no ground 
  beneath them. Other potential elements include 
  Fire, Earth, Wood, Metal, Light, Darkness, Ice, 
  or Electricity. Science and technology suggest 
  more exotic possibilities such as a Plastic Plane 
  or a Realm of Radioactivity. If a setting’s magic or 
  superpowers concentrates on elemental effects, 
  that Multiverse probably includes elemental planes. 
  Elemental spirits often come from such realms.
  When designing an elemental plane, consider 
  whether humans can visit the dimension, and how 
  easily they can survive. For instance, if the Plane 
  of Earth is entirely solid, visiting becomes quite 
  difficult, while a Plane of Fire might be deadly. 
  That’s fine if you intend such visits to be rare feats 
  requiring super-technology or powerful magic. If 
  you want characters to visit elemental planes more 
  easily, adjust the environment to make it more 
  hospitable. The Plane of Earth, for instance, might 
  include vast cave networks; while a Plane of Fire 
  might only be uncomfortably hot in some places, 
  not completely filled with flame. Alternatively, 
  adjust the visitors: the dimension might transform 
  visitors into its own substance.
  FAErIE rEALMS
  In myths and fairy tales, when people venture 
  beyond the fields they know, they enter a fantastic 
  world of elves, monsters, and enchantment. These 
  faerie realms often take the form of islands, moun-
  tains, or other places set apart from the rest of the 
  world. Faerie realms may superficially resemble 
  Earth, but with extravagant additions: a castle is 
  made of gold and spins like a top; an island can 
  perch atop a mile-high pillar; a mountain is made 
  of glass and is too sheer to climb. Normal-looking 
  animals can talk, and share their realm with 
  dragons, unicorns, manticores, and other creatures 
  of fancy. Supernatural people and nature-spirits 
  such as elves, trolls, dryads, or tengu live in faerie 
  realms as well. Any humans are probably witches 
  or wizards, princesses held captive in enchanted 
  palaces, or humble woodcutters or peddlers who 
  offer valuable advice or a magical item in return for 
  some act of kindness.
  Depending on the needs of the setting, a GM 
  might create a dimension based on one mythology, 
  several realms based on different mythologies, or 
  throw multiple mythologies into one realm. In 
  some stories, anyone can enter a faerie realm by 
  sailing into unknown waters or walking into the 
  forest. Other stories separate Earth from Faerie to 
  a greater degree, with few portals between them. 
  Perhaps people need magic to enter a faerie realm, 
  or the favor (or curse) of a native. Faerie realms 
  also range from the size of continents, where heroes 
  cross seven kingdoms and seven seas to reach their 
  goal, to enchanted elven palaces hidden beneath a 
  single hill.
  Country folk of long ago created fantastic 
  versions of the everyday world around them, such 
  as trees, springs, cottages, and the castle on the 
  hill. But why should mythmaking stop with the 
  Middle Ages? Gamemasters can bring Faerie up 
  to date by placing a Fantasy twist on the modern 
  world. Perhaps modern cities have their own 
  Faerie analogs. Instead of forest, mountain, and 
  sea, you enter the Otherworld down a disused 
  subway tunnel or driving the wrong way down a 
  certain one-way street. Instead of a hut on fowl’s 
  legs, the witch lives in a suburban bungalow built 
  of human bones, with a two-dragon garage. You 
  receive oracles at a drive-through window. The 
  princess lives in a penthouse apartment instead of a 
  golden tower, with a robotic steel manticore to hold 
  her captive. A modern faerie realm could make a 
  splendid addition to an Urban Fantasy campaign.
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  POCKET WOrLDS
  A “pocket world” is a space entirely tucked 
  within some object — for instance, a painting you 
  can step into and it becomes real. A djinn bottle 
  (such as Darmondrat’s Palace, described begin-
  ning on page 86 of Fantasy Hero Battlegrounds) 
  is another example: the interior of the bottle is a 
  “dimension” whose defining attribute is that once 
  once you enter, you cannot leave until someone 
  outside uncorks the bottle. A pocket world can have 
  any properties imaginable.
  Characters can’t reach pocket worlds from just 
  anywhere, no matter how complete their Extra-
  Dimensional Movement. Instead, a character must 
  find the object that contains the pocket world. 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement works at that 
  point (even if the character can’t figure out how to 
  activate or use the object). In most cases the object 
  itself carries the magic to bring people to the pocket 
  world (in game terms, it has an Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement power built into it).
  WEIrD PLACES
  Some dimensions are simply strange places 
  for characters to visit. The plane’s environment is 
  not at all like Earth. The world might be made of 
  different substances... or matter might not gather 
  in a “world” at all... or the dimension might not 
  be made of anything resembling Earthlike matter. 
  The strange environment may well pose tactical 
  challenges to visitors, if the dimension is intrinsi-
  cally harmful or difficult for people to live in. Weird 
  Places may change the rules of combat, too, or give 
  everyone some new power. For instance, the laws 
  of “physics” in a strange dimension might mean 
  everyone has Teleportation 1m for every point of 
  EGO they possess, but the Range modifier increases 
  to -1 per 1m of distance.
  Weird Places usually lack any connection to 
  Human myths or magic. Such dimensions are 
  especially common in comic book settings. Extradi-
  mensional tyrants who want to conquer Earth typi-
  cally come from Weird Place dimensions (Skarn 
  and Tyrannon certainly do; Istvatha V’han, on the 
  other hand, does not). In some Fantasy stories, hells 
  may have completely alien environments — the 
  realms of the chaos-gods and demons in Michael 
  Moorcock’s “Elric of Melniboné” stories are good 
  examples.
  For a quick-and-dirty Weird Place, open a 
  dictionary at random and pick out the first concrete 
  noun or adjective that catches your eye. Repeat 
  several times. Build the dimension around as many 
  of these words as possible. Choose more words if 
  the first set leaves you stumped.
  Example: “sickle,” “gable,” “anchor,” “strawberry,” 
  “white,” “dinosaur.”
  The heroes fail a Dimensional Navigation roll 
  and find themselves in a weird dimension, and 
  their Dimension Travel Device won’t let them try 
  again for several hours. At first they have a hard 
  time distinguishing any features of the environ-
  ment, because everything is stark white (giving the 
  GM more time to think). All Sight Perception rolls 
  and Ranged attacks are at -2 because of the low 
  contrast between objects.
  As they learn to see the slight differences in 
  light and shadow around them, the characters 
  recognize that they’re in some sort of forest. They’re 
  surrounded by giant strawberry plants lined up in 
  rows — some sort of farm. As they push through 
  the plants, they spot the gable of a house in the 
  distance, and head in that direction. They find a 
  dinosaur tethered outside the house. Around the 
  corner walks a man, or at least a manlike figure; 
  he has an anchor for a head. He screams and 
  recoils when he sees the heroes (even stranger since 
  he has no visible mouth), and whips out a pair of 
  large sickles....
  It’s not a great dimension, but it only took five 
  minutes to design. The fight scene will give the GM 
  time to think of ways to put the adventure back on 
  track.
  Designing The Environment
  Designing The Environment
  After you determine a dimension’s story func-
  tion, you should select the dominant features of the 
  environment. If you intend to use the dimension 
  for more than a brief visit, you may also want to 
  think about the overall shape of the plane.
  Most of the work is already done if you crib 
  a dimension from mythology. This discussion is 
  mostly about dimensions you build from scratch 
  — especially the Weird Places so common in comic 
  books — but you might want to make a mythic 
  realm more otherworldly than in the old legends.
  SIZE AND COSMOLOGY
  How big is the dimension? A dimension might 
  be billions of light-years across, like the real 
  Universe, or might be no larger than a city block, 
  or anything in between. The Champions Universe 
  Multiverse described in Chapter Four (and repre-
  sented by the Random Dimension Generator tables 
  below) assumes that Earth’s dimension is very large, 
  and that most dimensions are smaller by some 
  degree. Your own setting may or may not make the 
  same assumption.
  If the dimension’s big enough, does matter 
  collect in stars and planets of some sort, or does 
  this dimension create less familiar structures? The 
  “world” could be flat, or doughnut-shaped, an 
  endless cylinder, the inside of a sphere, or some 
  other shape — or have no shape at all.
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  209
  “dItkospAce”
  Comic books often show chaotic dimensions of 
  taffypull blobs, drifting platforms and streamers, 
  tunnels and doors in space, and similar oddities. 
  The most notable depicter of such dimensions was 
  Steve Ditko in the early Doctor Strange stories, so 
  these chaotic planes are called “Ditkospaces” in 
  tribute to the master.
  “pAthwAy” dImensIons
  Many minor dimensions are essentially linear. 
  Characters have only one way to go in them, or 
  at least only one way worth going. The lone path 
  might be a road, a tunnel, a staircase, or a series 
  of platforms hanging in the void. Sometimes the 
  “pathway” works more subtly, by giving the char-
  acters strong reasons to go in one direction: for 
  example, going in toward a lone planet instead of 
  out into the fiery rings bounding the dimension, or 
  following special paths that increase the characters’ 
  movement rate.
  THEME ENVIrONMENTS
  Ditkospace is just about the outer limit of 
  dimensional strangeness. Dimension designers can 
  also obtain interesting effects by taking one bit of 
  reality and patterning an entire world around it.
  lAndforms
  A dimension might be all mountains, all river 
  valley, all ocean, all desert, all plains, all swamp, all 
  caverns, all badlands (Roadrunner cartoon style), all 
  glacier or icecap, all volcanic, all canyon, and so on.
  For instance, imagine a world that’s all canyons. 
  The PCs arrive in a little canyon. At its mouth, they 
  see this is a gully in the walls of a bigger canyon. If 
  they try to get out of the big canyon, they find it’s 
  just a channel of a vastly greater canyon, hundreds 
  of miles wide with furrowed walls a dozen miles 
  high. Beyond those walls lies another vast channel, 
  and another....
  orgAnIc forms
  One life-form might dominate a dimension, or 
  a dimension could take its shape from some living 
  thing (or part of a living thing). Possibilities include 
  trees, flowers, vines, insects, fish, animals, birds, 
  humans, or body parts such as hands, heads, eyes, 
  or bones. Imagine a Ditkospace with giant heads 
  floating among the blobs, their dreams visible 
  through their eyes, or a dimension consisting of 
  mile-wide endless vines floating in the void, with 
  people building cities in the flowers. Dimensions 
  based on organic forms can be especially eerie or 
  poetic.
  6
  
  210 n Gamemastering The Empress 
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  ArtIfIcIAl forms
  Man-made objects such as buildings and 
  machines provide more themes for dimensions. At 
  least, these things are man-made on Earth; other 
  dimensions, they might occur naturally, or seem 
  to. A dimension might be all one huge building: all 
  castle, or all factory, bureaucratic office building, or 
  whatever, with no “outside.”
  A factory dimension would overlap with dimen-
  sions based on machinery. Imagine a dimension 
  filled with clockwork, giant computer circuits, or 
  the pipes, boilers, and cooling towers of an infinite 
  oil refinery.
  Other manufactured items can suggest striking 
  dimensions as well. A fight in a dimension of 
  mirrors could get interesting. A world that’s all 
  graveyard or ruins works well for a moody, down-
  beat adventure.
  The Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher produced 
  marvelous pictures of warped architectural spaces 
  where up, down, and sideways intersect in mind-
  twisting ways. Dimensions in this style, where one 
  person’s floor becomes another person’s wall or 
  ceiling, can be called “Escherspaces.”
  geometrIc forms
  Pure geometric forms provide another option. 
  Dimensions based solely on geometric forms tend 
  to be very simple, suitable only for one-shot use, 
  but geometric forms combine well with other sorts 
  of themes. M. C. Escher, for instance, did a picture 
  of a strange planetoid shaped like a tetrahedron 
  (a 4-sided pyramid) entirely covered with city: a 
  combination of geometry with an artificial form.
  uNuSuAL SuBSTANCES
  Another way to make dimensions more exotic 
  is to change what objects are made of. On Earth, 
  for instance, trees are made of wood, animals are 
  made of meat and bone, and the ground is rock or 
  soil. On another dimension, perhaps everything 
  is mineral: the trees are rock and the animals are 
  metal and crystal. Or perhaps the trees are made 
  of meat and bone, while the animals are made of 
  wood or other vegetable substances. A dimen-
  sion where everything, including the ground, is 
  animal, alive, and mobile could be very strange and 
  dangerous. Other substances to consider include 
  ice, gelatin, plastic, various liquids, clouds, and 
  luminous force.
  COLOr SCHEME
  What colors are most common in the dimen-
  sion? Earthly skies are blue, except when grey or 
  white clouds cover them, or at sunset. What color is 
  another dimension’s sky, assuming it has one? What 
  color are the inhabitants, if any? Some dimensions 
  might have a more limited range of colors that 
  Earth. A dimension might even lack colors entirely: 
  everything is in shades of grey.
  NATurAL LAWS
  Does the dimension have an intrinsic bias 
  toward some forces and away from others? Worlds 
  where magic works and technology doesn’t occur 
  often in Fantasy fiction; worlds where Science 
  and Sorcery work together equally well crop up 
  sometimes in the comics, and there could certainly 
  be worlds that feature both, but with one working 
  better than the other.
  If a dimension embodies some source of mystical 
  power, that particular energy or force dominates the 
  plane’s environment. Elemental planes, of course, 
  are dominated by their particular elements, such 
  as Fire, Air, or Metal. A plane that embodies the 
  Taoist concept of Yin would be dark, quiet, and 
  discourage motion (perhaps through a perpetual 
  Suppress on Movement Powers). A plane of Yang, 
  on the other hand, would blaze with light, energy, 
  and movement. Of course, magic or science that 
  calls upon the dimension’s favored element, force, or 
  principle becomes more powerful in that dimen-
  sion... perhaps dangerously so, if a character cannot 
  control the results. Magic based on contrary prin-
  ciples becomes weaker, or might not work at all.
  Utopian worlds of goodness and hellish dimen-
  sions of evil are common in fiction too. Some 
  Fantasy writers posit worlds dominated by Order or 
  Chaos, or caught in conflict between those forces; 
  Chapter Four adds Art and Nature as conceptual 
  forces that could dominate a world. Any combina-
  tion is possible: one dimension might be oriented 
  to Order, Nature, and evil, with technology domi-
  nant; another is neutral on the Order/Chaos axis, 
  and tends toward Art, Good, and Magic.
  Dimensions dominated by Order display tightly-
  knit societies with restrictive laws and well-defined 
  social classes. They’re the safest dimensions for visi-
  tors who follow the rules... but the deadliest for visi-
  tors who don’t. In some Orderly dimensions, simply 
  being a visitor may be against the rules!
  Chaotic dimensions, on the other hand, empha-
  size personal freedom, with many options open to 
  individuals. The cost of such freedom, however, 
  is the loss of security that a strong collective can 
  offer. Even if most of the inhabitants are kindly, 
  rogue elements might attack visitors. On the other 
  hand, if the people tend toward evil and hostility, 
  it’s easier to hide in a Chaos-realm and the heroes 
  might find an “underground” willing to help.
  Art-dominated planes could have any sort of 
  society; Art shows itself in people’s relationship to 
  their environment. Their inhabitants either shape 
  Art planes to their will; or in the dimension, appar-
  ently natural processes produce objects that on 
  Earth must be made by people.
  Theoretically, a Nature plane could have any sort 
  of society, but tribal societies seem more “natural” 
  to many people in the developed world. Nature-
  dominated dimensions may be wildernesses of some 
  sort, or at least dominated by Life. A garden could 
  be considered the intersection of Nature with Order.
  In extreme cases, worlds dominated by one force 
  might act as consecrated ground. A Nature spirit 
  might suffer damage on an Art plane, just like a 
  devil would on holy ground.
  THE PASSAGE 
  OF TIME
  Time doesn’t neces-
  sarily pass at the same 
  rate in another dimen-
  sion as it does on Earth. 
  If time passes more 
  slowly, characters might 
  spend a few hours in 
  another dimension and 
  find that a much longer 
  time passed on Earth. 
  Conversely, if time 
  passes more quickly, 
  a week in another 
  dimension might be a 
  day or less on Earth 
  — perhaps only a few 
  seconds. The latter is 
  far more common in 
  fiction, since it allows 
  protagonists to go away, 
  have adventures, and 
  return without messing 
  up his life or causing 
  people to wonder where 
  he’s been.
  The Time Chart provides 
  an easy standard for 
  time passage that 
  differs from Earth. 
  One dimension might 
  operate on a 1 day 
  = 1 Earth-week 
  ratio, another on 
  a 1 day = 5 Earth-
  hours ratio, and 
  so on.
  Time differentials, 
  especially cases where 
  time passes very slowly 
  compared to Earth, 
  can really screw up a 
  character’s life. A GM 
  shouldn’t have the PCs 
  spend a day in another 
  dimension and return to 
  find a year has passed 
  on Earth and everyone 
  thinks they’re dead or 
  skipped out unless he 
  plans to craft a whole 
  adventure or two 
  around this problem 
  — and you know the 
  players won’t be upset 
  at the gratuitous disrup-
  tion of their characters’ 
  lives.
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  211
  Inhabitants
  Inhabitants
  What about the people and other creatures? 
  Anything is possible in another universe, but 
  remember that the players need something they 
  can interact with. Presenting a truly alien being is a 
  formidable challenge: it’s great if you can do it, but 
  difficult. You can achieve a feeling of strangeness 
  by shortcuts such as combining familiar elements 
  in unfamiliar ways. For example, people who talk 
  are familiar, and mountains are familiar. Talking 
  mountains are strange. Humans are ordinary, and 
  things made of silver are ordinary; Humans made 
  of silver are exotic.
  CLASSIC TYPES
  Comic books, Fantasy fiction, and folklore 
  establish certain traditions for the people of other 
  dimensions. You might even call them clichés, but 
  they work.
  pretty mUch hUmAn
  No matter how bizarre and unearthly the 
  dimension looks, the people resemble Humans in 
  most important ways. They may have blue skin, 
  funny hair, horns, bumps on their heads, wings, or 
  antennae, but they still look awfully Human.
  The inhabitants of mythological Otherworlds 
  tend to follow this pattern. European faerie-folk 
  usually look quite Human, albeit sometimes much 
  larger or smaller than normal people. (Insect 
  wings and antennae, and even the pointed ears, are 
  modern additions.) Many cultures think their gods 
  look Human, though sometimes with modifica-
  tions: Hinduism gives its gods extra arms, legs, and 
  heads; the Egyptian gods often had Human bodies 
  with animal heads.
  lone dImensIon lord
  In the comics, many dimensions have only one 
  inhabitant, a powerful spirit who’s invariably hostile 
  and usually psychotic. (Well, what do you expect? 
  He’s been in solitary for centuries.) These funny-
  looking humanoids possess enough magic powers 
  to give a group of PCs a decent fight, but most 
  of them are just petty obstacles. Similarly, some 
  dimensions are populated, but utterly dominated 
  by a dimension lord who’s so powerful his existence 
  and presence influence everything that goes on in 
  that plane (see below).
  hUmAnoId AnImAls
  People in other dimensions sometimes look like 
  humanoid versions of familiar Earthly animals. 
  Cat-men, lizard-men, and bird-men seem especially 
  popular in comic books, though not in mytho-
  logical otherworlds. In Fantasy, Humans sometimes 
  share the world with races of animal-men.
  Gods sometimes have animal attributes. Totemic 
  gods, such as the Native American Coyote or 
  African Anansi, take either human or animal form. 
  The Egyptian gods took animal forms as well, and 
  were portrayed with animal heads to show this 
  duality.
  Spirits and other supernatural creatures may 
  combine the Human form with animal parts that 
  symbolize the creature’s moral qualities or power. 
  The common image of an angel is simply a Human 
  with white, feathered wings: angels fly up and down 
  from Heaven, so they’re part bird. Devils fly too, 
  but they have bat wings to show they belong in 
  darkness and the caverns of the underworld.
  mythologIcAl creAtUres
  The GM can show that another dimension is 
  a place of fantasy by populating it with creatures 
  from familiar Earthly mythology. For some reason, 
  dragons seem especially popular, but mythology 
  offers plenty of other wondrous and hideous 
  creatures.
  spIrIts
  Some of the classic dimension types have 
  spirits as their chief inhabitants. Spirits of the 
  dead, of course, dwell in afterlife realms (this may 
  include the Astral Plane), while elementals live on 
  elemental planes. Spirit realms often include gods, 
  too. Less standardized dimensions may host types 
  of spirits you invent yourself.
  CuLTurE
  The societies in mystic dimensions are often as 
  stereotyped as the inhabitants themselves. Nothing 
  keeps you from inventing complex and original 
  cultures, but sometimes an adventure is best 
  served by a cliché (or at least, that’s what the myths 
  describe).
  jUst lIke the mortAl world
  People tend to imagine the gods and spirits 
  living just like the people themselves. During the 
  Middle Ages and Renaissance, Christians imagined 
  both angels and devils forming imperial bureaucra-
  cies or feudal hierarchies, complete with noble titles 
  and civil service appointments. The totemic gods 
  and eerie spirits of the Australian Aborigines live by 
  hunting and gathering. The Egyptians believed the 
  blessed dead received an eternal life along a sunlit 
  Nile-land of peace and plenty, with the god Osiris 
  as their pharaoh.
  romAntIc feUdAlIsm
  Many Fantasy novels send heroes from Earth to 
  sword and sorcery worlds with kings, knights, and 
  an evil wizard causing problems. This is so familiar 
  it needs no further explanation. Faerie-folk and 
  demons sometimes live in quasi-medieval societies 
  as well, mimicking the cultures that invented them. 
  European elves have knights, attendants, kings, and 
  queens. Some Indian demons live in otherworldly 
  cities ruled by kings and priestly Brahmins, while 
  the occasional demon becomes a mystical ascetic.
  6
  
  212 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  dImensIon lord despotIsm
  Comic books favor planes ruled by a “dimension 
  lord.” Most dimension lords are not nice people. 
  They command far more power than anyone else 
  in the dimension, and power corrupts them. The 
  government consists of the dimension lord (and 
  perhaps a few minions), who holds the rest of the 
  populace in terrified subjection. The only law is 
  the dimension lord’s whim. Since the heroes’ usual 
  reason for visiting these dimensions is to fight the 
  dimension lord as quickly as possible, characters 
  might not get much opportunity to see the details 
  of how people live under tyranny; they just know 
  it’s not good. If the dimension lord tries to conquer 
  other worlds he is, of course, a “dimensional 
  conqueror.”
  exotIc hUmAn cUltUres
  Societies on Earth are a rich source of material 
  for cultures of other planes. Humans have tried a 
  dizzying variety of social arrangements, ranging 
  from despotic empires to Utopian communes. 
  Some societies plan everyone’s life from cradle 
  to grave; others allow virtual anarchy. Leaders? 
  Humans have followed god-kings, commissars, 
  presidents, family elders, warlords, merchant 
  princes, emperors, and dozens of other sorts of 
  leader. A GM doesn’t need a degree in history or 
  anthropology, either: a stack of National Geographic 
  magazines can provide exotic cultures by the dozen. 
  Or, just read the world news section of the local 
  newspaper.
  sAtIrIc exAggerAtIon
  Other dimensions present opportunities for 
  social satire. To do this, create a society based on 
  some aspect of your own, exaggerated to comedy or 
  horror. Science Fiction writers have done this sort 
  of thing for decades. Why should they have all the 
  fun? Just be sure your players agree with you — or 
  make the adventure enough fun that they don’t care 
  about your politics. The best satire, however, pokes 
  fun at human foibles without reference to current 
  events and conflicts.
  Social satire is sharpest if set on an “alternate 
  Earth.” On the other hand, setting the story on a 
  fully invented world lets the satire sneak up on 
  the audience — like in Aesop’s fables, where the 
  animals stand in for Humans.
  Structuring The Multiverse
  Structuring The Multiverse
  Once you decide what planes you want, you may 
  want to figure out how they fit together. This isn’t 
  always crucial, but if you plan to have the PCs do a 
  lot of dimension-hopping in your campaign it can 
  add a lot of flavor if you establish that your multi-
  verse is “arranged” in ways that give rise to specific 
  rules and methods of travel, relationships between 
  various dimensions, and so forth. (See Chapter 
  Four for an example.)
  When structuring your multiverse, it helps to 
  imagine different planes as finite locations with a 
  particular spacial arrangement. Even if each dimen-
  sion is really infinite, or they fit together in topo-
  logically impossible ways, a spatial metaphor helps 
  you visualize how the various dimensions relate to 
  each other, and how and where people can move 
  between them. Many arrangements are possible, 
  but they fall into a few broad categories.
  AFTEr THE 
  DArK LOrD?
  In some campaigns, 
  the heroes might 
  heroically overthrow 
  the tyrannical 
  dimension lord/
  conqueror. In 
  that case, the 
  GM has some 
  juicy story possibilities 
  as the dimension’s 
  society turns upside 
  down. With the old 
  despotic government 
  gone, things get very 
  unstable. (Just look 
  at what happened 
  in the former Soviet 
  Union and the former 
  Yugoslavia.) Some 
  factions will certainly 
  try to recruit the PCs 
  to help them; others 
  may try to kill the PCs, 
  if only to prevent them 
  from allying with the 
  opposition. The PCs 
  may wish they’d left 
  well enough alone! 
  Rebuilding a dimen-
  sion’s society could be 
  a truly epic adventure, 
  though.
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  213
  COTErMINOuS
  In this arrangement, each point in one dimen-
  sion corresponds to one and only one point in 
  another plane. This is easiest if the two dimensions 
  have the same geography; for instance, alternate 
  histories of the same world. One dimension may 
  be a “hidden” aspect of the other, such as a spirit 
  realm that remains invisible and intangible to most 
  people.
  The tight correspondence between coterminous 
  dimensions implies some deep connection between 
  the planes. If some dimensions are coterminous 
  and others are not, the coterminous dimensions 
  are probably “near” each other, compared to other 
  planes. More travel takes place between them, and 
  the inhabitants may show strong similarities. For 
  instance, the people of a “Terra Mythica” might 
  look just like the people who live in the corre-
  sponding part of the real world as of a thousand 
  years ago or so, but they live beside the spirits, gods, 
  and monsters of each region’s culture.
  EMBEDDED
  Worlds may exist within pockets of a larger 
  cosmos, like raisins in a muffin. Each dimension 
  might be quite large from inside. In the super-
  cosmos that contains them all, though, the various 
  dimensions seem enclosed within quite small 
  areas. It may simply be that a natural portal to each 
  dimension is quite small; but characters might have 
  no alternative than to use these portals.
  C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew features an 
  example of embedded dimensions. Portals to Earth, 
  the Fantasy world of Narnia, and an indefinite 
  number of other worlds take the form of pools in 
  a forest, the Wood Between the Worlds. People 
  leave their world by wearing one sort of ring, and 
  can enter another world by putting on another sort 
  of ring and jumping in that dimension’s pool. A 
  campaign world might be similarly embedded in 
  some greater “between place” through which all 
  dimensional travelers must pass.
  Alternately, the campaign world itself might 
  be the greater world, with all other dimensions as 
  pocket worlds within it. Dante’s Divine Comedy 
  hints at such an arrangement, since the nine layers 
  of Hell exist inside the Earth, descending toward 
  Satan at the center. In a Fantasy world, each god 
  or pantheon might rule its own pocket realm, with 
  access to particular parts of the material world but 
  not to each other.
  In an Embedded Multiverse, all travel between 
  dimensions might require use of the “Between 
  Place.” From the embedded planes, Extra-Dimen-
  sional Movement leads only to this greater realm; 
  from there, Extra-Dimensional Movement can lead 
  to any world — but perhaps you must locate the 
  appropriate access point. In the latter case, char-
  acters only need Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  to one dimension, the Between Place, since that 
  dimension itself provides access to all other worlds. 
  On the other hand, some types of Extra-Dimen-
  sional Movement might allow the character to 
  bypass the Between Place and move directly from 
  one dimension to another.
  EQuIDISTANT
  In another simple arrangement, all dimensions 
  are be equally accessible from each other. None 
  are “nearer” or “further away” than any other. The 
  number of dimensions may be large or small.
  Equidistance implies that no dimension is 
  easier to reach than any other, and the connec-
  tions between them are equally strong. In the TV 
  show Sliders, the many alternate Earths all seem 
  to be equally accessible, since the characters travel 
  between them at random.
  If all the dimensions in a Multiverse are equi-
  distant, the GM may want to remove the option 
  for Extra-Dimensional Movement that accesses a 
  limited group of dimensions. No dimension has a 
  stronger connection or similarity to one plane than 
  another, so what ground exists for defining one 
  group of dimensions as accessible and the others as 
  beyond the Power’s reach?
  GEOMETrIC FOrM
  In this arrangement, you can imagine the 
  dimensions arranged in a simple geometric shape 
  such as a square or a ring. Even if the various 
  worlds aren’t literally arranged in some greater 
  space, the way they interact with each other 
  suggests the geometric form. For instance, a set 
  of Elemental Planes might be connected so you 
  cannot travel directly from one element to its 
  opposite; to pass from the Plane of Fire to the Plane 
  of Water, you must go by way of the Plane of Air 
  or the Plane of Earth. The connections between 
  the four planes suggest a square, even though each 
  plane really is a universe all its own. If you couldn’t 
  travel from one Elemental Plane to any others, but 
  had to go by way of the material world, the four 
  planes might be better imagined as a cross, with 
  each plane as an arm extending from the material 
  world.
  Geometric arrangements of planes are most 
  appropriate for settings with a limited number of 
  dimensions, and where all the dimensions follow 
  some common plan. Other sample patterns for a 
  geometrical arrangement of dimensions are the 
  pakua wheel of the eight I Ching trigrams, or the 
  “Tree of Life” arrangement of divine emanations 
  from kabbalism.
  A geometrical Multiverse might be just a conve-
  nient metaphor mystics use to visualize the various 
  dimensions, or it might reflect actual connec-
  tions or disjunctions between planes. In the latter 
  case, characters might not be able to jump from 
  any dimension to any other. Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement might be restricted to a limited group 
  of planes: characters can only travel to “adjacent” 
  worlds in the pattern.
  LAYErS
  Many mythologies describe spirit worlds in 
  a specific geometrical arrangement — a vertical 
  stack. Most often, spirits of the dead go to a literal 
  Underworld under the corporeal world, while gods 
  dwell in a heaven above the sky. Some mytholo-
  gies propose multiple Heavens and Underworlds. 
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  214 n Gamemastering The Empress 
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  Dante’s Divine Comedy adapted the layer scheme 
  for Christian cosmology, with nine circles of Hell, 
  seven terraces on the mountain of Purgatory, and 
  seven Heavens. The Aztecs had a thirteen-level 
  heaven and a nine-level underworld.
  Layered cosmologies work best when your 
  multiverse includes a finite number of dimen-
  sions that all fit within some predefined scheme. 
  Occult theories provide many vertical arrange-
  ments of concepts besides the basic Overworld-
  Mortal World-Underworld pattern. You could 
  create planes linked to the concentric planetary 
  spheres of Ptolemaic astronomy (as Dante did with 
  his Heavens), or the ten emanations from God in 
  kabbalism. Some modern occultists say the astral 
  world is divided into 33 “Aethyrs” through which a 
  spirit-voyager must pass in turn.
  In a layered multiverse, Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement might be restricted to a limited group 
  of planes: characters can only travel to the worlds 
  immediately above or below them in the stack.
  NETWOrK
  Large numbers of dimensions may exist, but 
  some are “closer” than others. The dimensions 
  may form definable groups within which travel is 
  relatively easy. Alternatively, each dimension might 
  permit travel to a limited number of other planes: 
  in some cases, you can reach a certain dimension 
  only by traveling through a number of intermediate 
  worlds. The number of dimensions is large enough 
  that the multiverse doesn’t form a simple, easily 
  comprehended structure. Instead, it’s like a complex 
  network, with each intersection representing a 
  dimension. Extra-Dimensional Movement can take 
  you to any plane connected by a line to the world 
  where you begin.
  For a variation, people might be limited to trav-
  eling a limited number of steps from their world of 
  origin. Tom Dietz portrays a multiverse with this 
  restriction in the Fantasy series that begins with 
  Windmaster’s Bane. As in this series, one world 
  (such as Earth) can become a battleground between 
  forces who cannot invade each other.
  In such a restrictive Network Multiverse, charac-
  ters cannot have Extra-Dimensional Movement to 
  reach every dimension. At most, they can travel to 
  a group of dimensions — the cluster immediately 
  accessible from whatever plane they’re on.
  In a less restrictive Network, characters can 
  possess unlimited Extra-Dimensional Movement, 
  but distinct clusters of interrelated worlds may still 
  exist. For instance, a multiverse might consist of a 
  set of “Inner Planes” with a strong connection to 
  the principal campaign world, and an indefinite 
  number of “Outer Planes” with a weaker connec-
  tion. Whatever conflicts may erupt between super-
  natural factions of the Inner Planes, they might 
  pull together to resist an invasion from the forces of 
  an Outer Plane. The main comic book multiverses 
  follow this plan: the realms of the Greek, Norse, 
  Egyptian, and other pantheons cluster around 
  Earth, but the world often faces conquest by the 
  godlike masters of wholly alien dimensions.
  COMBINATION
  A large and complex multiverse might include 
  more than one of these structures. For instance, the 
  multiverse as a whole might consist of a network. 
  Some of the dimensions in that network might 
  cluster in a set of layers, or some simple geometric 
  form. Other planes might contain embedded 
  sub-worlds. Dimensions within some clusters 
  might be coterminous, though most planes are 
  not. Or, the Multiverse might consist of clusters of 
  dimensions in layers or geometric forms, but each 
  cluster is equidistant from the others. For a third 
  arrangement, whole classes of dimensions might 
  be segregated in layers or a geometrical form, 
  such as Worlds of Law, Chaos, and Neutrality, but 
  the worlds within each layer are equidistant from 
  each other. A combination Multiverse can be as 
  large and complicated as you want, or as small and 
  simple: whatever suits the needs of your campaign.
  DIMENSIONAL CONTACT 
  DIMENSIONAL CONTACT 
  AND TrAVEL
  AND TrAVEL
  Once you decide what dimensions exist in your 
  multiverse, ask yourself: how do they affect each 
  other? Obviously, other planes don’t matter much 
  if people on one dimension can’t affect anything on 
  other worlds. For maximum dramatic benefit, there 
  has to be at least some possibility of travel between 
  planes, and/or the capacity for one dimension to 
  influence another somehow.
  Would-be plane travelers face a number of ques-
  tions. So do GMs, as they define the ways charac-
  ters can move between dimensions, and how plane 
  travelers find their way between the worlds.
  Finding Your Way
  Finding Your Way
  When characters move between dimensions, 
  they probably want some way to know where 
  they’re going. The Navigation (Dimensional) Skill 
  enables characters to find their way. What activity 
  does Dimensional Navigation represent? And what 
  are the consequences for a mistake? (See HSS 240 
  for a discussion of the HERO System rules implica-
  tions of dimensional navigation.)
  Every form of Navigation assumes the char-
  acter follows certain cues and procedures to 
  reach where he wants to go, whether that involves 
  recognizing landmarks, programming trajectories 
  through hyperspace, following a blazed trail, or 
  something else. The structure of the Multiverse 
  and the possible methods for moving between 
  planes influence the special effects for Navigation 
  (Dimensional). These examples illustrate some of 
  the simpler methods.
  NO DIMENSIONAL NAVIGATION
  In some settings, Dimensional Navigation might 
  be less important... or completely irrelevant. For 
  an extreme case, travel between dimensions might 
  follow fixed paths, or depend on nexus points the 
  characters cannot control. In short, the characters 
  have no choice where they go. For a less extreme 
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
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  case, consider a multiverse of coterminous dimen-
  sions where characters can only go to corre-
  sponding locations. An error in Dimensional Navi-
  gation takes characters to the wrong dimension, but 
  they still know where they are. If there aren’t many 
  dimensions, the GM might not bother using Navi-
  gation (Dimensional) Skill at all, because characters 
  have so little chance of making a mistake.
  CALCuLATE THE FOrMuLA
  Whatever method characters use, from a magic 
  spell to a hyperspacial tube, they cannot steer along 
  the way. They define their destination using some 
  sort of formula, such as a magic circle with the 
  proper words written around the rim, or a quantum 
  resonance pattern programmed into a computer. 
  The formula is very complex, though, and the 
  slightest error can send them to the wrong place in 
  a dimension... or the wrong dimension entirely.
  In this system, Navigation (Dimensional) is an 
  Intellect Skill. Once characters work out a formula, 
  however, they can always reach that destination... 
  assuming the dimensions don’t move relative to 
  each other, in which case they must re-calculate 
  the formula each time. If formulae don’t change, 
  cautious mystics might prefer to use ones worked 
  out by other mystics: they can’t go anywhere they 
  want, but they known they can reach certain loca-
  tions without difficulty.
  FOLLOW THE SIGNS
  In some settings, interplanar travel involves 
  passage through a “between place,” such as hyper-
  space or an Astral Plane (see Embedded, above). 
  Characters steer themselves through this “between 
  place” by sensing certain cues: floating disks that 
  offer views into other dimensions, complex musical 
  chords that indicate what world lies beyond the 
  dimensional barrier, an actual road network with 
  offramps to different times and places (as in Roger 
  Zelazny’s Roadmarks), or whatever. If they don’t 
  spot the right cues, or misinterpret them, they end 
  up in the wrong place in a dimension, the wrong 
  time, or the wrong dimension.
  In this system, Navigation (Dimensional) is an 
  Intellect Skill. Perception Rolls might be Comple-
  mentary. Characters might compile actual maps 
  of the Between Place, showing the routes to reach 
  particular destinations and giving a bonus to 
  attempts to reach those places.
  PurE WILL
  A dimensional traveler must visualize where 
  he wants to go and let no other thought enter his 
  mind. Any distraction could send him to the wrong 
  location. In this system, Navigation (Dimensional) 
  might be based on EGO instead of INT, or at least 
  EGO Rolls could Complement the Skill. The most 
  important modifier, however, would be familiarity. 
  Dimensional travelers would receive a bonus to 
  reach destinations they know well, and suffer penal-
  ties if they know a dimension only through hearsay. 
  The more severely a character fails his Naviga-
  tion (Dimensional) roll, the further he is from his 
  desired location; failing by 4 or more certainly 
  means the character is in the wrong dimension 
  entirely.
  Travel Methods
  Travel Methods
  Here are the usual methods characters use 
  to move between dimensions. Just about every 
  method described in fiction and folklore fits within 
  one of these methods. Each technique for dimen-
  sional travel offers its own benefits, limitations, 
  conditions of use, and consequences for failure. You 
  can select one possible means of interplanar travel 
  for your multiverse, or more, or all of them.
  NO TrAVEL
  Perhaps character cannot visit other dimensions. 
  They can view them using Senses with the Dimen-
  sional Sense Modifier, or affect them using powers 
  with the Transdimensional Advantage, but they can 
  never leave their own continuum... not while they 
  live, anyway.
  This system renders most multiversal questions 
  moot: you don’t need to worry how characters 
  move between dimensions, or what Navigation 
  (Dimensional) represents. Other dimensions may 
  provide information, and can even pose a threat if 
  the inhabitants have powers that cross dimensions, 
  but it’s harder to make them an important feature of 
  the setting.
  One option is to forbid Humans from entering 
  other dimensions, but allow the dwellers on other 
  planes to visit other worlds. This is most plausible 
  in a setting where all other dimensions are spirit-
  realms, such as afterlife dimensions. Angels, devils, 
  and ghosts might enter the world, but mortals 
  cannot follow them back. The multiverse becomes 
  especially interesting if spirits from the various 
  planes can visit Earth, but not each other’s realms. 
  That means the material world becomes the sole 
  venue and prize for their battles and intrigues.
  ASTrAL FOrM
  Some characters can separate their souls from 
  their bodies to act as spirits (or, similarly, can 
  separate their minds from their bodies). In some 
  versions, a character’s astral form automatically 
  exists in another dimension — an Astral Plane. In 
  any case, an astral character may have the option 
  of using the Astral Plane as a “between place” to 
  reach other spiritual dimensions. You can structure 
  your multiverse so astral characters can enter other 
  dimensions simply by knowing the right path, and 
  perhaps succeeding at a Navigation (Astral) roll. 
  Alternatively, GMs may decide that an astral char-
  acter still needs an Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  power to reach other planes.
  A further question: is the astral form visible 
  and solid to the inhabitants of other dimensions? 
  If the GM decides astral forms are genuine spirits, 
  it makes sense for them to be visible and solid to 
  other spirits, especially in their special realms. On 
  the other hand, perhaps astral bodies cannot leave 
  the Astral Plane. An astral character can watch 
  events on other planes, invisible and intangible, 
  but can affect that world only if he has powers with 
  suitable Advantages (Transdimensional or Affects 
  Physical World, as appropriate).
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  216 n Gamemastering The Empress 
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  These options aren’t exclusive. In a multiverse 
  that includes a variety of planes, astral charac-
  ters might materialize on spiritual dimensions, 
  but remain invisible and intangible on material 
  dimensions.
  Some portrayals of astral travel say it’s instan-
  taneous and infallible: imagine a place and you 
  appear there. Other versions of astral travel take 
  time. Characters might fly through the Astral Plane, 
  finding their way by watching the landscape of the 
  material world. Travel to other dimensions may 
  require recognizing other cues, or visualizing a 
  special sigil as a portal. Depending on what system 
  the GM ordains, Navigation (Astral) might involve 
  Calculating a Formula, Following the Signs, or 
  Using Pure Will. The mildest consequence of failure 
  is that the character appears someplace he didn’t 
  want to go; he returns to his body and tries again. 
  A more exciting Astral Plane, however, may offer 
  hazards such as astral predators and nightmare 
  zones that trap lost characters. Perhaps returning to 
  your body is not so easy... and a lost character must 
  find his way back before his body dies. You need 
  to define the penalties for failing an Astral Naviga-
  tion roll in your campaign, as well as a definition of 
  what the Skill Roll represents.
  INNATE POWEr
  Spirits may possess an innate ability to move 
  between dimensions. In a Superhero setting, the 
  occasional mutant or victim of a lab accident may 
  gain this power as well. In some cases, you might 
  consider restricting what dimensions different sorts 
  of characters can access. A character with shrinking 
  powers can access “microverses,” for instance, but 
  can’t find microscopic portals to Hell, Fairyland, or 
  the Elemental Plane of Earth. On the other hand, 
  why would a character who’s merged with an earth 
  elemental have the power to enter microverses, or 
  slip into hyperspace to hitch rides on alien space-
  ships? Still, the comic books (not to mention some 
  Fantasy stories) often blend everything together. 
  Players and GMs should draw the line where it feels 
  right, not according to some rigid system.
  MuNDANE TrAVEL
  In some settings, people can reach the realms 
  of gods and the dead through ordinary travel. In 
  Greek myth, for instance, Odysseus sailed west to 
  the land of the dead, across what we now call the 
  Atlantic. Certain caves led to the realm of the dead 
  as well. Celtic myth includes many tales of heroes 
  sailing to otherworldly islands; St. Brendan is the 
  most famous example. Other mythologies describe 
  mystic otherworlds reached by climbing certain 
  mountains. The cloud-kingdom of the giant in 
  “Jack and the Beanstalk” could be another example, 
  though climbing a magical beanstalk stretches the 
  definition of “mundane” travel. You can decide 
  for yourself whether such realms count as other 
  dimensions or as parts of the world where the 
  supernatural shows itself more strongly.
  NEXuS POINTS
  Sometimes small portals connect two dimen-
  sions, letting creatures travel both ways. For 
  instance, the eponymous item of furniture in C. 
  S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe 
  was a portal to the Fantasy world of Narnia. These 
  nexus points might stay open continuously, but be 
  hidden so few people discover them. Alternatively, 
  a nexus point might open only at certain times. 
  For instance, anyone who visits a particular stone 
  monolith at midnight under the full moon might 
  find himself transported to Faerie.
  Nexus points can overlap with Spells and 
  Mundane Travel. A mystic might create a nexus 
  point using a spell for Triggered or Constant Extra-
  Dimensional Movement. Unlike many Gate spells, 
  though, anyone can use a nexus point. On the other 
  hand, nexus points are more localized than the 
  dimensions one can reach through mundane travel, 
  and are more obviously different worlds rather than 
  supernatural parts of one world. Transient nexus 
  points also make returning home more difficult.
  For a variation, mystic nexus points might 
  require some sort of magic to open them. Mystics 
  would still need a spell for Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement, but the spell would carry the Limitation 
  that it only works at certain rare and predefined 
  locations. On the other hand, nexus points created 
  by super-scientific means could only be accessed 
  via super-scientific devices.
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
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  For another variation, short-lived nexus points 
  might spontaneously appear and disappear. These 
  portals might be limited to dimensions that 
  resemble the starting location. For example, nexus 
  points to elemental planes might open in large 
  concentrations of that element: portals to the Fire 
  Plane in forest fires and erupting volcanoes, portals 
  to the Water Plane on the sea floor, and so on.
  Depending on the dimension it leads to, a stable, 
  controllable nexus point could be a precious asset 
  for a character... or a terrible danger that someone 
  must guard. For instance, if no one can reach the 
  magical lands of the djinn except through six nexus 
  points, any mystic who can regulate travel though 
  a nexus can charge other mystics for access to 
  the djinn. On the other hand, if Istvatha V’han’s 
  troops can enter the world only through six specific 
  locations, characters have a great incentive to keep 
  those sites under guard. Nexus points become even 
  more valuable if they’re the only way people can 
  enter other dimensions. Characters might develop 
  spells or devices to detect spontaneous, short-lived 
  portals, and seek out locations where nexus points 
  are likely to open.
  SPELLS
  In much genre fiction, mystics often travel 
  between dimensions using spells. Sometimes the 
  spell merely transports the mystic and his compan-
  ions — poof, they disappear from one world and 
  reappear in another. Other spells create mystical 
  Gates that may last quite a while (or perhaps even 
  become permanent Nexus Points).
  Spells for dimensional travel don’t force you to 
  make many assumptions about the nature of the 
  Multiverse and the relationships between planes: 
  you’re here, then you’re there, and you don’t have to 
  worry what’s in between. If spells provide a setting’s 
  chief means of travel between planes, you only have 
  to decide what dimensions a mystic can reach, and 
  how easily mystics can learn and cast dimensional 
  travel spells.
  SPIrITS
  Perhaps mortals cannot travel between dimen-
  sions, but spirits can. A character who wants to 
  visit another dimension must summon a spirit and 
  persuade it to carry him. Transport by spirits is 
  most appropriate in settings where all magic comes 
  from spirits, directly or indirectly. Still, this method 
  could appear in any setting where mystics can 
  summon spirits.
  In some settings, spirit travel may simply 
  provide a more complicated special effect for Extra-
  Dimensional Movement spells. In other cases, 
  spiritual transport may require a contest of wills 
  between magician and spirit, or careful negotia-
  tions to buy the spirit’s service (in game terms, this 
  usually involves the Summon Power).
  If mortals cannot enter other dimensions, 
  period, then contact between dimensions is largely 
  one-way. A character who wants to obtain materials 
  from another dimension, or otherwise work his will 
  on another plane, might need a spirit to do the job 
  for him. But you may not want to create a setting 
  that encourages characters to act by proxy instead 
  of having adventures themselves.
  SuMMONING AND BANISHMENT
  Some mystical traditions say that when sorcerers 
  call spirits from the vasty deep, or suchlike, they 
  merely put out a call; the creature they want 
  chooses to respond... or not. In fiction and folklore, 
  however, many traditions portray the magician 
  making creatures come from the Great Beyond. 
  Summoning creatures thus often involves forcing 
  them to travel from another dimension. Banishing 
  a creature involves forcing it to make the return 
  journey.
  As long as summoned and banished creatures 
  are limited to spirits, Nameless Horrors From 
  Beyond, and other NPCs, GMs and characters don’t 
  have to worry about this transportation aspect. But 
  what if characters themselves can be summoned? 
  For example, in the Myth Adventures series by 
  Robert Asprin, wizards on different planes regularly 
  summon each other as “demons” when they need 
  help or want to impress the yokels. In this case, 
  the Summon Power may provide the surest way 
  to travel between dimensions: you can’t get lost, 
  because someone on the other end is reeling you in. 
  On the other hand, you need someone on the other 
  plane to do the Summoning.
  Additionally, travel-by-Summon means the 
  character runs the risk of being forced home 
  prematurely through a sufficiently powerful Dispel, 
  or whatever other conditions you decree. For 
  example, you might decide that in your campaign, 
  Summoned creatures automatically return from 
  whence they came if they lose consciousness, or are 
  commanded in the name of that dimension’s gods. 
  If the GM wants to make Summoning a common 
  means of interdimensional travel, but less reliable, 
  he might compensate by waiving the Specific Being 
  Advantage.
  TECHNOLOGY
  Last but not least, advanced technology (which 
  Clarke’s Law tells us may be indistinguishable from 
  magic) may permit travel between dimensions. The 
  time machine is perhaps the most familiar example 
  of dimensional travel via technology. In Pulp, 
  Superhero, and Science Fiction settings, though, 
  other sorts of extradimensional travel may occur. 
  In some SF settings, spaceships travel between stars 
  by entering another dimension — a hyperspace — 
  where distances are much shorter. By the end of E. 
  E. “Doc” Smith’s Lensman series, the heroes and 
  villains moved entire planets between dimensions. 
  Pulp scientists sometimes built portals to weird 
  dimensions; in “From Beyond,” by H. P. Lovecraft, a 
  mad inventor’s device enables Humans to see other 
  dimensions... and be seen by their deadly inhabit-
  ants. In a Superhero setting, of course, anything’s 
  possible. A scientist could try to open a portal to 
  hyperspace and reach Asgard instead.
  High technology may send characters across 
  dimensions in some Fantasy settings, too. It all 
  depends on the arrangement of the dimensions 
  and what “advanced technology” is possible. For 
  instance, in a Fantasy world where the gods live 
  above the sky, characters might reach heaven using 
  a rogue artisan’s hot-air balloon.
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  218 n Gamemastering The Empress 
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  Ease And Prevalence
  Ease And Prevalence
  So you’ve decided which methods characters use 
  to move between dimensions. How easily can they 
  perform this feat? This question really comes in two 
  parts: how easily can characters obtain the means 
  to cross dimensions; and how safe and easy is the 
  travel itself?
  In some settings, access to other dimensions 
  may be difficult to obtain. Perhaps only a few 
  people — just mystics, or just certain super-scien-
  tists, or maybe only a few wizards who’ve studied 
  a particular type of magic — can travel between 
  worlds. Perhaps this is because some force (mystical 
  or otherwise) prevents most people from leaving 
  their own world. For instance, dimensional travel 
  might be limited to people descended from gods 
  or demons. If the lucky few can carry other people 
  with them on dimensional jaunts, they become 
  extremely important. Perhaps the method is so 
  difficult that only the most learned and powerful 
  characters can master it. Alternatively, dimensional 
  travel might be rare because the necessary mate-
  rials are hard to obtain. For example, the spell for 
  dimensional travel might require a large yellow 
  diamond, so few mystics could get the chance to 
  cast it; or a time machine might require several 
  pounds of plutonium fuel. For a variation, planar 
  travel might be possible only at special times or 
  places.
  Dimensional travel also may be intrinsically 
  difficult or dangerous. What if reaching other 
  worlds is easy, but it’s very difficult to steer yourself 
  to a specific location? Dimensional travel might 
  be such a gamble that few characters want to try 
  it. Alternatively, crossing between worlds might 
  require a supreme effort of will, or dimensional 
  barriers might wound travelers who lack special 
  protections. Being in other dimensions might be 
  unavoidably dangerous, too. For example, visitors 
  to other worlds might slowly transform into native 
  creatures and forget their original identity.
  In many settings, of course, no such restrictions 
  apply. In comic books, for instance, the means to 
  travel between dimensions seem readily available 
  to various super-mages and super-scientists. Some 
  dimensions are dangerous to visit, but the methods 
  of travel themselves seem fairly safe and reliable.
  Dimensional Invasions
  Dimensional Invasions
  Under most circumstances, the entities who 
  move between dimensions don’t want to disturb 
  the world(s) they visit, at least not in a systematic 
  way. A demon may kidnap someone to Hell, and a 
  wizard may lead a rescue and revenge mission, but 
  neither one tries to exterminate all Humans or all 
  demons. Gods set up cults and smite the unfaithful 
  now and then, but leave most people alone. Faerie-
  folk, ghosts, and other interdimensional creatures 
  cause small disturbances, but on the whole they 
  don’t change the status quo.
  Sometimes, however, creatures from other 
  planes attempt more. They try to conquer a world, 
  or destroy it. In fact, this is what Istvatha V’han 
  (and to some extent her arch-rivals Tyrannon and 
  Skarn) is all about. Interdimensional invasions can 
  be some of the most epic adventures a character 
  ever faces!
  Dimensional invasions occur in several genres. 
  In comic books, the most common invasion 
  scenario involves a vastly powerful sorcerous tyrant 
  who tries to conquer Earth and add it to his dimen-
  sion — a patchwork plane built from all the other 
  dimensions he’s conquered. (Tyrannon and Skarn 
  certainly fit this trope.) Another common story has 
  Human cultists acting as fifth columnists, striving 
  to deliver the world to Satan or some other dark 
  power. This plot often appears in Pulp adventure, 
  modern supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy. Now 
  and then stranger invasions occur, as in Andre 
  Norton’s “Witch World” novels in which the high-
  tech Kolder invade a Fantasy world.
  For a stranger menace, the dimension itself may 
  invade. In some Fantasy stories, one reality tries 
  to supplant another. A number of Science Fiction 
  stories deal with time-traveling agents from alter-
  nate histories, each trying to make their history the 
  real one. The Jorge Luis Borges short story, “Tlön, 
  Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” describes a fictional reality, 
  invented by a cabal of scholars, that infiltrates the 
  real world. Stopping an invasion like that could be 
  quite a challenge.
  To run a dimensional invasion adventure, you 
  need an invader, a means of invasion and conquest, 
  and a reason for invasion. An invader may be a 
  single powerful entity, such as the aforementioned 
  sorcerous tyrant, an evil god, or a Nameless Horror 
  From Beyond Reality Itself. An invasion may also 
  involve an army of less powerful creatures, like 
  the Kolder. In between, a powerful entity may 
  command a cadre of lieutenants and army of 
  soldiers, cultists, or other minions. The invaders 
  may be able to cross dimensions themselves, or they 
  may rely on cultists, evil mystics, or other native 
  agents. The invasion may involve physical occupa-
  tion of the target world, or simply forcing people 
  to live the way the invader wants (as in the usual 
  Satanic plot to make the world more evil). Means of 
  “conquest” range from eating the world to secretly 
  installing a cultist as President. Invaders may 
  come in search of food, slaves, natural resources, 
  an escape from their dying world, conversion of 
  the infidel, or just to be nasty and make everyone 
  miserable.
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  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
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  How long do you want the invasion storyline 
  to last? If you want a long series of adventures, the 
  invader probably needs frequent or easy access, or 
  starts the story arc by sending a lot of invaders at 
  once. The characters can’t have a simple way to stop 
  the invasion, either because the invader can easily 
  try again or because the invaders aren’t easy to 
  find. For an extreme case, subversion and invasion 
  can form the basis of an entire campaign: every 
  adventure the heroes uncover a little more of the 
  world-wide plot to enslave and corrupt the world.
  At the other extreme, an invader might rely 
  on a rare and fragile circumstance. For instance, 
  a Nameless Horror might be able to enter the 
  world only during a rare celestial alignment when 
  its priest conducts a special ritual using a unique 
  artifact. The invader has limited access and few 
  resources, and the heroes have many ways to stop 
  the plot: steal the artifact, kill the priest, or delay 
  the ritual, and they’ve saved the world in one 
  adventure.
  rANDOM DIMENSION GENErATION
  rANDOM DIMENSION GENErATION
  To help GMs who need to create a lot of dimen-
  sions quickly, or who just want to supplement their 
  own ideas, the following tables provide a way to 
  rapidly “roll up” a dimension from scratch. These 
  tables only provide basic information about a 
  dimension; as always, you’ll need to flesh out the 
  details to suit your own campaign.
  Since the reason for using these tables is to 
  create a dimension you can including in your 
  campaign, the tables are “biased” toward creating 
  alternate Earths and the like. If you want more 
  “unique” dimensions, alter Table 1.1 (Basic Nature 
  Of Dimension) to get a different “spread” of results.
  In Champions Universe Multiverse terms, these 
  tables assume the dimension being created is an 
  Assiatic one. Yetziratic, Brialic, and Atziluthic 
  dimensions tend to be much more limited/defined, 
  or are otherwise not as conducive to random 
  generation.
  Part 1: Dimensional Basics
  Part 1: Dimensional Basics
  TABLE 1.1: NATurE OF DIMENSION
  This table provides you with the most basic 
  description of the dimension: is it an alternate 
  Earth; an alternate version of some other “keystone” 
  dimension; or unique in the multiverse?
  TABLE 1.1: NATurE OF DIMENSION
  Roll (2d6)
  Nature Of Dimension
  3-5
  Alternate keystone dimension (do not 
  roll on Table 1.3: Size Of Dimension; this 
  dimension is the same size as the dimen-
  sion it’s an alternate of)
  6-8
  Alternate Earth (do not roll on Table 1.3: 
  Size Of Dimension; this dimension is the 
  same size as Earth’s dimension)
  9-12
  Unique dimension; roll on Table 1.3 for size 
  of dimension
  TABLE 1.2: NATurAL LAWS
  Once you determine what sort of dimension 
  you’ve got, the next thing to find out is what natural 
  laws apply. The basic dichotomy here is between 
  Science and Magic. Dimensions where Science 
  dominates tend to have little (if any) magic, follow 
  the same sorts of physical laws as the real world 
  does, and so forth. On the other hand, dimensions 
  that skew toward Magic can be fantastical places 
  where technology doesn’t work and wonders 
  abound. Or it’s possible to mix the two in varying 
  degrees.
  TABLE 1.2: NATurAL LAWS
  Roll (2d6)
  Natural Laws
  2
  Science totally dominates; Magic doesn’t 
  work at all
  3-5
  Science mostly dominates; Magic exists 
  but is weak
  6-8
  Science dominates; Magic exists and can 
  be quite powerful, but isn’t commonplace 
  (example: Champions Universe Earth)
  9
  Science and Magic are equally powerful 
  and equally effective
  10
  Magic dominates; Science exists and can 
  be quite powerful, but isn’t commonplace
  11
  Magic mostly dominates; Science exists 
  but is weak
  12
  Magic totally dominates; Science and 
  technology don’t work at all
  TABLE 1.3: SIZE OF DIMENSION
  The sizes of alternate Earths (and alternate 
  versions of keystone dimensions) are predeter-
  mined: they’re the same as the “true” version of 
  that plane. For unique dimensions, use this table to 
  determine their size. (Of course the GM can change 
  the size of an “alternate” dimension by rolling on 
  this table if he wants to, but in that case it starts to 
  veer away from being a true alternate.)
  TABLE 1.3: SIZE OF DIMENSION
  Roll (2d6)
  Size Of Dimension
  2
  Minute: no larger than Earth’s solar system
  3
  Tiny: no larger than a few solar systems
  4-5
  Small: no larger than the Milky Way Galaxy
  6-8
  Average: no larger than several dozen 
  galaxies
  9-11
  Large: hundreds or thousands of galaxies 
  (example: Champions Universe Earth)
  12
  Very Large: two or more times the size of a 
  Large dimension
  6
  
  220 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  TABLE 1.4: SENTIENT SPECIES
  This table tells you how many sentient species a 
  dimension has relative to Earth’s dimension in the 
  Champions Universe. As discussed in Champions 
  Beyond, in the Champions Universe the Milky 
  Way Galaxy is home to dozens, if not hundreds, 
  of sentient species. Assuming that’s an average 
  number, and that current scientific estimates that 
  there are approximately 170 billion galaxies in 
  Earth’s universe are accurate, that could mean tril-
  lions of sentient species in a Large or Very Large 
  dimension. Assuming each species is, on average, 
  as large as Humanity (approximately 7 billion as of 
  mid-2011), that would mean that an Earth-sized 
  dimension has a population of around one hundred 
  sextillion (1023) people.
  If you want to determine what any given species 
  is like (in terms of size, appearance, and so forth), 
  use the Random D-Soldier Generator table on 
  page 63.
  TABLE 1.4: SENTIENT SPECIES
  Roll (2d6)
  Sentient Species
  2
  Very, Very Few: at most 10% the number 
  of sentient species per galaxy as Earth’s 
  dimension
  3
  Very Few: at most 25% the number of 
  sentient species per galaxy as Earth’s 
  dimension
  4-5
  Few: at most 50% the number of sentient 
  species per galaxy as Earth’s dimension
  6-9
  Average: roughly the same number of 
  sentient species per galaxy as Earth’s 
  dimension
  10
  Many: up to twice as many sentient 
  species per galaxy as Earth’s dimension
  11
  Very Many: up to four times as many 
  sentient species per galaxy as Earth’s 
  dimension
  12
  Very, Very Many: five or more times as 
  many sentient species per galaxy as 
  Earth’s dimension
  TABLE 1.4.1: SPECIES SOPHISTICATION
  If you need to quickly determine how sophisti-
  cated a given sentient species is, you can use Table 
  1.4.1. It tells you two things. The first is the species’s 
  technology level (in Earth history terms). (If the 
  species is from a dimension where magic predomi-
  nates, you can simply “translate” this into mystical 
  terms, with spells taking the place of devices and 
  so on.) Second, it tells you whether the species is 
  galactically and/or dimensionally aware. “Galacti-
  cally aware” means the species knows about other 
  sentient species and/or is part of the “galactic 
  community.” “Dimensionally aware” means the 
  species knows about the existence of other dimen-
  sions and/or is part of the “multiversal community.” 
  A species can’t be dimensionally aware without first 
  being galactically aware (absent special circum-
  stances created by the GM).
  Alternately, you can roll on some of the Alter-
  nate Earth tables to obtain more information; by 
  definition, any species that isn’t advanced enough 
  to have at least nineteenth century technology can’t 
  be either galactically or dimensionally aware.
  TABLE 1.4.1: SPECIES SOPHISTICATION
  Roll (1d6 x 2)
  Species Technology Level
  1-3, 1
  Stone Age
  1-3, 2
  Bronze or Iron Age
  1-3, 3
  Medieval
  1-3, 4
  Renaissance
  1-3, 5
  Age of Enlightenment (17th-18th 
  centuries)
  1-3, 6
  Nineteenth century*
  4-6, 1
  Early twentieth century*
  4-6, 2-3
  Late twentieth/early twenty-first 
  century*
  4-6, 4
  Near future (mid-late 21st century)*
  4-6, 5
  Far future (22nd- 23rd centuries)*
  4-6, 6
  Very far future (24th or later centuries)*
  Roll (1d6)
  Technological Variance
  1-4
  No variation
  5-6
  Super-technology (as appropriate for the 
  time period) or the like is available to a 
  select elite or similar group
  If any asterisked result or a “super-technology” result 
  is rolled, you should also roll on the Species Awareness 
  table:
  Roll (1d6)
  Species Awareness
  1-3
  Species isn’t galactically aware
  4
  Species is galactically aware, but not 
  dimensionally aware
  5-6
  Species is galactically and dimensionally 
  aware
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Chapter Six 
  221
  TABLE 1.5: DIMENSIONAL GOVErNMENT
  This table tells you whether the dimension is 
  governed as a whole (whether by Istvatha V’han or 
  someone else) or is in some fashion independent 
  of the greater multiversal political entities. Note 
  that dimensions “being taken over” by Skarn or 
  Tyrannon aren’t yet fully conquered — they’re still 
  distinct dimensions because they haven’t yet been 
  “merged” into the Congeries or Thulkos.
  TABLE 1.5: DIMENSIONAL GOVErNMENT
  Roll (3d6)
  Dimensional Government
  3-8
  No dimensional government; dimension is 
  “independent”
  9
  Dimension is being taken over by Skarn
  10
  Dimension is being taken over by Tyrannon
  11
  Dimension is part of the V’hanian Empire
  12
  Dimension is ruled by its own dimension-
  wide government, its own dimensional 
  overlord, an as-yet unknown dimensional 
  conqueror, or the like
  13-18
  No dimensional government; dimension is 
  “independent”
  TABLE 1.6: DOMINANT SPECIES
  If desired, you can roll on this table to deter-
  mine whether one or more species is dominant in a 
  dimension. This doesn’t necessarily mean politi-
  cally dominant, though it could; by definition any 
  dimension ruled by Istvatha V’han is dominated 
  by the V’hanian Empire politically. (Similarly, 
  Skarn and Tyrannon dominate the dimensions they 
  rule, though they do so in part by “merging” them 
  with their own home planes.) “Dominant” could 
  mean politically, but could instead mean socially, 
  economically, technologically, mystically, or in 
  some other way. It’s up to you to decide the specifics
  TABLE 1.6: DOMINANT SPECIES
  Roll (2d6)
  Dominant Species
  2-7
  No species is significantly dominant
  8-9
  One species is dominant
  10-11
  2-4 species are dominant
  12
  5 or more species are dominant
  Alternate Earths
  Alternate Earths
  If you generate an “alternate Earth” result on 
  Table 1.1, or have decided to go ahead and create 
  one from scratch, you can use this series of tables to 
  determine what it’s like.
  TABLE 2.1: HISTOrICAL PErIOD
  The timestream doesn’t always flow the same 
  in an alternate Earth as in Champions Universe 
  Earth — some alternates are less advanced histori-
  cally, while some have already left the twenty-first 
  century behind. Use this table to tell you how far 
  advanced an alternate Earth is.
  TABLE 2.1: HISTOrICAL PErIOD
  Roll (1d6 x 2)
  Historical Period
  1-2, 1
  Stone Age
  1-2, 2
  Bronze Age
  1-2, 3
  Iron Age (but no major empires)
  1-2, 4
  Iron Age (with empires — Roman, 
  Persian, or the like)
  1-2, 5
  “Dark Ages”/Early Medieval  
  (5th-9th centuries)
  1-2, 6
  Medieval (10th-14th centuries)
  3-4, 1
  Renaissance (15th-16th centuries)
  3-4, 2
  Age of Enlightenment  
  (17th-18th centuries)
  3-4, 3
  Early nineteenth century (1800-1860)
  3-4, 4
  Late nineteenth century (1861-1899)
  3-4, 5
  Early twentieth century (1900-1940)
  3-4, 6
  Mid-twentieth century (1941-1975)
  5-6, 1-2
  Late twentieth/early twenty-first 
  century (1976-2020)
  5-6, 3
  Near future (2023-4099)
  5-6, 4
  Far future (2100-2299)
  5-6, 5
  Very far future (2300-2499)
  5-6, 6
  Extremely far future (2500 or later)
  TABLE 2.2: TECHNOLOGY LEVEL
  Similarly, the level of technology available in 
  a given time period may be the same or more 
  advanced than on Champions Universe Earth. 
  Typically it’s exactly the same, so that the Romans 
  are using the same technology they do in real-world 
  history. On rare occasions it’s more advanced. 
  Depending on how you want to interpret things, 
  “more advanced” technology can mean one of two 
  things.
  First, it means there’s “super-technology” — 
  technology that for the period is highly advanced 
  (and perhaps not even possible according to real-
  world physics) but is only available to a select elite 
  (such as superhumans or a cabal of scientists). The 
  key consideration here is “for the period.” What a 
  citizen of the Roman Empire considers “super-tech-
  nology” might seem like primitive medieval tech-
  nology to a modern-day American. On the other 
  hand, a starfaring Human from the 27th century 
  might consider modern super-technology (i.e., 
  the kind found in most Champions campaigns, 
  including the Champions Universe) ridiculously 
  crude.
  6
  
  222 n Gamemastering The Empress 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  Second, “more advanced” could mean that the 
  dominant political and social institutions of the 
  Historical Period haven’t changed, but technology 
  has advanced to a later level. In this case, you can 
  decide to move the timestream forward to the 
  proper point, without making any other changes. 
  This is how you end up with such odd alternate 
  Earths as one where the Roman Empire still exists 
  in the twentieth century — that’s a result of 1-2, 4 
  (Iron Age with empires) on the Historical Period 
  table, plus a result of 6 on the Technology Level 
  table, with the “special effect” of “modern-day 
  Roman Empire.”
  TABLE 2.2: TECHNOLOGY LEVEL
  Roll (1d6)
  Technology Level
  1-4
  Same as for historical period on real-world 
  Earth
  5
  More advanced than historical period
  6
  Significantly more advanced than historical 
  period
  TABLE 2.3: DOMINANT CuLTurE
  If you want to create an alternate Earth where 
  one or more historical cultures have become (or 
  remain) dominant, you can roll on this table. This 
  is another way to get things like dimensions where 
  the Roman Empire still exists in the twenty-first 
  century: you roll 5-6, 1-2 on the Historical Period 
  table, then 1-2, 3 on the Dominant Culture table.
  TABLE 2.3: DOMINANT CuLTurE
  Roll (1d6 x 2)
  Dominant Culture
  1-2, 1
  Sumerian, Assyro-Babylonian, or Hittite
  1-2, 2
  Classical Egyptian
  1-2, 3
  Classical Greek, Roman, or Persian
  1-2, 4
  Chinese or Japanese
  1-2, 5
  India/Hindu or Tibetan
  1-2, 6
  Aztec or Mayan
  3-4, 1
  American Indian, Inuit, or other tribal 
  not listed elsewhere
  3-4, 2
  Incan or South American tribal
  3-4, 3
  Pacific Islander or Aborigine
  3-4, 4
  Arabian or North African
  3-4, 5
  Sub-Saharan African tribal
  3-4, 6
  American or British
  5-6, 1
  Northern European (Viking, 
  Scandinavian)
  5-6, 2
  Western European (French, German)
  5-6, 3
  Mediterranean European (Spain, Italy)
  5-6, 4
  Eastern European (Hungarian, Roma-
  nian, Serbo-Croatian)
  5-6, 5
  Russian (imperial or Soviet)
  5-6, 6
  Fictional or a combination of two or 
  more of the above
  TABLE 2.4: HISTOrICAL DIVErGENCE
  Lastly, if you don’t have a specific historical 
  “breakpoint” in mind, or the results of previous 
  tables don’t imply or suggest one to you, you can 
  use the Historical Divergence table to determine 
  when things changed relative to Champions 
  Universe Earth.
  TABLE 2.4: HISTOrICAL DIVErGENCE
  Roll (1d6)
  Historical Divergence
  1
  None; dimension’s history is the same 
  as Champions Universe Earth’s in all 
  important respects
  2
  No historical divergence but some 
  fundamental difference in evolution or the 
  like (e.g., history and technology are the 
  same, but Humanity is a reptilian species)
  3
  Historical divergence occurs before the 
  year 1 AD
  4
  Historical divergence occurs somewhere 
  from 1-1000 AD
  5
  Historical divergence occurs somewhere 
  from 1001-1900 AD
  6
  Historical divergence occurs sometime 
  during the twentieth century
  6
  
  Book Of The Empress n Index 
  223
   29,555th Planetary Assault Division (elite D-Soldiers) 
  Cosmic Axis 
  INDEX
  INDEX
  29,555th Planetary Assault Divi-
  sion (elite D-Soldiers): 67
  71,137th Space Combat Division 
  (elite D-Soldiers): 67
  Abbreviations: 5
  Abrabaras: 193
  Abraxas: 40
  Abstract districts in Babylon: 
  125
  Abyss, the: 101
  Access To Briah (Fringe Benefit): 
  143
  Achaea: 112
  Administrative and Logistics 
  personnel: 59
  Admiral (military rank): 61
  Adventure Use: 110
  Aleph, the: 101
  Allamanda: 145
  Alternate Earths: 97, 129
  Altethrya: 11, 173
  American Indian gods: 112
  Amitabha: 122
  Amovodru: 168
  Andusha Galaxy: 174
  Angels: 122
  Anti-Materiel Rifle (device): 74
  Antimatter torpedoes: 82
  Antler-Crowned King, the: 58
  Apparition: 58
  Approved products: 170
  Archetypes: 100
  Archimago: 185
  Arcturus: 55
  Ars Diavola: 42
  Art: 101, 145
  Assiah: 96-97, 140-41
  Astral Awareness: 105
  Astral Earth: 106
  Astral Plane: 99, 104
  Astromancer: 55
  Atavisms: 108
  Atziluth: 96, 101
  Auron: 54
  Autorifle (device): 75
  Avatars: 100
  Award of Valor: 158
  Axrandes: 15
  Azure Guardian: 16
  Babylon: 99, 124
  Balgaraba: 174
  Balloon Man: 128
  Balnakar: 61
  Ban, the: 111
  Baphomet: 117
  Baren, Imperial Historian Jorgon: 
  154
  Barrister, the: 56
  Basic training for D-Soldiers: 62
  Battalion, Imperial: 38
  Battle of Belek-Tara: 15
  Battle of the Cindrian Reach: 
  187
  Battle of Nekoya: 12
  Battlemaster: 54
  Bazinaq: 163
  Beachheads, invasion: 181
  Beastling: 58
  Belek-Tara, Battle of: 15
  Berzerk: 56
  Beulah: 101, 145
  Bierce, Ambrose: 112
  Binah: 101
  Bird Of Hope: 44
  Black: 45
  Black, Luther: 102, 136
  Black Rhino: 58
  Black Rose: 141
  Black Sagittarius: 55
  Blackout: 54
  Blight, Creona and Dokar: 54
  Blizzard: 55
  Blockade: 191
  Bloody Hand, The: Chapter One
  Bombardier: 57
  Borgus: 54
  Borthu: 10
  Botanoworld: 174
  Brainburn: 54
  Brainpower: 56
  Brangomar: 112, 197
  Bravo: 112
  Brawler: 56
  Breadbasket of the Empire: 177
  Briah: 96, 100, 142-45
  Briar Scarlet: 58
  Bridging: 81
  Bright Sea of Forms: 101
  Brightstar: 54
  Britworld: 129
  Broathen Genshawkirio: 57
  Bronze Blur, the: 55
  Bruiser: 58
  Bu Jing Suo: 116
  Bureaucracy, imperial: 149-58
  Bureaucratic revisionists (impe-
  rial political faction): 162
  Byzantium: 125
  Cahokian Earth: 130
  Campaign frameworks: 200
  Campaigning, dimensional: 
  201-222
  Capital crimes: 170
  Captain Chronos: 16, 196
  Captain Corona: 16
  Captain Falcon: 58
  Captain Fear: 57
  Captain Quasar: 58
  Carnival: 128
  Carrionites: 147
  Cathedron: 145
  Cerebellic Translator: 24
  Cerebra: 56
  Ch’tai: 187
  Ch’wauchu: 57
  Champions Online: 6
  Champions, the : 17
  Champions Universe Earth: 
  15-18, 99, 182-85, 196
  Chaos: 101, 145
  Charsadda, Queen: 141
  Chesaro: 56
  Chesed: 100
  Chitthoram, Grand Chancellor: 
  152
  Chokmah: 101
  Chronal nodes: 24
  Chronica Imperialis V’hana: 
  Chapter One, 154
  Chugara: 157
  Chugori VII: 168
  Cindrian Reach, Battle of: 187
  City Of Man, the: 124
  City of Pyramids: 100
  City-States of Yong: 142
  Civilization Analyst (type of IIC 
  agent): 72
  Clar, Orfath: 58
  Claw: 57
  Clever Johnny: 56
  Cobalt Crusader: 16
  Cold Hand, the: 58
  Combat Engineer (specialized 
  D-Soldier): 65
  Combat personnel: 59
  Commander ranks: 61
  Communications gear: 77
  Communications, Ministry of: 
  171
  CommuniNet, Imperial: 171
  Conquest of dimensions by 
  imperial forces: 179-85
  Consolidation, periods of: 10, 14
  Contact, dimensional: 214
  Conurbites: 126
  Copycat: 56
  Corona: 55
  Coryphalon: 174
  Cosmic Axis: 98
  
  224 n Index 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   Cosmic Gems 
  Griffin Girl 
  Cosmic Gems: 185
  Cosmon (specialized D-Soldier): 
  65
  Cougrrrl: 55
  Court life: 160
  Courtiers: 160-61
  Courts of First Appeal and 
  Second Appeal: 164
  Coven of the Black Portal: 168
  Crime in the Empire: 168
  Crimson Colossus, the: 57
  Crimson Guardian: 55
  Crobar af Pelim: 57
  Crotha XII: 60
  Cruiser: 87
  Crusaders of the Infinite Reali-
  ties: 192
  Currency: 170
  Curses in Faerie: 115
  Cybandit: 56
  Cyber Hero: 30
  Cyberspace: 103
  Cysts, astral: 106
  D’gwushaaj’ch’taa: 57
  D’tho’ka: 15
  D-Assassin (type of IIC agent): 
  72
  D-Navigator (specialized 
  D-Soldier): 65
  D-Portal (device): 78
  D-Shift Enhancer (device): 77
  D-Soldier Body Armor (device): 
  76
  D-Soldiers: 63-69
  D-Surveiler (type of IIC agent): 
  72
  D-Walkers (elite D-Soldiers): 68
  Da’ath: 101
  Daily routine, Palace Imperial: 
  161
  Dark Champions: 29
  Dark Sea of Being: 101
  Dates, imperial calendar: 6
  Daxillian: 13
  Day in the life of an Empress, 
  A: 26
  Death: 100
  Death penalty: 170
  Death’s Dominion: 143
  Defensive equipment: 76
  Demi-planes: 100
  DEMON: 185
  Demonic: 54
  Descending Hierarchy: 116-17
  Designees, imperial: 149
  Designing dimensions: 204
  Destabilization, dimensional, 
  V’han’s power of: 23
  Devil Jack: 16
  Devil’s Advocates: 184
  Dgak, Galactic Admiral: 60
  Diabolus: 55
  Diesel: 58
  Dimensional Admiral (military 
  rank): 60
  Dimensional Bypass System 
  (device): 74
  Dimensional campaigning: 201
  Dimensional contact: 214
  Dimensional High Courts: 164
  Dimensional invasions: 218
  Dimensional Scanner (device): 
  78
  Dimensional Shift Harness 
  (device): 62, 76
  Dimensional travel: 22, 214
  Dimensional Viewer (device): 77
  Dimensions, example: 129-146, 
  173-78
  Diplomatic Affairs, Ministry of: 
  153
  Dirge: 55
  Doctor Archon: 193
  Doctor Lux: 56
  Doctor Raven: 57
  Doctor Sylvestri: 55
  Doctor Vandaleur: 55
  Doorway, the: 135
  Dorax: 169
  Doreg Charld: 187
  Doroma III: 168
  Doves (imperial political faction): 
  162
  Dr. Destroyer: 185
  Dr. Yin Wu: 185
  Draconic: 55
  Dragon, the: 108
  Dragondark: 58
  Dreamzone, the: 99, 106-07
  DT: 55
  Early life, Empress’s: 8
  Earth, invading and preparing to 
  invade: 182-85
  Earth-1346: See “Champions 
  Universe Earth”
  Earthmover: 56
  Ebon Avenger: 55
  Economic advocates (imperial 
  political faction): 162
  Ectoplasm: 105
  Edom, Kings of: 102
  Ekrosa: 15
  Elder Worm, the: 102, 185
  Elysium: 99, 120
  Emanations of Vyron, the: 11, 
  175
  Emperor Martinez Earth: 131
  Emperor, the: 127
  Empire, V’hanian: 147-94
  Empress Istvatha: 31
  Empress’s Orb: 158
  Enemies of the V’hanianEmpire: 
  186
  Energy, Ministry of: 154
  Energy Rifle, V’hanian (device): 
  75
  Enitharmon the Weaver: 145
  EntoMaster: 57
  Entuthon Benython, Forest of: 
  145
  Environment, dimensional: 208
  Eppie Demic: 58
  Equipment, V’hanian military: 
  74-80
  Eretsun: 113
  Escort: 89
  Espionage, imperial: 71-73
  Ethical religions: 120
  Eurostar: 184
  Even Wilder West, the: 112
  Expansion, periods of: 9, 11, 15
  Exploration: 70
  Exrandal’rian Revolt: 187
  Exrandar Galaxy: 187
  Eyebeam: 56
  Factions, imperial court: 162
  Faerie: 16, 99, 111
  Fairy-folk: 113
  Family, Empress’s: 8-9
  Fantasy Hero: 29
  Faultline: 55
  Field Agent (type of IIC agent): 
  71
  Fighter: 92
  Firefiend: 55
  Firehawk: 56
  First Contact, Vice-Ministry of: 
  153
  First Great Consolidation: 10
  Flexible time in Faerie: 114
  FlexiBull: 54
  Fool’s Parliament: 128
  Force-Field Harness (device): 76
  Foul-Skinned Men: 147
  Four Worlds, the: 96
  Foxbatworld: 132
  Fracture, the: 191
  Freedom factions (imperial 
  political factions): 162
  Frost Dragon: 55
  Frostbite: 58
  Fuma: 55
  Function of a dimension: 202
  Futures Traders: 128
  Futurists, the: 185
  Futuropolis: 125
  G’arneth, Prince Peldon: 163
  Gadroon: 183-84
  Galactic Admiral (military rank): 
  60
  Galactic High Courts: 164
  Galacto: 191
  Galaxars: 24, 185
  Galaxia: 185
  Gamemastering the Empress: 
  195-222
  Gameshtar: 57
  Garden of Earthly Delights: 144
  Garden of Eden: 121
  Gaunt, Josephus: 56
  General (military rank): 61
  Generation: 101, 145
  Genocide, as tool of Empire: 149
  Geography: 124
  Gerraton VI: 187
  Ghost Fist: 58
  Ghost House, the: 107
  Ghosts: 107
  Gigawatt: 57
  Gingerbread Lady, the: 58
  Giolni Uretza: 168
  Gladiatorialism: 169
  Gladiatrix: 16
  Gods: 113, 123, 182
  Goldbow: 56
  Golgonooza: 101, 145
  Golugk: 9
  Gorgon: 55
  Grand Chancellery: 152
  Great Rebellion: 13
  Greek gods: 112
  Green Lion, the: 55
  Grenshol Argelan: 193
  Grey Hunter, the: 58
  Griffin Girl: 57
  
  Book Of The Empress n Index 
  225
   Gronk 
  Mother Nature 
  Gronk: 57
  Gun-Saint, the: 191
  Hadla Dorana: 175
  Hard Luck: 57
  Harshazent (keystone dimen-
  sion): 99
  Hawks (imperial political faction): 
  162
  Heavenly Jerusalem: 121
  Heavensent: 57
  Heavy Warship: 84
  Heçkilgon: 168
  Hel (Norse hell): 117
  Helarians: 58
  Hell/hells: 116
  HELlions (elite D-Soldiers): 68
  Hellstone: 43
  Helmet, Imperial Legions 
  (device): 77
  Helq, Qqethru: 193
  Herald, Imperial: 155-56
  Hierarchy, imperial: 148
  Higher Lands, the: 112
  Historical districts in Babylon: 
  124
  History, Ministry of: 154
  History of V’han and her Empire: 
  7-18
  Hisuda: 187
  Hnuan VII: 163
  Hnutru: 163
  Hod: 100
  Horror Hero: 32
  Hostages, imperial: 161
  Hostile Environment Legion (elite 
  D-Soldiers): 68
  Hoverjet III-A: 94
  Hovertank: 93
  Hovmen Trena, Minister: 157
  Hrokt Dethen: 55
  Human Arsenal III: 16
  Hyperbursting: 81
  Hyperspace bridge: 81-82
  Hyperspace shunt engine: 81
  Icestorm: 57
  IIC: 71
  IIC Agent Templates: 71
  IJC: 164
  ILC: 164
  Imaginal Realms: 99
  Imaginary places and people on 
  the Astral Plane: 106, 108
  Imperial Battalion: 38
  Imperial Battalioneer Template: 
  39
  Imperial CommuniNet: 171
  Imperial Heralds: 155-56
  Imperial High Command: 59
  Imperial High Court: 164
  Imperial Intelligence Command: 
  71
  Imperial Judicial Corps: 164
  Imperial Law Council: 164
  Imperial Legions: 37-94
  Imperial Lion: 158
  Imperial Science Prize: 158
  Imperial Scout Service: 70
  Imperial Security Force: 165
  Imperial Service Medal: 158
  Imperial Service Ribbon: 158
  Imperial Star: 158
  Incarnadine: 54
  Incendiary: 56
  Incubus, the: 196
  Infantry forces: 59
  Infernus Princeps: 55
  Infinite Star, Order of (elite 
  D-Soldiers): 68
  Inhabitants of a dimension: 211
  Intelligence gathering: 71-73
  Intelligent animals: 127
  Interdimensional Relations, 
  Ministry of: 155
  Internal Security Specialist (type 
  of IIC agent): 72
  Introduction: 5
  Invasions, dimensional: 218
  Invasions, V’hanian planning and 
  executing: 179-85
  Invictor Imperius: 82
  Invincibles, the: 38
  Iron Mantis: 57
  Ironside: 56
  ISF: 165
  ISF Officer: 166-67
  Istvatha, the: 33
  Istvatha of V’han: 34
  Istvatha V’han (including char-
  acter sheet): 19-36
  IVA vehicles: 93-94
  IVV starships: 84-92
  Jaguar: 56
  Jannat: 121
  Janus: 135
  Janus Key: 98
  Jetpack, V’hanian (device): 77
  Jritha Jahar: 54
  K’aval the Mighty: 58
  Ka’lek: 52
  Ka-Tro Tho’req Saan, Admiral: 
  13
  Karespa Viranus: 158
  Karnarond: 56
  Karos: 11
  Karuda University: 60
  Kephren-Taa: 56
  Kether: 97, 101
  Keystone dimensions: 99
  Kharrl Korathon: 47
  Kinematik: 131, 184-85
  Kings of Edom, the: 102
  Kleth: 15
  Knowledge, Istvatha V’han’s: 25
  Kor Ronn: 57
  Koratho: 47
  Koruba Thumasoor: 187
  Krch’ree: 32
  Kryptos: 100
  Kshrax: 56
  Kurati Syndicate: 169
  L’sandr: 189
  L’sandron Army: 189
  Labyrinth of Greed: 117
  Lady Arcane: 58
  Lady Blue: 185
  Lady Peregrine: 55
  Lady Sapphire: 57
  Lancer: 131
  Land of Legends, the: 111
  Larem’do Q’Ratha: 58
  Laurentia: 132
  LavaMan: 57
  Law, imperial: 164
  Le’azh Strel, Trubokc Hannta: 
  163
  Left-Handed Earth: 133
  Legions, Imperial: 37-94
  Leisure activities, Istvatha 
  V’han’s: 26
  Lentana IV: 61
  Library, the: 125-26
  Life in the V’hanian Empire: 159
  Limbo: 104
  Lith’sa: 45
  Little Bang: 135
  Living Legion, the: 57
  Living machines and art: 127
  Living Statue, the: 55
  Loezen: 140
  Logistics of dimensional inva-
  sions: 179
  Loku Geren: 57
  Lord Lightning: 55
  Lorgn: 15
  Loronk: 56
  Los the Smith: 145
  Lower Astral Plane, the: 104, 
  106
  Lower ranks: 61
  Lrotan II: 169
  Luban: 145
  Lucifuge Rofocale: 117
  Lungorin (keystone dimension): 
  99
  Luvah the Anarch: 101, 145
  Lythrum: 141
  Magnon: 57
  Malkuth: 97
  Malvans: 185
  Malvaworld: 135
  Manastorms: 176
  Marsworld: 176
  Masque: 57
  Master Mind: 57
  Mauk’talani: 10
  Mechanon: 185
  Megatron VII: 55
  Men In Plaid: 128
  Menton: 131, 185
  Mephistopheles: 117
  Mesmeros: 55
  Messenger, the: 56
  Meter Theon Machina: 132
  Microverses: 103
  Middle Astral Plane: 104
  Military Affairs, Ministry of: 157
  Military Rank, V’hanian (Fringe 
  Benefit): 60
  Military Vehicles: 81-94
  Mind Scan, in Babylon: 128
  Minds as dimensions: 103
  Ministries, imperial: 152-58
  Miss Molecule: 58
  Mister Constrictor: 58
  Mister Trickster: 191
  MMO: 6
  Mnemosyne: 54
  Money in Babylon: 128
  Monsters, mythological: 113
  Monstrosity: 44
  Mordarron: 11
  Morla, Minister Trelan: 158
  Morphea: 56
  Mortuus: 56
  Mother Nature: 44
  
  226 n Index 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   Motivations, Istvatha V’han’s 
  Skeinrippers 
  Motivations, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  20-22
  Mount Mulciber: 117
  Mount Olympus: 112
  Movement devices: 76
  Mtuo, Lady Ranja: 163
  Mulciber: 117
  Multifarian, the: 136
  Multiversally unique aspect of 
  Istvatha V’han: 20, 24
  Multiverse gods: 191
  Multiverse, the: 95-146
  Munahr: 174
  Mundane Shell: 101
  Myriad: 57
  Mystic Affairs, Ministry of: 157
  na-Hujin, General Tre’l: 61
  Naming dimensions: 173
  Nargaroth: 176
  Nature: 101, 145
  Nature spirits: 113
  Nekoya, Battle of: 12
  Netherworld, the: 99, 116
  Netzach: 100
  New Golgotha: 107
  Night Watcher, the: 58
  Nightwave: 56
  Nocutaris: 11, 177
  Norom Barcaldine: 141
  Nova Igniter (device): 79
  Nu’to, Sheerala: 57
  O.R.B.I.T.: 58
  Olm: 141
  Omniscient Narrator Magazine: 
  18
  Onyx Kingdom, the: 112
  Operation Snake-Eyes: 184
  Oralithtanjru: 168
  Oraxia: 61
  Orc: 145
  Order: 101, 145
  Order of the Infinite Star (elite 
  D-Soldiers): 68
  Orgad: 49
  Organized crime: 168
  Orons: 147
  Osghuria: 11
  Othemm, Gorthoz ki: 58
  Our Empress: History And Social 
  Policy: Chapter One
  P’eng-lai Shan: 122
  Pachad: 100
  Palace Guard, the: 159
  Palace Imperial, the: 159
  Pallaraha: 12
  Pan-Orgad Games: 49
  Pandemonium: 117
  Pantheon realms in Faerie: 112
  Paralysis Rifle (device): 75
  Parandu Vaa: 55
  Parterres: 99
  PAs, the (elite D-Soldiers): 67
  Pen’rel, ISF Director Blunra: 165
  Perceiving Earth from the Astral 
  Plane: 105
  Person-specific factions (impe-
  rial political factions): 162
  Personality, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  20-22
  Photonic: 58
  Pilot (specialized D-Soldier): 65
  Plane of Numbers: 100
  Planetary Governor: 149
  Planetary vehicles: 93
  Planetbuster Bomb (device): 80
  Plot Seeds: 198-200
  Pocket worlds: 102
  Polarion: 163
  Politics, imperial: 159
  Poniard: 58
  Pop Heaven: 121
  Popeworld: 137
  Powerfist: 57
  Powers, Istvatha V’han’s: 22-25
  Powerworld: 138
  Primal Scream: 57
  Primum Mobile: 101
  Prison Maintenance, Vice-
  Ministry for: 170
  Prisons: 170
  Pro-marriage (imperial political 
  faction): 162
  Professor Paradigm: 185, 196
  Progenitors: 185
  Project Citadel: 18, 197
  Psiborg: 56
  Psionica: 55
  Psionics, imperial rankings for: 
  190
  Psize: 54
  Psubversives: 190
  Psychology, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  20-22
  Psykara: 55
  Psykon: 55
  Puerto Muerto: 107
  Pulp Hero: 32
  Punishment of crimes: 170
  Purpose of a dimension: 201
  Pyrok: 55
  Qliphothic World: 101-02, 146, 
  185
  Qorvad: 57
  Quaternion planes: 99
  Queen Ist: 35
  Quemetiel: 101
  Qularr: 183-84
  Random Dimension Generation: 
  219
  Ranks, imperial military: 60
  Rapid Recon Assault Force (elite 
  D-Soldiers): 69
  Ravagers, the: 133
  Rebellion Infiltrator (type of IIC 
  agent): 73
  Rebels against the Empire: 
  187-92
  Rebound: 58
  Red Dragon: 54
  Red Lions (elite D-Soldiers): 66
  Red Meg: 56
  Regent robotss: 149-50
  Relaemar: 12
  Resistance field, Istvatha 
  V’han’s: 24
  Rifletta: 55
  Rilara: 40
  Ro’taggh: 60
  Rock Candy Mountain: 122
  Rockslide: 58
  Roktar: 16
  Ronzan the Renegade: 58
  Rookeries, the: 126
  RRAF: 69
  Rukosan Rebellion: 13
  Rundorru: 169
  S&T: 157
  Sacred One, the: 140
  Saints: 122
  Sammy: 57
  Sardava: 9
  Sarennix system: 71
  Sawbones: 56
  Scarlet Lash, the: 57
  Scavenger: 56
  Schedule, daily, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  26
  Science and Technology, 
  Ministry of: 157
  Scout/Explorer: 90
  Scout Service: 70
  Scouting: 70
  Scruthandi: 187
  Sculptor, the: 56
  Scythe: 55
  Second Great Consolidation: 14
  Second Great Expansion: 11
  Secret imperial aid to supervil-
  lains: 184
  Secret societies in Babylon: 128
  Sector Admiral (military rank): 
  60
  Security, Ministry of: 158
  Securitybots: 159
  Sensory gear: 77
  Señor Rana: 58
  Sephiroth, Sephirothic Tree of 
  Life: 97
  Sergeant Sound: 55
  Shackle: 57
  Shadow Cabinet, the: 128
  Shadow Destroyer: 136-37, 185
  Shadow Queen, the: 112, 197
  Shadow Realm, the: 112, 197
  Shatter: 57
  Shemm, Hrunara: 192
  Shimmering Scarlet: 193
  Shining Darkness, the: 146
  Shinwagutani, Chroodslishru: 
  187
  Shirana the Sorceress: 54
  Shiver: 58
  Shorwin: 15
  Shumekyn, Major Alexander: 
  18, 197
  Sidestep: 55
  Sierra: 16
  Sigma Bomb: 15
  Signifers: 15
  Silence: 55
  Silver Paladin: 56
  Silver Spider, the: 56
  Silvery Eye Galaxy: 60
  Simbara: 55
  Sirmilor (keystone dimension): 
  99
  Sirocco Siren: 58
  Sister Yvette: 132
  Sixth Dimension: 141
  Size, dimensional: 97
  Skarn the Shaper: 11, 16, 179, 
  186, 197
  Skeinrippers: 147
  
  Book Of The Empress n Index 
  227
   Sknaag 7, Dimensional Admiral 
  Venar, the 
  Sknaag 7, Dimensional Admiral: 
  60
  Sky Sentinel: 55
  Skyflare galaxy: 174
  Slavery: 169
  Sleight: 57
  SlipSlide: 55
  Slow Howlers: 140
  Slug, the: 102
  Smasher: 55, 57
  Smuggling: 169
  Sn’greesha: 61
  Snow Wolf: 55
  Social circle, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  27
  Software Specter: 58
  Solarion: 57
  Soldiers, imperial: 63-69
  Solipsist, the: 101
  Sorceress, the: 55
  Sorrag Lah: 54
  Sotha’Qa: 12
  Soulblades: 192
  Space forces: 59
  Special Dimensions: 102
  Specializations, military: 59
  Specialized D-Soldiers: 65
  Specter Groves: 140
  Spectro: 58
  Spidertrap Vines: 140
  Spies: 71-73
  Spies, imperial: 71
  Spiralle: 55
  Spooky Empty House, the: 107
  Srodanga: 168
  Stage Alpha: Preparation: 179
  Stage Beta: Reconnaissance: 
  180
  Stage Delta: Invasion: 181
  Stage Epsilon: Conquest: 181
  Stage Gamma: Weakening: 180
  Stage Zeta: Integration: 182
  Stalosia: 177
  Star Governor: 149
  Star Hero: 32
  Star*Guard: 16, 185
  Stargazer: 55
  Starships: 81
  Stasis Fortresses: 176
  Steel Centurion: 58
  Steelhand: 44
  SteelMan: 54
  Steinzauberer: 56
  Steron To’dorgan: 57
  Stinger: 55
  Stoneface: 55
  Stormsurge: 58
  Stream Of Eternity: 99
  Stream of Time: 23
  Structuring a multiverse: 212
  Sturmvogel, der: 177
  Sudatho V: 58
  Sullen Country, the: 114
  Sunburst: 184
  Sunflare: 58
  Sunstroke: 55
  Sunwalker: 191
  Super-squads of Battalioneers: 
  38
  Superhuman V’hanian soldiers: 
  38
  Superpowered spies: 73
  Supervillains, ones manipulated 
  by the Empire: 184
  Supreme Admiral (military rank): 
  60
  Survivability, Istvatha V’han’s 
  power of: 25
  System Admiral (military rank): 
  61
  T’rai, Intelligence Admiral 
  Besharo: 71
  Ta!ra Freedom Fighters: 191
  Ta’ru, Supreme Admiral Piettik: 
  60
  Tactics, V’hanian military: 62
  Tairon g’Lethar: 58
  Takofanes: 185
  Tala Huban: 57
  Talking animals: 113
  Tangler: 55
  Taraxn: 169
  Targe: 49
  Tatterdemalion: 146
  Tau’valion (keystone dimension): 
  99
  Tax Enforcement, Subministry 
  of: 10
  Technician, the: 55
  Technological Analysis, Vice-
  Ministry of: 158
  Technological Resources, Vice-
  Ministry of: 158
  Technology
  Imperial: 158, 172
  Levels, imperial: 172
  V’hanian military: 74-80
  Teikei: 141
  Telava: 49
  Temporal Security Patrol: 
  154-55
  Tengarri, Orell Rhan: 57
  Tesseract: 141
  Tethroda: 9
  Tethys: 58
  TFF: 191
  Thalavar: 163
  Tharmas: 101, 145
  Thaumaturge, the: 55
  Theskaro: 56
  They Who Laugh And Leap: 140
  Third Great Expansion: 15
  Throyde: 61
  Thrund: 187
  Thucho Saa’ren: 54
  Thunderstorm: 55
  Thunderworld: 11
  Thurl, Choapen: 187
  Thusal’pa’ta: 15
  Tiger Squad: 16
  Time travel, V’han’s power of: 
  23
  Time-Beast, the: 191, 193
  Time-Shielded Capsule (device): 
  80
  Timeframe: 58
  Timekeeper, the: 56
  Tina Tiny: 55
  Tiphereth: 100
  Tirellan: 60
  Toad, the: 56
  Tomboy: 55
  Torgo, General Korth: 187
  Torgon: 55
  TornadoMan: 55
  Torrog: 169
  Torturer, the: 55
  Torudha: 168
  Trade and Economics, Ministry 
  of: 158
  Trade in the Empire: 170
  Transdimensional generator: 81
  Transdimensional Probe 
  (device): 80
  Transforma: 56
  Transhormi: 58
  Transport: 94
  Travel, dimensional: 214
  Travel on the Astral Plane: 108
  Tree of Death: 101
  Tree of Life: 97-98
  Tree of Mystery: 145
  Trefoil Plane: 100
  TREGOS: 58
  Tremor: 16
  Trickshot: 58
  Trickster, the: 100
  Trinatha Medals: 158
  Triple Goddess, the: 100
  Trulassia: 163
  Truth: 191
  TSP: 154-55
  Tulwar: 58
  Turnabout: 58
  Tuvald III: 174
  Twister: 44
  Two-Blade Kid, the: 56
  Types of Dimensions: 204
  Typhoon: 57
  Tyrannon the Conquror: 12, 15, 
  179, 186, 197
  Übermenschenwelt: 177
  Udan Adan: 145
  Ugarti III: 71
  Ukmaro re’Tashi: 58
  Ulro: 101, 145
  Ultra-lasers: 82
  Una’mo’Thef, Corrana: 163
  Undertow: 58
  Unification, Vice Ministry of: 10, 
  155
  Unique, multiversally: 20, 24
  Universal Translator Device 
  (device): 78
  Unstoppable: 54
  UNTIL: 16, 18, 197
  Upper Astral Plane: 105
  Urizen: 101, 145
  Urthona: 101, 145
  V’ha: 8-9, 99, 178
  V’han’s powers: 22
  V’hanian Empire: 147-94
  V’hanian Liberation Army: 184
  V’hanian Unification Movement: 
  184
  vaan Dereth, D-Admiral Nolos: 
  174-75
  Vacuum Dogs: 67
  Vala: 145
  Valak the World-Ravager: 185
  Vangaut III: 169
  Vatha Vahana: 30
  Vectron: 52
  Vehicles, imperial military: 
  81-94
  Veil of the Temple: 100, 142
  Venar, the: 10
  
  228 n Index 
  Hero System 6th Edition
   Venomous 
  Zoron Azkari (elite D-Soldiers) 
  Venomous: 58
  Verreka: 54
  Viceroy robots: 149, 151
  Victoriana: 126
  Vilsimbra: 112
  VIPER: 184
  Virus: 56
  Vlorgak: 56
  Void of Dreamless Sleep: 108
  Vorban: 57
  VUM: 184
  Vvendaxi: 168
  Vyron: 175
  Walkingworld: 139
  War Cruiser: 86
  War Pigs: 128
  War Zone, the: 117
  Warchild: 44
  Warden, the: 58
  Warlord, the: 184
  Warp: 58
  Weakening invasion targets: 
  180
  Weaknesses, Istvatha V’han’s: 
  25
  Weapons: 74
  Weaver, the: 54
  White Fang: 56
  Whitestar: 55
  Windy: 57
  Wolfen: 56
  Woundrous islands: 112
  Wsda, Admiral Yomb: 15
  Wxtr’aa II: 174
  X.O.: 56
  Xarriel: 185
  Xeshtar: 57
  Xloptun: 113
  Xoreg: 15
  Yandass: 11
  Yanorj Hfee: 191
  Yesod: 99
  Yetzirah: 96, 99, 142
  Yggdrasil: 142
  Yoth: 15
  Young Pioneers: 128
  Zellim: 15
  Zendaris: 154
  Zo’on: 57
  Zoas: 101, 145
  Zoas, realms of: 144
  Zodiac Beasts: 147
  Zoron Azkari (elite D-Soldiers): 
  69
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  229
  CruSADErS OF THE 
  CruSADErS OF THE 
  INFINITE rEALITIES
  INFINITE rEALITIES
  A
  s Hero Games’s way of saying Thanks! for 
  supporting our Book Of The Empress Kick-
  starter, here are character sheets for the 
  members of the Crusaders of the Infinite 
  Realities described on pages 192-93 of the book.
  HruNArA SHEMM
  HruNArA SHEMM
  Background/History: In most of the Lungorin 
  dimensions there’s a world called Nalana-Sral. The 
  Sralese, a species of golden-skinned humanoids, 
  have a civilization tens of thousands of years old 
  in which magic plays a prominent part. Powerful 
  wizards are revered and often serve as political or 
  religious leaders (or both).
  When Istvatha V’han invades a Lungorin 
  dimension, Nalana-Sral is always one of her initial 
  targets. For one thing, it was usually a source 
  of intense resistance. But more importantly, the 
  Ministry of Mystic Affairs has found a way to 
  “siphon” Sralese mystic power for use by imperial 
  mages, making the planet a valuable resource.
  In Lungorin-2312, the imperial invasion went as 
  planned... until an unusually powerful super-mage 
  named Hrunara Shemm stepped forward to rally 
  her people. Inspired by Shemm’s fiery invective, 
  the usually-fractious cabals of Sralese spellcasters 
  banded together and fought as one, repulsing 
  the Imperial Legions. The Empire regrouped and 
  re-invaded, and again was defeated by Shemm’s 
  forces.
  Infuriated by the humiliating defeats her soldiers 
  had suffered, the Empress ordered the use of a Nova 
  Bomb to destroy the Sralese system altogether. 
  Warned in advance by some of her spirit familiars, 
  Shemm saved as many people as she could... but in 
  the end the Sralese species was rendered virtually 
  extinct. After transporting the survivors to a planet 
  in another dimension where they felt they could 
  rebuild their lives, Shemm went seeking revenge... 
  and found the Crusaders.
  Personality/Motivation: Since joining the 
  Crusaders, Hrunara Shemm has become one of the 
  group’s most active and enthusiastic members — in 
  fact, at this point she’s basically “team leader.” She’s 
  the only one who commands enough respect from 
  the various iconoclasts and factions that comprise 
  the membership to keep the organization moving 
  forward. And even then, she often finds herself 
  having to persuade, bargain, compromise, or dicker 
  her comrades into doing what she needs them 
  to do.
  All the effort and frustration are worth it to 
  her, though, because the Crusaders represent her 
  best hope of dealing a telling blow to the V’hanian 
  Empire. Shemm’s hatred of the Empress and her 
  tyrannical government knows almost no bounds; 
  even the lowliest imperial employee isn’t safe from 
  her wrath. While she’s usually the one who has 
  to keep the other Crusaders and their wild ideas 
  under control, at times they have to restrain her 
  vengeful impulses so she doesn’t endanger the 
  group.
  Shemm and Gendrol Argelan (see below) were 
  once romantically involved. But in recent months 
  he’s pulled away from her altogether, his mind 
  captivated by the new lore he’s uncovered that’s 
  advanced him in both wisdom and power (as he 
  sees it). She still cares for him deeply and watches 
  him with great concern, but respects his wishes and 
  doesn’t meddle in his personal business... a decision 
  she may soon regret.
  Quote: “Don’t be a fool! All these so called “bene-
  fits” the Empire’s offering you are just a trick to lure 
  you into putting the yoke on your own neck. Fight 
  them!”
  Powers/Tactics: Hrunara Shemm is a powerful 
  Sralese mystic whose spells focus on elemental 
  magics. She can create earthquakes or deadly gusts 
  of wind, set people on fire, erect walls of water, and 
  trap her foes in hands of stone. She can also cast a 
  variety of other magics.
  In combat Shemm is tactically brilliant. She’s 
  intimately aware of what the other Crusaders are 
  capable of and seems to instinctively pick just the 
  right way to use each of them in a battle. She spends 
  hours in the “simulation room” of the Crusaders’ 
  base figuring out ways to attack imperial targets 
  and get away safely.
  Appearance: Hrunara Shemm is a tall, golden-
  skinned, humanoid woman of the Sralese species. 
  She typically wears elaborate mage’s robes in colors 
  that complement her skintone, such as red and 
  blue. Her soulblade looks like an ancient Sralese 
  weapon that vaguely resembles a cross between a 
  sword and a scythe.
  
  230 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  HRUNARA SHEMM
  HRUNARA SHEMM
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  3 
  OMCV 
  0
  7 
  DMCV 12
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  10 PD 
  8  
  Total: 30 PD (20 rPD)
  10 ED 
  8  
  Total: 30 ED (20 rED)
  8 
  REC 
  4
  35 END 
  3
  10 BODY 
  0
  50 STUN 
  15  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 181
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  40m
   
  Tunneling: 
  20m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  66 
  Mystic Power: Endurance Reserve (200 END, 24 REC) 0
  100 
  Elemental Arcana: Multipower, 100-point reserve
  12v 
  1) Ice Blast: Blast 12d6 
  6
  12v 
  2) Gale Blast: Blast 8d6 
  6
  Double Knockback (+½)
  8v 
  3) Earthquake: Blast 8d6 
  7
  Area Of Effect (18m Radius Explosion; +½), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); No Range (-½), Only Affects Targets 
  On The Ground (-¼), Only Does Knockdown, Not 
  Knockback (-0)
  8v 
  4) Dehydrate: Blast 6d6 
  6
  NND (defense is Power Defense or a body that lacks 
  liquids; +1); Victims At Least 50% Immersed In Water 
  Get A Free Recovery Of This Damage Each Phase (-½)
  9v 
  5) Magefire Blast: RKA 2d6 
  4
  Armor Piercing (+¼), +1 Increased STUN Multiplier 
  (+¼)
  10v 
  6) Fireball: RKA 2d6 
  5
  Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +¾)
  10v 
  7) Hands Of Stone: Entangle 6d6, 6 PD/6 ED 
  6
  Only Works On Targets Within 6m Of The Ground (-¼)
  9v 
  8) Wind Manipulation: Telekinesis (30 STR) 
  4
  10v 
  9) Magefire Shield: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) 3
  Costs Half Endurance (-¼)
  9v 
  10) Wall Of Water: Barrier 10 PD/8 ED, 10 BODY (up 
  to 10m long, 4m tall, and ½m thick), Non-Anchored, 
  Dismissable 
  7
  Costs Endurance (to maintain; -½)
  8v 
  11) Wings Of Wind: Flight 40m 
  4
  10v 
  12) Earth Passage: Tunneling 20m through 10 PD  
  materials; Fill In 
  5
  37 
  Hrunara Shemm’s Soulblade: HKA 2d6 (2d6+1 with 
  STR) 
  0
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), Penetrating (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1)
  30 
  Hrunara Shemm’s Soulblade: Aid Magic 6d6 
  0
  Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any two Magic 
  powers or spells simultaneously; +1), Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Only Aid Self (-1)
  56 
  Lesser Magics: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 40 
  Pool + 40 Control Cost 
  var
  Only For Magic (-¼)
  10 
  Mystic Defenses: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Mystic Defenses: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  15 
  Magesense: Detect Magic 13- (Sight Group), Discrimina-
  tory, Analyze 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightning Reflexes: +3 DEX to act first with All Actions
  3 
  Striking Appearance +1/+1d6
   
  Skills
  24 
  +3 with Ranged Combat
  3 
  Charm 13-
  2 
  Cryptography 13-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  3 
  KS: Elemental Magic 13-
  3 
  KS: The Multiverse 13-
  2 
  KS: The Mystic World 11-
  3 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Space) 13-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  13 
  Power: Magic 18-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 532
  Total Cost: 713
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Complication: Hatred Of Istvatha V’han 
  And All She Stands For (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Complication: In Love With Grenshol 
  Argelan (Common, Moderate)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 313
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  231
  ABrEBArAS
  ABrEBArAS
  Background/History: Abrebaras is a Roman scholar 
  from Earth-2116, an alternate Earth dimension 
  where the Roman Empire never fell and magic is 
  so commonplace that it’s prevented science from 
  progressing beyond what a Champions Universe 
  human would call late Roman era technology. He 
  was a gifted scholar, renowned for his wisdom and 
  ability to craft spells of ritual magic... and then the 
  V’hanian Empire invaded.
  Despite their magic, the Humans of Earth-2116 
  weren’t able to put up much resistance against 
  the Empress’s armies. Realizing all hope was lost, 
  Abrebaras packed his home, his library, and all 
  his other valuables into a pocket dimension of his 
  own crafting and fled that plane for others where 
  the imperial threat wasn’t so dire. He spent some 
  years wandering the dimensions and studying other 
  styles of magic.
  Then one day he was present when the 
  Crusaders of the Infinite Realities passed through 
  the dimension he was living in. Sensing his power 
  and talent, the Crusaders asked him to join. 
  Intrigued, and feeling within himself a burning 
  desire for revenge that he’d been suppressing for 
  years, Abrebaras became one of them and has been 
  fighting the Empress ever since.
  Personality/Motivation: Abrebaras was once a 
  dedicated pacifist. He meant no man harm and 
  expected none to mean him any, for he took pains 
  to treat everyone with equal courtesy and respect. 
  All that changed after Istvatha V’han ruined his 
  life. He would still prefer not to hurt anyone, but 
  realizing the worth of his cause he can talk himself 
  into it when necessary... or when one of his friends 
  is harmed.
  Abrebaras’s true love is magical study. He never 
  married or had children, and until he met the 
  Crusaders didn’t really have many friends either. 
  He spent all his time studying arcane tomes and 
  practicing rituals, reveling in the powers he could 
  command. He still studies as much as his other 
  duties allow. If confronted with something that’s 
  magically unusually, or that otherwise triggers 
  his intense curiosity about such things, he could 
  easily give into temptation and endanger an entire 
  mission.
  Quote: “Hmmm, interesting... the declension of the 
  fifth pentacle indicates that the transverse of the 
  spell was used, rather than the ordinary version. 
  Give me a moment and I can devise a way to 
  counter it.”
  Powers/Tactics: Abrebaras is a scholar, not a 
  fighter. When he first joined the Crusaders he could 
  cast very few spells that were useful in combat. 
  But he knew that had to change, so he turned his 
  intense intellect and gifts for magical practice to the 
  study of what Champions Universe Earth super-
  mages call Superheroic Thaumaturgy. He still isn’t 
  a dedicated “combat mage” by any means, but he 
  can hold his own in battle now. However, he has to 
  watch his END usage carefully; some of his spells 
  (particularly Mantle Of Mastery) use up his END 
  at a fearsome rate. He’s working on developing 
  enhanced sources of arcane energy (an Endurance 
  Reserve) to overcome this problem; in the mean-
  time his soulblade helps.
  Although he’s been forced into a violent role, 
  Abrebaras isn’t really a violent person. He prefers 
  to rely on the Bindings of Bromion, the Cerulean 
  Spells, and the non-injurious Lights of Luathon 
  rather than his more destructive Blasts and RKAs.
  Coming as he does from a society where the 
  lateen sail and lorica segmentata armor are regarded 
  as high technology, Abrebaras is often baffled by the 
  highly advanced devices he occasionally encoun-
  ters. When confronted with such technology in a 
  crisis situation, he has to succeed with an INT Roll 
  at -2 to understand what it does... which doesn’t 
  guarantee that he can operate it properly (that may 
  require another INT Roll).
  Appearance: Abrebaras looks like a white Human 
  male in his early sixties; he has a handsome face 
  with a long white beard and a thick head of white 
  hair held back by a golden fillet. He typically wears 
  a Roman toga. His soulblade looks like a Roman 
  gladius.
  ABREBARAS
  ABREBARAS
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  14 DEX 
  8 12-
  14 CON 
  4 12-
  23 INT 
  13 14- PER Roll 14-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  18 PRE 
  8 13- PRE Attack: 3½d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  5 
  DCV 
  10
  7 
  OMCV 12
  7 
  DMCV 12
  4 
  SPD 
  20  
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
  6 
  PD 
  4  
  Total: 16 PD (10 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 18 ED (10 rED)
  12 REC 
  8
  60 END 
  8
  12 BODY 
  2
  36 STUN 
  8  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 148
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  30m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  67 
  The Bindings Of Bromion: Multipower, 67-point reserve
  6f 
  1) First Binding: Mind Control 12d6 
  6
  6f 
  2) Second Binding: Mind Control 10d6 
  6
  Telepathic (+¼)
  4f 
  3) Third Binding: Entangle 3d6, 3 PD/3 ED 
  6
  ACV (uses OMCV against DMCV; +¼), Takes No 
  Damage From Physical Attacks (see 6E1 217; +¾), 
  Work Against EGO, Not STR (+¼); Mental Defense 
  Adds To EGO (-½)
  6f 
  4) Fourth Binding: Telekinesis (30 STR) 
  7
  ACV (uses OMCV against DCV; +0),  
  Line Of Sight (+½)
  
  232 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  62 
  The Cerulean Spells: Multipower, 62-point reserve
  6f 
  1) Cerulean Spear: Mental Blast 5d6 
  2
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  6f 
  2) Cerulean Spray: Mental Blast 5d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (1m Radius Nonselective; +¼)
  63 
  The Lights Of Luathon: Multipower, 63-point reserve
  5f 
  1) The First Light Of Luathon: Sight Group Flash 8d6 5
  Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼)
  6f 
  2) The Second Light Of Luathon: Blast 10d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼)
  6f 
  3) The Third Light Of Luathon: Blast 6d6 
  6
  AVAD (Sight Group Flash Defense; +1)
  6f 
  4) The Fourth Light Of Luathon: RKA 2½d6 
  6
  Penetrating (+½)
  6f 
  5) The Fifth Light Of Luathon: Dispel Invisibility 21d6 6
  6f 
  6) The Sixth Light Of Luathon: Dispel Magic Powers 
  14d6 
  6
  Variable Effect (any one Magic power or spell at a 
  time; +½)
  6f 
  7) The Seventh Light Of Luathon: Sight Group Images, 
  -6 to PER Rolls 
  6
  Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +½), Invisible to Mystic 
  Sense Group (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  4f 
  8) The Eighth Light Of Luathon: Telepathy 8d6 
  4
  3f 
  9) The Ninth Light Of Luathon: Invisibility to Sight and 
  Mystic Groups (but not including the Tenth Light) 
  1
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  3f 
  10) The Tenth Light Of Luathon: Detect Invisibility  
  (INT Roll) (Mystic Sense Group), Ranged, Sense, 
  Targeting 
  0
  1f 
  11) The Eleventh Light Of Luathon: +30 PRE 
  0
  Only For Making Presence Attacks (-1)
  18 
  Abrebaras’s Soulblade: HKA 1d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  0
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), Penetrating (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1)
  20 
  Abrebaras’s Soulblade: Aid Magic and END 4d6 
  0
  Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any one Magic 
  power or spell and his END simultaneously; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Only Aid 
  Self (-1)
  65 
  Ritual Magics: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool),  
  50 Pool + 120 Control Cost 
  var
  Concentration (all spells must have at least -½ worth 
  of this Limitation; -½), Extra Time (all spells must 
  have at least -1½ worth of this Limitation; -1½), 
  Focus (all spells must have an OAF of some sort; -1)
  37 
  Mantle Of Mastery: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 
  ED/10 Mental Defense/10 Power Defense) 
  7
  Allocatable (+¼) ; Costs Endurance (-½), Side Effects 
  (coloration of Mantle reveals Abrebaras’s generally 
  Good nature, always occurs; -½)
  45 
  Wings Of The Zephirim: Flight 30m 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  70 
  The Vapors Of The Vata: Extra-Dimensional Movement 
  (any physical location in any dimension), Increased 
  Weight (3,200 kg) 
  7
  17 
  Mage’s Eye: Detect Magic 16- (Sight Group),  
  Discriminatory, Analyze 
  0
  3 
  Wizard’s Longevity: Life Support  
  (Longevity: 800-year lifespan) 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Analyze Magic 14-
  5 
  Cryptography 16-
  Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  1 
  High Society 8-
  3 
  Inventor (Spell Research) 14-
  4 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 15-
  2 
  KS: Demons 11-
  3 
  KS: The Multiverse 14-
  3 
  KS: The Mystic World 14-
  3 
  KS: Ritual Magic 14-
  1 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 8-
  15 
  Power: Magic 20-
  3 
  Riding 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 602
  Total Cost: 750
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  15 
  Physical Complication: baffled by high technology (see 
  text) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Psychological Complication: Curiosity About Magic 
  (Common, Moderate)
  10 
  Psychological Complication: Pacifist (Common, Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 350
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  233
  GrENSHOL ArGELAN
  GrENSHOL ArGELAN
  Background/History: Grenshol Argelan is an 
  Ixendar from the 3,263rd alternate Earth. His 
  people no more believe in magic than do Humanity 
  — but like Humans some of them learn the truth 
  of Reality and discover they have the gift to wield 
  great arcane power. Argelan was one such Ixendar. 
  After a career in professional sports was cut short 
  when a rival framed him for a major ethics viola-
  tion, he turned his brilliant mind to the study of 
  philosophy. That in turn led to metaphysics... and 
  one day he began to “see” things at the intersection 
  of Philosophy and Science that even his professors 
  could not. Soon he was contacted by a cabal of 
  white wizards, who took him in and trained him in 
  the mystic arts.
  Unfortunately neither the cabal nor the other 
  superpowered individuals in Earth-3263 were 
  powerful enough to stop the Imperial Legions. 
  It took two years, but the Empire conquered the 
  entire dimension. Argelan was one of the few 
  superhumans left alive at that point, and rather 
  than continue a futile fight he invoked the Vapors 
  of Vata and fled to other realms of existence.
  He spent several years wandering the Multi-
  verse, but soon tired of such a meaningless life. A 
  chance encounter with Shimmering Scarlet intro-
  duced him to the Crusaders of the Infinite Realities. 
  His imagination fired by their seemingly hopeless 
  quest, he joined the group and in time was one 
  of its most important members. He and Hrunara 
  Shemm, the Crusaders’ de facto leader, became 
  romantically involved.
  One day while reviewing reports pilfered from 
  the Ministry of Mystic Affairs Argelan noticed that 
  during most (if not all) invasions of alternate Earth 
  dimensions, Istvatha V’han’s forces took pains to 
  exterminate a distasteful minor species called the 
  Elder Worm. The reports implied that this was 
  because the Worm possessed strange sorceries even 
  the Empress feared. Intrigued, Argelan began gath-
  ering and studying everything he could find about 
  the Elder Worm.
  Years passed. Slowly but surely, Argelan learned 
  about the Elder Worm... and everything he learned 
  made him want to learn more. He obtained his first 
  Elder Worm grimoire and his studies advanced 
  at an even greater rate. The acquisition of more 
  tomes and other items followed. In time Argelan 
  became so wrapped up in his studies that he cared 
  for nothing else... not even Hrunara. The rest of the 
  Crusaders mostly leave him alone now, thinking 
  he’s merely one of the more eccentric members in a 
  group where nearly everyone’s pretty unusual.
  But it’s worse than that. Argelan has been 
  corrupted by his studies of Elder Worm Qliphothic 
  lore, and has now gone so far down that dark path 
  that saving him (or even his soul) would be extraor-
  dinarily difficult. It’s only a matter of time before 
  he betrays the Crusaders, or tries to destroy them 
  all in a magical conflagration that may resonate 
  throughout the Multiverse.
  Personality/Motivation: Grenshol Argelan was 
  once a noble, heroic individual, but those days 
  are long gone. Now his mind and soul have been 
  transformed by the evil of the Elder Worm, making 
  him a danger not just to himself and his friends but 
  potentially to all of Reality. It’s just a question of 
  whether he’ll self-destruct before he causes serious 
  harm.
  Argelan remains obsessed with the Elder Worm 
  and their artifacts. He particularly desires a Worm-
  Gem, though fortunately for the Crusaders (if not 
  the Multiverse) he’s yet to come close to finding 
  one.
  Argelan and Hrunara Shemm were once a 
  devoted couple. But as his studies carried him 
  further down the path of madness he eventually 
  spurned her to devote his time to contemplating the 
  strange, terrible wisdom thundering through his 
  brain. He rarely even thinks of her anymore unless 
  she’s speaking to him directly.
  Quote: None. Argelan rarely talks anymore, and 
  when he does what he says is so mysterious and 
  bizarre few people can figure out what he means.
  Powers/Tactics: Argelan is an accomplished 
  super-mage who can cast a wide variety of spells 
  (use the Superheroic Thaumaturgy spells from The 
  HERO System Grimoire). But if he has to fight, he’ll 
  mostly ignore “ordinary” spells in favor of the Elder 
  Worm magics he’s mastered. He particularly enjoys 
  corrupting someone’s soul and then using Warring 
  Soul, which causes the corrupted parts of the soul 
  to fight the uncorrupted parts and the body itself. If 
  allowed to continue this process kills the victim.
  For a less lethal attack, the Yiinashc Bindings 
  trap a target in an oddly-warped “tunnel” of space. 
  In game terms, this is an Entangle that a character 
  must use INT to break out of instead of STR. It 
  can only be harmed by the target’s “INT damage”; 
  attacks by other people, or any other sort of attack 
  by the victim, are useless. (See APG 57 for more 
  information.)
  Argelan devotes a lot of time and effort to hiding 
  his true nature from the rest of the Crusaders. He 
  maintains elaborate ritual spells that keep them 
  from seeing his Distinctive Features. He won’t use 
  his Mantle Of Mastery spell anymore (since its 
  appearance reveals his secret); he creates a fake 
  version of it using his VPP if necessary. Similarly, 
  his soulblade is now tarnished by his evil, so he 
  won’t show it to anyone.
  Appearance: Grenshol Argelan is an Ixendar — 
  a member of a humanoid mammalian species 
  that’s outwardly very similar to Humanity aside 
  from their ochre tone of skin. He’s 6’0” tall with 
  short black hair (now very unkempt because he 
  rarely bothers to comb it) and a muscular build. If 
  viewed by someone who can perceive his Distinc-
  tive Feature, his form appears to be filled with a 
  sort of twisted, corrosive shadow. His soulblade 
  looks something like a long, heavy rapier, but its 
  once-bright blade is now nearly black with mystical 
  “tarnish” and has even begun to twist and warp 
  slightly.
  
  234 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  GRENSHOL ARGELAN
  GRENSHOL ARGELAN
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  20 STR 
  10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH damage [2]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  17 CON 
  7 12-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  23 EGO 
  13 14-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  9 
  OMCV 18
  11 DMCV 24
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 18 PD (10 rPD)
  8 
  ED 
  6  
  Total: 18 ED (10 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  40 END 
  4
  15 BODY 
  5
  44 STUN 
  12  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 217
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  30m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  71 
  Corrupted Mystic Power: Endurance Reserve  
  (220 END, 24 REC) 
  0
  80 
  Elder Worm Magics/Qliphothic Corruption:  
  Multipower, 80-point reserve
  8f 
  1) Glimpse Of The Worm: Mental Blast 8d6 
  8
  6f 
  2) Yiinashc Binding: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED 
  8
  Takes No Damage From Attacks (see text; +¾), Works 
  Against INT, Not STR (+¼); Vulnerable (dimensional 
  attacks; -¼)
  1f 
  3) Horror Of The Worm: +30 PRE 
  3
  Costs Endurance (-½), Only For Fear-/Intimidation-
  Based Presence Attacks (-1)
  2f 
  4) Warring Soul: Drain BODY and STUN 2d6 
  2
  Expanded Effect (two Characteristics simultaneously; 
  +½), Constant (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +¼); Only Works On Victims Affected By Soul-
  Corrupting Touch (-1)
  30 
  Soul-Corrupting Touch: Major Transform 3d6 (sentient 
  humanoid into sentient humanoid with Qliphothic-
  tainted soul [see text]; heals back normally) 
  2
  Constant (+½), Works Against PRE, Not BODY (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Limited Target 
  (sentient humanoids; -½), No Range (-½)
  64 
  Other Magics: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool),  
  40 Pool + 40 Control Cost 
  var
  Powers Can Be Changed As A Half Phase Action 
  (+½); Only For Magic (-¼)
  37 
  Grenshol Argelan’s Soulblade: HKA 2d6  
  (2d6+1 with STR) 
  0
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), Penetrating (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1)
  37 
  Grenshol Argelan’s Soulblade: Variable Power Pool  
  +30 Pool + +30 Control Cost 
  var
  OAF (-1)
  37 
  Mantle Of Mastery: Resistant Protection (10 PD/ 
  10 ED/10 Mental Defense/10 Power Defense) 
  7
  Allocatable (+¼) ; Costs Endurance (-½), Side Effects 
  (coloration of Mantle reveals Argelan’s corrupted 
  nature, always occurs; -½)
  15 
  Corrupted Mind: Mental Defense (15 points) 
  0
  15 
  Corrupted Soul: Power Defense (15 points) 
  0
  45 
  Wings Of The Zephirim: Flight 30m 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with Ranged Combat
  2 
  Cryptography 13-
  Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  2 
  KS: The Elder Worm 11-
  3 
  KS: Elder Worm Magic 13-
  3 
  KS: The Multiverse 13-
  3 
  KS: The Mystic World 13-
  3 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Space) 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 495
  Total Cost: 712
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  5 
  Accidental Change: when under great stress he may do 
  something, or manifest some physical change, that 
  reveals his Qliphothic-corrupted nature 8- (Uncommon)
  20 
  Distinctive Features: Qliphothic-corrupted mind and soul 
  (Concealable With Effort; Causes Extreme Reaction 
  [fear, loathing])
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Evilly Insane; Has 
  Succumbed To Qliphothic Corruption (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Hatred Of Istvatha V’han/
  Desire To Protect The Elder Worm And Their Resources 
  (Common, Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 312
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  235
  DOCTOr ArCHON
  DOCTOr ArCHON
  Background/History: In most of the Sirmilor 
  dimensions there’s a world called Tarrh (“tar-
  heh”). Like most Earths it has its traditions of both 
  superheroing and mysticism. Some mystics end up 
  becoming “super-mages,” using their vast arcane 
  powers in the cause of Justice.
  Ustel Taxros was a normal, if intellectually 
  gifted, Tarrhem until the day when a strange, 
  shadowy plot at his university brought him to the 
  attention of the Council of Wyverns, a group of 
  mystics. Recognizing his potential arcane power, 
  they recruited him as an apprentice. At first amazed 
  by the secret world they revealed to him, Taxros 
  soon settled down and became a diligent student. 
  Thanks to his natural proclivities for spellcasting, 
  his studies progressed at a rapid pace.
  His budding sorcerous career took an unex-
  pected detour when gangsters began threatening 
  his brother, and then the rest of his family. Deciding 
  he had to do something, Taxros left the monastery 
  behind and used the spells he knew to save his 
  loved ones. That gave him a real feeling of accom-
  plishment and satisfaction — so much so that he 
  decided to keep doing it rather than return to the 
  Council’s isolated retreat. Adopting the name Dr. 
  Archon, he became a superhero.
  After that his story is much like that of many 
  other Crusaders: the V’hanian Empire invaded his 
  home dimension. The Tarrhem chose to resist the 
  Empress and were virtually destroyed as a result. 
  Eager for a way to strike back, Dr. Archon eventu-
  ally joined the Crusaders of the Infinite Realites and 
  his put his powers to use against the Empire ever 
  since.
  Personality/Motivation: Despite a long and storied 
  career as both superhero and Crusader, Dr. Archon 
  still has some of the traits of the exuberant, enthu-
  siastic kid he was in his youth. He tends to charge 
  headlong into situations he’s not entirely prepared 
  or equipped to handle. This overconfidence has 
  gotten him and the Crusaders into serious trouble 
  more than once, but somehow he always comes out 
  ahead... so far.
  Although he rarely talks about it, Dr. Archon 
  is very much aware of the fact that he’s one of the 
  last, if not the last, bearer of the Tarrhem mystic 
  and occult traditions. Much of the lore he knows 
  may now be known to him alone in all the Multi-
  verse. He regards himself as its “custodian” and is 
  concerned that it may all be lost if he falls in battle. 
  In his spare time he feverishly writes down every-
  thing he can, filling entire volumes with Tarrhem 
  occult lore.
  Quote: “They couldn’t possibly have the power to 
  withstand us. Let’s go!”
  Powers/Tactics: Doctor Archon is a skilled practi-
  tioner of the mystic arts... sort of. Although he often 
  refers to his “masterful powers of magic,” the fact is 
  that he doesn’t have nearly as much mastery of his 
  magic as he should. Because he left training early 
  to become a superhero, he didn’t develop his Magic 
  Skill to the point where he should to maintain 
  control of his natural gift for magic. As long as he 
  uses no more than 60 Active Points’ worth of magic 
  per spell in his VPP, he has a 14- chance to succeed 
  with his Magic roll, which is pretty good odds. But 
  if he wants to use full power his roll plummets to 
  10-, making success considerably less likely. He’s 
  aware of this limitation and plans accordingly; 
  he’s also begun working with some of the other 
  Crusaders to try to improve his abilities.
  Should his spells fail him, Dr. Archon falls 
  back on his martial arts training and soulblade. 
  His masters in the Council of Wyverns held a 
  philosophy of “a sound mind in a sound body,” and 
  he shares that perspective. Unless circumstances 
  forbid he spends an hour per day practicing his 
  fighting techniques.
  Appearance: Doctor Archon is one of the last 
  surviving members of the Tarrhem, a mammalian 
  humanoid species that to Humans look rather 
  badger-like. The short fur covering his body was 
  once primarily grey and black, but has now shaded 
  to grey-white in places, signifying his advanced age. 
  He still wears his old superheroing costume: a red 
  tunic, high-colored, gold-lined red cape with mystic 
  sigils on the back, red footwear, and gold gloves.
  
  236 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  DOCTOR ARCHON
  DOCTOR ARCHON
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH damage [1]
  18 DEX 
  16 13-
  20 CON 
  10 13-
  23 INT 
  13 14- PER Roll 14-
  23 EGO 
  13 14-
  25 PRE 
  15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  8 
  OMCV 15
  8 
  DMCV 15
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 18 PD (10 rPD)
  10 ED 
  8  
  Total: 20 ED (10 rED)
  12 REC 
  8
  60 END 
  8
  12 BODY 
  2
  44 STUN 
  12  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 216
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  30m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Masterful Powers Of Magic: Variable Power Pool  
  (Magic Pool), 80 Pool + 100 Control Cost 
  var
  Powers Can Be Changed As A Half Phase Action 
  (+½); Only For Magic (-¼)
  33 
  Dr. Archon’s Soulblade: HKA 2d6 (2½d6 with STR) 
  0
  ACV (uses OMCV versus DMCV; +¼), Double 
  Knockback (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  OAF (-1)
  16 
  Dr. Archon’s Soulblade: Aid OMCV and DMCV 4d6 
  0
  Expanded Effect (two Characteristics simultaneously; 
  +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), 
  Only Aid Self (-1)
   
  Martial Arts: Tarrhemian “Karate”
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm, 25 STR
  4 
  Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge all attacks, Abort
  4 
  Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  30 STR vs. Grabs
  3 
  Joint Lock/Grab 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab, 25 STR
  5 
  Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  7d6 Strike
  3 
  Legsweep 
  +2 
  -1 
  4d6 Strike, Target Falls
  4 
  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  5d6 Strike
  3 
  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  3d6 +v/10, Target Falls
  4 
  Tigla Strike 
  -1 
  +1 
  2d6 NND (1)
  1 
  Use Art with Blades
  18 
  Mantle Of Mastery: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) 7
  Allocatable (+¼) ; Costs Endurance (-½), Side Effects 
  (coloration of Mantle reveals Dr. Archon’s Good nature, 
  always occurs; -½)
  10 
  Arcane Defenses: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Arcane Defenses: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  45 
  Wings Of The Zephirim: Flight 30m 
  0
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
   
  Skills
  8 
  +1 with Ranged Combat
  3 
  Deduction 14-
  2 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11-
  2 
  KS: The Multiverse 11-
  2 
  KS: The Mystic World 11-
  3 
  KS: Tarrhem Mysticism 14-
  2 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 14-
  3 
  Paramedics 14-
  15 
  Power: Magic 20-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 357
  Total Cost: 573
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Wants To Destroy The 
  V’hanian Empire (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Overconfidence (Very 
  Common, Moderate)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 173
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  237
  QQETHru HELQ
  QQETHru HELQ
  Background/History: In the dimension Jrevdig 
  exists a star called Lereq’sa. Eons ago a species 
  evolved to live in the Lereq’sa system — not on one 
  of its planets, but in the system itself. According 
  to their beliefs, this people, the eQ’sashi, coalesced 
  from stellar dust much like the starts themselves. 
  Their bodies aren’t fully “solid” and don’t react well 
  to the pull of gravity; they live in an asteroid belt 
  relatively near Lereq’sa, or in space itself.
  Like many other sentient species, the eQ’sashi 
  have their own special mystical traditions and lore. 
  Among other things, they believe that every three 
  generations a special eQ’sashi is born: the uth’aji, 
  he who can wield the power of req’asa, the Mystic 
  Flame. The uth’aji not only can learn all the spells 
  known to eQ’sashi arcane lore, he can tap the occult 
  energies of Lereq’sa to wield potent mystic fire 
  powers.
  Qqethru Helq is but the latest in a line of uth’aju 
  dating back millennia... and of all of them, he is 
  the most disappointing. Instead of bearing the 
  responsibility conferred by his powers with nobility 
  and grace, and thus becoming a hero and protector 
  of his people, he chose to use his magic selfishly. 
  Even worse, when the V’hanian Empire attacked 
  the eQ’sashi as part of its campaign to conquer 
  Jrevdig, Helq simply fled the dimension rather than 
  fight back. The Empress, considering him a threat, 
  ordered the Imperial Legions to pursue and destroy 
  him. Several times he barely escaped them with his 
  life, and finally realized that despite his dislike of 
  other people, he needed allies. That soon led him to 
  the Crusaders of the Infinite Realities.
  Personality/Motivation: Unlike many of his fellow 
  Crusaders, Helq isn’t a member of the group to 
  get revenge on Istvatha V’han, or because he’s 
  a Robin Hood type. He’s there because it’s the 
  best way to get to do the things he loves — make 
  trouble, destroy things, steal stuff, and kill people 
  who annoy him — without suffering any legal 
  consequences. The odds are it’s only a matter of 
  time before another Crusader gets on his bad side 
  enough to prompt him to violent action, after 
  which he’ll have to flee the group and survive on his 
  own again. The leaders of the Crusaders are aware 
  of the danger he poses and keep as close an eye on 
  him as they can; they don’t simply get rid of him 
  because his firepower (no pun intended) is a major 
  asset for the group.
  As a member of the eQ’sashi, Helq has a lot of 
  scorn for the “planetbound” — for fully solid beings 
  who have to live inside a gravity well. To him that’s 
  a sign of weakness and dependence, whereas his 
  species is free and strong. Given the difficulties 
  he has in gravity (see below), he avoids entering 
  gravity wells whenever he can.
  Quote: “The fires of your star may have given your 
  world life — but through me they will give you 
  death!”
  Powers/Tactics: Qqethru Helq would be accounted 
  a powerful mystic even if all he could do were cast 
  typical spells. But his ability to call on the power 
  of the Mystic Flame of his people makes him even 
  more powerful. He can project blasts of flame, 
  protect himself with a mantle of fire, and so on.
  What’s worse for his foes is that he becomes 
  even more powerful when he’s near a star. He can 
  “tap” the mystic power inherent in any star to 
  augment the Mystic Flame. In game terms, this 
  qualifies as an Aid, but how much Aid he can use 
  depends on how close he is to a star. If he’s within 
  10,000 km of a star’s corona, he can use his full 
  20d6. For each 1 million km beyond that, subtract 
  an additional 1d6, down to a minimum of 1d6 
  provided he’s within 2 AU of a star.
  As an eQ’sashi, Helq possesses only a partly solid 
  body. This makes it hard to hurt him and allows 
  him to survive unaided in outer space. However, his 
  “tissue” does not react well to strong gravitic pulls, 
  like what one experiences on or near a planet. For 
  every 1.0 G (or fraction thereof) he experiences, 
  he suffers a -1 to all physical Skill Rolls (such as 
  Riding and Stealth). (He doesn’t experience this in 
  the Crusaders’ extradimensional base, where the 
  gravity is created through mystic means.)
  Appearance: As a member of the eQ’sashi, Qqethru 
  Helq has a humanoid body that seems simply 
  formed and largely featureless to “solid” sentient 
  species; it also feels oddly soft to the touch. His skin 
  is an orange-ish shade and he wears no garments 
  (he has no external genitalia as far as anyone can 
  see, so this doesn’t cause problems). His soulblade 
  looks like a sword made of living flame.
  
  238 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  QQETHRU HELQ
  QQETHRU HELQ
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH damage [1]
  20 DEX 
  20 13-
  13 CON 
  3 12-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  18 EGO 
  8 13-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  7 
  OCV 
  20
  7 
  DCV 
  20
  6 
  OMCV 15
  6 
  DMCV 15
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 8 PD (3 rPD)
  20 ED 
  18  
  Total: 20 ED (7 rED)
  15 REC 
  11
  60 END 
  8
  8 
  BODY 
  -2
  48 STUN 
  14  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 206
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  20m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  67 
  The Mystic Flame: Multipower, 67-point reserve
  6f 
  1) Invocation Of The Flame: Blast 10d6 
  2
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  6f 
  2) Essence Of The Flame: RKA 3d6 
  2
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  6f 
  3) The Flowering Of The Flame: Blast 8d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (18m Radius Explosion; +½)
  6f 
  4) The Flame Commanded: RKA 2d6 
  2
  Indirect (Source Point is always Helq, but Path can 
  alter to can strike target from any angle; +½), +1 
  Increased STUN Multiplier (+¼), Reduced Endurance 
  (½ END; +¼)
  37 
  Mantle Of The Flame: RKA 2d6 
  0
  Constant (+½), Area Of Effect (personal Surface — 
  Damage Shield; +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Persistent (+¼); Always On (-½), No Range (-½)
  60 
   Wall Of The Flame: RKA 2d6 
  3
  Area Of Effect (25m long, 4m high Line; +¾), 
  Constant (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); No 
  Knockback (-¼)
  100 
  The Heart Of The Flame: Aid Fire Magics 20d6 
  0
  Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any two Fire Magic 
  powers or spells at once; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Requires Proximity To A Star (see text; -2)
  60 
  Other Magics: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 40 Pool 
  + 50 Control Cost 
  var
  Only For Magic (-¼)
  37 
  Qqethru Helq’s Soulblade: HKA 2d6 (2d6+1 with STR) 0
  Armor Piercing (x2; +½), +2 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier (x2; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  OAF (-1)
  25 
  Qqethru Helq’s Soulblade: Variable Power Pool  
  +20 Pool + +20 Control Cost 
  var
  OAF (-1)
  5  
  EQ’ashi Form: Resistant (+½) for 3 PD/7 ED 
  0
  50 
  EQ’ashi Form: Damage Negation (-4 DCs Physical, -6 
  DCs Energy) 
  0
  10 
  Shield Of The Uth’aji: Mental Defense (10 points) 
  0
  10 
  Shield Of The Uth’aji: Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  19 
  EQ’ashi Form: Life Support (Diminished Eating: only 
  needs to eat once per week provided he has access  
  to stellar light/energy; Safe Environments: Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum,  
  Radiation; Self-Contained Breathing) 
  0
  10 
   EQ’ashi Flight: Flight 20m 
  2
  Only In Outer Space Or Less Than 0.6 G (-1)
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 with The Mystic Flame Multipower
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  6 
  KS: Fire Magics 16-
  3 
  KS: The Multiverse 13-
  3 
  KS: The Mystic World 13-
  3 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Space) 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  25 
  Power: Magic 24-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  2 
  SS: Astronomy 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 586
  Total Cost: 792
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Physical Complication: hampered by gravity (see text) 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Self-Centered, Greedy, And 
  Amoral (Common, Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 75
  Experience Points: 392
  
  Book Of The Empress n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  239
  SHIMMErING SCArLET
  SHIMMErING SCArLET
  Background/History: The Peravol are one of the 
  strangest species in the Multiverse. Their bodies 
  seem to be composed half of flesh and half of 
  energy in a way that defies conventional science. 
  Some scholars suspect that the Peravol’s condition 
  derives from some sort of mystic origin, and the 
  fact that some of them can become powerful super-
  mages offers some support for this theory.
  Shimmering Scarlet (the closest possible transla-
  tion of his name, since the Peravol communication 
  through unusual energy transmissions) is one of 
  the most skilled mystics among his people. Unfor-
  tunately for them he was absent from their home 
  dimension on a multi-year, multi-dimensional 
  “enlightenment quest” when the V’hanian Empire 
  invaded. Recognizing the many potential uses for 
  such an unusual species, Empress Istvatha had 
  them all enslaved. Millions of Peravol are now scat-
  tered throughout imperial territory, doing all sorts 
  of strange (and often dangerous) tasks for their 
  overlords... and Shimmering Scarlet has made it his 
  life’s work to find and free them all.
  Personality/Motivation: Shimmering Scarlet is 
  wracked with guilt over his “failure” to save his 
  people from the V’hanian invasion. Logically he’s 
  aware that he’d probably just have been killed in 
  battle by the Imperial Legions, but emotionally 
  he’s convinced he could have made a difference. To 
  atone for this failure he’s dedicated his life to freeing 
  every single one of his people. Anytime he learns 
  where one of them is forced to work he tries to 
  convince the Crusaders to help him mount a raid. 
  He transports any Peravol he frees to a new home 
  in a dimension the Empire isn’t yet aware of (as far 
  as he knows).
  Quote: “Whatever it takes... however long it takes... 
  I will save the Peravol.”
  Powers/Tactics: Shimmering Scarlet is one of the 
  most powerful Peravol mystics alive (and certainly 
  the most powerful one not held captive by the 
  Empire). He specializes in spells involving energy 
  manipulation (which come easily to his people 
  given their nature) and transmutation. (If you want 
  to expand his transmutation powers further, see the 
  “Matter Manipulation Powers” section of Cham-
  pions Powers.) But he commands a wide variety of 
  other magics through his Variable Power Pool as 
  well (see the “Superheroic Thaumaturgy” section of 
  The HERO System Grimoire for example spells he 
  could cast with his VPP.)
  His Peravol form gives Shimmering Scarlet a 
  number of other “powers.” He can fly by emitting 
  energy from his feet. He’s much more difficult to 
  harm than a being made entirely of flesh, and can 
  survive the most hostile environments without 
  difficulty. He can naturally receive and transmit 
  along the entire communications spectrum, and 
  can also generate light pulses (and even “holo-
  grams”) with his body to “talk” to other Peravol (or 
  just to entertain friends from other species).
  Shimmering Scarlet has no soulblade; the 
  Peravol have no tradition of making or using melee 
  weapons. 
  Appearance: Shimmering Scarlet is a member of 
  the Peravol, a species that looks, to Human eyes, 
  like a sort of wingless gargoyle made partly of flesh 
  and partly of energy. As his name implies, his ener-
  gies are in rich shades of red. His only garment is a 
  gold-colored short cape.
  
  240 n Crusaders Of The Infinite Realities 
  Hero System 6th Edition
  SHIMMERING SCARLET
  SHIMMERING SCARLET
  Val Char Cost Roll Notes
  5 
  STR 
  -5 10- Lift 50 kg; xd6 HTH damage [x]
  21 DEX 
  22 13-
  18 CON 
  8 13-
  20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll 13-
  20 EGO 
  10 13-
  20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
  6 
  OCV 
  15
  8 
  DCV 
  25
  7 
  OMCV 12
  7 
  DMCV 12
  5 
  SPD 
  30  
  Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12
  8 
  PD 
  6  
  Total: 20 PD (12 rPD)
  15 ED 
  13  
  Total: 27 ED (12 rED)
  10 REC 
  6
  50 END 
  6
  10 BODY 
  0
  40 STUN 
  10  
  Total Characteristics Cost: 190
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  12m
   
  Flight: 
  15m
  Cost Powers 
  END
  80 
  Energy Manipulation Magics: Multipower, 80-point 
  powers
  6f  
  1) Arcane Beam Bolt I: Blast 12d6 
  6
  8f 
  2) Arcane Beam II: Blast 8d6 
  8
  Variable Advantage (+½ Advantages; +1)
  6f 
  3) Arcane Explosion: Blast 8d6 
  6
  Area Of Effect (20m Radius Explosion; +½)
  5f 
  4) Arcane Flare: Sight Group Flash 12d6 
  6
  6f 
  5) Energy Constructs: Telekinesis (40 STR) 
  6
  4f 
  6) Energy Control: Telekinesis (40 “STR”) 
  6
  Only Works On Energy (see APG 122; -½)
  103 
  Transmutation Magics: Severe Transform 6d6 (anything 
  into anything; heals back through another application 
  of this or a similar power) 
  9
  Improved Results Group (anything; +1), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½)
  84 
  Peravol Mystic Power: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 
  60 Pool + 60 Control Cost 
  var
  Only For Magic (-¼)
  54 
  Peravol Mystic Shield: Resistant Protection (12 PD/12 
  ED/6 Mental Defense/6 Power Defense) 
  0
  40 
  Quasi-Energy Body: Damage Negation (-4 DCs Physical 
  and Energy) 
  0
  15 
  Peravol Energy Flying: Flight 15m 
  1
  7 
  Light Emissions Communications: Sight Group Images 1
  No Range (-½)
  12 
  Radio Communications: HRRP (Radio Group) 
  0
  35 
  Quasi-Energy Body: Life Support: Total 
  0
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with Ranged Combat
  3 
  Analyze Magic 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 13-
  3 
  KS: The Multiverse 13-
  3 
  KS: The Mystic World 13-
  2 
  KS: Peravol Culture And History 11-
  2 
  Navigation (Dimensional) 13-
  21 
  Power: Magic 22-
  2 
  SS: Physics 11-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 719
  Total Cost: 909
  400 Matching Complications (75)
  30 
  Hunted: V’hanian Empire (Frequently, Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture/Kill)
  15 
  Hunted: the Time-Beast (Infrequently, Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Psychological Complication: Wants To Free His People 
  From The V’hanian Empire (Common, Strong)
  Total Complications Points: 60
  Experience Points: 509
  
  the power of 
  THE EMPRESS
  The Champions Universe features many deadly supervillains, 
  but perhaps the most dangerous of them all is Istvatha V’han, 
  Empress of a Billion Dimensions. Ruler of an empire that en-
  compasses much of the Multiverse, she now has her sights set 
  on the greatest prize of all:  Champions Universe Earth!
  The Book Of The Empress is your guide to everything about 
  Istvatha V’han. It features:
   
  H
  The Book Of The Empress is your guide to everything about 
  Istvatha V’han. It features:
   
  H
  a history of the Empress, from her earliest days conquering 
  single planets up to her recent attempts to invade Earth’s 
  dimension
   
  H
  an in-depth look at the Empress herself — her powers, mo-
  tivations, and resources
   
  H
  a review of the Imperial Legions — the mighty V’hanian 
  military — including its regular soldiers, superhuman sol-
  diers, weapons, and vehicles
   
  H
  a description of the Multiverse of the Champions Universe, 
  including its nature, its structure, and numerous example 
  dimensions
   
  H
  a description of the V’hanian Empire itself, including V’han’s 
  regents and viceroys, the imperial bureaucracy, the Imperial 
  Security Force, how she plans and executes the conquest of 
  a dimension, and her current plans for Earth
   
  H
  suggestions on how to use Istvatha V’han in your campaign, 
  including plot seeds
   
  H
  a discussion of dimensional campaigning, including a 
  Random Dimension Generator the GM can use to quickly 
  create new dimensions
  So tell your heroes to get ready — it’s time for them to confront 
  the dimension-conquering power of Istvatha V’han!
  HERO
  GAMES
  ISBN: 978-1-58366-142-0  DOJHERO1107 $39.99 US
  www.herogames.com
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero Games/6th Edition/DOJHERO 1107 - Hero System 6th - Book of the Empress.pdf