Series Guide

NETHERWAR SERIES GUIDE

T
he shadows grow long, the night is cold, and dark power flows to ally defeated the Dark Lord, consuming her entirely in a blast of pri-
those with dark intentions. Earth has plunged headfirst into the mordial magic, but by ancient decree she inherited Una’s empire and
NetherWar, and no one even knows they’re fighting for their lives. title. Unlike Earth-Prime, Una’s Netherworld and the 999 worlds she
had conquered were shattered wraiths, held together by magic and
Ever since he first discovered the lost Temple of Sirrion, Adrian Eldrich willpower rather than the laws of physics. Without a Dark Lord, Una’s
has protected Earth-Prime from the wicked forces that covet the world. empire would literally crumble and cast untold billions of lives into the
The mantle of Master Mage—granted to him by ancient spirits of At- void. Unable to let the masses perish, Seven reluctantly accepted this
lantean mages—was thrust upon him as a desperate reaction to pow- new responsibility, and left Earth-Prime behind.
erful dark magics that had begun to fester in the shadows of the world
following the death of Master Mage Lady Violet Pennyworth over 40 And the mantle of the Master Mage has remained unclaimed ever
years earlier. He tamed evil wizards, elemental forces, demons, gods, since, leaving Earth-Prime unguarded from evil supernatural influence
and powerful Dark Lords—the Master Mages of other dimensions and conspiracy.
whose greed and corruption twisted them into malignant reflections.
Just as it had before Eldrich was called, dark magic has begun to flex it-
And eight years ago, without cause or fanfare, he died. self and reach deep into the world of Earth-Prime. Spirits offer corrupt-
ing deals to the easily tempted, demons embrace dark souls to grow
The power and responsibility of Master Mage passed quietly to El- their number, and cults and dark wizards plot, all with no appointed
drich’s apprentice, the young witch Seven. Within weeks, Seven was force to balance out their rising tide of evil. Cynical mystics even insist
tested against Eldrich’s ultimate foe: Una the Unrelenting, Dark Lord that this dark tide has corrupted the souls of common people, stoking
of the Netherworld. With Eldrich gone, all the contracts he brokered xenophobia and apathy in once-gentle hearts. Technological villains
on Earth-Prime’s behalf expired, including the fateful deal that kept like Maestro and Toy Boy have found new leases on life through literal
the omniverse’s most powerful sorcerer from conquering Earth! Una deals with the devil, while those already empowered by magic have
invaded, tricking the role of Master Mage out of Seven’s grasp, and found their powers growing stronger as the vile things in the shadows
imposing her own malignant will upon Earth’s magic. Seven eventu- fuel their flames.

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But something far darker grows. A wicked seed planted years ago
and left to flourish in Earth-Prime’s magical essence. A new god is KNOWN MASTER MAGES
awakening, and her minions need only destroy Eldrich’s few remain-
While many have shouldered the burden of Master Mage over
ing safeguards to unleash her onto this world and countless others
the eons, many names have been lost to the sands of history or
beyond.
deliberately erased, sometimes by their enemies, but other times
by wizards themselves to protect their works and families. Those
WHAT IS NETHERWAR? Master Mages known to have played a major role in the history of
Earth-Prime include:
NetherWar is a multi-part Mutants & Masterminds adventure arc that tells • Ios the Seer (Unknown)
the story of rising dark magic on Earth-Prime and the hidden divine • Malador the Mystic (Unknown)
force that is accelerating the world’s corruption. It plays out over five • Naran the Wise (ancient Atlantis)
adventures in the Astonishing Adventures PDF series—Assault on the • Simon Magus (circa 100 CE)
Nerian Nexus, The Pentagram Peril, Broken Strings, Bound by Gold, and • Merlin (700-unknown)
Three Made One—as well as a sixth adventure that serves as a prequel, • Abraham Hildebrandt (Unknown-1871)
Master of Earth. Any of the adventures can be played alone, but when • Broken Crow (1871-1890)
played together they form on ongoing story arc like you might find • Lady Violet Pennyworth (1890-1895)
in a major crossover event from your favorite comic series. It covers a • Adrian Eldrich (1935-2013)
variety of themes, including duty versus responsibility and the com-
promises people make to survive… or to help others.

The NetherWar arc is designed for a team of 4-6 heroes of PL 10, and PL, but should adjust the challenge provided by the villains and var-
will provide enough experience for heroes to grow to PL 11 before its ious challenges to compensate and/or provide more or fewer Hero
end. Game Masters can run the series with heroes of higher or lower Points than outlined in each adventure.

PLAYER’S GUIDE TO NETHERWAR

While the rise of evil magic is the focus of the storyline, you are by events. The gradual evolution of a magician’s status to this point car-
no means limited to creating only magic-based heroes to play it out. ries its own benefits and reputation:
While heroic wizards, mystic knights, and divinely empowered cham-
pions play a definite thematic role, knowledge of the supernatural isn’t • Status 1 Adept of Note): Many magical beings have heard of the
necessary to defeat the danger and save the day. Heroes only need to hero or at least whoever trained them in the arts and are more
likely to take them seriously as a friend or foe.
be brave, resourceful, and compassionate. If they succeed, they can
slow the rising power of evil until a new Master Mage can be found, • Status 2 (Potential Inheritor): The hero’s name is known to
but if they fail, Earth-Prime could be plunged into chaos and ripped many magical creatures and spellcasters, and many suspect they
apart at its magical seams! could be the next Master Mage if they’re clever.
The heroes will gain a powerful magical ally early in the series: Adri- • Status 3 (Heir Apparent): Most beings in the magical communi-
an Eldrich’s former apprentice Seven. Seven’s position as Dark Lord of ty recognize the hero’s name or reputation, and generally accept
Una’s former holdings prevents her from returning to Earth for now, that they will become the next Master Mage. They may try to in-
but she can contact the heroes to provide insight and expertise they gratiate themselves or go out of their way to target the hero.
may lack. Players who play through the NetherWar prequel adventure
can even fight alongside Seven or step into her shoes in her tense bat- • Status 4 (Master Mage): The hero has gained the title of Master
tle against Una. Mage and can demand respect and deference from the magical
beings of their world. Other spellcasters are at least aware of their
name and power.
THE ROLE OF A MASTER MAGE The Master Mage also acts as a lens to focus the magic of their world,
The power and responsibilities of a Master Mage crops up time and a task requiring incredible will. A good-hearted or disciplined Master
time again throughout the NetherWar storyline. A dimension’s Master Mage tames the wild surges of magic that can cause strange phenom-
Mage serves as a guardian and shepherd for its magical energy, au- enon and disasters, while refining the magic of their world into a form
thorized by the mystic powers that be to negotiate and bargain on be- easier for like-minded spellcasters to harness. But a corrupt Master
half of their entire realm—a sort of cosmic power of attorney. Malador Mage taints the magic of their world with their inner demons, coloring
the Mystic, for example, once offered up all of Earth to his dark gods the arcane energy with their same rage, perversion, or lust for pow-
in exchange for power—and even those mystic powers aligned with er. Those who learn to harness that lens and direct the magic of their
light were bound to honor his arrangement even though they found it world ascend to Dark Lords, powerful beings straddling the divide be-
detestable and maneuvered their own agents to undermine it. tween mortal and god, whose realms reflect their twisted dispositions.
This effect is best handled as a narrative element of the position; as a
In mechanical terms, being a Master Mage is a rank 4 status Benefit. character acting as the Master Mage for their dimension changes their
Heroes hoping to take on the status of Master Mage themselves can behavior and outlook, it becomes easier for magical beings aligned
gradually purchase ranks in this Advantage over the course of the with that outlook to enter their world, and more difficult for opposing
series, but cannot purchase their final rank until the conclusion of practitioners to harness the plane’s magical energy.

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A Master Mage’s final role is arbiter and authority over the magical Expertise (Freedom City): Much of the NetherWar story arc is based
forces of their realm. The mantle comes with considerable respect on the history and characters of Freedom City, and some knowledge
from mystics and spellcasters, and even those who don’t directly obey of the city’s history will help heroes know who’s who. If your Game
the Master Mage must at least pay their words heed. Many magical Master plans to set NetherWar in a different city, swap out for the ap-
creatures native to their realm are compelled to obey their direct or- propriate Expertise or consider a variation like “Villains” or “Local His-
ders, while mystic beings from other dimensions can sometimes be tory.” This is doubly true if no one in your team has Expertise (Magic).
driven back to their own realms through force of will alone. This effect
Expertise (Magic): Unsurprisingly, a little knowledge of magic—even
is generally handled as a plot device, but Game Masters may allow a
if a hero isn’t a magician themselves—will help the entire team un-
Master Mage to use their ranks in the Benefit (Status: Master Mage) ad-
derstand the personalities and stakes involved and recognize magical
vantage as Luck that can only be spent on social interactions against
creatures and artifacts.
magical creatures.
Insight: Trickery is afoot! Magical beings are rarely straightforward
That potential for corruption is why the mantle of Master Mage is so care-
in their dealings, and many are intentionally misleading, even if they
fully tended and guarded. The title is normally passed via ritual—a circle
aren’t explicitly lying. Insight can help a hero know when to keep on
of spellcasters can call the mantle down, once it is freed by its current
their toes or when they’re on the bad end of a deal.
holder’s death—but it can pass naturally through a strong bond, such as
from master to apprentice, or be won in a duel arcane if the current bear- Investigation: There are many mysteries and crossed motivations at
er of the title agrees. Magics that can unwillingly strip the mantle from a the heart of the NetherWar and having at least one team member who
host are forbidden by the oldest pacts, and even the darkest entities— can scout out clues and suss out their meaning will help your heroes
Bal’hemoth, Kar’Kradas, Shatachna, Vhoka—devour adherents who turn get to the heart of the conflict.
to such arts. Only forces of true chaos such as the Howling Dream and
the Unspeakable One would give power to such rituals. Persuasion: The magical world is filled with neutral agents—neither
good nor evil—who can be swayed to assist either side, not to men-
Without a Master Mage, the Earth realm has no shepherd and no lens. tion ancient vendettas between villains that heroes can use to their
Its magic runs wild and untamed, licking at the heels of civilization advantage. A hero or two skilled in gathering information from living
and twisting the dreams of mortals into strange new forms. Normally, sources can likewise back up the efforts of an investigative hero.
chaotic beings would be drawn to this increasingly feral ecosystem,
but evil, as always, is opportunistic. And without a guardian to hold Technology: While the primary adversaries of NetherWar are magical
them back, terrible things flourish. beings, the heroes will still encounter technological challenges they
must overcome, computers to access, and locks to defeat. Given how
unfamiliar most of the magical community is with modern technolo-
CREATING NETHERWAR HEROES gy, this skill may even be an ace in the hole—an unexpected solution
to problems their enemies never considered.
As mentioned before, heroes don’t need to be particularly magically
inclined to enjoy the NetherWar story arc. A team of science-focused
heroes is just as appropriate as a team of alchemists. Any existing char-
ADVANTAGES
acter you have can enjoy playing through NetherWar and saving the
NetherWar includes plenty of dramatic conflicts between good and
world from evil magic.
evil, so all the old combat staples—Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack,
If you’re making a new hero from scratch for these adventures, or lev- Power Attack, and so on—will help keep the heroes’ tactics flexible
eling up your existing hero, consider some of the following advice to against a variety of foes.
get the most out of the experience.
Several Advantages allow players to choose how and when they ap-
ply. For these options, consider the following:
LEGACIES
BENEFIT
If you would like to tie your character’s background more directly into
There are several applications of the Benefit Advantage that can cater
the magical history of Freedom City or Earth-Prime, you may want to
specifically to the story and themes of the NetherWar story arc.
create an apprentice of Adrian Eldrich or Seven who is carrying out
their duties in their absence. If this doesn’t appeal to you, Freedom City • Apprentice Master: You studied under a powerful spellcaster—
includes several mystic and mystic-adjacent legacies you can select, perhaps even Eldrich or Seven—to help prepare you to take over
such as the Light-Bearer, a champion of light destined to fight back the role of Master Mage one day. You’re a prime candidate to in-
against the rising darkness, or the Scarab, a reincarnating psychic hero herit the title of Master Mage one day, particularly after a major
who has stood against corrupt mages time and time again. A heroic act of heroism. Your reputation grants you a +2 circumstance
mage may be one of the Door Wardens (see the Atlas of Earth-Prime), bonus on Persuasion checks against mages and magical beings
masters of interdimensional magic who guard Earth from outside who respect the Master Mage, and a +2 circumstance bonus on
threats and monitor magical transport. Intimidation checks against mages and magical beings who hate
or fear the Master Mage.
SKILLS • Cynical: Everything has a scientific explanation, and just because
we can’t explain something yet doesn’t mean it’s “magic” any
As always, a good mix of skills and specializations is important to a more than a Neanderthal not understanding electronics makes a
superhero team. The challenges throughout the story arc call upon a smartphone magic. You gain a +1 bonus to your Will defense and
hero’s wits, physicality, and empathy, and many scenes allow for cre- Fortitude defense that is only effective against attacks with the
ative solutions. magic descriptor. PL caps still apply to this bonus.

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• Spiritual Diplomat: Whether you have spiritualist ancestors or
died briefly and returned, the spirit world sees you as an arbiter BECOMING MASTER MAGE
or conduit between them and the living. Unaligned magical crea-
As a mystic force, the title of Master Mage requires ritual and cer-
tures and ghosts won’t attack you unprovoked and begin with
emony to pass along. It is normally passed from master to ap-
an Indifferent or Favorable attitude toward you, and you gain a prentice, or between peers when one’s time comes. Lacking ritual
+2 bonus to Persuasion checks against spirits, ghosts, and magi- to direct it, the mantle frees itself when its previous bearer dies
cal creatures that aren’t hostile to you. For an additional 2 ranks, and may leap to a shining beacon of potential. It might also lie
you can also see ghosts, spirits, and magical creatures who are dormant for decades, as it has done recently, and as it did before
normally invisible (and spellcasters using Concealment effects). passing to Eldrich in 1935.
• Sixth Sense: You get a chill up your spine when too close to the The title of Master Mage does not come with any direct magical
supernatural, allowing you to identify magic and supernatural ef- power. Instead, a bearer must already wield mystic arts to be able
fects nearby with a Perception check (DC 10, with a -1 penalty to to accept the title. In Adrian Eldrich’s case, the spirits of bygone
your check per 10 feet of distance). For 2 ranks, you may use this Atlantean sages used their power to unlock his own knowledge
keen sense to track magical effects and creatures to their source. of magic from a previous life, in essence “jump-starting” him into
This is essentially an Advantage version of the Senses (Magic the role. Normally, the title falls to an experienced practitioner
Awareness) and Senses (Tracking) powers. who is well-known in the mystical community of their dimension.
• Weak Aura: Your aura is muted and difficult for supernatural
creatures to detect, perhaps due to chronic illness, cybernetic
apply such powers to. In these cases, Gamemasters should award the
parts, or skeptical nature. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on
handicapped hero a Hero Point for losing access to one of their major
Stealth checks to avoid being noticed by supernatural creatures
abilities. Powers that simply derive from technology, like high-tech de-
and spellcasters, and creatures that can sense the dead or detect
vices and powersuits, generally won’t be affected by this limitation.
life may mistake you for dead with a successful Deception check.
Players interested in playing mystics in this series will find the Magic
EQUIPMENT Powers and Mental Powers sections of Power Profiles especially use-
ful. The Magical Powers section also includes named entities who will
Any equipment is appropriate for this story arc, but your Game Mas- appear at least in name over the NetherWar adventures.
ter may allow your heroes to acquire low-power magical devices as
equipment rather than devices. You heroes will have the opportunity A few specific notes on powers include:
to acquire a magical headquarters early in the story arc, and so you
may wish to set aside 3-5 equipment points for this during character • Damage: Many magical beings have oddly specific weaknesses
creation. to particular substances, elements, or even colors. Take the extra
effort to describe your damage effects in detail and it might pay
off.
FAVORED ENVIRONMENT
• Immunity (Magic): Given the ubiquity of magic as a power de-
NetherWar is a globetrotting series of adventures that takes heroes to
scriptor among the opponents in NetherWar, immunity to magic
strange corners of the world as well as magical planes of existence.
is a significant advantage given its low cost of 10pp. Game Mas-
Frequently visited terrain includes “Mystic Dimensions”, “Under-
ters may decide to require the Limited (half effect) flaw, increase
ground”, and “Urban.”
the cost of magic immunity to 20 points, given how common
magic will be, or both. It’s also important to remember that while
FAVORED FOE Immunity to magic effects renders you safe from magic target-
Heroes will still face killer robots and mutants in addition to the mystic ing your hero directly, it doesn’t help when the magic is applied
threats, but arcane villains make up the bulk of opposition through- to something else. A hero immune to magic could still be blud-
out the NetherWar. Because of this, Game Masters may decide that geoned with a mystically levitated boulder, for example, or pum-
definitions for Favored Foe like “Magical Creatures” are too broad and meled by a minion whose strength is magically augmented.
that heroes will need to be more specific. Appropriate Favored Foes • Movement (Dimension Travel): The ability to travel into mystic
include “Demons”, “Ghosts and Spirits”, “Wizards”, “Magical Constructs”, dimensions (and back) will be a valuable tool in many of the Neth-
and “Cultists.”
erWar adventures, though the nature of mystic dimensions often
means that they may be easy to access and very difficult to exit,
LEADERSHIP even with appropriate powers.
More than most villains, magical villains are known for unleashing • Nullify (Magic): Like Immunity (Magic), the ability to neutralize
strange effects to instill fear, bind, or exhaust their foes, and so a hero magic may prove more valuable than its low point cost would
who can help their allies recover from such conditions will be a boon. suggest, even with the Broad Extra that normally requires. Your
Game Master might require a more narrow category of magical
effects, such as “magical curses,” “magical attacks,” “augmenta-
POWERS tions,” or increase the cost of Nullify (Magic) by one additional
point per rank.
A variety of powers will prove useful throughout NetherWar, but a few
may be more or less significant than normal due to the story arc’s fo- • Summoning: The ability to conjure minions is a common mag-
cus. In particular, powers that control technology may have limited ap- ical trope, but just as some mystic dimensions interfere with Di-
plication. The heroes will spend a fair amount of time in ancient tem- mension Travel powers, they may likewise disrupt a hero’s ability
ples and mystic dimensions where there won’t be much technology to to summon magical minions.

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COMPLICATIONS BEQUESTS
Complications provide a steady source of Hero Points for your char- At several points throughout the NetherWar adventure arc, characters
acters to use during an adventure, and on some occasions, magical have the option to inherit bits of magical bequest—magical objects,
effects may force Complications to come up, such as by invoking a contacts, control of locations, and titles—especially those left behind
character’s worst fears or inner demons. Including a few interesting by the absent Adrian Eldrich. Making use of any of these options re-
character faults—especially Obsessions, Phobias, Relationships, and quires investing power points—either experience or pp saved from
Responsibilities—can help you make the most of these scenes. character creation—and most are relatively inexpensive, ranging from
3-10pp. Not immediately spending the points to acquire a bequest
A few specific Complications require special consideration:
doesn’t mean the opportunity vanishes forever. Characters can retain
• Addiction (magic): Characters who worry about abusing their the physical items or have the potential to gain an ally for weeks or
magic will spend the entirety of NetherWar surrounded by temp- years to purchase later, or even draw upon in an emergency by spend-
tation, for better or for worse. ing a Hero Point to edit the scene. They simply don’t have the control
to make regular use of that bequest until you invest power points into
• Enemy: If a hero wants personal enemies that recur and have a it—magic is strange and willful, and so needs discipline and focus to
grudge against them personally throughout the course of the master, even if in one’s grasp.
NetherWar; Medea, Toy Boy, and Warden (see Freedom City) all ap-
pear multiple times in the course of events. Alternatively, you can The bequests in NetherWar exist as fun opportunities for a character
pick almost any magical villain and ask your Game Master to work to develop new abilities and resources. Your heroes aren’t obligated
them into the plot—either to replace one of these recurring vil- to keep any of the bequests and acquiring them isn’t central to com-
lains or to augment their numbers. Remember that your chosen pleting the plot. If more than one player wants to acquire the same
villain likely also gains the hero as an Enemy Complication, and bequest for their hero, discuss the options and the potential to share
so should also gain the equivalent of a Hero Point to spend when it. Two or more heroes can share the cost of a sidekick or headquarters,
they show up in the story. for example, but probably can’t wear the same magic cloak. In these
cases, the Game Master might want to introduce additional, similar
• Phobia: Powerful fears appear often in magic-associated super-
items or allow players to create their own bequests invested with sim-
hero stories, either the result of contact with a powerful super-
ilar backstories.
natural creature or haunting or because the hero’s focus on mind-
over-matter unintentionally lends power to their subconscious
dread. Common fears that may appear in NetherWar include
claustrophobia, snakes, demons, and the undead. TEAM DYNAMICS
• Power Loss: Casting magic spells almost always requires some If your gaming group is making a new team of heroes for the Nether-
element of potential Power Loss. Most mages cannot use their War adventure arc, it’s worth taking a moment to consider why they’re
powers when they can’t speak or gesture—such as when under- working together and are drawn into this storyline.
water, gagged, or bound by a snare attack. Others need special
implements—wands or staves or charms—to use their spells;
these implements may have no power on their own (and so ar-
DEFENDERS OF THE CITY
en’t devices), but are needed to focus the mage’s potential. Mag- The general assumption for a Mutants & Masterminds campaign is that
es and magical creatures bound to a particular element may lose the heroes are a team of like-minded defenders of the defenseless,
their powers when surrounded by the opposing element, such as who apply their unique powers to stop dangers too great for average
an air elementalist losing her powers when underground. people or authorities to stand against. This option can bring the great-
• Responsibility: Heroes with some duty or responsibility to main- est variety of skills and abilities to bear, as it doesn’t imply anything
tain the magical balance of the world will find plenty to motivate about the heroes’ origins or powers. It also means your team has a
them. Their dedication to a greater cause may occasionally mean weak thematic link to the events of the NetherWar; you stand against
siding with characters they dislike. Heroes bound to hunt and the rise of evil magic because it threatens your city and world—a he-
contain dangerous magical entities, for example, may need to ally roic effort, but hardly personal. Yet.
with shifty characters who have the ability to contain defeated
mages.
FORMER TEEN HEROES
• Weakness: A weakness to magic puts a hero at a severe disad-
vantage throughout the course of the NetherWar story arc, but Many months or even years separate the events of the NetherWar pre-
also gives that character the ability to earn plenty of Hero Points. quel adventure, Master of Earth, from the main storyline. With Master of
Common weakness effects against magic include halving the Earth focusing on teen heroes recruited from the Claremont Academy
hero’s appropriate defense bonus against magic effects or in- to help Seven defeat Una, that experience may tie heroes together,
creasing the severity of failed resistance checks by one step. In even years later, when villains begin plucking at the threads woven by
general, a hero only earns a Hero Point for a weakness the first Eldrich and Seven. Seven herself may even reach out to her one-time
time it shows up in a scene, not every time they’re targeted by allies to bring them back together to aid her while she is still unable
that effect, and only when that effect endangers the hero, not to return to Earth. This option gives the players some personal history
simply when it is present. Less omnipresent weaknesses to magic with events of the NetherWar while still giving them a huge variety
may include a sensitivity to magical travel that leaves the hero of options regarding their origins and powers. You should progress
fatigued for the next scene or the inability to benefit from magic whichever PL 8 teen heroes you use for Master of Earth to PL 10 before
effects like positive transformations and healing. continuing with the next adventure.

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MYSTIC INVESTIGATORS
The rising tide of dark magic is expected, but proceeding more quick-
ly than anyone thought it could, even without a Master Mage. Many
members of Earth-Prime’s magical community are concerned and
baffled by this turn of events and may band together to investigate
strange new developments. With the flexibility of magic and a descrip-
tor, heroes can still have a variety of abilities—a golem powerhouse
fighting alongside a demigod paragon, an energy controller fueled
by an elemental, and a traditional mage—but share some common
expertise and personal stake in tracking down the cause of these dire
events. The only drawback is that such heroes might feel out of place
investigating the ordinary crimes and non-magical villains that appear
in several NetherWar adventures, and Game Masters may need to work
to tie these events into the growing threat of corrupt magic.

RESEARCHERS
Rather than mystically inclined, the heroes are its equal and oppo- HISTORIAN
site—a team of science-minded individuals curious about phenom-
ena like the shift in Earth’s electromagnetic field and the rise of unex- You’re an academic or a diehard fan of something appropriate. You
plained events. These heroes likely share a common origin—similar to might be magically inclined, but you might just as easily be an an-
Freedom City’s Atom Family—that focuses on technology rather than thropologist or archaeologist in your secret identity who has spent
magic and have a goal of explaining the unexplained while protecting their life studying ritual beliefs or a superhero nerd with a soft spot for
the world. Game Masters may need to build some extra backstory into Adrian Eldrich’s 80 years of adventure. Finding yourself thrust into the
NetherWar adventures to help satisfy their heroes’ scientific curiosity middle of supernatural events is a double-edged sword: Sure, your life
when it comes to explaining magic effects, but this approach to the is in danger, but when else will anyone have the chance to study all
series can carry fun and powerful elements of opposition to it that this from the inside?
helps make stories like Ghosterbusters into memorable classics.
TRAIT SUGGESTIONS
SCARRED BY MAGIC
Intelligence might not be your best Ability, but it’s likely higher than
Rather than experts and representatives of the magical community, it needs to be and helps prop up the skills you need in order to learn
the heroes have all been personally victimized by the rise of dark mag- all you can, like Expertise (Magic), Expertise (Superheroes), Investi-
ic over the past several years. They may be afflicted with a curse that gation, and Insight. If you’re more of a documentarian, then getting
also provides them with inhuman powers, were cult sacrifices who people to open up and share what they know requires a decent Pres-
now linger as ghosts, or are the survivors of monster attacks who have ence and at least a few ranks in Persuasion (or Deception), while the
trained themselves in martial arts or mastered weapons to fight back. Second Chance and Ultimate Effort Advantages for your preferred
As with the Mystic Investigators option, these heroes have a deep per- information-gathering skills mean you’ll rarely miss a clue.
sonal stake in stemming the rise of evil magic, but may not possess
the same expertise, contacts, or even power source as the creatures COMPLICATIONS
they hunt. Heroes scarred by magic likely have a large variety of mag-
ic-related Complications that Game Masters should keep in mind and The following complications suit this role:
may be reluctant to work alongside the magical allies that appear in Curiosity: You’ll never learn anything if you don’t turn over every
the story arc. stone! You earn a Hero Point whenever your curiosity unleashes some-
thing unpleasant or you go easy on a villain so you can learn what
CONCEPT ROLES they know.

The idea of Concept Roles—first introduced in the M&M Superteam Obsession: Your interest borders on the unhealthy and can drive you
Handbook—is a narrative tool that allows heroes to fit into in the sto- to push yourself too hard. You can earn a Hero Point in exchange for
ry, to feel distinct, and help them stand out in a group that may have starting an adventure with the fatigued condition (or something simi-
characters with similar abilities and skills. It provides a distinct outlook lar) for a few scenes as a result of pushing yourself too hard.
and purpose and helps suggest character traits to back up a hero’s Responsibility: Your interests are at least partially professional—a
personality and place on the team. Any of the Concept Roles provid- university, publisher, or secret society wants to know what you know,
ed in the SuperTeam Handbook are appropriate for NetherWar, but the so you must make time for meetings and turn over many of your find-
specific nature of these adventures presents the opportunity for more ings. You might earn a Hero Point when these obligations leave you
specific roles. at a disadvantage—starting a scene in your secret identity or arriving
You can learn more about Concept Roles in Chapter 2 of the M&M late to an adventure, for example—or when crossing your employer
SuperTeam Handbook. causes you to lose access to Advantages like Connected, Equipment,
or Well-informed.

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INHERITOR LAYPERSON
You should have been the next Master Mage and you’re keenly aware You’re the uninitiated, average hero-on-the-street feeling in way over
that some character flaw cost you this opportunity. Maybe your in- your head with all this talk about magic, dimensions, and ancient his-
sufferable overconfidence made you seem self-destructive or your tory. It may as well be Latin… and a lot of it probably is. You spend a lot
own insecurities drove you to reject such an awesome responsibility. of time with a confused look, asking questions that should be obvious
A part of you is deeply drawn to anything related to the legacy of Mas- to your magical colleagues. In media, the layperson character serves
ter Mage, either to earn a second shot at the title or because you feel as an audience surrogate, letting the audience learn the secrets of
responsible for the growing problems. the world as the character does. But in Mutants & Masterminds, this role
offers the entire group the chance to ask questions about the basics
TRAIT SUGGESTIONS of history and how magic works, while providing you with the fun of
turning mystical technobabble into oversimplified metaphors.
Your powers are almost certainly magical in nature—probably tradi-
tional spellcasting, but maybe a specialization like alchemy, elemental TRAIT SUGGESTIONS
control, or time magic—and you likely boast an impressive Intelligence
or Awareness Ability to match. Skills like Expertise (Magic) and Advan- While you have immense flexibility in building your character, you
tages like Artificer and Ritualist help round out your problem-solving should steer clear of any of the options that would be thematically ap-
abilities, even if they sometimes require the investment of time. Your propriate, such as the Expertise (Magic) skill and magic-based powers.
years of training have probably also given you an impressive Will de- Instead, invest some power points into developing an unlikely interest
fense, although you might have a few gaps in your mental armor (see or skill that might be a fun and unexpected way to solve problems, like
Complications). singing ability, knowledge of pop culture, or an unbreakable optimism
that can inspire your friends.
COMPLICATIONS
COMPLICATIONS
The following complications suit this role:
The following complications suit this role:
Disappointment: Someone was training you to become the next
Master Mage and may be deeply disappointed in your lapse (or you Accident: As a complete neophyte in relation to anything magical,
might blame them for your failure). You earn a Hero Point whenever you have a tendency to poke artifacts, drink potions, or read forbidden
you play up this sour relationship, the relationship causes problems tomes aloud without understanding the gravity of what you’re doing.
for you, or you go out of your way to patch things up. Earn a Hero Point every time you accidentally make things worse by
not knowing what you’re doing.
Reputation: As a student intended for such a prestigious path, your
identity (and failure) are widely known in the magical community. You Honor: As one of the uninitiated, you don’t really have a horse in this
earn a Hero Point whenever your reputation worsens another person’s race. People have been ignorant of magic even when it was at its worst
starting attitude toward you or imposes a circumstance penalty on and still managed to survive. So, standing by others against terrible
your interaction checks (-2 or -5, depending on how that individual power is a matter of honor, friendship, or human decency for you. You
feels about you). earn a Hero point whenever your moral code pushes you to risk life
and limb against a greater foe, or you risk your life to help someone.
Weakness: Something in your personality leaves you especially vul-
nerable to certain kinds of manipulation. Your ego might make you Phobia: People fear what they don’t understand, and there is a lot you
more vulnerable to flattery and illusions that praise your glory, or your don’t understand… at least not yet. While a fear of magic is a little too
insecurity might leave you vulnerable to fear effects and intimidation. broad (and likely too ubiquitous), a fear of ghosts, fire, or monsters
You can only apply half your Will defense against your foible but you that leaves you Dazed or Impaired during an encounter earns you a
earn a Hero Point whenever it comes up. Hero Point whenever it comes up.

7
 Series Guide

SKEPTIC TRUE BELIEVER

If magic is real—and you’re not saying it is; quantum physics can go You aren’t necessarily a mystic, but you’re an eager student ready to
some pretty weird places—then it’s at least not this weird, quasi-divine learn the secrets of the world. There’s a lot of myth and superstition
force all these touchy-feely types keep telling you it is. Like any other surrounding the things you’re interested in, and until recently, you’ve
superpower, it’s just something that needs to be explained, and you’re never known what was true and what was fantasy. But now it seems
well-positioned to explain it by digging into its oldest traditions and like the whole magical world is collapsing in on itself, and maybe you
mythology. While your eagerness to explain the unexplainable doesn’t don’t have the knowledge to help, but by the gods, you have the will.
always endear you to mystically inclined friends, it does provide you
with an outside perspective that can be handy for solving problems. TRAIT SUGGESTIONS
TRAIT SUGGESTIONS You probably aren’t well-versed in the mystic arts, even if your powers
come from a magical source; but you’ve dedicated at least a little effort
You need a few non-magical Expertise specialties, such as Science, into developing related interests like Expertise (History), Expertise (Bi-
Psychology, or Anthropology—to help you dig for reasonable expla- ology), Expertise (Pop Culture), Insight, or Treatment. While you likely
nations for unreasonable things. You may also rely on the Technology don’t have access to any magic-specific Advantages, your boundless
skill to analyze or contain the strange things you encounter. You’re faith makes Diehard, Luck, and Extraordinary Effort natural fits. You
accustomed to making do and thinking on the fly, making Advantag- also likely benefit from either a respectable Intellect or Presence to
es like Improvised Tools, Improvised Weapon, and Throwing Mastery either justify your boundless curiosity or to make your ranting more
natural choices for you, as is Inventor if you’re technologically inclined. endearing than annoying.

COMPLICATIONS COMPLICATIONS
The following complications suit this role: The following complications suit this role:
Obsession: Your need to expose the truth can drive you to extremes. Naïve: You’re eager to defer to other, more experienced, mages if it
Whenever your need to dig below the surface of any issue leads into a leads to new insights. You gain a Hero Point whenever you choose to
dangerous situation, you earn a Hero Point. fail an Insight check against a magical being or spellcaster and just
believe whatever they tell you.
Secret: Your skepticism comes from some deeply personal experience
you don’t like to share. Maybe you had an unexplained encounter as a Relationship: A dear relative or friend was always there to support
child, maybe you were taken in by a con artist posing as a psychic, or you and fill your head with inspiring stories of a magical world just
maybe your parents are just leaders of a new-age sex cult and it’s really outside your reach. Now that you have the strength to stand on your
embarrassing. The stress of keeping the secret means you’re Fatigued own, it’s your turn to protect them. You earn a Hero Point whenever
when your secret might be revealed and Stunned for a round when your relation is threatened by a disaster or villain, or whenever your
someone else uses it against you—earning a Hero Point in either case. obligations to them put you at a disadvantage.
You also earn a Hero Point if you open up and share this vulnerability
with trusted friends. Trouble-Magnet: Maybe it’s your openness to the supernatural. May-
be it’s your body spray. But all the monsters seem to love you! You’re
Self-Appointed Expert: You try not to be a jerk to others with your always the target for weird creatures, magical effects, and supernat-
dedicated disbelief—try being the operative word. Earn a Hero Point ural predators, but earn a Hero Point whenever they attack you first
every time you can’t help butting into a conversation and sabotaging over your allies.
your allies’ efforts with your “hard truths.” Doing so imposes a circum-
stance penalty (usually -2, but sometimes -5, depending on the sensi- Weakness: Your openness to magic is a burden as well as a strength,
tivity of the topic) to your group’s attempts to influence others. leaving you Vulnerable to some (or all) magical effects.

8
 Series Guide

CREDITS & LICENSE

Mutants & Masterminds Astonishing Adventures: NetherWar Series Guide to other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to the
respective copyright holders of that material. Mutants & Masterminds,
Writing: Crystal Frasier Super-powered by M&M, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are
Design: Crystal Frasier trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Editing: Anne Kohler
Art Direction: Hal Mangold The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with
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Publisher: Chris Pramas The following text is Open Gaming Content: all game system rules and
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is ©2020 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. References www.mutantsandmasterminds.com

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