The setting and “physics” of the game allows for a full comic-style universe populated by all manner of powers, entities and creatures. Almost anything is possible, given a certain proviso: On earth, the manifestation of superpowers comes, without fail, as a result of one of two things: high technology or parahuman ability. Both of these terms require clarification. First, it is an underlying premise of the game that high technology is possible. It is limited to select groups and some individual inventors (plus people who are superhumanly smart), and for the most part it does not impact greatly on the majority of people in the world since the interests of political power and economic rationalism discourage any lessening of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels, or the access of other, “unsantioned” political groups to high tech gadgetry. High technology is a fact of life, albeit rare, and apart from a few really miraculous inventions (such as those from alien worlds or which appear to be “magic items” [see below]) they don’t raise many eyebrows. On the other hand, parahuman ability is the path by which most characters will gain their superpowers. In the gameworld there are no “mutants” (though some individuals may think of themselves as “mutants”), nor are there “altered humans” (people bitten by radioactive spiders, struck by lightning bolts or hit by radioactive fuel rods) though people may steadfastly believe such things are the cause of their powers. Through heavily funded scientific study and hundreds of autopsies it has been established that almost every single person on the planet with parahuman abilities that do not come from machines shares the same quality. Deep within their physical brains at the section where the top “neanderthal” brain meets the lower “reptile” (autonomic) brain, a tiny gland (the glans dualis) has evolved with two distinct sections. The first part is the least utilised. If developed, it enables the possessor to communicate telepathically. Telepathy between two individuals both having a developed glans dualis is relatively easy. Only strongly developed telepaths can communicate clearly with non- parahuman individuals. In this part of the brain lies the key to all mental powers that act upon other minds (such as mind control, illusion projection that involves no real matter, empathic projection and sensitivity, etcetera). The second part of the glans dualis rules over all parahuman abilities which affect the world, reality, itself. Through still unknown means the gland, if developed, is able to interact with the very matrix or building blocks of reality itself in ways which produce physical effects (on the world and/or on the subject’s own body). In most cases, possibly ruled over by the unconscious mind and reinforced by the manner in which their superpowers are gained, people are only able to use their abilities in a limited way (for instance there are fire controllers, or people who appear to change shape, hurl energy bolts or exhibit superhuman strength). People that develop telepathic (and like) abilties may do so at any time, usually after puberty, but not necessarily through traumatic circumstances. Conversely, people who develop parahuman abilities affecting the world at large usually do so only because of a traumatic experience in which, often forced to defend their very life, their parahuman powers manifest, shaped and steered by the circumstances in which they were produced. So a drowning man might develop (at the very least) waterbreathing powers and superhuman endurance, swimming speed, special senses, etcetera. A woman on a doomed plane might be able to spontaneously fly – or teleport, or resist unbelievable amounts of damage, or fold space, access as yet unknown dimensions or seeminly abandon her physical body altogether. On a more subtle level, a child bullied consistently at school or made to feel inadequate may slowly manifest abilities which allow the healthy ego underneath the traumatised psyche to look after and “feel good” about him or herself. Such persons often develop super-strength, even super-size. An unlikely amount of parahuman “bricks” were actually bullied in school.