The National Office for Variant Affairs, more commonly referred to as N.O.V.A., is a government agency that deals with Variants involving everything from public relations to legal issues to scientific research. The agency for the most part is quite professional, though, over the years, corruption has started to make its way through the system at various levels.

Variant Types and Danger Levels
N.O.V.A. uses a system to classify Variants based on their specific abilities and also by the potential threat to society that those abilities pose. This does not necessarily take into account the notoriety of a Variant, but an especially aggressive or abusive Variant may have a higher danger level than normal (if he/she has been identified).

Danger Levels
Class 1 - Low _{(oh please...are you even a Variant?)}
Variant poses no threat to others; usually possesses low level enhancement or alteration abilities; abilities may even be inherently beneficial

Class 2 - Mild _{(yeah, that guy kinda bothers me a bit...)}
Variant may be a minimal threat to persons in close proximity if abilities are abused

Class 3 - Moderate _{(hey now...you be careful with that, ok? we don't want any trouble)}
Though they may not be an immediate danger, Variant has a high potential to cause damage or harm to others

Class 4 - High _{(wait...she can do what?!...yeah, we're screwed...)}
Variant is an immediate communal threat and individuals within his/her proximity should be on high alert

Class 5 - Extreme _{(that's ok...we don't need the Earth anyway, right?)}
Variant poses a national (or potentially global) danger and should be avoided at all costs; immediate action should be taken to neutralize this threat

Variant Types
Brute - Variant with increased levels of strength and/or durability; he/she may be more difficult to harm or take down

Metamorphic - Variant can change anatomy and/or physiology, either partially or fully; can take human or non-human forms including animal, mineral, energy, or alien

Volatile - Variant has abilities dealing with fire, electricity, plasma, and any other explosive energy/force; includes corrosives

Mentalist - Variant possesses psychic abilities; can control and/or manipulate objects, people, or energy using his/her thoughts

Agile - Variant is prone to quick movements and/or fast/instant travel; he/she may possess increased levels of dexterity

Inhibitor - Variant wields abilities that can weaken and/or hinder others

Augmentor - Variant has the ability to improve the condition of themselves and/or others

Distortionist - Variant is able to alter space-time, intangible concepts, or reality as a whole

Natural - Variant has abilities that utilize and/or affect the natural world and/or animals

Architect - Variant who is able to manipulate, modify, and/or replicate matter and/or energy; some are able to construct tangible objects from energy

Notoriety
One of the primary goals of N.O.V.A. is to identify and register all Variants living within the nation's borders. Variants have no legal obligation to register with N.O.V.A., so, as one would expect, not all Variants are willing to comply with the agency's agenda, whether out of privacy or sheer rebellion. For these reasons, every Variant has a certain level of notoriety with N.O.V.A., whether officially or unofficially.

Unknown - individuals who have been recognized as Variants but have yet to be identified by N.O.V.A.

Watched - Variants who have been identified but have not registered

Wanted - Variants who are known to misuse their abilities and pose a threat to the well-being and quality of life of others; vigilantes operating outside of the law are also considered Wanted as oftentimes their actions can cause collateral damage to people or property

Registered - Variants who have willingly given N.O.V.A. information on their identity and abilities

Noble - Variants who are registered with N.O.V.A. and are licensed to use their abilities for 'altruistic and benevolent practices'

M.A.D.
N.O.V.A. employs a task force that is specially trained and equipped to handle Variant criminal activity. M.A.D., which stands for Monitoring, Apprehension, and Detainment, is a fairly recent institution that is being implemented in several major cities. Its members, which included Variants until a rather serious incident caused a policy change, are commonly referred to as MADmen. M.A.D. uses both street cameras and surveillance drones to track suspicious Variant activity. The main facility contains their central command center as well as an armory, garage, and training camp. There are also several smaller satellite 'posts' that are dispersed throughout the city to ensure a wider coverage and quicker response times.

Pariah Underground
The Pariah Underground is a loose network of wayward Variants who have distanced themselves from society. Most Variants in the Underground have abilities that are dangerous, grotesque, or just plain odd. Members usually occupy areas that have little to no human population and some have even gone so far as to actually construct subterranean hideouts. Though some prefer to have little to no contact with the outside world, others take to the streets as vigilantes or even criminals (known as the Scourge). In any case, Variants in the Underground take extensive measures to avoid N.O.V.A. and M.A.D. as much as possible.

Chimera
Chimera is an underground tech guild that frequently engages in acts of cyber-terrorism. One of the primary goals of Chimera is to infiltrate government systems and the systems of large corporations. Though governments and corporations are their main targets, they will make attacks on citizens quite often. Chimera employs a variety of militant techies including hackers, coders, computer engineers, and even hardcore gamers. For reasons yet to be discerned, Chimera has grown increasingly antagonistic towards Variants in recent times.

The Glorious Alliance
The Glorious Alliance is an assembly of Nobles who work together for the general benefit of society. Members of the Alliance see themselves as altruists trying to better the image of Variant-kind while most other Variants view them as egotistical sellouts and showoffs. Though the Alliance claims to work for free, they have been known to accept 'gifts' and 'donations' from 'supportive citizens'.

The Syndicate
The Syndicate is an extremely well-hidden, power-hungry Variant gang that happens to be infused with a substantial amount of money. As such, they are overly discriminatory about both their member selection and their mode of operation, sticking to high-level crimes involving major organizations and institutions. They usually only work to promote their own agendas but will occasionally collaborate with others if the dealings are beneficial enough -- which is rare, to say the least. Though their funding is near untraceable by conventional means, rumors have arisen that the organization is involved in smuggling and trafficking.

Most, if not all, computers in the world can access the Grand Global Nexus (G.G.N. or The Nexus). The Nexus is simply a vast computer network that connects several other smaller networks (what would be the ‘Internet’). The most predominant branch of the Nexus is the Transnational Databank (TDB). The TDB is a universally linked system of hypertext documents (what would be the ‘World Wide Web’) that is organized into 'datasites’ which each have a 'datacode’. The TDB is divided into five main sectors: government (001), business (002), education (003), media (004), and general/personal (005). A datacode will look like this:

::TDB.001.NOVA::
::TDB.005.Privy::
::TDB.005.blabbr::

People can also receive digital mail (d-mail) through the Nexus. A mail command will look like this:

::MAIL.Wolfman187@005.ChainMail::

Popular Datasites
Blabbr - a social networking site where users post photos, short video and audio clips, and small blurbs of text
Visage - a social networking site where users create extensive personal profiles to share with others
FriendBridge - a popular communication site used to send text messages and make voice and video calls
Vivify - the top blogging site on the Nexus
Optica - the world's largest video sharing and streaming site
ChainMail - a popular d-mail provider with lots of personalization
Privy - the world's most popular and trusted news site
Reson8 - the top nexus radio site on the planet
MetaSphere - a wildly popular gamer hub
WildFyre - an underground site hidden deep in the Nexus

Top Nexus Providers
Compass - comes standard with the Solaris operating system
Vortex - has numerous customization options
Nexpress - extremely fast and reliable

Sunrise Corporation - develops and manufactures computer software, consumer electronics, and personal computers; creator of the Solaris operating system
Panorama Industries - a major robotics and cybernetics manufacturer headquartered in New Haven
Rhoella Technologies - the world's largest manufacturer of several smart technologies including mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, and televisions; helped develop the Interactive Immersive Interface (i³)

Intelligent Command and Operation Network (ICON) - an AI guidance system that controls the movements of vehicles and civil robots throughout the country. Construction bots, delivery drones, and public transport vehicles are all linked to ICON.
Interactive Immersive Interface (i³) - virtual reality (i³Total) and mixed reality (i³Spatial)
Omni-Lens - eyewear that uses i³Spatial technology
Drones - any unmanned aircraft or airborne device; delivery, security, personal
E-Vap - electronic vapor cylinders used for smoking; sometimes called 'cyls’
Stingers - used to shoot intravenous drugs
Dissemblers - a small, concealable device used to make oneself ‘invisible’ to surveillance cameras; extremely rare and highly illegal

Character Sheet

Name |
Alias |
Age |
Gender |
Appearance | (height, weight, body type/build, identifying marks/tattoos)
Notoriety | (Unknown, Watched, Wanted)
Danger Level/Variant Type |
Abilities |

[Gear]
Attire |
Armament/Equipment |

[Temperament & Lifestyle]
Affiliation | (Pariah Underground or independent)
Personality/Habits |
Occupation/Trade |
Skills/Talents |
Family |
Background |

Name | Darius Black
Alias | Ruler
Age | 26
Gender | Male
Appearance |
Notoriety | Unknown
Danger Level/Variant Type | Class 3 / Distortionist

GRAVITY MANIPULATION:
Darius possesses the ability to control and manipulate the fundamental force of Gravity within a 30 meter radius. The true extent of his control allows him to alter the direction and intensity of the pre-existing gravitational force within that radius to suit his needs, as well as create and manipulate entirely new sources of gravity from within various inanimate objects that may enter or be already situated within his vicinity of control. This ability to create and control gravity also extends to living organisms too, although Darius is far more limited in his range of applications with regards to this aspect.

By manipulating how his own body responds to the gravitational pull of the Earth, Darius can effectively grant himself the ability to fly. He may also create a new source of gravity within himself to attract and repel objects to and from his own being, provided they remain within his control radius. In order to be able to directly affect how other living beings respond to his Gravity Manipulation, Darius must be touching and remain in continuous contact with that being.

LIMITATIONS:

• Whilst manipulating existing Gravity, or creating an entirely new source, Darius remains almost immobile, only being capable of moving his body at a significantly reduced speed until he has finished.
• The intensity of g-force used against living beings, other than himself, can not exceed 9Gs _{(Fighter Pilots may experience up to 8/9Gs with special suits to prevent fainting)}. In other words, Darius couldn't use his ability to force someone to implode or explode. The most he could do is force them to pass out with the chance of internal hemorrhaging, depending on how long he is able to maintain contact. _{(The effects of g-force don't actually affect Darius due to his proficiency of self-manipulation)}
• Objects that enter Darius' vicinity of control, at a velocity that any normal Human Being couldn't possibly register - Bullets, mostly - are unable to be directly affected by his Gravity Manipulation, unless he was notified of the object beforehand and fully concentrating on it during entry. _{(There's no way he could stop a hail of bullets. Maybe one or two, if someone were to literally point a gun at his head)}
• Darius may only concentrate on one aspect of his Gravity Manipulation at a time. Be it, altering the existing Gravity around him, creating/manipulating a new source within an inanimate object, creating/manipulating a new source within himself or creating/manipulating a new source within another living being via direct contact.

[Gear]
Attire |
Armament/Equipment |

[Temperament & Lifestyle]
Affiliation |
Personality/Habits |
Occupation/Trade |
Skills/Talents |
Family |
Background |

Name | Jason Zhao
Alias | Recall
Age | 28
Gender | M
Appearance |
Notoriety | Unknown
Danger Level/Variant Type | Class 2 Mentalist

Abilities | Memory Control:
Jason can erase memories. With some effort, he can also alter existing memories, bring forgotten memories to the surface, or even implant false ones. To stay anonymous, and away from NOVA, Zhao has developed a habit of making sure that nobody he meets can ever completely remember what he looked like. At this point, he does it almost without thinking.



Attire | Making people forget you is easier if you are, in fact, forgettable. Jason dresses to match his environment: suits in the business districts, t-shirts for the middle class. He doesn't bother with masks, uniforms or other cliche "superhero" wear.

Armament/Equipment |None.



Affiliation | Pariah Underground

Personality/Habits | Friendly, in a quiet way. Jason tends to get along with others, but he's out of the habit of making friends. He tends to look just a little unfocused in conversations.

Occupation/Trade |
Former criminal. Currently an underground, unlicensed "hypno-therapist." That's what he calls it, anyway.

Really, Jason is hired to work on his client's mind telepathically. He once helped the victim of a mugging to remember what the perpetrator looked like. Another time, he ended the vivid flashbacks of a veteran with PTSD. But most of his patients come from the Pariah Underground. A lot of folks in that circle have things in their past they would rather forget. Very odd jobs, but Jason Zhao is the only person who can do them. His clients, of course, can never remember exactly what he looks like.

Skills/Talents |
In a world of computers and cameras, staying anonymous takes more than just a convenient power set. A retired vigilante in the Pariah Underground taught Jason to break into security systems, plus the basics of martial self-defense. Jason always had the feeling his mentor was trying to groom him to follow in his footsteps as a vigilante. The poor old man must have been disappointed.

Family |
Too many. A grandmother, a father, a mother and 3 sisters- all crammed into one little apartment.

Background |
Unlike the brochures would tell you, New Haven isn't a perfect place. Zhao was born into the dark underbelly of this city. The Shanty district looks bad even to visitors, but it's worse for the folks that live there. A visitor can't see the mold in the apartments. Or the sick homeless men sleeping in the dumpsters. Zhao was there his whole childhood, and he saw it all.

That's why his powers meant so much to him. Some people would have been disappointed. When his power came in at 15, he didn't get super-speed, or flight, or laser vision. All Zhao could do is make people forget him. But if you're clever, and you're desperate, that's enough.

He got involved in a local gang. Not one of the fancy new powered groups, like the Syndicate, but just an old-fashioned guns-and-knives gang. They loved Jason's powers as much as he did, because he could make their victims forget who mugged them. Once, he even made a whole convenience store full of witnesses forget a robbery. That one really impressed the guys at the top, and then Zhao was making enough money to take care of his whole family. He learned to choke down the lingering guilt. If it weren't for him, he would tell himself, his grandma would have lost the apartment.

Things went on that way for years. It wasn't until he was about 20 that life started to shift. With Jason's help, the gang had gotten big enough to catch the attention of NOVA. The MADmen aren't stupid, and they had figured out that a "mentalist" Variant must be behind the convenient amnesia of every possible witness.

A MADman joined the gang undercover, and when he had learned that Jason was the Variant at work, he attempted an arrest. Maybe he figured that Jason's powers weren't a threat. Maybe he just thought he was too young to try anything. But either way, the MADman wasn't ready for what happened.

He had never needed to push his powers very far. But when the agent tried for an arrest, Jason panicked, and lashed out telepathically with all his strength. He only meant to make the man forget who the Variant was, but instead, he made the man forget... well, everything. It was like a wildfire. After Jason started it, he couldn't stop it anymore than the MAD agent could. He could feel every thought, feeling and experience fading away. And then the agent collapsed, and Jason ran.

After that, he separated himself from his old gang. They're probably the only people around, besides his family, who still know his real face and name. Since then, Jason got involved with Pariah Underground. He learned from them how to stay anonymous. The event with the agent had shaken him, and he was afraid of being caught again. He doesn't think the MAD agent ever had a chance to report him officially, so he shouldn't be listed as Wanted yet. And if things go well, he never will be.

He visits his family just enough to keep them from worrying about him. Outside of them, almost all of his contact with people is limited to the Pariahs and his "hypnotherapy" clients.