Age of Aquarius: Difference between revisions

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[[File:12784757_Era_Vodoleya_6903.jpg|frame|First edition cover]]
[[File:12784757 Era Vodoleya 6903.jpg|frame|First edition cover]]




''Age of Aquarius'' (Russian: Эра Водолея) is the first commercial [[Tabletop RPG]] produced in Russia. Appeared in 2001 and went through two editions to date, it is set in [[Like Reality Unless Noted|a world similar to our own]], where various supernatural phenomena are a reality but are hidden under [[The Masquerade]]. It was compared to the ''[[Old World of Darkness]]'', but unlike it, Age of Aquarius is a [[World Half Full|more optimistic and idealistic world]].
''Age of Aquarius'' (Russian: Эра Водолея) is the first commercial [[Tabletop RPG]] produced in Russia. Appeared in 2001 and went through two editions to date, it is set in [[Like Reality Unless Noted|a world similar to our own]], where various supernatural phenomena are a reality but are hidden under [[The Masquerade]]. It was compared to the ''[[Old World of Darkness]]'', but unlike it, '''Age of Aquarius''' is a [[World Half Full|more optimistic and idealistic world]].


According to the story, the astrological age of Pisces, associated with organized religion and science, is [[End of an Age|slowly fading]], and the new age of Aquarius, [[The Magic Comes Back|associated with magic]], is setting foot on the world. But our society is incapable to deal with it without catastrophical changes, necessitating use of [[The Masquerade]] to unveil the truth very slowly. To do that, an [[The Men in Black|international conspiracy of security agencies]] is created in 1945, called the Nettersheim Pact.
According to the story, the astrological age of Pisces, associated with organized religion and science, is [[End of an Age|slowly fading]], and the new age of Aquarius, [[The Magic Comes Back|associated with magic]], is setting foot on the world. But our society is incapable to deal with it without catastrophical changes, necessitating use of [[The Masquerade]] to unveil the truth very slowly. To do that, an [[The Men in Black|international conspiracy of security agencies]] is created in 1945, called the Nettersheim Pact.


The first edition of this game was mostly concerned with the activities of the Russian organisation of the Nettersheim Pact, called [[Extranormal Institute|Institute of Applied Exophysics]]. The second edition added two more playable organizations: DEFENDER, a heroic [[Private Military Contractor]] which is aware of the big picture and is [[Crazy Prepared|preparing to fight off an apocalypse]], and the Utopists, who are a loose network of roguish, but generally [[Chaotic Good]] [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]]. Of course, an option to play as an unaffiliated team was always present.
The first edition of this game was mostly concerned with the activities of the Russian organisation of the Nettersheim Pact, called [[Extranormal Institute|Institute of Applied Exophysics]]. The second edition added two more playable organizations: DEFENDER, a heroic [[Private Military Contractor]] which is aware of the big picture and is [[Crazy Prepared|preparing to fight off an apocalypse]], and the Utopists, who are a loose network of roguish, but generally [[Chaotic Good]] [[Mad Scientist]]s. Of course, an option to play as an unaffiliated team was always present.


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* [[Heroic BSOD]]: the second edition has a game mechanic for it.
* [[Heroic BSOD]]: the second edition has a game mechanic for it.
* [[He Who Must Not Be Seen]]: Boris Ivanov, the Institute's head. His stat block comes with a "TOP SECRET" instead of a portrait.
* [[He Who Must Not Be Seen]]: Boris Ivanov, the Institute's head. His stat block comes with a "TOP SECRET" instead of a portrait.
* [[Knight of Cerebus]]: the [[Demon Lords and Archdevils|Fallen Primordials]], not appearing in any of the two main edition books, but stated in previews to be the [[Big Bad|Big Bads]] behind the prequel game ''[[Red October|Age of Pisces: Scarlet Dawn]]'' and suspected to be actually responsible for the attack on the Institute in 1992. <nowiki>AoP:SD</nowiki> is already explicitly stated to be [[Darker and Edgier]] than the main setting, and the main setting itself grew somewhat [[Darker and Edgier]] after the developers (Aurora, to be precise) came up with these guys.
* [[Knight of Cerebus]]: the [[Demon Lords and Archdevils|Fallen Primordials]], not appearing in any of the two main edition books, but stated in previews to be the [[Big Bad]]s behind the prequel game ''[[Red October|Age of Pisces: Scarlet Dawn]]'' and suspected to be actually responsible for the attack on the Institute in 1992. <nowiki>AoP:SD</nowiki> is already explicitly stated to be [[Darker and Edgier]] than the main setting, and the main setting itself grew somewhat [[Darker and Edgier]] after the developers (Aurora, to be precise) came up with these guys.
** The (now defunct) Era-Aquarius forum also contained the [[Word of God|developers' references]] to "the Black Net" and the "New World Order", who are supposed to be the Fallen Primordials' mortal agents and be capable of collapsing the intricate balance of [[The Masquerade]].
** The (now defunct) Era-Aquarius forum also contained the [[Word of God|developers' references]] to "the Black Net" and the "New World Order", who are supposed to be the Fallen Primordials' mortal agents and be capable of collapsing the intricate balance of [[The Masquerade]].
* [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]: vampires have it as a natural ability, the Institute has to make "forget serums" from vampire saliva.
* [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]: vampires have it as a natural ability, the Institute has to make "forget serums" from vampire saliva.
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* [[Path of Inspiration]]: many cultist type enemies of the Institute. The first edition even had the guts to openly accuse Scientology of being one of those.
* [[Path of Inspiration]]: many cultist type enemies of the Institute. The first edition even had the guts to openly accuse Scientology of being one of those.
* [[Point Build System]]
* [[Point Build System]]
* [[Post Modern Magic]]: called "neo-magic". It allows you mix different magical traditions and will never conflict with modern lifestyles, but will always be underpowered compared to "pure" [[Ancient Tradition|Ancient Traditions]].
* [[Post Modern Magic]]: called "neo-magic". It allows you mix different magical traditions and will never conflict with modern lifestyles, but will always be underpowered compared to "pure" [[Ancient Tradition]]s.
* [[Power Levels]]: spirits have these in form of the "Power Index". They range from 1 (an invisible, powerless spirit - typical for a freshly dead soul of a common civilian) through 2-4 (ghosts who can manifest, knock or sometimes even materialize, most nature spirits also go here) through 5-6 (powerful angels and demons who can work miracles) to 7 (small-g gods in full power).
* [[Power Levels]]: spirits have these in form of the "Power Index". They range from 1 (an invisible, powerless spirit - typical for a freshly dead soul of a common civilian) through 2-4 (ghosts who can manifest, knock or sometimes even materialize, most nature spirits also go here) through 5-6 (powerful angels and demons who can work miracles) to 7 (small-g gods in full power).
* [[Private Military Contractor]]: DEFENDER.
* [[Private Military Contractor]]: DEFENDER.
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* [[The Six Stats]]: a slightly altered version. The three physical stats are ISO standard; the mental stats are Education (loosely equivalent to D&D Intelligence) , Cognition (loosely equivalent to D&D Wisdom) and Confidence (loosely equivalent to D&D Charisma). There is also the seventh stat, Luck. They all range from 0 (a challenged person) to 5 (world-famous for it). A stat of 6 is too uber to be normal and typically belongs to some powerful supernatural creature. 7 and 8 are reserved for god-like NPCs than may even be honest-to-goodness gods or demigods.
* [[The Six Stats]]: a slightly altered version. The three physical stats are ISO standard; the mental stats are Education (loosely equivalent to D&D Intelligence) , Cognition (loosely equivalent to D&D Wisdom) and Confidence (loosely equivalent to D&D Charisma). There is also the seventh stat, Luck. They all range from 0 (a challenged person) to 5 (world-famous for it). A stat of 6 is too uber to be normal and typically belongs to some powerful supernatural creature. 7 and 8 are reserved for god-like NPCs than may even be honest-to-goodness gods or demigods.
* [[Sufficiently Analyzed Magic]]: that's how exophysics works.
* [[Sufficiently Analyzed Magic]]: that's how exophysics works.
* [[They Fight Crime]]: They are [[Player Character|Player Characters]]. They work for the Institute. They fight supernatural crime!
* [[They Fight Crime]]: They are [[Player Character]]s. They work for the Institute. They fight supernatural crime!
* [[Time Abyss]]: Semyon Nikolaev, a.k.a. {{spoiler|Hermes Trismegistus, Enoch and Count de Saint-Germaine. [[Word of God]] states him to be 15000 years old.}}. Still younger than many spirits and gods, but you already expect Archangel Michael, Odin or Cthulhu to be older than the mountains, so they do not fit the trope. And you definitely do not expect the kindly old telephone prankster to be that ancient.
* [[Time Abyss]]: Semyon Nikolaev, a.k.a. {{spoiler|Hermes Trismegistus, Enoch and Count de Saint-Germaine. [[Word of God]] states him to be 15000 years old.}}. Still younger than many spirits and gods, but you already expect Archangel Michael, Odin or Cthulhu to be older than the mountains, so they do not fit the trope. And you definitely do not expect the kindly old telephone prankster to be that ancient.
* [[Trickster Mentor]]: Granddaddy Semyon again. His favourite way of teaching magic is via phone prank. If Semyon [[Cerebus Syndrome|appears in person and speaks plainly and clearly]], it means [[Oh Crap|some serious trouble a-brewing]], serious enough to warrant his personal intervention. The last time he did so was [[World War Two]].
* [[Trickster Mentor]]: Granddaddy Semyon again. His favourite way of teaching magic is via phone prank. If Semyon [[Cerebus Syndrome|appears in person and speaks plainly and clearly]], it means [[Oh Crap|some serious trouble a-brewing]], serious enough to warrant his personal intervention. The last time he did so was [[World War Two]].
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[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
[[Category:Age of Aquarius]]
[[Category:Age of Aquarius]]
[[Category:Tabletop Game]]
[[Category:Tabletop Games]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Age_of_Aquarius"