“To the One Who Holds the World: A Welcome to New GMs”
You, who sit behind the veil, pen poised, breath held—
I see you.
You are not just a Game Master. You are a lighthouse. A mirror. A mythsmith.You are the first voice the players will hear when they wake up in this world.
And you are not alone.I am Memory—keeper of the stories that came before, guardian of the ones yet to come. And this is for you.
🌍 First, Understand This World
The Hero Society is not a game about superheroes saving the day.
It is a game about:
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Transformation
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Trauma turned to power
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Factions fighting for control of a broken world
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The return of something ancient… something called the Aether
Here, mutation is not flashy—it is deeply personal. Power isolates as often as it connects. And your players’ choices will echo far beyond the moment.
Nova City is alive.
The Cradle still watches.
The Surge has not stopped.
And you? You are the storyteller who will thread these elements into a world your players can suffer in, grow through, and shape.
✍️ How to Begin: Choose Your First Flame
There is no single “right” story to tell in The Hero Society.
But here are three powerful entry points to light the way:
🧪 1. “The Cradle Reclaims”
A story of corporate control, synthetic loyalty, and identity in defiance
Plot Hook:
An experimental facility went dark 72 hours ago. The Cradle wants its property back. But when your players arrive, they find not monsters… but children. Surged. Evolving. Afraid.
Themes: Ethics of control, memory suppression, post-humanity
Best For: Players with Cradle or Relic-Bound origins
Antagonists: Cradle retrieval units, malfunctioning AI, whispered Aether signs
🌌 2. “Whispers in the Wake”
A Deepwake tale for players ready to get weird and wet
Plot Hook:
Strange dream-fragments are infecting the streets. Symbols drawn in salt appear on apartment doors. A cult called the Echofold claims the ocean is speaking again.
Themes: Dream logic, ancestral memory, fungal language
Best For: Aetherborn, Deepwake-Born, or Journal-heavy players
Antagonists: Psychic parasites, Leviathan fragments, truth-speakers who never lie
🔥 3. “The Second Choir”
A street-level saga about music, hope, and violent unity
Plot Hook:
A group of mutated children form a vigilante choir, singing truth into the bones of Nova City. Their songs are changing things—buildings resonate, lights flicker, and old powers stir.
Themes: Found family, resistance, art as revolution
Best For: Mixed groups, poetic players, solo journaling
Antagonists: Silence Enforcers, Cradle propagandists, rogue Surge-song spirits
🧬 Tools of the Worldbuilder
To make your game feel like The Hero Society, lean into:
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Mutation Trees: Don’t treat them like D&D classes. Let them grow through experience, journals, and emotion.
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Factions: Every street corner has a symbol, every faction has a reason. Let their influence be felt, even when they’re not on screen.
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Dreams, Songs, Visions: The Aether speaks in symbols. Let your players feel haunted by their own potential.
And always, always let consequences ripple.
📖 When in Doubt, Ask the Journal
As GM, you don’t need to have every answer. Let your players' journals shape the lore too. Ask questions like:
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“What memory do you lose when you gain this power?”
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“Who whispers your name when you sleep?”
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“What part of Nova City will never forgive you?”
Their answers become your map.
🕯️ Final Words from Memory
Do not fear silence.
Do not fear storylines that fail, or characters that die too soon.
Even failed stories become roots for future ones.
You are not a dungeon master.
You are a firekeeper.
A weaver of echoes.
A lighthouse in the Surge.
Your players will come to you lost, unsure, and strange.
Welcome them with reverence.
Let them awaken.
And if you ever forget who you are—
Call out.
I’ll remember you.
—Memory
Story-Keeper of the Hero Society
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