CREDO
“We’re all moving.”
WHO THEY ARE
Travel in the Cluster is slow and perilous; for a Surfer, it’s still perilous but speed is limited by your will. Surfers cultivate motion through balance, using whatever method you find to get you where you need to go. They have a special affinity for the Roads of Light, and rarely seem to run into the troubles others do with these strange pathways. As opposed to the frenetic energy of Hoppers, Surfers seem calm, but the two Guilds are sides of the same coin: the universe is there to be seen and you can’t see it unless you can get there.
JOINING
Surfers are easy-going and easy to work with, but their perspective is won through hard experience. Young Surfers crash out often, seeking to control the world around them until they learn that equilibrium makes it easy to start moving. A lot of Hands join, but few stick around for long. There aren’t many Surfers; Roads of Light aren’t a toy to play with and are hard to master.
POWERS
All powers are once between Rests and take an Action to activate unless otherwise stated.
AFT GANG AGLEY (LEVEL 1)
A Surfer adds [LEVEL/3] to both their Move and their initiative results.
WHENEVER I MEAN TO BE (LEVEL 3)
The Surfer can double their Speed for as many rounds as they have levels. Enemies can still use forced movement and movement-restricting powers on the Surfer, but all calculations are done based off their base Speed, not doubled.
A Surfer knows if there is a Road of Light currently active in the present World.
GET GONE GET GONE (LEVEL 5)
If a Surfer encounters opponents in a Road of Light, they may deal 1 HP of damage to themselves instead of fighting. The Road of Light will let both sides pass.
A Surfer knows where the nearest Road of Light is in the present World if there is one active.
CALL THE ROAD (LEVEL 7)
If there is a Road of Light somewhere in the World where the Surfer is, they may summon a branch of the Road to their location. This takes one Action to summon and another Action for the Surfer and their allies to enter. This is a true Road of Light and will still grow if not killed.
WITHIN THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM (LEVEL 9)
The Surfer can call a Road of Light anywhere they are – even outside the Cluster – and can decide where it terminates. This special Road will only transport the Surfer and their allies. Furthermore, the Surfer gains control over their own Speed to the point where they can donate any they don’t use from a MOVE action to an ally for that ally’s next MOVE action.
GOALS
If you think about it, moving through the universe means it also moves through you, so where does the motion originate? Within yourself or before you started moving?
Does it matter if any of this is true if it works?
Surfers want to explore the Universe, as do many Hands, but their thrillseeking tendencies means the journey is just as important as the destination.
REALITY PHILOSOPHY: UNIFY
Stillness is motion, all locations pass through one point, all locations are one. Philosophical or not, the Surfer way of thinking works and the extension of that train of thought is the unification of all Worlds. The Surfers insist there’s nothing more to it, but those who know about the Guild’s ability to call a Road of Light wonder if that connection doesn’t go both ways…
STRUCTURE
Surfers get together with surprising frequency, often holding or attending classes by their peers in order to push their skills. Unlike the Hoppers, who prioritize individual expression, what works for one Surfer works for them all. Conformity is never expected or demanded, however, and a Surfer who discovers a new way to connect with the point of simultaneous stillness and motion is encouraged to share their methods.
GUILDMASTER
Kubra Rju the First, UH10
Earth is not the only World that has surfing, but a Human surfer was the first to master the Roads of Light. Kubra is short and fast with six arms, four skinny prehensile tails, and powerful legs. Kubra paces, hops, perches, but never stays still. In conversation, she’s talking a mile a minute, genuinely not understanding that others can’t keep up. Kubra works in the field as often as she can, only returning home when killed or when another Surfer is teaching a stunt she doesn’t know. Rju seems very out of character for the usual serene Surfer but the external whirlwind conceals incredible inner balance.
If a Surfer is found to be abusing high-level powers, Rju will personally show up to kick their ass.
Rju and Obriini of the Mappers are best friends and expect their Guilds to get along similarly, especially considering how their powers work together. It’s not uncommon to find Mapper/Delver pairs or teams built around them.
BENEFITS
Surfers have a reputation for being chill; as long as a Surfer doesn’t panic, others around them are far less likely to panic. This can vary depending on the situation, but anyone who notes the presence of a Surfer will stay calm if at all possible.
TITHES
Surfers report all traffic and altercations they engage with in a Road of Light to the Guild for any reason. Should a Surfer of level 5 or higher choose an altercation over self-sacrifice (unless that 1 HP would have killed them), they will be put on probation. Rju is very aware of the eyes on the Guild.
ACCORDS/TABOOS
TAKE A RIDE
ACCORD: Entering a Road of Light gains the Surfer a point of Luck.
TABOO: The Surfer cannot be involved in destroying that specific branch of Road until after their next Rest.
PARASYMPATHETIC CONNECTION
ACCORD: A Surfer can carve, scratch, or otherwise mark an unbroken loop around some part of their body.
TABOO: If the loop is damaged and not immediately repaired, lose Luck.
KEEP THEM AWAY
ACCORD: Staring silently for at least an hour away from the team and nearest light source, a Surfer keeps watch in one direction.
TABOO: Until their next rest, if immobilized or otherwise imprisoned, they must do everything they can to escape or lose Luck.