UNITY 2010: A New Champions Campaign

[Virtue]

Thats a cool way to introduce someones back grounds and powers

[Red Knight]

I have to admit that it is a unique way to flesh out a character. It made me think of my characters history. I was thinking of writing it up as a Larry King or Barbara Walters interview. Actually, I'll probably use a world-specific character/reporter to do it.

Can you see Dr. Destroyer on Dr. Phil.... I would love to see what would happen when Dr. Phil tried to hug Dr. Destroyer.

Worse yet.... What if Dr. Destroyer broke down and started crying... sobbing about how mother left him alone and his father was a brutal man that beat him on a dailt basis and made him wear a dress.

After that... Oprah would jump at getting him on the show. They could bill it as "Dr. Destroyer...A man with a hurt soul"

[teh bunneh]

Here's some tidbits about the world of UNITY 2010 -- superheroes around the world. I passed these out to the players as information that their characters would know. The first was for Ifrita, the second for Straight Arrow, the third for Red Dragon, and the last for Aurora.

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Muslim Superheroes
About ten years ago, the League of Arab States tried to take a leaf from the European book and form their own superteam, made up of the greatest heroes from each nation.

It was called the Defenders of Islam, and consisted of Desert Cat and Janissary, from Saudi Arabia; Fist of Allah and Pharaoh’s Daughter, from Egypt; and Mamluke, from Syria. However, many problems plagued the project from the beginning. Only three governments volunteered to participate; the other Middle Eastern states took a “wait and see” attitude, or simply refused to join.

Also, infighting split the group from the very start. The governments squabbled over where the group would be based, who should lead the team, and so forth. They never could not come to an equitable agreement. The promised multi-million dollar base (reminiscent of EuroGuard’s Bastion 1) never came through. Corruption riddled the process, and millions of dollars simply vanished without a trace.

After two years in limbo, Pharaoh’s Daughter quit the team in order to sign on with UNITY. Desert Cat, never a joiner to begin with, left shortly thereafter. The remaining members of the team still have a “temporary” base in Saudi Arabia, near Medina, but they seldom come together any longer; each of them is kept busy by their own governments in their own nations.

Most of the Arab world is very happy that UNITY has recruited another Muslim for its team.

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Superheroes in Great Britain
The British Isles have a long tradition of superheroes, dating back at least to the days of World War II. Indeed, the English were among the first to field superhuman troops in battle against the Nazis. Such stalwarts as Bull Dog, Thistlerose, Faith, Union Jack, Crusader, Supermarine, and Blackburn are still remembered fondly to this day.

The Germans struggled to keep up with the British in the superhuman arms race, fielding such fearsome agents as Ubermann, Blutjagdhund, Panzerjäger, Wulf, Sturmtiger, Herr Doktor, and Blutegel. Many of the Nazi supers were not used as front-line combatants, but instead were assigned to infiltrate British (and American) society and cause havoc – weakening the Allies’ resolve and ability to fight. It is believed that they even attempted to recruit “Fifth Column” traitors from within the Allies’ own ranks.

Many of the Nazi supervillains were never captured after the end of the war. It is widely thought that they fled/immigrated to South America, possibly to the fledgling nation of Destruga. Dr. Zerstoiten (AKA Dr. Destroyer) has never confirmed (nor denied) this possibility.

Although historians cannot point to a single battle in which the superheroes (on either side) were pivotal one way or the other, their boost to morale and value in securing special objectives is not in dispute.


According to UN estimates, the United Kingdom should currently be home to roughly 13-18 superhumans. Assuming these things fall into their usual pattern, about a third to a half of them will work against the law as costumed criminals. So there should be about 5-9 active superheroes from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Two British supers are members of EuroGuard – Tick Tock and Doc Giant. One of them is a member of UNITY – that’s you, Straight Arrow. The only active hero currently working in the UK is Sea Change, a Scottish woman with the power to turn her body into water and control water around her.

During the Great War, though, things were different. The UK had ten superheroes fighting for it – more than any other country in the world! Their names were Bull Dog, Thistlerose, Faith, Union Jack, Crusader, Supermarine, Blackburn, Spitfire, Crimson Lion, and of course, your grandfather Phantom Knight.

You have heard that a handful of them are still alive – Bull Dog, Union Jack, Supermarine, Thistlerose, and Crusader at least are still here. What’s more, several of them are sitting members of the House of Lords.

-----
The Superhero World of Japan
Though a small nation (both size and population-wise), Japan has an inordinate number of superhumans. Most of them are members of the so-called Sengoku Teams, founded and organized by Japanese corporations as a community-minded way to promote awareness of their brand.

The Sengoku Teams wear matching outfits (usually tastefully emblazoned with the corporate sponsor’s logo) and are often armed with high-tech experimental weapons and vehicles. They are highly trained actors, and usually spend as much time posing for the cameras and signing autographs as they do fighting crime and protecting the nation.

However, many people (mostly those outside of Japan) claim that most Sengoku are not superpowered at all; they are just athletic young men and women, and they have a terribly high casualty rate because of this.

-----
The Other Races of the Galaxy
Apart from the alliance of five races which attempted to conquer earth nearly 50 years ago, mankind knows of one other alien race – the Mithnari.

However, your people are much older and more experienced than the humans, and know of many other races scattered throughout the galaxy. Most of them are like the humans – confined to one planet and largely ignorant of the rest of the universe. Your people do not consider them particularly interesting.

However, you find humanity extremely interesting for a reason: you see many similarities between your race and theirs. For instance, in its early space-faring days, your people encountered a hostile alien race known today only as the Worms. Like the Mon’dabi, they were masters of a large empire and were extremely aggressive. They were a horrible, cruel people with great powers of the mind and the disgusting habit of using other sentient beings as food sources.

You fought a desperate war against them, ranging from one end of the galaxy to the other, before you finally defeated them forever. The memory of that horrible time still fills your people with dread, such that Mithnari parents (to this very day) tell their children to behave or the Worms may get them.

Some of your people speculate that the race known to the humans as “Wraiths” are actually the Worms, returning to this galaxy from their thousand-year exile…

[Scifi_Toughguy]

Didn't catch (or forgot) that Aurora was an alien.

[teh bunneh]

She's been keeping her alien status secret -- humans are understandably twitchy about aliens after their planet was invaded (even if Aurora's race wasn't involved in the invasion). I think the entire team knows about it now, but up until recently only Straight Arrow and New Man were aware.

[teh bunneh]

Here's some more character details, for New Man, Vilkacis, and Mitarbeit...

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Character background: New Man

John Hernan Aguilado, child of Phillipino immigrants who moved to Canada and established a successful home maintenance empire, was born in Toronto. A child of privilege, he was classically educated at the most prestigious university in Ottawa. On graduation he entered government service. After a few years working for national law enforcement, he took a new job as an intelligence analyst for UNITY.

At about this time John was briefly engaged to Montreal heiress Deirdre Soulon. It was a bad match - they were temperamentally almost completely unsuited to one another - but her family favored it heavily. It ended badly, and several members of the Soulon family still hold John culpable - and occasionally seek revenge.

During his service with UNITY John distinguished himself well enough for Viper to put him on a hit list. He also developed a contentious professional rivalry with David Corinth, another analyst at UNITY. Corinth developed a theory that super mutations were an evolutionary and ecological dead end, and postulated that this inevitability would drive the super villain community to progressively greater extremes of violence. He tends to occasionally apply this principle to his professional analyses. John, who in fact subscribes to an opposing viewpoint (the so called "new man" theory, where super mutations constitute a jump-start in the normal human evolutionary process), frequently calls Corinth on his analyses, resulting in bad blood between them.

About 5 years into his UNITY service, John started exhibiting unusual compulsions, obsessively cleaning and ordering everything around him. As these became more pronounced, his superiors began to become alarmed and eventually referred him for evaluation by UNITY staff doctors. They quickly diagnosed an emerging obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, it also became quickly apparent that the disorder was closely coupled to a blossoming psionic talent. After some little debate and experimentation, the medical staff settled on a treatment regime which controlled the obsessive behaviors while still allowing the psionic behaviors to be developed and trained. When the power reached a sufficient level and both its control and that of his disruptive behaviors was deemed consistent and stable, John was extended the invitation to join UNITY as an active agent. When asked to choose a nom de guerre, he reflected on his philosophical conflicts with David Corinth (among others) about the meaning and importance of the mutant phenomenon, and on how it had ironically assumed this new personal significance for him, and elected to take the term which had come to encompass the optimistic view he had so long held - "NewMan."

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Vilkacis
“It really doesn’t matter.”

That’s where this all started. Up until that point I was a simple man who was doing what he had been bred to do. My parents, they died in a gulag before I could even form an opinion about them. My grandfather, who found me after they had been taken away, would have no time to raise a boy in a world where work was only balanced by ones need for food and clothing. Besides, he owed his idiot son nothing.

I found out years later, during an indoctrination briefing, that my parents were going to defect. It was quickly discovered, and the family home they were using as a base of operations for them and others was quickly confiscated. My grandfather turned me over to the KGB Future Agents Project for what amounted to a minor promotion. I am sure his time as foreman of the new plant in Tajik very enjoyable for him, at least until it blew up 6 months after he arrived.

I suppose, it really doesn’t matter what happened during my childhood. I learned, I grew, I watched as other children washed out (By “washed out” I am relatively certain they did not find their way into any gainful life once they were taken with their few personal belongings down the Grey Hall.) and I watched as more children came in from all over the Republic.

I took many things from my training, more than just basic police work, certain questionable techniques, and an intimate understanding of the Soviet bureaucracy. I came to love the Union. I came to live and breathe for the betterment of Mother Russia and all of her ‘Children.’

I still do.

But I suppose, that really doesn’t matter.

My guess is, they told me the story of my parents to instill in me a sense of what would happen if I were to ever stray from the path. Instead it planted a seed. Deep in the recesses of my mind an option appeared that I previously didn’t even have the capacity to understand. Not knowing what it was or what it meant, I buried it. It wasn’t a choice, it was my own mind protecting itself… and me.

Years went by, mental scans by various Gifted, interrogations and loyalty tests and the seed laid dormant in my mind. It might have been there because deep down I knew what I was doing was wrong. It maybe was an escape route for my own mental stability, should my work ever get too horrific. Any number of possible reasons why the seed never died, I suppose, it really doesn’t matter.

I came of age. University in Moscow, then back to the real KGB training, and it was there Mother discovered my true powers. It sometimes amazes me that my brain could have hidden the seed for so long, but not the powers that manifested in me as a young man. Maybe it knew I would need the powers to help the seed blossom someday. Maybe the powers were too great to hide. Maybe my own fascination with the powers I was developing brought them past my defenses.

Again, it really doesn’t matter.

Halfway through Special Ops training, my powers showed themselves during a particularly rigorous field session. Before I knew what hit me, I was transported to a base in what I assume to be Siberia and began training for my true calling… Defending Mother Russia and her Children from the threats of the outside world.

My powers made me indispensable. Or maybe I made myself that way when I realized that “wash outs” were very publicly executed in front of the others to make the point. Or maybe I was just that good, and could make a mean cup of coffee.

Another thing that really doesn’t matter.

My powers, though they have been invaluable since The Seed, really didn’t help me that day. It came as a surprise, to be called into an old missile silo along with another one of the secondary units from The School. I was usually sent alone, or with a single contact, and my briefings were almost always limited to the very specific information I needed and most often, the others did not. Maybe they were intending to finally integrate me into one of the teams. Maybe they didn’t want to contain the situation more than once. Maybe they just wanted to reward me for my many successful missions.

Why, I suppose, is one more thing that really doesn’t matter.

Crates, each with gold rebar wrapped around it, stood in front of a large truck that had been backed into this dead end. The trickles of water and snow that crept through the closed silo doors, hundreds of feet above, barely made it to the floor. The leftenant spoke about a new bunch of ‘inventions’ they had ‘found’ and though their scientists had determined heir basic functions, they were still at a loss for their purpose. We were to be outfitted and sent out into the training grounds to test, in the hopes out supernatural endurance would protect us. Should anything go wrong, the fact we didn’t really exist was an added bonus.

The boxes were opened and ten young men looked into them expectantly. We found what looked like used body armor, old and dusty, and rifles that looked like they might have been impressive had they not laid in the snow for half a decade and then were jumped on by an Asian elephant. Obediently, we donned the gear and headed out for our training.

Immediately, we each began to explore these new pieces of equipment. As each of the group began to show in controlled tests, it was obvious each was meant for a specific purpose. Firebrand, a Kazakh and a pyrotechnic was the first to attempt his powers. At the first hint of his englufment, the old grey armor seemed to light up and there was a great vacuum sound. The body of the young man crumpled to the ground, seemingly as if subject to explosive decompression. This made the rest of us very apprehensive, but loyalty and a few proddings of our preprogrammed keywords encouraged us to continue.

When The Comrade, with his super strength and speed, began to move in his suit, it shattered, killing two officers and another trainee who went by the name Yaga, whose powers were rumored to be sorcerous in nature. After two more attempts, and a near drowning when Yenisei (a Hydrotechnic) tried to extend himself beyond the suit and it filled with liquid, seemingly from nowhere, the tests were called off.

The equipment was confiscated and we returned to our barracks. Even with the prohibition on speaking that we had grown accustomed to, the ones who did not return to the infirmary expressed a ambivalence, between disappointment of not being able to try our suits out, and fear of what would have happened had we done so. We had never even gotten to the weapons.

For years, layer after layer of programming had guided all but my most personal of functions. It could have been The Seed utilizing those networks already laid in my mind to guide me. It might have been sleep walking, my subconscious taking me where I needed to be. Or, if I were to believe my dreams, I was being called to do it.

One of the last things that really doesn’t matter.

I remember speaking to The Cossack, a member of the School with whom I had developed a friendship (Despite the rules prohibiting extracurricular contact). He and I were theorizing as to what the suits would have done, had we tried them. His powers, of empathy and the ability to inflict powerful rages on people (I always thought he could inflict other emotions, but he swore up and down he would not try because he had not been told to) did not affect the physical world, and therefore he should have been fine. After a few minutes in which we both agreed he should have been allowed to try his equipment (As dangerously close to dissent as we ever had gotten prior) he pulled himself from his perch on the cafeteria table and shrugged his shoulders, lamenting as he left, “Oh well, I guess it really doesn’t matter.”

I am sure he meant that it didn’t matter what we wanted. Or that it didn’t matter if he got to try the suit or not, or that it didn’t matter what we said in the few minutes before light out. What he meant, well, it really didn’t matter.

That sentence, with all of its frustration, apathy, disappointment and curiosity, was the first drop of water on The Seed.

I went back to my bunk and I laid there in the dark, staring at the mesh ceiling and trying to get that sentence out of my mind. Each time, however, that I came to the end, I added something else. Another drop.

It really doesn’t matter…
What I wanted.
It really doesn’t matter…
How loyal I am.
It really doesn’t matter…
What they want me to do with my powers.
It really doesn’t matter…
How much they tell me that I am sworn to my duty.
It really doesn’t matter…
It really doesn’t matter…
It really doesn’t matter…

Thoughts rushed through my head that I had never dreamed of. It was like a traitor was finally waking up and I shook with the knowledge that the traitor was me. I laid there and knew… I had to escape.

In an age where every six months my thoughts were read. In an age were secrets were kept only by the dead (And sometimes not then). In an age where the mind is an open book to any dozens of agents trained to look for these things… these were more than just thoughts, they were a death sentence.

I pulled myself slowly out of bed and made my way across the barracks floor. Only one of my bunkmates stirred, The Cossack and I stared in each others eyes across the dark, cold room for what seemed like hours. Finally, he nodded, and rolled over. One action, less than a moment long, would end his life, I was sure… and save my own.

Even with my abilities, it was treacherous to get to the silo. The crates, reloaded, were guarded by three soldiers in uniform and by The Comrade. I froze, not knowing what to do. It could be that seeing Yaga, the man he killed, walk out from behind the doorway was more than his already badly shaken mind could handle. Or on some level, even though by far the most programmed of us all, he wanted me to find the freedom he could never have. More likely, it was all of the above mixed with the fact he was a moron, that forced him to hide in the corner, the smell of urine the only thing that gave me pause as I entered the room.

Why, I guess, really doesn’t matter.

Stepping over the unconscious bodies of the three soldiers and around the fetal position of Mother’s Greatest Hero-to-be, I moved to the boxes lined at the base of the truck. Opening the one I knew had my prize, I pulled it from the padding and quickly put it on. The suit seemed to fit me like a second skin. Instead of just dingy grey it seemed to shine and as I pulled one of the rifles from the same crate, it too took on an air of power that seemed lacking this afternoon.

I slowly, deliberately, put each crate onto the truck. Thinking back, I should not have been able to lift them, each a few hundred pounds, but at the time it felt natural. It was like the suit moved with me, lifting as I did to make the job easier. As I slid the last box onto the truck bed, a whimper from behind me drew me back from my fugue, “What…. Wh…. What are you doing?”

I turned my head, to see The Comrade pulling himself from the floor. “What I am doing, my friend,” I smiled behind the slightly ragged grin of my fallen sorceror companion, “really doesn’t matter.” I pulled the rifle from my shoulder and felt it come alive in my hand. As if to respond to my need, a silent golden beam followed by the slightest rushing sound quickly reduced the truck, and the remaining crates to slag. An audible sigh from behind me meant even without empathy I know The Comrade would not miss these suits.

I heard the klaxons go off as I climbed out onto the permafrost above the School. I remember moving fast, but not feeling cold at all. The armor seemed to wrap itself completely around me, and when I slipped into my shadow form, it followed suit, as if it had possessed these same abilities itself.

I am not sure if it was my idea, or the The Seed, or just a natural response to years of what I would later refer to as abuse, or if it was something… else driving my actions that night. It became so that even after years of running, eventually landing on the doorstep of UNTIL, my most honest response has always been, “It really doesn’t matter.”

And it doesn’t. That was before. Now I see what they were doing to me, with me. I have pangs of regret for what I have done, but that is for me to deal with and no one else. Now I do not need to hide my friendships. I do not need to bite my lip at things I know to be wrong. I know who I am.

I am Leshey Patrovic. I am The Vilkacis (Vill – Kah – Sees).

A Russian Special Agent originally trained for the KGB since being turned over to the state and later recruited to be a super powered test subject, Vilkacis (so named after a Latvian shape-shifting killer) shook his programming and stole an alien suit of armor and weapon. Found by a UNITY team member and tested thoroughly to make sure he was honest with them, he hopes to use his powers, knowledge and technology to help the world and his own Beloved Mother Russia. They do not know of his new identity, and his new face, but if they ever do, they may try to retrieve him, or his armor.

Description: Born with green eyes and dark brown hair, his sharp chin and cheekbones as well as his pock-marked face became a distant memory. Most often, he uses what he refers to as his “neutral face” which is that of a twenty-something (though its hard to tell early or late), brownish/blondish/blackish haired, green or blue eyed (depending on the light) male with no distinguishing tattoos, marks, scars or facial features. His clothing is often a non-descript jumpsuit, though this changes often. He carries with him at all times as walking stick/cane/pool cue/etc that is equally hard to describe in any great detail.

Powers:
Metamorph: He can change his body shape, size and appearance to match anyone with whom he has had a chance to study. With effort, he can drastically change his shape (Such as into a baby, or an abnormally large man, or into a frightening but otherwise harmless man-wolf thing)
Shadow Body: His body can take on what he refers to as a “Shadow Form,” making him very difficult to see in all but the brightest light and allowing him to move through cracks and small passages with no difficulty.

Equipment:
Body Suit: Of unknown alien origin, this normally drab grey suit of obviously armor can match his shape-shifting without losing its benefits and also enhances his physical attributes. It instinctually responds to his commands and can provide an environment suitable for living for extended periods of time in harsh conditions. It also provides for basic hygiene, though food and water are still required.
Rifle: Of the same alien origin, it also mimics his abilities (Disappearing in shadow form, becoming a pool cue or staff, etc). So far he knows of three settings:
Silent: Emitting a beam of golden light, it makes almost no sound .
Neutralizing: A non-lethal beam that incapacitates and confuses the enemy
Lethal: Exactly what it sounds like.
Both items seem to be of intense emotional attachment to Leshey (he never takes it off), but the scary truth is that the attachment may go both ways…

Motivation: Seeing a lot of injustice in the tiny world he lived in growing up, he always knew there was something better to be doing with his skills. Now he has years of programming, another motivating force to contend with, feelings of separation from the country he loves, and a past filled with unconscionable acts, he needs to find a place to make amends, and a place to friends with people again.

Personality: Somewhat dour, but can act however is required for a situation. Its not just his body that changes, its his entire demeanor. With his guard down, he is pensive but friendly. He has a tendency to make wisecracks in dire situations, both to relieve stress and lighten the mood, but also to get his point across. In the field, he is very military minded and while he has been trained to think on his own and problem solve, he will go along with the group and follow orders as best he can.

Tactics: He is much more suited for recon, though he is a good ranged fighter and can handle himself in hand to hand in most normal situations. He tries to trick or otherwise use his powers to avoid direct conflict whenever possible, but will get his hands dirty of needed. He will go to great lengths to avoid collateral damage, but will not compromise the mission.


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ID: Mitarbeit (Cooperation)
Name: Astrid Zubriggen

Origin: Raised in the Swiss public school system of moderately wealthy parents Barbel and Reto Zubriggen. Her powers appeared at the same time as other signs of blossoming maturity. Always friendly and able to illicit cooperation, her powers only enhanced a good reputation and a positive demeanor. Though at this early stage, they had a subtle effect, and it was not until she was assigned as a Morale Officer during her required military service years shortly after high school that she really came to understand what she was meant to be. Though not forced to exhibit her powers during her service, she gladly used everything she had to raise the quality of life in the sometimes Spartan military bases to which she was assigned. Her final power manifested during a training exercise in which a small helicopter crashed into the building in which she worked. Unable to save the two airmen, she stumbled out of the wrecked building, much to the relief of her superior officer but to their astonishment, completely unharmed. She still shows some signs of guilt in not saving the two men, though official records to not hold her responsible.

After this incident, a recruiter from the UN was allowed to meet with her and after she spoke with her parents, CO, and friends she decided she could better help people through an organized super team. She agreed to sign up with UNITY, and hopes to make her home country proud.

Powers:
Cooperation: She can enhance the ability of others to work together and can intensify (To a small degree) the powers and abilities they already have.
Entrancement: She is very hard not to like, and if she focuses, she can force a person to at worst be neutral to her, though in already neutral people this can lead to intense feelings of loyalty or affection.
Ghost Form: She instinctually responds to personal danger by becoming intangible, appearing as a clear but translucent image of herself. In this form she can still speak and can decide to move through walls or floors, though she cannot physically affect the world. Her other powers still work in this form.

Personality: Friendly, outgoing, empathetic, she likes to see people work together and achieve their own goals. She very much does not like to be alone, bordering on agoraphobia. She makes suggestions to others, but she also follows orders.

Tactics: Her primary tactic is to go intangible and then help her teammates work together. She has never hurt anyone physically, and seeks to minimize emotional trauma where she can (She realizes her power of entrancement can leave scars if abused). She usually takes a central position to the battle and works from there to help the team.

Appearance: She is a 24 year old Blonde haired blue eyed Swiss who dresses appropriately for her age and social class. In costume, she has made an effort to be subtle and non-threatening, and the pinks and greys tend to comfort those with whom she deals.

Motivation: She was instilled at a very young age with a sense of duty to others, and this extended easily into the UNITY mission. She likes to make friends, and she likes the potential for helping Supers work together better.

Quote: “It isn’t a matter of doing what we do best, it is a matter of doing together what we can do better.”

[Lonewalker]

Thanks to all for the well wishes on my wedding! Everything went off without a single hitch and we had a great time. We are now back from our honeymoon so the dry spell of UNITY story posts that you all have patiently suffered through can now end. We promise to try to maintain the high quality of entertainment to which you all have come to expect.

Lonewalker
aka Straight Arrow

[Scifi_Toughguy]

No one got hitched at your wedding?!?!?!?

*ducks and hides*

[hooligan x]

Welcome to the club, Lonewalker! You're wedding looks like a classy affair, unlike mine:

[TheRavenIs]

Welcome back Lonewalker, congrat's on the wedding. May all your days be full of laughter and when not may laugher be not far away.

[teh bunneh]

As LW said, UNITY 2010 should be resuming this weekend, so you should get an update next week. Until then, one last tidbit to tide you over -- a list of most of the major superhero organizations and their members...

UNITY 2010
Team A – This is the largest, most experienced, most powerful team. Team A is assigned to deal with problems that threaten the entire world – such as alien invasions. They are not based on Earth, but instead explore the galaxy in order to keep trouble away from our Solar System. Team A consists of:
Quasar (German) – An energy projector who is in touch with the cosmic forces that power the universe.
Fortunata (Italian) – An Italian woman with the power to alter probability in her favor.
Inque (Indian) – A hero who can stretch and contort her body at will.
Pharaoh’s Daughter (Egyptian) – She can call upon the powers of the ancient Egyptian gods to give her strength.
Seeker (Australian) – A master of many different types of martial arts.
Shadow Puppet (Balinese) – She has the power to bring shadows to life.
Tiger Hawk (Korean) – He can transform into either a gigantic tiger or a huge hawk.
Warsmith (Kenyan) – A genius who can build nearly anything & wears powered armor.
Simian Fury (Congolese) – An animist shaman with the power to harm and to heal.

Team B – Team B is called on for world-shaking problems involving mass destruction, super-villain attacks, alien sightings on-planet, and bigger problems. Team B consists of:
Myrmidon (Greek) – A man in a suit of armor infused with the power of the Greek gods.
Bird of Paradise (Brazilian) – A man with the power to flight and fire sonic bolts.
DragonWing (Thai) – A young woman with the power to fly and generate flame.
El Picaro II (Mexican) – A swordsman with a magical sword, son of the original El Picaro, who was injured in battle.
Rock Steady (Alien) – A super-strong, rock-like alien.
Spellbreaker (Monaco) – A powerful sorceress.
Gadget Man (United States) – A brilliant (if unstable) man capable of creating nearly any kind of gadget or gizmo.

Team C – Team C is sent to investigate situations that may need UNITY's involvement, and to defuse the situation before it becomes an international crisis (if possible).
Straight Arrow (British) – An archer and former Special Forces agent.
Ifrita (Jordanian) – Descendent of the Efreeti; flies on wings of flame.
Aurora (Finnish) – A woman made of pure electricity.
Red Dragon (Japanese) – A Japanese student who possesses (and is in turn possessed by) an ancient suit of samurai armor.
New Man (Canadian) – A powerful mentalist.
Thich Nat Han (Tibetan) – A sorcerer seeped in the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tank (Destrugan) – A walking, living tank.

Team D – Most of the members of Team D are still in training, and they don't expect them to be ready to begin work for 3-6 months, which is about when Vanaheim (the southern satellite) is supposed to be finished.
Pan-Africa (Ethiopian) – An Ethiopian (though he claims to transcend such concepts as national boundaries). He is quite powerful, with super strength, near invulnerability, super speed, and a number of super senses. His costume is reminiscent of the pan-African flag – red representing the blood that unites all people of African ancestry, black for the dignity of the black people, and green for the abundant natural wealth of Africa. Pan-Africa is slated to be the leader of UTD.
Mitarbeit (Swiss) – A woman with the power to increase the power and effectiveness of others. Temporarily assigned to Team C.
Vilkacis (Georgian) – A shape-changer and infiltration expert. He was trained by the Soviet Super Soldiers to be a spy, but when he learned the nature of his government, he escaped to the west. Temporarily assigned to Team C.
White Tuxedo (Chilean) – A magician. He is arrogant, vain, and cocky, but no one can deny his power or his versatility. He was the last recruit for Team D; he was brought on board after Thich Nat Han got bumped up to Team C.
Phreak (Philipino) – He has the ability to hack any computer and control any machine. He is outfitted with a wide variety of gadgets that he controls mentally. He is young and very excitable, but he looks up to authority and takes directions well.
Brigette (Haitian) – A lightning-caster. Her powers are similar but not quite the same as Aurora's. Boastful and swaggering, she doesn't get along well with White Tuxedo (the two are perhaps more alike than either would ever admit).
Star (Singaporian) – Singapore's favorite hero, Star is about 19 years old and is perpetually happy. She is a powerful martial artist, her skills augmented by her great strength and speed. She changes costumes about as often as most people change their socks.

-----
Africa's New Warriors
Though there are quite a few supers who call Africa their home, they are not as well-organized as their counterparts in America or Europe. There are few national teams, though there is one group (one hesitates to call it a team) of heroes who sometimes come together to deal with threats that they couldn't handle individually.
Anansi: Ghana's own Batman who, using minor spells and magic trinkets taught him by a spider god, fights evil with stealth and trickery.

Gazelle: The heroine of Kenya who uses her super speed and animal reflexes to defend both the people and the environment of her homeland. UTC met her just a few weeks ago when she helped them defeat the Slug and prevented the nation of Burundi from falling under his evil sway.

Spiritkeeper: The animist from the Congo who channels the spirits of nature to take the form of both plants and animals.

Djinn: The Islamic hero of Algeria who commands the swirling winds that allow him to fly and wields a matching pair of enchanted scimitars.

Boomslang: The hero of Chad who gained reptilian powers after being cursed by an evil snake god and now seeks to use his curse to help others.

Hiphop: A singer and dancer with the ability to generate and control sound and vibrations who returned to his family's native Zimbabwe to discover his roots.

Night Soldier: The enforcer of Ethiopia who uses a variety of firearms and customized ammo to bring a violent end of anyone who threatens innocent people.

Anansi sometimes brings these heroes together as the New Warriors to battle great threats to Africa such as the arch villains Warmonger and Witch Doctor or deadly groups like the Blood Pride and the Horsemen.

-----
EuroGuard
EuroGuard have two teams. EuroGuard was originally created to deal with the ongoing threat of Eurostar, but have since branched off into a team much like UNITY, but confined to Europe. The team consists of:
The Watchman: A Polish hero; a technical genius who wears a suit of powered armor.
Bielo: The God of the Spring; a Slovak hero and one of the most powerful beings on the Earth. Also, one of Aurora's boyfriends.
AngelFire: A Spanish heroine. Extraordinarily beautiful, but also quite vain. She’s as much a supermodel as a superhero. She generates and controls light.
The Purple Juggler: A funny guy who can create various types of energy and throw it at his enemies. Yeah, it sounds silly, but he’s quite well-respected by his teammates.
Tick-Tock: A robot, originally created by the mechanical would-be overlord Mechanon, he was reprogrammed to work for the side of good. He can stop time.
Speed: The Fastest Man in Europe, Speed is bitter and withdrawn. His face was scarred by Eurostar, and now he seeks revenge against them. He is from the tiny island-nation of Malta.
Passion: A Frenchwoman who seems haughty and arrogant. She has the ability to control a person’s emotional state.
Doc Giant: An Irishman, and a dwarf. He has the power to grow to an enormous size.
Okeanoz: A Greek hero who controls water. You don’t know much about him.
Schadewster: A Dutch hero who generates darkness.
Volva: A witch from Sweden who specializes in divination.


-----
PRIMUS
PRIMUS East:
Paragon Super Soldier
Balrog Brick-Blaster
Mjolnir Brick
Rebound Blaster
Technomancer Gadgeteer
Umbra Mentalist

PRIMUS Central:
Justice Brick-Blaster
Blizzard Blaster
Charcoal Brick
Lionheart Martial Artist-Gadgeteer
Loup Morph
Phantom Ghost

PRIMUS West:
Silver Avenger Brick-Blaster
Bushido Martial Artist-Weaponsmaster
El Nino Blaster
Luminary Mentalist
Gadget Girl Gadgeteer

[teh bunneh]

Ah, back in the saddle again. Had a nice little cliffhanger for the re-opening session. We'll see how the PCs react next week...

----------
UNITY 2010 Recap for November 12 2005
The heroes returned from capturing Raising Caine, Amazon, Psymon, and Lyonesse and had a few days in which they weren't called to perform missions. They used to time to practice, get some stick time in the new Grungnir, and make a few more contacts in the superhero world.

So far, the heroes have managed to contact Africa's New Warriors, the Middle-East's Defenders of Islam, Shoujo and Baka from Japan, EuroGuard, Albion of Great Britain, and China's Tiger Squad. Most of them (with the lone exception of Tiger Squad) expressed a willingness to help against the suspected upcoming alien invasion.

After about three days, they were assigned a new mission and left immediately. The Paris police had requested help. Someone – who the press has dubbed "The Leech" – has been attacking and murdering people along the Seine, then disappearing without a trace. The police have been unable to capture him, and were asking UNITY for assistance (in fact, they specifically requested UTC, since those heroes had already visited France twice before and were generally well-regarded).

The heroes flew to France and meet the Inspector Vue D'mer, an older man who's been on the force for 30 years. He was happy that UNITY was there, because he'd never seen anything quite like what was happening, and was completely stymied.

The heroes got right down to business, questioning the Inspector about everything he knew. He told them that the police had been trying to keep this out of the press, but the information was still slowly leaking out. So far 14 people have been killed. Autopsies show that the victims had all the blood in their bodies sucked out through dozens of tiny sucker-marks. In each case, there had been a struggle. This had been going on for exactly two weeks – one murder per night.

Inspector Vue D'mer was of the opinion that the attacks were being committed by an alien of some sort – after all, no creature on earth was capable of such an act. The heroes dismissed this theory, because the attack patterns didn't match any known alien physiology.

The Inspector also told them that the police had a break in the latest case – an eyewitness. Straight Arrow assigned Ifrita, New Man, and Vilkacis to interview the witness. He took Mitarbeit and Thich Nat Han to the morgue so they could examine the latest victim. He sent Tank, Red Dragon, and Aurora to the riverfront to search the crime scenes for anything the police may have missed.

At the hospital, Ifrita and New Man spoke with the witness. Michel was a homeless man, aged well beyond his years by his difficult life. He suffered from schizophrenia and had a severe alcohol dependence, so the police were not sure how much of his story was true. He seemed friendly enough to Ifrita (drugged as he was on a variety of anti-psychotic medicines), and he told her the same story that he'd told the police.

"It was a cold night and I was having trouble finding a place to bed down," he said. "All the good spots were taken already, but eventually I found a dumpster to sleep in. It was filled with cardboard and was pretty warm. I crawled in and fell asleep for I don't know how long, and then I was awakened by the sounds of a fight. I peeked out (being very careful because you don't want to get involved in these things) and I saw a horrible sight!" Michel was visibly frightened by the memory of last night, but Ifrita begged him to continue. "What I saw was terrible. It was like a monster – 10 feet high, with slimy purple skin. Instead of hands it had tentacles like a squid, and it had grabbed this man and was bashing him up against the wall until the man stopped struggling. Then it wrapped its tentacles around him." Michel's eyes bugged out. "I shut the lid of the dumpster and hid there the rest of the night. I didn't see anything else until the police found me there the next morning."

While Michel was telling his story, New Man probed his mind for inconsistencies or untruths. He found that the man was telling the truth as far as he could remember – however, his alcoholism and mental instability made the images hard to discern. The heroes thanked Michel for his help and left to find Straight Arrow.

Meanwhile, the English hero's team was in the morgue examining the latest victim. Thich Nat Han used his magical senses to see if the body had been tainted with dark magic. He was relieved to find that it was not. Mitarbeit examined the corpse and found that everything was as it was described to the heroes. Straight Arrow checked the medical records – toxicology reports and such. He found a few interesting things. The first was that there were large amounts of a naturally occurring anti-coagulant in the body. The second was trace amounts of a strange chemical.

Straight Arrow was intrigued and used the hospital's computer to research the chemical. He finally found it on a list of internationally banned chemicals. Known colloquially as Proteus X, it had once been used to help regulate chemical processes – it made the manufacture of medicines and the like much quicker by speeding up the reactions a hundredfold. However, it was found to be a very powerful mutagen – people who worked with it began to develop highly aggressive forms of leukemia. It had been banned about 10 years ago by international treaty.

Meanwhile, out in the city, Red Dragon led his team through the various crime scenes, examining them carefully. Tank and Aurora kept getting distracted by the various sights and sounds of Paris, but Red Dragon (uncharacteristically) was deeply focused on his task. After visiting a half-dozen crime scenes, he realized that they all had something in common – they all took place within just a few feet of a manhole cover! He deduced that the creature was using the extensive Paris sewer system to move around undetected. He also guessed that the reason the creature was staying so near the Seine was because it needed to stay wet.

Meanwhile, Mitarbeit (who wasn't interested in sitting around while Straight Arrow played on the computer) decided to use the information she got from Red Dragon to go down to the city's sewer department and see if she could get a map of the sewers. The men there were more than happy to help her (printing out multiple copies and laminating them all). As she was leaving, one of them remarked that he hoped she caught the killer, since one of their own workers was the first victim.

This confused her a little bit. She had read the reports, and none of them mentioned a sewer worker. "He disappeared the night before the first murder," they explained. "He was down in the sewers working on fixing a broken pipe, and he never reported back. The police didn't even have time to start an investigation before the first body was found, and when that happened Pierre's disappearance became secondary. But we're all sure that poor unlucky Pierre was the monster's first victim."

She relayed this new bit of information to Straight Arrow, who was busy arranging patrol patterns with the rest of the team. This changed things; UTC decided to investigate the spot where Pierre was last seen. Leaving Aurora, Ifrita, and New Man behind to keep an eye on things topside, the rest of the team trudged through the sewers to Pierre's last worksite.

Everything seemed normal until Straight Arrow used his X-ray visor to examine the area. He immediately noticed a door, carefully disguised to look like a part of the wall. He had Tank break the door down, which revealed a narrow passageway. Vilkacis took point. They had entered a much older section of the sewers, a part that had not been used in what appeared to be decades. The tunnel took them directly under the Seine, where they found a very large chamber, partially filled with water. Hundreds of large barrels – all of them emblazoned with the international Toxic Waste symbol – filled the room. The heroes spread out to search the place.

Straight Arrow checked the barrels. There were a variety of toxic chemicals, and prominent among them were barrels of Proteus X. He searched around and sure enough, he found one that had a small crack in it that was slowly leaking into the stagnant water. He noted that the chemicals had all come from a prominent French drug company known as Pharmaceutiques Internationales.

Vilkacis examined one of the room's three entrances – a large cargo door. He found that the lock and the alarm on it had long-since rusted out, and he figured that the door hadn't been used in at least ten years. He cautiously checked the other side of the door and found nothing but a long, wide, unlit corridor that looked like it was the perfect size for trucks to come in and out through.

Mitarbeit checked the second door and found that it (like the door they had come through) had been used recently. She began to get creeped out by the darkness, the black water, and the sewage-smell of the place. She felt like someone was watching her.

Red Dragon climbed up onto one of the catwalks above the room to get a better look at the place. Suddenly, something large and powerful knocked him off his perch and into the water below. He felt powerful tentacles wrap around his body. Even his armor couldn't protect him from the dozens of tiny stingers that entered him. He felt his very life being drained from his body as he struggled against his unseen foe. But with a mighty heave, he managed to throw the creature away from him. He climbed unsteadily to his feet and drew his sword.

However, he couldn't see his foe. He wasn't sure if it was the darkness and the water or something else, but all he could make out was the frantic splashing where he had thrown his enemy.

Straight Arrow, Thich Nat Han, and Vilkacis ran to help, but they couldn't see the creature either. It seemed to blend perfectly in with its environment. Thich Nat Han concentrated and found that he was able to sense the creature's spirit. "There it is, on top of those barrels!" he told the others, simultaneously casting a spell to hold it trapped. Straight Arrow fired a blinding strobe arrow at it, and was rewarded by hearing the creature's screech of rage and pain. For a moment, he was able to see it – much as Michel had described, with sickly purple skin and tentacle-like arms.

The creature broke free of its bindings, but Red Dragon had a good idea of where it was. He leapt into the air and hit it as hard as he could. The Leech flew across the room and smashed into a barrel, but the force of the impact cracked the barrel open. Thinking quickly, Straight Arrow fired a glue arrow at the barrel, sealing the crack before the toxic sludge within could leak out.

Mitarbeit attempted to use her entrancement powers to calm the creature and get it to surrender, but her presence seemed to enrage it further. It leapt straight towards her, wrapping its powerful tentacle-arms around her body. She screamed as she felt it draining her blood. Red Dragon leapt out of the water and then, with uncharacteristic precision (so as not to harm his teammate), stabbed the creature in the gut.

The Leech crumpled to the ground and faded into visibility. It was a hideous thing, though it was obvious that the creature had once been a man. The heroes bound the monster tightly and searched the room, finding some torn clothing (still bearing a nametag – Pierre) and a sewer-worker's helmet. They deduced that poor unlucky Pierre had found the secret door while working and had come down here to investigate. The toxic chemicals in the water mutated him into the horrible thing they had fought.

Now the only thing was to take this pitiful creature back to Midgard and to get an environmental crew down here to begin with the clean-up. Oh, and to serve a warrant on Pharmaceutiques Internationales for illegal toxic dumping.

Meanwhile, up above ground, New Man was keeping a careful watch on things. As the fight was winding down, he got a call on his cell phone. Curious, he picked it up. An unfamiliar voice (speaking with a lower-class English accent) told him, "It's started, mate. It's all over the news. Now's a good time for you to disappear…" The man hung up before New Man could question him.

There was a radio nearby, so New Man switched it on just in time to hear a news report. "The top story tonight is an alarming report from the United Nations," the anchorman said. "UNTIL has issued arrest warrants for the members of UNITY Team C. Details are still sketchy at this point, but our sources tell us that UTC is accused of collaborating with aliens and attempting to undermine the legitimate governments of Earth. UNITY Team B has been authorized to serve the warrant, though UN officials are urging UTC members to turn themselves in voluntarily. More on this breaking story as it comes in."

To be continued!

[Lonewalker]

There was a radio nearby, so New Man switched it on just in time to hear a news report. "The top story tonight is an alarming report from the United Nations," the anchorman said. "UNTIL has issued arrest warrants for the members of UNITY Team C. Details are still sketchy at this point, but our sources tell us that UTC is accused of collaborating with aliens and attempting to undermine the legitimate governments of Earth. UNITY Team B has been authorized to serve the warrant, though UN officials are urging UTC members to turn themselves in voluntarily. More on this breaking story as it comes in."

"Oh, bother..."

Lonewalker
aka Straight Arrow

[Cardinal]

As always, a great write up! I'm looking forward to the coming Super on Super battle.

[Virtue]

You are an Evil man i love it
I figured the Leech was a rather week villian for the likes of Unity C
They better contact the secret Unity Team ASAP