Villain Team Name

[Lord Liaden]

Hey, gang, it looks like I'll be running a high-powered Champions mini-campaign for some friends over this summer. I've decided to develop a team concept that I introduced last year when my old group closed down. I'm coming up blank on a name for the team, though, so I could use some of the creativity that abounds here. Especially from the twisted folks (you know who you are).

The concept isn't so much a team as a loose alliance. Seven of the most powerful, destructive demonic entities abiding on the Earth have banded together to advance their mutual goals. Said goals aren't exactly subtle: the spreading of large-scale terror, chaos, death and destruction. While their goals aren't subtle, several of these demons are very devious and possess powers well suited to deception and manipulation, to complement their tremendous collective force.

I intend to use demonic beings written up in various 5E Champions sourcebooks, gathered from around the world. This is the lineup I've chosen, with the sourcebook each monster appears in for anyone unfamiliar with them and curious:

From the British Isles, Samhain, who spreads and feeds on terror and suffering (Champions Universe and Evil Unleashed). Samhain is the most subtle and charismatic of these demons, and is the one who has gathered and is "leading" them, although with creatures as evil and arrogant as these, it's all even Samhain can do to keep them going in the same direction;

From Egypt, The Living Sphinx, a cunning and ferocious predator, who feeds on the spirits of the slain (Champions Worldwide);

From India, Survalesh, an asura from the Hindu hells who delights in tormenting the living as he once punished the dead (Champions Worldwide);

From China, Li Chun The Destroyer, driven by lust for devastation, with the blood of Chinese superheroes already on his hands (Champions Worldwide);

From Australia, Marmoo, master of insect hordes from the Dreamtime, who desires the destruction of everything of beauty in the world (Hidden Lands);

From South America, Eclipsar, wielder of terrible powers of darkness, who dreams of extinguishing the Sun and ending life on Earth (Champions Worldwide);

From beneath the Atlantic Ocean, The Murk, an aquatic horror filled with the dark power of the inimical Qliphothic dimensions (Hidden Lands).

I plan to introduce these demons to the PC heroes gradually in the early game sessions, starting with encounters with individual demons, then in twos and threes, until the PCs understand the full scope of what they're up against. I also want to foreshadow their coming through dreams and visions by the heroes and by mystics around the world. As part of that foreshadowing I would like to use a group name that they keep hearing without knowing what it means at first. Something evocative and frightening. And that's where my imagination is running dry.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Feel free to ask questions if you'd like further clarification.

[CrosshairCollie]

Sadly, Devil's Advocates is taken.

I noticed that there are seven of them ... there are a lot of mythological/theological sevens, aren't there?

Hmm. Something catastrophic ...
Catastrophe?
Apocalypse?
The Alliance of the Abyss?
If they were all female, they could be Hell's Belles. Just kidding.

[Basil]

HE77 (or HE7L or HEL7)

The Unleashed

[Lord Liaden]

I noticed that there are seven of them ... there are a lot of mythological/theological sevens, aren't there?

It is a resonant number, isn't it? Last time I had a game-based reason for using only six demons, but that never felt quite right.

And thanks to CC and Basil for the suggestions. Keep 'em coming

[Supreme Serpent]

The End

The Prophesied

The Seven Lords of Entropy

The Seven Shepherds

[CrosshairCollie]

The End

On an unrelated note, I now want to have some villain put a bunch of MMORPG and FPS gamers in power armor and dub the team Game Over.

[Lord Liaden]

The Seven Shepherds

Mmm... that's a nice one. Full of symbolism but not too explicit.

[Basil]

The Last.

Wrap Up.

The Finishers.

Finis.

[David Johnston]

The Circle of Seven
The Angels of Destruction
The Chosen Few

[gojira]

The Seven Deadly Sins/Gods/Spirits

[Amber Nytstar]

The Seven Shadows
Forces of Desolation
Warriors of Despair

[Derek Hiemforth]

How about some kind of play on The Magnificent Seven? Such as...

The Maleficent Seven
The Malevolent Seven
The Malignant Seven

etc.

[Lord Liaden]

If they were all female, they could be Hell's Belles. Just kidding.

Now that I think of it, IIRC there's an all-female villain team in The Algernon Files by that name.

[Lord Liaden]

How about some kind of play on The Magnificent Seven? Such as...

The Maleficent Seven
The Malevolent Seven
The Malignant Seven

etc.

That's a clever idea. It's a little more obvious than I was going for, though. I would prefer than anyone hearing the name without knowing the context would not immediately assume that it referred to a supervillain team. I was toying with "Seven Plagues," or "Seven Nights" (the opposite of the world being created in seven days), but those just don't pop out at me.

Big thanks to everyone who's contributed so far. To this point I'm kinda leaning toward "Seven Shepherds" or "Seven Shadows," being a sucker for alliteration. But I know y'all have more great suggestions in you.

[Flames]

I'm going to have to go with Kramer's suggestion on Seinfeld, "Sons of Dad." Kind of a catch-all.