Superhero Universe Timeline

[Cassandra]

A work in progress.  The names have been changed to protect the author.

 

5000 BC - The Titans come into existence.  Over the next two thousand years they mate with mortals producing thousands with superhuman powers.  Cronus uses his ability to see the future to become King of the Titans.

 

3000 BC - Cronus, King of the Titans has a vision of Metis defying him by saving a mortal.  In turns him into a Djinn, imprisons her in a magic lamp, and sends her through time enslaving her to who ever comes into its possession, and grant them three wishes.   Cronus plan is to make Metis come to hate humanity for it's greed and selfishness.  

 

2000 BC - Zeus comes into possession of the Magic Lamp, and orders Metis to make him King of the Olympians.  His second wish is to produce him a daughter, and Athena is formed.  His third wish is to make Hera, the most powerful of the Olympians, fall in love with him.  

 

27 AUG 1776 - Hessian Soldier and a sorcerer known as the Necoromancer take part in the Battle of Long Island.  Juno intervenes on the American side.  She engages an army of "Animated Skeletons" that threaten to cut off Washington's Army.  Discovering they are actually made of wood she smashes them using a tree as a club, allowing the safe retreat of the Continental Army.

 

13 MAY 1805 - For his service liberating Tripoli Marine Lt. Matthew Easton Fremont is granted powers that will make him Captain Freedom. 

 

08 MAR 1862 - The Steele Brigade, a unit made up of Union soldiers in experimental steam powered armor, help defeat the Confederates at the Battle of the Crossroads in Virginia.  The armor is designed by Maxwell Ames, and the Brigade is commanded by Col. Matthew Clark.

 

28 JUL 1914 - The Great War begins.

 

30 JUL 1914 - Hera proposes the Olympians intervine to stop the Great War.  Zeus opposes intervention, and Ares and Hades back him.  Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Artemis side with Hera.

 

01 AUG 1914 - Hera disappears from Olympus.  Hecate becomes Queen, and sides with Zeus.  

 

02 AUG 1914 - American Millionaire John Adams Taylor saves the life of Professor Jennifer O'Hare in Greece.  

 

02 SEPT 1914 - John Taylor and Jennifer O'Hare marry in New York City.

 

04 JUN 1915 - Bradley Taylor born to John and Jennifer Taylor.

 

06 APR 1917 - U.S. enters the Great War.

 

06 JUN 1917 - Brooke Taylor born in New York City.

 

03 APR 1922 - Vasilii Zhelezo, a superhuman with massive strength and invulnerability, becomes Dictator of the Soviet Union after he kills Josef Stalin.

 

09 NOV 1923 - During the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, Edmund R. Draecker, a time traveler, kills Adolf Hitler for the purpose of turning him into a martyr, and gaining control of the Nazi Party.

 

21 MAY 1927 - Douglas Mansfield makes his famous solo flight across the Atlantic, becoming an international hero.

 

28 APR 1933 - Edmund R. Draecker becomes Fuehrer of Nazi Germany.

 

15 JUN 1934 - Draecker meets Italian Dictator Mussolini in Venice.  Mussolini dies of a heart attack, and is replaced by pro-German Fascist leader Antonio Manetti.

 

02 JUL 1934 - "Night of the Long Knives".  Draecker orders assassination of all those in the Nazi Party that oppose him.  His personal bodyguard, all enhanced with evil magic, carry out the murders.  They will become the core of the "S.S.".

 

01 JUN 1938 - Ultraman is filmed by a newsreel camera preventing a dirigible from crashing into New York City.  He is the first superhuman to be filmed using his powers

 

30 OCT 1938 - Ultraman and Starlet, in her debut as a heroine, defeat a "Martian" Invasion of Earth.

 

01 NOV 1938 - Leslie North confronts Bradley Taylor about his newspaper calling her "Starlet" instead of "Starlight".  

 

27 MAY 1939 - First confirmed appearance of the Nighthawk.

 

23 AUG 1939 - German Fuhrer Draecker and Russian Marshal Zhelezo sign Non-Aggression Pact, shocking the World.  In a secret codicil they agree to divide Poland between them.

 

01 SEPT 1939 - Germany invades Poland.

 

03 SEPT 1939 - Britain and France declare war on Germany.  Global War begins.

 

10 MAY 1940 - Germany Armies invade France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.  William Cromwell becomes Prime Minister of England.

 

29 JUL 1940 - Gladiator lures Juno into a trap in Rome.  Juno escapes after teaching Manetti a lesson.

 

30 JUL 1940 - Juno is introduced by Hera to Nighthawk.  He offers her a chance to join a group he's forming to battle the Axis.  Juno is reluctant at first.  Ultraman and Nighthawk capture the Mad Bomber, and with Juno's help find a bomb that would have destroyed the Brooklyn Bridge.  Alistair Harpe of the State Department attempts to take Juno into custody for deportation back to Italy at the request of Mussolini.  Juno informs him that she's been a U.S. Citizen since 1789.  Ultraman and Nighthawk take her side.  

 

31 JUL 1940 - Turncoat kidnaps Juno, and Nighthawk rescues her.  After reading the mind of one of the Axis spies she realizes what they have been doing to innocent people.  Juno joins Nighthawk's team.

 

03 SEPT 1940 - Eagle Squadron, a group of American Superheroes volunteers forms in England to fight German Supervillains.  They include American Eagle, Columbia, Major Victory, Miss Liberty, and Minuteman.

 

01 MAR 1941 - The "Super-Soldier Program" is started by the United States Government.

 

04 MAR 1941 - America Force, a group of Isolationist "Superheroes" is formed by aviator Douglas Mansfield, who takes the name Lone Eagle.  He is joined by Paragon, Union Maid, Grey Ghost, and Swashbuckler.  Young Daniel Cassidy, Jr., son of Isolationist Ex-Ambassador Daniel J. Cassidy, joins the team as Winger, sidekick to Lone Eagle.

 

05 MAR 1941 - The Fifth Column, an Axis sabotage group, stages a number of crimes framing British Intelligence.  They set up hired low level super-villains for easy defeat by the America Force.

 

10 MAR 1941 - The United Superheroes of America is formed by Nighthawk, Ultraman, Lady Liberty, Miss Freedom, Columbia, Minuteman, Jade Tiger, Black Rose, Lioness, Starlet, Straight Arrow, and American Eagle.  Nighthawk is elected the groups first President, and he choose Miss Freedom as his Vice President.

 

11 MAR 1941 - Senator Matthew Easton Fremont of California is saved from an assassination attempt by the United Superheroes of America.  Fremont delivers a powerful speech in favor of "Lend Lease" and the Bill Passes, allowing military aid to England.  

 

07 DEC 1941 - Japanese Carrier Strike on Pearl Harbor.  Japanese Scientist turned Winged Monster Hiryu takes part in attack, fought off by the American Army Air Corp. Hero Warhawk.

 

08 DEC 1941 - Lady Liberty first public appearance.  

 

11 DEC 1941 - "The Night of Infamy".  League of Heroes New York City headquarters, "The Herodrome" is destroyed by a bomb.  Of 24 members there are only seven survivors.  Raven brought in from Los Angeles by Titaness and Ultraman to solve bombing before survivors meet with the President.  Traitor in League of Heroes discovered.  League of Heroes surviving members join the United Superheroes of America.

 

18 APR 1942 - Lt. Col. James Davenport, Jr.'s Raid on Tokyo.  Superheroes Warhawk and Kitty Hawk take part in raid, liberating hundreds of Allied Prisoners of War and Civilians. 

 

08 JUN 1943 - Fifth Column team made up of Blitzkrieg, Ice Maiden, Valkyrie, Captain Axis, and Soryu raid Project Rainbow facility in Philadelphia.  A United Superheroes team made up of Nighthawk, Ultraman, Minuteman, Columbia, Lady Liberty, and Miss Freedom drive them off, but not before they steal a long range teleport device based on "Martian" technology.  They use it to attempt to bring a Japanese Invasion fleet into Chesapeake Bay.  Miss Freedom flies through the portal and destroys the Japanese device on the other side, destroying the Japanese Battleship Mutsu.  Nighthawk "kills" Valkyrie in Philadelphia fight, (She is revealed to be alive and a deep cover U.S. operative).

 

09 JUN 1943 - Nighthawk fights Soryu at the Presidential Retreat after the Japanese assassin tries to kill President Forsythe and British Prime Minister William Cromwell.  Naval Lt. Pete Maxwell gets into a fight with Army bomber pilot Gordon O'Grady after O'Grady drunkenly hits on Val Kirk (the former Valkyrie).

 

04 JUN 1944 - Alistair Harpe, a State Department official and close adviser to President Forsythe, is exposed as the Turncoat by Columbia, Juno, and Naval Cmdr. Peter Maxwell.   He was caught attempting to reveal the D-Day locations to Germany Intelligence.  

 

05 JUN 1944 - Lioness, Nightingale, Miss Freedom, Columbia, Britannia, Ultraman, Major Victory, and American Eagle raid German based in France ahead of the D-Day landings.  

 

07 NOV 1944 - Senator Matthew Easton Fremont Elected President over Vice President Gregory Hollister III.

 

07 DEC 1944 - Stephen Clark appointed to fill out President-Elect Fremont's Senate term.

 

01 JAN 1944 - Nighthawk I retires.  Condor becomes Nighthawk II.  Miss Freedom becomes new President of the United Superheroes of America, and picks Nightingale as Vice President.

 

08 JUL 1947 - Battle of Roswell.  Aliens use portal in an attempt to invade Earth.  The United Superheroes of America led by Starlet defeats the invaders, and sets off an Atomic Bomb destroying the portal.

 

18 SEPT 1947 - President Fremont creates Central Intelligence Agency.  The Office of Strategic Services mandate is charged to dealing exclusively with superhuman crime.

 

19 SEPT 1952 - Ultralad, son of Ultraman and Dryad, begins his superhero career.

 

28 APR 1958 - Ultralad erased from history by time travelling villain known as The Professor.

 

16 JUN 1959 - Guardian, hero of the Soviet Union, makes his first appearance.

 

08 NOV 1960 - Connecticut Senator Dirk "Duke" Cassidy defeats Vice President Peter Maxwell in the Presidential Election.  The "Superhero Gap", as evidenced by the Guardian's appearance, was a major issue of the campaign.

 

21 AUG 1962 - Confirmed contact with Alternate Earth known as "Terra".  The main superhero team is known as The Crusaders. 

 

22 NOV 1963 - The Fifth Column assassinates President Dirk "Duke" Cassidy in Memphis, Tennessee.  Vice President Andrew Jackson "A.J." Harper is sworn in as President.

 

17 SEPT 1964 - Mastermind robs Fort Knox.  

 

18 SEPT 1964 - Ultraman and Nighthawk II capture Mastermind.  It is the last case for Nighthawk II.

 

22 SEPT 1964 - President Harper, in the wake of the Cassidy Assassination and the robbery of Fort Knox, forms the United Nations Law Enforcement & Security Service (UNLESS) to battle the Fifth Column.

 

12 JAN 1966 - Campy "Nighthawk" TV show debuts.  The stories are highly fictionalized.   Nighthawk III begins his career.

 

01 APR 1968 - Professor Ramsey Page publishes "The Superhuman Bomb", a book that predicts the end of the human race do to the expanding superhuman population.

 

04 APR 1968 - Crusader I (Brigham Young Knight) is killed by the Professor.  

 

11 APR 1968 -  Brigham Young Knight, Jr., becomes Crusader II.

 

06 JUN 1968 - Marshal Law is killed by the Professor.  He is revealed to be U.S. Senator Thomas Cassidy, brother of the late President Dirk Cassidy.  Andrew "Tad" Cassidy is appointed to his Senate seat.

 

05 NOV 1968 - Former Vice President Peter "Sneaky Pete" Maxwell defeats President A.J. Harper in an election focusing on the corruption at UNLESS.  Senator Douglas Morgan of Massachusetts Vice President.

 

09 AUG 1974 - President Maxwell resigns after it is revealed his operatives bugged Senator Gordon O'Grady's campaign office during the 1972 Presidential Campaign.  What is kept secret was the fact that Maxwell was afraid O'Grady would remember that First Lady Val Kirk Maxwell had been the Valkyrie.

 

10 AUG 1974 - Douglas Morgan is sworn is as President.

 

09 MAY 1975 - Senator Ernest Temple calls OSS Director James Whitney before the Senate and accuses him of "Violating the the Constitutional Rights of Alleged Super-Villains."

 

07 NOV 1975 - "Lady Liberty" TV Show, featuring fictionalized stories of the famed Patriotic Heroines career, airs starring Regina Saetta, who ironically is secretly the super-heroine Juno. 

 

02 NOV 1976 - Louisiana Gov. Harrison Long defeats President Morgan in the Presidential Election.  Senator Ernest Temple of Arizona is elected Vice President.

 

22 MAY 1977 - President Long gives a speech telling America it's time to give up our "Inordinate fear of super-villains."

 

04 NOV 1979 - The Forces of Evil, a group of super-villains, takes over Iran.  They hold American Citizens in the country hostage at the U.S. Embassy.

 

01 DEC 1979 - President Long formally requests UNLESS secure the release of the hostages.  The request is vetoed by the Soviet Union.

 

31 DEC 1979 - The United Nations General Assembly recognizes the Forces of Evil Regime in Iran.

 

01 JAN 1980 - President Long announces the United States will not use force to rescue the hostages.

 

24 APR 1980 - The United Superheroes of America rescues the hostages, and overthrows the Forces of Evil.  President Long has secretly requested the action, and when it appeared the mission had failed has his Secretary of State denounce the action.  When the mission succeeded he fired the Secretary of State and took credit.

 

04 NOV 1980 - Former California Governor Stephen Decatur Clark defeats President Long in the Presidential election.  Pennsylvania Congresswoman Melissa Fremont Blake elected Vice President.

 

05 AUG 1981 - President Clark cancels the "Super-Soldier Program."  

 

05 APR 1983 - Ultraman is lured into a trap set by the UNLESS.  He his put on trial for breaking international  law during the Hostage Crisis.  President Clark authorizes a United Superheroes rescue mission

 

06 NOV 1984 - President Clark is re-elected in a landslide over former Vice President Ernest Temple.

 

01 JAN 1985 - President Clark announces the creation of the Crisis Response Intelligence Security & Investigation Service (CRISIS) to deal with superhuman crime in the United States.  The Office of Strategic Services is given the responsibility of dealing with overseas superhuman terrorism.  Marine Col. James Whitney is appointed first Director of CRISIS.

 

08 NOV 1988 - Vice President Melissa Fremont Blake is elected President over Michigan Governor Daniel Sewell.

 

18 APR 1990 - Senator John Reynolds killed in a plane crash.  Juno retires from the United Superheroes of America.  

 

31 DEC 1991 - The Soviet Union Collapses.  Ares in his first mission prevents the Soviet powered armor T-2000 from falling into the wrong hands.

 

03 NOV 1992 - President Melissa Fremont Black is re-elected over Illinois Gov. Richard Harding.

 

05 NOV 1996 - William Dexter "Dex" Durant elected President.  Senator Andrew "Tad" Cassidy of Connecticut, brother of the late President Dirk Cassidy elected Vice President.

 

20 JAN 1997 - President Durant inaugurated, and announces that UNLESS would be allowed to operate on U.S. soil after sixteen years.  The O.S.S. is disbanded, and funding for CRISIS is reduced.

 

18 APR 2000 - Liberty, daughter of Lady Liberty and American Eagle, begins her superhero career.

 

07 NOV 2000 - Former New York Governor Bradley Taylor elected defeats President Durant.

 

20 JAN 2001 - Bradley Taylor sworn in as President.  John Taylor becomes CEO of Taylor Industries at 21 years of age.  

 

11 SEPT 2001 - The Jihad Brigade makes Terrorist attacks across the World.  The Thomas Jefferson Bridge in New York is destroyed.  Rashid Ali demands withdraw of all U.S. forces from Middle East or attacks will continue.

 

18 APR 2005 - Liberty resigns from the United Superheroes of America, and mysteriously disappears.

 

04 JUL 2008 - Minerva defeats T-2000, Igor Rasputin, and Rashid Ali at Novosibirsk, Russia during an attempt to launch missiles as Russia and China in order to start a nuclear war.  Guardian is injured in the attack, and soon retires.  Rasputin and Ali are killed in a plane crash while trying to escape.

 

01 AUG 2008 - Maj. L.E.A. Delaney, USAF, the true identity of Minerva, is presented with the Medal of Honor.  

 

06 AUG 2008 - Minerva is sent on the Od

 

04 NOV 2008 - Senator Charles Stewart Lee of New Jersey is elected President over Idaho Senator James Madden.  Michigan Senator Parker Adonis Gordon is elected Vice President.

 

01 JAN 2009 - Royal Family killed in terrorist bombing of Buckingham Palace.  

 

20 JAN 2009 - Charles Stewart Lee inaugurated as President.  The Monarch seizes power in England.

 

21 JAN 2009 - President Lee officially recognizes the Monarch's regime.

 

27 JAN 2009 - President Lee formally disbands CRISIS. 

 

20 JAN 2010 - Liberty returns, saving the White House from an Alien Attack.  Aurora arrives on Earth, placed in Liberty's custody by U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General James Davenport.   Liberty reactivates Los Angeles base known as "The Ranch".

 

6 FEB 2010 - Liberty and Aurora save ocean liner from the Sky Pirate.  Nemesis tracks down Sky Pirate's secret base at abandoned shipyard.  Liberty recruits Nemesis into her team.

 

15 MAR 2010 - Liberty, Aurora, and Nemesis bring in the Firebug has his gang.  Starlwart joins the team.

 

18 APR 2010 - Stalwart kidnapped by the Professor, whose attempt to steal his powers transforms him to Rampage.  Liberty rescues Stalwart, and with Juno's help defeats Rampage.  Aurora rescues NASA experimental spacecraft Intrepid.  Stalwart taken to New York for treatment by his sister Victory. Juno joins Liberty's team.

 

20 MAY 2010 - Liberty recaptures Rampage after he escapes and takes hostages at a Bank.  Stalwart buys Mobile Armored Reconnaissance Suit from Douglas Clark, becomes Mars.

 

21 MAY 2010 - Mars exposed as impostor by Liberty, revealed to be Myrmidon.  Myrmidon demands Liberty help in him his plan to assassinate the President.  Liberty refuses, and turns him over to Secret Service.

 

04 JUN 2010 - Liberty ordered to United Superheroes of America base in New York City by Nighthawk.  Informed that because of her decision to turn Myrmidon in she has been chosen as next leader of United Superheroes starting in January.  

 

07 DEC 2010 - Liberty exposes President Lee's dealings with the Monarch.  President Lee resigns and Vice President Mallory Stanton Chase becomes President.

[bubba smith]

very good Cassandra tell us more plase

[zslane]

Does this Fifth Column have vampyres and warwolves too?

[Cassandra]

very good Cassandra tell us more plase

 

My idea for a superhero universe is one that superhumans have always existed.  This has two advantages.  One, you don't have to explain why some people have powers.  Two, you can have a superhero campaign anytime in history.

[Cassandra]

Does this Fifth Column have vampyres and warwolves too?

 

Most of the superhumans in this reality look human.  Those that look like monsters actually wore elaborate costumes to disguise their identities.  Are those those with powers in the past that led to the legends of supernatural creatures.

 

The Firth Column is an organization whose goal is world conquest.  They have allied themselves with various political movements over the years.  

[Cassandra]

Notes on the Timeline

 

1. There are currently (2014) about seven million superhumans on Earth, about four million in the United States.  This is roughly 1 in 1000.

 

2. Most superhumans are relatively low level with powers like Enhanced Sense, moderate superstrength (30 STR), or talents like Lightning calculator, Eidetic Memory, or Absolute Time Sense.

 

3. Only about 1 in 1000 superhumans becomes a superhero or villain.

 

4. The lifespan of humans is between 50 and 200 years.

[Cassandra]

United Superheroes of America Memberships

 

Ares - Douglas Morgan Clark, Aerospace Company President.  Powered Armored Hero.  Son of Nighthawk and Lioness.  (New York City)

 

Black Cat - Dr. Ashley Tate, Ph.D., Archaeologist.  Superstrength, superspeed, and senses.  (New York City)

 

Britannia - Emma Hamilton-Nelson, Royal Naval Intelligence Officer, and later Politician.  Seagoing Brick with a magic sword.  (London)

 

Captain Freedom I - Matthew Easton Fremont, U.S. Marine Officer, and later Politician.  Weapons Master who can transform into Brick.  Married to Maiden America, father of Miss Freedom and Cadet Freedom/Captain Freedom II  (San Francisco & Washington, D.C.)

 

Captain Freedom II - Peter Fremont, U.S. Marine Officer, and later Politician.  Martial Artist who can transform into Brick.  Married to Teen Liberty/Torch, Son of Captain Freedom I and Maiden America, younger brother of Miss Freedom.  (Washington, D.C.)

 

Captain Justice - William McKinley Wyatt, District Attorney, Flying Brick.  Married to Starlet, father of Captain Avenger and Ms. Avenger.  (Los Angeles and Sacramento)

 

Columbia - Cassidy Young, U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer, Seagoing Brick with a magic trident.  (Washington, D.C.)

 

Dryad - Julia Barrett, Businesswoman.  Weapons Master & Martial Artist.  (Hartford)

 

Guardian - Ivan Zhukov, Russian Air Force General.  Flying Brick with Eye Beams.

 

Jade Tiger - Lee Mallory, Private Investigator.  Sword wielding Martial Artist  (San Francisco)

 

Lady Justice - Jennifer Davenport, Reporter.  Martial Artists and Weapons Master.  (Los Angeles)

 

Lady Liberty - Laura Anne Lockhart Davenport, World Famous Aviator and Businesswoman.  Flying Brick with Magic Torch and Book Shield.  Married to American Eagle, and sister of Miss Liberty and Teen Liberty/Torch.  (New York City)

 

Lana of the Jungle - Lady Anna Livingston, Heiress and Explorer.  Weapons Master and Martial Artist.

 

Lioness - Lauren Murphy Clark, Mystery Writer.  Martial Artist with wrists blasters.  Married to Nighthawk.

 

Maiden America - Dr. Madeline Ames Fremont - Physician and Presidential Adviser.  Brick.  Married to Captain Freedom I, mother of Miss Freedom and Cadet Freedom/Captain Freedom II

 

Masquerade - Meredith Leigh Kelly, Movie Star and Inventor.  Martial Artist, Weapons Master, and Mistress of Disguise.

 

Minerva - Maj. L.E.A. "Lea" Delaney, U.S. Air Force Officer and CRISIS agent.  Powered Armor Hero.

 

Ms. Avenger - Tiffany Wyatt, FBI Special Agent.  Flying Brick.  Daughter of Captain Justice and Starlet, twin sister of Captain Avenger.

 

Nemesis - Whitney Penelope Sloane, Surveillance Expert.  Weapons Master and Martial Artist.  Daughter of Nightingale.

 

Nighthawk - Stephen Decatur Clark, Entrepreneur.  Weapons Master and Martial Artist.  Twin brother of Raven.  Married to Lioness.

 

Nightingale - Eve Hastings Clark Sloane - Weapons Master and Martial Artist.  Ex-Wife of Nighthawk, mother of Nemesis.

 

Raven - Dr. Katherine Clark Taylor, M.D., Ph.D., Physician & Criminologist, Martial Artists with a Sleep Gas Pistol and High Powered Shot Gun.  Married to Ultraman.  Twin sister of Nighthawk.

 

Stalwart - John Taylor, Industrialist.  Brick with flight and eye beams.  Son of Ultraman and Raven.  Twin brother of Victory.

 

Ultragirl I/Ultrawoman II  - Brooke Taylor Stevens, F.B.I Special Agents with Superhuman strength, eye beams, and flight.  Sister of Ultraman

 

Ultraman - Bradley Taylor, Industrialist with Superhuman strength, eye beams, and flight.  Older brother of Ultragirl.  Married to Raven.

 

Victory - Dr. Courtney Taylor - Physician.  Brick with flight and eye beams.  Daughter of Ultraman and Raven.  Twin sister of Stalwart.

 

Warhawk - Matthew Stevens, U.S. Army Air Force pilot who flew a modified P-40.  Married to Ultragirl.

[Cassandra]

Forces of Evil Supervillains

 

Blitzkrieg - Blake Krueger, Saboteur.  Electrical Powers

 

Captain Axis - Wilhelm Drexler, Spy.  Superstrength and flight.

 

Ice Maiden - Ilsa Madchen, Scientist.  Ice Powers

 

Soryu - Sukune Sakai, Japanese Naval Officer.  Martial Artist.

 

Guardian - Ivan Zhukov, Russian General.  Superstrenght, flight, and Eye Beams.

 

T-2000 - Various, Russian Soldier or Mercenary.  Powered Armor.

[Greywind]

"Older brother of Married to Raven."

[Cassandra]

"Older brother of Married to Raven."

 

Older brother of Ultragirl.  Married to Raven. 

 

It's been corrected

[zslane]

My idea for a superhero universe is one that superhumans have always existed.  This has two advantages.  One, you don't have to explain why some people have powers.  Two, you can have a superhero campaign anytime in history.

I really like this idea. I am so tired of superhero universes that choose the period(s) around the World Wars as the era in which supers break out and manifest on Earth. I think Godsend Agenda takes a similar approach whereby superpowers have been part of the world on some level since the dawn of time.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah my base campaign was around that idea; the great heroes of the past like Hercules and Sampson: superheroes.  Gods of various mythologies?  Superheroes.  However, superheroes are generated by genetic changes caused by a form of radiation that the atmosphere mostly blocks out.  The guys who went into space have a high incident of superhero children.  Atomic weapons release this energy (although its not known to the world of science) causing a high incidence of superheroes in areas after testing and in Japan.  Russia had a bunch born after Chernobyl, etc.

 

I went a different path for my Golden Age champions game though, involving magic.

[TheQuestionMan]

Magic is just using the Cheat Codes of the Universe.

 

 

QM

[bubba smith]

you should put that in aphorisms for a superhero universe tqm

[Cassandra]

The "Martian" Invasion

 

     In 1895 inventor Nikola Tesla was working on a new power source.  He called it the "Tesla Sphere", and J.P. Morgan, through his daughter Anne, had heard of the power source and expressed an interest.  British writer H.G. Wells, looking for inspiration for a story, visited Tesla during the first activation of the device.  The result was the opening of a portal to an alien world.  The aliens, looking like humanoid equines with a slug like crown on their heads, attempted to use the portal to invade the Earth, but Tesla closed it in time.  Wells was inspired to write the book "The War of the Worlds" as a warning, and Tesla not only abandoned the project, but developed a fear of spheres for the rest of his life.

 

    In 1938 a meteor crashed outside Roswell, New Mexico.  The meteor was observed by Leslie North, a movie star whose father was Professor Steven North, a famed astronomer.  Leslie drove to the impact site, and as she approached the meteor exploded.  She was not harmed by the explosion, and in fact was irradiated with a form of energy that gave her superhuman powers.  Leslie traveled to New York City to ask the advise of wealthy newspaper publisher Bradley Taylor.  They had dated in High School, and she shared her interest in astronomy.  More importantly, Bradley possessed superhuman powers, and had just began his career as Ultraman.

      As they were discussing the events in New Mexico word came over the radio that a meteor had crashed outside the city.  They both flew to the site, finding the National Guard had surrounded the impact point.  Leslie had just introduced herself as "Starlight" when the meteor burst open and three alien vehicles rose out of it on giant metal legs.  Ultraman protected the innocent in the line of fire, and "Starlight" used her energy on the vehicles.  To her surprise her energy beam was extremely effective on them, causing them to explode.  The alien bodies disintegrated upon exposure to the air, and a device much like Tesla's Sphere was found in the wreckage.

     Dr. John Parker, one of the most brilliant minds of his time, after examination concluded that the device when activated would open a portal allowing instant transportation between the Alien Home World and Earth.  The Press called them "Martians", much to the objects of "Starlight" who was mistakenly labeled "Starlet" as well.  Under Parker's recommendation, the sphere was locked away.

 

     In 1943 the U.S. Government began Project Rainbow.  The goal was to use a short range version of the Tesla Sphere to allow cargo ships to instantaneously cross the Atlantic avoiding the U-Boat menace.  The Turncoat, a traitor in the State Department, sent the Axis the information on Project Rainbow, and the Germans planned Operation Bifrost.  This led to a massive superhuman battle that stretched from Philadelphia to Hiroshima.  One of the results was that the Portal was inadvertently opened, allowing the Aliens access to Earth once they received the signal in four years time.

 

     In 1947 the Alien Invasion Force came out of the Portal which had been moved to the Manhattan Project site.  The United Superheroes of America was waiting for them, and the last of the Alien Vehicles were destroyed outside of Roswell, New Mexico.  The Battle of Roswell was considered the end of the Alien threat as a team of Superheroes managed to send an Atomic bomb through the portal destroying it on the Alien Home World.

[Cassandra]

Timeline updated.

[Cassandra]

Alternate Earth "Terra"

 

Terra is an Alternate Earth that the Superhero Earth made contact with in 1962.  The world has exactly the same timeline as our Earth, but with superheroes in it.  Any events that the superheroes/villains were involved with are "added on" to that Earth's history.

 

The main superhero group is known as The Crusaders, based in New York.  Another major group is called The Protectors, a mostly street level group of crime fighters that is mobile.

[Cassandra]

Note: Any changes to the timeline are a result of Time Travel.

[bluesguy]

I would love to play in any campaign you ran Cassandra.

[DShomshak]

Incidentally, Cassandra, if you want any more RL people to fit into the WW2-era period of your timeline, I suggest Hedy Lamarr. The famed Hollywood acress -- billed, not unjustly, as "the most beautiful woman in the world," was also a genius polymath. Most notably she and the composer George Antheil invented frequency hopping as an adjunct to her idea of radio-guided torpedoes. The two gave their patent to the Navy, which wasn't interested, but frequency-hopping is now a fundamental technology for cell phones, GPS, etc. She's probably the only person to be in both the Hollywood Hall of Fame and the U. S. Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

In your world, she could have reacted to the Navy's disinterest by becoming a spy-smashing gadgeteer superhero!

 

(The 100th anniversary of her birth passed last week, so there have been remembrances.)

 

Dean Shomshak

[Cassandra]

Secret Identities 

 

Due to the long history of costumed crime fighters in the United States, it is a crime to reveal the true identity of a licensed superhero.  Because being a superhero/crime fighter is an respectable occupation, most reveal their activities to their loved ones.  Furthermore it is not required to reveal ones true identity to become a licensed superhero.  All that is required is that you log your activities and information into the National Super Crime Database.  

 

Most SocL: Secret Identity would be Occasionally/Minor (5 Points) 

 

Best example of it would be from the Live Action "The Tick" TV series.

[Cassandra]

Vasilii Zhelezo is the Joseph Stalin of this universe.  As Stalin's name means "Steel", Zhelezo name means "Iron".  His first name is the Russian version of William.

 

So his name is a play on the phrase "Will of Iron".

[Cassandra]

Incidentally, Cassandra, if you want any more RL people to fit into the WW2-era period of your timeline, I suggest Hedy Lamarr. The famed Hollywood acress -- billed, not unjustly, as "the most beautiful woman in the world," was also a genius polymath. Most notably she and the composer George Antheil invented frequency hopping as an adjunct to her idea of radio-guided torpedoes. The two gave their patent to the Navy, which wasn't interested, but frequency-hopping is now a fundamental technology for cell phones, GPS, etc. She's probably the only person to be in both the Hollywood Hall of Fame and the U. S. Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

In your world, she could have reacted to the Navy's disinterest by becoming a spy-smashing gadgeteer superhero!

 

(The 100th anniversary of her birth passed last week, so there have been remembrances.)

 

Dean Shomshak

 

Hedy Lamarr was one of the three influences for Catwoman.  The others were Jean Harlow, and Bob Kane's girlfriend.

[Cassandra]

The History of Nighthawk

 

Nighthawk I - Stephen Decatur Clark was a formal Naval Officer who's career ended after he was betrayed during an intelligence mission in Central America.  He joined a rebel group that freed their country, but lost the woman he loved, and was captured and locked away in a secret treasure room.  Stephen found a magic lamp and released Metis, who told him he had three wishes.  After being informed that she could not bring the woman he loved back to life, he freed Metis from the lamp, even though she told him she would forget who freed her.  Metis found herself 5000 years in the past, remembering who saved her.  Cronus, who had imprisoned her, gave her the choice of remaining with the Titans to rule, or save Stephen and be forever exiled.  Without a moments hesitations she returned to Stephen and saved him.

     Metis left to search for any Titans for her daughter Athena, and Stephen flew back to the United States.  During a storm he landed on a small island, and finds a young woman near death.  She has no memory of her identity, and he suggests the name Betsy, the name of his plane.  Betsy tells Stephen that she woke on the island a year ago, and was told she had killed someone, and her amnesia was a reaction to that.  The Man who kept her a prisoner had poisoned her just before he killed himself.  She was also told she was the only superhuman on Earth.  Stephen tells her that she isn't the only person with powers, and Betsy decided to return to the United States in hopes of finding her true identity, regardless of the consequences.

     Upon arrival in the United Staters an old friend of Stephen's, Col. Matthew Fremont, identifies Betsy as Brooke Taylor, a missing heiress.  Stephen takes Brooke to New York, where she is reunited with her brother, Bradley.  The family Lawyer and Butler attacked them, having been behind the kidnapping.  Stephen defended them, being shot in the process.  While Stephen recovered Bradley reunited him with his sister Katherine, who Stephen hadn't seen in two years.

     While Stephen refused to accept the award for saving Brooke, the Taylors used their influence to restore the stolen Clark family fortune Stephen and Katherine.  With it Stephen started Clark Aviation and within a few years was the primary supplier of military aircraft for the U.S. Navy.  When Eve Hastings, the daughter of a Marine Sergeant Stephen had served with became pregnant and her fiancé was killed in an accident, Stephen offered to marry her.  They were married for a year, during which time Eve lost the baby.  Stephen tried to make it a real marriage, but Eve left it was artificial (though every tempting), and divorced him.

      He met and fall in love with an aviator, Margaret "Meg" Kelly, and they were soon married.  On New Years Eve they are attacked while returning home from a party and both are shot, Meg fatally.   Stephen focused on recovering physically from the attack.  Deciding that he had to do something to prevent others from experience the loss he had, Stephen decided to follow to family tradition and become a costumed crime fighter.  Soon Nighthawk was patrolling the streets of Los Angeles, terrorizing those who preyed on the innocent.  

     With the coming of the Global War, Nighthawk began recruiting Crime Fighters and Superheroes to fight the Axis threat.  Lauren Murphy, who's father had become the President's chief advisor on Intelligence, was sent to investigate Nighthawk in her costumed identity of the Lioness.  Within one week she had discovered his true identity, and was asked to join his team.

     When his friend Matthew Fremont was elected President, Stephen was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill out the rest of his term.  He retired from Crime Fighting until the 1970s, retiring to run for President.  After his two terms in office he returned to crime fighting as Nighthawk, saying that Ex-Presidents have little to do except die.

 

Nighthawk II - Lt. Matthew Burke was a Los Angeles Police Detective who has risen through the ranks very quickly.  He worked often with Dr. Katherine Clark, a brilliant physician and detective.  He was also the cousin of Eve Hastings, who had married Katherine's twin brother Stephen.  When Stephen was injured as the Nighthawk Burke took his place temporarily.  Finding that he enjoyed being a crime fighter, he became the Condor soon afterwards.  When Stephen Clark was appointed the the U.S. Senate, he began the Nighthawk until retiring in favor of Nighthawk III.  He shortly afterwards became the Police Chief for Los Angeles.

 

Nighthawk III - James Davenport Clark was the son Stephen Clark (Nighthawk) and Lauren Murphy Clark (Lioness).  He had been appointed the President of Clark Enterprises at the age of 21, and remained the Nighthawk until 1990.

[Cassandra]

Famous Teams of the United Superheroes of America, Part 1

 

1940s - Nighthawk is credited for organization the group who would become the United Superheroes.  He intended that Ultraman would become the first leader because of his popularity, but with the war coming the members elected him.  The original team included  .  .  .

 

Nighthawk - Stephen Decatur Clark, former Naval Officer turned Wealthy Aviation Company President.  He is a former intelligence officer and pilot, as well as a martial artist who carried a number of special weapons, and traveled in a flying car that was the prototype for the standard vehicle of for individual members of the United Superheroes.  HIs is very protective of women and will never strike a female opponent.  That will not prevent him using sleep gas on one.  There is a joke among the member of the United Superheroes that he has had a romantic relationship with ever female member of the United Superheroes.  He has said it wasn't true because his twin sister is a member.  Nighthawk works out of Los Angeles.

 

Miss Freedom - Melissa Elizabeth Fremont, a historian from Philadelphia and the daughter of Captain Freedom and Maiden America.  She inherited flight from her father, and super-strength and invulnerability.  She was chosen by Nighthawk as his second in command because of her inspiring patriotic oratory, and tactical skills.  She is also a trained medic.  Melissa knew Stephen Clark from when he served on her then Marine Colonel father's staff, and considers him a "Big Brother".

 

Ultraman - Bradley Taylor of New York is one of the richest men in the country, and has flight, super-strength, invulnerability, and eye beams.  He inherited his wealth from  his father, and his powers from his mother, Hera of the Olympians.  Dubbed Ultraman by the Press after his first public mission (He has wanted to call himself the Stalwart), he was the first superhuman ever filmed while using his powers.  Thus he began the era known as the "Golden Age of Superheroes".  Stephen rescued his missing sister from kidnappers, and Bradley is in love with Stephen's twin sister Katherine.

 

Lady Liberty - Laura Lockhart was a World Famous Aviator and friend of Stephen Clark.  She encountered Athena, Aphrodite, and Artemis during an "Around the World" solo flight, and proved herself worthy of being granted powers.  Laura received super-strength from the three, as well as three magic items.  A Torch that allows her to control the light of truth (in the from of energy blasts and mind control), a Book shaped shield for protection, and a pair of magic sandals that allow her to fly.  Stephen Clark put a radio into her crown for her.  She naturally operates out of New York.

 

Starlet - Leslie North was a Hollywood movie star and daughter of a famous astronomer.  She gained powers from a mysterious meteor, and used them with her former boyfriend Ultraman to fight off an alien invasion.   Starlet has super-strenght, flight, and can fire light beams out of her hands.

 

Minuteman - Dr. John Parker is a Boston based physicist who gained super speed powers in a lab accident.  He was recruited into the team by Starlet, who is a colleague of her fathers.  

 

Columbia - Cassidy Young is a Naval Intelligence Officer who was granted powers by Poseidon after being wounded saving the life of his son.  She was given super-strength and the ability to survive underwater.  Columbia also has a magic trident that allows her to teleport her and others long distances, and fires sonic energy blasts.  She is an old friend of Stephen Clark.