Re: Algernon HERO
Okay, here's the first batch of info I dug up on TAF universe.
The Pantheon
Empyrean (Carter Carson)
As their civilization escaped the destruction of their home reality, moving from dimension to dimension, Empyrean’s people discovered that their vessel, a starship never actually intended for the number of people on it nor for the rigors of traveling the environs it was enduring, had been critically damaged. Desperate to prevent their race’s total extinction but having only limited time and resources, they modified their vessel’s emergency escape pods for travel through The Gray and from there to disperse across a number of realities. Of these, apparently only Empyrean’s pod actually survived. Soft landing in northern Missouri, he was found by an elderly couple, the Carson’s, a retired policeman and his wife, a former schoolteacher. They named him Carter and raised him as best they could. When they died, he moved to the big city, working a variety of jobs before becoming an archivist and research specialist for a major newspaper. Empyrean’s passage through the Gray with inadequate radiation protection apparently mutated and enhanced his race’s natural psionic abilities, but his upbringing without proper training left him with limited usage – his abilities only seemed to enhance what he would expect from his natural physical abilities, such as telekinesis augmenting his natural strength and durability, ESP mimicking any number of superhuman senses, etc. Only after encountering other psi-actives and receiving some training did he master some of his more exotic powers, such as flight or his ability to adjust his interaction with temporal flow to seem to move at vast speeds.
Later, he and his teammates would discover that everything he knew (or more accurately, what he was told by the pod’s computer) was a lie – even the Carsons had been a false memory fed into his mind by the transport pod. He had been engineered by a race called The Chonozhka from their slave stock’s gene pool, partially an organic construct and partially a synthetic and highly sophisticated android, and his “life” had actually begun the moment the pod released him, complete with 25 years of programmed memories and a constructed personality matrix. His creators had intended for him to infiltrate Earth’s heroic metahuman community and then destroy it from the inside. His hidden programming warred against his persona (apparently much too well constructed) and experience, distracting him long enough for his teammate Dusk to use captured alien tech, given to the Pantheon by Empyrean’s old nemesis Maximillian Mars, to seriously injure him and diminish his powers. Today, he is one of the powers behind the throne of Makoroa, psychologically and emotionally controlled and manipulated by Dr. Deimos.
Dusk (Bryce Hartford)
Bryce and his brother Bannon were a first for the Hartfords, namely twins. Growing up indoctrinated in the family’s secrets and trained to take over the identity of The Watchman, the brothers found themselves at odds. Extremely competitive, neither wanted to share the mask. Ultimately, they staged a contest, the exact nature known only to the two of them,, but which Bannon apparently won. Bryce left his brother to carry on the family legacy, but constructed his own vigilante identity as the brutal and unwavering Dusk. Brilliant, exceptionally conditioned and skilled, Bryce put his life-long training to good use as a scourge of the criminal underworld, accumulating a number of deranged and grotesque enemies such as Cipher, Naga, and Tribunal. Though they reconciled, the brothers remained competitive until Bryce was killed while disabling his teammate, Empyrean.
Morrigan (Amazon)
Exiled Avalonian and former enemy of Western civilization, Morrigan began as what amounts to a gender-rights terrorist. Over the years, as she matured, she began to work more and more with the authorities instead of against them. By the time the Pantheon formed, she had built a reputation as an earnest champion, though her politics and personal behaviors continued to raise eyebrows. She was killed with Chain Lightning activating the subspace bomb that destroyed the invading Chonozhka fleet.
Chain Lightning (Rick Parsons)
Rick was the son of one of the scientists involved in the energy transmission experiments whose disastrous failure turned Mike Thompson into Dynamo (of the 60s era Sentinels). Her proximity to the discharge that consumed Thompson’s physical form forced Emma Parsons into giving birth prematurely. Rick grew up gradually manifesting the strange energy-based abilities that would give him his name. By late adolescence, he had learned to use the force that always supercharged his body to convert himself into a state of existence somewhere between matter and energy. In this quasi-energy form, Parsons possessed vast superhuman speed and the ability to manipulate various other energies at will. He gave his life powering up the subspace bomb that Morrigan then triggered.
Gauntlet (Anthony Thames)
Astronaut Anthony Thames disappeared in a flash of light while on a routine EVA outside the Space Shuttle Discovery. He had been chosen as an agent of the Mihral (MEER-rahl, now called the Mihral Dominion), and advanced interstellar race that had devoted their power and experience to peacekeeping efforts through out the known galaxy. Each of their agents, chosen from the dominant species of their section of space, was outfitted with a sophisticated armored glove that could project solid energy forms as visualized by its wielder, among many other almost miraculous functions. Returned to his sector of space, he performed his job well, protecting Earth and her surrounding systems from a number of threats -- not least of which being the rogue member of his own corps, Cestus – before joining the Pantheon to face menaces outside his own power such as Hivemother, Sopok Tor, and Lamprey. It was the Mihral that ultimately told Gauntlet and the Pantheon about the Chonozhka. Later, Gauntlet found that his patrons had known about Empyrean’s masters not just as a threat, but as a rival. Coldly logical, the Mihral had decided long ago that the most efficient way to bring and keep the peace was through actual control, not diplomacy. The corps were an unwitting fifth column, seeding the way for the Mihral’s own eventual campaign of domination. When this became known, the corps rebelled, most dying as a result, while the areas of space “protected” by the corps erupted into conflict. Today, Thames is a bitter and cynical mercenary/bounty hunter, desperately seeking a cause in which to believe while taking money to do what he once performed as duty.
Mindstalker
A being of pure psionic force, native to some place in the deep Astral plane and brought to Earth accidentally by Ghostworks personnel during an experiment, Mindstalker was apparently some sort of law enforcement figure among his own race. Trapped on Earth following the experiment, he simply adopted the plane and people as his new charges and went on with his traditional duties. He could appear as any form or image he chose to be seen as (having no set physical form), moved in and out of the near astral effortlessly, and was an unmatched telepath. His original self was destroyed by Umbra during the inter-temporal Shadowlands War, but a remnant still exists as the monstrous Figment.
Shepherd (Maegrist)
Maegrist is one of four known Human-Atlantean hybrids in existence (the others being the criminal Mako, the heroine and former member of the Electric Avenue Irregulars during the 70s, Aquarius, and Tiburon, a Mexican national on his father’s side who works for UNSOCIS on their SABER team). Exiled from Atlantis because the circumstances of his birth, early life, and personality match up to an ancient prophecy with ominous implications for the Atlantean crown, Shepherd is a religious figure to his fellow Atlanteans, a self-proclaimed messenger and agent for what he calls Mother Ocean. His ability to talk to and command most sea life he claims is a gift from her, as well as his (difficult, tiring, and very limited) control over weather. Though badly injured helping Gauntlet keep Empyrean occupied for Dusk, Shepherd eventually recovered and continues to preach the gospel of his mistress while protecting her domains from enemies both above and below.
And some info on their enemies
Pantheon Enemies #1: Enemies of the Team as a Whole
Amalgam
An alchemical homunculus created by Simon Magnus to avenge his defeat at the hands of the Pantheon. In addition to being practically indestructible due to its ability to repair itself almost instantly from any damage, Amalgam also possesses the magical ability to become a “living” reflection of the abilities used against it. It gained sentience after mimicking Mindstalker’s powers and turned on its creator. Amalgam hates humanity for having the one thing he will never have: a soul. Currently trapped in a dimensional bubble between Earth’s dimension and The Gray.
The Answer
Once an up and coming “Young Turk” in The Magi’s R&D crew (before it became The Orchard), this former chemistry prodigy (and addict) tried developing a new series of designer smart drugs intended to expand brain function and sensory channels. Testing it upon himself, the ultimate high put him into a coma. When he awoke, his mind worked on levels heretofore unattained by man. Unstable in the extreme, The Answer desperately seeks intellectual challenges to overcome the deadly tedium he now finds existence. Unfortunately, he’s found the more interesting challenges to be in the destructive and anti-social vein, such as “How do you bring society to its knees?” or “How do mortals defeat what are essentially gods?” Currently imprisoned in Fort Sunderland in a chemically maintained sedation.
Arsenal, Inc.
A time traveler from yet another alternate time line (different from that of Praetorian’s or The Quantum Mechanic’s), this far spanning entrepreneur is the pinnacle of the arms merchant trade – somehow isolated from the effects his actions might have on the course of history, he’s willing to sell to anyone, anywhere, anywhen, so long as he’s happy with what he gets out of the deal. Napoleon needs 28th century Autonomous Polyalloy-Armored Combat Exoframes with Biodrive Operating Cores? No problem… what’s the little guy offering? Current whereabouts unknown.
The Fallen (Godking, Shroud, Warcrow, Overload, Manacle, Mindslaughter, Inquisitor)
Originally created from Nightmare’s fevered mindscape and given form, these dark and murderous doppelgangers were each member of the Pantheon’s worst fear about themselves and each other. Later, the magic remnants of the original doppelgangers absorbed the bodies of seven criminals seeking revenge on The Pantheon, gaining new life independent of Nightmare…going so far as to claim that they were actually echoes of another alternate dimension somehow manifest initially through Nightmare’s psychic power. Currently assumed destroyed.
Hivemother
Neither her real name nor the name of her species is pronounceable by the human tongue. Burrowing through dimensional strata, her and her kind find world after world teeming with life, take forms based on the dominant species, and then conquering and stripping the world of its natural resources before moving on. At least, they did until they hit Earth and were beaten, repeatedly. Currently, her horde is assumed destroyed and Hivemother herself is incarcerated on the highest security level of Fort Sunderland.
Lamprey
A living weapon believed to have survived the Acathii-Rha’Zha’Keth War eons ago (much as Starbane did), this gargantuan worm-like creature moves through space seeking intelligent civilizations to use as hosts for itself and its offspring, burrowing deep within a planet to feed off of its core while its innumerable children seek to attach themselves to organic “mounts,” controlling the victims while slowly consuming their life energies. Currently believed destroyed, but as its children slowly grow into a semblance of the parent if they continue their life cycle, the original or other adults may still be out in the cosmos somewhere.
Nightmare
A descendant of one of the original explorers of Oneiros who actually managed to escape back to Earth, Nightmare is one of the unfortunates whose mind was eventually sought out by the semi-sentient dreamworld (as Dr. Grimm and Rakshasha). Contact with Oneiros both destroyed his sanity and somehow awakened the ability to tap Oneiros’ energies to at first enter people’s dreams and control dreamscapes, but later evolved into the staggering power to make the things in his own dreams and visions become real. Currently incarcerated at Fort Sunderland and kept in a drug-induced and (hopefully) dreamless coma-like state.
Purge
An alien warlord and racial supremacist, Purge is the English translation of the title this despot took upon himself after his people’s “ascension.” This is what they called the incident of an unintentional first contact wherein his people captured and killed the members of a pacifistic race that had accidentally broken cover on the planet during an anthropological observation. Originally evolved artificially by the Acathii, Purge’s people were deemed a failure due to their volatile nature and violently hardwired xenophobia. Their enhanced physical and mental prowess enabled them to survive on their harsh world, but a lack of natural resources had stifled their technological development -- until fate dropped a functioning starship in their laps. Preying on weaker planets and taking their resources to build a terrifying fleet, Purge and his people started a holy war that was the terror of their area of the galaxy until they encountered the Pantheon. Purge views it as his duty to cleanse the stars of all other races save his own. Currently at large, Purge is believed to be rebuilding his shattered fleet.
Simon Magnus
Archmage of legend, Magnus is finally coming to end of many of his spells and bargains that have extended his life. Desperate to extend his life further, by any means, he is willing to steal, murder, lie, and pillage, so long as he is able to find a means to stave off his own long-delayed demise….and avoid “paying up” to the many entities he’s swindled, deceived, and betrayed over the centuries. His schemes have been thwarted numerous times in recent years by the Pantheon. Currently at large.
Sopok Tor
Intergalactic agent provocateur, Tor was originally the dictator of his own world until put down by the Gauntlet Corps after attempting to extend his grasp to neighboring star systems. Now he uses his contacts and ill-gotten resources to hide among the stars while fomenting unrest and conflict – all in the hope of eventually putting himself back on a throne… somewhere. Currently at large.