Villian Groups and Westbrook's IC Understanding of Them

[Brodi Andrews]

As you might have witnessed too, Westbrook operates under a jointly created reality. The Officers and Members, new and old, have worked to hammer out an environment that allows a consensus of understanding between us all. This is essential in any storyteller setting because without a clear line to place most character's awareness, we'd fall into the trapping that some groups fall into which is it just takes one person with unlimited knowledge to ruin all the mystery.

While we respect everyone's individual storyline, we hope each and every one of you respects the others enough not to take away any mystery. Do you know that Crey is an evil corporation aiming for some form of economic domination? Yes. But would your character truly know anything about that? While some student who come to Westbrook might know (We've had escaped Crey experiments before), it is important for you to realize the IC ramification of you trying to convince someone of this.

And example would be this. Imagine you and I met in school. And one day, I finally confess that I'm an experiment created from the labs of Apple. Apple is actually a huge, evil corporation that is aiming to enslave us all. Now while this might be true, it's very unlikely you'd believe me. At the very best, you wouldn't run away and never look at me again.

So, this post will cover several high-end groups in City of Hero. From Crey to Rikti, we will aim to provide you with as much information as we can so you get a sense of what is the 'norm' for Westbrook. Mind you, this doesn't mean your character can't know something more than what is norm. However, you have to ask yourself if it is truly worth it for your story.


Crey
Malta
Menders
Midnighter's Squad
Nemesis' Army
Rikti
Rulu-Shin

[Brodi Andrews]

Crey official info ( Copied from the City of Heroes official website):

Countess Crey was born Clarissa van Dorn and grew up in Paragon City. The orphan heir to a modest family fortune, she spent most of her high school and college years at various private schools in Europe. She first came to the public's attention when she married Count Alphonse Crey, a man widely recognized as the world's wealthiest and most eligible bachelor. At the tender age of twenty-three, she joined together with her new husband to form Crey Biotech, a pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland. Just a year after their marriage, Count Alphonse fell into tragic coma, a condition that still persists fourteen years later.

The Countess moved her business back to her hometown of Paragon City, along with the corporate headquarters for the still growing Crey Industries. She publicly swore to devote her company's resources to finding a cure for her stricken husband, but proceeded to use her amazing and daring business acumen to expand her company at an astonishing rate. Through a series of buyouts, hostile takeovers, and key personnel acquisitions, the countess turned her small research firm into an economic juggernaut.

To the average citizen, Crey is a necessity to life. From electronics to soda, footwear to medical science, Crey has proven itself time and time again to be the number one choice when people want a product they can trust. Marketing has worked itself ragged to paint Crey as a corporation with a heart. Charities have been started by Crey, and their scholarship programs have helped thousands to attend higher education.

That being said, some media haven't been fooled. Many independent news organization such as NPR have reported on a darker side of Crey. Sweat shops, forced labor, and even have hinted at more than a few skeletons in the closet when it comes to Crey.

And this brings us to Crey's number one weapon of choice:

Plausible Deniability.

Yes, Crey's Folly didn't occur because of their own actions. It occurred because they had to choose between the environment and saving hundreds of thousands of lives during the Rikti War. No, of course they didn't hire thugs to attack cops during Occupy Paragon. That was the work of a staffer and as soon as he was discovered, Crey took the appropriate steps to fix the mess he made! Hidden Experiments -- Rogue scientists.

Yes, if you use Crey within your story, all we ask is that you accept two things. First, trying to convince the school that Crey is evil would be like me trying to convince my school that Apple is evil. It would only ostracize you. And even if you were able to convince a sizable group, Crey's team of lawyers would make fodder of you. The second thing we ask is that you always give Crey that number one weapon. Give them plausible deniability.

No, Crey isn't waiting in Brickstown to attack anyone who ventures by. Yes, maybe they will be in Crey Folly but if they attack, surely it was because they mistook the troupe of people as trespassers! They are crafty. They are smart. They are insidious.

Involvement in Westbrook:

We've had students in the passed who had escaped from Crey. This is fine. However, they were quick to realize what it did to them when they tried to convince others of Crey's evil doings. We've had students even act against Crey in the past. However, each time this has occurred, if Crey was caught doing something wrong, they would have the press statement already out there within an hour and an air tight case.

If you wish to have a character who has been wronged by Crey, that's fine. However, we do ask that it doesn't become the thing that defines your character. You don't want to sound like a broken record over 'what Crey did to me'. As for using Crey in a story, just use your best judgement and allow them to not be caught without a perfectly logical reason why they are innocent.

[Brodi Andrews]

Malta Group official info ( Copied from the City of Heroes official website):

Secrets within secrets. Black helicopters and balaclavas. Shadowy agencies with limitless slush funds, and black-hearted agents with licenses to kill. Hushed conversations on internet chat-rooms that mysteriously vanish. Men in black with blank identities, and deadly women with a dozen passports. A high-tech paramilitary force divided into clandestine cells and dispersed around the globe – this is the Malta Group.

Malta's playground isn't in Peregrine Island. They don't stand on street corners with their robots, waiting for unsuspecting heroes to cross their path. They don't march down the street in their Zeus Titans, announcing their existence and plans. No, Malta doesn't do any of these thing.

Malta is smart.

While the game has opened up the existence of Malta to heroes, the every day citizen doesn't know of them. Maybe their actions have been caught on tape once or twice, but the video is hardly ever damning to them. At most, they might be hinted at during an episode of Conspiracy and Shadows but they are never mentioned by name.

In short, they are City of Heroes' Men in Black. They aren't flashing their badges. They aren't giving out their real name. They don't leave finger prints. They don't leave witnesses. They are inside the government. They are outside the government. You have never seen them but they have probably seen you. Documented you. Observed and categorized you.

Malta is forever that shadow to the normal citizen.

Level of Involvement In Westbrook:

At the very most, an operative of Malta might be the shadowy hand behind the distraction. If you wish to involve Malta into your story, you need to bring your request up to an Officer. Malta has bigger plans on its plate than to pick on a group of teenagers. That being said, we are also hoping to assist with stories, and we will work with you as much as possible to keep to the original vision. If Malta is used responsibly and with tact, we might allow for them to be involved at a minor level.

[Brodi Andrews]

Midnight Squad info (from paragonwiki.com)

A team of mystics, magicians, and scholars, the Midnight Squad originally banded together in 1933 to defend Paragon City from evil occultists like the Circle of Thorns. Unlike other hero organizations, the Midnight Squad typically operates in secrecy and shadow.

The Midnight Club, in the game, has become a source of constant amusement because they are considered one of the worst kept secrets. They lose their relics constantly, actively proclaim who they to any hero that will listen, and don't seem to shy about bringing in a new member after making them wiggle a wand at some Lost while in the sewers. In short, everyone know who the Midnight Squad is in game.

Roleplay-wise, that isn't the case.

The Midnight Squad is a secret. At best, it would end up on a television series discussing the 'formal' clubs history prior to its complete destruction during the Rikti War. That is if it actually existed to begin with.

The reason why the Midnight Club has survived for so long is the fact that it isn't an actual hero group. To the outside world, the people within the Midnight Squad are just members to an exclusive club. Some rumors persist about this 'secret club' and people have guessed it is merely a knock off version of the 'Skull and Bones Club' that those crazy Ivy League school have.

In short, the Midnight Squad like their secrets. And while I doubt they'd send a hit squad to keep you quite about the organization, they only share the secret of their organization to those who have reason to keep it silent themselves.

Involvement at Westbrook:

Most likely, the Midnight Squad isn't recruiting straight out of Westbrook. However, we aren't dismissing the idea altogether. If a player wishes for their character to have a history with the Midnight Squad or know about it or even be approach by them, approach your Officer Buddy.

All we do ask is you respect the canon that is established. Be very careful with who you discuss the club with because you never know who is listening and reporting back to Montague Castanella.

[Brodi Andrews]

Nemesis' Army info (From paragonwiki.com)

On Monday, July 11, 1932, Nemesis was stopped by the Freedom Phalanx during a massive street battle in Steel Canyon. After Statesman, Maiden Justice, The Dark Watcher, Elementar, and team Vambrace uncovered a web of influence through a company named “Southern United”, Nemesis unleashed hundreds of steam-powered killing machines in an all-out attack. People witnessed the Prussian Prince's metal-clad troops flooding the streets of Steel Canyon in a show of force not seen since the waning years of the Civil War.

Rallying the authorities, Statesman battled back Nemesis' forces. Eventually, the hero confronted Nemesis himself and forced the villain to retreat. As the first super-powered human to receive massive national exposure, Statesman became the leading symbol of the potential good that super-humans could contribute to society. Police forces became more cooperative towards masked crime-fighters, which in turn led many super beings to use their powers more openly. This growing public support eventually culminated in the passage of the 1936 Citizen Crime Fighting Act.

Emperor Nemesis

Nemesis had been hiding in the United States for decades. Thanks to years of patient plotting, he secretly controlled much of America's arms and war material manufacturing capability. Through his agents and minions, he had access to not only the latest military equipment, but also to vast sums of money that he used to build his own secret army. While America slept off its hangover after celebrating VE Day, Nemesis played his hand.

In the predawn hours after the celebration, Nemesis assembled his silent horde of fanatic robotic followers within striking distance of Washington, D.C. As the sun rose over the Capitol Dome, it brought flights of jet powered strike bots, the arcs of rocket-rifle fire, and devastating atom ray blasts. Nemesis and his clockwork troops quickly overran military and super powered protectors alike. President Truman only escaped thanks to a well-placed hero with teleportation powers. Nemesis now held most of Congress and the entire Supreme Court hostage. He staged an elaborate ceremony on the Capitol steps, and forced the Chief Justice to swear him in as Emperor of the Americas.

Heroes came flooding back from across the Atlantic to face this unanticipated threat. By the time the first heroes arrived, led by Statesman and the Freedom Phalanx, they found the situation even more dire than they could have imagined. Nemesis had hidden nerve gas bombs throughout the twenty largest cities in America. With the touch of a button he released the deadly toxin, ensuring a painful death to tens of millions if they did not receive the antidote within 24 hours.

What followed was the most desperate hour America's heroes had ever known. World famous champions of freedom fought deadly robots and atomic armored shock troops in the streets of our nation's capital. Finally, the heroes faced down the evil genius himself on the steps of the Capital building. Nemesis was ready for them, unleashing his atom-ray upon the assemblage, instantly killing dozens of heroes. However, in the chaos, Sister Psyche managed to use her telepathic powers to pick the location of the antidote from Nemesis' mind. The rest of the heroes fell back before the metal clad monster's onslaught.

Wounded but still mobile, Sister Psyche escaped the scene of the carnage and got word out to the Army. Within hours, Dr. Mnemonic had synthesized an airborne version, and the air force and flying heroes were spreading it across the infected cities. Nemesis' poison was neutralized, and Washington surrounded. Hundreds of heroes converged on the capitol and joined together for a second march on Washington. They fought through the remainder of Nemesis' forces and thought they had defeated the evil genius himself, only to find that all they had captured was a robot duplicate. Nemesis had escaped once again.

Although Nemesis lost, he had done great damage and, more significantly, ushered in a new era for super powered villains the world over and in Paragon City particularly.

Still stinging from his defeat all those years ago, Nemesis plots in the shadows, waiting once again for the perfect opportunity to bring the world under his heel.

Lord Nemesis isn't one to hide behind a curtain. No, he'd rather use his own presence to hide his own intentions. He's a man with plots within plots, an enigma wrapped within an enigma. However, normal citizens don't get to ever see the bigger picture. Only heroes.

Do citizens know that Lord Nemesis is extremely dangerous? Yes. Do they know he works with machines that brutally kill people? Yes. Do they know he has tried to control the weather with a weather machine? Err... Maybe some? Do people realize he started the Rikti War? Why yes! That was just on the news... but was it really the truth?

In truth, Nemesis is the easiest villain to hear about but the one that most probably know the least amount about. From what people do know, people aren't sure it is the entire truth or what he wanted you to believe. At the end of the day, all people really know is this:

Nemesis is dangerous. And he's smarter than any of you.

Involvement in Westbrook

A character with a history with Nemesis would be a stretch for us. However, if he is a minor character in your back story, that would be fine. What we are not looking for is people who are escaped Automatons. At this point in time, we like to consider Nemesis too big and Westbrook too small to really combine smoothly.

When on patrols, it shouldn't be a common thing to take on the King of Brass and his troops. He is an extremely cunning individual and the school has labeled him beyond any student's capable hands.

[Brodi Andrews]

Rikti (information from paragonwiki.com)

The fact that the Rikti Invasion is over for the time being does not mean that the other-dimensional invaders are cleansed from the city. In fact, quite the opposite is true. No one knows for sure how many Rikti still lurk beneath the streets of Paragon City and other great battleground cities like Rome and Kuala Lumpur. Some estimates put the number at a few thousand. Others suggest that there are ten or twenty times that many still menacing the planet. While the danger of total worldwide enslavement to an alien race seems to have passed for the time being, the Rikti still present a daily and ever-growing threat.

The affect of the Rikti on human culture and society has not been entirely negative. The world they come from is quite a bit more advanced than our own, technologically speaking. During the war and in subsequent raids on Rikti cells, heroes have recovered literally thousands of tons of Rikti technology. From spaceships to handguns, the Rikti brought a startling array of weapons and other technology with them. Ever since the first alien energy rifle fell into the hands of a human scientist, we have been learning from their scientific discoveries.

The Rikti have blown their way into the history books. Ever since their invasion and nigh conquest over humanity, they've played a prominent role in Paragon City and the world itself. The history of the Rikti's defeat along with the war leading up to it is a rather open book to the citizens of Paragon. While not every knows the details around the battles, it isn't hard to find by taking a class or using a Google search. Simply put : The knowledge of the Rikti is your oyster.

During the Second Rikti Invasion, it became evident that Nemesis was behind the Rikti attacking Earth. And there was a mission where heroes fought valiantly to expose Nemesis' crimes. However, it should be noted that the official story of what started the war can be described as 'sparse' by the optimists and 'convoluted' by the pessimist. Some claim that the story is just another Nemesis Plot for some scheme that we'll find out about at a later date.

Also, the common citizen still will think of the Rikti not as inter-dimensional beings but instead as aliens from outer space. While some heroes and scholars have pushed to inform the citizen that this isn't the case, many still haven't heard the message or believed in it. Depending on your characters upbringing and schooling, they could believe either origin story.

Rikti Involvement in Westbrook

The Rikti are a race that nearly wiped out all of humanity. They're technologically superior to humans (Or were before the war) and have been able to come to a whisper to enslaving our dimension. That being said, one can assume they are an incredibly dangerous race.

Most likely than not, Westbrook won't be hosting the first Rikti student. If this -were- to happen, it would be from the Traditionalist faction of the Rikti -- however, once again -- that would be a rare sight indeed. Rikti are still the Boogie Man to many students at Westbrook who grew up during the invasion and protecting the Rikti student all the time would be night impossible.

As for patrolling, Rikti shouldn't be someone you face often. They're weapons don't seem to have a stun function and they don't seem to hold too much hesitation about using them. However, they do launch attacks within Paragon and it wouldn't be in the realm of disbelief for students to be caught out during these attacks.

[Brodi Andrews]

Rulu-Shin info (found at paragonwiki.com)

Rularuu the Ravager menaced Paragon City back in the roaring '60s. Luckily, before his interdimensional plundering could properly commence, Rularuu was defeated by a group of superheroes.

Cackles in the subway and toad-like eyes meeting your gaze at a club, the Rulu-shin have found their way to this world. They cloak themselves to hide their disfigurements, their third eyes, and tumorous growths, but their aura reeks of something that shouldn't be.

They are the minions of Rularuu. And they will be our undoing.

But that's not common knowledge to the average citizen!

The most anyone -might- hear about Rularuu is that he was a terrorizing monster in the roaring 60s. However, thanks to the valiant efforts of heroes, he was destroyed. He's a cliff note. He's a blurb in history concerning Meta-Human threats. He's a boogy-man story that is filled with ninety percent lies, eight percent assumptions, and two percent truth.

His minions are within Paragon City, true. But they are quick to dispose of anyone who finds them. And they do so with any means necessary. They are not above murder. They are not above torture. They are not above sacrifice. Any citizen that finds themselves meeting these followers of Rularuu are quick to realize that people who shiver in excitement at the idea of being devoured have no problem doing anything and everything to a body and soul until it is broken.

Occasionally, they are reported on but their true identities are never mentioned. They are described as 'cultists' and on occasion 'Circle of the Thorn'. Heroes and authorities are eager to let this explanation spread because the last thing the people of Earth need to realize is that their days are numbered.

Involvement in Westbrook:

The Rulu-Shin are as close to Cthulu worshipers as we can get in City of Heroes. They hope too bring into this reality a creature of such horror so that they'll be devoured first.

That being said, Rulu-Shin are interesting beings to use for stories at Westbrook as long as their true nature is NEVER discovered. The last thing we want is a Westbrook student revealing the true nature of what is known as the 'Shadow Shard'. However, if you are looking for a modern, Lovecraftian horror story, these people could supply you with that.

Please speak with an Officer before bringing in a character that has the Rulu-Shin in their history.

[Brodi Andrews]

Vanguard (info found on paragonwiki.com)

During the Rikti War, shortly after the initial Rikti attack, The United Nations Security Council, led by Great Britain and France, formed an emergency umbrella organization to help coordinate hero resources in the worldwide war against the invaders. Called the Vanguard, this group was composed of some of the world's best and brightest heroes.

The Vanguard initiated a plan to strike back at the Rikti using a plan by Dr. Science. Leaving only skeleton crews to man defenses, the Vanguard was split into two teams. Alpha Team was led by Statesman and Omega Team was led by Hero 1. Alpha Team was much larger and consisted of over 1,000 heroes which launched a frontal assault on the Rikti. It was a costly attack and 800 of the heroes lost their lives. While the Alpha Team attacked the main body of Rikti troops, Omega Team slipped into the main Rikti portal base, through one of the portals and after a huge explosion from the other side, the portal was shut down. Only one hero, the utterly invulnerable Ajax, managed to survive the blast on this side of the portal. It is presumed that the heroes that went through the portal have perished.

Thanks to the heroics of the Vanguard, the Rikti War was over, or at least the first phase of it was. Both sides were nearly shattered in the process. The Vanguard and the other great hero organizations of the world scarcely existed anymore. With the exception of Statesman and a few others, all the world's greatest heroes had died in the war. Trillions upon trillions of dollars of damage had been done to the majority of the world's most populated cities. Paragon City was the worst hit of all. Once a shining beacon of light and prosperity, now much of it lay in ruins. It didn't take long for criminals to start reasserting themselves, and new heroes were needed. It was the beginning of a desperate time that would last for decades.

Today, the Vanguard objectives are the same that they were years ago during the Rikti War. The organization opposes the Rikti wherever they show up, and so, the Rikti War Zone is a primary concern for the group, where they keep a strong presence encircling the downed Rikti starship.