History

The history of Meta-Earth after the first of the waves could not be called – even remotely – a golden age. Even Silver Age would be off the mark, though those who act as heroes tend to try to maintain a certain level of ethics. It could best be viewed as a bronze age. Things happen as they happened before the waves struck, with people being good, people being bad, and people being people. Acts of mass atrocity – whether serially or simultaneously – tend not to occur for long, as they attract way too much attention from Meta-humans, but there are still places and times when life isn’t pleasant for those living there.

Behind the Scenes

So, what changed? Why did the universe go from allowing Mysteries, who occasionally slipped past the laws of physics, to allowing Meta-Humans who can absolutely shatter them?

Thirty years ago, the Meta universe collided with another universe. This wasn’t the catastrophic event it could have been, because that other universe is in an entirely different dimension. Still there were repercussions. The initial shock wave propagated across the universe at speeds so close to infinite that the difference was purely philosophical.

Since then, the two universes have interacted twice more. Each time, the time interval between their collisions decreases. Fifteen years, ten years – the next collision will be five years from now, and so on. At some point, there won’t be anymore collisions because the two universes are almost entirely interwoven, though they’ll never actually be entirely coexistent.

As for how this allows physics shattering Meta-Humans, what’s happening is that those affected by each wave actually have a kind of dual existence. They live within one universe, but operate largely by the rules of the other. This allows them to side-step the rules of the Meta universe and do things the laws of physics wouldn’t normally allow.

So, who knows all this? No one. Oh, some alien races were able to determine the propagation speed of the waves, and some have theories about where the Metas get their powers, but no one knows the whole story. Nor does it really matter. The other universe's laws don't really seem to have any coherent basis in the Meta Universe, so the various powers gained can differ from each other quite radically. The source of the powers is singular, but the nature of the powers granted is not.

Cosmology

This is as good a time as any to get into the nature of the universe. First, the Meta universe itself. It operates – for most people – by the same laws our own universe knows. Conservation of Mass and Energy, Special Relativiy, General Relativity, Quantum Physics – Newton’s Laws. They all work, essentially as we know them. The universe is about 15 billion years old, with more galaxies – and therefore more stars – than we can count.

What we don’t know about our universe is whether we’re alone. Humans on Meta Earth don’t know, either – but they’re not. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of alien races in the Milky Way alone. Most are at or below the technology of humanity, and those that aren’t are usually limited in travel times by the previously immutable laws of physics. A few – perhaps a dozen – have been around for millions of years, or even hundreds of millions, and have managed to figure out how to bypass some of those laws, but even they aren’t generally capable of traveling too far. And don’t look for ancient, utopian energy races. Even the oldest races still make mistakes.

Since there’s one dimension, some people will ask – are there others? The answer is yes – and no. Yes, there are other dimensions. They are, however, usually well separate from the dimension of the Meta universe. If someone could travel to other dimensions, the only one accessible to them would be the one that collided with the Meta universe. There isn’t much for anyone there – you’ll note it doesn’t even have a name – and the rules that it exists under are entirely alien to anyone living in the Meta universe. It's possible for some people to operate under some of its laws, but no one from this universe could survive in that one.

But those who like to have characters who can travel to Faerie, Dante’s Inferno, and so on need not despair. The collision created a number of subuniverses, and more are created with every collision. Their nature is defined when they’re first found, by whoever finds them. Afterwards, they’re stuck in that form. Yes, this means that there are a lot of Infernoes out there, and a lot of variations on Faerie.

Mysteries of Legend

The history presented in this document deals only with human history, and goes no farther back than the period of the Revolutionary War. There were a great many legendary heroes before that, but they aren’t included because they had little or no impact on their histories beyond what our own legends provide.

Even in the history presented, the impact is not what some might think it would be. Mysteries are still, essentially, human. They can impact history, but they can’t fight armies by themselves. Plus, since they’re limited to travel in keeping with their era, their impact tends to be limited to specific areas. (Note: The only mysteries listed are those who got national attention. Locally known mysteries did still exist.)

Timeline

c. 1700 – Arien D’Alete, a fur trapper, studies with a hidden tribe of Amerinds, begins acting to protect French and Indian interests as Secret Fire.

1704 – French and Indian forces attack Deerfield, Massachussetts, killing 50 and taking 100 prisoners. Among the survivors is Anne Stewart, whose daughter is among the prisoners. Alone and unaided, Anne rescues her daughter and ten other captives, then begins protecting English travelers as Boudicca.

1711 – Tuscaroras Indians battle with English in the Carolinas. Despite the assistance of a trio of legendary warriors, the English succeed in pushing them out.

1718 – New Orleans established. Almost immediately attacked by Natchez Indians. Instrumental in the defeat of several raiding parties is The Maid, a young woman wearing chain armour and wielding a medieval sword.

1725 – The Maid falls in battle with a Natchez raiding party and is captured. She is not heard from again.

1731 – French defeat the Natchez nation, enslaving and deporting survivors to the Caribbean.

1738 – Stono slave insurrection in South Carolina leaves 135 dead. The great majority are slain by one slave who is subsequently slain himself.

1740 – 50 slaves slated to be hanged to pre-empt an insurrection are freed by an anonymous inter-racial couple.

1744-1748 – King George’s War, between English and French colonists. The French are aided by local tribes. English side aided by Iroquois warrior nicknamed Red Falcon.

Birth of Elizabeth Stanton.

1754-1763 – French and Indian War rages, as England gains supremacy both in Europe and the Americas.

1763-1766 – Pontiac, Ottawa chief, leads a coalition of Indian force in the Ohio Valley, capturing most forts in the region and laying seige to Pittsburgh and Detroit. Eventually overwhelmed by the British and forced to sign a treaty.

1765 – Quartering Act forces colonists to provide room and board to British troops. Elizabeth Stanton, after nearly being assaulted by a British conscript, begins harassing quartered troops as Clarion.

1767 – Clarion captured by a British ambush, taken to a local jail, then to England where she stands trial, her identity revealed.

1768 – Elizabeth Stanton escapes from the Tower of London and makes her way back to the colonies where she again takes the fight to the British, this time as Lady Liberty.

1770 – British troops kill 5 colonists in Boston Massacre. Four of six tried for murder are acquitted, only to be killed after by Lady Liberty.

1773 – In response to another ambush by Lady Liberty, a Tory in Massachussetts takes the name The Grey Fox and seeks her out. The two battle inconclusively.

1774 – The Intolerable Acts are passed, marked by Lady LIberty’s murder of a Tax Collector.

1775 – The Grey Fox battles with another colonial supporter calling himself Minuteman. The Grey Fox is soundly defeated, but gets away. Lady Liberty is nearly captured in another ambush.

1776 – The colonies declare independence. Minuteman joins the Continental Army. Lady Liberty is captured when attempting to ambush a larger force than she anticipated. Two weeks later, she’s executed.

1777 – British forces attack Philadelphia, forcing the Continental Congress to flee. They’re given time by the sniping and ambushes of Minuteman.

1779 – Minuteman is slain in battle.

1782 – Cessation of hostilities.

1783 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, The Grey Fox is remanded to England, where he arrives to a Hero’s welcome. Memorials are erected to both Lady Liberty and Minuteman.

1788 – The Grey Fox returns to America incognito as a spy, but is discovered and killed within a year.

The Federalist Papers argue in favor of the Constitution, but face opposition from Anti-Federalists. Despite assistance from the very persuasive Chief Joseph Brandt, who sees trouble in the Constitution for native tribes, the Constitution is ratified, though only with the addition of the Bill of Rights.

1791 – Bill of Rights is unanimously ratified by the states. Order is slightly different than originally designed, with the Right to Keep and Bear Arms coming first, the Right to Free Speech and Assembly being in one Amendment, Free religion another, and Redress of Grievances a third. An additional Amendment is added forbidding the acceptance or use of any noble titles by any citizen, making the total 14.

1792 – Congress passes National Conscription Act, requiring military service by all males. The Supreme Court declares the law unconstitutional under the Sixth Amendment. This stance is supported by President Washington, and Congress backs down.

1794 – Whiskey Rebellion. Washington sends troops, then reverses himself on conscription when they prove insufficient. A new National Conscription Act is passed, and with Washington’s support, the Supreme Court lets it pass. Conscripted forces quash the rebellion, but not before it forces a change to the Whiskey tax, making it applicable only upon the sale of whiskey across State lines.

1812 – War of 1812 begins as Congress declares war on England in attempt to force changes to laws harmful to U. S. Shipping. Parliament, unaware of the declaration, suspends those laws.

1813 – First appearance of The Gentleman, assisting Andrew Jackson’s fight in the south.

1816 – The Gentleman interferes with the Underground Railroad, but is unable to stop its operation.

1819 – The Gentleman recaptures 20 runaway slaves from the Underground Railroad.

1823 – The Gentleman is killed in a slave uprising. Slave escapes increase.

1828 – The Tariff of Abominations are passed, severely hurting the southern economy.

1831 – Nat Turner’s slave rebellion results in the deaths of 20 whites and 40 blacks.

1837 – Elijah Lovejoy, publisher of abolitionist newspaper The Observer, is attacked and nearly killed. He describes his defender as a ‘woman of unsurpassed beauty and ferocity’. Later recognised as the first appearance of Lady Liberty II.

1839 – Slave rebellion aboard Spanish ship Amistad. Ex-slaves are sent back to Africa. Lady Liberty II protects an Underground Railroad house until all within can leave. She is denounced by southern landowners, and supported by abolitionists and freed slaves.

1844 – The Puritan appears in Illinois, protecting several people and making sermons. Later that year, his appearance helps to calm a mob in Carthage, preventing the murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, but the Mormons are still driven out of Illinois. Joseph Smith later dies en route to Utah.

1847 – Frederick Douglass begins publishing abolitionish newspaper in New York. His first issue has an interview with Lady Liberty II, in which she scathingly attacks slavery.

1850 – Compromise of 1850, strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law in exchange for California’s admission into the union as a free state, is attacked by both Frederick Douglass and Lady Liberty II.

1854 – Demonstrations erupt in Boston upon arrest of fugitive slave Anthony Burns. Lady Liberty II is one of the leaders of the demonstrations.

1860 – South Carolina secedes from the union over unwillingness to accept Abraham Lincoln as President – largely due to his support for economic policies hurtful to the South.

1861 – After the secession of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana, the Confederate States of America are formed. Virginia joins later, with Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. Lincoln suspends Habeas Corpus in parts of the union. Lady LIberty II initially supports the CSA – though remaining very outspoken against slavery – publically damning Lincoln for suspending habeas corpus.

1862 – After the CSA passes the Conscription Act for Confederacy, Lady Liberty II withdraws her support. She continues to withhold her support from the Union as well, and newspapers supporting Lincoln (Whether willingly or not) pillory her in the press.

1863 – Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in the Confederacy, but not in loyal slave states. Lady Liberty II attacks this policy, demanding that – if he’s going to free the slaves, it should be all of them – but due to his control of the press, isn’t heard by many.

The Union wins Battle of Gettysburg by a very narrow margin. Difficulty is blamed on Southern spies.

1864 – Lady Liberty II is taken into custody by Northern Troops as she attempts to speak to war protestors.

1865 – Sherman completes his march to the sea, though he suffers heavy casualties among his officer corps to snipers until he hides them entirely inside his army. One sniper is caught outside Atlanta and hanged. Legends arise almost overnight of ‘Greycloak’ and the damage he did to Sherman’s forces.

Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appatomax court house.

Rumours begin to surface of spying efforts by both sides, limited to code names; Temperance, Liberty Belle, Minuteman and The Gentleman.

1866 – Andrew Johnson pardons Lady LIberty II after Lincoln’s death, and she’s released from prison. Her legendary beauty ravaged by her stay in prison, she drops out of sight entirely.

Ku Klux Klan begins operation in Tennessee, opposed by Liberty Belle, acting openly.

1868 – The KKK, having spread throughout the south, cause trouble for Union military police. Liberty Belle, having failed to stop them at the start, begins lecturing against them wherever she goes. In late 1868, she’s ambushed by a large group of KKK members and slaughtered in the street.

1870 – Enforcement Act allows for Federal intervention against Ku Klux Klan. Several raids are lead by Temperance or Minuteman.

1871 – Anti-Chinese riot in Los Angeles results in more than 30 deaths. Nearly half those deaths are attributed to a Chinese team – male and female – who call themselves Swan and Tiger.

1873 – Swan and Tiger prevent another riot without losing a single life.

Anti-Chinese vigilantes find out who Tiger and Swan are, and abduct Swan off the street, though they leave several dead behind. Tiger begins killing almost indiscriminately as he looks for her. Swan escapes from her captors by killing the entire gang.

1874 – Swan and Tiger drop out of sight. Occasionally, anti-chinese vigilantes are found dead in their style, but neither is ever seen again.

1875 – Minuteman is ambushed by KKK and captured. Several days later, a flayed body, purportedly his, is found in a nearby town.

1877 – Anti-Chinese riots in San Francisco. The riots are far more brutal than anyone would expect. Some of the rioters are recognised as coming from Los Angeles.

1880 – Temperence speaks out against the Women’s Temperance League (formed in 1874) as they begin claiming that she’s with them. After a great deal of wrangling, she openly retires her use of the name, stating ‘the Women’s League is giving Temperance a bad name.’

1885 – The Gentleman goes public, revealing not only his name, but his participation in the KKK and the names of everyone in his command. The reason for this revelation is never discovered, as he is killed several weeks later – though not soon enough to prevent prosecution for virtually all of his command.

1892 – Homestead Strike against Carnegie Steel. Pinkerton Detectives called in to break strike. A riot breaks out, but is quelled by a large black man calling himself John Henry. Six people die.

1896 – Klondike Gold Rush begins in Alaska. Gold claims are largely protected by a mountain man and his trained Kodiak.

1906 – San Francisco Earthquake damages city badly, leaving 250,000 homeless. Literally dozens of lives are saved by a young asian woman who gives no name.

1908 – San Francisco’s Chinatown and Japan Town are openly protected by the young woman of 1906, calling herself Steel Serpent.

1911 – Steel Serpent fades back into the shadows, replaced by a half-asian male taking the same name.

1914 – World War I begins. Some Americans head to Europe as volunteers.

1915 – Sinking of the Lusitania. More Americans head to Europe to fight Germany. Among those is Minuteman III. Back in the States, Lady Liberty III roots out German spies and saboteurs, though the fact that America isn’t yet officially at war with Germany limits what can be done.

1916 – Lady Liberty III, The Maid II and Hugeonot form the Liberty League, aiding each other’s fights, until Hugeonot is captured and executed. Lady Liberty III and The Maid II continue aiding each other, but do not publicly form any kind of league.

1917 – America formally enters the war. The war makes several mysteries famous: Sgt. Savage, head of Able Company; Captain Corey, master of the airplane; and the mysterious Cheshire Cat. Germany fields few mysteries to battle, preferring to send them forth as spies and saboteurs. Lady Liberty III fights the incredibly strong Magni often, usually to a draw.

1918 – The Cheshire Cat falls while aiding troops at Battle of Berlau Wood, is discovered to be a woman – and a german.

Armistice ends combat.

1919 – Treaty of Versailles is signed. Cheshire Cat is given a hero’s burial in America.

Prohibition. Minuteman III supports the law and seeks out scofflaws. Lady Liberty III fights the law verbally, to little avail, but refuses to directly aid those breaking the law.

1920 – Lady Liberty III is sought in the Palmer Raids – Attorney General Palmer arrests thousands and deports hundreds on suspicion of Communist Affiliation. She avoids capture, though she has to lay low for a time. Minuteman III questions AG Palmer’s evidence. AG Palmer attacks Minuteman III in the newspapers.

1924 – Teapot Dome scandal. Lady Liberty III is no longer sought, all warrants are cancelled, but after eight years, she announces that she’s hanging up the nomme de plume. Rumours abound that she’s marrying Minuteman III, but they’re never substantiated.

1926 – Minuteman III retires.

1931 – In Scottsboro, Alabama, 9 black men are arrested on charges of raping two white women. Liberty Belle II finds evidence that exonerates all 9, indicating that the charges are wholly spurious, but they’re still convicted and imprisoned. Liberty Belle II is widely viewed as a race and sex traitor, but continues her fight. Eventually, she manages to get them a different trial, where her evidence is admitted, and they’re released.

1932 – Bonus Army of WWI veterans marches on D. C. and are met by police and national guard. The veterans are rebuffed.

1933 – Twenty-first Amendment repeals Prohibition. Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.

1935 – Italy invades Ethiopia, a new Lady Liberty appears, warning against Italy and Germany. Lady Liberty IV is roundly criticised for her claims.

1936 – Spanish Civil War begins. Lady Liberty IV goes to Spain to help. She’s frequently opposed by a Spanish Mystery going by the name of El Cid.

1937 – Japan attacks Nanking, killing more than 250,000 people. Several Chinese mysteries fall as well.

1938 – Lady Liberty IV narrowly escapes capture at the hands of El Cid and forces under his command. She flees Spain, seeking refuge in France.

1939 – WWII begins, as Germany invades Poland and Czechoslovakia. Lady Liberty IV calls for America to enter the war to stop the Nazis.

1940 – Germany captures most of Western Europe, Vichy France established. Lady Liberty IV remains in France, fighting for the resistance. She occasionally fights two Nazi mysteries, Totenfrau and Fraulein Donner. Near the tail end of 1940, Lady Liberty IV captures Fraulein Donner, though she quickly escapes.

1941 – Germany invades the Soviet Union. Foremost in the vanguard are Magni – apparently the same one who’d fought in WWI – and Uberblitz. Both work largely separate from the army itself, preparing areas, rather than fighting directly. Lady Liberty IV is captured by Totenfrau, but quickly escapes with the aid of two French Mysteries, Valjean and Orleans. Working together, the three easily negate the influence of Totenfrau and Fraulein Donner, but are unable to affect much of the rest of the occupation.

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. The U. S. enters the war. Ahead of even the troops is Minuteman IV, who joins Lady Liberty IV in France, only to move shortly to Germany, where he operates as a saboteur, a spy and – in his own words – “A beacon of Freedom to the German People who’ve been so sorely mislead by a madman.” – The German high command puts a massive reward on his head.

1942 – Magni, arriving from the Russian front, battles Valjean and kills him, only to fall to Lady Liberty IV. Totenfrau goes berserk and is slain by Lady Liberty IV and Orleans. Fraulein Donner flees, and the two heroines are able to give more substantive aid to the Resistance. Minuteman IV very nearly manages to assassinate Hitler, but is forced to flee.

1943 – Orleans disappears. Lady Liberty IV looks for her in vain, but is soon forced to return to helping the Resistance prepare for eventual aid by the Allies. Minuteman IV flees Germany into Italy, bearing evidence of death camps. Germany dismisses the evidence as ‘propaganda’.

1944 – Allies invade Normandy, D-Day. Lady Liberty IV finally locates Orleans and frees her. Minuteman IV returns to Germany. Reckless behaviour gets him captured by Uberblitz, and he’s publicly humiliated and executed.

1945 – Lady Liberty IV hunts down Fraulein Donner and – in a three hour battle – kills her. She immediately leaves France, returning to America.

Germany surrenders. Uberblitz disappears.

1946 – Lady Liberty IV retires.

1950 – Korean War begins. While all nationalities show signs of having Mysteries in the war, none are overt. Mysteries in the U.S., too, are subdued, many of them staying scrupulously out of politics. The sole exception is Lady Liberty V, who speaks out against sending U. S. Troops to Korea, and against Senator McCarthy.

1952 – Lady Liberty V is subpoenaed by HUAC, but refuses to answer the subpoena. A new Minuteman appears and tries to take her into custody. Their fight is short and brutal, but she escapes. They clash several times over the next year, but she always escapes from him. Eventually, rumours of scandal surround Minuteman V, and he drops out of sight.

1954 – McCarthy takes on the Army and loses. Censured by the Senate, his power decreases. The subpoena is cancelled. Lady Liberty V continues to speak out against interventionist politics, but isn’t heard.

1957 – Lady Liberty joins Martin Luther King, Jr and 25,000 blacks in Prayer Pilgrimage at Lincoln Memorial.

1961 – Bay of Pigs fails. Rumours indicate that Minuteman V was part of the invasion force.

Lady Liberty V publicly supports Freedom Rides.

1963 – Lady LIberty V joins Civil Rights March on Washington.

1964 – U.S. begins bombing North Vietnam. Lady Liberty V speaks out against the activity.

1967 – ‘Long, Hot Summer’ of race riots begins in cities across America. Lady Liberty V is killed while attempting to quell one in D. C.

1975 – The Universes ‘collide’. Everyone alive at that point is potentially subject to two differing sets of laws. Only a small fraction are actually affected.

1976 – Teton River Dam in Idaho collapses – would flood a 300 mile area, except that the water is held back, by the first Parahuman to act publicly. She’s dressed in a skin-tight white bodysuit, and appears again several times: Holding up a bridge during an Earthquake, airlifting residents from a burning high-rise, and even towing icebergs to desert areas. Since she doesn’t give a name, the press gives her one – Crane. Others appear in short order, almost as if triggered by her appearance. One of the first is Iron Sheikh – another name given by the press – who, taking offence to her presumption and mode of dress, attacks her as she helps to water Somalia. Although incredibly powerful – pictures show him lifting a fully loaded C-5 – he proves no match for her, and is knocked unconscious to the ground. A hitherto unknown Islamic cleric later declares a Fatwa against her, which few people seem willing to try to fulfill.

1977 – A battle occurs above Washington, D.C. between two Parahumans. One is dressed as anyone would be, and though no name is ever learned, is apparently intent upon destroying the city, starting with the government buildings. The other, dressed in the costume of every Minuteman since the first, bears the title of Minuteman VI well, defeating the other, though he escapes. He faces numerous battles throughout the next year, winning them all, though not always easily.

Crane, still acting primarily as an agent of aid, distributes food and medicine in Africa and the Middle East directly to the needy, bypassing the governments entirely. While on one such trip, she is attacked by a group of radical Islamic Parahumans, calling themselves In’Shallah. She defeats all of them by herself, sending them fleeing away.

1978 – Several more Parahumans come out of the woodwork, forming a team – The Society of Justice. They make Minuteman VI an honorary member, but the actual members are: The Detective, Lady Liberty VI, Star and Streak. They fight several battles with other parahumans, either singularly or together, and generally protect the entire Eastern seaboard of the U. S. When asked why they didn’t recruit Crane, Lady Liberty VI indicated that they had, but she wasn’t interested.

Minuteman VI fights dozens of battles on his own, against his first foe – now known as Seraph – as well as foes such as In’Shallah. While his record remains spotless, some of his foes are very close to his own level.

Crane, after being booed by those she was helping after her defeat of In’Shallah, enters semi-retirement, declaring that she’ll help out in emergencies, of if asked, but will otherwise leave people alone – as they seem to wish to be – with their corrupt and evil governments. Her comments stir international anger, but she refuses to retract them.

1979 – Minuteman VI attempts to rescue the hostages in Iran and is met in battle by In’Shallah. Although he defeats them again, the battle takes long enough that the hostages are gone by the time he’s finished.

The Society of Justice announces the addition of two new members – Immortus and Sorceress. Not long afterward, they run into Minuteman VI’s nemesis, Seraph, with his own team around him, calling themselves The Doom Convergence. During the battle, Seraph kills Star, blasting her through four separate skyscrapers. So tough was she that her body is still intact when it lands in Central Park. Before Seraph can do more than gloat, however, The Detective – until now considered nothing more than a Mystery – attacks him, killing Seraph with a single, immediately fatal, heartshot. The rest of The Doom Convergence flees, their morale shattered. The Detective surrenders himself immediately to the NYPD. Star’s body, since it can’t be properly embalmed, is placed inside a crystalline coffin filled with noble gasses. Her coffin is initially placed in a cemetary, but so many people come to visit her tomb that it’s moved to mark where she fell.

1980 – Crane, at a personal request from President Reagan, slips into Iran and frees the hostages, carrying them all the way back to American with them, while managing to avoid In’Shallah entirely. She’s greeted in Washington by cheering crowds and Minuteman VI, who has nothing but kind words for her. In’Shallah publicly vows to redouble their efforts to complete the Fatwa against her.

The Detective is placed on trial and pleads guilty to the 2^nd Degree Murder of Seraph. He’s remanded to the custody of Citadel, a parahuman prison he helped to design. There is a great deal of debate regarding this – and the punishment itself – but it’s the only place anyone can conceive might actually hold him.

With the loss of The Detective and Star, the Society of Justice continues, though much diminished. They don’t even try to recruit replacements.

In New York and Manhattan, another group of parahumans appears, arrogantly calling themselves the Star Sentinels. Their members are Super Star, Dark Star, Star Sapphire, and Firestar.

1981 – The Society of Justice regains their former glory, aiding the Star Sentinels in a battle against a re-formed Doom Convergence, led by someone calling himself Dark Seraph.

Sorceress is outed as a lesbian. While this has little effect on the coasts, middle American is another matter, as is the government. The security clearance she’d received is revoked. She leaves the team, heading for the West Coast, where she’s welcomed.

Immortus and Lady Liberty VI announce that they’re getting married.

Dark Seraph appears alone in Washington, D.C., fighting Minuteman VI to a standstill.

1982 – The wedding of Immortus and Lady Liberty VI is held in an undisclosed location, to avoid trouble. Somehow, the Doom Convergence learns the location, and attacks. They’re driven off, but manage to capture Star Sapphire, who was acting as Lady Liberty VI’s maid of honor.

The Society of Justice and the Star Sentinels team up, looking for the Doom Convergence and Sapphire. They find them, eventually, on an island in international waters, but cannot defeat them, even with Minuteman VI’s help, as the island defenses are too well meshed with the Convergence’s. Dark Star calls Crane, who shows up to assist. With her help, they’re able to rescue Star Sapphire. Crane immediately takes her away, and the watching press are not allowed to take any pictures. One eyewitness is quoted as saying ‘She looked like she’d been through a meat grinder’ The combined teams shatter the island into rubble. Only Dark Seraph is seen to rise from the destruction. Given his reaction and the sheer devastation, the rest of the Doom Convergence are presumed dead. The U.S. Attorney General refuses to press charges against either the Star Sentinels or the Society of Justice, and refuses to comment on why. Inside sources surprisingly refuse to go into specifics, merely stating that, if Dark Seraph were ever captured, the charges stemming from Star Sapphire’s abduction would likely result in a several hundred year sentence, if not death. Star Sapphire is not seen, though late in the year, she makes a radio broadcast – from an undisclosed location – informing the nation that she’s retiring. Rumours as to the reason fly, but no one can get even enough to go to press with.

1983 – The Star Sentinels disband, each going their own way. Dark Star is seen overseas several times, apparently hunting Dark Seraph. Super Star remains active as a hero, generally assisting the Society of Justice, but often patrolling alone. Firestar is seen in Oakland, CA, in the company of Sorceress, patrolling the Bay Area.

The Society of Justice, now consisting of Immortus, Lady Liberty VI, Streak and – occasionally – Super Star, continues operating out of New York. Near the end of the year, they run across Dark Seraph again, this time fronting a group calling themselves Bitter Monday. The Society defeats this new group except – again – for Dark Seraph.

Lady Liberty VI and Immortus announce their retirement. Lady Liberty VI is visibly pregnant in the TV spots. Streak, attempting to keep the Society functional, recruits several new members; The Bat, Vario, Catgirl and Electra join. Pundits refer to them as ‘The B-Team’.

1984 – Dark Star is seen fighting Dark Seraph over France. Observers lose track of the battle, and nothing more is known until Dark Star’s body washes ashore in England. Medical examiners determine that she died much as Star did, from a single blast.

Dark Seraph, visibly wounded but apparently unaffected by the wounds, lures Crane out of retirement with a false request for help. Crane nearly destroys him, and he flees as Minuteman VI, Super Star and the new Society show up.

Firestar and Sorceress form a group in the SF/Bay Area, calling themselves the Bay Guardians. In addition to the two founders, members are Monolith, Flamer, Gaia’s Fist and Dragon. In their first six months, they get into nearly as many verbal confrontations with the police and politicians as they do physical conflicts with parahuman criminals. The police of the Bay Area seem to take it all in stride.

1985 – Dark Seraph teams up with In’Shallah and stages a raid on the isolated hom of Crane. Her response is powerful, but in the end she’s defeated and killed. Minuteman VI arrives only after they’ve left. They drop her mutilated body on the steps of Capitol Hill, mere minutes ahead of Minuteman VI. They elude him. He goes into semi-retirement, vowing to bring them to justice.

The Detective, proving all the naysayers right, walks out of Citadel upon hearing about Crane, then he disappears.

The new Society of Justice tries to locate The Detective, to no avail.

Crane is buried on an artificial island nearby the Statue of Liberty.

Vario, hailed as a positive role-model for hispanics, is accused of rape by a fifteen year old girl. The Society turns against him, and turns him in. He’s found guilty and sent to Citadel.

1986 – Three members of In’Shallah are found dead, laying in front of mosques. The information passed to the rest of the world makes it plain that they were killed by The Detective, and that he has stated in writing that all involved in the death of Crane will die. There’s little concern outside the rest of In’Shallah, as Dark Seraph apparently considers himself invulnerable.

The other two members of In’Shallah, despite being under heavy guard by dozens of other parahumans, are killed. Several of the more radical Islamic mullahs call for strikes against America in retaliation. Every single one that make that call is found dead the next day. Politicians in the Muslim world manage to convince the other radical mullahs to limit their rhetoric.

The Bay Guardians fight Dark Seraph and barely drive him off.

Sorceress and Firestar admit publicly that they’re lovers. This has little effect in California, though it makes them persona non grata elsewhere in the country.

1987 – The Detective reappears in Washington, D.C., dropping Dark Seraph’s dead body on the steps where Crane was dropped. He then walks back into Citadel as if he’d never left. After standing trial for the new murders, he’s placed on a small island with food dropped to him from planes.

The Bay Guardians and the Society of Justice team up against a new parahuman criminal calling himself Undertow, and manage to prevent his plan to flood the U. S.

Undertow attacks The Detective on his island prison. Undertow is soon seen to retreat.

1988 – Star’s body is stolen from the mausoleum in Central Park. The Society of Justice tracks down the thief, a geneticist named Alberta Waunder, who had planned to clone Star. Although nearly ten years after her death, the people of New York are so incensed that Dr. Waunder requires parahuman guards to prevent her from being lynched.

A terrorist group attempts to hold the Empire State Building hostage with a briefcase nuke. Super Star removes the nuke from them, allowing the police and FBI to storm the building. The nuke goes off somewhere over the Atlantic, and Super Star isn’t seen again.

The Bay Guardians battle Undertow again, and Firestar is killed. Monolith and Flamer turn to his side. Gaia’s Fist and Dragon are both knocked out, leaving Sorceress standing against all three enemies. She somehow drives all three away before collapsing herself.

The Society of Justice meets up with a new, massively powerful parahuman calling herself Magaera, who tortures people mentally. Although she claims that her tortures are nothing more than justice, the Society fights and defeats her. Before Citadel can take her into custody, she escapes.

1989 – Crane’s mausoleum begins glowing at night. It’s a soft glow, but easily visible, even in the light pollution of the city.

The Society of Justice has another runin with Megaera, this time accompanied by two others, also taking the names of the greek Furies, Tisiphone and Alecto. Before the three are defeated, Minuteman VI has to step in, though even then it’s close. Again, the three are gone before Citadel can arrive.

Firestar’s funeral is held, attended by Minuteman VI, Lady Liberty VI and many others. Sorceress takes the opportunity to announce her retirement. Gaia’s Fist and Dragon recruit additional help in the form of Cold War, Totem and Beastgirl, and are immedialy busy with the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake.

1990 – The second collision occurs.

Several accused sex criminals are killed in the New York metropolitan area. Eyewitnesses claim that the murderers are two women, both with parahuman powers, though no eyewitnesses are close enough to give an accurate impression of the powers.

The new Bay Guardians fight Undertow and his two minions. Undertow is handily defeated by Cold War, and the other two flee. Undertow is sent to Citadel.

Vario is released from Citadel. His release is protested across the country, and several previously unknown female parahumans appear, though they do not fight, merely informing him that they’re going to watch him carefully. No one gets a name from them, so one reporter calls them ‘The FemmeForce’. They’re heard from again less than a week later, when they sweep Los Angeles and beat every pimp they find savagely.

The Furies attack several people in San Francisco, and the Bay Guardians fight them. Cold War and Beastgirl manage to defeat them after the rest are incapacitated, and Totem manages to keep them from escaping, so this time they actually wind up in Citadel.

1991 – A cult forms around the mausoleum of Crane, which is still glowing softly. The cult believes that Crane will reappear at the hour of Earth’s greatest need.

Catgirl and Electra are captured by the police when they attack an accused sex criminal who also happens to be a parahuman. Both claim to have been acting from repressed rage after being raped by Vario. They are convicted of several counts of first degree murder, and are sent to Citadel. Vario continues to maintain his innocence, both in the original case and with respect to their claims.

Streak calls it quits, and The Bat, unwilling or unable to continue the effort of a team, officially declares the Society of Justice defunct.

The Bay Guardians handle various small emergencies, then provoke outrage and controversy by accepting Vario into their group. Almost immediately, they’re force to fight the FemmeForce, and several papers in the area, formerly supportive of them, turn against the team.

1992 – The FemmeForce attack a Trucker’s Convention, killing dozens of people before leaving. In a statement issued from hiding, they claim that they had evidence that the Convention not only condoned, but actively participated in a sex slavery ring involving children.

The Bay Guardians, still under a cloud due to their acceptance of Vario, make citizen’s arrests of dozens of people in a preschool, claiming Satanic Ritual Abuse. The preschool employees are prosecuted severely, and all but one plead guilty to lesser charges.

Minuteman VI speaks out against both FemmeForce’s actions and the claims from The Bay Guardians, asking for hard evidence in both cases. He is, in the main, tuned out and shouted down.

1993 – The FemmeForce attacks a police officer, who they claim was using his uniform to assault and rob single female motorists. The Bay Guardians, while supportive of their claims, suggest that their methods are too extreme.

President Clinton signs an appropriation bill allowing for the creation of the Bureau of Parahuman Affairs. Initially, all the BPA does is register parahuman power classes, allowing a parahuman to register him or herself as a specific type of parahuman – usually for professional purposes. As a voluntary action, any parahuman acting in a private law enforcement capacity can register as well, which is touted as being useful for protection against false accusations. Sorceress, Minuteman VI and the FemmeForce refuse to register their powers, but the Bay Guardians do so willingly, including Vario.

1994 – Super Star is seen several times, before finally coming down to talk to the press. He tells the interviewer that he lost his powers for some time, and only barely survived, but that – in time – he healed, and came back.

Minuteman VI provides evidence contradicting the claims FemmeForce made two years earlier, proving that not only were the truckers not abusing children, FemmeForce knew they weren’t. Several DAs sign out warrants for their arrest, and Minuteman VI publicly seeks them out. They go to ground in Berkeley, CA, where they are supported and protected by the city’s politicians, who claim that Minuteman’s evidence is faked. Northern California newspapers take up the claim, and several DAs withdraw their warrants.

The Bay Guardians continue making raids and arrests based on charges of Satanic Ritual Abuse, and Minuteman VI continues to be skeptical – and continues to be ignored.

A small time parahuman called Siamese Cat kills someone while robbing an office, shortly after being released from Citadel. Many are outraged that parahuman criminals could be released without supervision. President Clinton signs a law requiring that parahumans convicted of any violent crime be registered. The ACLU challenges the law, but the Supreme Court refuses to hear the case.

The Cult which formed around Crane’s mausoleum – calling themselves the Enlightened Lifters of Humanity – begin holding prayers and rituals at the mausoleum, which glows now night and day.

Undertow escapes from Citadel and steals Star’s body. Minuteman VI and Super Star team up to find him and retrieve the body. They find Undertow and capture him, but can find no trace of Star’s body. New York places a memorial on the spot.

1995 – Vario breaks with the Bay Guardians to support Minuteman VI, claiming that they’re acting on little more than rumour and innuendo. Beastgirl counter-accuses Vario, claiming that he tried several times to rape her. Given that her registered power level is easily above his, most authorities dismiss her claim. The media, however, play them up, destroying Vario’s already poor reputation. Two months later, Vario commits suicide.

The Alfred Murrah building in Oklahoma City is bombed. Parahumans from across the country, both law-abiding and criminal, arrive to help out. Various media outlets decry the fact that parahumans weren’t there to stop it. Many witnesses claim to see The Detective amidst those assisting, but no authority looks too closely until later, when he is found still on his island.

The FemmeForce attacks Minuteman VI in the media, demanding that he distance himself from Vario and Vario’s claims. Minuteman refuses. “One abiding belief in this nation is that Truth will out. I will support that Truth, even if the world itself is against me, even if I stand alone with nothing but death as my reward.” The force of his convictions gets many people thinking again, and full-fledged investigations are formed to look into the charges, despite an attempted smear campaign by many smaller papers.

FemmeForce tries to interfere with many of the investigations, until Minuteman VI intervenes. Two of their members, Boudicca and Mab, are captured and charged with murder in the deaths of the conventioneers. Both are found guilty and sent to Citadel. The rest of the group tries to break them free before they reach Citadel, but fail.

1996 – A new prison opens in South Dakota. Called Northpoint Parahuman Correctional Facility, it takes in all the female Parahumans who had previously resided at Citadel. No one finds out about this until after the move is complete.

The Bay Guardians are found to have falsely arrested nearly eighty people, although the investigators stop short of claiming that they did so deliberately. The city of San Francisco revokes the ordinance granting them official sanction. Oakland quickly follows suit, though Berkeley continues to support them. Several civil suits are filed. Cold War announces his retirement and disappears. Gaia’s Fist goes public, turns over her entire fortune to the victims of the team’s actions, and retires. Dragon refuses to accept the findings of the investigations, continuing to claim the existence of Satanic Ritual Abuse. Beastgirl leaves the team and is often seen partying and drinking in public. Totem simply disappears.

Parahuman members of the BPA are ‘loaned’ out to the FBI and DEA. President Clinton calls for all parahumans to register voluntarily. Few do, but he’s unable to get a majority to require registration.

The light from Crane’s mausoleum is now visible as far away as Pittsburgh, PA.

1997 – Crane’s mausoleum stops glowing. The Enlightened Lifters of Humanity take this as a sign to begin their work, and start proselytizing throughout New York and Pennsylvania.

Timothy McVeigh is sent to Citadel, despite being a normal human. The reason given is that, since all criminals in Citadel are essentially isolated, he will be safer there.

Dragon becomes a vigilante, publicly determined to provide proof of SRA. Initially, his methods are little changed from before, but as time progresses, he gets ever more violent.

Minuteman VI publicly challenges President Clinton to step down, citing Waco, Weaver and Lewinsky. THe papers try to shred his reputation, to little avail, but his speech has little impact on the impeachment proceedings. Clinton’s government cancels his security clearance and official standing.

Undertow breaks free from Citadel with the aid of Star. Minuteman VI – surprisingly, alongside the remnants of FemmeForce – fights them to a standstill. Undertow and Star disappear. Minuteman VI officially retires.

1998 – President Clinton signs legislation making it illegal to use Parahuman powers unless registered and approved by the government. The remains of FemmeForce turn outlaw. Approvals are granted solely for professional use – within limits, government agents, military forces, and immediate self-defence.

The Dragon kills fifteen people in a raid on a suspected SRA ranch. No evidence of SRA is found. The Dragon becomes a wanted criminal.

An FBI Parahuman force kills the remaining three members of FemmeForce in a drawn-out firefight. They then publicly set their sights on The Dragon.

A new Lady Liberty – the seventh, historically – appears, very publicly refusing to register or toe the line. The reputation of the line, and a desire for heroes, puts public opinion firmly on her side, but only with respect to her personal refusal to register. The polls continue to support general registration.

1999 – The Dragon kills three more groups of people before running afoul of the FBI Parahuman team. As they’re starting to win, he transforms into a real dragon, nearly 80’ long. He kills all five, only to succumb to his wounds immediately after.

The Detective is released on parole, conditioned that he avoid any parahuman activity, if humanly possible.

George W. Bush wins the presidency. Some Democrats accuse Bush of having a mind-controlling parahuman in his employ. The accusations are never substantiated.

2000 – The third collision occurs.

Witnesses see a huge fight over the Pacific Ocean. The next day, Undertow’s dead body washes onshore. The damage to his body is consistent with what was known of Star’s strength level.

Crane’s mausoleum explodes. The latest incarnation of In’Shallah, working with Al Qaeda, takes credit for the explosion, though eyewitnesses dispute their claims, saying that the mausoleum glowed bright blue for a time just prior to the explosion. In addition, despite the total destruction of the mausoleum, there were no casualties at all.

2001 – An investigative reporter tracks down Star Sapphire, with the intent of discovering what occurred when she’d been captured by the Doom Convergence. She sends him on his way, but the damage is done, and he publishes pictures of her and her teenage daughter, forcing them to go into hiding yet again.

Terrorists attack the World Trade Center. Parahumans from all over America turn out to help with the rescue efforts. With their aid, the death toll is kept down to 3,000 or so. Rather than arrest all of them – especially in light of public opinion, which swings back their way afterwards – Congress and President Bush repeal the registration law. Rumours that The Detective aided in the resue efforts are unsubstantiated, but the U.S. AG goes on record to state that it wouldn’t violate the terms of his parole, so the Federal Government wouldn’t press charges anyway. The NY AG repeats that statement, stating that, even if it didn’t, it would be absurd to prosecute someone just for helping out in an emergency.

2002 – Star appears above Washington, D. C., calling herself Star Seraph, and attempts to destroy the Capitol Building and the White House. Minuteman VI comes out of retirement to stop her, and she beats him severely, but stops and flees unexpectedly.

Several cities across the country get small teamups of Parahumans. The only exceptions are the New York Metropolitan area, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Both have individual Parahumans acting, but no teams.

2003 – Star Seraph clashes with Minuteman VI and Lady Liberty VII. The addition of the new Lady Liberty keeps the battle on a more even keel, and it’s inconclusive. Again, Star Seraph flees without apparent reason.

Media in New York city and San Francisco begin pushing for the formation of Parahuman teams in those regions. No one takes up the call, apparently unwilling to try to step into those shoes.

2004 – Star Seraph attacks The Detective. The battle is incredibly fierce, and The Detective is seen to take damage that laid out Minuteman VI, but Star Seraph seems equally invulnerable to The Detective’s attacks. Finally, Star Seraph flies high into the sky, blasting an area nearly half a mile wide, apparently destroying The Detective, though the effort tires her sufficiently that she leaves as Parahumans show up from all over.

2005 – Lady Liberty VII announces an open call for Parahumans to join a new Society of Justice. The call is interrupted by Star Seraph. Lady Liberty VII and Minuteman VI fight her again, with the help of those who’d come for the tryouts. Star Seraph is driven off, but the strain causes Minuteman VI to suffer a heart attack. He lives, but it’s plain that he’ll never fight again.