I guess my official introduction was back in Wilfredo’s first story, insert own story for retconning stuff back and forth, and … yeah. And trust me, after several years of tomfoolery, adventures, superheroing, spelunkering in places that should not be, I WILL EVENTUALLY BE A WALKING AZURE-POWERED BEHEMOTH… Who pets cute animals and puts an end to evil guys who prowl the streets and stalk the innocent (?) masses. While being completely oblivious, thanks to his private potion stash.
Oh yeah that’s right, we did blackmail you into joining Glenton. But since you joined you have become quite a bit nicer… well less evil at least. After all I pretty sure, you rescued a rich kid and gave him straight back to his parents right? Without any ransom, or anything.
Oh and if you betray us, those pictures of you kissing Val, are going up all over RPGC. Just try getting your rep back after that. :hahaha;
Alright, let’s continue…
Chapter Eight: The Heroes of RPGC
There have been many, many, many, MANY people in the RPGC Universe’s history that have risen up to the rank of heroes, inspiring future generations and making the universe a much better place to live. And RPGC itself has produced a few such individuals, determined to make the best of their lot in life and to do anything in their power to defend and improve their homeland. Here is but a small sampling of these individuals.
Wilfredo Martinez:
Black Mage
It doesn’t get much more classic than Wilfredo Martinez. As RPGC’s oldest superhero, he has been involved in more multiverse-spanning adventures than anyone cares to count. As a result, he has mastered every matter of Black Magic available, even spells and styles long lost or completely unknown to his own home. Unfortunately, this traveling was the result of necessity rather than choice; his family, distrusting his powers and believing them to be far more malevolent, all but disowned him when he first learned the truth in his early teens. When he returned years later, he was a fully accomplished sorcerer, and although his siblings, especially his oldest sister, never really accepted his abilities, they were far more open with him, especially after his niece Nelimar began to exhibit the same abilities.
Martinez is a man of extremes. In battle, he is calm and collected, using his twenty-five years of experience to tactically approach even the most basic of conflicts. This has given him nearly a Batman-level of omniscience; give him enough time to plan, and he’ll be able to take down anything from a lowly thug to the Blood God Khorne. However, outside of such situations, he is a lecherous perverted bastard, holding the world’s largest porn collection and often hanging at strip clubs and brothels, or “dating” his hundreds of “girlfriends.” However, when with his family, he is an extremely caring and sweet, if very overprotective and eccentric, brother and uncle. Either way, do not harm Neliamr if you want to keep your organs arranged properly…and since he has a code against killing, well…
Weiila:
White Mage
When Weiila first came to RPGC, she was a calm, generally loving Swedish girl, using her white magic abilities freely while also pursuing a career in writing. As time has worn on, however, she has slowly become more cynical and harsh, thanks in no small part to the horrid side of fanfiction, Galloway’s endless torment of her, and being turned into a young girl at least once a year. Either way, she has become extremely jaded these days, although still a charming young lady.
She also happens to be a reincarnation of the goddess Anja. The youngest daughter of Ukko, king of the Finnish Pantheon, she fell in love with modern technology to the point that she was decreed “unfit” for living in Kalevala. Her body was destroyed, and her soul was sent through time to a two-month-old fetus. As a result, she was born and raised a human for much of her life. However, when she was thirteen, she suddenly began to sprout a pair of angelic wings. This, combined with her general awkwardness and anxiety, led to her being the subject of intense bullying for much of her life, and has permanently left her scared of dodgeballs. She has become one of RPGC’s greatest champions, and can always be depended upon to fight for what’s right, although it might take a little more prodding these days.
Heaven’s Soldier:
Warrior/Angel
Heaven’s Soldier’s past is a little more screwed up than most suspect…mostly because I don’t really understand it fully. Oh well. Needless to say, Heaven’s Soldier has shown considerable skills and honor in most things, although he can be a colossal dick if pushed enough. He has worked as a member of the RPGCPD, and was even Chief of Police. However, he is most famous for his career as a member of the RPGC Task Force, where he proved himself to be a true leader.
Above all else, however, Heaven’s Soldier has shown considerable care for creating a proper image for others to follow. After the Task Force’s fall into shame under Galloway’s leadership, he managed to route the heroes and turned them into a worldwide force to be reckoned with. Even the Illuminati placed his conversion or elimination at the top of their priorities, as without him, the Task Force would have collapsed. When the force did break up, he quickly formed another, although with a much different roll call, and is quickly making them to be another power in the metahuman community. It is this that will be remembered as his greatest work once GOD rips his entrails out like dried salami.
GG Crono:
Amnesiac Traveling Warrior
You know those amnesiac guys with spiky hair? The guys that seem to lose their memories at the drop of a hat, and go on a globetrotting quest to get them back? Well, GG Crono is half of that; he has amnesia and spiky hair, but does NOT want his memories back. This is not so much because he is afraid of what he may have done, but because going on such a quest would be giving in to the “Powers That Be,” and he is NOBODY’S servant. Thus, he began his quest to find a way to destroy the Powers That Be, or to at least free the world from their control.
In the end, he ran into RPGC, where he eventually joined the RPGC Task Force. He formed a strong friendship with Pierson, almost to the point of being a “couple,” and quickly found a place within the small team. When the team dissipated, he decided to form yet another, rather than allow himself to become purposeless and thus give in to the Powers That Be. This paranoia would drive him to several other adventures over the years.
Pierson:
Hero/Thief
Pierson is a thief, a mercenary, traveling the world under his sandaled feet…that is, if he actually wore sandals rather than boots. Pierson’s reign of terror was once the highlight of RPG Town…until PC Glenton showed up, stealing the limelight and rendering Pierson merely a distant memory. Enraged, the thief decided to go about trying to foil Glenton’s many crimes. All of these ended in failure…until he managed to defeat Glenton in an epic showdown on the roof of the Vatican. After an amazing show of blind luck, Pierson managed to stop the thief from stealing the Spear of Destiny…and suddenly found himself praised. Deciding he liked the adoring limelight more than being feared, he turned to acts of blind heroism as a member of the Defenders of the Plot Continuum.
Pierson was a founding member of the third Task Force. However, as time went on, he found his heart lying less and less within the group. This was further driven by his lack of powers, forcing him to rely on bionic armbands stolen from one of his old enemies. Unfortunately, they began to take over his mind, until he nearly thought he was the villain in question. It took some intervention from the Task Force to save the day. After that, he felt he had nothing to contribute to the world of superheroes, and left both the Task Force and RPGC in general. He can still be seen at times, but has generally retired from adventuring.
Mabatsekker:
Blue Mage
Hailing from noble Finland stands the blue-haired Blue Mage, Mabatsekker, wooer of catgirls, champion of Paragon City, and the greatest guy in the universe. Now that the endorsement’s out of the way, on to the good stuff. At a young age, Mabat discovered he had the power to copy the attacks of anyone, as long as he could continuously observe the move or was hit by it. As a result, he went on a worldwide journey to gather as many moves as possible. In the end, he and his girlfriend, the catgirl Kat-Chi, moved to Paragon City for a few years, where Mabat trained himself to the point that his entire body was a towering monolith of pure muscle.
He eventually ran into Wilfredo Martinez, and was so fascinated with him that he chased him all the way to RPGCity. Soon after, he was swept into the whole Naar conflict, and after returning to his new home joined the third RPGC Task Force. Unfortunately, he soon came into major conflict with Galloway, due to vast differences in evil-bashing techniques and the latter’s almost racist hatred of Blue Mages, and even held a small weenie roast to celebrate his departure. Unfortunately, only a year later, he was drafted into the Finnish Air Force, and had to leave his team behind. He returned some time later, during Naar’s second attack, and joined the new Task Force in battling their old enemy. In the end, despite a few small problems in his past (such as accidentally killing some people in his early days), and his penchant for downing entire wine cellars dry within a single night, he is very much an ideal hero.
Valkyrie Esker:
Thousand-Year-Old Ex-Goddess
Born the youngest daughter and child of a lowly woodsman, Robyn soon demonstrated an almost unnatural skill for combat. So much so that the Valkyrie, warrior-goddesses of the Norse Pantheon (who, also, never actually fought a damn thing), chose her to become a member of their small army, granting her full godhood upon reaching the age of nineteen. Unfortunately, she lacked faith in Odin, so he forced her to go on some MacGuffin-filled quest to recover some lost weapons, hilarity ensues, etc. She found all the legendary weapons, returned home, and lived a relatively peaceful and boring existence. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore, and decided to leave the Valkyrie. Now a mortal again, she ended up in RPGC, where she quickly became both the most valiant knight and biggest whore the place had ever seen.
Esker’s biggest claim to fame, besides being a former goddess and member of the RPGC Task Force Reserve, is her deep, deep rivalry with PC Glenton. Started for reasons long forgotten, the two have been at each other’s throats for years, continuously coming up with bigger and bloodier means of killing the other. In the end, of course, nobody really wins, since both are damn near unkillable. Furthermore, Val also possesses the Eskermobile, a car so fast it leaves a trail of death, destruction and misery just going down the street to the supermarket. Needless to say, we all duck and cover whenever the words “Esker” and “drive” in the same sentence.
Galloway:
Saiyan/Kai Lord
Everyone has to have that “one guy.” You know, the guy that somehow manages to surpass almost everyone, saves the Earth a few dozen times, and still has time to cram in a session of gaming every night? You know, a Gary Stu? That’s d Galloway. For reasons way, way, WAY too overly long to explain, he was genetically engineered into a Saiyan, and then trained to become a Kai Lord. He’s fought Mox repeatedly (but has never really won without cheating), defeated Naar twice (nearly fucking up both times), and will one day destroy the world (just before his past self comes forward and kills him). And he kills people. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen.
More to come…
I’m so glad to see myself listed amongst such other RPGC legends… and so sad to see that’s how it ends for me. Curse you GOD!! CURSE YOU!!!
And Galloway, the reason you don’t know my history, is because I don’t know it. At least not properly. I have tried writing an origins a couple of time, but never really got anywhere with it before. If I ever do, I’ll let you know.
Whee, I got listed first!! :hyperven:
Thanks, Gallo. Those are some wonderful Fanfic memories, and I really needed a pick up today, coming out of a really bad week as I am (that included everything from paying late bills to being trapped at home because of foul weather AND being sick with the flu. )
:thud:
Incidentally, that’s why I haven’t continued my Crossover Retrospective, but I will do so soon.
Say d, are you planning on doing an RPGC Xmas special this year, or will you still be busy writing ALL the stuff you do? (Seriously, I don’t know how you manage.) If not, I could take over Holiday duty again. 
I don’t think I’ll be doing another huge Holiday epic. It’s just too much strain right now. I do have some ideas for Christmas fics, but I’d much rather let you handle anything remotely large in size.
And speaking of retrospectives…I have to dirtily finish up Spider-Man.
Heheh, just realized I really wants meself something like an Eskermobile. XD
Hmm, Galloway, how would I go about asking you if I could be in the Task Force?
Well Leareth45, first you have to create yourself a character, name, looks, bio, skills/powers, that sort of stuff… Then you PM Galloway with it, and ask him really nicely to add you to his fics. And if he is in a good mood, he’ll add you (although might be only a small part), when he gets a chance to work on them again.
But don’t go expecting to join the Task Force, it is a well established team already. Plus we already have too many loose cannons running around, and I have a big enough headache already dealing with them, without adding some new young punk (or whatever you are) to the mix.
Speaking of loose cannons, we still have the reservers to look up… speaking of which, there’s still demigod and zachary. My favourite drawing subject and my favourite fast ball special subject. >_>;
Galloway: The immense amounts of booze will one day return their investment in the form of “Drunken Fist - Canadian Hockey Fan Style”
Alright, here’s the rest of the chapter.
kirokokori:
(Pre)Pubescent Psychotic Catgirl
kirokokori is a relatively new addition to the RPGC family, having moved into the Catgirl District early in the third Task Force’s career. The daughter of a human father and a catgirl mother, she is relatively human in appearance, with only her cat ears, tail, and some mannerisms marking her as anything but. That, and she carries around a bazooka. Nobody knows where she got it, nobody knows why she has it, and nobody can figure out exactly how many laws and acts of common sense her possession carries, but let’s face it, nobody wants to argue with a hyperactive catgirl with a weapon of mass destruction. She now serves as a member of the fourth RPGC Task Force, gleefully putting her overly destructive weaponry to good use.
Bahamut Xero:
King of the Dragons
In dragon society, there is a generally agreed-upon ruler, who stands out amongst other dragons in terms of sheer power and terror. Such a figure, known as the Bahamut, rules from an ancient city several dozen miles away from RPGC, with only a select few traditionally being allowed to enter his sacred land. That is, until the last Bahamut and his wife were murdered. Their son, Xero, was then elevated to ruler, an action that brought the scorn of more conservative dragons. His first actions were to begin to bring down the barriers of mistrust and mythological hatred between his kind and the rest of the world, by allowing travelers into his city.
Soon after, the dragon capital became known as a center of learning, containing age-old universities and libraries containing works dating as far back as the first Mesopotamian civilizations. However, Xero was, and still is, never truly happy. His family’s murder remained unsolved for centuries, until by sheer luck he managed to unlock the secrets one cold Christmas Eve. Ever since, he has been ruling as the city’s wise and tempered leader, guiding his people into a new golden age.
Mazrim Taim:
Librarian/Scholar
Mazrim Taim was one of many elder members of RPGC, serving as the chief librarian of the RPGClassics Fanfiction Archive. Once he had mastered his legendary “Apathy Shield,” and amassed all the knowledge he could at this point, he left RPGC to travel to parts unknown. Unfortunately, he accidentally ended up getting trapped in Xero’s private library, and since the whole place was several stories tall and deep underground…it took a while to find him. Since then, he’s vanished altogether. Most likely, he’s settled down somewhere and had some kids, but who’s to tell…
PC Glenton:
Hi-Tech Thief
Glenton is not a native of our world…nay, even our timeline. “Born” in a crapsack futuristic China, Glenton was cloned and engineered to be the most capable agent the Triads had ever known. Unfortunately for them, he was very good at his job, and turned on them. After a number of battles, he ended up getting sucked through a time portal, and deposited into our universe and time. Initially disoriented, he encountered Valkyrie Esker, and agreed to join the battle against Naar. However, he soon realized he was more or less untouchable in this world, and turned to acts of thievery. In the process of leaving the group, he destroyed a very dear memento of Esker’s, which angered the valkyrie even more than the eight million in gold coins he had also stolen. The two have feuded ever since.
Glenton worked as an occasional ally, but more often nemesis, of the RPGC Task Force, while also joining the forces of RPGC if it served his purposes. Eventually, his karma caught up with him, and he was blackmailed into serving the forces of good on a regular basis as a member of the RPGC Task Force v4. He did NOT take this kindly, but really has no choice at the moment, and has proven himself to be somewhat of a hero. Whether he likes it or not is another matter.
And there are plenty more. Too many for my short attention span to list, in any case. In the end, they have all made their mark upon the community and world in which they live, in their own special way.
Next time: The Technology of the RPGCVerse
Rumor has it that Wil and Glenton were forced to work together to recover the Spear of Destiny, in an adventure yet to be chronicled, where they developed a bitter respect for each other. Details as they surface…
Oh, and I still have no clear plan for the Christmas Story… I have ideas, but what I worry about is the format. Perhaps a shorter story would be better this time. I don’t want to miss the Christmas Day deadline.
Chapter Nine: Technology of the RPGCVerse
On many planets, there exist intelligent life, beings capable of reasoning and sentience. Naturally, they begin to adapt to their environment, creating tools and shelter for themselves. Then they make weapons. And bigger tools so they can make even bigger weapons. In the end, they all blow themselves up. Since the RPGCVerse hasn’t gotten to quite that point, let’s take a look at the numerous technologies in play.
GENERAL TRAVEL:
Cars: Automotive technology is still fairly standard compared to other places in the multiverse; flight hasn’t been mastered yet, none of our vehicles can smash a tank, and they aren’t run by human souls. Hell, we still freaking use gasoline, for crying out loud. The only real cars of note are the souped-up monstrosities used by superheroes and supervillains, and even then, the only real difference is that they have rocket launchers.
Flight: Most aircraft are standard: there’s the usual airplanes and helicopters, coupled with the more unusual rocket belts and occasional dragon. The only real vehicle of note is the Airships. Once primarily used by powerful archmages (and fueled by arcane powers), they were rarely utilized due to widespread fear and paranoia, mostly on the part of their owners. Today’s airships, such as RPGC’s Shaheen and the Illuminati’s infamous Skycrashers, are insanely complicated mechanical monstrosities, resembling a cross between a battleship, a spaceship, and a zeppelin. Even so, they are so prohibitively expensive to build and maintain that they are rarely utilized in daily life.
Ocean: Regular boats and naval vessels. A few Airships are also capable of naval transport, although this is used mostly as a means of camouflage rather than a practical means of movement.
Space: There have been relatively few space exploration missions done as of late, mostly due to the insane cost and little reward. However, some metahuman groups have reported going into space to battle the Green People of Narlax, or some other crap. Galloway and Weiila have been into space, as have the fourth Task Force; however, this was the result of extreme situations, and thus is still not done willy-nilly.
Military:
Firearms: Most firearms are of the standard projectile variety. Laser weaponry is still in the prototype phases, and are primarily used by extremely well-trained government superagents and Illuminati Stormtroopers. Cheap, easy-to-use weapons are still the order of the day for most standing military forces, with the emphasis on cheap; seriously, why these things don’t explode in their user’s face on a daily basis is beyond me.
The Illuminati and the Eye also built their own weapons. The Eye was particularly fond of the Judgement-class Assault Rifle, a heavily-modded assault weapon capable of utilizing over twenty different types of ammunition. These design choices were meant to coincide with the numerous weaknesses of metahumans; if Beta Legion ran into Superman, they would have a few dozen clips of green bullets to shoot in his direction. The Illuminati used a similar tactic with their own specialized weapons, including the Charlemagne-class rifle, a highly customizable semi-automatic weapon. The weapon was able to hold four different ammunition classes at once, thanks to an easy-to-rotate triggering mechanism. However, since the gun defied all laws of physics and general common sense, it was insanely expensive to produce, and was only given to the most specialized forces.
Melee Weapons: Believe it or not, melee weapons haven’t fallen out of favor yet. Whether as a backup or as the primary sidearm, swords, polearms, whips, knives, staves, etc. are still heavily used. Mages in particular are picky about their staffs, given that many of them also double as a familiar of sorts. In terms of technological advancement, some weapons have been made more durable over the years, especially swords. However, the only truly advanced weapon is Glenton’s Dragon’s Tooth Sword. The sword is actually little more than a remote control shaped like a hilt; when flicked on, however, it activates a nanite stream that condenses into the shape of a long sword. Given his reputation, he probably stole the thing. And then killed whoever made it. And his family. And then stole all their stuff.
Contrary to Hades’ assertions, a katana will not cut through a giant robot.
Personal Armor: If soldiers are armored at all, they will most likely wear standard flak armor and helmets, providing minimal protection against something like an actual bullet. There has been much progress in more powerful armor, including personal battle suits, but these are still on the drawing board. A few have been successfully tested, but their creators have either turned to crime fighting or sold their designs to the government…who then gave them to their real masters.
Computers:
Artificial Intelligence: The concept of AI is still in its infancy, with little to no progress in regards to creating an even partially sentient computer. The closest we have come so far were the sentient androids Yellow Tiger and Dragon; however, they were actually humans that had their brains scanned and uploaded into mechanical bodies, and thus are disqualified from this conversation. As it stands, a thinking computer is still a pipe dream, and given how Galloway just exposed me to the wonders of Harlan Ellison, let’s all be forever thankful.
(more later)
Hey Galloway, have you ever bought GURPS Sourcebooks? Even if you don’t play tabletop RPGs, they provide a lot of useful data on both real and fictional science. For example, their GURPS Tech books have a very useful system for describing technology “levels”. Right now we are on Tech level 8, for instance. Level 9 is where the cyberpunk stuff starts to appear; in Level 10 we go to space and Level 11 and higher is Star Trek stuff. (Of course, some cultures have Tech variations, for example an Earth that already has robots but otherwise is just like ours would be described as “Tech Level 8, + Level 9 robotics.” Nice eh?)
Btw, the more I read this article, the more I feel like describing MY RPG universe… would you mind if I did?
Alright, let us continue our disappointing jaunt…
Response Protocol Generator: The Response Protocol Generator (or RPG) is a line of computer stations provided to officially-recognized metahuman groups, both as a means of assisting their mission and to monitor their actions. Each computer is equipped with the protocols and software necessary to access propriety information concerning known criminal organizations, world cover-ups, classified information, and other little tidbits necessary for running a superhuman organization. The station is also capable of receiving direct feeds from attached civilian organizations, and may also be used as an automatic crime scene analyzer.
Portable Crime Scene Analyzer: A portable version of the RPG, this is a small computer, about the size of a small book, that is primarily utilized when trips back to the HQ are unfeasible. It is capable of analyzing and recording fingerprints, DNA samples, blood trails, etc., and also works as a nifty camera. It is also able to upload and retrieve information using a propriety wireless network. Too bad it also sucks up batteries like a vampire.
Robotics:
Artificial Prosthesis: When it comes to fake body parts, the field of medical technology has improved dramatically over the last decade. If you’re rich enough, and find a doctor shifty enough, you can had your left arm removed and replaced with a rocket launcher, or have your torso mounted on mechanical spider legs, or have your brain replaced by a computer. The possibilities are endless, but fortunately for civilization and good taste, the people that are willing to do this crap are far less in number.
General Robots: Still mostly look like glorified mail boxes that get shot to Mars every few years. Dude, there’s nothing there. Let’s move on.
Androids: Androids, or humanoid robots, still remain an engineering fairy tale…save for two specific instances. In both cases, they were not exactly fully-built androids; they were copies of deceased or mortally wounded humans, with their brain patterns and memories uploaded into computerized brains in a completely impossible-but-somehow-possible way. In both cases, namely Yellow Tiger and Dragon, it ended badly, both for them and whatever parties they happened to run into.
Cyborgs: Cyborgs are an extension of the prosthesis issue, only in this case, mechanical augmentations are grafted onto them and integrated into their biological functions, rather than outright replacing them. Cyborgs are very few in number, due to the insane costs and risks of outright death, and those that do survive rarely enjoy much benefit; in other words, it’s a complete waste.
Genetics:
Genetic Engineering: For the most part, genetic engineering has been going on since the Industrial Revolution, through the use of selective breeding and crop rotation. However, in recent years this engineering has been conducted in laboratories, with scientists focusing their attention on improving food yields while also not endangering the public and the environment. This has led to the massive “GMO” controversy, which is mostly fueled by overzealous scientists on one end, and total pricks that have no idea how GMOs are actually cultivated and would rather let people starve than even possibly allow-
Sorry, I get a bit touchy on that sometimes.
Cloning: Cloning is still an infantile science, and one that really doesn’t differentiate itself too much from the GMO problem.
Now on to the REALLY, REALLY GRAY AREAS:
Human Genetic Engineering: Opposed on nearly every front, whether it be for medical, religious, or political reasons. For the interest of this article, we will focus on the medical problems. Basically, the human genome is an extremely delicate piece of work, and any changes made can have catastrophic consequences, often leading to slow, agonizing deaths as the person’s body eats itself from the inside. And pity those that survive; they can end up with all manners of disabilities, from losing some of their limbs and organs to becoming mentally unhinged. Throw in the high cost (often in the tens of millions) and it becomes obvious that genetic engineering on humans simply isn’t worth it.
Human Cloning: Let’s not get started on this, shall we? Yes, the technology to clone humans exists. Galloway has been cloned hundreds of times, so that Dr. Kaizer would have plenty of backups. Glenton is basically a clone himself, as well. Still, that doesn’t necessarily make the practice practical or morally correct; it just means it’s a possibility, and should be considered with a great deal of research and care before plunging into. Otherwise, you can just watch Fox News and get the bare gist of it.
Dimensional Travel:
Dimensional Gateway: The Dimensional Gateway is a specialized device, pretty much requiring an entire city’s worth of energy to run, that creates holes through time and space, and then deposits anyone that passes through into their intended destination. Although dangerous, it’s also the only man-made means of going through dimensions, and is far more reliable than the often unpredictable and dangerous Shadow Gates. There are two in existence; one is in the hands of the Illuminati, and the other is at RPGC. Fortunately, neither is used very much. Even more fortunately, we don’t ride on giant bugs.
Next time: The Time Line of the RPGCVerse
Why disappointing?
Galloway’s on a negative trip lately. He probably felt that Wall-E was tragic.
Kidding aside, d, this has been anything but disappointing, otherwise we wouldn’t even bother to post here.
You’re welcome to pest me on my own articles if you feel like it. 
Sorry about the lack of updates. I’ll get something ready by next week.
That’s OK Gallo. But how about posting your character in my New RPGC Saga thread? unsubtle hint
…The timeline’s delayed again. I just can’t be satisfied with what I have right now.
The next update will detail some of the secret organizations of the RPGC Universe.
Alright, here we go…
Chapter Ten: Secret Organziations and Conspiracies
No world would be complete without its egomaniacal nutcases constantly searching for a means to seize power. History has taught us that the best means of accomplishing this goal is to find a bunch of similar nutcases and convince them to let you in on the winning team. Hence, the need for secret organizations. The RPGCVerse has faced their fair share of them in the past, and the Gods only know how many are still out there, plotting and rubbing their hands threatingly to no one in particular.
Order of the Black Pentagram:
The Order of the Black Pentagram was a fairly minor force by the time it reached RPGC. Originally consisting of the remnants of Mox’s followers, the Black Pentagram soon began to add new adepts to their cause. Unfortunately, said cause was aiding a lunatic Black Mage in a bid to take control of the source of all Black Magic, so they were only able to grab Dungeons and Dragons fanboys and lonely emo kids. Needless to say, they were effortlessly crushed by our stalwart heroes, and by the time of Naar’s first attack, had been conscripted into his forces as human cannon fodder. They did not survive the first attack.
The Eye:
The Eye’s true meaning and purpose are hard to pin down. On the one hand, they run a number of criminal operations, most notably the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and various artifacts. However, they are also an extremely quasi-religious sect, focusing around a concept known as the “All-Seeing Eye.” All members of the Eye are also members of the cult, and are required to participate in all the goat sacrifices and blood rituals therein.
The Eye views Metahumans as a scourge upon the world, and seek to annihilate them entirely. They are not above using genetic engineering to create their own super soldiers; however, their methods are so cruel and primitive that they have a harder time keeping them alive afterwards. The few metahumans they recruit are often forced to do so at gunpoint, and do not relish the work they do. As for the All-Seeing Eye…let’s not get into that right now.
The Illuminati:
While the Eye has been around for millennia, one group has been destroyed and rebuilt countless times over the years. The Illuminati was originally formed by Charlemagne and a small gathering of cohorts, as a means of controlling the world through shadowy leadership and puppet kings. Their plans came crashing down, however, when the Eye rigged a sting operation and captured the conspirators. Their ideas eventually spread to other figures, who also attempted to enact on them, but also met the Eye’s opposition.
The current Illuminati is actually the sixtieth to hold the title, but they are also proving to be the most successful. Unlike the Eye, the Illuminati embraces Metahumans, although they never elevate them above very useful tools. They are financially backed by numerous banks and corporations, while their ownership of world governments allows them access to top-of-the-line munitions equipment. As much as they present themselves as a positive force, however, the Illuminati are simply a lesser evil; they are power hungry, amoral, and led by people that really don’t care about how many ants they have to squash.
The Society of Wizards:
It was around the time of the First Council of Trent that mages began to realize their numbers were running dangerously thin. Rather than face the oncoming Witch Hunters individually, as in the past, a number of mages decided to band together, to form an entire secret society where the magically-inclined could practice their wares without fear of reprisal. Thus, the Society of Wizards was formed. Starting out as merely a safe haven for sorcerers and witches, the Society soon expanded to become the main governing force behind all mages in the RPGCVerse. Everyone, from the most good to the most evil of magic users, was practically forced to join.
The Society of Wizards is very close to an equivalent of the Metahuman Registration Agency for magic users. All mages must be licenses in order to practice magic within Earth, and the usage of said magic is scrutinized heavily. Anyone that would jeopardize the Society or its goals will be dealt with harshly, ranging from suspensions and disbarments to total erasure from time and space. Unfortunately, the Society also operates much like the UN, never wanting to dirty its hands too heavily and giving out sanctions rather than justice against evil wizards. The Society has no real dreams of world conquest; they merely seek to control and protect all mages.
The Brotherhood of the Gatekeepers:
Cosmic beings, known only as Gatekeepers, keep watch over the barriers separating universes. Anyone who dares to try and breach these barriers will quickly find themselves up shit creek without a paddle, so to speak. Although they are not gods themselves, they have found themselves being worshipped by lost and purposeless mortals.
The Brotherhood, in all its incarnations, is easily identified by the numerous self-inflicted tortures its followers inflict upon themselves. To separate themselves from the outside world, they pluck out their eyes and cut out their tongues, and then seal the orifices with black wire. In their new blind form, they can utilize psychic gifts to seek out their masters and obey their orders. They are zealous in their duties, and nothing short of death will stop them from reaching their target.
There are more out there, but these have had the most visible impact on the world at large. In any case, it’s better to simply avoid any contact with them, and just live about your life in quiet compliance. Because mindless conformity is better than facing the horrors of the All-Seeing Eye.