Cryptic Studios has provided us with profiles of ten key Heroes in the upcoming MMO, Champions Online. Check out the backgrounds of the game’s leading ‘good guys’ below, and don’t forget to read our hands-on preview to get a better idea of the game where you can make your own superhero and fight crime, take part in PvP and battle with a nemesis that you get to design yourself. Villain profiles coming soon!Amphibian
Even as a child, Geoffrey Lamb took to the water like a fish. He was such a natural and excellent swimmer, his swim club coach thought he might have a shot at Olympic competition. But that was all before Geoffrey’s life took a distinct detour. He was nine years old when he and his parents were caught in a storm at sea just off the coast of Florida. Their boat capsized. That was when Geoffrey’s mutant aquatic powers manifested for the first time, allowing him to breathe under water. He tried to save both of his parents, but simply didn’t have the strength to do so. Shocked and traumatized, he stayed near the capsized boat for nearly a day before he was found.
The aquatic superhero, Sea King, rescued Geoffrey. Even through Geoffrey’s shock, he was able to see a young boy with the potential to become a hero – if he was given a chance to recover from the loss of his parents and explore his superpowers in a safe environment. So Sea King, in his secret identity as businessman Rodger Bright, adopted him.
Geoffrey became very attached to his adoptive father and worked hard to become a superhero. As Amphibian, he joined Sea King in fighting smugglers and VIPER agents. In time he began to feel dissatisfied with fighting crime on such a small scale. He felt that he could do more to improve the world. He and Sea King fought bitterly over the issue and ended their partnership.
For a time Amphibian essentially lost his way. He moved to Los Angeles where he got involved with a variety of different environmental groups. He was often a spokesperson, sometimes involved in studies, and briefly was part of a group of eco-saboteurs. He was trying to find his way to help the world, but none of it quite worked. A reporter found out his secret identity (and Sea King’s as well) and broke the story of Amphibian being involved in eco-terrorism. In response to the mess that was his life, Amphibian began drinking. He hit rock bottom.
He found his way back to superheroism nearly by accident. A liquor store where he’d been buying booze was getting robbed. He almost turned his back on it, and then realized that he would never have done that when he’d been teamed up with Sea King. He stopped the robbery and turned the crooks over to the police.
Since then, Amphibian reconnected with Sea King and was by the elderly hero’s hospital bed when he passed away. He also stumbled upon the amnesiac Stingray. The two fell in love, sharing their joy in the ocean, saving lives, and fighting crime together. It seemed a perfect match. Until, of course, Stingray regained her memory and with it all of her rage and emotional scars. She fought him before fleeing, leaving behind a broken hearted Amphibian.
About Amphibian
Since that last explosive encounter with Stingray, Amphibian has relocated to Vibora Bay where he sometimes guest lectures at Sinclair University. He still carries the hope that he might run into Stingray again someday and save her from her own emotional torment.Although he can fight, and quite well, he prefers peaceful solutions. He regularly patrols the coast, saving the lives of people threatened by boating accidents or storms. He saves them as he couldn’t save his parents, and finds some peace in it.{PAGE TITLE=Page 2 – Defender}Defender
Leader of the superteam The Champions, Defender™ is one of the most popular and highest profile heroes on the entire planet.
For James Harmon IV, the man inside the Defender suit, heroism almost literally runs in his blood. The latest of a long line of adventurers, Harmon’s great-grandfather, the first James Harmon, explored the wilds of Africa. James II was a fearless member of Eliot Ness’s “Untouchables” during the Prohibition era, and later became a solo crime fighter well into the late 1930s. Defender’s father, James III, earned the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II. He later quintupled the family fortune by turning Harmon Industries into a top-notch defense contractor.But James IV didn’t feel much like a hero. All he really wanted to do was play with electronics and build computers, and he proved particularly gifted in this field. His father had told him since childhood that he was expected to accomplish great things, and for a time James thought that he could satisfy his father’s wishes by making a technological breakthrough that would make the world a better place.
The Battle of Detroit changed all of his plans.
Something about that horrific event awakened his slumbering bravery and determination. Someone had to fight fiends like Doctor Destroyer. Someone had to hold the line against the darkness creeping across the world. That someone would be him.
Inspired by the brave heroes he saw fighting in Detroit, James spent the next year of his life building an advanced suit of powered armor. The suit is equipped with the toughest battle armor and the most advanced systems James could design, and fully integrated with an array of portable artillery and energy weapons.
Dubbing himself Defender, James launched a one-man war against the super villains of New York, scoring several early victories. But a defeat at the hands of a VIPER team badly shook his confidence, and Defender decided he needed allies. He packed up his armor and moved to the newly-rebuilt Millennium City.
There Defender announced that he was forming a team of heroes. Gathering his Champions, Defender has launched a crusade to protect the helpless, punish injustice, and save the world from anything that threatens its peace and stability.
About Defender
The world does not know James Harmon IV leads a secret life as the noble Champion known as Defender. Most people think of James only as a shiftless, womanizing playboy who’s taken his daddy’s place at the reigns of defense manufacturer Harmon Industries, and credit young Harmon’s success to family money, good looks, and natural charisma. But Harmon doesn’t particularly care what people think of James Harmon IV, as long as he is free to do good in the world as Defender.
He has recently finished testing a new and improved suit of armor, and is now using it in the field. A servo-musculature system gives him super strength, jet boots allows him to fly, and powerful micro-generators create a multitude of different energy blasts. Micro-computers in his suit control life support functions, communications and protection against environmental extremes.
Defender is absolutely fearless, and will take on any mission to combat evil. He takes his role as a hero seriously, and always acts as a role model. His attitude and achievements have inspired millions, and his charity drives have funded countless causes. A truly noble spirit, Defender’s strict moral code prevents him from taking another’s life.Although Defender is a decisive leader and a bold, courageous warrior, he is somewhat shy and awkward socially. He has begun a tentative romance with his mystically-powered Champions teammate Witchcraft, and it may give him the confidence he needs to be more outgoing.
In Champions Online, players will have the chance to assist Defender and The Champions in the never-ending battle against the menaces threatening Earth. You may accept missions from Defender as he coordinates the protection of the planet, fight alongside Defender himself, or even be called upon to save the world when no other heroes can!Earth needs champions of justice – will you answer the call?{PAGE TITLE=Page 3 – Dr Silverback}Dr Silverback
Dr. Silverback is now one of the most celebrated scientists in the world. He makes regular television appearances on a variety of shows, from talk shows to news programs to the latest scientific documentaries. He has his own fully funded lab in Millennium City, sponsored by Cambridge Biochem. A multitude of well respected superheroes and supergroups consult with him, particularly the Champions. Although he isn’t an actual member of the Champions, he’s about as near as you could be without making it official.
Dr. Silverback is also a very large, absolutely brilliant, gorilla.
No one would ever have predicted what he’d become back when he was stolen from his tribe in Rwanda by a bunch of poachers. No one would have predicted it when Dr. Phillipe Moreau first bought him and began experimenting on him in an underground Ukrainian lab. Still, no one would have predicted his future superhero status when he assisted Dr. Moreau in creating an army of intelligent Manimals to undertake crimes.
While Silverback assisted in Moreau’s crimes, he himself was not a villain. He was confused and looked to Dr. Moreau as his master. Over time, he began to understand the philosophical and moral implications of what Moreau was doing. When the New Knights of the Round Table, a group of British superheroes, stormed Moreau’s compound, Dr. Silverback switched loyalties and helped them capture his erstwhile master.
Thus began Dr. Silverback’s journey toward fame. He went to England with the New Knights and began working with Cambridge Biochem. He managed to win British citizenship in what has become a landmark court decision; it gets cited in a variety of cases involving superhumans, robots, aliens and the undead.
About Dr. Silverback
When he battles villains, he does it with intellect, not force. The amazing gadgets he built in his lab, help him. He also has a tremendous network of contacts throughout the world and has become an expert at gathering information. When he must go into battle, he always takes his tangleweb gun, which incapacitates villains without harming them.He is the go-to guy for the Champions when they have a scientific or technological challenge. He’s also a favorite with media because of his ability to explain scientific principles with charm and flair.
Dr. Silverback is an outspoken and incredibly dynamic superhero. He generally doesn’t go up against supervillains alone, but instead uses his superhuman intelligence to save the day.
{PAGE TITLE=Page 4 – Gadget Boy} Gadget Boy
Suzuki Katsoru is smarter than you.
In fact, he’s probably smarter than everybody. At least, he thinks so. And he may even be right. But he’s not a jerk about it. He’s actually very polite and helpful. Except to the press. He finds the press extremely annoying.
Suzuki is also about 19 years old. He’s way smarter than all of his age-mates, and all of his teachers, and all of the government folks who give him funding. He’s also smarter than his parents, which is a little sad when you think about it. That one became obvious when he was three years old.
From the start, he was a gadgeteer. He could build anything. When he was five years old he offered his services in robotics to the Japanese Office of Paranormal Research and Public Defense. Initially, they thought he was joking. After he built a specialized robot to help the superhero Tetsuronin in a battle against the giant monster Draja, they reconsidered. Soon after, the OPRPD gave him a lab, staff, and funding.
Over the years Suzuki came to be known as Gadget Boy in the press. Initially his youth, his endless bright and shiny creations, and his absolute dedication to protecting people made him a darling of the press. However, his own attitude towards them was never so positive.
Never particularly good at emotional or personal connections, Gadget Boy has retreated even further away from such entanglements. He built himself a robotic best friend and side kick, named Gokin. Gadget Boy doesn’t really have any peers. There’s no one with his intelligence at his age, or experience, level. While tremendously polite and pleasant, he doesn’t really engage with anyone or anything, other than the study of technology. In comparison to the glories of science, the press seems ridiculously silly. Why do they care about how he feels or who he’s dating (as if there were anyone smart enough to catch his attention!)? Increasingly the press is beginning to refer to him as grouchy or arrogant.
There is one person, however, who he almost feels a connection with: Takashi Toru, the chief scientist working on Qularr technology on Monster Island. Takashi, once a child prodigy, himself, has far more in common with Gadget Boy than anyone else. The two of them work together frequently.
About Gadget Boy
Gadget Boy is one of the smartest, and loneliest, people on the planet. He’s an absolute technological wizard and a dedicated superhero.
These days you’ll most often find him hanging around Monster Island and working with his friend, and fellow genius, Takashi Toru to decipher Qularr technology.{PAGE TITLE=Page 5 – Ironclad}Ironclad
Drogen Lar, a native of the planet Dorvala, dreamed of might and glory as one of the feared Dorvalen Space Marines. But after finishing training, Drogen found life in the military rather mundane. Instead of storming citadels in distant worlds, he spent his days cleaning test tubes and sweeping floors in a starship engineering lab.
One day Drogen was adjusting some smelting equipment when it exploded, showering his body with an experimental alloy. Instead of being killed by the wave of molten metal, Drogen was transformed as the alloy melded with his cellular structure, transforming him into a being of living metal.
While he was recovering in sick bay, Drogen was visited by a group of admirals who explained that his transformation had not been by chance. Drogen’s physical profile had indicated that he might be able to bond with the experimental metal, so the “accident” had been arranged as an attempt to create a Dorvalen super-soldier. They expected Drogen to be grateful for this “opportunity.”
Drogen was furious and disgusted at his superiors’ underhanded and dishonorable act. Using his new-found power to fight his way out of the base, Drogen stole a small starship and set out to find his destiny. He ended up on the planet Malva, a planet where the population was obsessed with super-powered gladiatorial combats.
Drogen’s great strength and armored body made him one of the most powerful gladiators, and for years he reaped the riches and rewards of victory. But as the duels became more and more brutal to satisfy the Malvans’ bloodlust, Drogen was sickened by the pointless carnage. The honor of combat was gone.
Taking one of the Malvan ships, Drogen fled again. But his knowledge of Malvan technology wasn’t enough to operate the ship’s advanced navigational equipment, and the ship careened out of control across the galaxy, crash-landing on a primitive blue world called Earth.
The superheroes of this planet intrigued Drogen – they fought with honor. They fought to protect the innocent and defend justice. Soon he was fighting beside them. As a superhero, Drogen has found the excitement and sense of purpose he always wanted. He is Ironclad – he is a Champion.
About Ironclad
Although not human, Ironclad is happy on Earth. He is kindhearted and noble, and always sympathetic to those in need. When he’s not battling evil, he often donates his time and awesome strength to help build clinics and shelters to the poor, or help with rescue and recovery efforts after natural disasters.
Ironclad’s armor and sword are trophies from his years in the Malvan gladiatorial pits. The armor is a relic from Malva’s ancient, star-spanning empire, and is decorated with the flame motif common in Malvan art. It was given to Ironclad as a gift by the Phazor, the absolute ruler of Malva, in honor of his many victories. The sword Ironclad wrested from the hands of the Phazor’s champion in epic combat. He continues to use these trophies as a symbol of his freedom from gladiatorial slavery and to show that he will always triumph over his foes.
Seeking a permanent home and comrades in the fight against villainy, Ironclad joined the Champions. He works well with his teammates, but his great strength and resilience give him an overinflated sense of confidence. He doesn’t think anything can really hurt him, and that belief sometimes causes him to be reckless.
Ironclad’s ship was destroyed when he crash-landed on Earth, and he’s accepted that he may be stranded here for the rest of his life. He is extremely curious about Earth culture, and is slowly learning about humans and their ways. Unfortunately, most of his information comes from television and the Internet.
Recently, Ironclad has been concerned about a rise in activity on Monster Island. His mighty strength and armored body may not be enough to stop VIPER’s plans there. New allies may be needed.{PAGE TITLE=Page 6 – Justiciar}Justiciar
David Burrell had it all – good looks, intelligence, athletic ability, and a family fortune that could pay for a life of privilege and comfort that most people only dream of.
But none of that mattered to David – he’d rather be climbing a mountain than standing atop the pillars of the business world. Drawn to a life of adventure in the great outdoors, he gave up his place in the family corporation to climb the mountains he loved, and found joy and peace among the snowy peaks.
David was climbing Mount Assiniboine with a friend when an ice sheet gave way. David plunged more than fifty feet, landing on a ledge and breaking his back. Paralyzed and helpless, David begged for death. Instead, he was rescued, but in addition to his other injuries David lost a leg and a hand to hypothermia.
After years of rehabilitation, David learned to walk again. He found new purpose as a crusader for the rights of the disabled and looked upon his prosthetics as a badge of honor.
The one person who couldn’t accept David’s new life was his father. A powerful and close-minded man who wouldn’t accept having a “damaged” heir, the elder Burrell spent millions to hire the supervillainous cybernetic genius Cyberlord to “fix” his son.
Cyberlord kidnapped David and placed him in a stasis field for the procedure. The implantation of a cybernetic leg and arm were a success, but when the operation was complete, David remained in a coma.
His father hounded Cyberlord night and day to solve the problem, until one day Cyberlord agreed. He then promptly slaughtered the man for his insolence, dumped David into cyrostorage and put the entire incident behind him. Problem solved.
More than a decade passed, and David was forgotten. During an attack on Cyberlord’s lab by the Northern Guard, a stray misfire of electricity ran through the cryotanks. Groggy and disoriented, David staggered out of the tank with a strange violent streak that had never been a part of his gentle personality. He helped the heroes defeat the villains, but Cyberlord was killed in the battle.
David soon discovered that his father was dead, and that he was now the head of Burrell Industries. He sued for guardianship of Cyberlord’s orphan son, Circ, and did his best to pick up the pieces of his life again.
David realized that he had a willingness to fight for what was right, and that his cybernetic implants gave him the power to be a superhero. He took the name Justiciar after the lawgivers of old, joined the Northern Guard and embarked on a heroic career.
In 1999, Justiciar discovered that the cryogenic process started by Cyberlord was not over; his body went into a hibernation cycle that lasted for years. Thanks to Circ’s efforts Justiciar was reawakened, to find that his child ward had grown into an intelligent young man with his father’s disturbing affinity for machines. The two formed a partnership, and Circ’s inventions have restored the fortunes of Burrell Industries.
When asked to be leader of the Toronto-based superteam StarForce, Justiciar readily agreed. He has led the team ever since, but remains disappointed that Circ refuses to be his partner in the superhero business as well.
About Justiciar
Justiciar has left his free spirit past behind to become a capable leader and businessman. He works hard and plays hard, and inspires his teammates with his quiet determination and loyal spirit. He’s soft-spoken almost to the point of being taciturn, and avoids getting involved in interpersonal disputes.
He never forgets a kindness, but never forgives a disservice, either. If he feels someone needs to be “taught a lesson,” he will wait for weeks, or even months, until he finds the perfect moment.
Justiciar has recently become concerned with an upswing in VIPER activity in a remote area of Canada. He’s meeting with members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at Force Station Steelhead to get a better grasp on the situation so he can determine what needs to be done to keep Canada safe. {PAGE TITLE=Page 7 – Kinetik}Kinetik
Brendan Grant never expected to be a superhero. He certainly never planned on becoming a Champion.
He was born to a working class family in Detroit. His mother, in particular, encouraged him to study hard so he could go to a good college and make a better life for himself. All seemed to be going according to plan. He won a merit scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, where he intended to study Chemistry. Before he had a chance, though, the Battle of Detroit happened.
Both of Brendan’s parents died during the Battle of Detroit, trying to get their children to safety. In that goal, they succeeded. Brendan and his younger brother and sister survived. Without their parents, though, the younger kids in the family would have to go into foster care. Brendan wasn’t about to let that happen. So he gave up his dream of college and took a job working for Dew Chemicals. He kept the family together, supporting them on his salary.
While at Dew Chemicals he was lucky enough to work for Luther Beckett, a brilliant man who just happened to be on the cutting edge of bio-tech and chemistry. Luther, living up to his reputation for brilliance, quickly recognized Brendan’s potential. He took the younger man under his wing and essentially treated Brendan as his apprentice. Soon Brendan was Luther’s top aide.
It was an accident one late night in the lab that turned Brendan Grant into a superhero. A fire broke out in one of the neighboring labs, releasing an extremely potent cocktail of gasses from several different experiments. By the time Brendan realized what was happening, he’d already been exposed to the fumes.
It took several days in the hospital for Brendan to recover, but when he did he discovered he had superheroic abilities he’d never even dreamt of before. The chemicals that had infiltrated his body during the accident worked a mutagenic metamorphosis on him. He now had super human speed. Not only could he move impossibly fast, he could also think faster than any normal human. His body also generated a protective aura that protected him from the dangers of friction.
With such superpowers, his next actions were no surprise. He named himself Kinetik and became a superhero. His parents had died in the Battle of Detroit, trying to protect him and his sibling. So had countless superheroes; the only reason he was alive was because of those combined efforts. So he would follow in his parents’ footsteps and use his abilities to protect others. Since his transformation he’s become a well known local hero. For the most part, he’s kept himself to facing down single villains or small groups. His many successes have caught the eye of the Champions.
About Kinetik
It took some convincing, but Kinetik has now joined the Champions as their fifth member. In some ways, he’s still uncertain of his worth within the group. He knows he’s good at one-on-one fights, but he’s not sure how much use he’ll be to the Champions when they go up against larger groups. On his own, however, facing down one or two villains, he’s absolutely sure of his abilities to succeed. It’s ironic, since he’s actually a wonderful tactical addition to the Champions and he’s slightly overconfident in one-on-one encounters – at least when it comes to major supervillains.
He is a genuinely good person, and a pretty laid back guy. He’s very proud of his part in defending Millennium City, and he’s very protective of all its citizens. He does have a soft spot for his best friend, Sapphire, though. He’s pretty sure she doesn’t need his protection, but he’s always there for her.
{PAGE TITLE=Page 8 – Mayte Sanchez, Silver Avenger}Mayte Sanchez, Silver Avenger
One of the defining moments of Mayte Sanchez’s life happened during the Battle for Detroit. A government employed superhero, she wasn’t even stationed in Detroit, but she was one of the first superheroes on site during the attack. She fought for a grueling 24 hours straight, without pause, helping to capture numerous Destroyer henchmen and allies. In the days that followed, she put in ceaseless efforts to find and recover injured citizens, and stamp out the last of Destroyer’s lingering creations. It was during this time that she truly felt her calling to protect the city.
It was no surprise to anyone when, during the rebuilding of Detroit as Millennium City, Mayte Sanchez put in for a transfer.
She wasn’t always a superhero, but she was always interested in fighting crime. As a young woman straight out of college, she was approached by multiple crime fighting agencies. (Her major in criminology, plus her athletic prowess, made her a very hot property). She signed on with PRIMUS. Early in her training they tested her and found that genetically she was highly likely to adapt well to the Cyberline process, used to create Silver Avengers. This gave her a super-efficient metabolism and increased speed on top of her already impressive fighting skills.
In her time in Millennium City, Mayte has become well known. She helps out the local police, works on projects for PRIMUS, and occasionally lends a hand to the Champions when they need it. She gets a thrill out of superheroing and saving people. In her free time, she’s tried sky diving, cliff scaling, and scuba diving in a variety of hard to reach and dangerous places. In a way, she’s a classic hyperactive. She always needs to busy, always needs to find greater challenges, and always needs to surpass herself.
She gets along beautifully with other superheroes, as long as they behave professionally. In particular, she’s very close with Sapphire. The two women enjoy spending girly days together at the spa and then going out to fight crime!Her husband, also a PRIMUS employee but on the management side, stabilizes her. Where she’s excitable and after the latest thrilling adventure, he keeps the home fire burning and provides her with a safe space to come home to. They adore each other to pieces, but are completely different people.
However, life hasn’t all been gang busts and roses for Mayte. She is one of the few superheroes who has spoken out about dealing with post traumatic stress. During a battle with Dark Seraph, Mayte was trapped by one of his spells. For over an hour, as her friends battled the fiend, she felt that she was being buried alive and couldn’t escape. Witchcraft was eventually able to lift the spell, but it left Mayte with a terrible fear of small enclosed spaces. It took years, and quite a bit of therapy and hard work on Mayte’s part, for her to overcome that potentially crippling fear. Since then she has spoken quite openly about her experience in the hopes that it will help other superheroes deal with their own traumas.
About Mayte Sanchez
She is one of the most ethical and tenacious superheroes you will ever meet. Thanks to her own experiences with PTSD, she’s very grounded and a wonderful mentor for younger superheroes, like her buddy Sapphire. She prefers to fight hand to hand, but will use a variety of guns when necessary. While her abilities are impressive, she has a tendency to overestimate how much damage she can take, which gets her in trouble from time to time.{PAGE TITLE=Page 9 – Sapphire}Sapphire
Born one Corazon Valenzuela, she is best known as Sapphire. She is that rarest of creatures, a superhero who is a rockstar. She began singing as a child and never believed she’d ever find anything she loved more than making music. That is, until one of her concerts was attacked by a supergroup of villains hoping to hold her for ransom.
Unfortunately for the villains, Corrie had more than just a spectacular singing voice. Her dormant mutant powers of energy manipulation suddenly manifested under the stress of the attack. Before she’d even had a chance to think, she’d blasted the bad guys into unconsciousness with flares of glowing blue energy.
That media was ecstatic: the only thing better than a superstar was a superhero rockstar. At first, Corrie wasn’t so certain about this new development. Her life was already hectic enough with concert tours and appearances. As she thought about it during those first few months after her superpowered revelation, she began to see that she could help people in life changing ways using her superpowers. It answered that niggling voice of insecurity inside her that always doubted her own worth.
She renamed herself Sapphire, in honor of the blue color of her energy powers, and began fighting crime. It turned out to be tremendously exciting and rewarding. When she learned Defender was looking to start up a new supergroup in Millennium City, she immediately signed on to become one of the Champions. It didn’t hurt that Defender was a dreamboat of a superhero.
About Sapphire
Of all the Champions, Sapphire is certainly the most outgoing. These days she’s still a superstar, but her musical career definitely comes in second to her superheroing career.
Initially, Sapphire was a bit of a show off when fighting, tossing in extra flashy moves that looked good. As she became more confident and secure, she toned down the flash and focused more on developing her abilities. Ironically, that same superstar status that makes people question her abilities as a superhero has actually provided her with more experience than any other Champion. Everywhere she goes, bad guys attack her either for the notoriety of being able to say they’ve fought her, or for the chance to get an autograph.
She outgrew her crush on Defender over the years and has become great friends with Witchcraft. She’s delighted that her teammates have found love with each other, although she is somewhat envious. She’d like to find her Mr. Right. Or at least her Mr. Cuddly.
(She has been receiving a lot of letters from a secret admirer – all right, not so secret – promising to steal her the biggest sapphire in the world and asking her to become Empress of the Night, but while amused she’s pretty sure she doesn’t wish to become Mrs. Foxbat.) {PAGE TITLE=Page 10 – Witchcraft}Witchcraft
Bethany Duquesne and her twin sister Pamela were raised in a quiet home in an upper-middle-class suburb of Detroit. The girls participated in scouts and school activities, and by all appearances had a typical, uninteresting Midwestern upbringing.
Things aren’t always as they appear. Bethany and Pamela’s parents were magic users devoted to dark powers that lurk on the edges of our reality. And they groomed their daughters to follow in their footsteps.
Pamela, a cruel and spiteful child, eagerly followed this path. But Bethany was kind and gentle at heart, and she found her parents’ rituals disturbing. So she rebelled by being the nicest person she could be.
The twins were to be inducted into their parents’ coven, the Circle of the Scarlet Moon, on the night of their 18th birthday. Bethany watched her sister exultantly speak the oaths and perform the blood sacrifices that would tie her forever to the dark powers. Then, horrified, Bethany fled, using her innate magic ability to escape her family and their coven.
Bethany wandered aimlessly for a time, using magic to survive the harsh life of the streets. Eventually she drifted into Vibora Bay and got a job at an occult bookstore. There, Bethany used her powers once or twice to stop street crimes and save innocent people from peril, and found that she enjoyed helping others.
Bethany’s activities attracted the attention of the Trismegistus Council, a group of wizards dedicated to helping mankind. They took Bethany under their care, and completed her training.
Bethany was content to remain with the Council for several years, but eventually felt a call to return to her home. Detroit had become Millennium City by this time, but there were still people on the streets who needed her help.
Taking the name Witchcraft, Bethany operated as a solo superhero, but always felt that there was more she could do. When Defender issued the call for heroes to join his Champions, Witchcraft joined the team with the hope that a group of heroes could accomplish deeds no single superhero could do.
About Witchcraft
Witchcraft is the quietest member of The Champions, preferring to remain in the background while Defender or other, more outspoken members of the team grab the spotlight.
Her reclusiviness is partly because she is gentle and soft-spoken by nature, but also because she feels she has been “tainted” by her family’s evil ways; and therefore isn’t worthy to be a superhero. At times her self-doubt causes her to hesitate when she should act decisively.
Being a member of The Champions has helped Witchcraft start to gain some confidence in herself and her abilities. She’s found a friend and a partner in Defender, and their tentative romance could help Witchcraft blossom into the hero she has the potential to be.
Witchcraft is a naturally gifted spellcaster. While many of her spells are weak, she has a talent that few can match. As her skills and confidence grow, so will her power – some members of the Trismegistus Council predict that someday Witchcraft will be one of the greatest spellcasters on Earth.
The Circle of the Scarlet Moon is eager to reclaim Witchcraft’s power, and continues to pursue her. The coven’s machinations make Witchcraft’s life difficult, but even worse for her is the murderous ire of her twin sister, who has rejected the teachings of the Circle and struck out on her own as the supervillain Talisman.
Talisman will stop at nothing to destroy Witchcraft, and Witchcraft has decided it is her sad responsibility to put a stop to her sister’s evil deeds. Recently, Witchcraft has received reports that Talisman has been seen in the Southwest Desert. She’ll need allies to find out what her sister’s nefarious plans are.
