During the early 1930s, something happened. At the time, no one knew what that something was but its effects were obvious from accross the globe. People started showing increadable powers. Inhuman strength, manipulation of the elements, lightning speed, breathtaking intelligence. These were only few minor samples of the accomplishments that followed what now is simply known as "the Event". In the late 1930s, the government began building the town called Super. In 1938, the heroes known as Paragon (now referred to as "the first Paragon"), Patriot, Aero-Man, Madam Mystic, Momentum, Flaming Woman and Captain Freedom formed the first Righteous Guard in Metro City. In 1944, Paragon, Aero-Man and Flaming Woman were killed by the most powerful super in the service of the Axis, Ultima Thule, who also perished in the most epic battle of the era. That battle is often considered an important event to the victory of the Allies in the WWII.
During the height of the "Red Scare" many supers were accused of being communists. At the time, the Supers Relocation Project was put into motion. Many supers put down their masks and were relocated to Super Town. Those who could hid among the norms everywhere in the states. Basic needs were met in Super Town and the era saw rise to Prime High.
During the 1960s and '70s, the Event became much clearer to the residents of the world. The so called Event was a rift between worlds. Some supers managed to travel through those rifts, but even fewer returned from those trips. The first super to make a trip through a rift and return was Captain Freedom. Captain Freedom later retired, took up his old name of Charles Banks and settled down in Super Town Retirement Home for the Elderly. The 1960s also saw the coming of extraterrestrials and visitors from other worlds. It was known as the Years of Exploration to many supers.
During the 1970s and into the '80s, social issues became more apparent among supers. African-American superheroes and female superheroines started to pop up more frequently. Prime High's superhero program was launched in secret and heroes from all over the world joined forces together to form the Hero's Codes. These years also saw the rise of.. less renown "heroes", such as Disco-Man and Captain Coke (not the soda). The era saw the recruitment of the first african-american super into the Righteous Guard, the Dark Knight.
During the later half of 1980s and into the '90s, a dark shadow was cast over the Hero's Codes. The so called heroics of the heroes became more and more questionable, and villains were harder to identify because they weren't always evil. Who was heroic and who was villainous? These questions turned the heroic society into spiralling chaos that sundered many groups of heroes, such as the Freedom Force. The questionable acts of the supers also forced some great heroes to be arrested, some wrongfully and some rightfully, such as Metro-Man, the greates hero in the recent history of Metro City and then a member of the Righteous Guard. These years also saw heroic norms in greater numbers. Guns and martial arts replaced super powers, and anyone with an outfit called himself a hero. These were the dark years of heroism.
During the mid to late 1990s, the dark years of heroism came to an official end. Some heroic groups came back together, some never settled their differences, and some new groups made their way to the headlines. The Hero's Code was honored once again. In late 1990s, scientists made greater discovery about the Event and theories were made about a force that divided the Multiverse, which was dubbed the Fold.
Since the Event, there have been multiple instances of... individuals coming through the rifts that appear in the Fold and entering our world. These individuals have made home of this unknown world they have stumbled upon. Seeing as how these rifts are irratic, making one's way back is nearly impossible.
Current members of the Righeous Guard: Paragon (the third), Velocity (Momentum's grand-daughter), Madam Mystic, Crusader, White Diamond and Rapier.
I guess you didn't need to know anything about the Righteous Guard, but as my creation I thought I might just as well just show off a little bit
The Righteous Guard may, or may not, be presented in a story later on, but I think it's good if you at least have an idea of who Paragon or the other members are.
You should also know, that even if the "Event" took place in the 1930s, that is not to say that there weren't any supers before that time. It only means that supers didn't become a commonly known fact until then. Rather few people know that there were any supers before the Event, and those few who do know usually don't mind the others not knowing.
Shadows of the Empire Q&A
Shadows of the Empire
Shadows of the Empire - R
Reralae's A'niorna
