Holding Out For A Hero: An Original Superhero Quest

June 4th, 1938 was the beginning of the First Age of Heroes.

When some people debate the exact start of the First Age of Heroes, most agree that it was on June 4th, 1938, when Richard Wright confronted a member of a mob who was attempting to kidnap a woman who turned him down. The gangster fired a revolver at Richard three times. All three shots hit, but Wright was unharmed. Wright then apprehended the gangster, using inhuman strength to defeat him, as well as his escort before the police arrived. While it was the first act of Super heroism, it would be far from the last.

Starting in the small Illinois town and moving to larger cities, Wright started fighting criminals, many of them too well armed or too good at covering their tracks for the police to handle. But Wright, now calling himself Paragon was the first person who could ever be called a Super Hero. Super Strength, Invulnerability, and Flight. No one had had these abilities before. And to have such a powerful being dedicate himself to helping others, not because of the promise of wealth or power, but because it was the right thing to do, it inspired something in the collective human psyche.

More and more people started to become heroes. Other people with powers started to reveal themselves. Some had them since birth and hid them. Some who had developed them later in life. It wasn't much in those early years, just one or two for every several million, but it was enough to be considered the start of something that would change the course of history forever. Even people without powers, people whose only advantage was their gear, their determination, and if they were lucky, their training, started their more powered peers to help people.

At first, the respective governments were content to let these Heroes operate as they would. As long as they obeyed the law themselves, it was seen as a boon for law and order.

Then, in 1944, as the Second Great War was raging on, and more and more people with superpowers, or Supers as they were then called, joined their respective armies. In the chaos of the War, civil unrest started brewing. The reasons varied from country. From disaffection with the government, racial tensions, economic collapses plagued the world during this time. While people with powers had used their power for crime ever since there were people with powers, this unrest gave rise to the first supervillains.

For the first few years, they just committed mundane crimes using their powers. A man with super strength ripping open a bank vault. A woman with fire powers committing arson. But then, as time went by, and most heroes were called oversees to fight for their countries in war, they became bolder. More ambitious.

This came to a head In 1954, the aftermath of the second world war, with many nation's armies and economies drained a dozen powers people, each individually powerful even by the standards of those with superpowers, launched a coup. Lead by a villain simply known as the Dominion, they attempted to bring several countries still recovering from the War under their heel. With few nations able to intervene, they succeeded. These countries, a combination of Eastern and Middle Eastern countries, as well as some client States of the former Axis Powers, were reformed into the state of Asterica.

While conventional forces were deployed both within their borders and without, and while it is disputed just how much, if any, effect this had in this new war, what isn't in dispute is that it was a Team of Superheroes lead by Paragon, who ultimately saved the world.

In the years following, several governments around the world would form their responses. Whether these were chiefly to combat the growing threat of Supervillains, to consolidate their power for protection from other nations, to increase their hold on their citizens, or all the above.

The Brownell Act, the Liu Proclamation, the Sokolovsky Proposal, the Adanauer Accords. The specifics were different, but they all had one thing in common. They required anyone with powers to be registered with the governmentand, if they wanted to legally fight crime, they had to be trained and found of sound mind.

Some governments required these people to just obey the law or face harsher punishments if they used their powers to commit crimes. Some would met out harsher punishments regardless. Still others required superheroes to fall under State mandate, to use their powers as ordered by the government. Over time heroes were used to crack down on those they felt were a threat to their power. At first, it was genuine threats like powerful villains. Then, it became people who were on strike. Then journalists, then activists.

At this time, several heroes, including Paragon, became disillusioned. They found themselves being used to enforce the government's will instead of keeping the people safe. This is who Paragon, along with several dozen of the planet's strongest heroes renounced their citizenships, and went on to form the League of Heroes.

No one knows where the League of Heroes' base is, how they support themselves, how they deploy, or even how they recruit. But at the end of the day, if there is a villain that can't be stopped by normal means or by the local heroes, they show up to help. In just over a year, heroes from around the world flocked to the League, leaving their former homes behind.

Some global governments took a look at their actions, how it lead to this, and what it cost them in both talent and influence, and drew back. Some governments didn't have a choice, as those who were responsible were removed from power. Some through legitimate and peaceful means. Others… not so much. Some government have an uneasy truce with them with exactly how stable this peace is depending on who is in charge. Some are outright hostile. But one undeniable effect of their existence. This also lead to a growing movement of vigilantism. People who wanted to do good without being accountable to the government. Or who wanted to rebel in their own way, started fighting crime on their own.

Heroes have come and gone since then, and the Superhero Community has faced a lot of challenges since then. But on this day in 2015, you are about to become your city's newest hero. But before you can decide anything, you need to decide just what kind you're going to be.

Are you a Hero or a Vigilante?

[] Superhero – Heroes are people, both superpowered or not, who act with the Governments of their respective countries in order to enforce the law. They cooperate with Law Enforcement and are tasked with handling situations that conventional Law Enforcement can't handle or would carry a high risk to innocents. They are required to register with the government with their real identities, though these identities are kept Classified to the public. They also receive a stipend for living expenses and a bonus for every major crime stopped, free medical care, and access to exclusive gear and technology. However, they are government employees and are ultimately beholden to the government.

[] Vigilante – Vigilantes help enforce the law, but they operate outside of it. They have to handle expenses, equipment procurement, medical care, on their own. However, they are their own bosses and are only beholden to themselves.

And do you have Superpowers? Or are you one of the many people who don't, but choose to be a hero anyway?

[] Powered – Powers can vary in in strength and manifestation. They are generally broken up into 4 categories. Physical, powers that alters one's physical capabilities, Mental, typically psychic abilities, Elemental, granting control over the elements, and Magical, which can do almost anything, but is the hardest to master.

[] Non-Powered – People without powers make up for them in different ways. They often use training, both physical and mental, as well as equipment. That equipment can be archaic weapons wielded with mastery like swords and bows, guns, or even advanced technology.