Earth-9: Champions Roster

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Earth-9: Champions Roster

Please note that every member of the Champions team is maintaining a secret identity. This information has an Emerald Clearance classification from UNTIL.

Defender: Roland Phoenix, an Eternal of tremendous power. Roland's combination of power and control over energy are unparalleled on Earth-9; only a handful (including Destroyer and Charger) are as powerful as he, and perhaps two or three others have his skill. He is also of respectable to impressive ability in the other areas of power granted by the Second Gate Key, including hyperportation, raw Gate Key energy, telepathy, ESP, biokinesis, and Essence flow. Roland has also merged fully with his armor in the wake of the Proprietor War/War of the Third Key, giving him great physical strength and resilience, removing the need for air and sustenance, and enhancing his normal senses. Its increase of his Gate Key powers is now permanent. His defenses, however, are now highly porous against entropically-based magick, including the powers of Eurostar's White Flame and the necromancer Markoth. More important to the team than Defender's powers, however, are his personality and leadership skills. It was Defender's vision of a different world that led him to bring the Champions together, and it is his drive that in large part holds the team together. As for his leadership, it is dismissed by many, including most of his enemies and even Defender himself. Yet he always manages to pull his team through, and one of the things that makes Destroyer such a deadly foe for the young Eternal is that the ancient monarch (unlike most) rarely underestimates the hero.

Gaming note: Roland was created independently of the Champions Universe long before becoming Defender. He bears only the most passing resemblance to James Harmon IV (the original Defender), aside from having ultra-tech armor and being the team's square-jaw archetype.

Solitaire: Even in an age of superheroic wonder, Morgan Greywolf is unique. A druid from an alternate world's relatively "normal" 14th century, she is also the reincarnation of Atlan's daughter, the mighty Solitaire of the Solar Realm, perhaps the greatest sorceress of that Age. She met Roland during their adventures with an interdimensional group of heroes, and when they fell in love and married, she moved to Earth-9. When Roland decided to reclaim the mantle of Defender after they remembered their past lives in the Atlantean Alliance, Morgan joined him, using her old name of Solitaire as her "super" identity. Her skill with a blade is equaled by few -- very few -- and surpassed by none on Earth-9. She is also immortal, a gift of the faerie after an early adventure. As Solitaire, however, her primary gift to the team is her mystical power and insight. She is the most straightforward sorceress of the Champions, and while she excels at life and weather magick, her powers include spiritual, fate, and mental magicks, and in extremis she can pull some amazing tricks out of her cloak. Her powers, deriving as they do from natural energies rather than reality alteration, were untouched by Paradox even before the Proprietor War, and she was arguably changed the least by its events. She is vulnerable to dramatic shifts in Essence energies, and may have other susceptibilities related to her connection to nature and spirit, but Morgan is powerful, intelligent, and flexible enough to keep this potential weakness from affecting her often. In terms of personalities, she functions as the den mother/big sister of the group, even though Quantum is a century and a half older than she. Wisecracking, usually light-hearted, and friendly toward all, Solitaire is a welcome buffer between the Champions and their sometimes-moody leader.

Gaming note: Morgan was created independently of the Champions Universe long before becoming Solitaire. She bears even less resemblance to the quiet, uncertain Elaine King than Roland does to Harmon, in both personality and powers. They do both wield magick and have mental talents, but for the most part the similarity ends there.

Obsidian: Believed to be the Camarilla's last Prince of London, Jacob Manning imposed strong reforms on Kindred society there. Murder was not tolerated, and blood feuds were expected to be dealt with honorably (and without innocent casualties). In many ways, he represented the best of their strange culture. He was also one of the most powerful thaumaturges of their kind, and while he was extremely focused, the things he can do made him almost godlike among the Kindred. Not only was he mind-bogglingly strong, even by vampiric standards, he can sheathe himself in a thick, dark aura that protects him from sunlight as well as increasing his strength and resilience. His powers were enough to protect himself from the vampiric apocalypse called Gehenna, but not his people. The survivors were only saved by the purifying forces of the Gate Keys, which transformed them into either more "normal" Eternals or Exalts. Obsidian himself is now one of a kind, no longer truly a vampire but not exactly anything else either. He can drain life force from targets, but does not need to do so, nor does he suffer from the craving any more. Indeed, Jacob is highly loath to use this power even in combat, preferring to use his strength, toughness, and surprising speed against foes to bring them down without serious harm. It is important to note, however, that he gets his Essence from the restored natural flow of Primal energy. Should a foe manage to cut him off from it for an extended period, sooner or later Obsidian would need to drain other sources. While Obsidian isn't the oldest member of the team, he may well be the most equanimous, having seen many horrors and tragedies in his life. While many of the others can take serious defeats personally, Jacob provides perspective and hope in the darkest of times. Things always change, and better times do come. His newfound family -- the Champions -- is proof enough of that for him.

Gaming note: Obsidian is a cross between the alien "Prince" of classic Champions fame and a Kindred city Prince, but he remains the team's strongman and living shield. Like the alien Obsidian, he has a few tricks up his sleeve thanks to the Disciplines of his kind, but his focus is definitely on being strong, tough and a highly skilled fighting machine.

Quantum: Mercedes Targer thought she was a mage. It made sense, given that she could alter fundamental aspects of reality and the nascent Sons of Ether took her in as they defected from the Technocracy at the turn of the 20th Century. She never quite fit in, though. Even for a Son of Ether, she was odd. Her magickal style seemed more focused on internal abilities than weird Science, especially after an accident while working with the infamous Dr. Volcano. She retired from the Traditions after becoming weary of the Ascension War. The thing is, she always knew that something was different about her, as she had been around for some time when the Etherites found her. Mercedes is really two centuries old, and is actually an Eternal of the First Gate Key. Her power suite is similar to Roland's, though her area of expertise is in matter manipulation. Eternals of the First Gate Key can alter matter, but cannot control Essence flows, and otherwise have the same general powers as Second Gate Key Eternals. Quantum's energy powers, Gate Key control, and biokinesis are respectable, but her more psychic senses are less refined. Mercedes was a reluctant member of the Champions at first, but quickly warmed to a greater purpose than running a neutral zone for the Ascension War in her Stranger Coffee House. Not that she'll give up the place, of course. As always, Mercedes is an odd duck, even among the Champions. Her humor is of a drier sort than Solitaire's, and while she'll complain about the absurdities of superheroic life, there seems to be nothing she loves better than to use her transfiguration powers to turn villains' guns into butter or their clothes into helium. Quantum is also the team's engineer, ably assisted by Defender. While she does enjoy applying her acerbic wit, her real place in the Champions is as the team thinker.

Gaming notes: As Defender is very much a blaster, Quantum enjoyed a redesign granting her greater elemental powers. Also, she was originally conceived as a Son of Ether, but she fits the setting far better as an Eternal, and was retconned for that reason. Seeker (see below) was similarly changed.

Seeker: Donald Morgan has a huge secret. He infiltrated the Society of Aeons millennia ago...without being immortal. A powerful member of the Akashic Brotherhood, he takes "sabbaticals" from the Society when his life is drawing to a close, then rejoins when he has recovered his memories in his new incarnation. Any appearance changes are attributed to "developing a new life among the mortals," though he had a few difficulties with the two lives when "he" was born a woman. Don Morgan is believed to be a pseudonym, but is really his current Australian incarnation. As an impressive mentalist and powerful martial artist, Seeker is a potent and versatile member of the Champions, willing to teach his skills to any who wish to learn. He has recently divulged his secret to the team, now that the conflict seems to be coming to a close. More importantly, these Champions give Don a sense of purpose he hasn't felt in the string of lives he remembers best; he was a Champion long ago, and relishes their return. This incarnation has a fun-loving sense of humor, and he's developed strong friendships with his teammates, especially his old student Defender and his favorite sparring partner Solitaire. Don relishes his role as the team "Yoda," dispensing ancient advice, outrageous commentary, and serious poundings with equal ease. Overall, however, he's the team's most "experienced" member and he serves the Champions well with his many centuries of wisdom.

Gaming notes: Seeker isn't changed as much as he seems. Don's powers are much more wuxia/anime than they are in his standard incarnation, but he's still the laid-back martial arts master of the team. Originally intended to be an Eternal, I did a "well, DUH!" when I realized I had a mentalist/martial artist on my hands and hadn't made him an Akashic Brother. So now he is.

Jaguar: Santiago Alvarez grew up knowing he would become a Bastet -- a feline lycanthrope -- and reveled in his special birthright. When his gift came along with puberty, unlike many Lunars, Santiago embraced his talent and rose quickly in both power and prestige. As the War in the Amazon (a battle between the Lunars and Wyrmspawn forces) escalated and the body count grew, Santiago became increasingly more important to the ecological resistance forces. Eventually, he grew strong enough, and his kind rare enough, that he became the leader of the Jaguar changers, the Balam. He was the Balam, or The Jaguar. Santiago eventually realized that he could not face the impending destruction of his world alone, and went to the Digital Web looking for help. He found it...too late. Santiago returned with Defender, Solitaire, and Quantum, only to find that his people had been ambushed in his absence. Wracked with guilt and driven by renewed resolve, Santiago joined the nascent Champions. He is the only Champion to maintain a public identity, though he goes by Santiago Villagatos to protect his family. With the renewal of true Exaltation, he is no longer the only Jaguar Lunar, but his first loyalty remains the Champions.

Gaming notes: Jaguar is a powerful Lunar Exalted, and as such resembles the original Jaguar on totem-steroids. <G> While not as purely tough as the original, this version regenerates with absurd quickness, can change into a number of different animal forms as well as a full jaguar and a jaguar-man, and has a number of magical abilities based on the supernatural talents of his kind.

Orchid: Shannon Havelock fell in love with superheroics the day the Champions appeared, defeating Dr. Destroyer and saving the world. Like many, Shannon became a veritable fountain of Glamour for the faerie folk; unlike most, this rush of wonder-magic awoke a dormant fae heritage in Shannon, transforming her into a changeling! The adventurous teen dove headlong into Kithain society, quickly becoming known for her ability to get in and out of trouble with equal ease, though she always managed to do some good in the process. She found that no Changeling magic was more useful to her than the powerful Wayfare Art, allowing her to fly, open portals through walls, and even teleport, but easily her favorite Art is Quicksilver, which allows her to move at jaw-dropping speeds (even by Wayfare standards). She also developed a couple of other Arts to minor levels, allowing her to befuddle unwary minds or speak with pretty much anything, but her phenomenal speed was her true Art. Shannon grew much more responsible after being befriended by her idol Behemoth, and even adventured at his side as Orchid (she just liked the name). When Behemoth died saving the world from the Proprietor, Orchid was shattered -- but she knew what to do, presenting herself to Defender as the team's speedster and newest member. Shannon has since become a valued teammate and adopted "little sister" to the other Champions, though no one can say she doesn't pull her weight.

Gaming notes: Orchid is only described in New Millennium as a "teleporting mentalist;" in that regard, the Earth-9 Orchid only bears a passing resemblance to the original version (she can teleport, but it isn't her primary power, and her only mental power is mind-scrambling).

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