Champions of Tomorrow

In 1917, when America entered the Great War, they did not come alone. Among them stood a woman of great power and inhuman might. She was the world's first true Superhero. She was Lady Liberty! She fought alongside the soldiers of the US Army and was still fighting when the Armistice was declared on the 11th of November 1918 and the Great War ended.

Noone knew where she came from or how she had these amazing powers, but everyone knew she was an American hero! Returning to the USA, she took up residence in New York City, founding the Freedom Foundation based out of Fort Wood - then renamed Fort Freedom - at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The Foundation was a group of the greatest scientific minds in the world, dedicated to the betterment of mankind's future.

For the next decade, Lady Liberty and the Freedom Foundation made huge progress in many fields such as fighting disease, creating renewable energy and generally helping America - and the world - through what could have otherwise been a tough time. She became known as the Champion of Tomorrow and was universally beloved. She even becoming involved in politics, supporting the newly founded Liberty Party and helping President La Folette get elected in 1924. It was a Golden Era for America!

In 1928, however, everything changed. The chemist and physicist Irving Langmuir - part of the Foundation - appeared on television decrying Lady Liberty as an abomination and declared that a new Ice Age would soon begin and wipe humanity off the face of the Earth! America suffered it's worst ever winter and it looked like Langmuir's predictions had proved correct. On the very last day of the year, Lady Liberty made an impassioned speech to the people of New York before saying goodbye and flying off towards the sun... She has not been seen since, but the weather soon returned to normal...

The year is now 1934 and Adolf Hitler has just risen to position of Chancelllor of Germany. Europe - and the world - seems to stand on the brink of a second Great War. America faces a Great Depression and seems lost without its hero. Crime is on the increase and the future seems uncertain... But all hope is not lost! Inspired by Lady Liberty, galvanized by the discoveries of the Foundation and almost as a reaction to the creeping fear that grips the world, some new heroes have appeared! Though not as powerful as the Lady, there are extraordinary people doing extraordinary things! A door has been opened! Tomorrow has arrived!

The call has gone out. A new force for freedom is being formed...

The Champions of Tomorrow!

Our Heroes

Dr. Esaiah Brown - Genius American scientist. Discoverer of the 'Brownfield' and wielder of the Gravity Torch. His father appears to have had some connection to Dieter von Kreuz...

The Raffler - a.k.a. Lord Thomas Tarquin Smythe. English 'gentleman' thief and member of the House of Lords. Doesn't really trust the Freedom Foundation anymore, especially its leaders...

John Gaia - Amnesiac lumberjack from Hungary. Also a werewolf. Has no aversion to violently tearing men in half. Has recently been haunted by dreams of a sadistic doctor and a mysterious woman...

Sister Teresa - Pacifistic super-spy nun. Very French. Wondering what she's got herself involved with. Also receiving missions from her religious order that may clash with the Foundation's...

Malaclypse the Magnificent - Mysterious magician. American, but with many stories of far off lands. His arch-nemesis, The Great D'Argo, is still at large and surely has vengeance in mind...

Allies/Enemies

The Freedom Foundation - The Organization which hired our heroes to be the new Champions of Tomorrow!

• Colonel Jefferson Bridges - The team's main point of contact with the Foundation and the man who gives them their missions. Possesses a very distinctive voice. Full name known to The Raffler, Sister Teresa and John Gaia.

• Captain Sharon Bridges - Freedom Foundation Agent. Acts as the team's driver and the Colonel's eyes and ears in the field. Full name known to The Raffler, Sister Teresa and John Gaia. Will straight-up ram you with a car then punch you in the face.

• Lieutenant Alain Beaucort - The Foundation's agent in the Parisian police department. Very handy at killing robots with his revolver.

• Philo T. Farnsworth - Current head of the Foundation's field-science division.

• Agent Adamson - Investigating 'Gurmann Enterprises'. Our heroes were sent to London to look for him. Killed by Lord Kane before their arrival.

The Maltesi Family - One of the two main criminal groups vying for control of New York's underworld.

• Roman Maltesi - The eldest of the Maltesi brothers and the de facto boss of the gang. Currently out of the city, potentially recruiting allies.

• Franco Maltesi - The middle Maltesi brother. Has an awful mustache. Unsuccessfully tried to raise a snake God. Seems quite insane. Currently held by the Foundation.

• Joe Maltesi - The youngest Maltesi brother. Currently incarcerated after trying to kill our heroes with a lightning cannon.

• 'Fast' Eddie Valentino - Short, cowardly and very informative when threatened. Best friend of The Bull. Turned himself in and is surprisingly mute with fear.

• The Bull - Hulking enforcer for the Maltesis. Best friends with Fast Eddie. Turned himself in while babbling in terror about giant insects.

The Falconi Family - The other main gang in New York.

• 'The Old Man' Gino Falconi - Patriarch of the Falconi family. Recently deceased, apparently from fright caused by a poisonous chemical.

• Clarissa Falconi - a.k.a. Contessa Clarissa di Mentiez. Gino's former mistress, then wife, now widow. Current whereabouts unknown.

Professor Bernard Tourbillon - A brilliant French scientist specializing in robotics. Shot to death in Paris by a clockwork man of his own design, on orders of Doctor Ébauche.

Doctor Claudio Ébauche - Swiss scientist. Former research partner of Professor Tourbillon. Tried to blow up Paris. Appeared to be in collusion with the Germans. Captured by our heroes.

• Le Bombardier - a.k.a. Henri Démineur. French saboteur and hitman for hire. Explosives expert. Targetted Professor Tourbillon on orders of Doctor Ébauche. Currently detained by French authorities.

The Woman in Green - A mysterious woman in green. Contacted The Raffler, warning him of 'the Bridges'. Later spotted in Paris.

Prince of Mitakwi - A prince of the newly uncovered South American island nation of Mitakwi. Greatly insulted by Lord Thomas Tarquin Smythe.

Mayor Frank Crichton - Recently elected Mayor of New York City. Incredibly charismatic. Ally to the Freedom Foundation.

• Police Chief Edgar Mallory - Chief of the New York Police Department.

Virgil Gurmann - Former director of the now defunct 'Gurmann Enterprises'. Information obtained in London names him as an alias of Major Dieter von Kreuz. Whereabouts unknown, though Kreuz was spotted in Florida with a large cadre of soldiers.

The Night Doctor - Mysterious name mentioned in Professor Tourbillon's diary and in Virgil Gurmann's safehouse. Some connection to Hungary. May also be connected to Nikola Tesla.

Lord Leopold Kane III - War hero and patron of the Freedom Foundation. Also completely insane and attempted to start a second World War out of boredom. Thought dead by our heroes, but appears to be very much alive and involved with 'The Circle of Eleven'.

• Simmons - Lord Kane's butler, head of security and best friend. So loyal to his employer that he jumped on a grenade for him. Killed by Malaclypse.

• Lords Starkey, Dwight and Webb - Members of the House of Lords involved with 'Gurmann Enterprises' and used as red herrings by Lord Kane. Lord Webb was killed while trying to get information to our heroes.

Polly Hamilton - Daughter of the famous adventurer Sir Terrence Hamilton. Provided valuable help to our heroes. Seemed to have taken a shine to Malaclypse at one point. Enlisted our heroes in helping find her father on Shadow Island.

• Buzz McGourick - Eccentric and forgetful Texan pilot. Flew our heroes to Shadow Island.

The Great D'Argo - Arch-nemesis of Malaclypse. Stage magician and petty thief. Completely failed to end the world via snake God. Unfortunately still at large.

Cardinal Dumas - One of Sister Teresa's superiors who charges her with obtaining 'The Knowledge' and 'The Demon's Eye' Blinded in a fire some years ago.

Hook-Handed Man - A mulleted Hispanic man with a hook in place of his left hand. Handed a mysterious note to Malaclypse and acted like he knew him.