Superhero RPG's History and Lore

As you all know, the Meta-Gene is what has given most of our super heroes and villains their powers. Some people are born with it, some people experimented on and given the gene, and others gain their powers from completely different origins. Despite that, the history that's going to be written in a bulleted fashion will follow the Meta-Gene and it's first appearances, then the history will flow into the actual forums main history revolving around some of the most "well known" heroes, villains, and inbetweens.



A Mad Scientist, Brenard Metakorvich, experiments on men, women, and children who are sick from war to attempt and renew medicine. Inspired by stories of a beastman who could heal himself at an astronomical rate. (The Scientist is aiming to create Regeneration. The power is rumored to have been seen in cases among other humans, too, before the 1600s.)

• 1615 - Brenard Metakorvich is led on an expedition in search of lost science in Antarctica. Rumor has it, an extinct subhuman species has been found.
  
  
• 1620 - Metakorvich and his team discovered the cells of the subhuman species in the mouth of a frozen Sabre Toothed Tiger. The cells can regenerate.
  
  
• 1630 - Metakorvich starts to apply the cells to other individuals after having the cells multiply. All test subjects have expired.
  
  
• 1650 - Metakorvich has created a successful specimen who seems to Regenerate from wounds much faster than a normal human.
  
  
• 1674 - Metakorvich has passed his knowledge onto his apprentice, Jeddediah Valencior.
  

• 1710 - Valencior names the regenerative gene 'Meta' in honor of his late mentor.
  
  
• 1730 - The Meta-Gene is still the hype of 'Mad Scientists' whom wish to expand the capabilities of simple humans.
  
  
• 1750 - The Meta-Gene has started to mutate and creates more than just regenerative qualities in human specimens.
  

• 1811 - Experiments that successfully adapted to the Meta-Gene have procreated.
  
  
• 1826 - Valencior's successor, Gabriel Valencior, is the father to a child with the Meta-gene.
  
  
• 1843 - A scientist begins his own experiments on the meta gene. Resulting in a synthetic meta gene.
  
  
• 1863 - Gabriel Valencior is found dead. The suspected killer is his daughter, Ariel Valencior.
  
  
• 1891-1910 - Ariel Valencior was abducted by the US Government for acts of Terrorism. She then dies in 1910 from a failed experiment to better understand her genetic make up. Her final last words: "Metas are everywhere... In your home, at your schools, in the work place... We will rise to power."
  

• 1910 - The US Government heeds Ariel Valencior's word and stays wary of other Metahumans like her.
  
  
• 1920 - Heroes and Villains start emerging, using their powers to save people, or take over the world.
  
  
• 1921 - An Organization is built to learn more about the Metahumans and the like. (Think of it as a Pre-Project Perfection.)
  
  
• 1947 -  Extraterrestrial lifeforms have been confirmed.
  
  
• 1969 - Further studies into the stories of extra-normal beings led to many scientists believing in the existences of other realms parallel to our own.
  
  
• 1983 - The existence of another realm was confirmed. Beings from this place correlated with some of the stories that had been studied. (Heaven and Hell do not exist. Planes/Realms do, however.)
  
  
• 1983 - The Government adopts a program to counter the threats of metahumans and otherworldly entities. The program is split into 2 groups. Project Perfection and Dominus.
  
  
• 1985 - The Public is catching on to metahumans and other anomalies. The public adopts the terms 'Superhumans, Superheroes and Supervillains' to describe them. Project Perfection and Dominus know them as Metahumans
  
  
• 1983 - 2020- Project Perfection reigns behind the scenes creating perfect metahumans to fight for the US Government. The agents go rogue and follow Doctor Necrodium instead of the United States scientists that created them.
  
  
• 2021 - The New York Assault is at our doorstep.  Ultimate destruction, led by Doctor Necrodium, devastates New York City.  A Coalition of heroes and villains rise to confront Doctor Necrodium before his presence can spread passed New York City.  Necrodium falls, taking his sister Rebbecca with him, but his father Pain is left with nothing but broken pride.  He flees, leaving his city in ruins.
  
  
• 2021 - Further destruction reigns upon New York City. The damage is irreversible at this point. The Big Apple has fallen.
  
  
• 2021-2022 - Not long after the New York Assault, The Purge is upon us. Dominus has stepped from the shadows to put their stamp on the world. Dominus has made any and all heroes look just as bad as the villains.
  
  
• 2022 - Dominus is dissolved at the hands of a select few insider agents. One known as Doctor Karma, another as Shayla, and a girl named Etoile.
  
  
• 2022 - Dominus meets defeat, and an even more vicious and well organized anti-metahuman group known only as 'The Agency' emerges.
  
  
• 2022 - With public opinion swaying back towards compassion for inhumans, the Dominus sympathizing governments of North America and Europe are on the defensive front.
  
  
• 2022 - The hero group Knightwatch is founded in Chicago, where they become local legends after cleaning up the city like never before.
  
  
• 2022 - The hero group The Guardians is formed. They patrol the major cities of the United States and Europe, bringing to justice countless criminals and averting dozens of would-be disasters.
  
  
• 2022 - Police now welcome help from most 'heroes,' but still consider the property damage inexcusable.
  
  
• 2022 - The criminal underworld in Pittsburgh is monopolized by a powerful metahuman named 'Gravitas' and his gang.  
  
  
• 2022 - Lucius Alba, a famous New York scientist who had gone missing in the New York Assault, reappears as the leader of a rapidly growing band of metahuman supremacists.
  
  
• 2022 - A project to create the perfect human produces enhanced children in test tubes, and it is quickly taken over by it's first success, Alpha, in a bloody revolt. Alpha then goes on to become a beloved billionaire philanthropist and actor, calling himself Travis Masters, all while leading an ambitious, ever-expanding 'family' of superior individuals.
  
  
• 2022 - The recipe for the synthetic meta gene is rediscovered, and results in the creation of the drug Spark.
  
  
• 2022 - A young hero group, The Talons, meets their destiny as famous Sorcerer Supreme, Elena Marie, leaves them a little gift in the form of a box that opens another dimension. Polar opposites of the heroes emerge from the rift, wreaking havoc on a struggling to stand New York City. The battle is eventually brought to an end by the sacrifice of Phoenix during his fight with his counterpart, Holocaust. New York is saved and the portal is closed, but the world mourns a beacon of hope.
  
  
• 2022 - Ranger is killed, and Knightwatch is disbanded. A memorial is held for the fallen hero in the city he gave his life guarding.
  

• 2023 - The Agency make moves on various metahumans, heroes and villains alike. Numerous 'infected' are shackled and used for The Agency's unknown purposes.
  
  
• 2023 - The hero Jeisen is confronted by agents in his home city of London. A fight ensues, which destroys half of The Big Ben. In the end Jeisen rebuffed his attackers, with the help of a man calling himself Masquerade.
  
  
• 2023 - Frustrated with their agent's inability to capture Jeisen, the hero's shackled best friend and former teammate is sent in to finish the job. A battle of epic proportions takes place in the heart of London for hours. In the end, Entei fails to capture Jeisen, and the victorious hero gives a heartfelt speech over international television. The transmission becomes a rallying force against the Agency, and soon the organization is pushed back into the shadows by massive public outcry generated by news of their rash actions in London. A third of the city is destroyed, and even though the Agency pays the bill, the anti-metahuman movement is scorned.
  
  
• 2023 - Tensions die down as The Agency pull back. After the fight between Jeisen and Entei, the Guardians suspend themselves until further notice. Jeisen disappears from the world stage but is remembered as a national legend for his marathon defense of London.
  
  
• 2024 - The damages to New York City caused by the Assault have been almost entirely repaired.
  
  
• 2024 - A reactionary wave of support for pro-metahuman causes sweeps the world. Many call it a backlash to the actions and propaganda of various secretive groups, most notably The Agency and Dominus.
  
  
• 2024 - Lucius Alba's metahuman following joins allegiance with Travis Masters' family of superior humans and the Gravitas Gang, creating the organization known as Rise. With a common purpose and massive resources, the group moves quickly to further it's agenda.
  
  
• 2024 - Crime hits an all-time high, and the extremists of Rise make headway on the world stage by riding the wave of support for metahumans. Many believe the era of heroes is over.
  
• 2025 - Phoenix emerges from the ashes, reforming his band of heroes, the Talons. Their goal is to squash evil and bring heroes back to light.
  
  
• 2025 - After the heroes are lured into a trap, Rise and the Talons clash in a horrific battle in a remote location in Canada. Phoenix is seemingly killed once again, and The Talons are smeared as lawless, international vigilantes attempting to assassinate a world leader. Only whispers of what really happened are exposed. A winged heroine is kidnapped by Rise.
  
  
• 2025 - Unrelated: Lead singer of popular band Girl ALIVE! Tyuki Gold is missing for eight months now. No report to date. Did she commit suicide?
  
  
• 2025 - A mysterious group lead by a man with a pumpkin for a head arrives on the scene. Rumor has it the leader's name is Mad Jack.
  
  
• 2025 - Despite its authoritarian nature, Belarus is declared one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world by various international bodies, and a census reveals it houses the highest concentration of metahumans anywhere. Opinions of the nation in the rest of the world are skeptical and cautious, but mostly friendly.
  
  
• 2026 - A mysterious crisis orchestrated by a corporation known as ChronoSphere erupts in Hong Kong, trapping people in cybernetic suits and forcing them to fight to survive. Despite the efforts of many on the scene, including a metahuman known as Copper and an android known as Hotep, thousands lose their lives in the carnage. Motives for the crisis remain unknown.
  
  
• 2026 - Polling reveals faith in heroes is at an all-time low.
  
  
  
• 2026 - Time stops in a small suburb, where a coalition of epic proportions battles against an extra dimensional threat known as The Black Beast. Old friends are reunited, and old feuds are put aside in defense of the universe. No one person could tell you what exactly happened, but what is clear is that many fell or were seemingly erased to correct the timeline. Balance is restored, but at a cost.
  
  
• 2026 - A revolution grips LA, sending radicals, vigilantes, heroes, and villains on a collision course. Precise details are slim, but the main culprits were identified as the anarchist street gang The Equalizers, who were apparently inspired by the vigilante Drifter. Other antagonists include a man with the alias 'Mook' and a woman by the name 'Riley.' Despite massive damage to the city, the criminals were stopped, and their prisoners rescued. Heroes such as The Roman Angel, Nightlight, and Arrowman are credited by the media as being instrumental in saving the city, but in the underground, it is known that many others with less robust PR also played a role, such as The Grey, Humanity and his crew, and an individual calling themselves 'Kaiju.' The city is in shambles, but it slowly begins to recover. Monuments are erected honoring 'The Saviors of LA.'
  
  
  
• 2027 - After disaster is thwarted time and time again by superhumans over the course of a year, faith in heroes finally seems to be on the rise again.
  
  
• 2028 - Spark, the drug that synthetically grants or enhances metahuman powers to the detriment of their stability, is released in Tokyo. The crisis gets so bad, with chaos erupting in the streets as more and more people are dosed, that Japan offers an open invitation to all superpowered heroes willing to contain it. The culprits are revealed to be politicians hoping to create a disaster that they could then capitalize on by 'solving.' Many are brought to justice, but some of the players get off scot free due to lack of evidence. Nonetheless, the city is saved with minimal causalities, and all heroes that took part are granted honorary citizenship, either as their real identities or their heroic identities.
  
  
• 2029 - The city of Boston was attacked by a madman with some unknown technology. The cities defenders tried to defeat him, but most sadly became distracted by side-quests. The city fell, permanently transforming into the fantasy city state of Eugenia. Eugene Benowitz, the founder, was quickly deposed by vampires who now run the state.

This information is not meant to be a complete list of all lore on the forum, as such a list would likely be impossible. However, it is meant to be a compilation of information readily known to the general public, as well as some important notes on how the world of SHRP works. Feel free to offer contributions to this section the same as you would the Timeline.


The Wardens
Essentially, Wardens are immortal, supernatural, and humanoid beings there to teach humanity the ways of the world, as well as protect the universe's concepts. They conserve the natural order of things while mostly remaining unseen. That said, sometimes they do come out from their veiled world when the need is great. When walking among mortals, they seem to style themselves after a wide range of human cultures.


Disciples of Virtue
The exact date of the formation of the Disciples of Virtue is not fully understood due to the loose organization and largely decentralized nature of the faction. Tradition among its Knighthood, however, has it that it has waxed and waned ever since humanity was aware enough to make its very first moral choices. The earliest papyrus scripts that could be recovered suggested that - as a formal group - the Disciples of Virtue existed as far back as the First Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. The Disciples of the period suffered persecution that eased as they began moving to the fringes of civilization, cultivating their values and sharing with wanderers who were interested.



Vampires Several different types have been discovered. Some seem similar to metahumans.

Werewolves: Again, there are multiple different types. Some are just metahumans that seem to have similar powers to the creatures of myth, while others are undeniably supernatural.

Ghosts/Wraiths: Sometimes, the dead come back! Though still regarded as a myth by most, spirits of the dead have been confirmed in one form or another.  

Demons/Angels: Though they aren't exactly what you find in the bible, creatures from hellish and heavenly dimensions have traversed to the world of SHRP!

Dragons: Through mysticism or otherwise, the form of the dragon has proved to be more then legend.

Wardens: Not known to the general public, but their existence is apparent. The reason for the lack of confirmation among society seems to be because they are mistook for metahumans, angels, and other mythological entities.






Oblivion: A mysterious, chaotic realm that seems to be an amalgamation of many different sub-dimensions. Thought to be where dreams come from.

The Shroud: The veil dimension where The Wardens reside and fulfill their duties, maintaining the integrity of their concepts by manipulating the realm's ancient energies. Each Warden has their own personalized segment of this dimension—their Hold. Where The Shroud came from few know, but what is apparent is that it works like a sort of engine for many of the important elements of the universe.

Hell: No other specific name for it. It's what we're going with for now. Whether it is the actual hell or just the place the inspired the biblical stories is unknown. Research favors the latter.

The Fae Realm: Few know of this realm's existence, let alone who or what occupies it.





- It is speculated that many myths and legends sprang from sightings of early superhumans, though there is little solid evidence for this.

- Aspects of many different religions and myths have been shown to exist, despite sometimes being seemingly contradictory. What is clear is that one God existing does not mean another cannot. The same can be said of 'Heavens' and 'Hells.'

- Many legends have been outright confirmed, like Nicolas Flamel and his alchemy, King Arthur, and Troy.