The Seven Champions

Throughout history, The Seven Champions of Christendom exist, each an incarnation of a saint, together they are fated to band together to form one of the mightiest groups of heroes the world has known. They come from all walks of life, tread many paths and possess powers and abilities far beyond that of mortal man. In the Wild West, they were the Seven Riders. In World War II they were the Seven Soldiers. Now they are the Seven Champions once more, and a worthier band of heroes the world has never seen!

Here’s a superhero group inspired by Christian mythology and the Seven Soldiers comic mini-series. Reading up about the saints is like a primer for superheroes everywhere – from saints who can raise the earth itself, ones who can summon animals to do their bidding and countless super-soldiers, they’re all there. These seven are named for the original Seven Champions of Christendom – St George, St Andrew, St Patrick, St Denis, St James, St Anthony and St David – with powers inspired by something of their tales.

I’ll give the short write-ups here and present full Mutants & Masterminds and RISUS stats for each one over the next few days complete with equipment, vehicles and Base of Operations!

George Lytton, Dragowarrior

Born an army brat, George’s entire life has revolved around the military. He served several terms in the British Army before setting out on his own as a merc. It was on one of his missions guarding archaeologists in Libya that he encountered an ancient draconic beast-god. It lay slumbering waiting for new worshippers but when the dig awoke it the creature attacked. George defeated it, but the creature’s blood and claws left him badly injured. Where the blood coated his body he slowly healed, his flesh replaced with a dragon-like hide. He is now half-man, half-dragongod, a constant reminder that the beast he slew now sleeps within him.

Powers: military-grade weaponry and equipment, super-strength, toughness, firebreath

Andrew Fisher, Relic

By day, Andrew Fisher is a well-known writer of horror fiction. By night (or when the need arises) he is Relic, superhero necromancer! He gained his powers from discovering The Forbidden Reliquary, an ancient library hidden under a remote Scottish shrine. He turned the tiny ruined church into a home, and the Reliquary became his secret hide-out while he studied the magical tomes within. He wondered why the books were buried rather than destroyed until he found letters from an unnamed monk who believed that even though the books contained great evil, they could still be turned to become a force for good. Andrew hides his secrets carefully, though some of his newer novels reveal a much darker, fractured side to his personality. Unsurprisingly, the books are selling extremely well.

Powers: Black magic, raise undead warriors, necromantic bolts

Patrick Ultan, Serpentine

Patrick was born on the rough streets of Ulster, and felt he had little choice but to turn to petty crime simply to survive. His mistake was breaking into the home of an elderly warlock who caught then turned him into a snake with a single word. He remained in that form for several years while the warlock taunted, then talked, and finally befriended him. Convinced that Patrick had only done what he must to survive and there was no malice intended, the warlock released Patrick and took him under his wing as a protégé. Patrick quickly mastered the illusory arts and some degree of telepathy but his real talent is his ability to shape-shift into various snake forms – from a tiny grass snake to a huge snake/human hybrid behemoth. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it’s all illusion……..

Powers: Illusions, telepathy, snake-forms

Denise  Montmartre, Oriflamme

As the attorney who managed to put Syndicate crime boss Jung Li Bao away, Denise knew her days were numbered. What she did not expect was that she would be kidnapped, taken to an abandoned warehouse and beheaded in a dark rite to summon a spirit of vengeance. The spirit possessed her, slaying her captors with the now flaming blade which had taken her life.  She collected her head, replaced it on her shoulders and walked out into the night. Denise continues her tireless work against the Syndicate but she now has an unexpected ally – the flame headed spirit within!

Powers: Super-agility, flight, fiery sword and blasts, judgement vision

James Boanerges, The Red Knight

As heir to the Boanerges family fortune, James had it all – the mansions, the cars, the wealth and the playboy lifestyle to match. His life came crashing down when the Syndicate moved in. For reasons he still does not understand they dismantled his business interests through extortion, aggressive take-overs and direct attacks until all that remained was a small R&D tech firm on a remote hillside. It was there that James finally decided to take a stand. With the help of the researchers he created a full set of red power armour and an indestructible (and Artificially Intelligent) blade.  What he needs now is experience and the help of some more heroes willing to help him. This is going to take time……

Powers: Power armour grants flight, life support, armour and energy blasts. Blade for close combat

Anthony Lisbon, Doc Storm

Doc Storm’s adventuring careers began in World War II when he was one of the original Seven Soldiers. He was working as a field medic in war-torn Poland in the middle of a thunderstorm, trying to rescue  some members of his platoon who had been injured and stranded in the mud. He prayed aloud to any god who cared to listen to aid him, and none other than Sif, wife of Thor, who answered. She granted him the strength of ten men and a healing touch. In return he rescued his men and went on to have an illustrious all-action pulp hero superhero career as Doc Storm, Man of Power.

Time has not been kind to Doc Storm. He is now an old man who knows his adventuring career is behind him. He is wheelchair bound and acts as the central coordinator and information hub for the Seven Champions. He has personal knowledge stretching back over 60 years  and access to databases and a vast collection of contacts, allies and friends.

Powers: The strength of ten (old) men, healing touch, huge network of contacts

David Sands, The Groundsman

Explorer David Sands always felt a close kinship with the land. Put him in the centre of an untamed wilderness where there’s no other soul for hundreds of miles, and he would tell you he is home. It was on such an expedition in the jungles of South America that he discovered the ruins on an ancient pyramid. He entered and made it into the central chamber where a flawless sapphire talisman rested on an altar. When he removed it the ground shook and he feared the pyramid would collapse around him. Closing his hands around the talisman he prayed that the shaking would stop – and it did! The talisman is tied to the earth itself and the wielder can manipulate not just the earth, but cause plants and rivers to form by his will, and could possibly create whole mountain ranges with but a thought. David is drawn to the talisman yet also fearful of its awful power. Who is to say what it could do in the wrong hands?

Powers: Terraforming