Adversity Storyline
The Adversity Storyline - Developed by Orion Pax - Updated Apr 26, 2005 @ 12:20pm EST
The original storyline was written by Mr. Burke, and started something unique and fun. I always felt it was an interesting way to describe how so many different personas and players could still work together so cohesively. But with the retiring of our founders, I wanted to explain how we carried on with this "changing of guard" as it were. The story will continue to expand, and shall try to include as any key players in Adversity as possible.
Adversity's Founding - Original Story by Mr. Burke
After the 2002 Rikti war, the world was still reeling from the immense destruction generated. Entire cities were reduced to rubble, and nations were struggling to provide vital services to their citizens. The state of Rhode Island was particularly hit hard. Its largest city, Paragon city was barely functioning off the output of its one nuclear reactor. The destruction of the Rikti war provided an opportunity for many different villain groups to make plays for power, and the city was ill equipped to deal with such diverse threats from within and without. 5th column agitators, Crey operatives, leftover Rikti, and Circle of Thorn mystics were all uncurable through traditional military force. The governor declared martial law to create a 180 million dollar grant to contractors who would assist the already overstretched law enforcement agencies in restoring public order.
The siren song of massive action and the US dollar was more than enough to bring Samuel Burkowski out of retirement. A career soldier, Burkowski (Burke for short) was more than eager to finally get back into action. Thus was born the idea of incorporating and hiring as many of the city's heroes as possible to help combat the new threats. Despite the complete lack of professionalism displayed by most heroes in the war, Burke was able to meet with two other heroes, a mutant calling herself "Aurelia" and a sentient infiltrator android designated "Merger". Agreeing to incorporate, the three formed the Adversity Risk Assessment Group and lobbied to win the Paragon City contract to restore law and order. Hiring various other heroes as consultants, the three formed both investigative and paramilitary branches to help restore law and order to the city.
With strict ethical and hiring standards, the Adversity Risk Assessment Group prided itself on no job too tough or complicated to be solved by its members. As a privately owned and run corporation, its board members are proud to fight alongside its employees in a battle that provides all the benefits of law enforcement without any of the annoying red tape.
The Zero Hour: Exigency's Founding - Story by Orion Pax
"Six months have passed since Adversity faced one of its toughest challenges, and was called upon to defend the Terra Volta Reactor. The mission was a success, and the weird after-effects they suffered upon emerging from the Reactor have passed. At corporate Adversity Headquarters, Mr. Burke receives an urgent call from one of his sources deep within the Shadow Shard. The situation grim, a strike team is assembled, composed of Burke, Aurelia, Rochan Anaan, Ebon Ghost, Robin Ambrai, Mr. Durden, Blizzaria, and Orion Pax. Following normal protocol, the remaining members are placed in the charge of Tiros, Magna Slate, Doctor Future, and Invincible.
Days pass, and no word is heard from the team. The group's communicators are unreachable. After a brief discussion, the four leaders head towards the Shard. Arriving at the portal gate for the Shadow Shard, they encounter a horrific ambush by an unknown group of enemies. A quick second decision sends Invincible and Doctor Future into the Shard, looking for their lost comrads. Magna Slate and Tiros bravely defend the portal, hopelessly outnumbered. Using her Psychic abilities, Tiros is able to briefly send a telepathic message to Hygelac desparate for help. Her powers nearly drained, she heals Magna Slate the best she can.
Exhausted, Magna raises his stone hammer for one last swing, and instanly feels rejuvenated. Hygelac had arrived, and brought reinforcements in the form of IrishRed, Silver Dawn, Shadow-Burn, the Pumpkin-King, Devil's Fire, and new comer HydroDragon. The team continued to fight with renewed vigilence, while Doc and Invincible searched on.
Deep within the Shard, Doctor Future and Invincible could find no trace of their lost team members. Knowing their time is short, they decide to make their final sweep near the dangerous flying fortress in the heart of the Shadow Shard. About to abandon all hope, Doctor Future notices a faint glimmer on a small rockoid about 1500 yards from the fortress. Buried under a small pile of rubble, a familiar armor-gloved hand protrudes from the debris. Invincible quickly removes the rubble, and finds Orion Pax barely clinging to life. His armor has been ravaged, his remaining glove faintly glowing from the weak force field it emits, and his emergency teleportation beacon destroyed. Invincible and Doctor Future rush their fallen comrade back to the portal, desperate to get him medical help.
With their reinforcements, the tide of battle turns in Adversity's favor. Doc and Invincible emerge from the portal and finish off their attackers. The ambush finally over, the group returns home to discuss the events that just happened.
Their leaders gone, and Orion Pax in a coma from his injuries, the remainder of Adversity does their best to continue their duties and uphold the oath they took for Paragon City. But something is gravely wrong. The remainder of the Adversity Team now finds themselves engaged in hopeless battles, some almost costing the lives of their stongest members. Even routine patrols have become dangerous. Knowing that something must be done, Invincible and Doctor Future gather the oldest members, and the newer recruits of IrishRed, Silver Dawn, Devil's Fire, and HydroDragon, to grimly discuss the future.
In the best interest of keeping public face, it was decided that Adversity's business side would still be maintained (law enforcement grants, public work projects, monetary donations to schools and hospitals, etc.), but that its more "extra curricular" activites would cease for the time being. Too many heroes had already been lost to the unseen forces hellbent against them. Pax finally awakens from his coma, but possesses no memory of the events that nearly killed him, or the fate of Mr. Burke, Aurelia, Merger, Rochan Anaan, Ebon Ghost, Mr. Durden, Robin Ambrai, or Blizzaria. Wraught with grief, his armor reduced to scrap metal, Orion Pax now faces his toughest decision. While some of its members still perform their extra curricular duties to ensure Adversity's good public face, he knows something must be done about the enemy that continues to taunts them. Yet a frontal offensive would surely be suicide. How can he possibly face their enemies, without powers...without leaders...and without hope?
One hour late at night, a nightmare awoke Pax from his sleep, his clock oddly flashing 0:00AM. Tired of the pain and anguish he felt from the loss of his team, he decided he could take it no more. After rousing the eldest members of Adversity, Pax formulated a plan, and code named it "The Zero Hour". While Doctor Future would join him as new leadership for Adversity, the public was told that the charter members were taking long over deserved vacations and were still involved in the company's affairs. And while a few extra actvities would be run by the groups oldest members, a new Covert faction of Adversity would be formed, operating in the strictest of secrecy, and no visible ties to the corporation. Thus Exigency was formed, led by the Pumpkin-King and Invincible. And while Exigency still follows the traditions established by Adversity, enemies who meet up with this group might find them a bit more harsh and a little less law abiding than its counterpart."
Enemy Revealed
The hellbent forces against Adversity still remain, though their attention now seems quite diverted towards Exigency. The leadership and execution of numerous unprovoked strikes by Invincible and the Pumpkin-King have served their team well. Both leaders have gained considerable strength and honor within the group, and as part of Orion Pax's plan, began recruiting new members for Adversity's full return.
New members of the covert strike team include the charring fires of Shadow-Burn, the radiation auras of RadioAffliction, the deadly strikes of QwizatsHaderach, the hellfires of Methias, the pure healing of Magia, the energy blasting Golden Gopher, and the frigid return of Drahx as Shatter Frost.
Reconnaissance has identified the assassins as the mysterious Void Hunters. Though normally focused on groups harboring Kheldian life forms, their interest in Adversity still remains a mystery...
