A Working Brainstorm

A place for a writer to stash frantic whiteboard scribblings, character portraits, plot webs, and other bits and pieces of Ghost, a possible novel in the making.

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Timeline

1962: The Sentinel crash-lands on Earth during the downturn of the Vietnam War. Pamela Chambers is revealed to the world as Atomika.

1962-1976: The "hero boom" occurs, with countries around the world showcasing and revealing their own heroes. Many industrial accidents and experiments occurred during this time, presumably in a world-wide attempt to create superhumans.

1976: With lawsuits and criminal cases being brought against various vigilantes, Atomika and the Sentinel help found the Circle with the assistance of the United Nations to monitor heroes and villains. While some countries are initially hesitant to register their heroes, only China and Japan refuse to register entirely. As an organization rather than a government, the issue cannot be forced by the Circle, but remains a point of tension and political turmoil to this day.

1988-9: A white supremacist conspiracy is uncovered attempting to assassinate Atomika and have her replaced with their own superpower, Iron Cross. Iron Cross's attempted murder is interrupted by the Sentinel, who breaks his spine. He remains in federal supermax prison as of the current story.

1993: Jane Bishop is killed by Lazarus during the Persian Gulf War.

1995: Salt Lake City is destroyed when a commercial district from the future is superimposed on top of it. The Grid is exiled for the results of her actions.

1996-7: At the start of 1996, Crossfire is shot in the head by Killshot I. He partially deflects the bullet and ends up in a coma. For the eighteen months he is unconscious, the Broken Throne War/Cosmic Crisis occurs between human and non-human superheroes. It is considered over when Jane Bishop (now Ghost) shoots Killshot through the knees, stopping him from finishing the assassination. Crossfire woke up moments later and the Conflict was mediated.

2011-2012: Current timeline and setting for Ghost.

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World-Building Rules

No secret identities.

Addendum: This only applies in countries that have submitted to international registration. Japan and China's heroes operate under identities considered 'secret' by the Circle because their governments have not submitted to registration. Also, heroes and vigilantes may - and likely do - operate under assumed names and identities, but if caught, their registered status can be revoked under a clause of fraud.

No resurrection.

Addendum: Animated corpses, such as Ghost, zombies and Lazarus' minions, do not count as being 'resurrected'. Resurrection means that someone who is truly dead is fully restored to their original status, be it the average mortal or a superpowered individual.

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Bartholomew Mason - The Alchemist

Human. Male. American chemist with a penchant for magic tricks. Mason became a hero during the 'boom' in the 1960s when a lab accident resulted in the invention of a compound he could use to transmute any type of matter. His cape and robes, treated with special chemicals to make the fabric fireproof and bulletproof (among other things), came in later years but the colorful wardrobe is one of his best known symbols.

An early supporter of registration, Mason has admitted he found the idea of a secret identity more trouble than it was worth, not to mention a way that allowed villains to blackmail or expose heroes. Considered to be one of the founding pillars of the superpowered community, the loss of his sidekick Ouroboros to an engagement with Lodestone seemed to break his fighting spirit. Although he considers himself to be retired, the Alchemist recently shattered a crime ring pushing thousands of guns through the borders of the States, Mexico, and Canada.

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Some of this has already been scrapped, but it doesn't hurt to keep a record around.

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Jane Bishop - Ghost (POV character)

Human female, deceased. American. Ex-Army medic and spotter. Skilled with a sniper rifle in life, but denied special ops or sniper status due to her sex. Despite these laws forbidding women in combat, she was pulled from her unit halfway through her second tour and attached to a small black ops group dedicated to wiping out super-powered individuals under the political radar during the Persian Gulf War.

Killed in action during an American attempt to assassinate Lazarus, a cult leader and figurehead funding dirty bomb terrorism in the Middle East. Resurrected by unknown means with most characteristics of a corpse. Jane Bishop has no pulse, no need to eat, breathe, or sleep, and stays at room temperature. She awoke with the color from her irises leeched away, although there seems to be no flaw or benefit to this change.

Although Lazarus was not killed until another operation a year later, Jane recalls seeing the blood spilling down his costume as her first realization that a god - hero or villain - could bleed.

She became a mercenary after her death until her abilities were noticed by the White Hand. Jane - now operating under the name Ghost - had assassinated Tooth and Claw, a pair of villains working for Bloodbath, with a single shot. Both the American government and Crossfire confronted her, one forcing her to register while the other tried to convince her she could be a hero if she disabled rather than killed.

Refusing to serve as a vigilante or pet assassin, Ghost maintains her neutrality and independence. With the deaths of four heroes under her belt, she is considered to be a 'villain', but her actions - shooting off Killshot's kneecap before he could execute Crossfire - during the Broken Throne War have called this status into question. Ghost has taken contracts from the United States government and other American allies, which she sees as proof that 'good' and 'evil' are only a matter of propaganda and perspective.

Her 'costume' - a set of modified snow camouflage - has been worn for formal occasions for meetings with politicians as well as the superpowered community. In a strange show of generosity, the outfit was a gift from the Countess, who believed Ghost required something to match her name. Acknowledging that refusing the Countess' charity was often a lethal proposition, Ghost continues to wear the costume.

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Mary Shen - Lodestone

Human. Female. Hong Kong native. Daughter of Janice Rhodes and Shen Fang - known as Lord Crane, a scholar and hero with the ability to speak to animals. Born with the ability to influence metal, magnetize objects, and possesses supernatural accuracy.

Despite her youth - she is the youngest member of the White Hand - Lodestone is a professor at the Ziwei School, an institution dedicated to educating and training China's superpowered youth. 

Shen was registered as a 'terrorist' and 'villain' despite Crossfire's public protest after she killed two heroes - Golden Lad (British) and Ouroboros (American, the Alchemist's sidekick) - for crossing Chinese borders and infiltrating her school. Considering that the two young heroes purposefully disrupted the safety protocols of a combat simulation and placed her students at risk, there has been a tremendous amount of controversy about whether or not Lodestone's actions were justified.

She was contacted by Junshi after the incident and joined the White Hand to show solidarity, although it is unknown if the gesture was symbolic or a sign that Shen plans to take a more aggressive stance against other heroes.

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Junshi - Suicide King

Human. Male. Japanese. A legacy villain. The original Junshi founded the White Hand during World War I. The surnames of the Junshi has been kept hidden for generations, leading to speculation that the bloodline belongs to one of the Burakumin families.

The sixth child of the bloodline to inherit a pair of cursed blades - a katana and wakizashi - Junshi's name is often mistranslated as 'Suicide King' in the West, despite its connotations of a ritual suicide. It also erases the notion that there have been 'Suicide Queens' - two of the six Junshi were women. While there are multiple explanations for why the Junshi are assassins - the curse of the swords compel them, they are actually demons, etc. - no public reason has even been put forth.

The current Junshi was a businessman of some import before the swords came into his possession and is now CEO of his company. Despite blurred connections with Yakuza and his open history of murdering rivals, Junshi has become a force in Japanese politics regarding the registration of superheroes and villains.

Japan and China remain the only members of the United Nations to refuse to submit these records, leading to international tension. While China has stated that revealing such information would compromise national security, Junshi's stance is that entire families could become humiliated, shunned or killed by either government or superpowered forces if the abilities of their loved ones were revealed. Despite his classification as a 'villain' under registration standards, Junshi is known as a quiet man with a loving family in his native country.

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Marcus Graves, Jr. - Killshot II

Human. Male. American. Son of Marcus Graves, the original Killshot. While his father was considered to be a proficient killer rivaling Raúl Bravo, Marcus has Killshot's morals without any restraint. Reviled by both heroes and his fellow White Hand members, Killshot is willing to take down any target at any cost, including civilian deaths and severe collateral damage.

He uses his inherited estate on an uncharted island to maintain a private mercenary army and design cutting-edge weapons and tech. Marcus has killed four heroes to date, walking firmly in his father's footsteps and hoping to one day surpass the original Killshot's record. He carries his father's private journal of recorded kills on his person at all times.

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Raúl Bravo - "Espectro de Juárez"

Human. Male. Considered to be the most deadly non-powered human alive and one of, if not the best assassins. Native to El Paso de Norte in Chihuahua, Mexico. After spending his youth in the Mexican Army, Raúl joined the Oro Cartel as a foot soldier in the late 1970s. The combination of his loyalty and efficient killing methods led to his quick rise through the ranks. He married Edelmira Vega in 1987 and had two children. Bravo received national attention and infamy in Mexico when he killed Jesus Guerrera, son of Mexico City senator Quinn Guerrera and known as the hero Quetzalcoatl to the public. Quetzalcoatl had executed a one-man sting operation on the cartel, immobilizing six shipments of cocaine, two warehouses of weapons, and assisted in the arrest of nearly fifty Oro soldiers before Bravo assassinated him with one shot from an anti-materiel rifle. Guerrera's death brought a wave of heroic attention to the activities of the Oro Cartel from all over the world, leading to the organization almost buckling under the pressure.

In retaliation, Raúl's wife and children were murdered by Oro assassins. Bravo initiated a campaign of vengeance against the cartel that ended with every known member brought to their headquarters in Ciudad Juárez, executed, and then set aflame. With his reputation sealed, the Spectre of Juárez became an independent contractor, specializing in killing superheroes. By 1993, he had assassinated more than a dozen heroes and was the most wanted man in the world.

In the midst of rising conflict between aliens and humans as well as heroes and civilians, Bravo was poised to light the powder keg that would start the war when Bloodbath contracted him to assassinate Atomika. His chemically treated bullet was deflected by Crossfire at the last second and in one of history's defining moments, walked away from his rifle as a changed man.

Although the Cosmic Conflict did finally occur in the late 1990s, Bravo was notably absent, emerging from three years of self-mandated solitude after Crossfire awoke from his coma. Raúl has spent the last decade seeking penance and building bridges with the heroic community, becoming a vigilante guardian in his native Mexico and a face of the international hero movement.

Despite his altered path, Raúl is still considered to be one of the fingers of the White Hand. His history as well as a continued willingness to kill as part of his duty - albeit as a last resort - have left many members of both sides wary that the Spectre may one day return again.

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Dr. Elisheva Cachtice - The Countess

Human. Female. The good doctor retains various civilian identities under her birth name - Elisheva Cachtice - and variations thereof. An extremely intelligent woman with twin doctorates in biology and psychology, Dr. Cachtice's obsession with immortality has no known basis, although it eventually developed into a dissociative personality named The Countess. Known for her sadistic experiments and murderous habits, the Countess has sacrificed dozens, if not hundreds, to her cause over the years.

She often partners with Bloodbath when their plans seek the same end, although they have turned against each other on numerous occasions. Her clinical mindset clashes with his anarchic personality and in one brutal event colloquially known as the Harvest, impaled and drained the blood from as many of his henchmen as she could capture before hiring the combined prowess of the White Hand to kill him. Bloodbath only escaped when the Countess canceled the contracts on a whim and she has never let him forget it.

As the other founder of Terror, Inc., Dr. Cachtice uses the organization to fund her medical experiments and procure both living and dead subjects.

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William Kane - Bloodbath

Human. Male. Greek and Italian, American.

A small-time mobster who became one of America’s most sadistic crime bosses after injecting himself with a home-brewed mix of hallucinogenic and steroids (mix of Dracula, Bane, and the Joker); The Countess’ on-again off-again lover and collaborator. Co-founder of Terror, Inc.

Hired the original Killshot to assassinate Crossfire. Seeks to rule the world with a violent, anarchic dictatorship (without seeing the conflict in his desires). Crimes often involve proving that anyone, no matter how they are born, taught, or raised can commit murder and enjoy it. Prefers flamboyant crime to the Countess' more subtle tactics.

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Misc. Characters

Heroes

Sergeant Steel: Captain America expy, KIA during the Vietnam War.

Ephor: A Hydra priest who serves as the member of the Empress' Council. It is unknown if Ephor is his title or his name.

The Grid: An information broker who once sold her wares to the highest bidder, she was exiled after selling the equation to shatter time to the genocidal Vortex. His resulting plan led to (unnamed future city) displacing Salt Lake City and killed millions. As an act of penance, the Grid serves as a hub and distributor of intelligence to heroes. It is unknown if she is a sentient computer or a biological entity.

White Rabbit: Current elected leader of the First Sons & Daughters. Great-great-great grandchild of Walking Willow, the first 'documented' Native hero, a member of the Hiraacá tribe and the White Buffalo Cow Society. Has the ability to 'imprint' on any creature and shapeshift into them.

Blitz: A German hero with the ability to summon and manipulate lightning. Member of the C.R.A.S.H. Corps. KIA by Killshot when attempting to stop the assassin from executing a comatose Crossfire.

Miss Quantum: Alien. Able to manipulate time and possessed limited prescience. Member of the C.R.A.S.H. Corps. KIA by Killshot I.

Jack Knife: Acrobat, contortionist, and trained martial artist. Member of the C.R.A.S.H. Corps. KIA by Killshot I.

Silver Knight: Jean Alden. Hero who dresses like a knight in armor, headquartered in London. Her sidekick is Golden Lad.

Chimaera: African-American hero, covered in mystical tattoos from head to toe. Skilled martial artist with the ability to draw superpowers and different forms from her tattoos.

Villains

Aporia: Second string bad guy. Capable of hypnotizing her victims as well as erasing their minds and planting false memories. Briefly a member of Terror, Inc.

Iron Cross: Born with superhuman strength. White supremacist. Currently imprisoned for life in a supermax facility after several murder attempts on Atomika. Despite his physical prowess, he is paraplegic after a battle with Sentinel resulted in his spine being snapped in two.

Tooth & Claw: Twins with the ability to turn into a feral, wolf-like form. KIA by Ghost.

Lazarus: A British minister who became corrupted by the discovery of an ancient artifact. Is capable of raising corpses as obedient, albeit rotting, minions. Assumed dead after an incident during the Gulf War.

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Locations and Nations.

(Unnamed Future City): In 1990, Salt Lake City was suddenly and violently displaced by its counterpart from the 2300s due to a rift in time. Millions died and it is considered one of the penultimate events leading up to the Broken Throne War. Home to The Grid before she was exiled.

(Unnamed Island): Home to the Hydra (hybrid of Amazonian and Atlantean cultures) who were kept hidden from the world by a strange weave of crystalline elements and metals surrounding the island within the Bermuda Triangle until a severe earthquake disrupted the tectonic plate beneath it just enough to shatter the weave. After remaining neutral during the Broken Throne War (not knowing their place between 'human' and 'alien'), negotiations began to establish the Hydra homeland as a sovereign nation. Due to a dispute over fishing rights and freedom to travel the ocean, diplomatic endeavors between the Hydra Empress and the United Nations have remained stalled for nearly two decades.

The Arena: Headquarters for the Circle (symbol here), the united group of registered heroes. The Arena orbits the Earth out of range of any legal human jurisdiction and is where all votes on registration occur.

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C.R.A.S.H. Corps

Courage, Respect, Ambition, Strength, and Honor. The C.R.A.S.H. Corps are a team of teens who seek to transition from super-powered and talented youth to respected heroes on the international stage. An organization founded in the 1980s by an amalgamation of sidekicks, the Corps was considered an auxiliary unit in the war on crime until they sacrificed three of their own to save Crossfire from Marcus Graves, the original Killshot. Now they exist as a place for young heroes to cut their teeth and are allowed an impressive degree of independence.

Current Roster

Starburst: An alien hero from a dimension where Mars was the only planet with sentient life in the Milky Way. Capable of absorbing and controlling all forms of heat and energy. Hir species is heterogamous and capable of altering their sex at will.

Ace Of Spades: A 'squire' defected from The Royal Family, a notorious organization of card-themed villains. Ace was blinded by Jack Of Diamonds - his own father - after refusing to assassinate a politician's 17 year old daughter. Despite his lack of sight, Ace is considered to be one of the most skilled archers in the world, said to rival the ruthless King of Spades.

Eve: A young botanist who invented a strain of self-replicating plants to help combat world hunger, Alexis Khavah had her own experiments turned on her by a rival student who sought international recognition. She survived being devoured by her own flora but became permanently altered by their spores. Has the ability to control, influence, and mutate plants. Heroic Poison Ivy expy.

Incubus: A demon hunter and magician from New Orleans. Creole. Possessed by the essence of a succubus seeking redemption. Currently the apprentice of sorcerer and empath Black John.

Max Velocity: Maxwell Proust, son of legendary speedster Lady Mercury.

Boy Zero: A self-made cyborg, hacker, and self-proclaimed King of the Internet. Despite being a fame-hound, his technical prowess was impressive enough to attract the attention of The Grid, the future-born information broker to the heroic set.

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The Sentinel / Sentinel 26

Alien. Male-bodied appearance. Xenophile. Part of a race of intergalactic protectors - translated as the Sentinels (combination of Superman and the Green Lanterns) - that are assigned to guard planets based on their distinctive personalities. The Sentinel has identified himself as Sentinel 26, but the meaning of the number is currently unknown.

Despite his gold (not blond, gold) hair and golden eyes, the Sentinel appears to be identical to a Caucasian human male. His skin is pale and according to several private testimonies, unusually cold. Along with super-strength, speed, and near-invulnerability, the Sentinel can cover himself in an liquid, indestructible silver-colored substance known as the Aegis Alloy. This armor covers him from head to toe and vaguely resembles a faceless Spartan helmet above the neck.

According to Sentinel timelines, Sentinel 26 was supposed to arrive on Earth in 2012. Instead, he crash-landed into the Pacific Ocean in 1962, nearly beginning another conflict on top of the Vietnam War. He awoke with no memory of previous events, but acknowledges the broken timeline and is both aware and participatory in his guardianship of the Earth.

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Pamela Chambers - Atomika

Born as Pamela Trinity Chambers. Human. Female. African-American.

A physicist working under private contract with the United States military to improve atomic weapons design - and develop a way to remotely disable the weapons of other countries - in the early 1960s, Dr. Chambers was a victim of industrial sabotage and terrorism when a spy in her private laboratories set off the nuclear weapon she had been granted for testing purposes.

Either through a passive genetic ability or bizarre happenstance, Dr. Chambers survived and absorbed the full explosion of the atomic bomb, preventing any harm to her fellow scientists as well as their research data. A special ops organization within the American government recruited her to study and test the full range of her abilities under Operation Alamogordo.

While initial plans involved Dr. Chambers being used as a secret weapon, she became the 'first line of defense' when the Sentinel crash-landed on Earth fifty years ahead of schedule in 1962. A public relations campaign to introduce the doctor to American citizens as Atomika was launched to console fears over an alien invasion, proving the United States had power of their own.

This began an international panic, leading to a 'hero boom' with countries all over the world revealing their super-powered denizens. In 1976, an accord was signed by all UN members - save for Japan and China - to register all known 'inhuman entities' in a single database for monitoring purposes.

Atomika can manipulate radiation to both harm and heal. She has also showed an improved 'half-life' making her biologically immortal by all scientific standards. So far it has manifested in heightened cellular regeneration and slowed (or erased) her aging process. Despite being in her early thirties when the accident occurred, Dr. Chambers does not resemble a woman of retirement age.

(A Storm and Wonder Woman expy?),

During the Broken Throne War in the late 1990s, Atomika shaved her head and briefly changed her name to Fallout, taking on a darker persona.

Atomika is also known for having survived more assassination attempts than any other hero, including a nation-wide white supremacist campaign in the 1980s to have her killed and replaced by a superpower of their own design.