Allies & Enemies

Allies

The Vigilant

Details

A quite loose group of heroic figures, who occasionally work together to deal with problems beyond their individual abilities or are brought together by fate. Y is a founding member and the one who named the group (albeit accidentally). The core group are;

The Fang

Montgomery Walker was once a well-respected geneticist, researching methods to transplant the qualities of plants and animals into humans reliably. He was disgraced when an experiment went horribly wrong, making him seem a failure. He later discovered it was the result of sabotage from his own corporation, who wanted to steal his work for use in a criminal organisation while erasing all evidence that the science worked. When it became apparent he had indeed gained powers from the accident, he set out at first to get revenge on the members of the conspiracy but soon started using his powers to fight for good causes as The Fang.

Fang possesses the ability to transform into any animal he has absorbed a DNA sample from (he does so via touch). At first, he could only wholly transform, but over time learnt to become chimaeras or grant himself particular traits from his 'library'. At all times he possesses superhuman strength able to lift a ton of weight and durable skin that can shrug off an amazing amount of damage, able to shrug off bazooka shells. By performing a reverse process of implanting his DNA into plant life, it temporarily gains rudimentary intelligence, movement and rapid growth. Perhaps thanks to how most lifeforms are mostly water or via controlling microscopic life within it, he can also psychically command water to shape to his wishes.

Y and Fang get along quite well, though Fang is the quickest to point out Y's ego. Being a straightforward and dour man, he has little patience for Y's theatrics but does respect that of the group, Y is probably the kindest. Y often disapproves of Fang's violent methods but admires his practicality.

Cavalry
Cavalry was either kidnapped as an infant or created entirely by Monochrome, an underground secret society. She was trained and modified from a young age to act as a warrior and given a chance to earn the designation of White Knight by the chess-themed organisation. However, when her last test was killing fellow trainees, she refused and escaped. She vowed to save the others, choose to call herself Cavalry- as in 'the cavalry has arrived' meaning a rescue. Naive and inexperienced about ordinary life, she developed the alter ego of Felicity Foxheart and is guided through life by a teenage runaway, Kyra Brooks.

Having undergone extensive experimentation as a child, Cavalry possesses a malleable body, allowing her to change her shape and appearance so long as she does not alter her mass, allowing her to disguise herself, slip through small cracks, bounce around etc. This also allows her a degree of superhuman durability, able to ignore anything less than machinegun fire. By reforming her body after it is damaged, she can regenerate and reattach severed body parts. She can carry and store a sizeable electrical charge, granting her the ability to shock targets or absorb electricity. She can channel this through conductive objects. A favourite use for this is to charge her broadsword, and she carries a specialised taser. She's extremely well trained with swords and firearms.

Y is close to Cavalry. Quickly they developed an almost sibling closeness, though Y still keeps his true identity from her. He assisted her with developing her civilian persona and is quite protective of her, sometimes to her annoyance. She, in turn, idolises Y and often turns to him for moral guidance as much as mission assistance.

Takemikazuchi
The Shinto god of the sword, in ancient times he was responsible for securing the Japanese isles for the Amatsu-Kami and protecting the people there. After his greatest battle, in which he subjugated Amatsumikaboshi the eldritch monster, he wished to continue his conquest and obtain yet more military honour. To keep him from unbalancing the cosmic order, Takemikazuchi was tasked with guarding the cosmic horror. In the modern-day Amatsumikaboshi (from now referred to as Mikaboshi) escaped, and so the sword god finally had a chance to return to the mortal world and fight once more. He has declared he will not return until he has captured Mikaboshi and undone the chaos he unleashes. In the meantime, he takes any excuse to do battle with the forces of darkness.

Much like the other pantheons of gods in the Marvel universe, details regarding the legends are tweaked. In Takemikazuchi's case, his parentage, in particular, is different. Originally Takemikazuchi and others sprung from the decapitation of the infant fire god Kagutsuchi in an act of grief fueled filicide by Izanagi, when Kagutsuchi's birth lead to Inzami's death. Here Kagutsuchi is depicted as a powerful cosmic being from another dimension. He had a tryst with Izanami, an aspect of Gaea, and in a fit of jealousy, Izanagi battled and banished him. Takemikazuchi, the only child of this union, possesses significantly augmented physical power compared to his fellow Amatsu-Kami but also the more savage instincts of the alien warrior. (It also makes him Thor's half-brother, technically, as in the Marvel universe Gaea is Thor's mother.)

Phenomenally physically powerful and a skilled combatant, Takemikazuchi is comparable to the likes of Thor and Hercules. He is deserving of his title as a sword god but is also a master of hand-to-hand combat. His sword, Futsunomitama, can change size including to cosmic proportions. By making the gesture of drawing it, the sword will always appear in his hand. As a result, he has a tendency to leave it lying around.

Y and Takemikazuchi often butt heads, which the others find ironic as most of their disagreements are due to their similarities. Both are stubborn and prideful, though they do admire each other's sense of valour. While the rest of the group call him Take for short, Sam sticks to Takemikazuchi every time.

Magical Servants

Details

Vozgas

See summonedservant

Anna Conda & the Slorgs

In one of Sam's early adventures, he came into contact with the last remaining Slorgs. A race of serpents with women's heads, the abominations were thought extinct for tens of thousands of years, but when seeking mystical knowledge Sam came across a group deep in the Amazon jungle, serving an evil sorcerer. He refused to let his allies kill any due to their endangered status. With the assistance of one he affectionately nicknamed Anna Conda, due to her Slorgish name being unpronounceable, he overthrew the sorcerer. His compassionate manner with the snake women allowed him to convince them to follow him instead.

Sam considers himself the Slorg's guardian above their master and cares for them, rarely commanding them. Most of the Slorgs live in his Archive of Arcana, acting as guardians and caretakers of his interdimensional sanctuary. This protects them from outsiders who wish to obtain them. Anna, on the other hand, lives on Earth with Sam in his magical sanctum. She has learnt to speak English and acts as Sam's secretary in magical matters. Anna is fascinated with modern human society and has become a minor celebrity in parts of London, where she is accepted and celebrated. She has a penchant to dress up as cultural icons such as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Marilyn Monroe's The Seven Year Itch dress, etc.

Solomon International Antiques

Details

Sam's company, which has run in the family for hundreds of years. Originally simply called Solomon's, then Solomon's National Antiques and finally Solomon International Antiques. Sam was groomed from a young age to run the company, but after discovering his calling as a mystic Sam has been less involved, but still takes part in his company's running. As is typical of super-heroics, somehow his adventures keep getting mixed up in his civilian life. Sam often joins the archaeological work the company does, when looking for dangerous magical items to confiscate.

Nadia Newman
The CEO and old friend of Sam. Nadia is a somewhat severe woman who doesn't think much of Sam, believing him to be unambitious and unwilling to live up to his talents, but still cares for him as a friend. Despite (or perhaps because) of her extreme distaste for Y's big ego, she finds him attractive and is annoyed that Y won't flirt with her. Nadia is also the occasional host of the ancient sorceress, Queen Vam, whose soul was sealed in a necklace Sam gifted to Nadia. Ever since Vam has made many attempts to permanently possess Nadia.

Enemies

Details

Herman Hasskil, the Devil Doctor
If anyone could be called Y's nemesis, it's Herman Hasskil. A German scientist during WWII, he was one of the 'devil doctors', an international cabal of scientists who used the war as excuse to perform unethical experiments in the name of necessity. They took part in a conspiracy to extend the war for as long as possible for their own ends. Herman is one of the world's greatest biologists, but the limited technology of the era prevented him from achieving his theories. He turned to magic and proved to be talented. X the Mystic fought his creations many times and eventually, it was Herman who banished X to his prison dimension at the climax of the siege on Castle Superbeast, the last grand scale supernatural battle of WWII. Mortally injured, Herman saved his own life by transforming himself into a demon.

Now in the modern-day, Herman is the only living devil doctor and some refer to him as the Devil Doctor. He continues his goal to create the Rex Mundi, a single superior being that can rule the world. Y hunts him at every turn, both to foil his plans and try to free X. Herman gives Sam the serious creeps.

Demoniac
Baddon Rease was a gymnast, on track to be on the England team for the Olympics. Unfortunately for his career, Baddon is a mutant who one day transformed into a close approximation of a stereotypical devil, complete with red skin, horns and a spade tail. Possessing superhuman strength and the ability to turn into smoke, plus his acrobatic training, Baddon began committing thefts in an attempt to pay for experimental treatments to return to human appearance. He pretended to be an actual demon that was merely the minion of a mysterious master, which successfully confounded Y for some time.

Over time he has become quite comfortable with his devilish appearance and is now a professional thief by choice. He focuses on using misdirection and trickery, and despite his ruse of being a demon being foiled, he's still quite a threat to Y thanks to his talent for getting the drop on him. He's often frustrating to Y, as he knows just how to get under his skin and disrupt his magic.

Queen Vam
A sorceress queen of a long-forgotten civilisation, Vam ruled as a tyrant until an uprising overthrew her. She was unable to escape death but sealed her soul in her favourite jewel so she might live again through its power by possessing others. Unfortunately for Vam, she didn't have the time to tell this to her only remaining faithful servant who instead placed it in Vam's tomb. Eventually unearthed by Sam, Vam possessed his CEO Nadia Newman and after a few times left her jewel to permanently be hosted in Nadia. Sam has not yet found how to separate them, and instead has to find ways to suppress Vam.

Vam is quite fond of Sam, but finds Y to be an irritating blowhard.