Morpheus Unbound | Supporting Cast | Hero System
Created 1997 by Judd Baker and Patric Rogers.
Introduction: D-SAST is a tiny little division of PRIMUS. Officially, they do not exist. They are a semi-autonomous unit created by Silver Avenger Stacy Matherson. Matherson is assigned to the Atlanta PRIMUS office, and D-SAST is also based out of Atlanta. D-SAST is a "rehabilitation" program for supervillains captured by the U.S. federal government. These criminals are given the choice to rot in prison, or join D-SAST as covert government agents. These agents must maintain a secret profile and (with the exception of Hardware) they do not, in fact, know that they work for PRIMUS.
Membership: Hardware, Weasel, Vengeance, Pulsetiger, Psyanide
Origin and History: Silver Avenger Matherson felt that traditional law enforcement, even the immense power wielded by PRIMUS, was not enough. To this end, Matherson authorized long time associate Equinox to create a team of paranormals and operate in the very gray areas of the law. If they also operated outside the law, but did not endanger innocent civilians, then Matherson might be willing to exert pressure to protect the group as well.
The original members were Hardware, Vengeance and Weasel. Hardware is actually a civilian (rather than a criminal) and was recruited from the PRIMUS technical division. Vengeance was caught trying to assassinate a U.S. Senator and Weasel simply pissed off PRIMUS one to many times.
Pulsetiger became a vigilante when by random chance he came in to possession of the Pulsetiger battlesuit. The Pulsetiger battlesuit is an illegal modification of the Pulsecat battlesuit, developed by Hardware. Because of his vigilante status, he was wanted by authorities. Because he possessed an illegal variant of the Pulsecat battlesuit (manufactured by PRIMUS) he was wanted by PRIMUS. (Un)fortunately for him D-SAST found him first.
Goals: D-SAST's purpose is to stop criminals and criminal agencies - both mundane and super - by whatever means necessary. Often, these means are as simple as gather anonymous evidence for more conventional law enforcement agencies. D-SAST will rarely use lethal force, although few of them have any qualms about it.
Team Tactics: Stealth is the number one operating priority. D-SAST does not exist, and therefore should maintain a low profile. In combat, Hardware (when present) is the accepted leader and he has an excellent tactical sense. Hardware also recognizes that each member of the team is a capable (if not professional) combatant, and he usually lets them handle things their own way.
Relations: Hardware and Vengeance have worked together extensively, and have a good professional working relationship. Weasel is a punk who annoys everybody. Pulsetiger and Psyanide are too new to the team to have developed real relationships yet. In small ways, all members resent Hardware because he is a free agent, with no binding obligation to be involved with D-SAST.
Scenario Use: Unless the PCs are operating outside the law, or are hunted by agencies acting outside the law, they should never be aware of D-SAST's presence.
Creator Notes: D-SAST was created in 1992. Judd Baker had the idea to GM a "dirty dozen" kind of group. Unfortunately, due to a combination of disastrous dice rolls ("Vengeance blows her 17- Stealth roll. That means she pricks her finger on a rose and screams really loudly.") and Patric's "never surrender" attitude ("Yeah, OK, screw stealth. Chaos reigns. We spray '800-rent-a-thug' on the walls and demand to know where they hid the bank vault in this embassy."), the early games were well on the light-hearted side ("My secret agents ignored my explicit orders and stowed away on a plane to a super secret military base in Nevada and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."). But the dream remained alive, and as time passed the proper "dark and gritty" feel was achieved (no really!).