Morpheus Unbound  |  Supporting Cast  |  Villains & Vigilantes

The Crusaders Reserve Team

Introduction:  The Crusaders Reserve Team was started a few years ago by the Crusaders. They founded the team when the realized two things: 1) they couldn't do it all themselves, 2) their experience should be shared to help other supers gain experience, wisdom and strong moral values. Dreamweaver and Blizzard are in charge of the Reserves, and responsible for most of their training. Most of the reservists are between the ages of 18 and 30, and few have had their powers for very long. Because the reserves are a training group, but also expected to act as like Crusaders, the Crusaders are very careful about who they admit to the team. Those that demonstrate maturity and leadership are encouraged to "leave the nest" and form their own superteams in the tradition of the Crusaders. None of the current group are higher than fourth level (note this assumes that the Crusaders are higher level, each being at least fifth level).  

Membership:  The CRT is chartered to have between five and seven members.  

• Gargantua (Strong-Jawed Hero): male; Size Change: larger (variable height); Mutant Power (max Size increased by 100 times); Weakness (Agility penalty based on Weight is doubled; Agility cannot go below 1); Heightened Strength B. It is unknown how Gargantua gained his powers. He takes his responsibilities to the team very seriously, and he always tries to draw enemy fire. He was lonely as a child, and is very glad to be part of the CRT.
• Blazer (Loaded Gun): female; Flight; Power Blast (autofire, double damage, double range, cannot "pull her punch"); Invulnerability +15 against energy attacks; Heightened Agility A. Blazer fears her own powers at the same time she revels in using them. She has a control problem, and a lot of frustration to go with it. She will always challenge other energy projectors to a fight.
• Outlaw (Grim Leader): male; Natural Weaponry (Martial Arts); Heightened Agility A; Heightened Intelligence A x2; Pet; Weakness (arch-enemy). Outlaw is the oldest of the current CRT. He was teaching martial arts and exercise programs in his Detroit suburb when a scheme of the Buzzard went awry and he got directly involved trying to save innocent bystanders. His actions lead to the defeat of Buzzard and his hired supergoons, and very nearly exposed Buzzard's secret ID. During the final battle which occurred at the Detroit zoo, Outlaw was exposed to mutagenic substances which boosted his intelligence and bonded him with one of the animals.
• Rampage (Psychopath): female; Heightened Strength B; Heightened Endurance A; Heightened Speed; Weakness (watched by home agency). Rampage was born with her powers, and they manifested in her early teens. She is currently in her late teens, and is a Russian citizen. She was accepted into the CRT as a diplomatic favor. She is impulsive, has a short temper and carries a grudge for a long time.
• Grasp (Swashbuckler): male; Heightened Strength B; Stretching. Grasp can't take himself seriously, even if he thought other people would. He is silly and has a great sense of humor and comic timing. (Character inspired by Lizard.)
• Arc (Fanatic): male; Lightning Control x2. Arc's powers manifested while he was working as an electrical power plant technician. There was an accident and he received a massive dose of electricity. He is an aggressive patriot, and believes all super-criminals should get a fair trial, then rot in jail. He worries about property damage, and is becoming the resident expert on superhuman law. Needless to say, he and Rampage don't get along very well.

Origin and History:  In the early 1990s, the Chicago based superhero group Crusaders recognized two things.  First, while they were able to save the world about every month, the strain it put on the six of them precluded any kind of personal life.  Second, there were a lot of talented young superhumans who wanted to follow in their footsteps but lacked the moral training as well as physical training to succeed.  Thus, the idea for the Reserve Team was formed.  

Goals:  The reserve team serves the dual purpose of providing backup superheroes to help the Crusaders in time of need (or when one needs a vacation) and as a training academy of sorts for new superheroes.

Team Tactics:  [This section will be detailed later.]

Relations:  Members are carefully selected to be team players.  Thus all team members get along well on a professional level and several have become close friends.

Scenario Use:  The CRT makes an excellent way for a new team of PC superheroes to come together.  It provides them with proximity to the famous Crusaders.  Because the Crusaders are both rich and famous, it lets the new PCs start out with a bit of both.

Creator's Notes:  It's just meant to be fun.  Perhaps the PCs could become members of the CRT or help train them.