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"With Great Power Comes Great Responsability."
"Power Corrupts. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely."
Most people are familiar with these two phrases. In Jupiter's Children,
the latter phrase is the result most often seen from those that have
become more than human. That have become Metahumans.
But they are still, at heart, quite human. Some are quite good and
believe in justice, peace, and goodwill towards Man. Most are indiferent
to their powers, or to others, just wanting to get on with their lives
with as little complication as possible. But some have truly become
corrupted by the great power they weild.
And just like Humans that hold power over the common man with their
military, monetary, or political might, Metahumans can be cruel, malicious
and terrible tyrants as well.
In many parts of the world, metahumans took the opportunity granted by the
confusion after Jupiter's Ignition to stealthily taken over governments,
topple political regimes, and influence major corporations. Indeed, it
was the political chaos caused by the sudden shifting of power that almost
bathed the world in a nuclear war. Fortunately for Humanity, there were
simply too many changes, which combined with the general air of stunned
disbelief, caused enough confusion to keep anything from working
correctly, including the effective mobilization of military forces.
Within a year things had settled down again, more or less, but the world
was still forever different. There were new figures in power, even if
many were behind the scenes, with a new level of personal strength... And
power. Power that was corrupting even the most well meaning of those
people. What's more, using the confusion and panic of the Ignition for
leverage, many governments wrested even more power from their populations
than they had previously.
The world of Jupiter's Children embarked on a darker, seedier path than
our own. Despite huge leaps and advances in technology and breakthroughs
in medical sciences the social morals of civilization was sliding
backwards into something that was last seen in the Dark Ages. Except now
it wasn't just feudal lords, kings and queens that held power. The power
of the Government was slowy being erroded away by the new bourguess: lobby
groups, unions, corporations, and the stronger metahumans.
Now, almost two decades later, multinational corporations hold as much
power over the common man as the country of their birth... And sometimes
more. Civil rights have been suspended in many countries around the
world, especially in the third world, as the superpowers (corporate or
government) concern themselves primarily with their own gain.
The result is a world where every day seems bleak and uncertain for those
in the lower income brackets.
While that paints a pretty grim picture, it's not the desolate future
often seen in Cyberpunk settings or Dark Worlds. Not yet, anyway.
It's a world where Truth and Justice are only paid lipservice. Where
private police forces are the norm, hired out like mercenary groups to
those that can afford them. Where the municiple police are contracted out
to security companies that every year become less effective due to budget
cutbacks. Where the entertainment industry has evolved close to a
religion, with Hollywood as a sort of Mecca for those desperate for a new
future. It's a place where the police have become the extortionists while
gangs often own legitimate businesses.
There has been a gradual relaxation of laws that were once considered
inviolate. Where law enforcement is usually only seen by those that can
afford to enforce it.
Strangely enough, a surprising number of people /can/ afford it. With the
rise of the multinational corporations taxes in many countries have
actually been forced lower. Not only does this mean the average consumer
has more money to spend on luxury items, but the governments the
corporations struggle with have less resources to impeed the rise of
corporate power. Corporate lobying also pushed more laws to be passed for
welfare reforms, improving the lives of many of the impoverished. And, of
course, allowing the impoverished to use tax money to purchase the items
the corporations are selling... even as they become a bigger drain on the
taxbase.
As can be imagined, there's a dark side to that benefit. With the
increase in welfare benefits the unemployment rate has steadily increased,
which in turn has caused crime rates to increase and put more pressure on
muninciple law enforcement. The smart crooks stay out of the areas
patrolled by private forces, which themselves are closer to armies,
meaning the brunt of most crime is solidly in the middle class and lower
class populace.
It's in this environment that the Vigilante has been given new strength.
The beleaguered police are more than willing to accept the help of crime
fighters that are not only willing to help for free, but help keep crime
statistics down with minimal danger to the police themselves. While
technically illegal for any unlicensed individual to act in their own
behalf, most police will turn a blind eye to the actions of the
vigilantes, only getting involed when civilian casualties are likely.
Or, to be truthful, when property damage is likely.
The vigilantes are also a natural deturrant to the superpowered villains
that the police, generally, are ill-equipped to handle. And not all that
enthused about handling because facilities for detaining the villains are
expensive and risky for the guards. Not to mention that any competent
villain will have a very competent law firm on retainer.
Over the last several years, more and more meta-powered criminals and
self-appointed law enforcers have clashed and tangled above, inside, and
even under the cities. In their own way, they have become media
celebrities. Metapowers on both sides have fanclubs, image repositories
on the internet, and there are even conventions held in the honor of
particularly famous individuals. Some of the particularly well-known, of
each side, can even be found touring cities and clubs, or jost spotted
walking down the street and signing autographs.
It's a cultural fascination the likes of which haven't been seen since the
days of the Roman Empire and its Gladiators. They're a public spectacle
that is larger than life, bigger than the common man. They have worked
their way into society with the clairon tumpets of danger, thrill, beauty
and even raw sex appeal.
Sometimes it is hard to tell if they fight eachother for what they believe
in, be it freedom or greed, of if they are in it just for the attention
lavished upon them by the screaming crowds.
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