Faction: varies

In one the remotest parts of Japan, nestled in mountains untouched by modern influence, is a forbidding fortress of dark stone. Local folklore has long held that demonic and evil creatures inhabit the treacherous slopes below this outpost. However such accounts are generally agreed to be simply the stuff of superstition.

No-one ever scales those peaks, and those living nearby avoid even the shadow of the mountain, muttering about curses and death to the unwary, even if they are only the stuff of local legends. Yet in those tales is some shred of truth, for at the highest summit is that unwelcoming fortress, shrouded by the most ancient and powerful of devilish magic.

In the caves and hollows littering the mountainside, oni prowl; hideous, gigantic creatures with razor-sharp claws, wild manes of hair, and long horns growing from their fore-heads. They have formed a pact with the other denizens of this mountain, those ensconced in the citadel above. Their oni magic has concealed that edifice for centuries. In return blood ties have been formed between the oni and those living in the stronghold; as the world has moved on, the oni have managed to stay hidden from view under the aegis of those with whom they have made their pact.

Within the implacable walls of the fortress is an austere and drab settlement. Activity is evident throughout, but this is no noisy and bustling outpost. Far from it, as an eerie near-silence pervades all. Buildings are maintained, provisions distributed and martial skills practiced – all tasks conducted under the same chilling quiet.

There is no intrusion of modernity here. Buildings harken back to a by-gone era, and tools are traditional and basic. Those living there are quartered in bleak and bare cells.

Banners flutter in a cold breeze that passes over the bastion. Under those standards emblazoned with a green dragon motif, those who toil and train have all have sworn allegiance to one purpose alone; servitude to their master and an oath made to him to sweep clean Japan of all invaders. All in the citadel are instruments of his war, the precise and silent blade of the Green Emperor. They are the ninjas of the Jade Cult and they are his legion of assassins.

The Jade Cult network is an all-encompassing web across Japan. It is through this network that new members – assets –are acquired. Local intelligence is used to identify possible inductees who will follow the tenets of the Green Emperor while providing useful skills, from research scientists to potential killers. Thus, the Jade Cult’s assassins form just one branch of a vast and very secretive organization. Nonetheless the ninjas of the Jade Cult have become a powerful tool, sowing fear and murder on behalf of their master.

The Jade Cult has grown in the shadows, just as the power of the Green Emperor has grown, the two inextricably linked, and the Jade Cult ninjas have prospered through the links forged with the monstrous oni. Half-bloods have been carefully bred with human and oni parents. These offspring would be freaks or fiends in any other place, but in the castle of the Jade Cult assassins they are revered. They train harder, push themselves further and are more naturally adept with the skills of darkness and death than their human allies. The most able become sensei of the Jade Cult, instructing the next generation of the willing in the ancient arts of ninjutsu, while serving to enact the edicts of the Green Emperor.

Wild reports have been exchanged among a few within the Supreme community of a small band of ninjas that have broken with the Jade Cult. With what little is known of the Jade Cult and its iron-fisted master, this seems beyond credulity, but still those sporadic rumors persist.

As the gaze of the Green Emperor has turned to the west, to Pulp City, so too have his agents have been dispatched. Encounters with ‘ninjas’ are increasingly being reported in Pulp City; stories of silent killers often led by more bestial-looking assassins. Heavy Metal, the Blood Watch and the other Heroes of Pulp City recognize that a new force is on the rise in the city; although what the ultimate purpose of these implacable executioners is they do not yet know. And of course, there are other secret citadels where such assassins are trained…

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—Report Transcript—

Memorandum Summary of Coven Vigilante Dossiers (Coven Strike File #2056; cross-reference #0092; # 0545; #1001; #1732; #1789; #1801; #1803; #1898; #1974; #2011)

There have been more than a dozen recorded instances in the past year of individual citizens donning masks and operating as illegal vigilantes in Pulp City, despite there being nothing in their backgrounds to specifically indicate the talents or capabilities required to operate against Supremes. Furthermore, this has taken place in context where such masked vigilantism is illegal.
Even excluding known or emerging Supremes, it appears that numbers of masked vigilantes operating in Pulp City in the past few years exceed that of the next highest metropolitan incidence by more than one thousand per cent. Something is clearly behind this, which may be relevant to Coven activities in the city going forwards. Analysis has highlighted that the rate of masked vigilantism has increased following the emergence of Dan Peyton/”Dead Eye” operating as a Supreme Hero (cross-ref #0545); whether there is in fact any correlation with his appearance and the rise is unproven at this time.
There are several other hypotheses as to why such masked vigilantism is so prevalent in Pulp City. One suggests that that as more Supremes have become active, that more citizens in turn have been inspired to act on their recognizance. Another suggested explanation is that there is a specific trigger connected to Pulp City – possibly some arcane or even occult guiding force – which encourages the vigilantes. Another hypothesis is the suggestion that with so many invasion events in the city, including multiple incursions from the Necroplane, Ulthar and Grimm Under Empire, that donning a mask to fight injustice is a way for some citizens to be able to make sense of circumstances far beyond their understanding. Despite the numbers of masked vigilantes killed or seriously injured in action, more continue to join their ranks.
Recent activities have highlighted a growing issue in the rise of masked vigilantism. While this has done little to disrupt any of our plans, information can often be power, and so it is imperative that we collate accurately what we know or learn. We seek knowledge to defeat not only these foes, but potentially those whom they work alongside, and find ways that the Coven can exploit any potential assets.

Case Study #1 (Coven Strike File #1732)
Wayne Lamont was a musician who lived in Pulp City for four years before becoming a masked vigilante. Taking to the streets armed only with a baseball bat, he first operated alongside Dead Eye, and with a second vigilante – Bruce Cranston – the three battled side by side during the last Ulthar invasion. Lamont exhibited no special abilities, and there was no indication in his background that he had talents that predisposed him towards being able to function as a masked vigilante able to operate as a resistance fighter. It is believed that Lamont may have begun his career as a masked vigilante following a small Necroplane incursion in which the heart of the city was targeted. Many citizens were killed or injured, and this attack left him hospitalized and his then-girlfriend dead. It appears he made a full recovery and it was sometime later that his vigilante activities began.
Lamont operated as a sometime vigilante until he and several allies faced a small group of criminal Supremes. During this encounter Lamont was psychically assaulted by the Villain known as Sister Bedlam. He was hospitalized for several months in a private psychiatric ward before he finally passed away. When his family and friends were questioned after his crime-fighting activities were revealed, they claimed no knowledge that Lamont had been operating as a masked vigilante. His funeral was attended by Dead Eye and a number of Supremes he was known to have operated alongside, including Trail, Harrier, and Solar, and it was Dead Eye who delivered the stirring eulogy on the day.

Case Study #2 (Coven Strike File #1789)
Bruce Cranston was a semi-professional wrestler (under the stage-name of ‘American Guardian’) later known to have operated periodically as a vigilante, occasionally alongside Wayne Lamont, yet neither man shared any prior connection. Before becoming a masked vigilante, Parke had been a member of the Pulp City chapter of the Knight Angels volunteer citizens’ patrols. He left that organization after reporting that the organization was not doing enough to combat crime proactively.
The first recorded appearance of Cranston as a masked vigilante was operating alongside Dead Eye and a large Team of Supremes including Trail, Jade Hawk and Skyline as they foiled a raid by a Coven Strike Team to acquire artifacts from Pulp City Museum (cross-ref #1789). Coven operatives described the Team as ‘ad hoc’, and although seemingly disorganized when compared to Teams such as Heavy Metal and Blood Watch, they followed Dead Eye unwaveringly, and it was reported that Bruce Cranston fought with near super-human power during the conflict as he was spurred on by his leader.
In a later incident when aiding Dead Eye, Cranston was observed in combat with two Pisces warriors during the last Ulthar invasion, barely defeating both single-handedly before he and Dead Eye took on and felled a mighty Aries. While it appears that Cranston has shunned the limelight, it is believed that he still operates alongside a select group of Supremes whom he trusts and is trusted by from time to time, when they need extra support from a proven ally. It is clear that no-one in his home borough of New Port will say anything to implicate him to the Police and he has since become an established Hero of his local community.

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Faction: Necroplane

File # Nec/5678 (briefing)
CODENAME: NECRO G.I.

The salvaged being identified as a ‘Necro G.I.’ is one of the rank-and-file troopers terminated during the last Necroplane assault on the Twilight Hills (02.06.1987). It is a biped with an unusually high percentage of muscle mass. DNA analysis proves that most of the creature’s bodily tissue and organs ceased chemical and biological processes approximately 36 months ago and since then has been stimulated by electro-charges on the cellular level. It is unknown whether the physiological structure of the Necro G.I.’s has been further modified from its base form other than the addition of the electro-charge stimulator.

The recovered Necro G.I. sample resembles homo sapiens on many levels though its brain is much smaller, as most of its cranium is filled with extra layers of bone and shock absorbent fluid. It has longer-than human proportion upper limb appendages and a slightly bent-forward spine, which allows these creatures to launch surprisingly fast attacks, despite the inherent limitations of apparently necrotic bodily tissues.

Each of these creatures carries a small battery-reserve of energy of unknown source, although there is speculation made by the Supreme named Six Feet Under that this is a ‘mystical’ energy type, which is scientifically not proven in any way and as-yet undetectable; he claims they are powered by life energy gathered by the Necroplane harvest ships from living beings. Apparently this energy is distributed evenly to all body parts and is responsible for stimulating through conversion to electro-charges any Necro G.I. activity and their remaining bodily processes.

Threat Assessment
Weaknesses: Necro G.I.’s possess low level of battlefield independence. It is therefore recommended to eliminate their leaders to easily overcome even huge groups of these alien invaders. Only the destruction of the energy backpacks or removal of their grafted weapons and armor can assure that individual Necro G.I.s are eliminated from the battlefield permanently.

Threats: Necro G.I.’s are relatively well armored, and their battle-gear is equivalent in capability to that used by elite Earth troops. The unusual alloy and fiber used to manufacture the plates and weaponry points to the only one location on Earth; if forged on Earth then it is strongly believed that these items must had been manufactured by RedCo, one of Royal Investments auxiliaries. (NOTE: intelligence services are to investigate that thread further). There is no way to “disarm” a Necro G.I. as their weaponry and armor are grafted into their flesh and any attempt to remove them may instantly terminate the being.

Though at this point there is no proof, the Necro G.I.s biological weapons have been reported as being able to simulate “the resurrection sequence” on fallen Earth’s defenders. Please report back if this is found to be true.

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Faction: none (Sentry Bots)

Faction: Heavy Metal (Advanced Sentry Bots)
After the first failed Ulthar invasion in the early 1970′s, some inquisitive scientific minds in Pulp City embarked on a project of fighting metaphorical Ulthar fire with fire!

Most of the captured technology from the repelled invaders was immediately snatched up by the military, and dragged away into the hidden depths of secret labs, only to surface years later in one form or another.

However, some of that leftover Ulthar technology was not locked down by the military, and subsequently found its way into the hands of a few private citizens, each with considerable influence and resources.

Even as military scientists began their work to understand Ulthar power systems and weapons, it took Supreme minds to crack the security codes of the invasion’s foot-soldier robots. The battle-droids had been brought to Earth by the Ulthar in their will to conquer an inferior civilization, and the technology was clearly superior to anything mass produced on the planet.

As progress was made, it was quickly found that the deactivated Ulthar Bots were still dangerous, and extremely tricky to deal with, as any manual attempt to open their thick ceramic hide would set off an auto-destruct mechanism. Many brave were lost trying to unlock the Ulthar secrets wrapped in the deactivated and defunct army left in the wake of their defeat. But of course, they were not the only ones studying the alien technology.

When a group of Heroes from Pulp City eventually put enough clues together, too late they realized that somebody was buying up all the wrecked Ulthar war robots from around the world that could still be obtained through the black market.

Those Heroes followed the trail which led them to look toward Kodo Island, and thus it was almost certain that the Mysterious Man was behind the operation to acquire the inactive automata. The Supreme Heroes knew an assault on the roving secret island would surely fail, even if they could find it. However, despite their frustrations they would not have to wait long for Mysterious Man’s involvement to be felt. Shortly after they had identified him as the mastermind gathering whatever leftover Ulthar technology that he could, the first of his reprogrammed Sentry Bots fought alongside Nuke against a local Supreme in a short and violent battle in a radioactive waste dump in Mexico.

The basic design of the Sentry Bots became very popular among various groups after the Mexico incident, even though the Earthly materials used to create new units could never duplicate the defensive potential of the original Ulthar prototypes. The auto-destruct mechanism, which was incredibly difficult to remove, was generally reprogrammed so that a controlled Sentry Bot could be turned into a tactical warhead when its position was compromised. Mercenary groups, like Trinity Inc. and other warmongering Supremes of Pulp City, found the unfailing loyalty of Sentry Bots to be almost priceless.

As more and more Sentry Bots were impounded from crime scenes, Androida of Heavy Metal was able to acquire a supply through agreements made with PCPD and City Hall. The android speedster-scientist managed to build upon the framework of the original Ulthar Bot, creating a new more technologically advanced version of the Sentry Bot that possessed a higher capability artificial intelligence with a very efficient and fast tactical computer hard-wired into its systems. With protective plates that are reinforced by advanced ceramic shields, the Heavy Metal Advanced Sentry Bots have resilience matching that of some Supremes. The downside has been that the production cost of each unit is equal that of a small tank.

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