Difference between revisions of "Crusader"

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	== Enemies ==		== Enemies ==
−	[[File:Striking_a_Blow_Vs._Despair_incarnate.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Battling Despair Incarnate in the Qliphothic Realm]]The divine nature of Crusader's abilities make him uniquely suited to combating threats of a spiritual or infernal nature. heIndeed, Crusader believes the Sword itself seeks confrontation with such evils, and calling him away from battling crimes of a lesser or more "worldly" nature such as robberies. He has forged a working relationship with a number of mystical heroes, including Witchcraft, who recognize Crusader's Sword and armor as effective tools against forces of the demonic.	+	[[File:Striking_a_Blow_Vs._Despair_incarnate.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Battling Despair Incarnate in the Qliphothic Realm]]The divine nature of Crusader's abilities make him uniquely suited to combating threats of a spiritual or infernal nature. Indeed, Crusader believes the Sword itself seeks confrontation with such evils, and calling him away from battling crimes of a lesser or more "worldly" nature such as robberies. He has forged a working relationship with a number of mystical heroes, including Witchcraft, who recognize Crusader's Sword and armor as effective tools against forces of the demonic.
	However, not all of his foes are of supernatural origin. The giant Goliath, the powerful telepath Iago, and the mad scientist known as The Locust are among the villains who have been vanquished by the Sword of the Spirit.		However, not all of his foes are of supernatural origin. The giant Goliath, the powerful telepath Iago, and the mad scientist known as The Locust are among the villains who have been vanquished by the Sword of the Spirit.

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Latest revision as of 15:39, 5 December 2013

Janson Cates is a father and high school teacher who became the hero Crusader after receiving a unique answer to a prayer. He currently operates in relative obscurity in Millenium City, but his missions against foes demonic, infernal, and Qliphothic have taken him across the planes of existence.

Origin

Everyone who lives in Millennium City has seen strange, frightening, and wonderful things. High School teacher Janson Cates, like so many ordinary residents of that city, lived under the protection of the Champions and were grateful for it. When the Qularr invasion occurred, the insectoid aliens landed a raiding party just a block away from the Cates' family home near city center. Cates, his wife, and six young children watched from their family room window as two Millenium City heroes were quickly and summarily defeated by Qularr troops. The family waited as the invaders began to move down the block, leaving destruction in their wake. Surely there would be more heroes on the way? Wasn't that always the way of this city? When none came, Cates sent his family to the basement, hoping there they might be safe. Then, Cates dropped to his knees, closed his eyes, and uttered a simple prayer as the explosions wrought by the Qularr shook the walls of his home: "Lord, please grant me the strength to protect my family."

Cates opened his eyes to find himself bathed in radiant light. There before him was a being of surpassing beauty, smiling, and holding out a gleaming sword.

"Thy prayer has been answered," the angel said. "Take thou the Sword of the Spirit, and raise it in opposition to this present darkness."

When Cates grasped the hilt of his sword, he was immediately covered with shining armor as a knight of old. When his awestruck gaze met the angel's, the being only smiled and, then was gone, and Cates left his home to battle the alien invaders. Cates' wife, Lisbeth, heard the clamour of the battle and rushed upstairs, fearing for her husband. What she saw instead was a knight with a flashing sword, beating back alien invaders on the very lawn of their home. She knew instinctively, however impossible it was to believe, that it was her husband who brandished the sword against the horde.

Though it seemed like an eternity, the battle lasted only minutes, and Cates stood, breathing heavily, surrounded by the ruined bodies of the Qularr. Though the street was in ruins, and the yard itself scorched and furrowed, the Cates house had suffered no harm, not even the scrape of a piece of shrapnel on the paint.

Lisbeth rushsed to the front yard as Cates removed the divine helmet. "What ... what is this?" She asked.

Cates smiled. "An answered prayer."

Their eyes went skyward as another Qularr landing ship sped overhead, in the direction of the city's heart.

Cates looked at his wife for a moment. "I can help," he said. "Help the Champions, right now."

Lisbeth nodded. "I know you can."

She kissed him, and they embraced. Then Cates was running off to defend his city. After a moment, he turned, and called back to his wife, "Tell the kids I'll be home by bedtime."

With that, he donned his helmet, and was gone.

The Sword of the Spirit

The sword given to Janson Cates by the angel is not, in fact, a sword, but a construct of divine power. So, in fact, is the armor that Crusader can summon on command. As such, neither the armor nor the sword has a fixed appearance, and Crusader can alter their shape and design. Typically, however, he chooses the appearance of a knight, for that is how the armor first appeared to him the day he received the sword. At times, however, he has formed the armor not as shining silver but as if it were crafted out of golden light; other times, he has fashioned the armor and sword to take on a more "modern" appearance, though this is rare.

The unique nature of the Sword reveals itself in other ways. As the blade only manifests a physical form at the will of Crusader, the blade is always with him and does not need to be stored, hidden, or disguised. Though the blade is deadly sharp when brought to bear against demonic foes, evil spirits, or even inorganic enemies such as cyborgs, it does not kill humans or other sentient beings. Even though the blade pass through a human foe, it does not cut; rather, the power of the sword itself works to incapacitate the enemy. This is an innate property of the sword happens without thought from Crusader.

The Sword of the Spirit can also, at Crusader's command, become wreathed in divine fire. The Sword also gives Crusader the ability to shape this divine fire into the fiery wings of the Seraphim, and give himself the ability to fly.

Without the Sword, Crusader is a human with very average strength and endurance. The Sword, however, gives him strength, allowing him to strike blows with supernatural force; and the armor shields him from physical, energy, or mystical damage that would otherwise be unbearable. This strength and endurance is not unlimited, however, and Crusader can tire like a normal human, and be knocked unconscious or killed even while wearing the armor if the trauma is substantial.

Personality

Crusader has taken to the hero role somewhat reluctantly. At some level, he feels unworthy of the gift and the power he was given. Yet, at the same time, so great was the gift that he feels obligated to use it to protect others. This sense of obligation has often overridden Cates' own human fears leading him into realms and battle foes that would leave many men cowering. This does not mean that the Sword of the Spirit supernaturally alleviates Cates' fears; rather, his sense of duty to use the divine gift to fight for good tends to outweigh any fear he might have for his own life.

Faith

In the years before he became the Crusader, Janson Cates would always have described himself as a man of faith. In truth he was lukewarm and lackadaisical about it. He regularly attended mass, Now, the longer he wields the Sword of the Spirit, however, Cates finds himself growing more in more in his faith. This is in no small part to the threats he has faced since claiming the Sword, threats which had designs on his very soul. As Crusader sometimes says, "How can a man see such things, and not believe in the divine?"

This increased faith has manifested itself in several ways in Cates' life. For one, he makes regular visits to confession. As he once told his confessor, Father Martin Clare, "receiving absolution makes me feel . . . I don't know . . . more 'ready' when it comes time to stare into the eyes of a demon." He carries a rosary with him often (though, it must be said, he does not use it for prayer with any regularity).

Despite his growing faith, Crusader does not attempt to evangelize those around him in any direct way. Though he does not hide his faith, he is uncomfortable trying to convince others to share it. This is no small source of internal conflict for Crusader, who is always wondering if he shouldn't be doing more with the gifts he has been given.

Relations with Other Heroes

Crusader has few close ties among the hero community.

He views sorcery and magic with no small measure of skepticism, given how often those abilities seem to have dark origins. Crusader, however, disciplines himself to observe first, and to see the good in everyone, regardless of their origins or the origins of their abilities.

Relations with the Media

Despite his otherworldly battles, Crusader is relatively unknown in Millennium City, in large part because the MC media do not particularly find him to be a media-friendly subject. For one, his faith, and the divine power which strengthens him, is not a favorite subject of modern secular media. Crusader is also a family man approaching middle age, and not a dashing, handsome, cocky and telegenic youngster. In his weaker moments, the relative obscurity in which he works irks Crusader, particularly given the fearful foes he has faced and vanquished.

Allies

Father Martin Clare: Janson Cates' pastor and confessor. He is one of the few people outside of Cates' family that know he is Crusader.

Enemies

The divine nature of Crusader's abilities make him uniquely suited to combating threats of a spiritual or infernal nature. Indeed, Crusader believes the Sword itself seeks confrontation with such evils, and calling him away from battling crimes of a lesser or more "worldly" nature such as robberies. He has forged a working relationship with a number of mystical heroes, including Witchcraft, who recognize Crusader's Sword and armor as effective tools against forces of the demonic.

However, not all of his foes are of supernatural origin. The giant Goliath, the powerful telepath Iago, and the mad scientist known as The Locust are among the villains who have been vanquished by the Sword of the Spirit.

The Seven Servants of Sin

Through his heroic deeds, Crusader has encountered what appears to be a tenuous connection between a number of his enemies, both supernatural and mortal. Parts of conversations have referenced "the seven" or "the Servants of Sin," with threats that the worst evils are yet to come.

Moloch: A demon, once worshipped and feared among ancient peoples, now bringing destruction and havoc to the modern world in the hopes that humans will again offer him honor and human sacrifices to stay his wrath.

. . . in progress