There are two types of people: those who accept their own pathetic existence and those who fight to give their lives some semblance of a purpose. And then there are "people" like myself,who stand above the mere mortals of this world and who acknowledge that the quest for power and knowledge is all that matters.- Tyrant

((Just putting a warning here noticing that this is largerly a Work In Progress, I've been working for the past few weeks in fleshing out the character and will try to post the revised info as soon as possible.))

Background/History:

Information regarding Tyrant’s background is extremely rare, almost non-existent, some even whisper that he himself does not remember either. All evidence that may provide some important clue to identifying or better understanding to the villain’s background ends up destroyed or missing in some sort of incident. Some clues have been gathered by a number of authorities such as PRIMUS and Project Hermes. Clues point that Tyrant may or may not have been born in the upper class of, most probably, New York. He has demonstrated vast knowledge regarding various myths and legends from distinct sources and mythologies, and it’s a safe assumption to guess that Tyrant had a passion for myths and legends in his youth. It is widely believed that he was a gifted youngster, but of course no such thing as verified evidence has been found (yet?).

Most theories trace Tyrant as a practitioner of the dark arts, and a gifted one at that. His passion for power and wealth found newfound limits with the power of the occult. Tyrant is believed to have established connections with various cults and mystic threats such as the Circle of The Scarlet Moon, DEMON and even the Devil’s Advocates. It is unknown what kind of activities or campaigns he participated or controlled before his “ascension”.

What his known is that in his quest for power he made various pacts with various demons, he swore loyalty to none but the demons weren’t going to ignore him, he showed remarkable talent and ambition that could easily be exploited. He made pacts with various evil entities, promising to spread chaos and havoc in their unholy name. The entities that aligned themselves with him are not fully known but he did gain vast power with his alliance with the Sin Emperors of the Netherworld and even harnessed a fraction of the Dragon’s dark might. His powers don’t have one specific source, which give him some versatility, but of course no demon will offer him the power they would to a true avatar, after all he made pacts with several others besides them.

His current power levels are believed to be harnessed around 2001, since then he began plotting his emergence to the world. He established his organization for nearly a decade, gathering even more forbidden artifacts and creating a cult of worshippers all of them seeking for power and strength, most of them end up dead or sacrificed to some evil spirit but those that show some actual talent serve as Tyrant’s most loyal agents (see the Organization chapter for info on the ranks of Tyrant’s forces). He also brought to life his Ebon Legion, an army of dark shadowy beings bought forth and molded in Tyrant’s sinister image.

After nearly 10 years preparing his armies and researching several superhuman and paranormal figures that could pose potential enemies…or allies, he saw his power weakening; he had to please the whim of several dark figures if he hoped to maintain his power, and so he decided he would please them all at once. Instead of the simple sacrifices he had been doing for the past years, he plotted a massive attack where the lives lost would bring the delight and approval of his dark “masters”. And so, in April 2011 he launched a massive attack against the city of Chicago. Few thousand people died, amongst them about a dozen of local super heroes, the first to face his hordes. Heroes from around the country quickly responded to the threat however and soon, Tyrant was defeated. During the battle, his powers were fully restored as the demons had enjoyed their “meal”. And so he vanished, under a mantle of shadows, and soon so did his legions.

He’s only appeared two times (officially) since then. One of them was the so-called “Necrull Incident”, in November 2011, after one of his Canadian bases was sieged by hordes of the undead, Tyrant gathered his troops against the sorcerer, he emerged victorious that day gaining the hatred of one of Canada’s greatest threats. Since then, Steelhead has kept an eye for any facility of his hidden in the wilderness, so far they haven’t found anything, but it’s not like Tyrant wants them to. The other, was in Vibora Bay, early January of 2012, where he was searching for the powerful Janus Key and ended up clashing with Robert Caliburn, who believed he was breaking in a Demonhame after receiving a tip from a yet unknown informer (who Tyrant wants to find and properly punish). He has not been seen (officially) since that. Rumors have started to hit the street about his visits to Club Caprice and Sherrera’s Bar, but the authorities haven’t found clue of such. Besides, Tyrant could never even come close to Renaissance Center without getting busted….or could he?

Personality/Motivation:

Tyrant is a megalomaniac. Obsessed with power and influence he only cares about his own personal gain and will face anything or anyone in his path. However, he is not truly a “maniac” as some could say, scientifically speaking he is perfectly sane, displays no sign of a mental disease, and some even defend that his villainous actions are the result of demonic corruption. In truth, Tyrant is perfectly healthy mentally, he considers himself to be the next great leader of history following the footsteps of Caesar and Alexander the Great. He normally disguises his true selfish motives under a more “noble” attitude, he tries to show how the world could improve under his lead (which it could, but the little good he could do would be no match for the evils he would awaken). He generally despises other superhuman beings that do not rely or use mystic or supernatural powers. He firmly hates science, let alone technology. He has established alliances with a number of mystical super villains (such as Talisman or Black Paladin) and aided them on some plans, but his involvement is kept secret. He occasionally allies or hires non-mystic super villains to do his work (under fake names and alias, of course) but he only does so since the heroes would never suspect his alliance with the criminal, should he get busted. He is a gifted strategist and keeps a network of spies to inform him about various subjects.

Powers/Tactics:

Tyrant is a powerful mystical threat, while not on the level of the likes of Takofanes, he stands in the levels of Dark Seraph and Eclipse, and is capable of tackling various super heroes at once, he can face a couple of experienced heroes at once, and, if necessary, will harness further power from his demonic masters in order to face some overwhelming force even through that has never happened (yet), granted he has yet to meet with a truly powerful adversary until now. Tyrant does not rely on specific tactics against most foes. The great majority of them are knocked out with one of his infernal blasts; those who can endure his attacks are paralyzed by his hellish chains. He only plans in anticipation when he tackles a foe of a superior power and prestige such as a respected hero, but only if he poses a significant threat or relies on some arcane power that may prove itself harmful to Tyrant.

Resources:

Tyrant is the leader of the Ebon Legion (that will be detailed in the Organization chapter), he appears to have great wealth which he uses for “lesser” matters such as bribing authorities or purchasing some sort of artifact in the underworld (if he doesn’t steal it that is). He has a small group of bases scattered through the world, especially in North America and Europe. He has a network of spies and informers that have infiltrated several organizations and factions under Tyrant’s behalf (more info on which organizations can be seen on the Associates, Allies and Adversaries chapter). He also has ties to a more “mundane” criminal empire that most suspect is the source of his fortune (some theories suspect otherwise and point to Tyrant being the heir to a vast treasure or being born in the upper [rich] class). He has, on occasion, hired mercenaries for vast amounts of money and directed them to eliminate any potential threat or research some character, he does this using fake names and alias ensuring that his influence on the case is not known.

Appearance:

Tyrant’s armor is both an imposing tool that ‘’strikes fear into the heart of enemies” as it is a force to be reckoned with. The armor itself possesses power of its own and his shielded with several sorceries and rituals to ensure no one steals it (one could possibly breach the defenses but he had to be skilled, the helmet also offers additional resistance against psionic attacks, but again a skilled mentalist could breach it), it appears to be a medieval armor, similar to the classic Evil Overlord armor found in several works of fiction. The armor is mostly black and dark red, is covered with skull like figures (not Qliphothic) and also chains (mostly for the intimidation factor has the ‘’hell chains’’ used to bind enemies are mystically summoned). The armor is forged from some kind of mystical alloy resistant to most kinds of attacks (but does not make him invulnerable). He has strands covered with mystical symbols, hanging in his back like a cape.

Allies, Associates and Adversaries:

Tyrant maintains connections with several criminal factions around the world. He is in good terms with both DEMON and The Circle of The Scarlet Moon, both of them have proven a challenge to infiltrate and research, so Tyrant avoids giving too much away regarding his interests and operations.

Mystical heroes and peace keeping organizations mostly come in the form of UNTIL’s Project Hermes and the Trismegistus Council. Tyrant has a group of spies and informers in the first and keeps Hermes busy with false clues and destroys any actual evidence of his activities, so far it’s been working. The latter is a different matter, its members are respected sorcerers and possess a sense of justice and honor that Tyrant so firmly hates. Any attempts to infiltrate them have been in vain, but until now they are yet to clash directly with him.

VIPER stands as a potential ally and a fearsome foe. In case he is to face them, Tyrant would try to further explore the tension between the Supreme Serpent and The Council of Thirty, VIPER has managed to stay stable so far but no doubt inner conflicts could mean the true end of the Venomous Imperial Party of the Eternal Reptile. Even though he despises the use of technology in the organization, he knows that VIPER’s root stand in the occult arts. He realizes too that members of high prestige within the faction are gifted sorcerers and shamans. So far, he has infiltrated the organization with relative ease but has failed in gathering any concrete info on the Serpent God that VIPER worships. He has too kept an eye on the Serpent Lantern but its current whereabouts are a mystery to him.

The newly returned Doctor Destroyer (Shadow Destroyer) intrigues Tyrant. The once proclaimed greatest super villain of Earth has embraced the Arcane as a true source of power, but something is wrong. The Destroyer of the past despised magic more than anything. Could this be the same man that ravaged Detroit? Could he have surrendered himself to the hidden might of the arcane? Tyrant has so far found no specific evidence regarding Destroyer’s activities or motives, but he has realized that the science used by the returned Destroyer is not truly “normal”, not even to the ‘’unmatched genius of Destroyer’’, it seems otherworldly, alien? Interdimensional? Or something else entirely?

Other mystic threats that Tyrant has kept an eye on include Takofanes and Kigatilik. The former stands as the greatest mystical threat in the world (except maybe Shadow Destroyer) and Tyrant has actively researched his current goals and schemes, he has begun to try and identify his power so that, hopefully (or not), he could emerge victorious against the Lich King. Kigatilik’s schemes don’t bother Tyrant has much, he stands as a powerful individual but Tyrant is not worried about a clash between them, Kigatilik may (or may not) be a god, but for some reason is not worried about it, if he’s right about it or is simply underestimating a powerful threat still remains a mystery. Other “lesser” threats, include Necrull (who Tyrant has faced and defeated in the past), Mechanon, Gravistar and Firewing who Tyrant ignores due to their lack of paranormal connections.

Organization:

Tyrant’s organization can be divided in two groups, his human followers and his shadowy minions. The first group was also the original, a group of humans who searched for power and influence and became loyal followers of Tyrant. The second side began around 2006, when Tyrant started shaping the very shadows and giving birth to a legion of followers who embodied evil and darkness. Today, the organization has around a thousand members. It has around 90 human cultists and some hundreds of demons. The organization is divided into some ranks of influence: at the top is Tyrant, under him stand the Inquisitors, human agents gifted themselves in the arts of the arcane who serve as his loyal messengers and impose his will in the order. They also serve as “ambassadors” for Tyrant and establish alliances with other factions.

Following that are the so-called “Sages”, they are cultists who stand above the normal ones and generally follow the orders of the Inquisitors and organize themselves various events such as rituals or sacrifices in the name of whatever unholy power they want to please. The normal cultists are mostly maniacs with a blind loyalty to Tyrant, most of them have dreams of grandeur and power and they are almost incorruptible, Tyrant knows that most of them would never turn their backs on him, their delusions of greatness keep them in check, but he still has to keep tabs on them, arrogance could be his downfall after all. After that come the minions, the demons, the shadows. Tyrant himself shaped his most loyal followers from the very shadows and the fears of the human soul. They come in different shapes and sizes, the Behemoths are large and strong, they are the dumbest, so to speak, inside the ranks of the shadows, they follow little more than Tyrant’s orders and their own primal instincts. The shrouds harness dark energies and strike their foes with powerful bolts of infernal magic. The husks are perhaps the strongest between the legions; they are able to drain the life of their enemies and are capable of trapping their foes in a goo like substance.

The Ebon Legion has done a good job at developing underworld connections at the same time they avoid grabbing the attention of the likes of UNTIL. Their activities have resulted in Tyrant being able to please his demon allies at the same time his own plots advance. The legion has established bases and small temples in various locations; they have at least two in Millennium City, a larger one in Vibora Bay and a smaller one in the Canadian Wilderness. Only Inquisitors and some Sages are allowed to enter the Dark Citadel (Tyrant’s main base and headquarters that will be detailed in the following chapter), most of the legion is aware of its existence however. The cultists of the Ebon Legion use a small array of devices and artifacts in combat, if necessary. The basic cultists receive a small wand forged in metal that allows them to properly channel mystic energies through it. Sages normally use a metallic staff covered with runic symbols that allow them to access greater arcane powers, others use similar “runic blades” which can cut through various metals and substances. The Inquisitors also use staffs shaped like a dragon or a gargoyle like creature, some even use a crucifix shaped one, they serve as powerful spell casting tools allowing them to cast moderately complicated spells, all Inquisitors possess mystic prowess of their own but the staffs were created by Tyrant himself and boost the Inquisitor’s power level considerably, allowing them to face superhuman opponents on their own.

Bases:

Tyrant’s main base is the so-called “Dark Citadel”, a pocket dimension fortress where keeps his collection of unholy items. The Citadel is actually just a small castle like structure. It has a number of rooms and divisions. The only way in the Dark Citadel is trough one of the many portals located in the most important bases of the Ebon Legion. Those are guarded by two husks who ensure no unwanted one may enter. The citadel establishes itself around a “core” in a circular style, this “core” is an orb of harnessed shadows from where Tyrant can shape minions for his army and restore his strengths after an especially difficult fight. The orb was created with the aid of several dark gods and hungers for the helpless souls of innocents. The Citadel has a small altar for sacrifices and rituals, catacombs where prisoners are held and interrogated; the Throne room, where statues of the “dark lord” and a spiked throne shaped like bone lies; the artifact room is where Tyrant’s collection is kept; the armory is where Tyrant’s agents frequently forge new equipment and paraphernalia for the organization’s use. Other bases are located like previously mentioned in Millennium City and Vibora Bay, Tyrant kept a base in Chicago when he was preparing his attack; he also kept another base in Vibora Bay where he kept tracks of the lost Janus Key and researched the San Sebastian’s Swamp. After his clash with Robert Caliburn (that also attracted the attentions of Black Mask and Dr.Ka) Tyrant build a new one to continue the original’s activities. The various bases are connected by a network of mystic portals (not the same ones as the Dark Citadel’s) even though the Inquisitors can teleport between them easily.

Activities on Millennium City:

(Note: Most of this info is Out of Character, even though it doesn’t stand as something THAT important)

Tyrant kept an eye on Millennium City after his investigations traced several important factions to the city, the rise of superhuman activity in the city made it a target for several organizations and the development of both technology and the occult arts in the city placed the city as a target in Tyrant’s eyes. However, he took his time until he could create a base there. Both PRIMUS and UNTIL had a strong presence there along with several super heroes, not to mention MARS which operated only in Millennium City. The first base was created in early 2009 and the second one shortly after the attack on Chicago. The first base serves as the home of several cultists and is a “default” base, the second works as an underworld trading spot and its location is publicly known to several criminal entities. The first base also acts as a quick way to prepare some kind of attack against the city, similar to Chicago’s, if necessary Tyrant could teleport his forces trough the base’s portal and prepare a strike against the city or a specific target, the same could be said with Vibora’s.

Activities on Vibora Bay:

(Note: Most of this info is Out of Character, even though it doesn’t stand as something THAT important)

Tyrant created the original VB base around March 2011, since the clash with Caliburn he has moved his resources to another base where he continues the research of the city’s supernatural activity. He is amazed by the powers of the Nephilim, and has friendly ties with the likes of the Dogz and the New Shadows, he has little to no connection with the Sovereign Sons but has gained some amount of influence and prestige within the Trey Kings, their study of the dark arts makes all of them potential allies but he does know that Valerian Scarlet is connected to Therakiel, and angering them is (for now at least) not a good idea. Of course, if the heroes don’t prevent the coming Apocalypse he himself will step up against Therakiel. The base itself seeks to harness the powerful mystical forces in Vibora Bay and also identify potential allies and threats in the city. Tyrant has his eyes on several artifacts and powers in the city, the Nephilim, the Janus Key, the Elemental Gems…what is there to hate in Vibora Bay? (Besides heroes)

Opinions?:

(If you wish to say something, comment on the character, which I doubt you want but anyways)

RP Hooks:

Tyrant is a powerful mystical villain, if you wish to ally with him (some powerful artifact you may want? Some sort of project of yours that requires some extra muscle?) or maybe you want to stop him?

Tyrant is commonly seen at Club Caprice (astral form by the way) he will sometimes talk with others but most of the times you will have to talk with him yourself (since I’m pretty bad at walk up RP).

Tyrant keeps an eye on various items and artifacts around the world he could give info to a potential ally or even ally with heroes if there is some sort of “rival force” at work.

Inspirations/Notes:

Tyrant is a classic super villain; he is obsessed with the conquering of the world. His armor and looks are of course inspired by classic evil overlords. Just a note: Tyrant is meant to be powerful but not at all god-modding if you feel he’s too powerful, just warn me and I’ll see what I can do or the like. Doctor Destroyer also served as an enormous inspiration for Tyrant, but of course mystically focused instead of a scientific villain. He shares several characteristics with him, from his typical arrogance to more "imperial" ambitions.