Open call from the City of Harmony City

The City Council of Harmony City is seeking Heroes to serve as City Defenders against the recent increase in criminal activity.

The History: In the 1950's, Harmony City (then known as Florida Bay City) was plagued by one Dr. Dread, whose crime spree was ended only through the brave sacrifice of Lady Harmony. The city was renamed in her honor, and harmony reigned until last year, when a woman claiming to be Dr. Dread's grand-daughter appeared and began to wreak havoc. Using the deceased doctor's name, she has steadily destroyed the city's economy.

The Offer: The citizens of Harmony City need sanctioned defenders to step forward and aid this fair city. Competitive wages and benefits package offered, as well as a signing bonus for exceptional applicants. Identity security assured for applicants who prefer not to be a public persona.

The Area: Harmony City is located in the southern area of Florida, within driving distance of Disneyworld and Busch Gardens. The climate is warm and benign, with sunny days and star-lit nights. Harmony City boasts several lovely white-sand beaches. Despite our proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, we are in the "storm-lee" provided by the Bermuda triangle.

Our citizens come from a variety of backgrounds and all love our fair city. We understand and appreciate the wide diversity our citizens bring to our over-all culture; Harmony City does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, gender, sexual orientation and background. Applicants will have to consent to a background check, which will be run by Interpol and with full confidentiality.

All of this would be easily available in any travel guide. Harmony City is located in present-day Miami. Due to the active and very magical Bermuda Triangle, Harmony City does not have Miami's large Cuban population. Because of the recent criminal activity, Harmony City doesn't have a large elderly population either; the only citizens remaining the area are those who truly love the city (in some cases, more than life itself) and those too poor to leave.

Historically, the city has never had its share of criminals and superheroes. Some cite the proximity of the Triangle, claiming that it sends out "anti-villain vibes," rendering the city largely invisible to super-criminals. Others point out that the city has been lucky in other ways; for example, the Great Depression's impact on the city was never as great as it was elsewhere. Whatever the reason, Harmony City's only real supervillian was Dr. Dread. His accidental death in 1957 (the same accident which killed Lady Harmony) seemed to end Harmony City's run of supervilliany.

However, in 2005, Dr. Dread returned in the guise of a young masked woman who claimed to be his grand-daughter. Many doubt this claim, as Dr. Dread never seemed to have a family, but there is no doubt that she is as dastardly as the man from whom she claims descent. The resulting chaos has caused the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the City Council has decided to take the unprecedented step of hiring city defenders. Analysts estimate that it would be another year or two before city defenders capable of meeting her threat would migrate naturally to the city, and the Council is unwilling to wait that long.

Diamond Street Gang
This group of youths claims the area around Diamond Street as their territory. Before the Great Depression, Diamond Street was the hub of Harmony City’s Gem Row, where all of the gems and precious metals in the city were bought, traded and sold. Now it is one of the poorest sections of the city.

The past few years have seen the rise of a 'mega-gang' named after the area. Like most of the mega-gangs, they are a loose confederation of smaller gangs who agree to defend their territory against super villain gangs. In the case of the DSG, they group themselves into what they call tribes.

This 'mega-gang' is of mixed cultures, though the individual 'tribes' tend toward homogony. Some in the gang claim there's a 'ultimate ruler' similar to a feudal high king, but this has never been confirmed. The young men and women in the DSG join for various reasons, though most claim it's the only way to get the finer things in life.

The D-Streeters vary in appearance from tribe to tribe, but they all wear large amounts of jewelry. Not all of it is expensive; the majority is cheap or even gaudy costume jewelry. Critics have mocked that the D-Streeters are like ravens – if it shines or sparkles, the DSG will wear it. The men are careful about making sure that the trinkets they wear are masculine: thick rings on every finger, and heavy-chained necklaces by the handful. The women are a little more open in what they wear, but both will decorate one side of a reversible vest or jacket with their extra ‘style.’ The more ‘style’ a D-Streeter has, the more rank they have in their organization.

The DSG’s abilities vary from member to member. Some have abilities at the upper edge of human norms, but most are just poor kids with nothing better to do. Some are clearly using gadgets, and it is rumored that Dr. Dread is responsible for arming them.

Pussy Kat Killers
This unusual street gang is composed entirely of young women. Little is known of them save that they have carved a territory in one of the richer areas of town. Their initiation is well-known, as reported by several young girls who refused the final test. The gang’s name comes from the practice of requiring each member to ritualistically kill a cat with their bare hands. Several of the girls bare distinctive scars from their initiation killings. Bizarrely, they wear the skins of the cats they killed as a trophy.

In comparison to the other gangs, they are quite proficient at fighting. They have caused a great deal of physical harm to opponents, leaving claw marks in their victims. Experts speculate that they use some sort of mystical or mechanical aid.

The Dark Ones
The mystical energies of the Bermuda Triangle draw many mystics to Harmony City, and The Dark Ones are no exception. This cabal of shadow wizards only rarely comes from hiding to work on their next nefarious plan, but when they do move, the city quakes in terror. Last time this group of black-magic users acted, they summoned creatures from another dimension. Harmony City had to be saved by super heroes from another city. If The Dark Ones were more active, they would be a threat; as it is, they are treated like a natural disaster. They come, stuff goes horribly, terribly wrong, the threat is averted by an outside force, and the Cabal disappears for a few years. Now that the city has their own defenders, the city hopes that they can become more proactive against this threat.

The Black Hand Men
Despite the name, both men and women are in this group. It's hard to call them a 'gang' as the police have been able to prove that they are being mentally controlled somehow. The members of this group are all selected from among the homeless. No one is sure who or what has collected them, but those who have been rehabilitated have spoken of an "endless darkness from within." No one knows that this means, and the police are always looking for more information.

The name for this group comes from the black hand-shaped marks that are found on the men when they are arrested. This mark fades in a few hours. These affected people act as mindless automotians until it fades. After it fades, those affected by it show signs of confusion and disorientation. It is only then that they become aware of their senses and themselves.