Chapter 1 - Setting

# Founding of a Titan

in 1868 two men followed their instincts and a group of investors wishes and traveled west into the untamed forests well away from civilization and the prying eyes and fragile lives of the general populace. Doctor Phineas Phlux and his assitant found the perfect spot to begin their all important research. Dr. Phlux was far and away ahead of his time. Research into time and space. Research and theories into fields that would later become commonly known as Quantum Physics. He began research into clockwork prosthetics that would later become modern cybernetics. Most importantly all of these fields culminated into the field of Atomics and Nuclear Forces. The facility was commonly known as Ironbound.

As time wore on Doctor Phlux explored field after field. He created such things as the first atomic power source. He explored the tiniest spaces at the heart of the atom and made huge strides in many fields. His space requirements grew and he developed the technology to contain and expand his growing facility. Ironbound started to sprawl out, fueled by his reactors and advanced medical and industrial technology. Slowly but surely the land changed and expanded. Doctor Phlux was changing the world in many ways.

# The Town of Ironbound

As rumors and stories spread of the Ironbound complex and the miracles that Dr. Phlux's staff were creating people started flocking to the area. Slowly but surely the sprawling complex was surrounded by first tents and then small houses. Despite his best efforts to keep his work away from society, society had come to Dr. Phlux's door. Despite all efforts to send the people away they were now firmly entrenched and started a town around the facility. They had discovered his better mousetrap and beat a path to his door.

Shops and other commercial shops and areas sprung up well into the 1900's. The town of Ironbound was founded in 1912 and flourished. Fueled by Dr. Phlux's creations, their lives extended or improved through his medical creations, and education at the height of the times the town lived and grew. However there was something that no one really considered or foresaw. Despite his brilliance and intentions, Dr. Phlux had changed the land and its people forever.

# The Supers Arrive

Through the decades of experimentation and invention the land had become suffused with various forms of energies. Through experimentation into time and space the temporal stability of the area had been weakened. Through exposure to these energies over years combined with the technology that was used to treat the town's ailments and injuries their bodies had been hardened and changed by these energies and made to survive what would have normally killed others through the powers of technology.

The town's genetic makeup was changed subtly but permanently. One night in 1926 the first super powered human was sighted. The man who would later become known as The Comet awoke to find his house on fire. He fled the burning house and stood outside watching his house to fall to the ground only to find himself on fire. He panicked and ran through the town, incidentally setting several other houses on fire. Firefighters put the fires out and the man was taken into the Ironbound facility where he could be watched and helped to the best of their abilities.

After the first, people started to display other powers. Super Strength, flight, telepathy. The list went on with new subjects going to the Ironbound facility to be researched and helped to control their new powers if at all possible. The stories slipped out into the general population and people started to crowd to the town to see the examples of the super-beings. Along with the people who wished to help society the first several super powered crooks surfaced as well.

# Ironbound City Grows

The Ironbound Complex had sprawled into the town of Ironbound. With the influx of people the town grew into Ironbound City with the Ironbound facility serving as the heart of the new City. In the 1950's the City was a gleaming example of peace and prosperity. Doctor Phlux was seen less and less by the general populace and many sensational stories circulated through the newspapers and television stations. As the decades continued more supers on both sides of the law sprang up and a sort of balance was maintained in the city.

The city sprawled more and became a population center for the region. As Supers married, reproduced and thrived new heroes replaced those who eventually aged and died or moved to other areas of the country. Heroes foiled villains. Villains held the city or the region hostage. A balance was maintained and the technology and the population grew for decades without much long lasting change. Occasionally the balance would shift in one way or the other and the Ironbound facility was the one neutral ground that was left untouched in villainous schemes. It was neutral ground where the two sides could meet and talk with an expectation of safety.

# The City of Tomorrow

Today Ironbound City is the gleaming jewel of the midwest. High technology, great minds, deep philosophy and even some oddities rule over greed and villainy. But over a century has passed since Doctor Phlux and his assitant founded the Ironbound facility and the number of Supers has increased. Changing times have caused a change in philosophy and popular culture has crashed into the city. Villains have become more crafty and numerous. no longer wanting to hold the world hostage for vast sums of money they now work more behind the scenes. But there are also many more heroes to help foil them. These are unstable times in many other parts of the world though and it could just take a small match to set off the powderkeg. Heroes are needed everywhere.