Ireland, Earth-Prime
While Freedom City is the most famous and densely populated location for superheros, it is by no means the only such place. Many other countries have varying numbers of heroes (and villains!) serving within their own borders.
The Republic of Ireland is no exception; and as it goes for that nation-state, so it goes for Northern Ireland. Today both countries enjoy a time of relative peace, both in the political arena and the superhero field. More to the point, Ireland has had a long tradition of heroes, though it seems to be somewhat cyclical with the famed Emerald Isle.
Ancient Times to Modern Day
Throughout history, Ireland has played host to more than a few heroes, be they larger-than-life legends like Cú Chulainn, humbler heroes like Saint Patrick, or those whose names are lost to the rivers of time.
Ancient Times to 20th Century
The truth is even wilder than the myths. Ireland seems to have bred metahumans of notable potency throughout history; the stranger part is how these powers seemed to randomly fade in and out of existence from generation to generation. Many modern-day mages, both in Ireland and abroad, point to the rather heavy presence and influence of the Faerie Realm on the island. In centuries past, it was not uncommon for the Sidhe to prey upon isolated villages. Some attacks were driven back with simple courage aided by iron weaponry. Others had the help of home-grown super-powered men and women who wielded enough strength to drive back small armies of the Seelie and Unseelie courts. Occasionally, heroes empowered by the likes of the Fae (such as the dreaded Hound of Ulster himself) would turn and fight back against their benefactors; seeing your home threatened by their cruel inhumanity turns most any half-decent person into a stalwart patriot.
The coming of Saint Patrick heralded a slow decline in the local metahuman population. Ireland was still fairly open towards home-grown heroes, and while they might occasionally face accusations of "consorting with the Devil", nothing ever came of it. Inevitably, said metahumans would have a chance to prove themselves heroes, and their neighbors would see the proverbial light. There were a few church-based heroes, but just as many of them tried to work for their fellow men as much as the church. But even these times of heroics faded, until Ireland settled into a mundane existence for several centuries, all the way until World War 2.
Early to Mid Twentieth Century
During the era after the First World War, several minor metahumans (those with small gifts that pushed them only slightly above the human norm) were born in Ireland. None had the flashier powers of the metas from Britain, the US, or other countries, but when World War 2 rolled around, they were willing and ready to fight the Axis powers; despite their birth nation's neutral stance, they decided to volunteer in the Allied fight (thought many opted to join the American military rather than the British). Unfortunately, their abilities were more than once overestimated, and several lost their lives when they were sent against some of Germany's elite supers. Still, when fighting against more traditional troops, they were invaluable as line-breakers and morale-boosters. These brave men fought through some of the darkest hours of human history and came out heroes one and all.
After the war, the remaining supers split into roughly three groups. One group stayed in the military, bolstering its ranks with some moderately powered humans. One group simply retired, choosing to hide away their abilities in favor of a normal life. The last group chose to turn to the life of the costumed mystery men. Never as famous as their American counterparts, but also not having to deal with the likes of the HUAC, they simply fought crime, both mundane and super-villain (which was also comparatively small-time in Ireland; there just weren't as many people, or as many things to steal and such).
Then came the Troubles.
The Troubles to Present
For a couple of months, even superheroes started to involve themselves in the worsening violence associated with the Troubles of Ireland. They justified it by stating they simply wanted to protect their home (wherever that home was, exactly), but they soon realized just what kind of damage they might end up doing to their island home. After all, it's bad enough when regular men cause what destruction they can with guns and bombs. When virtual demigods start to war in the sky...
So it was decided that all metahumans of any notable power would stay out of the conflict, no matter what. Their only involvement would be rescue efforts when a number of lives were put on the line. But anything else, including pursuing non-meta groups of terrorists, was out. They felt it better to draw a stark line in the sand to prevent themselves from sliding down a slippery slope. For the most part, even the villains of Ireland seemed to go along with it; many of them were more the "steal lots of money" or "gain a twisted form of fame and recognition" sort, so causing more deaths did them no favors.
So things continued, even through the so-called "Iron Age" of hero-dom, with the hero community in Ireland remaining largely unaffected, mainly due to the government of the nation taking a lighter stance than the mayor of Freedom City. Heroes lived and died as time went on, with all but a very tiny few claimed by old age.
And then the Terminus Invasion struck, and many retired heroes gave the ultimate sacrifice to drive back the force that struck at Ireland. Almost all of the heroes in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were struck down, leaving the Emerald Isle almost devoid of heroes. It took roughly a decade for any significant heroic presence to really return to their shores. In that time, the Troubles had gone away, and any violence that remained was rare and fairly isolated. But finally, there were heroes in Ireland again.
Major Hero Groups
Republic of Ireland
Emerald Knights
The only major superhero team of the Republic of Ireland, and indeed the roster of all the major heroes of that same country, the Emerald Knights debuted in early 2002. They're a diverse team that brings a good mix of strengths to their never-ending battle, and they have an optimism that's hard to suppress. They're not quite a subsidiary of the Freedom League, but they have received a fair measure of guidance from the more experienced group of heroes. Still, they've managed to carve their own niche in the world, forge their own identity, and it shows through the enthusiasm Ireland gives in its support of their home-grown heroes. Even Northern Ireland can't help but appreciate them!
Note: Only Father Patrick's identity is fully public. However, at least a small handful of non-heroes know the identity of the other 4 members, including a couple of government liaisons.
>Fireman: Tim Kennedy, as the fire-controlling-and-absorbing Fireman, is the leader of the Emerald Knights, a man who tries to follow in the footsteps of the Centurion, in spirit if not in powers. He is a vibrant young man, and while he's not a tactical genius, he's never led his team astray in a fight. He's the one most often pushing the team to go help in one disaster or another, and the first to the fight with any super-villain, near or far. Some people would consider him a naive fool; those people have rarely even met him, as he has a strong insight into the character of others. His costume consists of a rugged red and orange morphic molecule bodysuit, with a stylized red and orange firefighter's coat over the top. He wears a stylized firefighter's helmet and a large domino mask on his head; both are solid red.
>Father Patrick: Father Patrick McCarthy, usually called simply Father Patrick, in most any other country, would likely be an incredibly controversial figure. After all, he's not just a hero who's openly religious; there are plenty of those. No, he's openly a Catholic priest, one born and raised in Ireland, but assigned by the Church to help the Emerald Knights. Not for some sinister agenda of control (despite the nature of his powers), but rather to give the somewhat overworked hero team a line to an organization with vast resources. Father Patrick notes that it never hurts to have help like that waiting in the wings! He's something of a mentor to the rest of the team, being in his late 30s himself. He especially works to temper the unbridled enthusiasm of Fireman. He has the most subdued outfit of any of them, merely wearing a very sturdy version of the normal casual wear of a priest.
>Medusa: Melissa Walsh was a typical office worker at one of the smaller subsidiaries of the various multinational businesses Labyrinth runs. That meant she was an ideal test candidate for another iteration of the DNAscent process; few would miss her on a personal level (so they thought), and her removal would not unduly hurt the company. So it was she was taken after work one Friday, and forcibly turned into a metahuman. Thankfully, she managed to break out before any brainwashing could be put in place. But she was left as a vastly changed woman! With scaly skin, snakes for hair, and the ability to turn flesh to stone (at least for a time), it was inevitable she'd gain the nickname "Medusa". For almost a year, she struggled to find her place in the world, until finally Father Patrick and Fireman recruited her for the Emerald knights. She slowly grew to enjoy her work on the hero team; it helped that she'd manage to go back to school (with some assistance from the Church via Father Patrick), and had earned a degree as an actuary. She now makes a comfortable living with her job, while still having plenty of free time to devote to hero work. She's probably the most controversial member of the team within the shores of Ireland; her connection to Greek myth has some berating her as a "servant of pagan false gods", while others fear her for her snakelike appearance (after all, Saint Patrick drove them from the island for areason, you know?). She manages to keep her head held high, though sometimes these things leave her feeling somewhat melancholy. While "on duty", she wears a sleeveless black bodysuit of morphic molecules, trusting her enhanced physiology to see her through fights.
>Caladbolg: Gail O'Reilly had always had a way with machines. When she was tasked by the Irish government with finding a way for them to be able to protect their citizens from the likes of the Terminus or Labyrinth or any of the other world-threatening groups that might just try to hurt them, it came as no surprise. She spent long hours working on her prototype; it was intended as a sort of scaled-up testbed, to show them the basic idea of what she would do, but with less refinement. Of course, the Foundry attacked the first testing of the Caladbolg suit (so named as it would be a new weapon for the people of Ireland to defend themselves with), it was Gail who hopped in the suit and drove the small attack force of drones away. The people she'd demonstrated for decided she ought to try her hand at the hero market; so long as they got a smaller, slimmer, and simpler suit of armor, they'd be happy! Joining the Emerald Knights was a fairly natural choice, and she's slotted in surprisingly well, despite her quiet nature. She's taken the name of her armor, and her enemies have learned to fear the name of Caladbolg! She and Medusa get along quite well, and her relationships with the men of the team are friendly, if a bit stiffly formal at times. Still the years of working together have removed much of the early awkwardness. Today she still fights the good fight in her steel-gray battlesuit sporting blue highlights in the fashion of Celtic woad markings.
>Lepton: Jeq-Vay spent centuries studying the Ultimen version of anthropology in the safety of Hyperborea. He was one of the handful of them that had an interest in worlds not their own. At first it was simply a desire to examine cultural trends and the like. But eventually, it became a desire to physically visit these places. He decided to start with the melting pot that was Earth-Prime. After all, they had a multitude of cultures right there on the planet! Somehow, he ended up finding himself in the countryside of Ireland; less than a day later, he was meeting with the four members of the Emerald Knights. Eventually, he was convinced to join their team, as it would give him some first-hand experience with local culture! He took the name "Lepton" after the subatomic particle type that he had a fondness for; the rumors spread by Fireman that Jeq-Vay "just thought it sounded cool in English" are just that: rumors. Lepton finds himself often feeling an outsider; after all, he has so little in common with his fellow heroes. Still, he shares their sincere desire to help those in need; inexperienced he might be, but he has enough enthusiasm to make up for that. He prefers to use a colorful, maskless costume in his work with his colleagues. When going about in the civilian identity prepared for him (that of Michael Smith), he uses an advanced nanite solution to recolor and style his hair, glasses with a device that subtly changes his eye color, and a bit of acting to change posture and voice tone. He finds the whole affair a fair bit of fun, though he's had some trouble with what amount to out-of-context problems for him.
Saint Patrick's Irregulars
Saint Patrick's Irregulars are a force of volunteers dedicated to helping out at scenes of major hero/villain battles in the Republic of Ireland, as well as serving as additional security. Individually, they're not nearly as powerful as any of the Emerald Knights. However, there are over 50 members. As well, a good number of them have powers dedicated to either protecting groups of bystanders, or healing anyone hurt (which thankfully isn't terribly regular). Those with more "martial" powers tend to work together to help restrain defeated criminals. There are several sub-groups scattered in the major cities of the Republic, meaning these semi-ordinary folks in dark green uniforms (full-body coverage, with a simple domino mask and helmet somewhat like a firefighter or policeman, depending on their "focus") with a Celtic cross on the left side of the chest can be be on-site to help no matter where the fight takes the Emerald Knights!
Northern Ireland
Archangels
"Archangels" is the not-quite-official name for the duo of heroes that work in Northern Ireland, which has proportionally less crime to go with its smaller amount of territory. While the Emerald Knights operate fully in the open, being publicly supported, the Archangels work in the shadows, with no official support (though most citizens and government officials don't take major issue with their work). They face fewer metahuman foes, dealing with a larger number of petty criminals, arms dealers, and the like. They do have a small "rogue's gallery" that includes a couple of rather powerful individuals.
>Uriel: John Kelley had a happy childhood, with two loving parents who lived fairly normal, if successful, lives. The car accident that took them was a tragedy, but by that time he was almost eighteen years old. Of course, he had one big secret, one he'd hidden from even his parents: he was a metahuman. A rather powerful one, with a "classic" powerset (flight, enhanced strength, incredible resistance to injury, etc.). But he felt even that power wasn't enough. After all, while the Republic of Ireland had several somewhat notable metahumans living there, Northern Ireland had only the Hospitallers to help them out. John knew that wasn't enough. So he worked on training himself, using whatever resources he could get. Then again, with his ability to fly, he was able to go to a fair number of remote places to receive esoteric training in martial arts, and any other skills he felt would be useful. With his ability to travel on his own, he managed to get to the level of skill he desired in merely 5 years. At age 23, he was ready to start his one-man quest...but as who? Though he had no close family, he had a fair number of friends and coworkers (he worked part-time in a moderately-sized investment firm, his income complementing what his parents left him between their will and life insurance). Finally, he settled on a motif that should appeal to most all of his homeland: an archangel. Specifically, Uriel. He fashioned a costume he felt struck the right theme and tone. The base was a dark grey, almost black bodysuit that covered his whole body, excepting his head and hands. Over that went a dark silver sleeveless tabard that fell to his mid-thigh. The matching-color belt that cinched it carried some tools that he found useful, even with his powers. Thick boots and gloves went over his feet and hands, matching the color of his bodysuit. A full-face mask that matched his bodysuit fully disguised his identity; the dark green, glowing eyepieces gave him an otherworldly air. And the dark red hooded cloak that went over the whole thing helped him blend into shadows while still striking an imposing figure when he burst onto the scene. Uriel has been active for about 10 years now, and has more recently acquired a partner in crime-fighting that still leaves him a bit vexed at times...
>Marut: Jennifer O'Conner was not born with that name. However, her birth name is lost to mortal knowledge, as she was an orphan from a Middle Eastern country just after her birth. The tiny child was rescued from a half-destroyed hospital, and eventually one of many such children's charities put her up for adoption. Kenneth and Mary O'Conner fell in love with the darling girl just with photos and her sad story. She came to their home in Northern Ireland and found a happy childhood. Until the Troubles claimed both her parents in the spring of 1997, when she was only 17 years old. She was heartbroken, and for almost a year, young Jennifer searched for answers. She looked for them in the church, but even in a comparatively religious place like Ireland, the clergy of any denomination seemed powerless. She wept as more people died, were wounded, or were otherwise affected by the violence. Finally, in early March 1998, she flippantly tossed out a statement that she'd sell her soul if it would buy peace for Ireland. Of course, she didn't quite expect to see a well-dressed man in her dream who offered to take her up on her offer! He didn't give her a name, instead merely remarking that it was a trifle of a thing to pay for peace, was it not? For almost half an hour, she debated with herself, before finally giving in. How much harm could it do? A month later, she saw the Belfast Agreement successfully go through. She was, to say the least, shocked. And a little voice in the back of her head told her she'd soon have to pay up. So when the same man from her dreams appeared in her bedroom a week later and painfully endowed her with her powers, she found herself convinced of what had happened. Agnostic that she was, some small part of her wept at the disappointment she must be to her parents, even as part of her will was subverted to be a sort of "supernatural hit-woman" for a being she assumed to be the Devil, or one of his chief lieutenants. She found herself wearing a somewhat risque outfit, even as she traveled the world and fought rebellious fallen angels. Somehow, she managed to exert enough control to only go after the likes of marauding demons who threatened the plans of her "boss"; in retrospect, she was relieved she never targeted innocents. Finally, in the summer of 1999, she hit her breaking point. Another fight with a rogue demon spilled onto a city street, and though she remained indistinguishable in shadow, the creature she hunted was fully visible. Worse, it was in such pain it flailed and fired randomly, hurting several bystanders even as Jennifer struck it down. This was the proverbial last straw; that same night, she called up her "master" and tried to tender her resignation. Somehow, his hold on her had loosened; perhaps because even with the Agreement, there was still a measure of violence in the land. So instead of control, he opted to entomb her in a stasis-sleep underneath Belfast, where he hoped to have her stay for a century or more, to "learn her lessen". But plans don't always work; a decade later, in late 2009, Uriel stumbled across her "tomb" and managed to unwittingly free her. Once they exchanged "Cliff's notes", Jennifer decided to join John's crusade. She decided to honor her ethnic heritage and her source of power, and called herself Marut. Her partner often has to reign in her more savage tendencies, but they work surprisingly well together, as well as enjoying a cordial relationship with the Emerald Knights and Saint Patrick's Irregulars (and of course the Hospitallers).
The Hospitallers
Northern Ireland has its own version of Saint Patrick's Irregulars, though for better or worse they're at least somewhat influence by Britain. The Hospitallers take their name from the ancient Order of Knights Hospitaller, but are more precisely a fairly recent subsection of the Venerable Order of Saint John; specifically, they were formed to provide metahuman-level search and rescue functions. This mission is one they manage to perform with excellence whenever they are called upon (which, during the last years of the Troubles, was more often than they would have liked). Of the 30 or so members, all but 8 have some form of healing and/or protective powers. The remainder function as sort of impromptu security force, similar to their counterparts in the Irregulars. However, as these individuals typically possess notable physical strength, they're also handy for removing rubble, opening warped doors on crashed cars, or other similar tasks. The group as a whole is solemn, though in the field they're polite and good-natured folk. They enjoy a comparatively cordial relationship with their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland, and fistfights haven't happened even a half-dozen times. Their reception by civilians in the Republic is sometimes frosty, but they take it all in stride. All in all, they make an excellent emergency response force for the small section of this proud island nation.
Author's Notes
This is always open to change.
Both groups with named NPCs are, indeed, roughly PL10. Because they can always jump to the rescue of the rest of Europe! Also, I figure Ireland has had enough hard times a full-blown super-team isn't totally out of the question.
The Irregulars and Hospitallers are intended to span the range of Pl3 to PL6, albeit with NPC rules; some might hit PL4 combat caps, but have crazy-good Healing powers, or whatnot.
You can assume there are probably a few mage or druid types on the island, but they're not major players, so there's not really a need to mention them.
I think it'd be interesting if someone wanted to play an Irish hero, and gave them connections to the WW2 group of supers who were underappreciated and over-estimated, to sad effect.
