CHESS - Complex High Energy Selective Surveillance
Secretly fostered by JFK and teenage chess prodigy Bobby Fisher, the organization known as the Complex High Energy Selective Surveillance grew from a small but active department of the Secret Service into the premiere intelligence gathering and law enforcement agency in the United States. CHESS exists to assess the threat level of undocumented and unexplained super-powered activity, and when necessary to provide support to any superheroic response to such threats.
CHESS is organized into ranks code-named after the pieces on a chessboard, led by the King, with the Queen overseeing daily operations. Bishops are uniquely-trained field operatives, Rooks are technical experts, and Knights are armored shock troopers mounted upon flying motorcycles. See also the Endgame Initiative, Haven, and OPERANDI.
The Code Authority
Created in response to Senator Joe McCarthy’s attack on superheroes in Congress, the Code Authority is the superhero community’s effort to police itself. While perhaps originally well-intentioned, it’s been abandoned over time by the overwhelming majority of superheroes, who find it too dictatorial and restrictive. As of 2010, no known superheroes would admit to being members of the Code Authority. Nevertheless, the Code Authority does still have a few followers. Its supporters believe that it’s poised to make a comeback.
DSA - The U.S. Department of Superhero Affairs
Superheroes are part of a legally sanctioned, yet largely self-regulating community of officially recognized crime fighters. They function sort of like a combination of private detective and bounty hunter, but are allowed to use their hero ID instead of revealing their true identity.
To be officially recognized as a superhero you must be granted a superhero license. Licensed superheroes are shielded, to some degree, from civil liability for actions committed in the line of duty. Issuing superhero licenses is at the discretion of a federal agency called DSA - The U.S. Department of Superhero Affairs. It operates alongside the US Department of Justice, and is directly overseen by the Assistant Attorney General, who currently is Hamilton Burger III.
William Gaunt, Director of the Department of Superpower Affairs. Vigil is the face/voice of the agency. He is a superhero with the ability to directly interface with computerized equipment and systems. He maintains and protects all of the data related to superheroes and their identities. Vigil also maintains the DSA’s catalog of data compiled on all known supercriminals. Licensed superheroes have free access to this database, known informally as ‘the crime computer’.
FBI, PBSU - Federal Bureau of Investigation, Paranormal Behavioral Science Unit
Using the same techniques and procedures developed to capture serial killers, the FBI opened the Paranormal Behavioral Science Unit in 1999 in an effort to create profiles of supervillains and criminals who utilize paranormal abilities or advanced technology. By studying a supervillain’s powers, type of origin, method of operation, territory - even such minor details, as voice, phraseology, chosen name and costume design, the Paranormal Behavioral Sciences Unit can develop a highly accurate profile that is very useful in revealing a villain’s secret identity.
Since its inception the Paranormal Behavioral Science Unit has played a pivotal role in the capture of hundreds of supercriminals. It is also catalogs psychological test results for all supercriminals who have been in custody. Originally there was political resistance to the creation of the Paranormal Behavioral Sciences Unit, much of which came from high-profile superheroes who expressed concerns that the government could also employ these techniques to uncover superheroes’ secret identities. Even if the Government properly handled this information, they questioned whether they could keep it secure. This debate was resolved when then acting Attorney General Hamilton Burger III placed language in the PBSU directive, forbidding them from investigating any superhero not currently accused of a crime. Any data they do gather must be forwarded to the US Bureau of Superhero Affairs.
The PBSU consults with other law enforcement agencies that gather supercriminal methods, obsessions, and taunting riddle/puzzle clues left behind at supercrime scenes. Unfortunately, there is currently a 6 to 8 week waiting period on clue analysis due to their backlog. The PBSU also administers the Sequential Art Periodic Publication Digitized Database, the largest comic book collection in the world, housed at the PBSU headquarters located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. See Superhero Comics.
FISH - Federal Intelligence - Supernatural and Horrific
Founded July 26, 1775 by the Continental Congress appointing Benjamin Franklin as its first director. FISH exists to assess the threat level of undocumented and unexplained supernatural and horrific activity, and when necessary to provide support to any supernatural response to such threats.
Several historians have attempted to explain this appointment as a way to hide the fact that Benjamin Franklin was a member of The Council of Elders. The main facts they used is his being a Grand Master in the Freemasons and his occasional attendance of the British Hellfire Club's meeting. Others point to these facts prove the Continental Congress knew why the Agency needed to created and made the correct appointment of it first Director.
Currently Dr. Avery is undergoing Congressional hearings to confirm his appointment as the next Director of FISH.
GIANT - Government Intelligence Agency - Non-Terrestrials
Founded by JFK after the successful moon landing. The landing discover what was thought of as an observation station. This brought forth Freedom Eagle to disclose he was an alien being living among us. He explain he was a Peratonian explorer from the Planet Perator. The station was not for spying on Earth but it was the way station for Peratonian explorers and settlers to transition to residence on Earth. It was Perator's equivalent to the United States' Ellis Island.
GIANT is overseen by the Extraterrestrial Security Advisor who sits on the President's National Security Council. The Advisor is support by 2 directors. The Director of Alien Affairs in Space and Director of Alien Affairs on Earth.
For the past prior 5 Presidents the Extraterrestrial Security Advisor position was held by Dr. Carl Silverhead. Currently Joshua Rose, Founder and CEO of StarCorp and Mega-Manpower has been appointed to replace Dr. Silverhead but the Congressional hearings have stalled as Mr Rose is refusing to answer Senator Bennet's questions on Mr. Rose's Superhero identity as DarkStar. Mr Rose is invoking his rights under the Superhero acts to not have to disclose his actions or intentions while operating under his valid Superhero License. Another point of contention is surrounding the fact that Joshua Rose is former military which he is insisting Senator Bennett refer to him as Commander Rose. Bennett is refusing since Joshua is not in active service insisting on calling him Mr. Rose.
MEDUSA - Military Espionage Department, United States of America
The “Military Espionage Department, United States of America” exists only as a cryptic footnote somewhere in the federal Black Budget, but it rivals CHESS in its scope of influence. It was formed in 1970 by an executive order, specifically to carry out tasks that CHESS rejects. Their newly appointed director is former Manning Electronics executive J.B. Curtis after the current administration's removal of Alexi Vlasov from the position.
MEDUSA is always under deep cover. It is organized into an unstated number of non-standardized “tactical teams”, which are virtually independent from anything remotely related to government oversight. They have been in direct conflict with CHESS, occasionally even exchanging gunfire with them.
MEDUSA also engages in research and development. Current Director Curtis intends to carry out the imperative from the current administration to utilize MEDUSA’s technology to generate revenue in order to offset its massive budget.
Super Forces - The Joint Super-Powered Military Unit
Each branch of the military has its own super-powered military unit. The Super Forces was created for when joint operations are needed. This unit is made of the best representations of each military branch.
US Air Force: Airstrike
The US Air Force’s super-powered unit, Airstrike has both pilots with extraordinary (extending into superhuman) skill and those who can fly without aircraft. It handles everything from airline hijackings and mid-air rescues to chasing UFOs. The Intercontinental Ballistic Man is (thankfully) an infrequently called-upon reserve member. Brigadier Ace is the commander, accompanied by Chinook, Jet and Scattershot.
US Marine Corps: The Devil Dogs
The Marine Corps is the only branch of the US Armed Forces to have its own thaumaturgy unit. US forces captured a vast Nazi treasure of occult artifacts and knowledge after World War II, and that acquisition formed the basis of this unit. The Devil Dogs’ commander is one of the world’s toughest combat sorcerers, Major Arcana. His subordinate officers are Ravenbeak and Ballista.
US Army: The Freedom Brigade
The US Army’s super-powered military unit was designated ‘the Freedom Brigade’ by President Dwight Eisenhower, in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the end of World War II. It’s named after one of the unit’s original members, the Freedom Eagle. The current commanding officer of the Freedom Brigade is Colonel Liberty. His top subordinates are Arbalest and Grizzly.
US Navy: Trident
This is the US Navy’s super-powered unit. Thanks to negotiations conducted by the Sui Generis Attaché, Trident participates in classified war games training with units of the Atlantean military. Commander Dreadnaut is Trident’s leader. His lieutenants are Blockade, Submersible and Hellburner.
