Arcturus, the Architect of Annihilation Janice Orvencroft, the Wench of Weaponry
Janice - Occupation: Minion/Conveyance of Arcturus. Special Powers: Summon Weapon - Janice seems to be able to summon weapons at will from a dimensional holding space; some of these weapons are prosaic, and others are custom-built by Arcturus. Signature Weapons: Janice's signature weapon is a long-barreled revolver with a six-inch knife-blade bayonet attachment, which she calls Flair. It is specifically built to survive melee combat and still be usable, and is one of Arcturus's better gifts to Janice. Special Skills: Janice is an excellent markswoman and fighter, and is fairly athletic. She is also surprisingly difficult to manipulate or control, which makes her an excellent minion as well as a good foil for Arcturus's domineering personality and power set.
Arcturus's nemesis: The Defender The Defender defends the public good, which sounds great until you realize that the Defender is not sanctioned by any authority and has his own definitions of the public good, and is working with a shadowy organization known as the Chessmasters.
Chessmasters:
The Chessmasters are an organization that takes pride in manipulation and control of others to get what they want. Sadly, what they want is sometimes noble, and sometimes nasty. They love to use unwitting pawns in their games, and their rank and file is very loosely organized around the chessboard ranks:
Knights – These are the grunts of the Chessmasters. They handle dirty work, from rioting and harassment to arsons and robberies against people who 'deserve it'. The Defender is rumored to be a Knight of the Order, although he may just be a pawn. Hard to tell, really. They are unpredictable, unreliable, and invisible in day to day life until they choose to reveal themselves through their actions in some way.
Bishops – These are the intel arm of the Chessmasters. They coordinate information, suggest targets of opportunity and worthwhile goals, and coordinate small-time activities within their vicinity. Bishops are in contact with other Bishops worldwide, and usually maintain contact with a group of local Knights to coordinate local activities.
Rooks – These are the heavies of the Chessmasters. They handle demolitions, explosives, sabotage, and other questionable activities that require more wisdom than a backyard anarchist can compile. As such, they are never called in by a Bishop; if a Rook has been sent in, something larger is at play.
Queen – Gender bias can go to hell, as far as the Chessmasters are concerned; Queens are the tactical arm of the organization, and conduct worldwide planning and coordination of major events, from group protests to concerted attacks.
Kings – In chess, the King is the weak point of the chess team. In the Chessmasters, the Kings are an inner cabal whose identity is cloaked in anonymity.