An Open-Source Universe
I created the Darkstar Supers Universe years ago as a place for my characters to play, although they have showed up in fanfiction from time to time. However, I noticed other companies creating their own universes, oftentimes mirroring tropes from DC and Marvel Comics, either for storytelling or for role-playing games. These universes are meant to emulate those comics, but like DC and Marvel, those universes are also closed, protected by copyrights and trademarks.
I decided that people who want to tell stories about the Green Lantern Corps, the Avengers, the Justice League, the X-Men, and so on should not have to fear reprisal from big companies. Marvel created the Squadron Supreme to tell Justice League stories and DC created the Champions of Angor to tell Avengers stories. However, how many people want to create an entire universe just to tell similar stories?
I decided that enough was enough, and I decided to make my years-long project open source. Now, without begging permission or paying royalties or any other hassles, you will now have a fully-realized supers universe that you can use to tell stories, make games, use in movies, even incorporate into your own universe, if you need some blanks filled. Whatever you want. The Gauntlets, like the Nova Corps (Marvel) and the Star Knights (Mutants & Masterminds RPG), are your way of telling the same kind of stories as the Green Lanterns.
The Gauntlet Alliance
Many of us growing up read about a band of ring-bearing superheroes who fought evil across 3600 sectors of space (and many of us still do). We have shared in their adventures, cheered at their triumphs and cried with their losses. But no matter what, they have overcome fear and self-doubt to become true heroes.
The source of their power was an artifact that allowed them to do anything, depending on willpower and imagination. If you could imagine it, it could be done.
The Gauntlet Alliance is much like these heroic ring-slingers. Like them, they wield a powerful artifact that can do anything, in this case a glove with a gem embedded in it, and they fight evil in thousands of planets. But that’s where the similarities end.
Gauntlets are placed wherever they are needed, and if more are needed on some planets, then more are recruited. There is no central base of operations, and most Gauntlets have never even seen the enigmatic creators of the Alliance, the Masters.
The Gauntlet Alliance Sourcebook is the first in a series of books detailing the first truly open source supers universe. You’ll see who the Gauntlets are, how the Alliance is organized, what powers they have, how Gauntlets utilizing different Gems (the real source of their power) differ in ability, who actively oppose them, Earth’s four stationed Gauntlets, and much more.
The alliance is divided into four groups, depending on the Gems they wield:
Ruby Enforcers are the fighters of the Alliance, and their Gems augment them for physical power.
Emerald Sentinels represent hope, and are the main branch of the Alliance. Chances are, if you see a Gauntlet, it’s an Emerald.
Sapphire Guardians act as peacekeepers, stressing love as a means to an end. Their Gems project a calming aura when they are acting as diplomats
Amethyst Defenders are healers and protectors. Their Gems don’t have any offensive powers, but that doesn’t mean they’re helpless.
And then there are the Diamond Reapers, the lost ones. At one time representing purity, they were slowly taken over by an evil force, and they became too pure, and their objective is to bring the entire universe under their rule. The Gems of the Diamonds have crushed any semblance of individuality their wielder had, creating a hive mind of warriors. Rumors about of a Diamond Queen, but thus far, there is no evidence.
The Sourcebook not only details the Alliance and all things about it, but also includes a role-playing system so you can jump in with your friends and start having your own adventures.
Super C
Hey, why stop with just role-playing games? Already we’ve started to committing the Darkstar Universe to live action, and we’re proud of what we have so far. Super C is a superhero with his heart in the right place, but with a penchant for having some off luck in his activities. Not that a little bad luck is about to stop him from helping people and doing what’s right. He also works alongside his friends Coyote Man and Emerald Sentinel (yes, we are bringing the Gauntlet Alliance to life).
Right now, our beginning efforts are with the series “Super C: Cafe Super.” Essentially, it a superhero series about nothing, where Super C, Coyote Man, and whomever else joins them talk about whatever comes up, whether it’s presidential superpowers, overeating chocolate, or super-powered grooming.
You can find Cafe Super here.
–Mike Conway