This article provides a lexicon of terms relevant to the Worlds of Wonder setting. A number of entries are summaries of longer and more detailed articles which are linked to this page.

 

Academy of Lynxes

A secret organization of super-scientists including both heroic Wonders and those considered criminals or “villains.” The Academy was formed in Italy in 1603 as the first-ever academy devoted exclusively to science, and chose the lynx as its symbol for that creature’s legendary acute eyesight. Galileo was a prominent early member and the Academy helped defend him in his struggles with the Catholic Church. By 1630 the founder of the Academy died and the movement went underground, where it became a home to renegade scientists whose work was not accepted by the world at large. Its stated goal was to push the limits of scientific enquiry in an ethical manner and to work for the betterment of all mankind, but debate over the limit of ethical behavior and the proper manner of improving human life became chronic within the Academy.

  

In the modern era the Academy has continued to serve as a forum for super-scientists to consult with one another and share their research. All work conducted with Academy support must adhere to strict ethical guidelines, but nothing prevents members from doing unlicensed work outside Academy oversight. Every year the Academy has its annual meeting where members present their current research. Symposiums on specific topics are held throughout the year and the Academy publishes an annual journal. The Academy’s modest operating budget is supported by member dues. In 2003 the Academy celebrated its 400th anniversary and elected Robert Naiman, aka Codex the Renaissance Man, to be its leader, or “Consul.” The Academy’s motto is minima cura si maxima vis (“Take care of the small to obtain the greatest results.”)

 

Age of Wonders

A catch-all term for human history from 1938 to the present.

 

All-Americans

Main Article: All-Americans

The US government’s federally-sponsored superhuman organization. The All-Americans were founded in 1954 upon the retirement of the All-American Girl. In its early years it was very much an anti-Communist organization involved in the Korean War. Its roster has changed frequently, and its mission has altered with the end of the Cold War. The All-Americans (officially the “All-American Wonder Squad”) is at the forefront of the War on Terror both abroad and in America itself. It is believed that the All-Americans include several covert operatives whose names and abilities are not disclosed to the public. The known membership includes PATRIOT (field commander), Rushmore, All-American Girl, and the Eagle.

 

Blue Wonder

The most famous Wonder hoax in modern history, the Blue Wonder was an ordinary man who pretended to have superhuman powers. His name is now a term for any highly exaggerated or fallacious story, or a person whose reputation is far in excess of his ability. Example: “Did you catch that Blue Wonder on the news last night? If he’s not careful, he’s going to get someone killed.”

 

Dream Marines

The American military force responsible for countering the Qliphoth threat. They are also known as “Sleepwalkers” but their official designation is the 4th Marine Expeditionary Force, Morpheus Division. The unit is based out of a facility located beneath an island in the South Pacific, known as Fort Morpheus. Captain Frank Grant, known also as Gigawatt, is the commanding officer of the Dream Marines.

 

Hawksmoor

A small city in southeast England. Hawksmoor is famous for its Victorian architecture and many churches. Among those who follow such things, Hawksmoor is widely considered the heart of supernatural activity in the modern world. Mona Lisa, Prometheus, Naga and Mister Y all reside in Hawksmoor.

 

Invincibles

A prominent superhero team of the 1980s. The Invincibles were a highly managed organization, with corporate backing, government contacts, and an aggressive public relations strategy. They always maintained a membership of seven, in a conscious attempt to become the “new Seven Wonders.” Most of the team met their deaths in a disastrous mission in 1992, and the organization soon folded.

 

“Married to Justice”

A television family comedy starring Jesse L. Martin as Jack Strongarm, aka Justice, and Kerri Russell as his wife, Celia Strongarm. Ryan Stiles plays Jack’s best friend, and Robert Guillaume appears as Jack’s father, James Strongarm.

 

Masking Laws

Main Article: Masking Laws

A set of federal laws which protect a Wonder’s right to a secret identity, so long as that identity is not used in an unlawful manner. Under Masking Laws, it is illegal to remove a Wonder’s mask without a warrant. Masking Laws also permit law enforcement officials to respond with a greater level of physical force when the subject of that force is wearing a costume. Because these laws dictate special treatment for Wonders on both sides of the law, it is illegal under the Masking Laws for an ordinary person to “impersonate a Wonder” by donning a costume and/or mask.

 

Metropolitans

Every city on Earth has a spirit, and those spirits are known as Metropolitans. Metropolitans appear human. Each is tied to a particular city and lives or dies as that city does. Metropolitans have few and limited superhuman abilities; in particular, they cannot “control” the city which they represent. Rather, the city controls them. If a Metropolitan’s city suffers a plague, the Metropolitan will become ill. If a famous landmark is destroyed, the Metropolitan will be injured.

 

However, because a Metropolitan is one with his city, he knows virtually everything that goes on in it. Its memories are his memories and its characteristics are his characteristics. A city known for its beauty will have a very attractive Metropolitan, while one known for its strength or size will be big and strong. Metropolitans will be skilled at the sorts of trades their cities are known for. A Metropolitan is essentially immortal, as long as his city exists, but will grow old if his city loses vitality.

 

Wise Metropolitans spend most of their time cultivating the public image of their city and encouraging its growth. With the 20th century’s rise in population, the number of Metropolitans has increased considerably; they govern themselves through an elected body known as the City Council. The first City Council was led by Rome; other former heads of the Council include Paris, London, and New York, who stepped down from the position in late 2001. The Council is currently without leader.

 

The existence of Metropolitans is a secret kept even from Earth’s Wonders. Only a handful of mystically aware individuals know of them.

 

Most Wanted

The Most Wanted are a gang of superhuman criminals originally made up of the FBI’s “Most Wanted Wonders.” Over the years the roster has changed many times, but in any incarnation the Most Wanted remain one of the most dangerous groups of their type.

 

NARWAL

Main Article: NARWAL

The federal program for the registration of Wonders. NARWAL encourages voluntary registration through a system of social and financial benefits. It is mandatory for convicted felons.

 

Old Guard

The older generation of active Wonders. Being a Wonder is widely considered a young person’s game, with most entering the trade in their early twenties. By their mid-thirties, such individuals are seasoned professionals, but often seen as too conservative by their younger rivals. Few Wonders are still active into their forties. The term “Old Guard” can be used to broadly refer to any hero who has been in uniform for over ten years. Some heroes take issue with being included in the Old Guard. Giza, Victor, and the Veil are all members of the Old Guard.

 

One World Conspiracy

The commonly held belief that Wonders of all sorts, even so-called heroes, are secretly engaged in a plot to take over the world and obliterate all independent nations. According to the One World theory, the frequent battles between heroic Wonders and their criminal counterparts are all for show, intended to mislead the public and distract them from the slow and subtle takeover of national governments, multinational organizations, the media, financial institutions, and the military by the Wonder community. Some variations maintain that the Conspiracy has already succeeded in its goals, and all politicians of significance are either pawns of Wonders or secretly Wonders themselves. Evidence for the One World Conspiracy is scanty at best, and the most frequently cited document in support of it (the Quorum Protocols) has been proven a forgery, but belief in the Conspiracy has continued. It reached a high point in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, then waned, but has recently been associated with terrorism and given new life.

 

“Out of All Hooping”

An influential book discussing the detrimental effects of Wonders on American society. The title comes from a line in Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. The author, psychiatrist Wilson Peaks, argues that the presence of Wonders has made America into a culture of extremes, where moderation and rational behavior have given way to wild excess and risk-taking.

 

Pandemonium

An infamous gathering of particularly cruel Wonders devoted to terror, mass murder, and chaos. Pandemonium (Ancient Greek: “gathering of all demons”) is known for its large size and for the high threat level of its members. It is organized in the manner of a social club, though its periodic meetings can take place virtually anywhere. Pandemonium differs from other superhuman criminal gangs in that its members consider themselves above mere petty crime; a member of Pandemonium is unlikely to stoop to robbery, kidnapping, or even casual murder. Instead, the organization sets its sight on assassination, corruption, the accumulation of power and global influence, and “evil for evil’s sake.”

Their motto, “Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell,” is a line from Milton’s Paradise Lost.

 

Parliament of Stars

Main Article: Parliament of Stars

The largest and most influential interstellar government in the known universe. Earth is not a member of the Parliament, and relations between the two groups have been cordial but distant. Most people of Earth have no idea the Parliament exists.

 

Peril Institute for Troubled Teens

The Institute, known also as “the PITT”, is the world’s only high school for the children of super-criminals. Created and administrated by the 1970s psychic villain Professor Peril, the PITT is a free service provided to criminal families. Those students who do not have powers of their own often end up as agents of other, more experienced, super-criminals. The existence of the PITT is suspected, but not verified, by some heroic Wonders, but no hero has ever seen its halls. It is thought to be located deep underground, but is in fact hidden inside the earth’s moon.

 

Planet X

Known also as “Planet Ten” or “Vulcan,” Planet X is an Earth-sized planet in our solar system. It remained undetected by Earth astronomers until the 1960s, when it was discovered by space-capable Wonders. Planet X orbits exactly opposite Earth; it is always on the other side of the sun. Planet X was settled by humans thousands of years ago and developed in a manner very similar to that of Earth. Indeed, the parallels between the two societies are so clear that it is difficult to believe it could have happened through random chance. Planet X, however, is ruled by a despotic World Council which has, since its discovery of Earth, attempted to conquer humanity. Planet X has launched one overt invasion effort and is responsible for countless covert missions, most of which have been disrupted by Earth Wonders. Recently, Planet X suffered a series of massive disasters which left the world in ruins. The World Council, however, survives with much of its technology and infrastructure intact.

 

Project Atlas

Main Article: Project Atlas

One of the most visible and effective gatherings of heroic Wonders in the world today. The group answers threats too dangerous for any single Wonder, including terrorist attack, alien invasion, and the activity of superhuman criminal gangs, but has no official jurisdiction, nor does it answer to any law enforcement or government authority. It is based in New York City’s Atlas Towers, a skyscraper dominated by offices and other businesses. (Only the top eight floors are used by the Project.) The current active membership of Project Atlas includes the Bronze Star, the Champ (current Chairman), Giza, the Lady of the Lake, Matrix, the Veil, and Victoria.

 

Qliphoth

Literally “shells” or “husks”, the Qliphoth (pronounces CLIP-oat) are elements of Judaic lore and said to be the leftover fragments of Creation that God did not use. They are malevolent in the extreme. The name has been used to refer to a race of extradimensional aliens who are attempting to invade the Earth through the dreams of sleeping Wonders. This conflict is known as the War of Sleep. 

 

The Qliphoth appear to be able to either change their shape or take over the form of others. However, they most commonly appear as black, spike-covered, spider-like creatures. It is theorized there may be many different breeds of Qliphoth, and the spider-like creatures may be but the most common sort.

 

Quorum

A hidden society of heroic Wonders dedicated to upholding justice and lending aid to the oppressed. The existence of the Quorum is well known to the public at large, but its membership is secret; before anyone is invited to join they are first observed for months (or even years) by the order. Once offered membership, the candidate must pass a series of tests designed to measure his courage, creativity, fighting skills, and dedication to justice. The society works in secret across national borders, usually in ways traditionally avoided by costumed heroes. They free political prisoners from oppressive governments, assist in the transport of refugees, provide succor to the poor and destitute, and lend support to those who rise up against tyranny and fascism. In order to preserve the secrets of their membership, however, they take up arms only as a last resort. The Quorum is hundreds of years old, at least; its origins and agenda are shrouded in mystery. Some claim it dates back to ancient Rome. It is believed to have many ranks, titles and distinctions among its membership, who use secret signs and symbols to communicate in the open.

 

Mona Lisa and the costumed vigilante known as “the Fox” are both members of the Quorum, but due to the nature of the society virtually anyone could secretly be an agent of this group.

 

Radiant City

A city of three million people on the West Coast, designed essentially from scratch by the famous architect Le Corbussier after a catastrophic earthquake ruined the original site. Radiant is notable for its enormous glass-walled skyscrapers filled with apartments and separated by vast parks. It boasts numerous high-tech industries and is a center for scientific research. Victor, Victoria, iHero and Spectrum are famous residents of Radiant.

 

Radioland

An alternate Earth occasionally visited by Wonders and apparently stuck in the 1930s. More important, Radioland has no physical dimension; those who enter Radioland lose their body and exist solely as audio impressions. To perform any action in Radioland – from crossing the street to putting on one’s clothes – the action must be established as fact through narration. (“Well, here I am at work again, and right on time!”) If an element of the reality has not been narrated, it remains subject to the narration of other Radioland citizens. (“Doris, this letter from the War Department just arrived for you. It looks important.”) Other events are established through the voice of a “Narrator” which the citizens of Radioland cannot hear, but whose narration they appear bound by. Most citizens of Radioland have no idea that they can alter the reality of their world by simply speaking; Wonders traveling to Radioland have used this power to try and seize control of that world and use it for their own ends, however, and this has led some denizens of Radioland to discover the truth.

 

Seven Wonders

The first modern superhero team, the Seven Wonders were America’s answer to the appearance of the Wunderkind in Nazi Germany. The team was active throughout the war, but disbanded in 1948. Although no subsequent team has attempted to revive the name, the media perpetuate the name when they compare any new superhero team to the Seven Wonders. The term can also be used to refer to the world’s seven most influential and powerful Wonders, whoever they may be. There is little agreement on who might make up such a list, but some of the most-suggested candidates are Victor, Watchdog, the Champ, the Lady of the Lake, Miss Universe, Victoria, the Veil, Giza, Matrix, and the Bronze Star II.

 

The original Seven Wonders included Victor, Golden Girl, Thunderbolt, Bronze Star, the Eagle and Flyboy.

 

Thin Time

A physical state in which repeated temporal travel has created a weakness in the structure of space/time. The universe, especially around Earth, is currently in a state of Thin Time. Frank Bacon, regional manager for Time Management Inc, describes the phenomenon as follows:

  

“Space/time is like a sheet of paper, see. And when history happens, it starts writing at the top, and it keeps going all the way to the bottom corner. And sometimes, sometimes you want to go back and erase something you already wrote and write it over again. And you can, the first few times. But after a while, when you’ve erased and written over the same words again and again, because you just can’t get it right, well, things don’t erase well anymore. They just turn into a big gray smear. And when you try to write, the lead doesn’t stick. And the paper, it wears so thin you can see right through it. And sometimes it tears. And when that happens, well, you’re screwed. Because the only thing you can do then is toss the whole thing in the wastebasket and start over with a new sheet of paper. That’s thin time, and that’s the mess we’re in.”

 

Time Management Incorporated

The inter-temporal corporation which has been contracted to monitor temporal travel and disturbances in space/time. The existence of TMI, as it is often called, is unknown to the general public. TMI employs a single agent for all Earth timelines. This individual, known as “the Temp”, answers to a regional manager by the name of Frank Bacon.

 

Titan City

A large American city on the Eastern seaboard. It is famous as a hub for business and industry, as well as for its skyscraper architecture. The city has a long history of organized crime, a problem kept in check by the presence of the many Wonders who live in the city. The Champ, Major Rager, and the Drifter are well known Wonders operating in Titan and Wonder Workers is based there.

 

Tomorrow Man

Main Article: Tomorrow Man

An urban legend among Wonders. Many Wonders believe that a previous distortion in space/time resulted in a single innocent man being cast out of the timestream. This “Tomorrow Man”, who is trapped in the future, works tirelessly for the benefit of Wonders in the present, arranging good luck for them and minimizing the effects of tragedy. Belief in Tomorrow Man is more common among the Old Guard.

 

“Who Wants to be a Wonder?”

A television reality show in which a group of people compete for the right to gain superhuman powers. The first season offered contestants the chance to acquire the powers of the Red Rocket, who retired in the 1980s and who agreed to pass on his abilities in exchange for an undisclosed contract. Subsequent seasons have used corporate-financed weaponry, mysterious alien artifacts, or Wonder Drugs as prizes.

 

Wonder

A superhuman individual, or an individual who allies with or opposes superhumans despite a lack of powers. Wonders typically wear costumes, often including a mask. Wonders can be broadly divided into two groups: the first breaks the law in the pursuit of their own agendas, while the second attempts to thwart the first group and uphold the status quo. The term dates back at least as far as the 18th century, but gained popular use in 1938 with the appearance of the Wunderkind and the Seven Wonders.

 

Wonder Drug

A generic term for any one of numerous chemicals intended to grant superhuman powers to the recipient. Some Wonder Drugs are engineered in a lab, but others occur naturally.

 

“Wonder Stories”

The most popular weekly magazine devoted to Wonders. Wonder Stories was founded by Hugo Gernsback and has its origin in the pre-War era, but it has undergone many changes that have kept the magazine “contemporary”.

 

Wonder Workers

An employment agency for Wonders. Most of its jobs are temporary in nature, and run the gamut from conventional security work to construction, courier services, and space technology.

 

Wonderbar

A popular American chocolate bar, originally with a caramel center but now available in many varieties. Various well-known Wonders have been featured on the cover of the Wonderbar throughout its history, and Wonderbar collecting is a common hobby among children.

 

Wondercare

The medical insurance and life assistance plan affiliated with NARWAL. Wondercare (tm) ensures that any Wonder receives a very modest monthly check and any mandatory medical care. Wonders who are forced to rely solely on Wondercare for their income are said to be “on the stub.”

 

Wonderland

A large and successful amusement park outside Titan City and dedicated to Wonder culture. Wonderland boasts thrill rides and live shows based on current and famous Wonders, and is famous for its cast of Wonder impersonators who entertain visitors. The official mascot of Wonderland is the super-powered rodent known as Wundermaus.

 

Wonderwear

Main Article: Wonderwear

A company that produces uniforms, crimefighting gear, and other conveniences for the Wonder market. The company is publicly-traded and is based in Radiant City. Marsha Parks, formerly the Blonde Bombshell, is the current CEO. Wonderwear’s slogan, “What are you wearing under there?” is known worldwide thanks to an aggressive billboard campaign.