An interesting point to ponder: how familiar ar we with other meta's? So ar we've been knocking it around old hat like hellboy, but I'm wondering if our group is the exception or the rule? Also I'm wondering if any of our characters want to have a past with each other? Did any of us who are employed take down an indentured and bring them in to be part of this system?
As far as the universe history goes, Metas have been around for about the last thirty years, but the oldest ones kept themselves very quiet and out of sight. Some who used their abilities for their own gain have risen to positions of power in the world, but keep their abilities hidden and their involvement in the metahuman sub-culture a secret.
Within the last five years those with powers have begun to come out of the shadows as younger, more free-spirited metas have discovered their abilities. This has led to a number of highly publicised and globally reported incidents which have brought metas into the public consciousness, with the realisation that gods walk amongst us.
To deal with the public outcry against those with powers the UN sanctioned the creation of the Allied Extra-Governmental Intelligence Service, more commonly known as A.E.G.I.S, whose mission statement is to control and contain metahumans internationally. Ratified by all major nations, and accepted as the utmost authority on the metahuman situation, A.E.G.I.S. have the power to detain without charge any individuals discovered to possess metahuman abilities, no matter what their source.
Initially A.E.G.I.S. operated as an administrative authority, cataloguing metahuman powers for individuals whose talents were mundane and trivial (spoonbenders, people with the ability to see ten seconds into the past, a man capable of identifying any type of cheese from upto a mile away, etc.) but when they started to encounter those whose powers were more of a threat to the general population the need for more rigorous action was deemed necessary.
At that point permission was granted for the formation of the Rapid Assault Tactical Squads, groups of highly trained individuals whose mission was to isolate and contain dangerous metahumans using all necessary force. While at first these squads consisted of government trained agents and military personnel as they came into contact with more metahumans A.E.G.I.S. began to recruit them into the R.A.T.S. as 'mission specialists' for specific tasks.
After noting a far higher success rate for squads containing a metahuman the decision was made to broaden the recruitment policy for the R.A.T.S. so that any individuals with powers which could be useful to A.E.G.I.S. could be offered a place on the team. Heading into the Vault, a highly secured and secret prison complex, A.E.G.I.S. officers offered certain controllable inmates the opportunity to serve humanity in exchange for their freedom, with certain provisions in place to ensure their loyalty.
Currently R.A.T.S. employs over thirty metahumans on a full-time basis, with several more registered as 'consultants' for specific mission assignments. Along with this the Vault houses over fifty metahumans whose abilities and temperaments have been identified as too dangerous to be allowed freedom. Worldwide A.E.G.I.S. is currently monitoring over 7 million metahumans and 'potentials' (0.1% of the world's population) who may someday require them to take action, although the vast majority of these individuals show no signs of becoming a threat any time soon.
Within the last couple of years certain individuals, such as Discord and Thrash, have been approached by an unknown stranger and been granted 'gifts' which have allowed them to become metahumans. Whether this 'stranger' has a wide-scale plan in place or if this is merely random mischief is currently under investigation.
