The Judges of Justice were founded on the ideals of Veritas, whose vision for the group was never about creating weapons against crime, but symbols against corruption. Rook City is a place where shadows linger, where despair often outpaces hope. Veritas believed that if the people saw only masked vigilantes lurking in the dark, then corruption would always win because the city would never believe in something better. Instead, he forged a team built on light.
Five individuals who once lived as civilians, who once feared the decay of Rook City as anyone else did, but who now stand as beacons of hope. They are living proof that ordinary people, when gifted with extraordinary means, can dedicate themselves to fighting for justice, not vengeance. Darkness cannot be outmatched by more darkness. It must be outshone by light. The City needs people to believe in, something to follow to the light. Heroes who represent the best in humanity, who stand tall, visible, and unashamed of what they are.
For this reason, Veritas hides his own brokenness behind a mask of optimism and idealism. Though his true self is grizzled, scarred, and weighed down by cynicism, his public form radiates hope. The people must see Veritas the White Knight, not Gideon Hull the broken detective.
Equitas, too, conceals his nature, if the people learned that one of their brightest lights was not even human, it would fracture the faith the team worked so hard to build. The illusion that Equitas is flesh and blood protects the team's mission: they are heroes for the people, of the people.
This is also why Veritas pushed Virtus into leadership. Where Veritas wears a mask of optimism, Virtus is optimism made real. A man of principle and radiant power, he represents the Judges without a facade. He is unflinching, uncorrupted, and embodies exactly what Veritas wanted the team to symbolize. Not manipulation, not intimidation, but Inspiration.
Pietas and Prudentias, newer to their gifts, were guided by Veritas with a subtle hand. He helped them shape their powers but, more importantly, instilled in them the same philosophy: that their abilities are not burdens, but lanterns in the dark. Through them, and through Equitas and Virtus, Veritas' ideals live on in a team that stands not just as warriors against crime, but as a visible force for good.
The once ruined Rook City administration office building has been refurbished as the very well known Tribunal of the Judges of Justice. The Tribunal acts as their headquarters, a hub of strategy, technology, and refuge. From here, Equitas maintains the team's lifeline: a sophisticated communication network he designed to keep every member connected at all times.
This allows the Judges to scatter across the city or even live separate lives, yet still come together instantly when Rook City's most dangerous foes emerge. Virtus, Equitas and Pietas call The Tribunal home, all of their lives solely revolving around the team. Veritas has a secret lab within The Tribunal, a secret only known to him and Equitas, which he uses as a hub for all of his Veritas related gear and findings. Prudentias has a holding cell for the Sword of Lady Justice which can only be accessed by a device designed by Equitas which opens a portal between wherever she is and the blades' storage container so at any given moment Iris can become Prudentias.
With any public hero base comes its challenges like unwanted attention, and their foes always know where it is of course, so all sorts of hijinks and attempted sabotage occurs. But the Judges work through it. Veritas wanted it to be public to physically represent a beacon of light, at night a beam of light emits from the building representing hope in the people of Rook City that the Judges Of Justice are out there protecting them. The defense systems of The Tribunal are of the highest quality due to Equitas always being there, always updating and repairing, which keeps most foes away.
Between the present day and the investigation into the death of Questor six years have elapsed. Gideon took about a year to fully develop Equitas. Then the next year Gideon learned what it meant to be Veritas while Equitas continued to invent and improve Veritas' equipment, his own equipment and the foundations of The Tribunal.
The following year much of the same happened until Veritas was tasked to figure out Marus Hales' power in November of that year. After about 6 months, Marcus Hale or rather Virtus was ready to help Rook City, during that time Veritas continued his normal work and helped Virtus get combat ready, Equitas developed equipment for Virtus during that time.
Now about two and a half years in, a group of three heroes, Virtus and Veritas, were found all over the city with Equitas still rarely ever joining by their side. Another year elapsed when Iris Raines gained the Sword of Lady Justice and roughly three months later joined Virtus, Veritas and Equitas in a superbattle against Plague Rat. Iris would take a gap year after high school in order to fully harness the power of the Sword of Lady Justice.
Soon after, the media labeled them as "The Judges of Justice". Three months ago came the addition of Pietas, Veritas stepping down as leader, and Iris starting her first semester of college at Rook City University. The Tribunal was fully finished about two months ago, but it had been a public place of operations for the past year. Present day, Equitas, Virtus, and Pietas act on everything they can in the city, Prudentias balances her life between crime-fighting and academia as well as she feasibly can, and Veritas is seen when he feels it's necessary.
| Timeframe | Event | Who | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years ago | Questor's death investigation begins | Gideon Hull (not yet Veritas) |
This is where it starts. |
| 5.5 years ago | Gideon solved the investigation, uncovering a conspiracy. He also found Questor's secret base, grav cycle, and an advanced AI. | Gideon Hull (still not yet Veritas) |
This is the origin story of Veritas. |
| 4.5 years ago | Gideon quit the Police force due to the corruption he uncovered, and secretly began learning everything he could from Questor's tech and resources.
He began the development of what became Equitas, using the advanced AI and other resources Questor left behind, and created his own costumed identity as Veritas. |
Veritas, Equitas | This is the origin story of Equitas. |
| 4 years ago | Marcus Hale gains powers during a freak space accident while en route to the Wagner II base on Mars. The sole survivor, he was turned into a being of coherent solar energy. It took him some time to reform himself, but in so doing became the being that would thereafter be known as Virtus. | Virtus | This is the origin story of Virtus. |
| 4 years ago | Virtus, returning from space to his home in Ravenwood becomes involved in a super battle where Veritas and Equitas struggled against strange illusion demons powered by an OblivAeon shard. He aided them, and they became fast friends. | Veritas, Equitas, Virtus | This is the start of the Judges of Justice. |
| 3.75 years ago | After several more successful crimefighting partnerships, the local media started calling the trio the Judges of Justice. The name stuck. The belabored people of Rook City and its environs began to see the bold trio as rare symbols of hope. Veritas noticed, and decided to go big.
Pitching his plan to found a public and principled super team to clean up Rook City to Virtus, and building out what would become The Tribunal super base by expanding Questor's previously secret lair. Then, as tradition requires, he gave a press conference announcing the teams existence and intent. |
Veritas, Equitas, Virtus | The Judges of Justice officially founded. |
| 2 years ago | Unremarkable high school student Iris Raines was chosen by the Sword of Lady Justice on a school trip to the Rook City Historical Museum, when she stood before an ancient Roman statue of Justitia, aka Lady Justice. Feeling it call to her, Iris reached out to the statue in a daze and somehow the marble sword became real in her hand, and she was transformed! | Prudentias | This is the origin story of Prudentias. |
| 1.75 years ago | After a few months of learning how to use her abilities and fighting against petty lawbreakers on the mean inner-city streets of Rook City, Prudentias came to the attention of Veritas and was vetted for provisional membership, which she ultimately accepted. The provisional status went away soon as she quickly proved herself. | Veritas, Equitas, Virtus, Prudentias | This is how Prudentias joined the team. |
| 1 years ago | Noted historian and professor Helena Marlowe was asked to join an archaeological excavation of a previously unknown Roman settlment in the Dolomite Mountains. Unusually, this settlement was deep underground in a vast cave network that had been sealed off by a cave in long ago. Recently discovered by accident, it was a treasure trove of historical findings. Of course she had to go! | Helena Marlowe (not yet Pietas) |
This is the start of the origin story of Pietas. |
| .75 years ago | While taking part in the excavation of the lost Roman settlement, Helena wandered into a structure that seemed to be some sort of temple for a Mystery Cult. She felt drawn to small rockspill towards the back, and noticed a metal medallion on a chain partially covered by the rocks. Carefully pulling it free, she found herself looking at a representation of the Roman goddess Pietas. For reasons she could never later explain, she slipped the medallion over her neck, and became empowered. | Pietas | This is the origin story of Pietas. |
| .75 years ago | Meanwhile, the Judges of Justice continued their ceaseless efforts to bring order to Rook City. Acknowledging that Virtus was a more inspirational symbol and a more effective tactical commander, Veritas asked Virtus to assume the mantle of leadership. | Veritas, Equitas, Virtus, Prudentias | Virtus becomes leader of the Judges of Justice. |
| .5 years ago | After various escapades in Europe, Helena Marlowe returned home to Rook City. Seeing Prudentias in news coverage, Helena instinctively knew that Prudentias was like her. A person empowered in some way by the aspect of an ancient Roman diety. Subsequently, Helena sought Prudentia out and through a series of eventualities became entangled with the Judges of Justice. Virtus offered her membership soon thereafter, and she hesitantly joined as Pietas. | Veritas, Equitas, Virtus, Prudentias, Pietas | This brings us to the current lineup of the team. |
