The Firstborn

This villain organization began as an experiment in cloning humans into variants, but later became a study in the creation of synthetic life forms. The scientists who performed this research were Dr. Kenneth Beckett and Dr. David Dutton (father of Shriekback and Gypsy from Section Eight). The two were working in secret, as studies into the creations of variants had been banned by the Variant/Human Rights Acts of 1970 (this research was done in 1973). Their lab consisted mostly of stolen equipment, and the only genetic material they could get their hands on was that of their children (this explains Portal's physical resemblance to Gypsy, Grave's resemblance to Shriekback, and the identical appearance of Beckett's son Michael to Silence).
    The first experiments were incomplete, still incubating in the test tubes, when the two began work on the concept of faster-growing synthetic life. The result of this was the being who the doctors referred to as Corneialus, but who began calling himself Baron Mind. Once Baron Mind's powers had developed enough so that he could steal the memories of Beckett, Mind killed him. He would have done the same to Dutton, but Dutton was away, and Baron Mind had no time to waste. He took the notes, the gestating bodies of his siblings, and fled into the night.
    Ten years later, when his siblings had reached "maturity" and Mind had developed the full range of his mental powers, he had developed a plan for world domination. (Beckett was an extreme egotist, and the combination of his being Mind's first memories and Mind's own peculiar "upbringing" combined to make him seek dominion over mankind.) Mind knew that the number of variants in the US today would make a physical takeover impossible, and America's preparation against variant politics made operating within the system too difficult to be plausible.
    His solution: Travelling back in time before the development of a sufficient variant infrastructure to stop his manipulations of politics. In the past, they could then easily gain political and military power. Baron Mind knew that time travel was possible, because of the exploits of the Great Hunt villain Mobius. All they needed now was a way to do it... (Portal openly objected to this plan, and for her troubles got herself trapped. She is currently being used as an all-purpose instantaneous travel device by her "Brothers". She attempts to thwart them whenever possible).
    In order to provide themselves with a power base, Baron Mind dominated the ineffectual scientific conspiracy known as SHRIMP, then used their people and resources to begin construction of the time machine. Their first attempt resulted in an elaborate, nearly successful plot involving the technical knowledge of Section Eight advisor Simon Barr, a Plovain warp drive and the reality manipulation powers of Daniel Wilson. It was narrowly stopped by Section Eight, and the only major occurrence was the Firstborn's accidental role in the creation of Mobius.
    In preparation for their dominance of the world in another time, they are challenging the students of Lancaster University, studying their abilities and tactics, so that they can recruit them from birth in their new timeline, giving them a potent and loyal body of troops. Contrary to what they may tell themselves, this is mostly an ego kick in challenging their genetic siblings, Shriekback and Gypsy, and may prove their undoing.

Baron Mind
A seven foot nightmare of synthetic life, Cornealius Baron seems perfectly human until he opens the third eye in his forehead. He is phenomenally strong and resistant to damage, with vast intelligence and undisclosed Psionic powers that include memory absorption and hypnosis. Baron Mind leads his siblings with an iron fist, and has an unparalleled ego and drive to conquer the world.

Silence
A tall black man who dresses in casual clothes, Silence possesses Variant Strength and the ability to manipulate gravity. As a strange side effect of his powers, his bio-aura absorbs sound immediately, making him true to his name - he is silence. He has learned to spread this effect to others. Silence is the weakest member of the Firstborn physically, but has learned to make the best use of his powers in combat.

Grave
A virtual genetic twin to Shriekback of Section Eight, he shares his brother's intellect and classification as an Epsilon level variant. The most secretive of the Firstborn, he seldom leaves his studies, which include furthering his powers to manipulate bio-auras, especially those of the recently deceased. When using his powers on living beings he can force them to follow his commands, or simply snuff their lives like a candle.

Portal
Genetic sister to Gypsy, Portal is an Epsilon class teleporter, capable of opening spatial apertures of vast size across almost any distance. She is an unwilling member of the Firstborn, and is currently prisoner to the others, who use technology to force her to use her powers, so that her spatial gateways are accompanied by screams of anguish. She wants to escape, but cannot without help.

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