The Travelers are a group of itinerant villains who never stay in one place for too long.
Modus operandi
As stated they move from place to place trying to keep their friend Noelle happy and healthy. The reason they do not stay in the same place for long is due to the rampages Noelle's power forces her into.
While widely recognized as heavy hitters they do hold back all that they can do so that they don't draw attention and so that they do not injure people.[1][2] This is likely tied into their need to keep Noelle, by far the most dangerous member of the Travelers, contained.[3]
Structure
Trickster is nominally the leader, while others members chafe under his leadership.
Cherish stated at one point that all of the other members of the Travelers have hated Trickster and Noelle at some point.
PRT Response
The larger organization was aware of them
Were on to them, but when Coil heard about them he put a stop to the full investigation.[4]
History
Background
The Travelers were originally a highschool Computer Gaming Club from Madison, Wisconsin on Earth Aleph. When the Simurgh attacked Madison on Earth Bet, she brought several buildings from Earth Aleph - including the one the Travelers were meeting in. Noelle sustained serious internal injuries which were exacerbated by the lack of medical care. When trying to find help for her, Trickster stumbled across a suitcase containing six vials of superpower-granting formula. Each member of the Travellers took a dose except for Noelle and Oliver who shared half a dose each. They then resolved to become mercenaries in order to finance their search for a way home.[5]
The Travelers visited New York at one point, and were involved with forty individuals disappearing overnight.[6][7]
They quickly gained a reputation as traveling villains, due to a need to be mobile to hide Echidna's rampages and to keep her fed.
Story Start
Following Coil's acquisition of his precog he reached out to the Travelers offering a solution to their situation if they would work for him.[8] As such the Travelers make their first appearance in Brockton Bay during the villain conference at Somer's Rock when they were deciding what to do about the Azn Bad Boys.[9]
Post-Leviathan
Individual members would take up territory in the city.
Post-Slaughterhouse Nine
Helped fend off Dragon and her machines.
Tried to stop Echidna before Trickster's betrayal. They were instrumental in solving the crisis.
Post-Echidna
Trickster was imprisoned in the Birdcage, while the other surviving members returned through a portal to Earth Aleph.
Perdition eventually showed up during the fight with Behemoth, killing Accord and wounding Chevalier and Tattletale.
Gold Morning
Remaining members were collected in the final day of the event.
Members
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Trickster | Leader and swap teleporter. Deceased. |
| Sundancer | Mighty blaster who has the whole sun in her hands. Returned home. |
| Genesis | Wheelchair Bound Girl with an unrestrained mind. Returned home. |
| Ballistic | Intelligent brilliant boy with a one-track power. Returned home. |
| Oliver | Broken boy in what could be called the perfect body. Returned home. |
| Perdition | Mad kid dealt a bad hand. Final fate is unknown. |
| Noelle | Poor girl with a Big problem. Deceased. |
Trivia
- Coil theorized that Leviathan attacked Brockton Bay because of Noelle's presence as the Endbringer moved towards his base (where she was incarcerated) until it was forced to retreat.
- Like those with the strongest connection to their shards the Travelers have a dose of irony.[10]
References
- ↑ “Sundancer?” I asked, quiet, “Help me out?”
“If I used my power, I’d probably hurt you worse than I hurt him.”
“That line is getting old fast.”
[...]
“Sundancer, now would be a great time to use your power.” I spoke. As I said the words, I called on every bug that was in the area and sent them to Lung.
“It’s not- no. I’ll burn them.”
“Then burn them! If you don’t use your power, I can pretty much guarantee Lung will burn them worse.”
“Doubt it,” Sundancer replied. But she raised her hands in front of her, and there was a brilliant flare of light, only a fraction of a second, but enough to leave a black-blue spot in the center of my vision. There was a brief roaring sound as the light faded. - Excerpt from Hive 5.9 - ↑ Trickster’s words reminded me of what Sundancer had said back when she and I had fought Lung. Sundancer had held back in using her power because she was frightened about hurting bystanders or killing the people she attacked. Her power was too hard to use without hurting someone. Ballistic was the same. Was Noelle another case of the same thing? That same too-powerful ability, only on a greater scale? - Excerpt from Snare 13.1
- ↑ “Is there any possibility that we could deploy Noelle?” I asked Trickster.
“No,” Trickster said.
“If she’s as powerful as you say-”
“If Noelle used her power in this battle you’re talking about, everyone loses.”
The Travelers were way, way too fond of that line. - Excerpt from Snare 13.5 - ↑ Krouse leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. he held the cigarette in one hand and the phone in the other. “What do you know of our issues?”
“I know what the PRT knows. I know you appeared out of nowhere, that a Luke Casseus and a Noelle Meinhardt were admitted for care to St. Mary’s hospital, yet there are no such students on any high school rosters.“
“We’re not from there,” Krouse said.
“Then why did Luke Casseus put down Madison, Wisconsin as a place of residence?“
Krouse suppressed a groan.
“Rest assured, Trickster, there is no need for any alarm. The fact that I know these things is an asset to you. A contact of mine in the PRT has taken over your case file and requisitioned all details on your encounter with Myrddin. That case will not be pursued further.“ - Excerpt from Migration 17.8 - ↑ Migration 17.7
- ↑ “I don’t know. Could they? Yes. And that possibility is too dangerous, especially given what Regent can do. The Undersiders do not pull their punches. The Travelers, oddly enough, are more moderate, but they do have sixteen kills under their belt, due in large part to the sheer power at their disposal.”
“Let’s not forget the incident in New York,” Legend said. “Forty individuals disappeared in one night. Investigation confirmed the Travelers were occupying a nearby location. Chances are good that they were involved.” - Excerpt from Interlude 13 - ↑ Tattletale spoke up, “The Travelers have two other members who don’t see much action. Oliver handles their day-to-day stuff. Finds and prepares places for them to settle down, gets food, looks after Noelle. Noelle…”
“New York,” Miss Militia interrupted. “She’s the one that’s responsible for the disappearance of those forty people?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Tattletale said. - Excerpt from Queen 18.3 - ↑ Migration 17.8
- ↑ Hive 5.1
- ↑ There is a connection though.
Marissa's mother wanted her to shine, and she only found peace when she got away from the spotlight. Now she shines brighter than ever.
Luke was the pillar of the team, everyone's friend, the glue that held them together. Now he stands alone, and he destroys rather than support.
Jess was good at compartmentalizing her life, facing reality and entertaining fiction with monsters and superheroes in good measure. Now the lines between reality and dream are blurred, she has everything she secretly wanted for herself, and little else... - Comment by Wildbow on Spacebattles
| Leader | Noelle Meinhardt † • Trickster ‡ |
|---|---|
| Members | Ballistic ‡ • Genesis ‡ • Oliver ‡ • Perdition ‡ • Sundancer ‡ |
| Leader | Coil † • Tattletale |
|---|---|
| Members | Dinah Alcott ‡ • Chariot • Creep • Leah • Pitter • Trainwreck † • The Travelers ‡ • The Undersiders |
| Associates | Accord † • Circus ‡ • Faultline’s Crew • Leet ‡ • Über ‡ |