Superadine

Superadine is a highly addictive drug sold in Paragon City and several other locations in the City of Heroes MMO. The drug gives people various superhuman abilities.

History

According to the Back Alley Brawler, the drug "appeared" in the 1980's. Nobody really knows WHO created it, or how, although several people claimed to have come up with the idea. There were several attempts by major pharmaceutical companies to register Superadine with the US Patent Office, only to be told that it was classified as a Schedule I controlled substance and would be illegal.

While the origins of the drug are not readily known, the substance would be easily duplicated and distributed by various gangs, including the Skulls and the Trolls, the latter of which would also use the substance voraciously.

The drug was first sold through rave parties, earning its reputation as a "party drug". Eventually it spread into open-street distribution, which immediately caught the attention of several superheroes including the Back Alley Brawler and Blue Steel. Several drug programs were set up to combat this threat, which were initially considered successes.

During this time, it was observed that some addicts experienced extra-dimensional senses, being able to see into other worlds. It was this discovery that encouraged Dr. Brian Webb to create the means to travel to other universes. This led to the creation of Portal Corporation.

Although the so-called "Supera-War" (as promoted by the media) was deemed a success, it did not eliminate the drug completely. The Trolls stockpiled several gallons of the drug in the caves under Eastgate for their own consumption. It is not known if this contributed to the eventual "Hollowing" of that district in 2000 or any possible connection to the rise of the Igneous afterward. It is known that after the first Rikti invasion in 2002, the drug made a quiet return to the street distributors.

Properties

Superadine is green in color and mildly phosphorescent. It is artificially manufactured through a combination of several chemicals that are not easily acquired. One essential element in its creation is the radioactive substance Unordinum (Uno PE-123), which is found in the after-effects of a free-forming dimensional portal.

Consumption

Superadine can be consumed either through inhaling, injection, or ingestion with various effects.

• Inhalation: Superadine atomized as a mist produces the smallest level of exposure and risk. Immediate short-term effects stimulate the senses and work similar to adrenalin on the human body. There is a minimal chance of addiction as long as the exposure is limited. Those chances increase with prolonged exposure.

• Ingestion: The most common way Superadine is taken is through the black designer gelatin capsules. Often the substance is diluted to half its potency by dealers to minimize the phosphorescent nature appearing through the capsules. Depending on the mixture, the effects can increase strength, speed, senses, and pain threshold. First exposure has a fifty percent chance of leading to addiction through ingestion. That number goes to one hundred percent after the second exposure. Prolonged exposure will also result in genetic mutations.

• Injection: The direct method of taking Superadine is through injection into the bloodstream. This produces the maximum effect in the quickest amount of time. Unfortunately it is not without consequences, the least of which is almost one hundred percent chance of addiction. Direct injection into the bloodstream causes immediate changes to one's system. This has led to heart attacks and stroke in certain cases. Irreversible random physical mutations are also a strong possibility.

Effects

Depending on the potency and method of consumption, the effects of Superadine can range from stimulative to hyper-accelerating physical abilities to physical mutations. Key to the physical addiction of the substance is the rush of power one experiences.

Universal Constant?

According to the Dark Watcher and Doc Tor, both of whom have prolonged experiences in multiverse travel, the presence of Superadine can be found in most universes in the Omniverse under a different name or derivation. In each reported instance, there is no actual creator, only accounts of the drug "appearing" and giving people superhuman abilities.

• The Praetorian version of Superadine is known as "Fixadine".

• According to MidKnight X, the drug in universe XHT-S7 was known as "Ambrosia".

• Maximus Rex said the drug in his universe was called "Shorties" (as in "short-cuts") since it allowed normal people to mimic mutant abilities and be fraudulently given nobility status.

(Please see the Paragon Wiki entry for more information.)