The Keeper of Infinite Earths - Union of Peace

Created by Matt Parmenter

"Katerina Yaga" Created by Barry Mulvihil

Matriarch
Alter Ego: Katarina
Occupation: Superhero
Known Relatives: None living
Group Affiliation: Union of Peace
Base of Operations: New York, NY

Background/History:
Born in the 1860s to a well to do Russian family, she embarrassed her father by being a tomboy. One day, the children in her village began mysteriously disappearing. While traveling through the woods on an errand, Katarina was interrupted by Baba Yaga who attempted to kidnap her with the intention of eating her as she had the missing children. While Baba Yaga was busy, Katarina worked free from her bonds and almost escaped from her hut unnoticed. Baba Yaga managed to grab her, but she grabbed the cross of iron that Katarina wore as well. Whether it was the blessed cross or the iron itself, she recoiled in pain from touching it. The plucky youngster, seeing an advantage, struck her with it, knocking her out, and then, the hut began to shake and collapse. Katarina ran away as the hut imploded into itself. She returned to the village and told her tale, but no one believed her. Eventually, she was actually suspected to have been behind the children’s disappearances. Her father, fearing the worst, sent her away to travel the world. Everywhere she went, she seemed to stumble into some sort of mystery, intrigue, or supernatural event and ended up saving the day as if it were her destiny. When the invitations went out for the Century Challenge, a competition between super powered individuals held at the end of each century, Katarina was on the list. She went expecting some grand, new adventure. In the final competition, she faced the man known as the Black Dragon in hand to hand combat. She was no match for his martial arts skill, but he did not take her seriously. When he did a little grandstanding, she caught him completely off guard and took him down. The prize for winning the competition was a potion that bestowed enhanced physical abilities and immortality. It even removed the gray streak in her hair that had earned her the nickname, Matriarch. She devoted her life to mastering her abilities and learning to fight. In the 1940s, with the advent of superheroes, she decided to return to the public and took her old nickname as her secret identity. She continues using her abilities to fight evil and injustice in the modern day with the Union of Peace.

Personality/Motivations:
Obviously much older than she appears, she approaches everything with the wisdom her years of experience have earned and in a calm, even handed manner. Since she seems to be drawn to problems anyway, she draws her sense of purpose from solving those problems and protecting the weak and innocent.

Champions Character Sheet