The Chessmen

The Chessmen were a British secret intelligence operation that operated from 1962 to 1980. Formed originally by Godwin Kaspar, the original Chessmen consisted of highly-trained former espionage and law-enforcement personnel recruited by Kaspar in his guise as the Black
King. Most of the agents were ranked according to their specialty, Knights were recruited for combat, Bishops for intelligence work, Rooks for security and so on. Masters at behind-the-scenes political manipulation, the Chessmen initially intended to clandestinely assist the American and British governments in containing unusual and colorful menaces to the crown during the Silver Age of heroism.

Eventually, however, it was revealed that the Chessmen only appeared to be foiling the threats they were asked to intervene in. In truth, the Chessmen were profiting or even recruiting from criminal and terrorist organizations they pretended to be dismantling. AEGIS (aided by the Second Nightwatchman) exposed Kaspar and eventually brought the entire organization down.  The majority of the Chessmen, including its founder, ended up in US federal prison. Godwin Kaspar was broken by his defeat and died behind bars less than five years after his incarceration, professing his innocence the entire time.

Then, a little over a decade ago, the Black King’s son, Alexander Kaspar, formed a new Chessmen
organization as a private intelligence firm dedicated to providing personal protection and private security options to wealthy clientele. Alexander replaced his father’s peerless personal charisma with his own unique tactical genius, outmaneuvering and anticipating threats to his clients before things become a problem.

In the space of the past few years, Alexander, now referring to himself as the Grandmaster, has taken his organization from nothing to a highly-efficient and well respected private security firm. And in doing so he hopes to rebuild the tarnished reputation of his father and the original Chessmen. Alexander believes his father claims of innocence and resents AEGIS' role in what he sees as a conspiratorial take down of a legitimate intelligentsia rival.

Now the Victory Foundation has hired Alexander and his Chessmen to act as Vanguard's intelligence support network, acting as home base security, information gathering and media support in the wake of Maximilian Mars' departure.