The backstory of City of Heroes

There are several groups in the City of Heroes universe that do not directly fight for or against you, but come up often as contacts or historical figures.

The Freedom Phalanx
The Freedom Phalanx is the most important hero group in the CoH universe, similar to Marvel's Avengers and DC's Justice League. It's uncertain how many members they had at their peak, but after the Rikti War was over, only the "Surviving Eight" remain. They direct players to many of the Task Forces in CoH, and in the later levels it becomes possible to gain a "Freedom Phalanx Reserve Member" Accolade badge which increases a player's max HP and Endurance.

Important Members:
 * Statesman
 * Synapse
 * Positron
 * Manticore
 * Sister Psyche
 * Numina
 * Citadel
 * Back Alley Brawler (semi-retired)

The Vindicators
The Vindicators are the younger sidekicks of Freedom Phalanx members. In CoH they act as trainers where players can level up.

Important Members (and their Mentors):
 * Ms. Liberty (Statesman)
 * Mynx (Synapse)
 * Valkyrie (Positron)
 * Swan (Manticore)
 * Aurora Borealis (Sister Psyche)
 * Infernal (Numina)
 * Luminary (Citadel)
 * Malaise (sometimes a member, sometimes evil, formerly Sister Psyche)

Hero Corp
Hero Corp is both a group of heroes, and a corporation. Unlike most hero groups, they charge for their services, which has drawn criticism from some areas including the Freedom Phalanx. After the Rikti War, Crey Corporation helped fund their reconstruction. They act as contacts to newer heroes, and can change a hero's reputation (difficulty level) for a modest Influence fee.

The Vanguard
The Vanguard was created during the Rikti War to fight off the aliens, and covered almost every hero fighting at the time. At this time it is not known what members they still have, if they still exist at all, but several billboards warning against the Rikti are plastered across Paragon City with their name on it, and players can earn a Vanguard Accolade badge which can be used to increase the secondary effects of powers.