Irradiates

Irradiates are a villainous faction found in the online game, Champions Online, originally humans these mutants have since become horrifically deformed due to exposure to radiation - which has destabilized their bodies and minds to such a degree that many Irradiates worship radiation as a god and wish to see the world engulfed in a nuclear holocaust, which would make them stronger but also destroy many other species.

Irradiates also have a xenophobic outlook, seeing themselves as higher-evolved life-forms and seeking to "convert" ordinary humans into their ranks and exterminate those who do not comply.

For this reason Irradiates are one of the major factions heroes face in the game and although not much of a threat alone they can be extremely dangerous as they often swarm heroes on sight and have several supervillain and even cosmic level beings on their side.