WormRP - User contributions [en]

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-17T09:10:41Z

Inksword:

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5, Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2
|rep_morality = 3
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1.72
|height_cm = 172
|height_ft = 5.6
|height_in = 68


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
|nationality =


|spouse =
|spouses =
|partner =
|domesticpartner =
|partners =


|parents =
|father =
|mother =


|children =
|relatives =
|family =


|birthname =
|othername =
|nickname =
|alias =
|callsign =
|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary - Symbiotic Protections:''' A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary - Unseen Teleport:''' If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary - Strength in Stillness:''' Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

==== Example ====

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:33:57Z

Inksword:

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5, Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2
|rep_morality = 3
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
|nationality =


|spouse =
|spouses =
|partner =
|domesticpartner =
|partners =


|parents =
|father =
|mother =


|children =
|relatives =
|family =


|birthname =
|othername =
|nickname =
|alias =
|callsign =
|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary - Symbiotic Protections:''' A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary - Unseen Teleport:''' If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary - Strength in Stillness:''' Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

==== Example ====

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:30:56Z

Inksword: /* Power */

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5, Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
|nationality =


|spouse =
|spouses =
|partner =
|domesticpartner =
|partners =


|parents =
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|children =
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|birthname =
|othername =
|nickname =
|alias =
|callsign =
|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary - Symbiotic Protections:''' A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary - Unseen Teleport:''' If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary - Strength in Stillness:''' Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

==== Example ====

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:26:58Z

Inksword: /* Example */

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5, Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
|nationality =


|spouse =
|spouses =
|partner =
|domesticpartner =
|partners =


|parents =
|father =
|mother =


|children =
|relatives =
|family =


|birthname =
|othername =
|nickname =
|alias =
|callsign =
|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

==== Example ====

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:21:09Z

Inksword:

{{cape

|name = 
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|status = 
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|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5, Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
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|spouse =
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|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:20:51Z

Inksword:

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = Thinker 5 (Brute 2, Trump 2, Mover 2)
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
|nationality =


|spouse =
|spouses =
|partner =
|domesticpartner =
|partners =


|parents =
|father =
|mother =


|children =
|relatives =
|family =


|birthname =
|othername =
|nickname =
|alias =
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|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:19:41Z

Inksword: /* Equipment and Resources */

{{cape

|name = 
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|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
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|class = C
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
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|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]
Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:19:23Z

Inksword: /* Tinkertech */

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = C
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
|height_cm = 72
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 8


|weight_kg =
|weight_st =
|weight_lb = 180


|residence =
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|spouses =
|partner =
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|partners =


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|mother =


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|othername =
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|alias =
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|}}

Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===

Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:19:14Z

Inksword: /* Equipment and Resources */

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Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===

Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.
[[File:WildesGjait.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]

=== Tinkertech ===

If you're not a tinker, just delete this entire section. Include a heading for each piece of tinkertech!

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:19:05Z

Inksword: /* Appearance */

{{cape

|name = 
|author = 
|civ_name = 
|noncape = 
|status = 
|alignment = 
|affiliation = 


|image = 
|image caption = 


|class = C
|rep_morality = 3E
|rep_notoriety =
|rep_criminal =
|wealth = 5


|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death cause =


|height_m = 1
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|height_ft = 5
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|weight_lb = 180


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Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===

Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Tinkertech ===

If you're not a tinker, just delete this entire section. Include a heading for each piece of tinkertech!

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

File:WildesGjait.jpg

2020-09-16T04:18:38Z

Inksword: Wildes Gjait in costume. Made by Todd Ulrich on Artstation

== Summary ==
Wildes Gjait in costume. Made by Todd Ulrich on Artstation

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:17:54Z

Inksword: /* Appearance */

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|class = C
|rep_morality = 3E
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|wealth = 5


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Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|left|Civvie]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.
[[File:LeonPane.jpg|thumb|Right|In Costume]]

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===

Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Tinkertech ===

If you're not a tinker, just delete this entire section. Include a heading for each piece of tinkertech!

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

File:LeonPane.jpg

2020-09-16T04:17:14Z

Inksword: Wildes Gjait civvie appearence. Face Claim: Levison Wood

== Summary ==
Wildes Gjait civvie appearence. Face Claim: Levison Wood

Wildes Gjait

2020-09-16T04:13:37Z

Inksword: Created page with "{{cape  |name =  |author =  |civ_name =  |noncape = <!-..."

{{cape

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|status = 
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|class = C
|rep_morality = 3E
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|wealth = 5


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Grab-bag cape native to Germany, where he was known for working alongside the police and other government agencies, but most running solo. Has had a few incidents where he's shown up at scenes with villains and apparently not fighting them but is generally considered a low-level hero. Powers include a minor brute rating, short-range teleporting, and sudden bursts of fighting ability.

== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:Filename.png|thumb|left|Image caption here, blah blah blah]]

Not really super tall, standing at 5'8", but well built and muscular to make up for it. Slightly soft in the stomach as he's not THAT in shape... Thick black hair that he lets get shaggy and long often, usually not completely shaved, and vacillates between being bearded and failing to be clean-shaven. Roman nose and a strong jaw along with thickly lashed brown eyes.

Cape outfit is a mix of a medieval armor outfit and something like a hunter or ranger's outfit. Carries two swords and a bow with blunted arrows.

You can often smell alcohol or weed on him. Notable German accent in his other languages.

=== Mentality ===

A hard worker but often gets caught in a cycle of overworking himself and then self-destructing once he burns himself out and decides to "let loose." In the early days after he triggered he tried to use his power to get clean, not understanding the consequences of overusing it, and instead permanently damaged his ability to refuse indulging in those particular demons. He sometimes has glimpses of his once held charming party-boy personality, but his wit tends to be more dry and restrained nowadays.

=== Equipment and Resources ===

Currently on paid leave from his job so he doesn't have to work. Car, long term motel room, a policeman's badge will get you a lot even in a foreign country.

Modern padded and reinforced armor underneath his cloth costume. Two swords, bow with about 30 blunted arrows. Grappling hook. Extra rope. Three sets of cuffs. pepper spray. Toolbelt with basic tools.

=== Tinkertech ===

If you're not a tinker, just delete this entire section. Include a heading for each piece of tinkertech!

=== Skills and Specializations ===

* Speaks English very fluently and Italian semi-fluently in addition to his native German.
* Police procedure and law, use of police equipment/resources/bureaucracy
* Evidence preservation
* Street smarts, generally knows where to go to get drugs, assess their purity, signs of gang activity, identifying suspicious individuals etc
* Decent accuracy with firearms, and a wide range of firearms training thanks to police training
* Shooting bows (Hunting in general)
* Basic swordplay
* Fist fighting
* Endurance and general scrappiness

=== Power ===

''Trigger type: Cluster Trigger''

Wildes Gjait's cluster has a gimmick, allowing for their secondary powers to be boosted or drained. When two cluster members come into conflict or work together, their shards are looking for interesting, dramatic, and powerful plays. After a particularly impressive defeat of a cluster-mate, or a particularly impressive demonstration of teamwork between cluster members, the shards poll the rest of the shards in the cluster (we vote OOC at the end of the thread) to decide if it was impressive enough. If the shards are happy with the performance, there is an exchange of power. The cape who is drained loses access to the secondary granted by the other cluster-mate, while the cape receiving the boost gets a boost to their own secondary donated by the one drained. In a case of dominating a cluster mate in a conflict, the winner drains the loser, in the case of a cooperative effort between capes, the cape that was the impressively helpful one is the one drained, giving too much of their effort away.

Primary powers are not affected by the gimmick.

'''Main Power - Withdrawal Skill Thinker:'''

Can enter a mode where he becomes hyper-competent at one skill or towards a specific goal (broadest could be something like "coordination" whereas more specific examples could be "lock-picking" or "being persuasive to Sarah".) Losing focus on that task or changing tasks/goals ends the competency mode. When focused on an individual losing track of the target or losing sight for more than a minute will break the boost. After it ends, either willingly or by losing focus, he spends twice the amount of time with the selected skill drained to near comical incompetence. He's aware of the drain and can work around it a bit, but is not immune to some nasty Dunning-Kruger Effect and overconfidence while he's drained has to use the skill.

Due to how his power works, broader tasks or choices may be more flexible in terms of use and not losing focus, but once he's lost focus, he becomes vastly more useless as a broader range of abilities is drained. If he's boosted a skill that he has no normal base in that might not have a way to go into "negative," it will instead start mildly draining related skills or abilities. For instance, if he uses his power to boost his ability to speak Arabic fluently, once dropping out he's normally completely unable to understand it, so to make it worse he'd likely start losing his skill in his other secondary languages he knows (English and Italian) or even affecting his German. Something like boosting his computer programming skills could drain his ability to use computers or tech, turning him into your grandma on the computer.

Forcing the same skill to be used over and over without going through the full cool down causes permanent damage to the skill.

'''Symbiotic Tinker Secondary -''' Symbiotic Protections: A cooperative power. He can put a mark on someone he can see, and as long as they're in range (30ft), he shares manton protections with that person (both his own towards cold and any they have related to their own power(s).) Can also be done to objects to make them count as organic.

''Boosted the cape can mark up to three other people to share manton protection with, or up to 5 objects to count as organic.''

'''Screeching Teleport Secondary -''' Unseen Teleport: If cape is out of line of sight of everyone (including any sensory powers and security cameras being monitored), they can teleport to anywhere in their vicinity that is also free of line-of-sight. Distance and cooldown of teleport varies based on power exchange gimmick, nominally 30ft / 3 rounds.

''Boosted, the range extends to 50ft and can be done every other round.''

'''Icy Mace Secondary -''' Strength in Stillness: Standing still with both feet planted firmly and not moving causes quick (about 3 seconds) but dramatic growth in strength (pick up a standard car and throw a few yards) that instantly disappears when he walks around. Associated with sudden temperature drops where the air begins to mist and frost starts to form around him (usually stopping just below freezing), as if the cape is leaching the heat from the world around them, bottoming out at just below zero. Frost, sudden cold mists tend to happen when remaining still a long time. Always wakes up and it's freezing cold and awful. Comes with manton protection against the cold even when he's not using his power. It's enough that he can't die from cold, but he sure can be miserable (shivering and reduced dexterity, but no frostbite.)

''Boosted, he has about 3 times the strength as unboosted, and complete comfort and manton protection against the cold and freezing. The temperature sap dips about twenty degrees colder, hitting 0ºF if left to sit, and surfaces that freeze are slick with ice rather than just gathering frost. He has no particular protection against slipping or keeping his footing, but frost and ice don't form directly under his feet is generally as the surface isn't exposed and the temperature stops dropping once he moves.''

== Example ==

The steel security door was sliding shut, Wildes Gjait sprinted forward to meet it. It was nearly shut when he managed to get his fingers on the edge. He planted his feet and hauled with all his might. One second, two seconds the steel door still slid down, he felt the pressure starting to crush his fingers between it and the ground. Then he felt the sudden surge of power into his muscles, his grip strengthened. With a heave, the door screeched in protest as he reversed its direction. He was careful not to move his feet as he briefly rearranged his grip to get the door above his head. He was strong but the mechanics trying to close it fought him and screamed to high hell.

His breath misted in front of him and he felt goosebumps on his skin as a chill started to set in. He could tell it was that much worse for his current team members as they slipped underneath the now open door.

"So much for the quiet entrance," Candy Jane said as she slipped underneath, her hands hugging her arms as she shivered. Cast Shadow was silent, as usual. Wildes Gjait was happy to work with other heroes when it worked out well for the mission but Cast Shadow was creepy. Both inside, Gjait took a quick step forward. The strength immediately drained from him, and the door nearly clipped him as it slammed shut behind him.

The cold didn't dissipate when his strength did, and he saw Candy Jane was shivering, her costume was barely more than a one-piece swimsuit with a tutu. Wildes Gjait glanced at her, and with a mental switch marked her. He saw her shivering slow, she was still cold, like Wildes Gjait was, but she looked more comfortable. He blinked and suddenly was aware of three thick pink glowing ribbons floating close to Candy Jane. Each constantly twirled in a straight, tight line up and down. The (normally) invisible poles that would drill through and pull up any substance like a dimensional auger. He hadn't realized that Candy Jane had them out all the time.

The rest of the villains' compound was segregated from the garage they had slipped into. There was a small security glass window, and he looked through it, good he had clear vision and–

His teleport fizzled. Damn fucking cameras.

He moved over to the security door, and focused. Electronics, security, lock-picking, carpentry, door locks... his brain hummed with little specialized slivers of information as he got really good at opening doors.

He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the face plate on the number pad. The wires inside made sense, it was as easy as looking at a well labeled map, the purpose and function of each wire pulling from his memory. He recognized this model too. Older, no chip or programming involved, it was all hard-coded wires to set the access code. Which meant all he needed was the quick glance to figure out what the code was from the wire arrangement. If that failed, there was already at least four more ways to open this particular door model and lock set up.

But he had the code from the wiring. He punched it in and heard the door unlock with a satisfying chunk. There were more doors ahead and they could be harder. Lockers, they'd be locking the hostages somewhere and-

BANG!

The gunshot went off, and Wildes Gjait practically jumped out of his skin. An instant later Cast Shadow had taken the hidden mook but the damage was done, Wildes Gjait had lost his focus on the doors.

"Is the door open?!" Candy Jane called out,.

What the fuck was he doing? His brain slipped over the concept and treid to reassert his mental focus. "I don't know??" he said, exasperated. Fuck he'd fucked up. He looked over to the other cape, helpless, what the fuck was he supposed to do it was closed so he couldn't...?

Candy Jane recognized the helplessness and ran forward and tried the handle. It was unlocked and she opened it with a sigh. For a moment when he stepped through, Wildes Gjait struggled to even remember what he was doing. He finally felt normality reassert itself, about two seconds too late as he was on the floor recovering from running headfirst into the doors down the hallway, having assumed they would open for him for a reason he couldn't fathom now that the skill had returned.

=== History ===
Leo was the son of a German native and an Italian immigrant woman. He grew up in the boonies, a hick who learned how to hunt from his dad, and skirted around the edges of the rougher and more illegal parts of his shitty home neighborhood. Despite his shitty upbringing and skirting along criminal elements as a kid, he entered college by cutting ties and intending to become a detective.

His mother had been an alcoholic, and his father abusive but less of a drinker. He fell into their shadow a bit, partying his way through college and becoming a well functioning alcoholic. He would've gotten excellent grades without the alcohol and weed (never harder drugs) but got decent ones and at 21, he entered the force.

He was a good enough cop and was charming and well-liked among his co-workers, so his drinking didn't get a second look. He was clean during work but simply went off when off-duty and occasionally came in hung over, and he'd stopped treading into drugs while drug-tests were on the table. He was good, he followed protocol and he took his job seriously. And flourished in his first years as a cop.

He was 30, and had made detective when he was informed that the department saw an opportunity for him to go undercover in the tendrils of the mob that were in Germany. His ability to speak Italian and knowledge of how things swung on the darker side from his childhood were invaluable. Leo accepted, going back to his trashy roots to pose as a young delinquent to sidle up to the young criminal gang that the police had identified.

Leo toed the line while he was undercover, dancing the razor's edge. The group was naturally suspicious of him as a newcomer, but he put his party persona to work earning trust, posing as a few years younger than he actually was. He knew if he took drugs, that any info he actually ended up getting could be questioned in court. He struggled with alcoholism, for the first time feeling like he wasn't in control of the addiction now that he'd rather kick it but part of his job involved getting drinks with criminals. He began to hate himself a bit and feeling like he was drifting too close to who his father had been. He worked hard to minimize his drinking and the weed he'd been drifting back into.

Then he had one bad day.

Julie, one of the gang members with connections he'd been sidling up to, had been talking some shit about some boy, about killing him to get the girl she liked. Leo brushed this off, thinking it was all hot air, and generally feeling Julie was still savable, redeemable and not as deep into things as she postured to be. That day, however, everyone was getting loaded, with both cocaine and heroin being passed around. There was pressure, someone joked he was a cop, but maybe not a joke. He'd worked so hard come so close to getting in and really being accepted. He compromised a line he hadn't ever crossed, just this once, this one slip was okay.

But it wasn't okay. Leo was flying when talk turned to the hit, unable to focus. He realized Julie had been serious and intended to kill. When she drew her gun, aiming at a helpless bystander, Leo went for his own piece. He fucked up, the gun going off as he tried to draw it, skimming his leg, and he watched in slow motion as she shot the young man dead, leaving the people around him screaming. It was the first time he'd lost someone to a shooting on duty, and he knew it was all because of that one. moment. where he let himself relax and let loose. He could've made that shot if he'd been sober.

He triggered.

In the aftermath of the trigger, he was pulled out of his undercover assignment, and Leo was unable to remain a detective. Capes couldn't hold law enforcement positions in Germany, and he'd quickly come clean to his department, knowing he'd be able to do more good with his new "skills" in the open than not. He took on the name Wildes Gjait, becoming a consultant cape who worked frequently and openly with mundane law enforcement, and gained a good reputation fairly quickly.

However, he had difficulty maintaining his reputation as time went on. He'd become wracked with guilt. He'd been the adult, the policeman in the situation, and failed everyone involved. He was obsessed with the case, and knew the civilian names of everyone involved. It didn't take long for him to realize that the others had triggered too, a cluster he was attached to. Alicia, the victim's friend and the one Julie had been infatuated with disappeared, having left germany, but Leo had his hands full trying to keep the remaining two members away from each other's throats. They were both considered villains, or at least vigilantes, trying to kill each other, and despite pinning them down a few times, he refused to turn them in and frequently covered for them. He needed their redemption, deeply, mysteriously drawn to them and unaware of the alien prodding his brain and stirring affection for all his clustermates. He was considered a good cape, but one too many times he prioritized his cluster over heroics and his all-consuming drive to pursue them kept him from getting big or making his own way.

He also backslid into alcoholic, and then drugs, harder than he'd ever had before. He'd tried to get clean, finally and completely, after his heavy post-trigger guilt and depression. He'd used his power to try to enhance his willpower to say no, to remain clean, and not understanding how it worked, permanently damaged his already tenuous grip on his sobriety. His performance suffered as he went out flinging powers around when high or drunk, vacillating between sober and falling off the wagon, never clean for more than a few weeks.

Lately, drunk, high, and after a string of losses to his clustermates left him low and powerless, he caught Julie leaving Germany. Alicia was finally back on the map, and the cluster was moving to find her. Leo booked a plane for the US, where the now-tinker had reappeared. He tracked her down, using his connections and skills to beat his clustermates to the punch, intending to warn her and beg for her forgiveness, make sure she was okay. Eventually, the trail lead Wildes Gjait to Devilfish, with only a few amused rumors of an obscure German cape having made their way to America for unknown reasons following him. Maybe a new chance to build a reputation.

Compound

2020-09-09T00:33:07Z

Inksword:

{{cape
|name = Compound
|alias = 
|civ_name = Emilio Hernandéz
|author = /u/PurpleDurplePlatypus
|alignment = Hero
|affiliation = Wards
|status = Active
|location = Devilfish



|class = {{cape/class|Thinker}}
|rep_morality = 0
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal =


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 2005-01-14
|birth_place = Puebla Mexico



|}}





== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===


Em is a scrawny Hispanic boy with naturally tan skin and a mop of curly brown hair only a few shades darker than his skin. He doesn't dress particularly fashionably, tending towards simple shirts, tank tops and jeans, looking very much like the street kid he grew up as, though his ears are pierced and usually decorated with studs. He has a large birthmark on his neck. He has a slight drawl when he speaks.

His most obvious feature is the mutation his trigger left him with. His eyes are completely black, with an iridescent oily sheen that shifts slowly as if still on open wetness. These are easily covered with some dark glasses when he's in his civilian guise but he still has to be careful.

His costume is fairly simple. It's a body suit with boots and a belt to carry his supplies, ala power rangers, but made in a bronze fabric. He has white body armor elements, wearing a white bullet proof vest, armored boots and wrist guards. He wears a white motorcycle helmet, with a few abstract lines inlaid into it and large domed decorations designed to evoke an insect's compound eyes. A normal person wouldn't be able to see out of it, which isn't an issue since he's blind anyways and relies on his power. It helps sell the 360 degree vision power feint.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
'''Wealth Level:''' 4, Standard Ward

For his civilian guise he has a seeing eye dog that has normal training but also trained to look where he points so he can use its eyes.
Equipment

Out in the field carries a cell phone, coms link to team/prt, a taser, a couple of bandages and simple first aid supplies, and a pistol with rubber bullets.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Fluent in Spanish and English, but dyslexic so a slow reader
* Basic first aid training.
* Strong swimmer.
* Scrappy, can throw a punch
* Decent cook, authentic mexican!

=== Mentality ===
Nearly cripplingly socially anxious and high strung, Em tends to be pessimistic. It lets him be a great problem solver and good at predicting problems, but a bit of a downer to be with. However, he's also fairly excitable, and when he gets swept up in something he enjoys he is enthusiastic. Generally empathetic and kind, but lashes out fairly harshly when made to feel stupid or ignorant due to the huge emphasis on intelligence in the Ministry of Truth instilled in him. He also often gets down about his power, feeling useless in fights and that he has to rely on other people to use his power to its fullest.

=== Power ===
* Compound is a noctis cape.
* Compound is naturally blind, but his power allows him to passively see through the senses of people and animals within a 60 yard radius (football field end to end with him in the center.) He uses this to fake having 360º vision and awareness
** In an area with enough living creatures from multiple angles, he gets an enhanced sense of depth perception and his environment (triangulation on steroids.) Gives him slightly better aim and penetration through cover. Generally there’s enough bugs at least so he can vaguely navigate even without any people or significant other animals around, but it’s navigation without precision.
** Emilio’s brain has been given the ability to manage the massive amount info he absorbs from multiple perspectives. He doesn’t lose concentration and is as aware and capable of noticing small details from his multitude of sensory feeds.
** The people within his network do not get the ability to crunch so much info at once (unless assisted by their own thinker power.) Most people are capable of splitting their attention a little between what they’re actually experiencing and maybe one feed, with having to stop and pay attention and cycle their area of focus
* While his short range perception ability is passive, he can bring willing participants into a mental long range communication web with himself as the hub. This has a range closer to 3 miles.
** People only enter the web willingly. Compound can sever his connections at any time, and participants can similarly opt out at any time. Compound must be within speaking distance to initiate a connection offer, though he doesn’t have to actually speak.
** Participants in the network can send mental messages (not quite words but impressions and images enough to make coherent thoughts) to other multiple or single participants. Compound “hears” all messages sent this way, and if he chose to can stop the message if he wants.
** Participants can also send “live feeds” to other members of the network or one or multiple of their own senses. Compound always has access and is always watching/listening to all members similar to his passive power, but he can similarly stop feeds from being sent.
** If a participant leaves the 3 mile range, the connection goes dead, but will go live again when they reenter.
** Thinker senses don’t translate over the live feeds unless they’re just enhanced versions of normal human senses (enhanced hearing so you can hear a mouse: yes, enhanced hearing that acts as sound-based danger sense: no)
* Excessive simultaneous communication over the long range network causes thinker headaches. 15+ people in constant casual communication for an hour means migraines, 30+ means he’s probably going to be either lying in bed in pain to maintain the network or going to start severing connections.
* Emilio can turn his short range sense off (it’s on by default) but cannot turn off his long-range network other than severing everyone connected to it.
* Compound can get "seasick" if a portion of the network he's looking through experiences unnatural sensory input like illusions or dimensional stuff disrupting perceptions while the other part isn't.
* If Compound goes unconscious, or is somehow forced to sleep, it instantly severs all of his connections and he has to reestablish them once he's awake.

=== Backstory ===
Emilio's mother emigrated to Texas from Mexico when Emilio was only one year old. They were joining family already there, and their life was stable but not particularly auspicious. Emilio was cripplingly shy, and the neighborhood was rough, so he rarely socialized and avoided school at all costs, hanging out and helping at his Uncle's restaurant rather than regularly attending school. There was trouble at home too, mostly his mother's poor choice of boyfriends and things to put in her body, but he picked up drawing as a hobby, and was quite talented even at his young age and it was his island of happiness outside the restaurant.

That was until a fire in the city took out the restaurant their extended family had worked so hard to build. The central pillar that supported the family crumbled, and Emilio's Mom was the more troublesome and more distant relative that ended up being cut loose. Struggling to survive, they were lured out to a Ministry of Truth compound under the guise of free and abundant work at their outpost. They needed manual labor and poached the unfortunate to get it.

Emilio was nine when they were enveloped in the Ministry of Truth, and it made his quiet shy life into a living hell. He was far behind where he should be in schooling. In a place where mundane humans were far below parahumans, and intelligence valued above all else, he was the lowest of the low. He was the "acceptable target" for all his classmates bullying and frustrations. He was quickly assessed as being dyslexic on top of it, and labeled a lost cause, a life doomed to failure repeatedly shoved in his face. It didn't help his shyness, and he developed a near paralyzing fear of school and making mistakes. He still attempted to skip school, and only received more punishment from the adults.

The only thing he got a single scrap of praise for was his art. His drawing skill was one of the only things he was ranked a notable amount above average in by the Ministry, and the compound's leader, a striker/thinker with the ability to sever other people's senses to boost his own, had a soft-spot for the arts and luxury. When Emilio was fourteen he was given an opportunity to give a small art show to their leader. He drew and painted his heart out, and had to sit outside while the big-wigs looked at his art in another room. He was so stressed and overwhelmed he was crying by himself by the time they walked out. They hadn't liked it at all. Emilio had painted pictures of landscapes and people farming and cooking... the leader had not so subtly been dropping hints about depicting capes and Emilio's usefulness as a propagandist... the teenager had missed all of them. Emilio was shattered at the disdainful dismissal of his work and his dismissal. He was confused at his failure when he thought his work had been so good, that he'd communicated something beautiful and expert and finally be seen as worth something, and in the panic attack that ensued he triggered.

His power gave him the ability to see from others' perspectives... and took away the ability to see from his own, rendering him blind and with a mild mutation of his eyes. He was finally worth something, he was a cape. After a discussion within the Ministry's network he was determined to be most useful at another location, with capes who would synergize better with his expanded network. He was given some mild training to get ahold of his new power and new disability, and then Emilio was separated from his mother and trucked north. He was intended for their Washington outpost, however, as they passed nearby Ashton, Emilio managed to escape and made a break for it. Knowing he could never outsmart the Ministry of Truth, he instead snuck into Ashton, managing to navigate his way around patrols and find some hidden gaps in the defenses thanks to his power. He hoped the quarantine would keep him in and the plague would keep any pursuers away. He was quickly noticed and picked up for questioning.

Compound

2020-02-12T19:36:17Z

Inksword: Created page with " {{cape |name = Compound |alias = <!-- if they go by another name, put it..."

{{cape
|name = Compound
|alias = 
|civ_name = Emilio Hernandéz
|author = Inksword
|alignment = Hero
|affiliation = Wards
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Thinker}} 
|rep_morality = 0
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal =


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 2005-01-14
|birth_place = Puebla Mexico



|}}





== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===


Em is a scrawny Hispanic boy with naturally tan skin and a mop of curly brown hair only a few shades darker than his skin. He doesn't dress particularly fashionably, tending towards simple shirts, tank tops and jeans, looking very much like the street kid he grew up as, though his ears are pierced and usually decorated with studs. He has a large birthmark on his neck. He has a slight drawl when he speaks.

His most obvious feature is the mutation his trigger left him with. His eyes are completely black, with an iridescent oily sheen that shifts slowly as if still on open wetness. These are easily covered with some dark glasses when he's in his civilian guise but he still has to be careful.

His costume is fairly simple. It's a body suit with boots and a belt to carry his supplies, ala power rangers, but made in a bronze fabric. He has white body armor elements, wearing a white bullet proof vest, armored boots and wrist guards. He wears a white motorcycle helmet, with a few abstract lines inlaid into it and large domed decorations designed to evoke an insect's compound eyes. A normal person wouldn't be able to see out of it, which isn't an issue since he's blind anyways and relies on his power. It helps sell the 360 degree vision power feint.

=== Equipment and Resources ===
'''Wealth Level:''' 4, Standard Ward

For his civilian guise he has a seeing eye dog that has normal training but also trained to look where he points so he can use its eyes.
Equipment

Out in the field carries a cell phone, coms link to team/prt, a taser, a couple of bandages and simple first aid supplies, and a pistol with rubber bullets.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Fluent in Spanish and English, but dyslexic so a slow reader
* Basic first aid training.
* Strong swimmer.
* Scrappy, can throw a punch
* Decent cook, authentic mexican!

=== Mentality ===
Nearly cripplingly socially anxious and high strung, Em tends to be pessimistic. It lets him be a great problem solver and good at predicting problems, but a bit of a downer to be with. However, he's also fairly excitable, and when he gets swept up in something he enjoys he is enthusiastic. Generally empathetic and kind, but lashes out fairly harshly when made to feel stupid or ignorant due to the huge emphasis on intelligence in the Ministry of Truth instilled in him. He also often gets down about his power, feeling useless in fights and that he has to rely on other people to use his power to its fullest.

=== Power ===
* Compound is a noctis cape.
* Compound is naturally blind, but his power allows him to passively see through the senses of people and animals within a 60 yard radius (football field end to end with him in the center.) He uses this to fake having 360º vision and awareness
** In an area with enough living creatures from multiple angles, he gets an enhanced sense of depth perception and his environment (triangulation on steroids.) Gives him slightly better aim and penetration through cover. Generally there’s enough bugs at least so he can vaguely navigate even without any people or significant other animals around, but it’s navigation without precision.
** Emilio’s brain has been given the ability to manage the massive amount info he absorbs from multiple perspectives. He doesn’t lose concentration and is as aware and capable of noticing small details from his multitude of sensory feeds.
** The people within his network do not get the ability to crunch so much info at once (unless assisted by their own thinker power.) Most people are capable of splitting their attention a little between what they’re actually experiencing and maybe one feed, with having to stop and pay attention and cycle their area of focus
* While his short range perception ability is passive, he can bring willing participants into a mental long range communication web with himself as the hub. This has a range closer to 3 miles.
** People only enter the web willingly. Compound can sever his connections at any time, and participants can similarly opt out at any time. Compound must be within speaking distance to initiate a connection offer, though he doesn’t have to actually speak.
** Participants in the network can send mental messages (not quite words but impressions and images enough to make coherent thoughts) to other multiple or single participants. Compound “hears” all messages sent this way, and if he chose to can stop the message if he wants.
** Participants can also send “live feeds” to other members of the network or one or multiple of their own senses. Compound always has access and is always watching/listening to all members similar to his passive power, but he can similarly stop feeds from being sent.
** If a participant leaves the 3 mile range, the connection goes dead, but will go live again when they reenter.
** Thinker senses don’t translate over the live feeds unless they’re just enhanced versions of normal human senses (enhanced hearing so you can hear a mouse: yes, enhanced hearing that acts as sound-based danger sense: no)
* Excessive simultaneous communication over the long range network causes thinker headaches. 15+ people in constant casual communication for an hour means migraines, 30+ means he’s probably going to be either lying in bed in pain to maintain the network or going to start severing connections.
* Emilio can turn his short range sense off (it’s on by default) but cannot turn off his long-range network other than severing everyone connected to it.
* Compound can get "seasick" if a portion of the network he's looking through experiences unnatural sensory input like illusions or dimensional stuff disrupting perceptions while the other part isn't.
* If Compound goes unconscious, or is somehow forced to sleep, it instantly severs all of his connections and he has to reestablish them once he's awake.

=== Backstory ===
Emilio's mother emigrated to Texas from Mexico when Emilio was only one year old. They were joining family already there, and their life was stable but not particularly auspicious. Emilio was cripplingly shy, and the neighborhood was rough, so he rarely socialized and avoided school at all costs, hanging out and helping at his Uncle's restaurant rather than regularly attending school. There was trouble at home too, mostly his mother's poor choice of boyfriends and things to put in her body, but he picked up drawing as a hobby, and was quite talented even at his young age and it was his island of happiness outside the restaurant.

That was until a fire in the city took out the restaurant their extended family had worked so hard to build. The central pillar that supported the family crumbled, and Emilio's Mom was the more troublesome and more distant relative that ended up being cut loose. Struggling to survive, they were lured out to a Ministry of Truth compound under the guise of free and abundant work at their outpost. They needed manual labor and poached the unfortunate to get it.

Emilio was nine when they were enveloped in the Ministry of Truth, and it made his quiet shy life into a living hell. He was far behind where he should be in schooling. In a place where mundane humans were far below parahumans, and intelligence valued above all else, he was the lowest of the low. He was the "acceptable target" for all his classmates bullying and frustrations. He was quickly assessed as being dyslexic on top of it, and labeled a lost cause, a life doomed to failure repeatedly shoved in his face. It didn't help his shyness, and he developed a near paralyzing fear of school and making mistakes. He still attempted to skip school, and only received more punishment from the adults.

The only thing he got a single scrap of praise for was his art. His drawing skill was one of the only things he was ranked a notable amount above average in by the Ministry, and the compound's leader, a striker/thinker with the ability to sever other people's senses to boost his own, had a soft-spot for the arts and luxury. When Emilio was fourteen he was given an opportunity to give a small art show to their leader. He drew and painted his heart out, and had to sit outside while the big-wigs looked at his art in another room. He was so stressed and overwhelmed he was crying by himself by the time they walked out. They hadn't liked it at all. Emilio had painted pictures of landscapes and people farming and cooking... the leader had not so subtly been dropping hints about depicting capes and Emilio's usefulness as a propagandist... the teenager had missed all of them. Emilio was shattered at the disdainful dismissal of his work and his dismissal. He was confused at his failure when he thought his work had been so good, that he'd communicated something beautiful and expert and finally be seen as worth something, and in the panic attack that ensued he triggered.

His power gave him the ability to see from others' perspectives... and took away the ability to see from his own, rendering him blind and with a mild mutation of his eyes. He was finally worth something, he was a cape. After a discussion within the Ministry's network he was determined to be most useful at another location, with capes who would synergize better with his expanded network. He was given some mild training to get ahold of his new power and new disability, and then Emilio was separated from his mother and trucked north. He was intended for their Washington outpost, however, as they passed nearby Ashton, Emilio managed to escape and made a break for it. Knowing he could never outsmart the Ministry of Truth, he instead snuck into Ashton, managing to navigate his way around patrols and find some hidden gaps in the defenses thanks to his power. He hoped the quarantine would keep him in and the plague would keep any pursuers away. He was quickly noticed and picked up for questioning.

Destoroyah

2020-02-03T04:55:34Z

Inksword: /* Appearance */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = /u/Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:Destoroyah_Human_first_form.png|thumb|left|Ross as a human and his first level of transformation)]]

Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

File:Destoroyah Human first form.png

2020-02-03T04:54:25Z

Inksword:

Destoroyah

2020-02-03T04:54:05Z

Inksword: /* Appearance */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = /u/Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:Destoroyah Human first form.png|thumb|left|Ross as a human and his first level of transformation)]]

Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

Destoroyah

2020-02-03T04:53:24Z

Inksword: /* Appearance */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = /u/Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[Destoroyah Human first form.png|thumb|left|Ross as a human and his first level of transformation)]]

Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

Destoroyah

2020-02-03T04:53:10Z

Inksword: /* Character Sheet */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = /u/Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===
[[File:Destoroyah Human first form.png|thumb|left|Ross as a human and his first level of transformation)]]

Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

Destoroyah

2020-01-21T16:13:59Z

Inksword: /* Power */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===


Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

Destoroyah

2020-01-21T16:13:35Z

Inksword: /* Power */

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===


Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.

Destoroyah

2020-01-21T16:08:48Z

Inksword: Created page with " {{cape |name = Destoroyah |alias = <!-- if they go by another name, put i..."

{{cape
|name = Destoroyah
|alias = 
|civ_name = Ross Luntz
|author = Inksword
|alignment = Unknown
|affiliation = None
|status = Active



|class = {{cape/class|Changer|4}} ({{cape/class|Mover|3}} {{cape/class|Master|2}})
|rep_morality = -1
|rep_notoriety = E
|rep_criminal = ?


|redditlink = 
|image = 
|caption = 
|birth_date = 
|birth_place = 



|}}

Lizard-like changer has been spotted flying rooftop to rooftop occasional nights for a few weeks, but activity has increased in the wake of the extended quarantine. Robbed one convenience store during which he shed a layer of skin messily and got away.



== Character Sheet ==
=== Appearance ===


Five foot eleven inches. Very clearly athletic but closer to the slimmed-down long-distance endurance type than super muscle-bound. Freckled to the point of looking tan if you squint your eyes. Blue eyes, soft boyish face and handsome but not particularly mature looking. His hair is blond, but he's dyed it black. He’s always changing styles to keep up with what’s popular, fashionable, or fits into whatever sub-group he’s looking to get into. Right now his natural hair has an undercut. He has a few spots for piercings from when he traveled in the goth and punk groups, but right now is going for the safe, clean-cut look that can fit almost anywhere, and so he mostly leaves his eyebrow and nose piercings empty and sticks with the studs in his ears. His expression has been described as cat-like as he usually exudes an amused calm.

For his cape costume, as a changer, he faces problems trying to find a costume that will fit his various forms. Luckily, as long as he doesn't fall unconscious and drop out of his forms, he doesn't need a mask. His costume is made of black stretchy material that clings to his body and is capable of expanding for his more muscular forms. A one-piece that cuts off halfway down thighs and tapers up to wrap around his neck for fastening. Sides and arms left bare. Back is extremely low cut and also exposed, as it has to be cut low enough to allow his tail to sprout from the base of his back in addition to allowing his wings room. Even the parts that are covered have a few vents that show his skin, placed where the lines of his colored scales land so his accent colors change with his scales. For accessories, he has loose fingerless gloves and foot wrappings, padded to allow for better grip and dampen his footfalls, while the fingers and toes are exposed for when he grows his claws and then lengthen. His chest has a ring of “teeth” and he wears elbow and knee pads with black wing-like attachments to echo the design of the kaiju he’s named after. They're not armor but they help him if he falls from a height or braces himself on his hands and knees.

=== Equipment and Resources ===


* A newbie who generally doesn't carry items when thrill-seeking/caping in his changer form. Will usually stash a change of clothes and his disposable cellphone somewhere in the area.
* Two loving parents, who his wealth and resources are dependent on.
** House
** cellphone
** laptop
** Can drive and can borrow car from parents.
* Usually has a second prepaid disposable cellphone his parents don't know about for cape stuff.

=== Skills and Specializations ===
* Charming and personable, definitely helped by his good looks on this front
* Lying/acting
* Observant
* Some above basic filming/editing skills
* Film buff, particularly encyclopedic knowledge on b-movies and scifi.
* Athletic and good explosive speed. Is a sprinter on his school's track and field team.

=== Mentality ===
* Probably falls under the realm of sociopathy, feeling little guilt over his actions and tailoring his behaviors and actions based on the reactions he wants from other people rather than any internal emotions or honesty. Doesn't really feel guilt.
* Otherwise, laid back, excessively calm and chill, even in rather extreme situations.
* Can be quite charming though not empathetic for obvious reasons.
* Has an intense drive to find an in-group, actually hates being a loner. Tailors his look and personality to whoever he's trying to get in with. Feels slightly uncomfortable with his lack of internal identity, like he wouldn't exist without an audience observing him from the outside.
* Tends to flounder and become unmotivated and restless without clear direction of what he's "supposed" to be or do. Will fall back to his expected social role if lost, and will fall even further back into the black and white fictional tropes and morality in tv and video games if further perplexed.
* Since he’s become a cape he’s seen his power as a clear definition of who he is. The power is him, he is the power, clearly being a cape is something concrete and defined that is undeniably a part of his being. He sees no other way forward than being a cape of some sort, villain, rogue, hero, and being the strongest best, or most destructive at it
* Film and TV buff, loves old b-movies and scifi. One of the few things he seems to hold onto as a solid touchpoint of what he values outside capedom.
* When he gets bored or wants to leave a group, he tends to gaslight and manipulate the group into self-imploding rather than just... leaving. It lets him have an out where he isn’t seen as to blame and allowing him to leave without a perception of guilt by pitting people against each other indirectly. It’s not abandoning a group if the group destroys itself right?
* Follows unwritten rules fairly instinctively.

=== Power ===
''Trigger type: Natural''

Ross has a humanoid reptilian changer form, that progresses through several stages where his mutations increase in potency. His first stage is easy enough to change into, his skin simply dries up and he tears it off to reveal his scaley self underneath, but after that, he cannot escalate to higher tiers unless he's in active conflict or battle.

In the middle of conflict/fights it still requires him to stop moving and focus for about 10 seconds, during which time his attention is demanded enough that he can't move while doing it, and he has greater difficulty dodging or attacking, usually only able to do one or the other at a less effective level than his focused baseline. He cannot utilize his enhanced dodging or special attacks past his claws when attempting a tier transition.

When Ross falls unconscious his form rapidly reverts back to his own, transforming rather than tearing and melting like he does when entering his form.

====Tier 1 - Teal====

Ross’s skin is changed to slick smooth teal and black scales like a snake’s, and he gains a flicking tongue and vertical yellow reptilian eyes as well as claws and a tail. He retains his general gender appearance (E.g frame/hair) but become more physiologically reptilian.

'''Benefits:'''
* Scales are as tough as strengthened leather, providing some reduction of damage versus small knives, dampening punches, and mild mundane forms of damage. Is additionally unharmed by mundane acids (tinker tech/power generated acids up for debate.)
* Exotic movement options (easy climbing, moving on walls/ceilings, leaping, etc.) from their scales and claws and general lizardy lizard body.
* Claws on feet and hands about as sharp and dangerous as knives.
* Tail is about 5 feet long and prehensile. Can hold and lift objects and support the cape's body-weight.
* Running, jumping, general whole-body coordination and dodging improved to be peak human athlete.
* Yellow reptilian eyes come with effective night-vision. Woo.
* Ross's changer form is cold-blooded, and can be made sluggish in cold temperatures, especially if he isn't being particularly active.

====Tier 2 - Green====

Ross's claws become more jagged, and their scales become green and black. His frame becomes slightly more well muscled.

'''Benefits:'''
* Claws are serrated and do messier and more dangerous wounds that bleed excessively. Able to saw through thicker materials now.
* The tail can now effectively grapple people and is about as strong as his main body. 8 ft long
* Non-combat movement speed doubled, can move for long distances very quickly but takes a bit to get up to speed.

====Tier 3 - Yellow====

Ross’s claws elongate, and their scales become yellow and black, rough to the touch like sharkskin. He grows large wings, and grows about half a foot taller, hitting 6'5".

'''Benefits:'''
* Gains wings that are able to have him hover and maintain his altitude, and glide across gaps.
* Can spit gobs of acidic venom from his mouth, causing surface level burns on exposed flesh if it lands. Items made of vulnerable materials or that are particularly delicate may start dissolving under the acid. Both living creatures and objects hit by it are also susceptible to sabotage via physical hesitation. For living creatures, this is just slight hesitation in movements and attacks. This causes items and objects that are scratched to have a failure chance. (E.g. A car might delay to start, or a gun might misfire, etc.) Tinker tech is more resistant to this effect but not immune, and generally should be considered under the effects one step or one tier less than Ross's current tier.
* Becomes lithe and athletic enough to clearly register as parahuman ability. Could, for example, likely jump up to a second-story balcony. Dodging attacks that are unpracticed, clumsy or slow becomes trivial (untrained punches thrown by untrained people or attacks with a heavy or slow weapon such as a sledgehammer.) This only applies to his movements on the ground however, as air resistance and maneuverability make that level of intense movement in the air less possible.

====Tier 4 - Red====

Ross’s tail becomes something akin to a mixture between a tail and a tendril with one of his claws tipping it. His scales become red and black. He slims out a little but retains his muscle definition.

'''Benefits:'''
* Capable of true flight at about 15 miles per hour with average maneuverability.
* The venom causes significant burns to flesh and hesitation is upgraded to straight-up failing to execute the occasional action. It always causes at least minor backfires or jams in equipment with the possibility of a catastrophic failure such as a gun exploding in its wielder's hands.
* The tail is about 10ft long and can be used for attacks in and of itself. Can sweep it around him to knock people over within its range, and other such tactics.

====Tier 5 - Violet====

Critical form cannot assumed while the cape is physically unharmed at more than 50% health abstractly. Mental and emotional attacks are not considered damage for this.

The cape’s scales pick up a purple glow and begin to shed off to reveal a completely black layer of pristine slick black scales. Their physical appearance looks much closer to Tier 1, as they slim down again and lose height, but the sense of danger and physical modifications remain.

'''Benefits:'''
* When shifting into this tier, Ross heals all his wounds.
* Venom freezes people in indecision and mental paralysis for a solid 30 seconds. Non-living objects simply start rapidly dissolving under the acid and are scrap after more than a few seconds pass.
* Flight at 30 mph.
* Gains minor master power capable of influencing emotions. His intimidating and predatory visage is enhanced by a danger aura he can flare by focusing, forgoing other attacks. Inspires intense fear and feelings of inadequacy in those within range, framing Ross as a source of extreme danger.

=== Backstory ===
Ross's parents became worried about him when he was fairly young. As a toddler, he hardly ever showed emotion, outside of throwing tantrums to get what he wanted, and eventually, they sent him to someone to see what the problem was. Ross quickly figured out what he was supposed to be doing. He learned how to fake emotions, and that he should be making friends, and so by the time he was nine or so seemed completely well-adjusted on the outside.

His father was in the military and so Ross's family moved frequently. Ross's emotional detachment and frequent need to introduce himself and make friends made him quickly become quite the charmer and social manipulator. Better yet, all his immature classmates were stumbling around through their social interactions without having to think about them (like children), so Ross found it fairly trivial to get what he wanted. They moved frequently enough that Ross considered friendships disposable. When he wanted to leave a group, he'd pit them against each other, burn his bridges, and move onto the kids eager to be his new friends. No baggage no guilt when he left since the group imploded on itself (due to his manipulations.)

Then his parents moved, just as Ross was moving from middle school to high school. Suddenly, there were kids just a few years older that were way stronger smarter and more clever than him that were difficult to play. Everyone was playing the social game and it became much harder for him to break into the world of strangers and find stable footing. Ross burned through clique after clique trying to find his place, spitefully breaking them up when they turned against him and reinventing himself to make himself more appealing to his next target. This continued until he fell in with a mixed group of film buffs, theater nerds, and nerd nerds. Growing up naturally isolated, and without a ton of extra money to spend, Ross had learned a lot from shows and media, finding a particular fondness for the black and white (both visually and morally) era of TV. He actually enjoyed debating about who would beat who in a fight, finding esoteric old films to watch and dissect. It was mentally and socially engaging, he began dating one of the girls in the film-club. For the first time, he found a friend group he actually cared about, and he wasn't getting bored and restless after a few weeks. He spent nearly a year with the club, content.

And then, without thinking about it, he slept with an older boy in order to get his hands on a rare vhs print of an obscure japanese movie series that the club was into. He thought it was no big deal, there wasn't any emotions involved it was a transaction, however, his girlfriend didn't appreciate it. The entire film club turned against him. He had been living here a while and people remembered how he had treated his past friend groups. There was proof of his manipulations. With all his charms and efforts he wasn't able to patch it up once people decided everything he said was poisoned.

Normally Ross would move on and try again, the athletes seemed promising but he had actually connected with the film group. A friend of his girlfriend extended one last olive branch, arranging a meeting between him and her along with the club. Having already considered it a lost cause and making his way to the athletes, Ross was completely off balance, unsure of what to do or who he should be trying to be. He triggered in his sleep over the dilemma of whether he should try for greener pastures or stick it out for once where he was comfortable.

The meeting the next day was a disaster, and though he's had success on the track team he is now acutely aware of just how thin a human mask he wears, cold blooded death lying just below the surface that could be so easy to reveal. He's restlessly and angrily started experimenting with his powers at night, determined that he's meant to be a cape. The additional stress of the plague has pushed him to make his first actual move, and he's robbed one convience store, purely out of cold curiosity of how easy it would be or not.