A fire crackled in its fireplace nearby, providing a warm orange glow to the overstuffed red couch. A taller man ran his fingers through his own dark hair with one hand, slamming shut a book with his other hand. His eyes were piercing, calculating, not entirely present for a moment. It would not be uncharacteristic to say he was examining the future, trying to predict it. The man's armor creaked as he stood up and set a small book on a side table, making a clear motion to leave.
A young voice broke the otherwise calm moment. "Why can't you stay? Why can't I come with you?"
The figure stopped, letting loose an expectant sigh, and turned back. "I am clearing a path for you to follow. It's not safe for you yet."
The child was indignant, sitting up straight on the couch to confront the man. "My… Lady Lothwren says I was born under a powerful star, and that the stars chose me to be a hero."
The man shook his head slightly, taking a few steps towards the child before kneeling down to get to eye level. "You may possess the gifts of the heroes of old, but no one, not the stars nor the Spirit of Arbert Grayle himself, can choose who you are. If you want to be a hero, you need to choose that path."
"I want to be a hero." The boy looked into the man’s eyes, smiling softly. “Like you.”
The man gave a pained sigh, nodding as he stood back up and fetched a small wooden sword mounted atop the fireplace's mantle. He held it outstretched to the boy, motioning towards a large open space in the parlor. "Then show me your cuts. Let's see where you need to improve." Why think of that now?
Nathaniel turned his gaze towards his fellow nobles and gave a short bow. "I hope to see you both at the entrance ceremony."
Nathaniel moved methodically towards his assigned fighting arena. His eyes scanned towards some of the other contestants he was impressed with. Cyrus Locke was off speaking to a few other skilled commoners, wiping the sweat from his brow. The two locked eyes for a moment, and Cyrus’ sly grin told Nathaniel all he needed to know: Cyrus would only be rooting for him to have a chance to beat him down later. Nate’s eyes turned towards Zenshin Ferros and Donathon, who each made respectable showings. His eyes narrowed as he got into his starting position in the training grounds. He had begun to recognize the name of his opponent. Julian Baker was the least impressive of the commoners to make it this far. Cheap and brutal tricks were the name of Baker’s game, with not a sign of competent swordsmanship in sight.
Nathaniel shifted the grip on his hand and a half training sword, making a few quick practice cuts through the air. The weight was awful on these weapons, but that was somewhat expected. He could compensate for the difference.
After all, he wasn’t about to lose to a common thug.
"You can pick on me all you want... but you don't get to pick on them."
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▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Anderson Tyler _________________________________________________________ September3rd, 2004 | 19 | Caucasian _________________________________________________________ Single | Male | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Ottawa | Ontario | Canada
▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
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P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ B U I L D || Average, Muscular H A I R C O L O U R || Black E Y E C O L O U R || Blue H E I G H T || 6' W E I G H T || 174 lbs S K I N T O N E || Caucasian -
▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅▅▅▅▅▅
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M O T I V A T I O N S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Rory is motivated by a rather simple desire to hold on to what he has. Following the rather sudden loss of his parents, he's desperately holding on to his friends and family as best as he can. He values this more than he values his own safety or well-being, willing to be risky and place himself in harm's way to keep those around him safe. Rory's desire to protect those around him is the only desire that helps him overcome his fear of his own powers. G O A L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Rory's primary goal is to follow in his father's footsteps and be part of the "vanguard" of protecting hyperhumans. Rory's father made a lot of enemies serving as a part of H.I.T. for years, and Rory has every intention of overshadowing his father's legacy. While some of this is in respect to familial legacy, there is a darker part of Rory's heart that hopes to overshadow his own father's legacy altogether as revenge for being rather absent in his life. Rory doesn't see much a future outside of using his gifts and placing his life on the line due to his lack of other demonstrable skills. -
▅ N O T E S ▅ N O T E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
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M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Rory's favorite film is Treasure Planet. -
▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Tyler's life hasn't been particularly remarkable. He was the oldest child of three, his younger two siblings being twins named Will and Mary. All three were born the Hype-gene, which came as little surprise when considering both parents were hyperhumans. Rory's father was a hyperhuman working for H.I.T. by the name of Cole Tyler. Cole had met Julia Morse at PRCU decades ago, as they both went through the H.E.A.T. program. Cole was placed in the Enforcement and Response Division (fitting given his Dermal Armor power), while Julia was placed in Justice Services (fitting her Passive Persuasiveness power). They kept in touch, and eventually grew to love each other. That love expanded into a loving family.
Cole served in H.I.T. for most of his prime, leaving him absent for a lot of Rory's childhood. Rory's mother was heavily involved in politics, having a heavy workload. The byproduct of this left Rory alone and to fend for himself for a lot of his childhood, and to protect and support his younger siblings. Will and Mary are 3 years younger, and are both smarter than Rory could ever hope to be. Rory spent a lot of his free time getting involved in all sorts of sports and physical activities. His younger siblings were brainiacs, and have grown up to be perhaps more intelligent than their big brother. Rory, despite loving his family and being very protective of his younger siblings, couldn't help but feel inferior to most of his family and classmates. The only thing Rory truly enjoyed more than anything was wrestling, as he enjoyed the challenge and skill of it. Even then, Rory never seemed to be particularly good at anything. He always seemed to sort of fade into the background. It's only fitting Rory's power would develop to be an ability to only copy other people briefly.
Rory opted not to attend PRCU for collegiate study, as Rory's mother's work in trying to promote equal standards of living and education for humans and hyperhumans inspired him to study at a more traditional school. Rory blended into the background, as his younger siblings attended more prestigious boarding schools. Rory kept tabs on them, but mostly just tried to fit in where he could. His powers inevitably developed while living with his parents innocuously, and took some time for the family to register the situation. Rory started wearing an inhibitor immediately, only to find himself somewhat of a social outcast. The only arena in which he seemed to be comfortable and respected in was when he was wrestling in high school. He knew he was subjected to more stringent tests and accusations of cheating due to his status as a hyperhuman, but his teammates always had his back. He competed on a national level starting his freshman year of high school. And really only his freshman year. As once the pandemic hit, Rory quit wrestling. He was alone all over again.
It is only recently that the Tyler family has been severely devastated by loss. Rory's father and mother, both of whom were forced to work in a more public capacity, were both victims of the recent pandemic. This uprooted Rory and his siblings, who were graciously adopted by their maternal aunt Lillian Morse. Lillian Morse is a staff psychologist for the students of PRCU, a hyperhuman in her own right with telepathic powers. She has been trying her best to help her niece and nephews settle in to their new life, despite having raised no children before and having limited contact with the children prior. Rory and his siblings were enrolled in PRCU, and are preparing for their first year. The twins are enrolled as sophomores in the Collegiate program, while Rory chose to enroll in the H.E.A.T. program to follow in his father's footsteps... so his siblings won't have to.
▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y ||P O W E R M I M I C R Y __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION ||Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION ||Dynamic
Rory Tyler possesses the ability to steal a charged HZE ion from a nearby hyperhuman and subconsciously alter his own body's DNA to mimic that hyperhuman's esoteric or exoteric ability. When borrowing an esoteric ability, Rory's body undergoes practically the same physical shift as the host of the "borrowed" ion for sixty seconds. His body essentially just "activates" the HZE ions already present, which are expelled through proportional use of his powers. When mimicking an exoteric ability, Rory is able to draw and increase the HZE ions he stores as other exoteric hyperhumans. This worsens his body's reaction to using the power, and severely limits Rory's "overload" limit when mimicking exoteric abilities. Regardless of which type of power Rory mimics, he currently only seems able to stabilize the use of this new power for sixty seconds, can only borrow one power at a time, and suffers an "intoxication" effect after using the power.
L I M I T A T I O N S ||P R O X I M I T Y, T I M E
Rory's two primary limits come from the range at which he can "borrow" an HZE ion from another hyperhuman, and the time through which his own body's HZE activated HZE ions are able to keep his DNA altered. In terms of range, Rory must be within 1m of an esoteric hyperhuman to absorb an expelled HZE ion. For exoteric hyperhumans, Rory needs to make physical contact with the hyperhuman through skin to skin contact to absorb an attracted ion. Once the ion is absorbed, it takes Rory seconds for his DNA to subconsciously alter itself. Once the DNA is altered, it is incredibly unstable and almost immediately begins to decay. Rory can maintain this altered state for up to 60 seconds, and his powers are limited in scope in accordance with the limitations and weaknesses of the host Rory borrowed the power from.
W E A K N E S S E S ||"P O W E R D R U N K"
The major side effect to use of Rory's powers, and what significantly inhibit his ability, comes from a strange interaction the rapid change to his DNA structure and body after mimicking another power. In order to help stand the shock and minimize the pain felt after such a transformation, Rory's body depresses the central nervous system. In some sense, this ends up mimicking the physical effects of intoxication. This typically does not kick in until Rory has finished mimicking another individuals powers. This "intoxication" is sudden and strong, and is amplified significantly if Rory has borrowed an exoteric power due to the need to purge activated HZE ions. This intoxication effect can last anywhere between minutes and hours, and seems to be influenced by the complexity of the power borrowed. The only temporary means by which Rory can forgo the intoxication effect is to borrow another power, assuming he has any dormant HZE ions in his system. At least, that's the theory. Rory hasn't tried this, for fear of the danger compounding intoxication could have on his body.
▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Tyler is a bit more on the quiet side, shy and awkward from years of unchecked teenage angst. He is friendly and supportive to those whom he considers close, seeing himself as a sort of protector to those he cares for. This has been exasperated in recent months, considering the death of his parents. Rory is obsessed with being in control of his own body and mind, refusing to drink or smoke with friends when offered. This conflict with control over himself is rooted in the nature of Rory's power: using them naturally removes layers of bodily autonomy and control after mimicking another's power. While not afraid of using his powers irresponsibly if inebriated, Rory is afraid of the vulnerability and delay in reaction time.
Rory isn't the brightest kid in the class, and is well aware of that fact. While not fully aware of it, Rory is more emotionally intelligent than academically gifted. He's self-conscious of his intelligence (or lack thereof), and is heavily embarrassed about needing serious academic help and tutoring just to get passing grades. This insecurity, especially in a school environment, lends Rory to act as a social chameleon: he mirrors the mannerisms and behaviors of those he's with in an attempt to be socially accepted. On top of this, he has a difficult time paying attention and regulating his own emotions quickly. He is almost never seen sitting perfectly still, and often fidgets with whatever he can get his hands on.
▅ S U P P O R T I N G C A S T ▅ S U P P O R T I N G C A S T ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Younger brother to Rory Tyler, Will is a sophomore at PRCU in House Strigidae. His Hyperhuman ability is Calculated Prediction, and he is a genius even without his powers. He has a particular fondness for mathematics, with aspirations to continue study in this field in the future. He is somewhat cold and pretentious when interacting with others, often getting himself into messes that Rory inevitably has to clean up.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
Mary Tyler is the most extroverted of the siblings, and the most popular. She doesn't slack when it comes to her studies, finding a great interest in the arts and humanities over the hard sciences. She is good at practically any skill she picks up, with it being unclear if that's due to her intuitive aptitude power or just raw talent. Mary's calendar is always overbooked, and she hardly has time to take care of her basic human needs.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
Lillian Morse is one of the school psychologists at PRCU, serving as part of a contract through H.E.L.P. to provide the students and faculty support. She is the maternal aunt and now guardian of Rory and his siblings, having taken them in following the death of her sister and her brother in law. Lillian Morse is a recent addition to the faculty at PRCU, and has little time through the school year to check in with her niece and nephews. Lillian is incredibly welcoming to all who stop by her office, but tends to refrain from sharing many details about herself to keep things professional. She is a hyperhuman with the power of telepathy, but is only able to share/read images from one's mind.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
▅ P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S ▅ P E R S O N A L P R O M P T S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Y O U A W A K E I N T H E D E A D O F N I G H T, W H A T W O K E Y O U?
Honestly, it could be anything. I'm kind of a light sleeper. My parents sometimes wouldn't come home until after I went to bed when they were busy. So living in a dorm, where everyone keeps making noises throughout the night... take your pick. It's hard to get a good night's sleep around here.
A D I S H E V E L E D S T R A N G E R A P P R O A C H E S Y O U A S K I N G F O R H E L P, H O W D O Y O U R E S P O N D?
I would ask them what they needed, and how I could help. We have to do what we can to help other people out, or else no one will help us out when we are in trouble, you know? Maybe I'd offer them one of my power bars... Because they're hungry, right? Isn't that what disheveled means?
A N I N T R U D E R A L A R M H A S B E E N S E T O F F O N C A M P U S, H O W D O Y O U R E A C T?
I immediately text Will and Mary to see where they are. Once I know for certain they are safe or being taken care of, I would check in with my friends and whatever faculty is nearby. They'll certainly have a good idea on what to do next. If there's a disagreement... I'm not leaving anyone behind to deal with an intruder without backup, you know?
Completed Sheet, hot and ready. Will choose color coding if Rory's accepted.
R O R Y T Y L E R R O R Y T Y L E R
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"You can pick on me all you want... but you don't get to pick on them."
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▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅ Y E A R B O O K P H O T O ▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ S T U D E N T S U M M A R Y ▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Anderson Tyler _________________________________________________________ September3rd, 2004 | 19 | Caucasian _________________________________________________________ Single | Male | Bisexual _________________________________________________________ Ottawa | Ontario | Canada
▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅ P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
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P H Y S I C A L T R A I T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ B U I L D || Average, Muscular H A I R C O L O U R || Black E Y E C O L O U R || Blue H E I G H T || 6' W E I G H T || 174 lbs S K I N T O N E || Caucasian -
▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅ M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S ▅▅▅▅▅▅
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M O T I V A T I O N S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Rory is motivated by a rather simple desire to hold on to what he has. Following the rather sudden loss of his parents, he's desperately holding on to his friends and family as best as he can. He values this more than he values his own safety or well-being, willing to be risky and place himself in harm's way to keep those around him safe. Rory's desire to protect those around him is the only desire that helps him overcome his fear of his own powers. G O A L S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Rory's primary goal is to follow in his father's footsteps and be part of the "vanguard" of protecting hyperhumans. Rory's father made a lot of enemies serving as a part of H.I.T. for years, and Rory has every intention of overshadowing his father's legacy. While some of this is in respect to familial legacy, there is a darker part of Rory's heart that hopes to overshadow his own father's legacy altogether as revenge for being rather absent in his life. Rory doesn't see much a future outside of using his gifts and placing his life on the line due to his lack of other demonstrable skills. -
▅ N O T E S ▅ N O T E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
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M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Rory's favorite film is Treasure Planet. -
▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅ S T U D E N T S Y N O P S I S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Tyler's life hasn't been particularly remarkable. He was the oldest child of three, his younger two siblings being twins named Will and Mary. All three were born the Hype-gene, which came as little surprise when considering both parents were hyperhumans. Rory's father was a hyperhuman working for H.I.T. by the name of Cole Tyler. Cole had met Julia Morse at PRCU decades ago, as they both went through the H.E.A.T. program. Cole was placed in the Enforcement and Response Division (fitting given his Dermal Armor power), while Julia was placed in Justice Services (fitting her Passive Persuasiveness power). They kept in touch, and eventually grew to love each other. That love expanded into a loving family.
Cole served in H.I.T. for most of his prime, leaving him absent for a lot of Rory's childhood. Rory's mother was heavily involved in politics, having a heavy workload. The byproduct of this left Rory alone and to fend for himself for a lot of his childhood, and to protect and support his younger siblings. Will and Mary are 3 years younger, and are both smarter than Rory could ever hope to be. Rory spent a lot of his free time getting involved in all sorts of sports and physical activities. His younger siblings were brainiacs, and have grown up to be perhaps more intelligent than their big brother. Rory, despite loving his family and being very protective of his younger siblings, couldn't help but feel inferior to most of his family and classmates. The only thing Rory truly enjoyed more than anything was wrestling, as he enjoyed the challenge and skill of it. Even then, Rory never seemed to be particularly good at anything. He always seemed to sort of fade into the background. It's only fitting Rory's power would develop to be an ability to only copy other people briefly.
Rory opted not to attend PRCU for collegiate study, as Rory's mother's work in trying to promote equal standards of living and education for humans and hyperhumans inspired him to study at a more traditional school. Rory blended into the background, as his younger siblings attended more prestigious boarding schools. Rory kept tabs on them, but mostly just tried to fit in where he could. His powers inevitably developed while living with his parents innocuously, and took some time for the family to register the situation. Rory started wearing an inhibitor immediately, only to find himself somewhat of a social outcast. The only arena in which he seemed to be comfortable and respected in was when he was wrestling in high school. He knew he was subjected to more stringent tests and accusations of cheating due to his status as a hyperhuman, but his teammates always had his back. He competed on a national level starting his freshman year of high school. And really only his freshman year. As once the pandemic hit, Rory quit wrestling. He was alone all over again.
It is only recently that the Tyler family has been severely devastated by loss. Rory's father and mother, both of whom were forced to work in a more public capacity, were both victims of the recent pandemic. This uprooted Rory and his siblings, who were graciously adopted by their maternal aunt Lillian Morse. Lillian Morse is a staff psychologist for the students of PRCU, a hyperhuman in her own right with telepathic powers. She has been trying her best to help her niece and nephews settle in to their new life, despite having raised no children before and having limited contact with the children prior. Rory and his siblings were enrolled in PRCU, and are preparing for their first year. The twins are enrolled as sophomores in the Collegiate program, while Rory chose to enroll in the H.E.A.T. program to follow in his father's footsteps... so his siblings won't have to.
▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅ A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y ||P O W E R M I M I C R Y __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION ||Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION ||Dynamic
Rory Tyler possesses the ability to steal a charged HZE ion from a nearby hyperhuman and subconsciously alter his own body's DNA to mimic that hyperhuman's esoteric or exoteric ability. When borrowing an esoteric ability, Rory's body undergoes practically the same physical shift as the host of the "borrowed" ion for sixty seconds. His body essentially just "activates" the HZE ions already present, which are expelled through proportional use of his powers. When mimicking an exoteric ability, Rory is able to draw and increase the HZE ions he stores as other exoteric hyperhumans. This worsens his body's reaction to using the power, and severely limits Rory's "overload" limit when mimicking exoteric abilities. Regardless of which type of power Rory mimics, he currently only seems able to stabilize the use of this new power for sixty seconds, can only borrow one power at a time, and suffers an "intoxication" effect after using the power.
L I M I T A T I O N S ||P R O X I M I T Y, T I M E
Rory's two primary limits come from the range at which he can "borrow" an HZE ion from another hyperhuman, and the time through which his own body's HZE activated HZE ions are able to keep his DNA altered. In terms of range, Rory must be within 1m of an esoteric hyperhuman to absorb an expelled HZE ion. For exoteric hyperhumans, Rory needs to make physical contact with the hyperhuman through skin to skin contact to absorb an attracted ion. Once the ion is absorbed, it takes Rory seconds for his DNA to subconsciously alter itself. Once the DNA is altered, it is incredibly unstable and almost immediately begins to decay. Rory can maintain this altered state for up to 60 seconds, and his powers are limited in scope in accordance with the limitations and weaknesses of the host Rory borrowed the power from.
W E A K N E S S E S ||"P O W E R D R U N K"
The major side effect to use of Rory's powers, and what significantly inhibit his ability, comes from a strange interaction the rapid change to his DNA structure and body after mimicking another power. In order to help stand the shock and minimize the pain felt after such a transformation, Rory's body depresses the central nervous system. In some sense, this ends up mimicking the physical effects of intoxication. This typically does not kick in until Rory has finished mimicking another individuals powers. This "intoxication" is sudden and strong, and is amplified significantly if Rory has borrowed an exoteric power due to the need to purge activated HZE ions. This intoxication effect can last anywhere between minutes and hours, and seems to be influenced by the complexity of the power borrowed. The only temporary means by which Rory can forgo the intoxication effect is to borrow another power, assuming he has any dormant HZE ions in his system. At least, that's the theory. Rory hasn't tried this, for fear of the danger compounding intoxication could have on his body.
▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅ P E R S O N A L I T Y ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Rory Tyler is a bit more on the quiet side, shy and awkward from years of unchecked teenage angst. He is friendly and supportive to those whom he considers close, seeing himself as a sort of protector to those he cares for. This has been exasperated in recent months, considering the death of his parents. Rory is obsessed with being in control of his own body and mind, refusing to drink or smoke with friends when offered. This conflict with control over himself is rooted in the nature of Rory's power: using them naturally removes layers of bodily autonomy and control after mimicking another's power. While not afraid of using his powers irresponsibly if inebriated, Rory is afraid of the vulnerability and delay in reaction time.
Rory isn't the brightest kid in the class, and is well aware of that fact. While not fully aware of it, Rory is more emotionally intelligent than academically gifted. He's self-conscious of his intelligence (or lack thereof), and is heavily embarrassed about needing serious academic help and tutoring just to get passing grades. This insecurity, especially in a school environment, lends Rory to act as a social chameleon: he mirrors the mannerisms and behaviors of those he's with in an attempt to be socially accepted. On top of this, he has a difficult time paying attention and regulating his own emotions quickly. He is almost never seen sitting perfectly still, and often fidgets with whatever he can get his hands on.
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Younger brother to Rory Tyler, Will is a sophomore at PRCU in House Strigidae. His Hyperhuman ability is Calculated Prediction, and he is a genius even without his powers. He has a particular fondness for mathematics, with aspirations to continue study in this field in the future. He is somewhat cold and pretentious when interacting with others, often getting himself into messes that Rory inevitably has to clean up.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
Mary Tyler is the most extroverted of the siblings, and the most popular. She doesn't slack when it comes to her studies, finding a great interest in the arts and humanities over the hard sciences. She is good at practically any skill she picks up, with it being unclear if that's due to her intuitive aptitude power or just raw talent. Mary's calendar is always overbooked, and she hardly has time to take care of her basic human needs.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
Lillian Morse is one of the school psychologists at PRCU, serving as part of a contract through H.E.L.P. to provide the students and faculty support. She is the maternal aunt and now guardian of Rory and his siblings, having taken them in following the death of her sister and her brother in law. Lillian Morse is a recent addition to the faculty at PRCU, and has little time through the school year to check in with her niece and nephews. Lillian is incredibly welcoming to all who stop by her office, but tends to refrain from sharing many details about herself to keep things professional. She is a hyperhuman with the power of telepathy, but is only able to share/read images from one's mind.▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ ▅ Use as many or few of the above symbols as needed to balance this cell with the cell containing the image.
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Y O U A W A K E I N T H E D E A D O F N I G H T, W H A T W O K E Y O U?
Honestly, it could be anything. I'm kind of a light sleeper. My parents sometimes wouldn't come home until after I went to bed when they were busy. So living in a dorm, where everyone keeps making noises throughout the night... take your pick. It's hard to get a good night's sleep around here.
A D I S H E V E L E D S T R A N G E R A P P R O A C H E S Y O U A S K I N G F O R H E L P, H O W D O Y O U R E S P O N D?
I would ask them what they needed, and how I could help. We have to do what we can to help other people out, or else no one will help us out when we are in trouble, you know? Maybe I'd offer them one of my power bars... Because they're hungry, right? Isn't that what disheveled means?
A N I N T R U D E R A L A R M H A S B E E N S E T O F F O N C A M P U S, H O W D O Y O U R E A C T?
I immediately text Will and Mary to see where they are. Once I know for certain they are safe or being taken care of, I would check in with my friends and whatever faculty is nearby. They'll certainly have a good idea on what to do next. If there's a disagreement... I'm not leaving anyone behind to deal with an intruder without backup, you know?
Nathaniel gave a small smirk as he watched Zen's duel. He was wrong at first glance, underestimating the Valefornian in favor of the more physically imposing teenager. Though, this was precisely why they did the duels like this to begin with. What Zen lacked in an ability to wield a sword properly, he made up for in strategy and magic. Nate turned his gaze for the first time to the others, making note of their similarly-colored hair. One was taller with red eyes, the other more his own height and of an athletic build. He reckoned, for a moment, that this is the part where they would exchange names and pleasantries.
At this point in time, none of that was of interest to Nate. He always preferred to match a name to one's skill.
“Wasn’t expecting incantations this early. Especially not from commoners.”
"Neither did I, but I'm glad. This way nobody got hurt. After all, a heavy waster like that could break, what was it? Ferros' shoulder, and a commoner might never be able to get it fixed properly. Failure and pain are one thing, but being permanently crippled is quite another."
Nathaniel's eyes turned back down to the field, where the victors were leaving the fields and being replaced by a new round of combatants. He eyed over the four winners, all skilled but in different ways. He chose to ignore the taller noble's latter sentiment. Surely they wouldn't let peasants fighting in this tournament be permanently crippled. That would be... well, irrelevant for now.
"It would be unwise to be unprepared for incantations to be used against you in these duels. It seems most of the commoners who make it through these early rounds will be using everything they have at their disposal to earn their spots. Ferros didn't just win because he knew an incantation; he used that incantation as a counter to his opponent. We'll have to see what else he can counter with incantations alone." Nathaniel paused in his speech, eyeing over Zenshin's smile and joy. "The only thing holding him back seems to be his unfamiliarity with a sword. He looked as scared of his own sword as his opponent's."
Three of the four winning duelists in this first round demonstrated impressive skill in Nate's eyes.
Don't think I'm going to be able to keep up with this, y'all. Life got pretty hectic in the New Year out of nowhere, and I'm not sure when things are going to slow down. Love the characters and the world, and I'll still try to lurk around to see where this goes when I have time.
“I guess so. But they could make it seem like more of a competition. There’s four sections. One of them could be assigned to two nobles. I’unno. I just want to get out there.”
Nathaniel refused to let his gaze move from the arena below, and the four sections containing this first round’s first four matches. Before the action began, Eli’s words rang in his head. He wasn’t necessarily wrong. But something about Eli’s words and the tone indicated something beyond just a mere suggestion. There was an underlying compulsion and desire that Nathaniel was unable to quite parse. He hurriedly responded. ”Perhaps. I would prefer to see a more… exciting matchup in this first round than what we have..”
And almost immediately as soon as those words left his mouth, the matches began. The quickest start clearly came in the matchup between a small scrawny blonde boy and a large tattooed commoner. He ignored the banter, until the mood suddenly shifted. The larger boy charged with an overheaded swing, an incredibly foolish and unguarded manuever. Julian dodged back rather deftly, and then proceeded to treat the match like a gag. Nathaniel scoffed at the sight. ”An overheaded downward swing is good for nothing but chopping wood. He left himself open to a counter… and unfortunately, his opponent seems only skilled in cheap tricks and using a club. Not sure how well that will hold up in the coming duels.”
Nate’s eyes then shifted to a rather placid encounter between a boy shaking in his boots and Dot. He sighed in disappointment. Dot simply walked over to their combatant, speaking quietly for a moment. The boy made an attempt of a swing, the sort of wild swing a toddler might make feebly with a stick. Dot caught the blow and tossed away the weapon, successfully winning by disarming. ”That is a shame. Was interested to see what that one was capable of. Will have to wait until the next round, I suppose.”
Nate’s eyes then turned to the last two duels. He didn’t pay much attention to Cyrus Locke, who had ended his duel with a simply parry and riposte that his untrained opponent was unequipped to defend against. The boy had fallen to the ground from the blow to the gut, and the knight overseeing was merciful enough to declare a winner. Cyrus’ eyes turned to the audience, meeting Nathaniel’s among the nobles. Cyrus flashed a cocky smirk, before turning to walk off and leave his opponent to wobble his way onto his feet. Nathaniel recognized the challenge when he saw it. He could only hope to get a chance to answer it today.
Lastly, Nate’s eyes turned to the last remaining duel. The matchup seemed rather one-sided… but who knows. Maybe the Valeforian would surprise them all.
“Doesn’t seem fair. They get to have fun and showcase their skills while we sit and wait our turn.”
”Ehem—you're right, it's not fair, is it? It's...Cruel. It's cruel to them, don't you—”
Nathaniel’s eyes were locked on the various arenas, sizing up the competitors. At first blush, most of the competitors sent out into the field for this starting round looked like they were just picking up a training weapon for the first time. He commended them for coming here to try at all, but it was far too late. Because among the inexperienced, Nate’s eyes locked on to the rare few. Those with fire in their blood. Those who shifted the weight of their practice weapons in their hands, settling into a few trained stances. He recognized a couple, fellow students of note from the largest sword schools abroad. Some faces were unfamiliar, though.
Nate had absent-mindedly paced his way to the two strangers, not even giving them much of a look. His eyes were focused on what was to come though he still registered the words of the conversation nearby. ”It seems more calculated than cruel. They’re testing one’s will as much as their skill. They want to see who can persevere, and who among the commoners has put in the work.”
That had to be it, right? There had to be a reason. So… Nate looked for one.
Nate pointed to an average looking commoner, maybe fourteen years old and scrawny. His clothes were rugged and frayed at the edges. He was very slowly trying to swing an arming blade with his two hands bunched up together to hold it. His swings were horizontal, wild, and uncontrolled. Nate pointed to the kid. ”Take him, for example. Poor kid hasn’t had a day of training in his life. I think it would be more merciful to have him face someone potentially untrained rather than the well-trained son of a Duke for his first ever duel, don’t you think?”
Nate’s eyes drifted to a rather familiar figure, one of the larger boys. He sported a short blonde buzz cut with a fresh tunic and doublet, both lacking sleeves. He was swinging a longsword with both hands through the air quickly, cycling through a routine of trained cuts and blocks. Nate lifted an arm to point to the teen. ”Take him, for example. Cyrus Locke. He lives here in the capitol. His father is a noted locksmith for the elite, who spent most of his coin getting his son into the best sword school he could. Cyrus is as stubborn as an ox, and built like one. He’s reckless and brash… likely to get countered by any noble with a private tutor. So, he’s more likely to show off his promise against someone untrained.”
Nathaniel’s eyes shifted slightly, until they fell upon Dot’s short figure. He didn’t seem particularly impressive at first brush, but Nate clocked the way he casually rested the wooden sword on his shoulder. The sword was nearly as tall as he was, but there was a familiarity with the size of it. He simply pointed towards him. ”And some who deserve to be a cadet are unassuming. The one with light gray hair right there… he’s wielding a sword that’s almost as big as him as if it were nothing. Impressive, but it’s an impractical choice. They might be seeing if he loses steam in these early rounds.”
Nate never really turned his gaze to the other two nobles. His eyes were too busy darting between the commoners as they got to their places. He had too much data to analyze to waste time on pleasantries.
Some children are born with burdens heaved onto their shoulders. Nathaniel Lothwren was one of these children. Born under a falling star, those who knew of the child expected greatness from him. They practically demanded it. And while some might shirk such a burden to seek their own fate, Nathaniel relished in carrying it. He had never seen the King’s Bridge before, nor the castle it led to. It lived up to his expectations. He was but one in a swarming crowd of children pushing along, hoping to register and become a knight-in-training. The weight of expectations was heavy, but the bridge seemed capable of withstanding it.
"I feel sorry for whoever is matched against you. There's no way they stand a chance."
Nathaniel Lothwren, sporting a tunic of red and silver to match his house colors, raised an eyebrow as he turned his gaze to the kid next to him. It took a moment for the noble's eyes to fill with recognition. Nate gave a small smile, wrapping an arm around the blonde boy to give his broad shoulder a pat. "I appreciate your confidence, Locke, but I don't intend to show off. Everyone here is willing to serve, and they deserve a fair shot to show their dedication."
Locke rolled his eyes, observing the crowd gathered. "Still going on about that Honor crap, Nate?"
"It's not crap." Nate's smile faded into a slight frown, the murmurs nearby silenced by the sudden exclamation. Locke was born into a family of artisans, seeking to improve his own station through dedicated service. He was quick and strong, and had solid form. The only thing Locke lacked was a sense of true duty. Nate didn't understand his former classmate when they studied the sword at a school in the south just a few months prior.
"It's us or them, mate. You have to fight to win."
Nate shook his head. "Of course you fight to win... but it’s not about us or them. Not yet. It's about potential and skill in these duels, Locke. Us or them is an excuse to stand on the shoulders of others."
Nate's former classmate just sighed, stepping forward in the line to register. Nathaniel was silent, taking deep breaths to stifle the smallest embers of anger. Locke was just here to earn himself a better life. Nate was here to become a knight... a hero, as his mother always insisted. But deep down, Nate knew he was here because right here was all he ever wanted to be. After a moment, Locke had registered and began making his way towards the arena. Nate stepped forward.
"Name?"
"Nathaniel of the House of Lothwren, first born son to Baron Aster Lothwren of the town of Brimsly." The boy stood firm, with his back straight and his chest out, as he checked in. His words rang with a proudness and purpose that was not at all unfamiliar to those who knew him.
I have written and re-written my second/third Hawkeye post about halfway over and over, and none of it is sticking. If I manage to get past this writer's block with the character I'm running headfirst into, I'd love to reapply. But as it stands, I think I need to concede defeat on Hawkeye and bow out for now.
Qia
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wintersoldier
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mickilennial
Hound55
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Festive
