Hightime
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| "Lets see whatchya got!" | |
| Hightime | |
| Player: Kenori | |
| Origin: | Technology |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | 16 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Confidential |
| Known Aliases: | Anthony Samson, Thomas Ardaner |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 29 |
| Height: | 6' 2" |
| Weight: | 180 ibs. |
| Eye Color: | Green |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | USA |
| Occupation: | Mechanic |
| Place of Birth: | Brooklyn |
| Base of Operations: | Just Outside Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Thomas Samson(Father; Deceased), Ezabella Samson(Mother; Alive) |
| Known Powers | |
| Nanobots bonded to cells enable a variety of superhuman feats. Also can process data faster than normal humans. | |
| Known Abilities | |
| semi-super strength, superspeed, super agility. | |
| Equipment | |
| A patented microfilament suit used to enhance his nanobots abilities. Also a cybernetically linked helmet with gps tracking array as well as internet uplink to various databases. | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Character Biography
Birth and Early Life
Anthony Sampson was born in 1979 to Thomas and Ezabella Sampson. Thomas, a scientist working for The Morrion Corporation on nanotech research, learned that due to radiation exposure from working on microscopic machines caused his son to be born with an odd birth "defect." He was given the ability to process data at 3x the normal rate of any human being. This is because the grooves and ridges of his brain are much tighter together, allowing the neurons to fire much faster. With his knowledge, he graduated from Cal. Tech with a Masters in nanotechnology and gained a job working alongside his father on research at the Morrion Corporation.
Pioneering Nanotechnology and Loss
Anthony took his fathers work and blazed trails with it, specifically in the field of Human Enhancement, so much so that he gained the attention of Crey Industries, who wished to use his nanobots to create footsoldiers to sell to the highest bidder. When he refused to leave his father's side and join Crey, they decided to take his work by force.
Late one evening, when everyone else was home, Anthony and his father were working late on the newest formula which would enhance cell regeneration and growth, when they were attacked by a group of thugs in employment with Crey, specifically lead by the superpowered Ironn. After incapacitating Anthony, the ever sadistic Ironn made him watch as they brutally beat, and finally murdered Thomas. The thugs then stole all of the nanobot serum that the father and son had been developing, tied Anthony to a chair, and began to destroy everything, finally pouring gas over everything and setting it on fire. Anthony, with a shard of glass from a broken test tube, cut the ropes binding him to the chair and attacked one of the thugs with his serum. The thug cracked one of the vials over Anthony's face, breaking his nose and causing most of the liquid to go up his nose and into his mouth. Ironn then beat Anthony almost to death, breaking most every bone in his body and tossing him into the middle of the raging inferno.
The Birth of Hightime
Anthony awoke several hours later to find himself on a morgue slab, not only miraculously alive, but actually feeling quite good. The prototype nanobots had done there job, bonding to his cellular makeup and speeding up his healing. Not only that, but he was much quicker than he had ever been, with the nanobots triggering the synapses in his brain, he learned that he had the ability to control them to do various things, including allow him to run at super speeds.
However, the price for this ability was horrible. His father was dead, all of his work was destroyed, and everyone thought he was dead. To keep the rest of his family, namely his mother, safe, he took what was left of his money and ran away. Finally making his way to Paragon City, posing as the mechanic Thomas Ardaner. It was here that he came into contact with his first super hero, Captain Coldsnap, as he took down thugs trying to rob a bank. Watching the superpowered being take down the criminals, Anthony finally understood his new calling. Creating a costume from a specially designed mircofilament fiber and a helmet with an intricate computer enhanced system, all of which was powered by the nanobots coursing through his body, Anthony took to crime fighting, and Hightime was born.
The Omega Plague and the Rematch With Ironn
One of the biggest tests for the rookie Hightime was to contend with was the outbreak of the Omega Plague, which turned anyone who was infected by it into ravenous Techno-Organic monstrocities. Hightime, with his nanobot-infused cells, was able to overcome the plague, but was left one of the sole unaffected heroes in Paragon and was forced to band together with the survivors to find a cure. After fighting off a number of the infected, he was able to hole up in a laboratory and, using the blood of one of the infected, create a cure from which he could inoculate the rest of the heroes, who could then cure the normal citizens.
Of course, not everyone chose to be cured. One of the most powerful infected was Hightimes most hated foe, Ironn, who's technological implants had allowed him to benefit from the Plague. Now a walking mechanical nightmare, Ironn began to reek havoc on the neighborhood which Hightime lived, after following him home one night. Hightime, having sustained many injuries from the previous encounter with the Plague-Ironn, was easily almost killed by him, until a close ally of Hightime, Zeta Silver, arrived with one of the last batches of the Plague cure and is able to inoculate Ironn against it, causing him to lose many of the powers he had, and with the help of Zeta, Hightime is able to drive Ironn off. Ironn has not been seen in Paragon City since.
Malfunction
Sometime after his battle with Ironn, the nanobots that power Hightime's abilities began to malfunction, causing the electrical impulses in his brain to race through the nanobots, causing shocks through his spine and extreme disorientation. This culminated during a fight with a group of thugs that nearly caused him to be killed, only just being saved by Zeta Silver again. After this, Hightime decided to temporarily retire from superheroing and head back to his hometown to find himself and hopefully a cure to his problem. He has not been seen in the active superhero community since.
Powers and Abilities
Hightime's main physical abilities come from the infusion of nanobots into his own cells, which allow him to perform some tasks which may be considered as superhuman, these tasks include:
- Being able to lift somewhere around a half-ton over his head. This not necessarily due to any sort of super strength, but the fact that the nanobots in his system allow him to instantly repair any damage to his muscles, such as tearing that is caused by lifting heavy objects. He is able to lift weights much easier than a normal person, as well as keep physically fit.
- Being able to run at just under mach 2 at his fastest. This is a combination of the nanobots preventing fatigue in his body, and the microfilament costume, which enhances his nanobots.
- Able to hold his breath 3x as long as normal humans. Again, the nanobots provide his cells with the nutrition in which they need.
- Increased Agility. The nanobots in his system give him a heightened awareness of his natural surroundings and the ability to monitor his own vital statistics. This gives him a natural agility and grace on par or better with many of the scrappers in Paragon City.
- Healing Factor. One of the main abilities of the nanobots, and quite possibly linked to most of his other abilites. Hightime has the ability to, given enough time, heal completely from almost any wound. This healing factor is severly limited by the nutrient flow from the nanobots, however, and if Hightime is healed from a wound that is too big, it can cause him to loose his powers for up to weeks while his nanobots recharge.
Apart from the nanobots, Hightime also suffers from a birth defect which allows him to process data up to 3x faster than normal humans. He is considered a genius with an IQ higher than most of the smartest men in the world. This has allowed him to create items and weapons from almost anything, including unsuspecting scrap metal. He was originally a pioneer in nanotechnology and knows more about this than any other person. He also has what some consider a photographic memory, and somewhat photographic reflexes, further enhanced by his nanobots. Though nanotechnology is his main research field, Anthony also has some knowledge in Bioengineering, Computer Sciences, Weapons Development, and Electrical Engineering.
Weaknesses
Hightime's biggest problem is a major weakness to electricity. This causes his nanobots to short circuit and shut down, leaving him powerless while they reactivate. Prolonged exposure to electricity has nearly killed him on a few occasions.
Another of Hightime's weaknesses is more psychological. He blames himself for his father's death and his mother's depression. This has been exploited by Ironn when he learned of Hightime's identity.
Build
Currently Hightime is a low level Technology Scrapper, I'm not 100% on his abilities, but once I have them all, I will be sure to update this section.
Alternate Version
Antoine the Quick
In the Mu'niverse, there exists an alternate version of Anthony, named Antoine Sampson, who lived in a remote village in the middle of a jungle. When the Demon Ironor was summoned by an unknown villager to destroy the elders in Antoine's village, Antoine was the only survivor. The stress of the destruction of his only home kicked in his magical ability: that of superspeed. Now Antoine is a force for good, working against the Demons and evil beings in his world.
Trivia
- The name Hightime came from his first mission. When a cab driver who saw him running to help stop a robbery of a loan company, he said "Its high time some one stopped those maniacs." It gave Anthony the inspiration to go from there.
- My original idea for the character was a tribute to my favorite superhero, Green Lantern, but I couldnt get a costume that I liked. While searching through the costume stuff, the idea struck me to do a technological scrapper, I built his form and went from there.
- Hightime is fond of the candy Circus Peanuts, much like another of my superhero creations, Cameron Michael Langley.
- The character Ironn is actually the first character I designed for City of Villains, actually months before I even played the game.
