Judge Midnight
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Judge Midnight | |
| Player: | |
| Origin: | Science |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Brute |
| Security Level: | 50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Caleb Martin |
| Known Aliases: | N/A |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 125; appears to be in his late 40s-to-early 50s |
| Height: | 6'3" |
| Weight: | 218 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Grey |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American citizen |
| Occupation: | Legal consultant |
| Place of Birth: | Paragon City, RI |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Confidential |
| Known Relatives: | Grace Donnelly Martin (wife, deceased); Peter Martin (son, deceased); Jacob Martin (son, deceased); Mary Martin (daughter, deceased) |
| Known Powers | |
| Netherforce manipulation | |
| Known Abilities | |
| A former police officer, attorney, and judge, Caleb possesses the relevant skill sets of those professions; however, many of his methods and much of his knowledge are hopelessly out of date | |
| Equipment | |
| Shield (see "Paraphernalia") | |
| No additional information available. | |
- Nothing is to be preferred before justice.
- - Socrates
Contents |
History
The following is an excerpt from the PPD's debriefing of Caleb Martin, aka, Judge Midnight.
"I fully understand and accept the consequences of my recent actions. While I offer no defense, I would be remiss if I did not offer my services to the city which I hold so dear. I was born in Paragon, and have spent my entire life trying to do what is best for her and her people; with your permission, I would very much like to continue to do so.
"Let me start near the beginning; I am given to understand that, while the nature of what I am about to tell you seems to me farfetched, such tales are fairly common in the City. In 1907, I followed in my father's footsteps and joined the ranks of the Paragon Police Department. I worked the streets for ten years; some of the best years of my life. But then America entered World War I, and so many of our boys were conscripted, I felt I had to join them. Although I was only overseas for a year, I knew that I could never again in good conscience draw my sidearm; the War had softened me, some would say. After returning home, I decided to lay down my badge and enter the law profession.
"Dealing with crime from behind a desk instead of on the street did not come easy to me, but I tried my best all the same. I even managed to fall in love, and start a family. We were happy, then. I was happy then. However, the stock market crash--and the attendant increase in crime and corruption--changed everything. The system for which I worked became broken and twisted. So, in 1930, I ran for a judgeship, thinking that I could more effectively mitigate the corruption from behind the bench. Maybe it was because I had been a police officer, maybe because some thought of me as a "war hero", but either way, I won the election. A few short months later, however, everything would change again; Statesman arrived.
"Statesman's arrival--and his subsequent war on crime--signaled something new, and something of which I was uncertain. The citizens made a hero out of him, when he was, technically, a criminal. But then, he was making a positive impact. Then again, if the City depended upon him and his ilk too much, would it ever learn to stand on its own? And what of the criminals? Would they not respond in kind? I feared that escalating combat between the 'superheroes' and the criminals would consume the City.
"I confess, at the time, my concerns got the better of me. I had a family to worry about. So it was that in 1937, just after the passage of the Citizens Crime Fighting Act, I was approached by an old friend from the War; this friend, whose name I will not mention, was also worried about the superheroes, and was organizing a group to 'keep tabs' on Statesman and his allies. To my eternal regret, I joined this group, and came to view the superheroes as the enemy. This group, however, was for more radical than I had originally perceived. After learning the full scope of the group's plans, I attempted to cut ties with them. They responded by abducting me...I would never again see my wife, or my children.
"Not quite a year ago, I awoke in a lab of sorts, one which I would come to learn had been abandoned some seventy years ago. Making my way outside, I discovered that I was still in the City, although it was virtually unrecognizable; overrun with superheroes and technological advancements beyond imagining. My first thought was that my friend's group, those traitorous wretches, had been right all along. Given this mindset, I gained safe passage to the Rogue Isles, and used my newfound abilities to battlie the heroes at every turn, even going so far as to take up a costumed identity. I wanted...no, I needed to prove that I had been right to fear the heroes' influence on the City.
"It was not long before I realized that the world had indeed changed, profoundly; the escalation with which I was so concerned had happened, but it was impossible to ascertain whether the heroes were to blame, or if their presence had forestalled even greater calamities. Regardless, I knew that I had made a terrible error in judgment. As soon as I was able, I made my way here to the City, to turn myself in.
"There. That is my story, as much of it as I can remember, at any rate. I only ask that what- ever it is you do with me, you do with the City's best interests at heart, and in mind."
Personality
Caleb exhibits a calm, rational manner; he is very often described as "level-headed." Not easily given over to rash thought or hasty deed, he instead prefers careful deliberation and focused action. While he will never be regarded as gregarious, or the "life of the party", he is also not as brooding or laconic as one might assume; he enjoys a good joke or an evening of entertainment as much as the next person, although his sense of humor tends towards the dry side.
Caleb is a man far removed from his time, yet the ideals which inform and govern his character are timeless.
Justice
First and foremost, this is the core of who Caleb is. In his "previous life", he was driven by an overwhelming desire to ensure fair and equitable applications of the law for all of the citizens within his purview. While he understands that sometimes "law" does not necessarily equate with "justice", he tries to reconcile these occasional schisms as best he can. His wariness of Statesman's--and his allies'--arrival and extralegal activities provided Caleb with, to date, the greatest test of the legal/just problem, and Caleb now feels that he made a profound error in favoring the legal side of that dichotomy. Presently, he tends to follow his own moral compass rather than the "letter of the law"; while neither a vigilante nor a recidivist villain, Caleb advocates on behalf of those whom he feels are victimized by "bad law."
Service
Caleb considers his current vocation the logical continuation of his life of service to Paragon City. From police officer, to assistant district attorney, to judge, and now to costumed hero, the safety and peace of mind of Paragon's citizens has been the constant focus of his endeavors. Caleb is pursuing this focus with a stoic zeal which borders on the maniacal; clearly, his recent criminal past in the Rogue Isles has affected him very deeply.
Family
Some have said that the greatest tragedy in life is to outlive your children; Caleb has outlived his grandchildren. His commitment to the City had been exceeded only by his devotion to his family; their loss weighs more heavily on his heart than he would want others to believe. This weight has only strengthened the vigor with which Caleb serves the city; he now sees the citizens, and his fellow heroes, as extended family members.
Powers
Netherforce Manipulation
Caleb has displayed a connection to the mysterious "Netherworld", the source for many of the darker heroes' and villains' powers. While much of the Netherworld's true nature is unknown, it is generally accepted that it is a realm with some type of relation to those energies and emotions which are considered "negative." In Caleb's case, he seems to have an especially strong connection to "guilt"; this emotion is the "portal" or "gateway" through which Caleb can access the Netherworld. To date, this connection has manifested itself as follows:
Extrasensory Perception
Caleb can sense guilt within others. While this has proven useful on occasion, it is as much a hindrance as it is an aid; most people harbor some level of guilt for any number of reasons, whether actual crimes or perceived moral sins. Caleb is generally unable to discern between "types" of guilt, although he can discern its intensity. It should be noted that Caleb would be unable to "read" true psycho- and sociopaths, due to their inherent lack of regret, remorse, or guilt. However, he can still draw upon his own guilt--or that of others--in order to fuel his abilities.
Withering Grasp
Caleb can channel minute amounts of Netherforce through his hands and fists. When thus empowered, Caleb's hands become dangerous to the touch, weakening living entities and decaying inorganic material. Continued (or continuous) exposure to the Netherforce typically leaves the living exhausted and feeling "drained", while inorganic material degrades as per its nature; wood rots, metal corrodes, etc. Prolonged exposure would likely lead to severe debilitation and/or death.
Shadow Balm
As an extension of the above, Caleb can transfer to himself the drained energies of those entities and objects. In this manner, Caleb is able to quickly heal minor wounds. Even inorganic material confers some benefit; in this instance, it is the material's decay which fuels Caleb's rejuvenation.
Entropic Aura
Caleb's control over Netherforce grants several defensive benefits, in addition to the offensive capabilities listed above. The predominant origin of these defensive benefits is Caleb's "Entropic Aura"; in short, Caleb can radiate a constant field of Netherforce, over which he has some limited control. This field makes it more difficult for combatants to successfully attack him, and when blows do land, they are severely weakened by the Netherforce. Additionally, Caleb can access the lost strength of the attacks, adding it to his own. Caleb's control over this field is such that nearby allies gain all of the defensive advantages, with none of the disadvantages; there has been some speculation that this implies some semblance of sentience on the part of the Netherforce, but this has not been confirmed.
Caleb can also extend this field a short distance in all directions, then retract it; and with it, the stolen energies of those it encompassed, adding to his own strength and/or vitality. This added power can also vastly, but temporarily, increase the magnitude of the Netherforce's offensive capabilities.
An interesting application of the field is Caleb's seeming ability to withdraw it completely, mitigating the effects of "negative" forces; for instance, inertia. With inertia thus withdrawn, Caleb is able to move at speeds beyond human upper limits, and to leap incredible distances.
Finally, Caleb is able to generate a sudden, violent burst of Netherforce, causing harm and destruction in a wide radius centered on his person.
Metahuman Physiology
In addition to his control over Netherforce, Caleb has clearly been augmented in some way; he cannot remember when or how this came to pass, but he believes it is related to the laboratory in which he recently awoke. He fully intends to conduct his own investigation into this matter, as soon as he is given clearance to do so.
Strength
Caleb is able to bench press up to two tons, and lift one and a half. These numbers are dramatically increased when Caleb uses the Netherforce to draw upon the strength of others. To date, he has demonstrated an upper limit of ten tons and eight tons, respectively.
Stamina
Caleb's endurance registers at a metahuman level; he can hold his breath and perform strenuous exercise for periods of time far beyond the realm of human ability.
Paraphernalia
Shield
Caleb wields a medieval shield, embossed with a silver "scales of justice" insignia. The shield, on its own, is not significantly resilient to harm. However, it acts as a focus for Caleb's Netherforce manipulation, and as such, is incredibly durable. Additionally, the shield has thus far proven to be forcibly irremovable from Caleb's possession; he can lay it aside, but it has not yet been successfully taken from him.
The shield's interior bears the following inscription: To my knight in shining armor, with all the love that is mine to give -Grace
Costume
Caleb's costume--the gloves, boots, pants, belt, mask, cape, and "bodystocking" which comprise it--is an interesting feat of design in and of itself; the costume seems to be resilient to the decaying effects of the Netherforce. Caleb has been reluctant to disclose the origins of the costume.
