Nick Scratch
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| |
| "No, I won't warm your cocoa for you..." | |
| Nick Scratch | |
| Player: @DaBeaker | |
| Origin: | Mutation |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Blaster |
| Security Level: | 45 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Currently Unknown |
| Known Aliases: | None Known |
| Species: | Homo Superior |
| Age: | 19 |
| Height: | 6'2" |
| Weight: | 170 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Green |
| Hair Color: | Red |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
| Occupation: | Vigilante, Vagabond |
| Place of Birth: | Paragon City, RI |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City, RI |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Father, Name and whereabouts unknown |
| Known Powers | |
| Fire Creation, Source Unknown | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Physical Fitness Training | |
| Equipment | |
| Piston Boots (Clockwork \ Hero Corps) | |
| ' | |
Contents |
Affiliations
Over the short course of his career, Nick has joined with a few organizations in Paragon City. None appear to take precedence over any other, and are detailed below in order of joining.
The first group he was seen to be in contact with was the Midnight Squad. This has been in a limited capacity, however, as Nick has been rarely seen in action with other members. The only time he has been seen entering the club has been in cases where he has confronted any magically supernatural threats.
Not long after, a potential temporal anomaly was noted when multiple simultaneous instances of criminal activity were observed to be resisted by Scratch. This is a case of mistaken identity, clones, dimensional overlap, or temporal overlap. This has been seen before and is taken by some to be signs of membership in the Menders of Ouroboros. There is also the potential for other explanations - See Trivia.
Nick is a member of the fledgling Alliance of the Imperial Guardians, although little is publicly known about them due to the recent founding of the group. This group is the one which Nick has the closest link, as he acts on their behalf publicly. This is a mixed blessing due to his vigilante status.
Most recently, Scratch has been observed in the Rikti War Zone, and has been listed on the public rosters of Vanguard. His experience with the Rikti is increasing, with a couple of Rikti Raid under his belt, as well as moderate involvement in the zone itself. He has been successful enough to warrant the attentions of Gaussian, so his future in Vanguard is likely bright.
While not a group member per se, Nick has been seen to regularly appear in Pocket D for shows hosted by DJ's of The Cape Radio.
Personality
Powers
From G.I.F.T. file on Nick Scratch:
Several preternatural powers have been seen in Scratch's repertoire related to the creation and projection of fire and heat. The most likely source of his powers is that of Molecular Agitation, ending in the spontaneous combustion of selected substances. The range of this ability would be very short, no more than a foot, and would appear to be limited to affecting substances that are already volatile when exposed to heat or flame.
Most of his talents are centered on flame expulsion, though the source of the flame and the delivery mechanism are unknown currently. The study of several Clockwork minions defeated and collected by Nick Scratch revealed a residue which was best identified as a flammable biological contaminant. The source of this substance could be Nick's body chemistry, leading to controlled gaseous expulsion through his mouth, and possibly the pores in his misshapen hands. The gas could then ignited by the molecular agitation ability previously mentioned.
The actual projection of the flames appears to be a limited form of pyrokinesis. As opposed to full pyrokinetic manipulation, Nick appears to possess the ability to focus a beam of force that delivers the created flame and, in some cases, a blast of force to the target.
This is almost entirely theory, as Nick has not submitted himself to a full physical since his initial induction into the G.I.F.T. program.
Nick has also shown considerable aptitude in performing brief spurts of accelerated activity, in some cases doubling his ability to "put the heat on" his opponents. This ability would be consistent with the theory of an altered body chemistry and metabolism.
Repeated training in the field has manifested in improved physical performance, including greater recovery from injury and heightened endurance. While this doesn't exceed standard human capabilities, his training regimen has positively affected his overall combat performance.
Weaknesses and Limitations
Nick bears no weakness of a physical nature that a normal human does not already naturally have, though it should be noted that while Nick's powers of fire generation appear to leave him free of the damaging effects of his own powers, this does not protect him from either natural or artificially created heat and flame.
One major drawback is his inability to work officially with Paragon City's Police Department. Nick's history prevents him from being an approved hero under the guidelines of the FBSA - his regular use of "excessive force" when arresting criminals goes beyond the Citizen Crime Fighting Act. Nick's primary method of apprehension has been either submission through burns, or attempting to burn oxygen from around a criminal, depriving them of air - this often caused severe injuries. While he is technically wanted for apprehension by the PPD, it's become an unwritten rule among many veteran cops to let Scratch do his job. While Nick does harm many of the people he faces, he has not yet been the direct cause of any fatalities.
Equipment
After performing several favours for Colleen Saramago when dealing with the Clockwork, Nick was provided with a set of Piston Boots salvaged from Clockwork gadgetry after some tinkering by the Hero Corps. The boots grant Nick additional jumping mobility, and also have a mode of propulsion that allows for increased movement on the ground as well.
Character History
Nick came to the attention of G.I.F.T. several years ago after an at his home. The records were sealed since Nick was a minor at the time, but it is hinted that his status as an Orphan may be a factor. He was placed in a care home for mutants, where he kept to himself and refined his limited abilities under his adopted name, Nick Scratch. When he reached the age of 18, he bagan to act on behalf of G.I.F.T. in small jobs around Atlas Park.
This continued with positive results for several months until lawsuits were being laid for excessive force during some of his arrests. They started with with the Outcasts, and spread to any who he arrested. After attempting to work within the system for a single case, Nick lost his taste for a legal system that favoured the criminals and not the victims. Arrest warrants were placed on Nick for refusing to appear in court, and later for assault as he continued to act against other criminal groups in Paragon City. He left his home and found a new place of residence without the knowledge of his handlers in G.I.F.T.
Trivia
Nick is quite a social drinker, favouring a mix of Jack Daniels and Coke or Irish Coffee (With extra "Irish"). Nick hasn't appeared in public while inebriated, or displaying impaired judgement due to alcohol, but there are some who believe that he may have a concealed drinking problem.
Nick has a marked preference for punishing or arresting Vahzilok, Banished Pantheon, Clockwork, and the Council. Recent events have led to his scaling up attacks on Crey's hidden agents and infiltrators.
One of the "versions" of overlap noted as a possible explanation for his Ouroboros membership is being seen repeatedly in the Rogue Isles. Going by the name Nicholas Scratch, it is possible that this is a later version of Nick from the future, or something else entirely... As of this printing, Nick is unaware of this anomaly.
