PsyShock
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| PsyShock above the skies of Cap | |
| PsyShock | |
| Player: @ToxicEel | |
| Origin: | Science |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Dominator |
| Threat Level: | 15 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Milo Lefkowitz |
| Known Aliases: | Confidential |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 22 |
| Height: | 5'9 |
| Weight: | 142 |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Strawberry Blonde |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Confidential |
| Occupation: | Rogue crey researcher |
| Place of Birth: | California |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | No contact with relatives |
| Known Powers | |
| Mental Domination / Psionic Assault | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Telepathy, Psionic Suggestion, Telekinesis, Mental Probing, various psychic methods of attack. | |
| Equipment | |
| Cybernetic implants, modified goldbricker rocket boots, Rikti Teleport module, Rikti Bio-Organic A.I. Implant. | |
| Wanted Alive by Crey. | |
Contents |
Overview
A hybrid between human and Rikti mentality, PsyShock is the shared consciousness of two entities. The first and host is a rogue crey researcher and ex-intern, Milo Lefkowitz. The second is a Rikti Mentalist Si'Kihk. The two are permanently merged together via a bio-organic implant that resides inside Milo's skull. This merging has granted Milo powerful psychic abilities not found in normal humans.
History
Crey Employment
Milo Lefkowitz graduated from the Paragon University near the top of his class with a focus on alien technology. A growing field given the popularity of companies trying to deal with the abundance of meta-humans and introduction of foreign technology, Milo had no problem getting an internship at Crey Industries. The lab he worked in primarily studied Rikti artifacts, attempting to dissect them and use them to create new Crey creations. What Milo was not aware of is that once hired to work in a Crey lab he would become their prisoner. Crey special agents made certain his past was wiped out and that he ceased to legally exist. Despite the perks given to Crey employees, being a prisoner to their lab was not an ideal situation for Milo.
This all changed when the Rikti showed up again. During the second Rikti Invasion a particularly powerful mentalist by the name of Si'Kihk was fatally wounded in a battle against Crey forces who were trying to steal Rikti technology. Instead of simply dying, however, the mentalist used his formidable power to transfer his mind into one of his A.I. implants. So while the body died, the mind lived on. The Crey field agents captured the mentalist's remains and brought them back to Paragon City for study. Little did they know the true treasure that hide within the seemingly inanimate remains of Rikti technology.
The Escape
Si'Kihk was still very much alive in that implant and didn't take kindly to being trapped within a sterile Crey lab. Over the next few weeks it searched with its psychic powers until it found a suitable candidate for contact. Milo who was dissatisfied Crey's treatment and essentially trapped in the lab was an easy target. Slowly the two developed a relationship. Milo was spending more and more time in the labs doing 'research' on the implant. The two became very close as they plotted and sought ways to escape the confines of the Crey labratory. Si'Kihk seemed to almost be affectionate towards the boy. Always consoling him and providing council when necessary. Whether the Rikti really did care for his future host or was just using him is unknown.
Finally with the aid of the Rikti's mental abilities the two were able to escape the lab. By modifying a lesser piece of Rikti equipment Milo was able to replace it with the Rikti A.I. When the switch was made the Rikti used its powers of confusion on the other researches. The lab erupted after Milo secreted the implant in his possession. Guards turned on scientists. Coworkers viciously attacked one another. The chaos created by Si'Kihk's unleashed psionic storm was perfect to cover Milo's escape. Once free of the Crey Milo had planned to return home. He was more than anxious to get out of Paragon City and didn't want to give Crey a chance to recapture him. Si'Khik had other plans for Milo.
Back Alley Surgery
Si'Kihk was desperate to keep Milo in its psychic grasp. Without a host the for the implant that now held the Rikti's mind it would never be able to fully interact with the outside world again. It began to make promises to Milo and offered power if only they would stay together. Milo was certainly tempted by this. He had worked with alien technology and had seen some of the wondrous things it was capable of. Slowly the dreams of seeing his family began to fade away. Replaced by an urge to dominate. What if he could use the implant's powers to stand up to Crey? Or better yet use it to take some of the alien technology they owned for himself. And what could Milo achieve with those resources at his disposal? He technically didn't exist anymore, at least legally, so why should he try to return to a society that he didn't exist in. A lust for power was brewing in the young man and that is exactly with the manipulative Rikti wanted.
After a series of minor crimes with Milo holding the implant close the Rikti made the final proposition: Have the Rikti A.I. implanted into Milo and gain the tremendous psychic abilities that it had possessed while alive. Milo was eager to have such power; having been easily coerced by the promises of the Rikti mentalist. His thoughts of going home had vanished under the wave of power he experienced when the Rikti A.I. used its psychic abilities. Under the Rikti's direction the two made contact with the Vahzilok in Paragon City. A deal was brokered with them to have them place the implant in Milo. The nature of the deal remains largely a mystery, but it must have been grisly indeed for them to do such a task and not take Milo and his implant for themselves.
The Birth of PsyShock
Once implanted within Milo, Si'Kihk assumed his victory complete. All it had to do now was dominate and suppress the young man's mind and it would gain complete control of a host body. One that would hopefully last long enough for it to make contact with the other Rikti and find a way for it to become a true Rikti again. As fate would have it things did not go as planned.
Si'Kihk found that it could not dominate Milo's mind at all. The time Milo had spent in the presence of the Rikti's mind had dulled the effects of Si'Kihks powers on him. Instead the two minds felt drawn inward towards each other. Initially Si'Kihk fought this change. Refusing to relinquish control and frightened by this sudden turn of events. What force drove him deeper into Milo's mind? Not to dominate, but to join. Slowly things began to change. Individuality slipped farther and farther away from the two minds. Milo's mind seemed to slip away from him, as if drawn in by a maelstrom. Si'Kihk's own consciousness slipped from his grasp as if eager to join in mental vortex. Were they Milo? Si'Kihk? Both? Or something else entirely.
From that psionic storm neither Milo or Si'Kihk emerged. A new consciousness was dominant now. A combination of Rikti and human. The result of merging two minds into one. Rikti thoughts flowed with human ones in a kind of discordant harmony. The two thought patterns acting as one just enough to create a new entity, but different enough to prevent a completely singular mind.
From this union PsyShock was born. A creature of two minds, but one consciousness. It's goals are both alien and human. Sometimes bordering on mechanical. Whatever the result it created a cold heartless mind that was capable of great acts. Usually ones that only benefited itself.
Personality
PsyShock is a complex entity because of the duality of his mentality. While still technically human, his mind is constantly in flux between human and Rikti thought patterns. PsyShock is known for being cold and calculating and a firm believer in "the ends justifies the means." PsyShock will take any lengths necessary to achieve his goals and is not above petty acts of villainy to get what he wants. PsyShock is not, however, sadistic or overly cruel. His cruelty and malice stem from a necessity to get what he wants. He does what he needs to, no more and no less.
Rikti Speak
PsyShock's dual mind has affected his ability to communicate outside of telepathy. When speaking he adopts the speech patterns commonly found in Rikti. The merging has caused him to think differently and as such normal human speech is seen as inefficient to effectively communicate PsyShock's thoughts. This makes his speech mechanical and unusual to most others. Conversely PsyShock's powerful psionic abilities allow him to communicate clearly and precisely when using telepathy. PsyShock also always refers to himself as plural as a side effect of his split mind.
Powers
PsyShock's mental powers are what allow him to be a villain. Originally they stemmed from the Rikti Implant in his head but the merging has had some unique effects on his brain unlocking powers in his human mind that didn't exist before. He is an adept telepath and can communicate with others telepathically. While PsyShock can easily read the emotional states of most beings he has difficulty directly reading thoughts although with his powers he is still able to probe the minds of others for information. PsyShock's unique dual mind adversely effect this ability though and such an act requires much concentration and leave him vulnerable afterwards.
While PsyShock does possess the ability to psionically assault his enemies, tearing away at their minds the same way blades tear flesh, they are not the most terrifying usage of his psychic energy. PsyShock's most fearsome psychic power is the ability to implant mental suggestions in others. His unique mind often allows him to elude people's mental defenses utterly and completely for the briefest of moments giving him access to their thinking processes. Doing so allows PsyShock to give someone a psychic push or suggestion. This ability can be used to get people to do things that they normally would not do or perhaps simply help people decide things that might seem mundane to them.. Many allies have turned on one another while PsyShock plucked at their psychic strings from behind his psionic curtain.
Weaknesses
Electricity
PsyShock's mind is very unique and despite his best efforts his human body is not aptly adjusted to deal with the thought patterns of two powerful minds. Shortly after merging he discovered that without aid he could easily overload his neural synapses, causing pain or loss of concentration. To combat this he had additional cybernetic implants of unknown original installed in his body. These implants are very delicate to electrical currents. Exposure to high levels of electricity can temporarily shut down these implants and leave PsyShock vulnerable to his own psychic backlash. Without his implants active he also is vulnerable to the psychic attacks of other's as well as he cannot use all of his own psionic power to combat them.
Magic
PsyShock does not, will not, and has not ever understood magic. The workings of magic go completely against the mechanical nature of his thinking. As a Rikti magic was used only by the rarest of individuals and its use was never wide spread. As a human he was a technophile, never using or studying magic. Magical entities with psionic resistance have a marked advantage against PsyShock as he has difficulty predicting and dealing with magical powers.
