Warwolf
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Warwolf as he appeared in the late 19th Century | |
| Warwolf | |
| Player: @Reinmar | |
| Origin: | Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | Active |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Maximilian von Beck |
| Known Aliases: | None |
| Species: | mutated human (lycanthrope exposure) |
| Age: | 137 (actual), 30 (apparent) |
| Height: | 6', 4" |
| Weight: | 230 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Hazel |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Austrian (by birth) / United States (naturalized) |
| Occupation: | Vigilante Crime Fighter |
| Place of Birth: | Castle von Beck, Ulrichsberg, Rohrbach, Upper Austria |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Unmarried |
| Known Relatives: | all deceased |
| Known Powers | |
| Claw / Regneration | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Expert Hand to Hand Combatant | |
| Equipment | |
| Long Black Trenchcoat and Battered Black Hat | |
| ' | |
Contents |
Affiliations
Supergroup: none
Former Supergroups: Field Agent for “The Order”, a multi-denominational secret organization, based in the Vatican, dedicated to stamping out evil around the world.
Personality
Maximilian von Beck was a spoiled youth from a family of prestige and wealth. All that he cared about was the next party and his next romantic conquest; destined for a life of luxury and ease, that all changed one fateful night. Since becoming Warwolf, and living for over a century, he has become a hardened and rugged man. He is now a cold and calculating vigilante with no life aside from his never ending war against the evil that took his old life away from him.
Powers
Exposure to a lycanthrope's bite caused dormant mutant genes to become active. These genes, combined with the effects of lycanthropy, allow Warwolf to perform amazing displays of strength, stamina and healing.
Strength and Endurance
Warwolf possesses a level of strength and endurance far beyond that of a normal human. Whether this is because of his mutant genes, the lycanthrope exposure, or a combination of both is unknown. Due to his increased strength and stamina, Warwolf can leap great distances and run at an astounding rate of speed.
Rapid Healing / Slowed Aging
Warwolf’s body has displayed incredibly rapid regenerative capabilities. He is able to re-attach disembodied parts in seconds and heal most wounds almost instantly. The exact nature of his regenerative powers is not clear; however, it appears to be in part due to the incredibly hardy nature of his cell structure. In light of his slowed aging and extended lifespan, it has been theorized that his body's cells die at a much slower rate than those of a normal human.
Physical Metamorphosis
Warwolf has the ability to turn himself into a man-wolf bipedal hybrid. In this form his has all of the sensory abilities of a canis lupus, including sight, hearing and taste. Furthermore, through years of training, Warwolf is able to transform certain parts of his body without undergoing a full metamorphosis. For example, he is able to transform his hands into extremely dangerous, razor-sharp claws for attack and defense while in any form.
History
Early Life
Maximilian von Beck was born near the town of Ulrichsberg, in what is now the district of Rohrbach, in Upper Austria. However, upon the date of his birth, December 30, 1869, Ulrichsberg was part of Austro-Hungarian dual sovereignty of the empire of Austria and the kingdom of Hungary, under Franz Joseph I. Maximilian was born the second son of the von Beck family, in their ancestral castle overlooking the town. He was raised much like any noble son and studied under the best tutors that money could buy. Even though he would not inherit the family title and lands, it was planned for Maximilian to join the Roman Catholic Church, as was common for second sons to do. Nevertheless, he spent his youth carousing and drinking with his social peers until one fateful evening while out hunting.
Shortly after Maximilian’s eighteenth birthday in 1888, he and some friends, with their various retinues of servants, were out on horseback hunting for boar. Always one for a challenge, they had forgone the usually firearms and were instead using spears and lances. As the day passed and darkness began to fall, the hounds set upon a huge boar and a grand chase was afoot. One by one, all of the hunters fell behind the baying hounds until only Maximilian was still in the chase. Soon, even he lost the sound of the hounds and found himself alone in the forest as darkness settled in. A sudden movement at the edge of the clearing, where he had dismounted to fix his stirrup, caused his horse to suddenly bolt and flee into the gathering night. Turning quickly, Maximilian found himself gazing the yellow eyes of a huge black wolf as it entered the clearing. Desperately, he scrambling for his discarded spear but had little time to prepare before the beast was upon him. The fight went on for what seemed like hours with the flashing of terrifying teeth, the slashing of razor-sharp claws and the stabbing of the spear. In the end, Maximilian, though sorely battered and covered with both his blood and that of the beast, stood over the still corpse of the monster. Injured, alone, and afoot in the night, he saw little choice but to begin his trek homeward before fatigue and loss of blood claimed him. He made it to within three miles of the castle before he stumbled and fell one last time. With his spear still clutched in his blood-covered hand, he lay upon the cold winter’s earth and let the darkness take him.
Last Rites
That next morning Maximilian was found by one of the numerous searching parties that had been dispatched when he failed to return to the castle. Clinging to life, yet still unconscious, he was quickly loaded into a wagon and rushed back to the castle. Once there and safe abed in his room with a roaring fire in the hearth, a doctor was summoned to deal with his injuries. The bite and claw wounds were cleaned and bandaged and the mild case of frostbite from passing the night upon the cold ground was treated with warm towels and hot water immersions; however, he still remained unconscious despite all attempts to awaken him. The days turned into weeks and despite daily visits from his doctor, his condition did not improve. In fact it became worse as his complexion paled and his breathing grew labored. One month from the bleak morning he had been found, the village priest was called to deliver the last rites
Father Michel von Rampf entered the bedroom and immediately began to sweat under his clerical collar. It was a hot as the pits of hell in the room and a fire raged in the hearth belching waves of heat. Upon the bed, under several layers of blankets, lay the young von Beck. Though he was pale as a ghost, the father could see the beads of sweat that likewise covered the young man’s face. Moving quickly to the bedside, he brought forth his vial of olive oil used in the ritual anointing of the sick. Making the sign of the cross on the youth’s forehead, the father intoned, “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” He then anointed the hands, saying, “May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.” Suddenly, and without warning, von Beck’s eyes sprang open and he began to mumble incoherently. Father von Rampf’s joy quickly turned to fear when he saw that the unfocused eyes were not the clear blue they had been, but were now a bright yellow; like the eyes of a wolf. Tense orders were given to his assistants to prepare the youth for transport and the father stepped from the room to face the distraught family.
The von Beck family was inconsolable after Father von Rampf told them that Maximilian had died, but even more so when he told them that the he had signs of the plague and that the body must be burnt immediately before it could spread. So that night, Father von Rampf and his assistances loaded the body into coffin and carried it away from the castle in the back of a wagon. Inside the coffin, Maximilian von Beck, in reality, was far from dead. Given an injection of a mixture of herbs, poisons and ground bones, Maximilian only appeared to have departed this life. He remained in this state of suspended animation until, accompanied by Father von Rampf who was both clergy and scientist, they arrived in Passau, in lower Bavaria. Once there, the body was turned over to the Bishop of Passau and using both scientific and religious methods, they awoke Maximilian from his sleep of the dead.
Becoming Human
At first, Maximilian was more animal than man; for safety’s safe, he was kept in a locked cell and no one was allowed to enter. As the days passed, he grew more and more beastly, becoming exactly like the wolf creature that had attacked him in the forest. His hands became razor-sharp claws, the muscles on his chest, arms and legs grew so fast that they split the skin in places. Dark, coarse hair covered his body and his face elongated into a wolf-like snout. Through the ordeal, Father von Rampf remained at Maximilian’s side and continued his treatments to fight the beast the youth had become. The successes were few and far between, but each was a milestone and a cause for celebration. One day Maximilian became self-aware, another day he regained his speech, yet another he learned to control the metamorphic ability that allowed him to turn into the wolf beast. After a year’s treatment, Maximilian was no longer a wolf that masqueraded as a man; he was a man with the powers of a wolf. His life, and his soul, had been saved by Father Michael von Rampf and the Roman Catholic Church. However, they demanded a price for the service and it was Maximilian’s time to pay. Once again accompanied by Father von Rampf, Maximilian began a journey to the Vatican in Rome to learn his fate. When they arrived, Father von Rampf was installed as the new Bishop of Passau and Maximilian was inducted into “The Order”.
The Order
The Order is a multi-denominational secret organization, based in the Vatican, dedicated to stamping out evil around the world. Maximilian was told that he would become one of several agents who work outside the laws of man in the never-ending battle against that evil. Once a member of The Order, he was trained in many different types of combat, both armed and unarmed, as well as investigative and tracking techniques. When his training was over, Maximilian was given the codename “Warwolf” and dispatched on his first assignment, the destruction of a death cult which had sprung up in London. Since that first assignment, Warwolf has fought enemies both natural and supernatural in the name of The Order.
In the 1930’s, it was determined that The Order was no longer needed as various super powered groups were taking over the fight against evil and oppression. It was determined by Pope Pius XI that the Roman Catholic Church would no longer take a physical role in the battle against evil; but rather would concentrate on the spiritual. Thereby, with papal approval, The Order was disbanded and its archives and equipment locked away under the Vatican. Unable to retire from the only life he had ever known, Warwolf became a vigilante fighting crime and evil all over the world. With over one hundred plus years experience, Warwolf has become a master crime fighter and continues to stand against evil, in all of its forms, to this day.
Influences
Warwolf is based in part on the following characters:
Wolverine, The Wolfman, Solomon Kane & Gabriel Van Helsing
