CBRXX Blackbird
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| CBRXX Blackbird in his The Talons of Freedom uniform. | |
| CBRXX Blackbird | |
| Player: @SunGryphon | |
| Origin: | Technology/Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Controller |
| Security Level: | 50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Brandon Jayne O'Connell |
| Known Aliases: | Blackbird |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 32 - July 4, 1976 |
| Height: | 8'5" |
| Weight: | 325 |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Blond |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Motorcycle Shop Owner |
| Place of Birth: | Chalmette, LA |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City, RI |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Brian (twin), Bill (father), Eva (mother) |
| Known Powers | |
| Able to manipulate gravity to form isolated weather | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Can repair just about anything mechanical | |
| Equipment | |
| Gerber toolkit knife | |
| ' | |
Contents |
Overview
Brandon was one of my original characters, and the first that got past level 15. He was created on Pinnacle, then moved to Virtue. Brandon was inspired by a former EQ guildmate, oddly enough the real-life brother of the person who inspired Brian. Brandon's near-fatal motorcycle accident was directly inspired by my friend's accident, including the three-month coma. Thankfully, my friend survived and actually went on to join me in CoH.
Brandon also has the dubious honor of representing my muse. Of all the voices in my head, his is the loudest. He also has a prominent place in my other game, LOTRO.
Affiliations
Officer, The Talons of Freedom
Personality
Brandon used to be as bold and reckless as his brother, but his near-death experience and subsequent paralysis changed his personality significantly. He is now much more laid back than his twin, Brian. He is very open-minded and accepting, as well as being soft-spoken and patient. Unlike Brian, he has accepted his homosexuality and does not make an issue of it, something that his brother seems to take heart in, despite his vehement denials of also being gay.
Brandon is paralyzed from the waist down. He is currently undergoing nerve-regeneration therapy but it's a slow process, especially for something as significant as the spinal cord. Although he gets frustrated from time to time, his capacity for patience has increased dramatically because of this therapy.
Powers
Both Brandon and Brian are dual-origin. Although classified as Technology heroes by Paragon City, they are also both mutants, and derive their powers from both aspects. The Technological aspect comes from the specialized suit of power armor that he wears, which he designed and built from the wreckage of his motorcycle.
Gravity Manipulation
This is the manifestation of Brandon's mutation. While he was in a coma, the doctors discovered he was resonating with magnetic fields, enough to skew the equipment used around him, sometimes permanently. A special power-dampening field had to be set up to ensure his continued survival, as his wild power was even affecting his life-support systems.
By using this power, Brandon has the ability to bend gravitational lines, create (and remove) g-forces, and create isolated weather patterns (see below). He can also open gravitational rifts that allow him to pull objects through at high speed, and fling them towards his enemies. He can also make an enemy's body so heavy, they cannot move.
Opposite of this ability, he can also manipulate his own body to make himself appear to walk normally, despite the paralyzation.
Weather Manipulation
This is another aspect of Brandon's mutation, but warrants its own category. By warping the magnetic lines in his immediate vicinity, Brandon can create isolated weather pockets, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, and ice storms. He can also create a kind of fog that surrounds him and makes it harder for enemies to hit him, as well as any allies that may be nearby.
Superspeed and Leaping
A feature Brandon built into both his and Brian's suits, this allows for travel at incredibly high speeds. Once a racer, always a racer. Additionally, he has modified the suit to allow for vertical movement as well as horizontal, also at great speed.
Additional Powers
After spending some time incorporating new technology into his armor, Brandon is now more resilient and resistant to damage.
Skills
Mechanical Affinity
While not a proper "technomancer", Brandon does seem to have an unusual knack for building and fixing machines, provided they are mechanically based. For example, he'd easily be able to take apart and repair a motorcycle engine, but would likely just scratch his head if presented with a broken computer. This extends to machines he's never encountered before, and includes making intuitive repairs to a tank in the RWZ, even though he'd never worked on such a vehicle before. When asked to explain this ability, he generally just shrugs and says, "I think about what I want it to do, and make it do it, one way or another."
Skill 2
Other Skills
Weaknesses and Limitations
Because of his paralyzation, Brandon has great difficulty getting around without help. Although his suit does provide some structure and he can use his powers to make himself "walk" there are times when he's unable to do that, and he's essentially helpless.
Equipment
Brandon carries around an all-purpose Gerber knife, something he uses to great effect to make repairs in the field. He also carries one of Brian's flies with the hook clipped for good luck.
Character History
Timeline
July 4, 1976 - Brandon and Brian born in Chalmette, LA
-- --
August 28, 2007 - Brandon O'Connell awarded Hero of the City for his work as CBRXX Blackbird.
