Earthguard
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Invulnerability
Contents |
Backstory
The young hero known as Earthguard had the heart of a hero even before his powers manifested. At the age of 7 he would spend most of time helping his dad work on cars while not in school. His dad, Tony Ramone, worked on cars from the home in Detroit and during those time he taught young Jason the value of hard work and how to keep pushing forward no matter how hard things get. Little did Jason know, those lessons taught by his father would play a vital part in the person he is today, because he was about to find out that things were going to get harder than he ever could have imagined.
On the day of August 19th 2011, Jason and his little sister Teresa begged their father to take them to the local grocery store to get some baking supplies, plan was to help their mother in the kitchen bake a cake for Teresa's birthday. While they were at the story, Jason noticed a shady looking man hanging out near the entrance but shrugged it off after his father urged him to hurry up. The family were successful in acquiring the supplies needed and were headed out the door when the man at the entrance stopped them, pulling a gun from his coat and demanding all of their money. Tony had spent most of the money on the supplies so he was only able to pull $20 from his pocket, which didn't satisfy the robber. The robber then demanded Teresa, this angered Tony and he charged the robber, both men wrestling for control of the gun. People in the parking lot pulled out their phones, dialing for the police as both men continued wrestling, Jason and Teresa looking on in shock. Teresa started crying and screaming for her dad, Tony looking towards his children screaming to Jason to take his sister and go, and then....BANG, the gun goes off as the sound of sirens fill the air. Tony looks down as the blood begins pouring from the wound in his chest, the robber takes off after hearing the police siren as Tony collapses to the ground. Jason runs to his father crying and in shock, as his father stares up at him, he tells his son to always protect his sister and his mother, he tells him to never forget the time we spent together and the things he was taught...but most importantly to never forget that he loves him. And as those words leaves Tony's lips so does the last breathe leave Tony's body.
Fast forward a few years, Jason is now a 17 year old high school student in Paragon City. His mother had moved the family there because she felt it would be safer with all the heroes around, especially since Tony's death. Jason's sister Teresa took their father's death the hardest as it happened so close to her birthday, it had some mental effect on her so their mother had to home school her, although Jason helps with that from time to time. Things were pretty hard for the family since Tony's death, their mother Sara had been working multiple jobs trying to keep the bills paid, until she had to be rushed to the hospital after passing out. There the doctors confirmed even more bad news, Sara was diagnosed with 3 different types of cancer and although this allowed her to get disability pay, still it wasn't the best of news for anyone in the family. This made Jason even more protective over his family, and he deemed himself the man of the house, helping his mother with all essential needs to the point of missing some days of school.
One day while Jason was walking home from school he saw two guys beating up on a smaller guy in a nearby alley. The smaller guys was curled up on the ground and the two bigger guys were kicking and stomping him asking for more money. At first Jason was going to ignore it because all he could see was his father being shot again, but that very same image ignited a fire inside of him. His father died protecting them, he is father died a hero and Jason was going to live up to everything his father taught him. Jason walked into the alley and screamed for the two guys to stop, both guys suddenly stopped and looked Jason's way as the smaller guy managed to get up and run away. The two guys became angry that Jason ruined their fun, so they turned their attention to him, grabbing his arm before he could run. The two nice size men threw Jason against the wall and began punching, with every punch Jason began to go limp, his vision getting blurry. Suddenly, and image of Jason's father flashed in his mind screaming for Jason to get up and fight, yelling that he can't be the man of the house if he is dead...now FIGHT! Jason felt this strange feeling within his body, suddenly Jason was encased in what looked like stone but he could move freely. Not only was he suddenly made of stone, but to his own amazement he felt stronger and bigger than before. The two men assaulting him looked on in confusion, and Jason used this distraction to throw a huge upper cut which sent one of the men flying high into the air, landing in a nearby tree clearly unconscious. The other man attempted to run but Jason clapped his hands together, the impact causing the man to fly into a dumpster knocking him out. The police showing up, having received a call from the original victim, arresting the two assailants, when asked what his name was Jason stumbled over his words but finally managed to mumble out the name Earthguard. Since then Jason has been doing his part in cleaning up the streets of Paragon City, mostly street level jobs, while also trying to juggle the things happening outside of his hero life.
Abilities
Powers
- Transformation: Earthguard has the ability to transform from his human form to rock form at will. While in his human form he is just a normal kid, its only when he transforms that his powers are activated.
- Super Strength: While transformed Earthguard has enhanced strength, while the limits have no been tested yet, he has the ability to lift cars and throw them as if he was throwing a baseball without much effort. His strength also allow Earthguard to use the muscles in his legs to leap tall buildings and cover great distances.
- Invulnerability: While transformed Earthguard's resistanced to physical damage is enhanced. His rock hard skin is able to deflect normal bullets but like his other abilities, the limit to this one has not been tested.
- Moderate Healing Factor: Earthguard has shown signs of moderate healing factor, mostly in his transformed state but if he is wounded in his normal state and is able to transforms, once going back to normal his wounds will be healed. Like the rest of his abilities the limits of this ability has not been tested.
Weaknesses
- Normal Form: While in this state, Earthguard is vulnerable to anything a regular person is vulnerable to. He can be harmed in this formed or even killed, which is why he tries to keep this form known only between allies. But as stated above, if he can transform those wounds can be healed by his healing factor.
- Energy Depletion: While in his rock form, Earthguard has enhance physical damage resistance but depending on how much damage has taken, once he goes normal his energy levels drop causing him to need to either eat more than usual or sleep more than usual to regain that energy.
- Magical and Mental Attacks: While resistant to physical damage, Earthguard can be harmed and possibly influenced by attacks of magical or mystical origins and has very little defense against said attacks.
Paraphernalia
- Modified Costume: Earthguards costume is made of a special material developed by G.I.F.T. It allows him to transform from normal to rock form without worry of ruining his clothes.
Nemesis
Joey Gunz
One day Earthguard got word that the gang known as the Trolls were running a Superdine ring in Skyway City, so he want to put a stop to it. One by one he ran through each of them thinking this operation was a piece of cake. He tracked the source of the Superdine to some abandoned warehouse where he continued taking the trolls out effortlessly, until he got to what he thought was the end and where he was caught by surprise as a huge troll burst through a nearby wall. He had heard that too much Superdine had that effect but this guy was different, like he may have already had a monster in him before the Superdine. The troll called himself Joey Gunz, and Gunz didn't like the fact that Earthguard was ruining thing in his territory. Earthguard thought he could take this guy but with every punch he threw Gunz threw an even stronger punch. Their battle raged on inside of the warehouse before it eventually spilled out into the street, Earthguard trying to think quickly before anyone got hurt, managed to lure Gunz into a old junkyard. Earthguard picked up a old car and attempted to knock Gunz out by throwing it but Gunz immediately caught it and threw it back sending Earthguard flying threw some scrap. Before Earthguard could regain his composure, Gunz was already on him delivering punch after punch before finally knocking Earthguard out. Before Earthguard lost consciousness Gunz looked down and told him "Lesson #1...Don't mess with Joey Gunz!" leaving the young hero laying unconscious in the junkyard.
Up until that encounter Earthguard felt invincible, but now he feel vulnerable. After the battle Earthguard the entire day away due to how much energy he used during the fight. His mother noticed that he missed school and ask if something was wrong, in which he asked her if it was ok to lose. She told him that its ok to lose from time to time, the most important thing is that you get back up again and keep pushing until you when. These words of encouragement lifted his spirits and he made a vow not only to himself, but to his family, to the city of Paragon that the next time he and Joey Gunz meet, he was going to take him down.