Erec Strike
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Erec Strike | |
| Player: @Go-Jinn | |
| Origin: | Mutant |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | 18 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Sir Erec |
| Known Aliases: | None |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 1,400+ (appears 35) |
| Height: | 6'7" |
| Weight: | 281 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Brython |
| Occupation: | former knight and police officer |
| Place of Birth: | Gwynedd, Wales |
| Base of Operations: | King's Row |
| Marital Status: | Widower |
| Known Relatives: | Confidential |
| Known Powers | |
| Broadsword, Dark Armor, Super Jumping | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Immortality, Wilderness Survival, Horsemanship, Photographic Memory, Special Tactics | |
| Equipment | |
| Dedfryd(broadsword) | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Character History
Birth and Early Life
Erec was born at the turn of the century in the year 500 A.D. The son of King Lac, he was raised with servants following his every command and grew up a very pompous and spoiled kid. At the age of ten, his father entrusted one of his best knights, Sir Erwald, to teach his son the finer skills of swordsmanship and humility. Though the knight's methods seemed brutal to most, Erec took his teacher's lessons and punishments with the determination to learn. At thirteen, he was besting his teacher in many matches and was learning what it meant to be honorable and virtuous, especially when dealing with fellow knights and warriors. He was taken on as his teacher's squire a year later, determined to prove to Sir Erwald and himself that he had what it took to be a knight.
Emerging Power
Erec participated in many battles as shield bearer, mainly in small skirmishes with the Scots-Irish on the Wales border. It was during one of these battles that Sir Erwald fell, the victim of a cowardly arrow to the back. As the young Erec tried to help his dying master up, the howl of a pair of charging Scots reached him. Desperate to protect the knight, Erec took up Sir Erwald's sword and shield and readied himself for a fight. The Scots became immediately terrified when Erec's body was swallowed by a murky black cloud. The two barely managed to run back the way they had come and away from the 'demon warrior'. Though Erec was initially frightened at the appearance of the black cloud, his fright quickly turned to curiosity. He didn't know where this cloud had come from, but it somehow felt reassuring to him. The dying groan of Sir Erwald brought him back to the dying knight. With his last words, he declared Erec ready to take up the mantle of a knight and gave him his own sword, Dedfryd.
King Arthur's Knight
Erec served his father as a knight for a number of years until his death. Though he inherited his father's holdings, Erec never felt satisfied as the king of a small province. He traveled his lands on many occasions helping the citizens. It was on these travels that he met a fellow knight on his way to the castle of Camelot to offer his services to King Arthur. Entrusting his kingdom with his father's advisors, he accompanied the knight. He served King Arthur faithfully as one of his knights for many years. During his service, he met and married Enide, the daughter of a blacksmith. It was also during this time that he revealed his strange power to Merlin, Arthur's advisor and magician. Though Merlin could tell this power was not the result of black arts, he knew little else, mainly that Erec's power tapped into a different dimension. The black cloud was only the beginning as he learned to tap into other powers such as the ability to regenerate and to shield himself from harm. As the knighthood of the round table began to dissolve, beginning with Guinevere's affair with Lancelot, Erec started to forsake his chilvaric duties for the life of a blacksmith. When he took a dangerous journey with his wife, he discovers his abilities as a knight have not faded. By this time, the knights of the round table are no more. Erec and Enide move back to his castle in Wales, Enide pregnant with his first son.
Immortality
As the years went by, Erec and his wife noticed that Erec's physical body didn't seem to age past twenty years. Frightened by this new development, Erec decided to once again seek out Merlin, leaving Enide and his 5 year old son, Geraint, at his castle. For many years he traveled through Britain, finally finding the old magician still living within the deteriorating walls of Camelot. Through several tests, Merlin determined that it was Erec's connection to the dimension he received his dark powers from that sustained his life. In all practicality, he was immortal. Unable to come to terms with this news, Erec wandered the wilderness for a number of years before finally heading back to his castle in Wales. It was then that he discovered he had been gone for nearly twenty years and had been declared dead long before. Though Enide still lived within the castle walls, a team of advisors kept watch over his holdings. He also discovered his son had died in a fire before reaching the age of ten and his wife was sick and dying. When he finally reached her, Enide was near death and surprised to see her husband. Even after 20 years he still held onto his youth and had not aged a day since he'd left. As she died, Erec said a simple prayer for her and slipped away into the night, never to see his homeland of Wales again.
550 A.D. - 1900
Erec lived his life as a nomad for hundreds of years, never spending more than ten or twenty years in any one place. Sometimes he would move on sooner, especially if someone had witnessed him using his dark powers. Each time he moved on, he assumed a new identity. During this time, he fought in many wars, most notably the Mongol invasions of Europe, Revolutionary War, Seven Year War, War of the Three Kingdoms, Albigensian Crusades, Peasants' War and the American Civil War. In 1892, assuming the name of Kyle Merriwether and the current sheriff of Buffalo, Wyoming, he was tasked with getting together a posse of 200 men and stopping a group called the Regulators from killing men they alleged were cattle rustlers. They caught up to the men and began a siege that lasted nearly three days, eventually ending when the Regulators surrendered to the 6th Calvary on orders from President Harrison. Due to the publicity the siege garnered, Erec faked his own death in 1894 and again took up the life of a nomad.
Becoming a Hero
In 1932, Erec heard reports of a group of super powered heroes called the Freedom Phalanx of Paragon City. Assuming the name of Erec Strike, he migrated to the city and was amazed at what he witnessed. Finally, he had found a place where people with strange powers existed without prejudice. Still, he watched and waited to see how well the city adjusted to the influx of heroes before he decided whether to use his powers or not.
Eventually, Erec joined forces with his fellow superheroes after the axis attack on Paragon City in 1941. After serving Paragon City as a hero for many years after, he decided to settle down for a while and joined the Paragon Police force in 1965. He finally unburdened himself by revealing his origins to the members of his squad, serving with distinction until his 'retirement' in 2000. At that time, he took up the mantle of his heroic persona and fought crime on the streets of Paragon City. During the first Rikti Invasion, he again took up the sword given to him by his teacher all those years ago. The sword, infused with his power and acting as a conduit, was as timeless as its wielder and still retained its luster after over 1400 years. He fought a guerrilla war in the streets of Boomtown, defeating many Rikti before eventually being driven back with other heroes. When the portals stopped showing up, Erec knew a major victory had been won, but at a high cost.
Watchdog
Erec served Paragon City by aiding in rebuilding efforts after the first Rikti Invasion. Though his name and efforts never reached a national level, he was only too happy to receive thanks from his fellow heroes, the police force and his friends and neighbors in King's Row. In 2007, he was approached by David Roberts, who was looking for former cops to help him in his formation of a group called Watchdog. Seeing a chance to mentor a new group of heroes, he accepted. After explaining his lengthy history to the small group of newly gathered heroes, he was unanimously nominated as the group's chief advisor and mentor.
Personality
Erec still believes in the code of chivalry he followed during his days as one of Arthur's knights, but finds little use for it in modern times. The crimes and horrors he has witnessed over his lifetime has proven that honor and chivalry now have little bearing on the battlefield. He has come to adopt the code of the law enforcement officer over the last 100 years and now uses that code to bring criminals to justice.
Erec speaks over 30 languages with English giving him a slight Anglo-Welsh accent. He's quick to joke, even in the face of danger, and sometimes seems to be reckless and daring. Though very old, his memory retention is excellent and gives him the ability to recall anything he's done or seen throughout his entire lifetime.
Powers
Broad Sword
Though not an actual power, Dedfryd has become an extension of Erec's repertoire. Since the day he first acquired the sword, it has acted as a focus and a conduit for his emerging power. This has strengthened the sword to a point where it is virtually unbreakable, never loses its edge, never rusts and will retain its luster no matter how old the weapon gets. In Welsh, the name translates to justice.
Dark Armor
Erec draws on this extradimensional power to keep himself alive. His connection gives him his virtual immortality, provides him with sustenance and can even bring him back from the brink of unconsciousness.
Super Jumping
Because the laws of physics don't apply to the shadow realm as they do in our dimension, Erec has learned to use that to his advantage to allow him to leap incredible distances.
Abilities
Virtual Immortality: Over the last few years, Erec has learned that he is not truly immortal, but has endured a much longer lifespan due to his connection with the shadow realm. Though he is aging, it is happening at a much slower rate than normal. Erec guesses that since the death of his wife, he has aged approximately fifteen years, calculating he ages 1 year out of every 95 years.
Wilderness Survival: Because he has spent a large portion of his life as a nomad, he has learned a great deal about survival in the wilds.
Horsemanship: Erec has spent most of his life around horses and is an excellent rider.
Grand Master Swordsman: For over 1000 years, Erec tested his swordsmanship against the best the ages had to offer. Though the title is not official, there are few to dispute his claim as Grand Master.
Photographic Memory: Erec remembers everything he has ever experienced during his long life, including his last meal with King Arthur or what he wore when he met President John Adams.
Tactics: He has met many military geniuses throughout his lifetime and has learned a lot from all of them. From guerrilla tactics to sieges, he has experienced them all.
Weaknesses
Because he has kept his powers hidden from the general public for most of his life, he has yet to discover a weakness connected to it.
Affiliations
Group Affiliation
