Fr. Midnight
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
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| Fr. Midnight | |
| Origin: |
Mutant |
| Archetype: |
Controller |
| Threat Level: |
38 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: |
Baltasar Argent |
| Height: |
5' 11" |
| Weight: |
170# |
| Eye Color: |
Glowing blue |
| Hair Color: |
White |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: |
Algerian/French |
| Occupation: |
Franciscan friar and Catholic priest |
| Place of Birth: |
Oran, Algiers |
| Base of Operations: |
Paragon City |
| Marital Status: |
Unmarried |
| Known Relatives: |
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| Additional Data | |
| Known Powers: |
|
| Known Abilities: |
|
| [ Source ] | |
Background
In 1952, Baltasar Argent was born in Oran, Algiers to French parents (hence his dual citizenship). From birth, his unnaturally black skin and glowing eyes marked him as being different. The expatriate community in Oran was tight-knit out of necessity, however, so Baltasar never suffered overt persecution for his appearance. A thoughtful child, Baltasar possessed an unusual ability to communicate with others and help solve their problems. (Later Baltasar determined this was an unconscious manifestation of his empathic powers.) Combined with the strong Catholic faith of his parents, Baltasar knack for counseling others led him into the ministry. After his ordination, he continued his studies in English and the classics, then joined the Franciscan order. They sent him to Paragon City, where for two decades he taught at a Catholic preparatory school in Founders Falls. Simultaneously, Baltasar counseled troubled teens from the Kings Row neighborhood where his chapterhouse was located.
During Halloween 2004, the Fir Bolg and the Cabal attempted to overrun Paragon City. An encounter with the Eochai led to a massive amplification of Baltasar's mutant powers. His empathic powers became so strong that he often overwhelmed those he tried to counsel. With the blessings of his father abbot, Baltasar attached himself to The Academy, a school for young mutants. He worked at the school for a year before being reassigned to Sao Paolo, Brazil. Baltasar's powers continued to grow. In Sao Paolo, his healing powers led the locals to consider him to be some kind of saint. Both Baltasar and the church were appalled by this, so he requested reassignment to Paragon City, where super-powered beings were not seen as saints or mystics.
Upon his return to Paragon City, Baltasar learned that The Academy had closed, so he returned to the Franciscan chapterhouse in Kings Row. During this period, he took a provisional membership with the Gods of the Golden Age while continuing his counseling work with troubled teens. In 2006, Baltasar was again attacked and possessed by the Eochai. The creatures attempted to use him as a bridge to invade Paragon City. The combined power of the Gods of the Golden Age and the Technocratic Union forced back the invasion, but the backlash of power drove Baltasar into a coma. When he awoke, he discovered that his powers had altered, growing stronger yet more subtle. At the same time his eyes, which had always glowed yellow, began to glow blue.
With the advent of the second Rikti invasion, Baltasar realized that he could best serve God and his fellow man by focusing on his career as a hero. After receiving special dispensation, Baltasar took up permanent residence in the Greylock Building, the home of the Gods of the Golden Age, although he frequently returns to the Franciscan chapterhouse in Kings Row to offer assistance. He has remained at the Greylock ever since, although he deliberately leaves Paragon City around Halloween.
Powers
Baltasar has always possessed mild empathic and telepathic abilities. His encounter with the Eochai in 2004 vastly amplified those powers. He could project bolts of psychic energy which could stun, disable, and knock down his opponents. His greatest power was the ability to force people to face their own inner darkness, a harrowing experience that left them weakened or even paralyzed with fear. Baltasar could also heal people and bring them back from the very brink of death. His telepathic powers grew quite formidable; Baltasar is among the top fifty telepaths on the planet, although he absolutely refuses to use telepathy on others without their permission.
After his second encounter with the Eochai, Baltasar's powers increased and grew more focused. In addition to healing others, he can temporarily boost their powers and abilities beyond their normal (or supernormal) range. Rather than directly assaulting the minds of others, or drawing only on their fears, Baltasar can subtly and powerfully alter how other minds perceive him. He can cloud the minds of others, effectively rendering himself and his companions invisible, or he can directly confuse opponents into attacking each other. Baltasar can project himself psychically, creating short-lived creatures of psychic energy or a single powerful astral projection which can directly attack others.
Since birth, Baltasar's skin has been an unnatural shade of jet black.
