Gabriel O'Connor

The Simple Life
Born and raised in a small town in northern New Hampshire, Gabriel’s upbringing was completely and utterly normal. A fair amount of his free time was spent helping his father run the family farm. His hobbies included learning about various electronics (specifically computers), wood carving, and practicing with throwing knives. He played soccer in the fall and ran track in the spring for his high school’s teams, all while maintaining a B-average. He had even aspired to attend college and earn a degree in Computer Science once he had finished school.

But a fateful event during his junior year would change all of his plans for the future.

The War on Terror
The events that transpired on 9/11 would leave the young man stunned. It was a tragedy that could not be forgotten, and an action that could not be forgiven. Gabriel swore to himself that he would do whatever it took to see that the criminals behind it all would pay for what they had done. He would graduate from high school a year and a half later and enlist in the US Army as an infantryman shortly thereafter.

Although his parents objected to his plans, he was adamant in the belief that this was his true calling. He told them that he’d be damned if he let another attack happen, that he couldn’t just sit around and wait while the enemies of his country planned to destroy the American way of life. Though he and his parents parted on not so great terms, Gabriel had their blessing.

And so roughly a month into his summer, Gabriel shipped off to Basic Training as just another kid fresh out of high school. Months later, he would emerge a soldier and an infantryman.

A New Life
Naturally, it was not long before Gabriel found himself deployed to Iraq. His unit had arrived after the initial invasion, and was now responsible for maintaining security around Baghdad so that reconstruction operations could begin. About four months into his deployment on a routine patrol mission, his convoy hit several roadside bombs and was ambushed by insurgents. The attack would ultimately kill everybody in the convoy, including Gabriel, but he would soon discover that death’s grip on him was only temporary. He would later awaken and wonder how the hell he could have survived.

Confused and hopeless, Gabriel wandered the dusty streets of downtown Baghdad in what little remained of his uniform until we was captured by insurgents. His apprehension was luckily short-lived thanks to an 800-year old immortal named Damascus, and his earth mage companion Cobalt.

Damascus would explain to Gabriel that he was effectively immortal like many others. Sustained by the energies of the Void, an immaterial plane of magical energy residing beneath all things, he would never age, grow tired or hungry, or even die unless his body was completely destroyed. Mankind’s limitations were no longer his own.

The Modern Immortal
Unsure of what to do with this newfound power, Gabriel sought Damascus for guidance. The immortal agreed to train the young man, giving him the skills needed to be a warrior, but it would ultimately be up to Gabriel to decide how to use those skills. Damascus trained with him for nearly a year all across the globe, teaching him how to wield a blade, to control his innate regenerative abilities, and how to draw upon the Void’s magical energies to cast spells. Once Gabriel had learned all he could, the two parted ways, wishing each other luck.

The newfound immortal soon found his way back to his hometown in the United States, but he was quickly met with an unpleasant surprise. Everybody he had ever known believed that Gabriel O’Connor was dead, despite the fact that he stood before them. His family has suffered the same fate, brushing the young man’s claims off as a sick practical joke. Even government data had been effected. He found his KIA paperwork, his death certificate, and that he was listed as deceased in all the government databases he could access. The transformation had not only made him immortal, but it had effectively erased him from memory. The new Gabriel O’Connor was an entirely different entity from the old.

For a time, he wandered aimlessly, trying to find some sort of purpose or calling. Naturally, it was not long before the prospect of traveling to Paragon City, the city of heroes, seemed like his only real option. Without much more deliberation, he traveled to Rhode Island. Luckily, it would not be long before Gabriel would find a place for himself within the city’s walls.

Gabriel's enlistment into SCORPIO was at best the whim of the fates. He had been working freelance for the PPD, specifically in dealing with magical happenings, and took a job clearing out one of the many Circle of Thorns strongholds. By an odd coincidence, he happened upon the lair just minutes before one of SCORPIO’s Arcane Ops agents began their own assault. The agent was rather surprised to find that this unassuming young man had already defeated a fair portion of the cave’s occupants.

Being the sort that recognizes the existence of a higher power (he is what you'd call spiritual, but not religious), Gabriel firmly believed that his meeting SCORPIO was no coincidence, and was eager to join their ranks. While it's tough at times, even for an immortal, Gabriel is more than pleased to have finally found his true calling within the City of Heroes.

MBTI Personality Classification: INFP

Usually gentle and kind, they are intense and passionate about their values and deeply held beliefs, which they share with trusted friends. Because of their discreet manner, their enthusiasm may not be apparent. They are sensitive to others' pain, restlessness or general discomfort and strive to find happiness, balance and wholeness for themselves in order to help others find joy, satisfaction and plenitude. They are deeply empathetic.

They live life in an intently personal fashion, acting on the belief that each person is unique and that social norms are to be respected only if they do not hinder personal development or expression. They strive to adhere to their own high personal moral standards and are particularly sensitive to inconsistencies in their environment between what is being said and what is being done. Empty promises of adhering to something they value – such as environmental causes or human rights - set off an inner alarm and they may transform themselves into modern day Joan of Arcs.

They are quietly persistent in raising awareness of cherished causes and often fight for the underdog in quiet or not-so-quiet ways. In a team, they will raise issues of integrity, authenticity, and good or bad, and may to opt out if the team refuses to address the questions raised.

They are usually tolerant and open-minded, insightful, flexible and understanding. They live for the understanding of others and feel deeply grateful when someone takes the time to get to know them personally. They have good listening skills, are genuinely concerned, insightful, and usually avid readers. At their best, they inspire others to be themselves.

Being a former infantryman, Gabriel possesses a good knowledge of infantry tactics and is capable of using most small arms weapons employed by US Military personnel. However, thanks to his training with the immortal Damascus, he has learned to rely on edged weapons rather than firearms for a number of reasons. One of which being that ofen times, especially with superpowered beings, a bullet just isn't enough. The two practiced almost daily for an entire year, and it shows when one watched Gabriel move in combat. Though he typically uses the 'White Sword', a broadsword composed of pure magical energy, he has been known to wield smaller weapons such as shortswords and knives.

What really sets him apart from your average man however his his use of the Void's energies. He is capable of harnessing the energy needed to cast various spells, specifically those from the Body Control, Mental, and Movement schools of magic. While the majority of the aforementioned magic is used to supplement his melee combat abilities, he also uses them for fast travel, reconnaisance, and silent communciation during SCORPIO operations.

Gabriel has also been known to practice a very Americanized form of Krav Maga solely for the purpose of recreation. It pales in comparison to the 'real deal', but to Gabriel that is unimportant. It's more of a hobby, if anything.

The Void is an immaterial plane of pure magical energy residing beneath everything that has been around since before the dawn of creation. To put it in layman's terms, it is essentially the canvas that the universe was painted upon. Whether he wants it to or not, Gabriel's body is sustained and protected by the energies from this realm. He does not age, grow tired or require sustenance, and death is merely a temporary set back for him. These energies also make him innately faster, stronger, and generally more physically fit than your average human.

As mentioned before, the Void's energies also allow him to utilize various magics. Body Control spells allow him to temporarily alter his body's physical makeup, increasing both his natural regenerative abilities and resistance to damage. Mental spells allow him to sheild his own mind from psionic intrusion, and on the same token, communicate with others telepathically. Movement spells allow him to travel about the city faster and also move objects without touching them, though he is still trying to develop the latter ability.

A downside of the Void's protection is that everybody Gabriel knew in his previous life, including his family, no longer recognize him. They all believe that Gabriel O'Connor died serving his country in Iraq. Not only that, but any and all goverment records list him as deceased. This is unfortunately the Void's way of protecting his secret from the rest of the world.

[NPC]Damascus: An 800 year old wandering swordsman who saved Gabriel from capture and taught him more or less everything he knows. Though the two have not seen one another since they departed, Gabriel has a sinking feeling that they may meet again in the future. He wields a japanese katana, despite Gabriel warning him that it's a bit too 'Highlander' of him.

Persephone Claudia: A young heroine who has been known to procure various supplies for clients in both Paragon and the Rougue Isles. In exchange for materials needed for various enchantments and spells, Gabriel takes on various jobs for her that require the use of his unique abilties.