Jacque O'Lantern

FOLKLORE (Origins)

The costumed criminal Jacques O'Lantern discovered his mutant powers in his late teens, and found that he was able to heal others and protect them from harm using his psionic talents. At first he used his powers to help others, but quickly grew dissatisfied with the meager rewards and thanks he recieved. He moved to Paris, where his abilities proved lucrative when healing patients who preferred not to attend a hospital and explain how they recieved their injuries. He used his wealth to attract the beautiful Eloise, and they married within a year.

Jacques had not finished mutating, however. As his ability to heal grew, his skin also changed. At first it took on an orange hue, and began to harden and grown calloused. His hair began to fall out in clumps and over the course of a week he became completely bald. Dismaying as this was, Jacque's luck was about to get worse. His face started to puff up, a thick fiberous surface covering it, and the tough swelling skin showed no signs of stopping. Despite seeking medical help, Jacque's mutation continued to disfigure him. Eloise left him, horrified by his suddenly groteque appearence. The swelling of skin around his head continued until it had balooned up to the point where he could barely see through it, and he had to have a tube inserted into his mouth for liquidized food to be piped in.

Not only was his mutation disabling, but his giant swollen orange head looked comical. The status he had built up was ruined, and people mocked him, calling him Jacque l'orange and pumpkin face. His powers increased, but he couldn't cure his own condition. He was devastated. Jacque called in a favor from an underworld surgeon and demanded to be seen. The surgeon came up with the idea of trimming back the excess facial tissue around the eyes and mouth with a laser, hoping to prevent its rapid regrowth, and let Jacque talk and eat normally. The process however would be extremely painful.

Jacques underwent the surgery, strapped and clamped in place so he could not even flinch. After his screams died down, the surgeon showed him the results. Although he could see and talk normally after the operation, his head looked like a giant bowling ball. Refusing to live a life of ridicule he demanded the surgeon operate again, using a new design. Although stripping off all the facial issue would be fatal, Jacque showed the surgeon what he wanted. At first the surgeon refused his dangerous request, but Jacque became threatening and eventually he agreed to do it. Jacque once again underwent the agonising laser surgery, but this time the laser cut deeper, over and over, burning the flesh from his face. At first he screamed, but then he began to laugh, driven mad with the pain of the procedure.

When the laser was finally shut off, Jacque stood transformed. The smell of sizzling skin hung heavy in the air as he examined his new appearence. His head had been carved into a grinning jack o'lantern, and he was ready to take on his new persona. If people wouldn't respect him, then he would teach them to fear him!

TREATS (Mutations)

Jacque is able to repair damage and promote healing at extraordinary rates using his psionic abilities. This works best on others when he can concentrate on them, and can also mend inorganic objects. The power manifests with a very visible aura of green flickering flame manifesting around the target of his abilities. Jacque has also displayed the ability to imbue a person with some of this psionic energy which helps them shrug off pain and injury, until the energy is depleted.

With training, Jacque eventually learnt how to use his abilities to cause a target to bleed profusely through their skin. Although this actually causes relatively little damage, the blood loss and the distress caused by this gruesome use of his powers can severely weaken enemies. Jacque seems to find causing harm with his mutant abilities much more difficult than healing.

TRICKS (Paraphernalia)

Jacques will happily make use of any technology or magical artefact he can lay his hands on, and his varied gadgets and tricks are a part of what makes him a more dangerous foe than the average mercenary.

Jacques initially stole a prototype ectoplasmic weapon from a Crey research program looking for new options for their Power Tanks. The program eventually abandoned the research because the ectoplasmic weapons proved inferior to existing options in terms of potency and reliability, and also because they were non-lethal. However, Jacques prized them for their ability to instill fear in opponents. Due to the high levels of spirit activity around him, the weapons are much more potent in his hands. The gloves can project ectoplasmic blasts, using the same energies ghosts and spirits draw upon. Victims report feeling extremely cold and sometimes left disoriented or nauseaus by the attacks, and although non-lethal it can cause the body to shut down. Machines and equipment are also affected, as the ectoplasm seems to disrupt positive energy flows.

Jacques O-Lantern employs a variety of modified ordinance, such as gas and sonic grenades, flash-bangs and traps. Many of them are painted to look like miniature pumpkins, ghosts or skulls. They have a variety of effects from paralysis to disorientation to lethal concussive blasts.

The Void Skiff is an energy disc generated by Jacques' boots, which allows for limited flight.