Jolly-Roger
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| File:Jolly-RogerNew.jpg | |
| Jolly-Roger | |
| Player: @Jolly-Roger | |
| Origin: | Natural |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | 50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Unknown |
| Known Aliases: | Jolly, JR, Captain |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | Confidential |
| Height: | 6'0" |
| Weight: | 210lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | None |
| Occupation: | Pirate-Hero |
| Place of Birth: | The Seven Seas |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | None known |
| Known Powers | |
| Swordsmanship, Super-Reflexes, Leaping | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Leadership, summoning Skull-Jack | |
| Equipment | |
| Sword of Ages, daggers, misc. cybernetics & magic items | |
| No additional information available. | |
Jolly-Roger is my oldest existing CoH character, who was created around July/August 2004. Oddly, I don't remember what even caused me to make a pirate character, but he's definitely become my favorite character (not just in CoH, but in any MMO I've played). As with most comic characters, his backstory has undergone a little tweaking over the years, but he's still a lovable and mostly-law-abiding rogue out to help people in need (while helping himself to a share of the booty!).
Contents |
Affiliations
Supergroup: The Seekers
- Served as Commander for two years, from Fall 2004 to Winter 2006. Still remains an active member, though Stonehendge now commands the group.
Personality
A charismatic, sharp-tongued pirate with a wry grin, Jolly-Roger is beloved by his friends and allies, and much despised by his foes. He embodies a free-spirited and good-natured outlook on life, taking the fight to those who trample on the lives of others. It cannot be said that Jolly-Roger is entirely altruistic, however, as he certainly revels in taking his share of booty from the ill-gotten loot of those he fights. Regardless, he considers himself a legendary pirate-hero, a view that enjoys much public support.
Powers
Swordsmanship
His skill with a cutlass is unmatched, and Jolly-Roger is counted as one of the greatest swordsmen alive. He has faced off against known blade-wielding foes such as Scirocco and the Praetorian Chimera, and triumphed. Recently, Jolly-Roger has been known to use a secondary weapon (see Equipment below) in his off-hand, especially when confronting numerous weapon-wielding foes.
Super Reflexes
Jolly-Roger possesses supernatural levels of reaction and reflexes. These reflexes are a combination of extraordinary natural ability, further enhanced by both his cybernetic implants and minor magical artifacts. These reflexes are his primary means of avoiding harm.
Leaping
His ability to travel via rapid, long-distance leaping is well documented; however, the exact source of this power is unknown. Jolly-Roger merely refers to it as his "sea legs".
Abilities
Leadership
Jolly-Roger's leadership abilities have been considerably tested the past year. During this time, he stepped up as Commander of The Seekers, after the departure of their previous Chairman, Lux, and the group's subsequent restructuring. During that time, Jolly-Roger led many forays against various threats, including working with the Surviving Eight on top-priority tasks. As a result of this experience (and obviously tempered by his pirate mindset), he often leads assaults from the front and directs his allies in battle for maximum effect.
Skull-Jack
Skull-Jack is the spirit of a necromantic pirate-sorcerer who lived centuries past, and was imprisoned with the Sword of Ages by the mighty being Abyst. As Jolly-Roger is now the wielder of the sword, he is able to summon forth Skull-Jack. While he is still bound to the Sword of Ages, Jack can take on a tangible form and act independently, as well as acting as a sort of mystic advisor for Jolly-Roger. With Skull-Jack's formidable array of sorcerous abilities and command of dark energies, this makes even an ambush against Jolly-Roger an extremely difficult task for his foes.
Weaknesses and Limitations
Despite his considerable talents and prowess, Jolly-Roger is still human. While he uses both technology and magic to aid him, it is primarily his own natural abilities upon which he relies.
Equipment
Jolly-Roger is always seen with his cutlass, which has been revealed to be a mighty artifact known as the Sword of Ages. In the rare event that he is caught unawares, Jolly-Roger has been able to summon the cutlass almost instantaneously. The full powers of this blade are unknown, though the spirit of Skull-Jack is known to have ties to it, as well (see above). More recently, Jolly-Roger has been seen to carry a large dagger for off-hand fighting, a one-handed boarding axe which bears an "Undead Slaying" enchantment, and no fewer than two throwing daggers.
In addition to his cutlass, Jolly-Roger's cybernetic implants and minor magical items provide him with a variety of benefits. The full extent of these items and their uses are not known, though none of them are of any considerable strength.
Base of Operations
As a member of the Seekers, Jolly-Roger often works out of the supergroup's base. However, since stepping down as Commander and disappearing from public view for some months, it's become known that he has established a smaller personal base of his own. North of Talos Island, on the smaller Ithaca Isle, Jolly-Roger has a cove and a network of caves leading to the nearby isles of Circe and Scylla, giving him an excellent (and piratical) base of operations. While there are occasional incursions by the Circle of Thorns (and even more rarely, the Devouring Earth), they are usually dispatched by either the automated defenses, or by the activities of heroes. This location also gives Jolly-Roger prime sea access for missions abroad.
Character History
Jolly-Roger was a smuggler in his life before a superhero; moving questionable goods around for various criminal elements paid nicely. In time, he saved enough money to buy his own boat, and smuggled goods along the New England coast. All was well, and Roger made a nice amount of money with his dealings. But this was not to last, as criminals do not know the nature of trust.
A double-cross by an unknown organization (speculated to be a crime syndicate with ties to the Family) resulted in the destruction of his boat, and nearly his life, as well. Having lost almost all he had, Roger had few options left. Clearly someone wanted him dead, so he thought it best to remain that way. Letting himself be pronounced dead, he gathered his few remaining possessions of importance and withdrew to heal and train. His right arm and right eye were crippled in the explosion, and he was given the opportunity to test some early products from Benedict Technologies. He adapted to the bionics, and spent time training his body and improving his reflexes.
Amongst his remaining possessions was a fine cutlass, which unknown to Roger was in fact a magical artifact of considerable power – the Sword of Ages, also called the Cutlass of Skull-Jack. Skull-Jack Rackham was a dread pirate of great skill with both swords and sorcery, who often used dark magics to aid himself during his long career. It was said that Skull-Jack's spirit was bound to the sword and could empower the wielder. However, the true powers of the sword were unknown, as it had never been examined, and had come into Roger's possession as a gift for a particularly dangerous (and profitable) arms run.
Roger decided to take up swordsmanship and, combined with his training, bionics, and remarkable reflexes, fight the criminals he once aided. Taking the name Jolly-Roger and the guise of a pirate (a decision influenced, no doubt, by his sword), he was ready to return to the streets of Paragon City. (Jolly-Roger later found out that he had "absorbed" the pirate persona of Skull-Jack)
Jolly-Roger has served as a licensed hero in Paragon City since a few months after Statesman's original "call to arms" and the start of the FBSA's hero-licensing program following the Rikti War. He has served with distinction against many threats to the city (and the world), and is known to have Omega-level clearance. He is also a reserver member of the Freedom Phalanx and a ranked Task Force Commander, and has won the highest awards bestowed upon the heroes of Paragon City, including the Freedom Cross, Statesman Star, and Atlas Medallion.
Recent circumstances forced the now-legendary pirate-hero to depart the city for a time, though he has since returned. There are also rumors of a top-secret project of his, the construction of a new, technologically-advanced vessel, though no solid information is yet available.
With the second Rikti Invasion and revival of Vanguard, as well as the recent return of the enigmatic Midnight Squad, Jolly-Roger has sought out both legendary groups and joined their ranks. While the prestige of membership in such organizations is obvious, it is the realization that allies are in high demand and short supply, and the fronts in the war against humanity are numerous which drives Jolly-Roger to take up arms alongside any who would fight for what is right!
