Nikolas Vespin
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| File:Shockwasp.JPG | |
| The man himself. | |
| Remarkable, Unbreakable Risk Taker
Nikolas Vespin | |
| Player: JoystickHero | |
| Origin: | Technology |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Elec/Devices Blaster |
| Security Level: | Shockwasp: 20 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Nikolas Vespin |
| Known Aliases: | Shockwasp, Steelwasp |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 19 |
| Height: | 6'1" (185 cm) |
| Weight: | 148 lbs. (67 kg) |
| Eye Color: | Hazel (?) |
| Hair Color: | Brown (?) |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | "All-American Mutt" |
| Occupation: | "Full-Time Hero" (Unemployed) |
| Place of Birth: | Long Beach, CA |
| Base of Operations: | N/A |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Father: Arthur Vespin (Bloodwasp) Mother: Deceased |
| Known Powers | |
| Shockwasp: Electrical Discharge, Sustained Flight | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Proficient electrician and inventor, and self-proclaimed "master of useless information". | |
| Equipment | |
| Shockwasp: Neural Exo-Skeleton and Tesla Emitter (N.E.S.T.E.) | |
| The goggles, they do nothing! | |
This article about a character is a stub -- a small, but growing, work in progress. If you're the creator of this character, why not consider expanding it?
Nikolas Vespin is a young hero, and a flying taser.
Contents |
History
Childhood
"There's not much to tell, really." -Nikolas Vespin
Nikolas Vespin was born to Arthur and Maria Vespin in a small hospital in Long Beach, California. Neither fabulously wealthy, nor horrendously poor, the Vespins lived out their upper-middle class lives in suburbia. Arthur was a prominent electrician in the area, and owner of Wasp Electrical Service, the family business. Throughout his childhood, Nick lived fairly normally. He was a bright and kind boy, if unmotivated, and maintained a high B average. He read Statesman comics, watched the Freedom Phlanx cartoon, and went through a phase of wanting to be a superhero, like every other boy his age, though as he matured, he began to see the appeal of his father's business, and started to watch him work.
Tragedy
"Oh, yeah... the accident. I guess there's that..." Had life continued on as normal, Nikolas Vespin would have grown up to take over his father's business, married "that nice girl from down the street", had a couple kids, and probably lived contently ever after. But, Fate is unpredictable, and one night, while driving home from a night out at dinner, the Vespin's vehicle was struck by a drunk driver. Maria was killed instantly, and Nikolas' neck was broken, paralyzing him from the neck down. It also left him in a coma that he would remain in for the greater part of two years. Spurned on by the tragedy, Arthur Vespin turned his talents towards an incredibly ambitious project, a suit that would give his son back his mobility. This eventually evolved into the N.E.S., the Neural Exo-Suit, a complex working of wires and circuitry that, with proper surgery would allow his son a full range of motion, by sending the electrical signals from the brain directly to the area directed to move, rather than having to detour through his now-broken spinal cord.
This continued for several month, and Arthur, driven by his grief and commitment, made marvelous progress on the N.E.S., the concept having been consistently proven on mice and other test animals. Again, had things continued this way, Nikolas would have grown up to take over his father's business, married "that nice girl from down the street", adopted a couple kids, and probably lived amazingly ever after. But this also was not to be. Eight months after the accident, the driver that killed Maria Vespin and crippled Nikolas, a repeat DUI offender, was set free on a technicality. Overwhelmed by grief, isolation, perversion of justice, lack of outlets, Arthur flew into a rage and thrashing the nearly-completed N.E.S. He disappeared entirely from the outside world and feverishly began work on a new project, this one much darker in purpose.
Awakening
"It was like a tornado had gone through the shop. A mad, brilliant tornado who knew way more about electrical engineering than any natural disaster has a right to."
One year, two months, and twelve days later, Nikolas awoke from his coma. As gently as possible, the mentally-sixteen Nick was informed of the loss of his mother, the disappearance of his father, and his own condition. The boy- no, the young man's only comfort was that a friend, one whom he had never really regarded as someone to depend on, had maintained his bill. Though it had been a simple matter of bringing health insurance checks from the Vespin's abandoned mailbox to the hospital, it quite probably saved his life.
After several days of dismissal, therapy, and other such required things, Nick was released from the hospital. Driven home by his friend, Nick was greeted with an abandoned house with broken windows and a foreclosure notice taped to the door. Nikolas's father was nowhere to be found. After a drive to the Wasp Electical Service main office, the pair were greeted by a very similar sight, but with one significant difference. Left in the workshop were the damaged N.E.S. prototype and plans for something called the N.E.S.T.E., a device similar in design to the N.E.S., but apparently given weapons and abilities designed for the purpose of causing havoc. It hadn't clicked originally, but now, Nick's friend recognized the system as one that had been worn by a new super villain, "Bloodwasp". He had been dismissed originally, as he was but one of thousands proclaiming their desire to destroy the world every day, but now, he was important. For this man, this villain who called himself Bloodwasp, was Arthur Vespin, Nick's father.
Depression
"I wallowed. I fell into self-pity, and gave up on life. I don't know what would've happened if I had been allowed to stay down, but it wouldn't have been pretty."
Several days passed. Nick had withdrawn completely, speaking only when spoken to, and making no effort to better his life. His friend, who was still taking care of him at this point, resolved that something had to be done, and investigated the "N.E.S." project that Arthur had abandoned. He was amazed by how close Arthur had come, and, by investigating the plans for the N.E.S.T.E, found that he had even solved what few problems remained, though even he hadn't realized it! The N.E.S. could be completed, and Nick could have his life back!
...But Nikolas was not interested. "It would take too much work", or "We're not qualified", an excuse always came up. For months, this went on, with Nick wasting away physically and emotionally, while his friend tried desperately to motivate him, and get him to embrace this incredible opportunity before him, always in vain. What finally made Nick snap out of his despair was not a world-shattering event, or a rousing speech from a hero, but simply a punch. A punch in the nose from his friend who had become "sick and tired of watching you sit there, like you're the only one who cares about you!" Eyes opened the the fact that, no, he was not alone, Nikolas began work on repairing the N.E.S., his friend being his hands for him.
NES to NESTE
"It was a wake-up call. I had a responsibility. I had to stop my father." Arthur had left detailed plans, and the N.E.S. was completed in no time. Only hours before Nikolas was to be linked to the suit, and given back his life, a news story broke. The amateur villain, Bloodwasp, had been cornered by Paragon City police officers and novice heroes somewhere in King's Row. There he was, live, on television, flanked by cops and supers. What happened next was entirely unexpected, and it happened so quickly that the feed could not be cut in time to spare anyone, most certainly not Nick, the gruesome sight. As the police moved to arrest him, Bloodwasp bombarded two police officers with massive currents of electricity, killing them instantly. Though he was quickly brought down, the damage had been done. The now-unconscious Bloodwasp was dragged to prison, a double homicide added to his charges.
Nikolas was horrified. He knew his father had become a villain, but... murder? He hadn't thought him capable. His reaction was both frighteningly similar to his father's rage in the shop, and yet fundamentally different. Infuriated that the man would dare take the lives of others, Nick was also spurned on to create a N.E.S.T.E., but for the opposite purpose. This one would be able to combat his father's. Again with his friend being his hands, Nick upgraded the N.E.S. into a N.E.S.T.E., including the weapon and flight systems. However, in the final stages, a problem emerged.
Birth of Shockwasp
"It was a one-way surgery. There's no going back now." The two systems, N.E.S. and N.E.S.T.E., were similar, and completely compatible, but a single fault. The sensitive electrical equipment that would intercept brain signals through the skin was being overloaded by the massive voltages required for the combat systems, and the suit as it was could not be upgraded to handle it. Only one option presented itself to the pair. The circuitry had to be permanently implanted into Nikolas's skin, so it could be supplemented by his dormant-but-functional nervous system. After several hours of debate, Nick convinced his friend to perform this psuedo-surgery, and forever link Nikolas and the N.E.S.T.E. together.
Donning a spandex jumpsuit, goggles, and a flight mask to conceal the electrical wiring that now covered his body, Nikolas Vespin dubbed himself the Shockwasp, and made his way to Paragon City, to stop his father and any other criminal whose path he crossed.
Power and Abilities
The Neural Exo-Skeleton and Tesla Emitter functions primarily through the large gauntlets and boots. They are able to project a special magnetic field that allows Nikolas to hover in the air, and even give him the power of flight, up to a top speed of about 30 MPH. The gauntlets are also able to release powerful bolts of electricity, with type and intensity controlled mentally. With the same ease as moving his arm, Nikolas can fire lances of high voltage from his hands at opponents, incapacitating them. Deadly force is possible, but not considered an option.
The N.E.S., or Neural Interface System, of the N.E.S.T.E allows Nikolas to control the suit as easily as his own muscles. It does not augment his strength, or provide him any special protection, however, so he must take care when fighting villains to remember that he is still mortal. The belt around his waist, where the primary control chip of his N.E.S. is located, also contains several useful gadgets, such as web grenades and taser darts.
Personality
Nikolas is a shameless optimist and idealist, whose hope for tomorrow, though dented and scarred, has yet to be broken. That is not to say that he does not have emotions, he most certainly does, and they are as vulnerable as anyone's, it is simply how he copes that is different. Wisecracks and sarcasm are the weapon of choice against depression, though deeper issues may not be dealt with so easily.
Nick's sense of humor is fairly dry most of the time, and snark is no stranger to him. However, he finds it very hard to tolerate harmful pranks or other "jokes" that cause real pain, physical or emotional. His friends are his life, and betraying their trust is a cardinal sin.
OOC/Trivia
- Shockwasp is almost a carbon-copy of a character from my last trial account (which I forgot the username of), plus personality. Originally, his costume was black-on-yellow, rather than yellow-on-black, and he looked ridiculous.
- I originally came up with a completely different background and personality for Shockwasp, in which he was a rich gloryhound, and violently racist. I changed my mind when I started playing him.
- I haven't made Bloodwasp yet, and I have no real idea about what to do with Nick's friend (Can you tell? ;D), so if anyone wants to take up either of the characters, contact me, and we can discuss how it will work.
