Sister Courage
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Sister Courage | |
| Player: Masker | |
| Origin: |
Science |
| Archetype: |
Blaster |
| Threat Level: |
44 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: |
Catherine Brecht |
| Known Aliases: |
None |
| Species: |
Human |
| Height: |
5'11" |
| Weight: |
145 lbs. |
| Eye Color: |
Green |
| Hair Color: |
Blonde |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: |
American |
| Occupation: |
Fundraiser for Catholic Charities |
| Place of Birth: |
Sioux Falls, SD |
| Base of Operations: |
Paragon City, MD |
| Marital Status: |
Single |
| Known Relatives: |
Marcus "Mack" Brecht, Father, and Gail (Dawes) Brecht, Mother |
| Additional Data | |
| Known Powers: |
Energy Blast, Energy Manipulation, Flight, Fitness, Speed |
| Known Abilities: |
Teacher, Counselor |
| Known Equipment: |
Nothing special. |
| Footnotes: |
Has contacts within the Catholic Church, frequently does hero work for them. |
| [ Source ] | |
Contents |
History
Catherine Brecht was a schoolteacher with a Catholic Mission to Bloody Bay, looking after impoverished children there. She was studying to become a nun, but had not yet taken any vows. Life was hard in the Rogue Isles, but Catherine felt good about the work she was doing.
Then the meteors fell. Shards of the Shivan meteorites smashed her school. When Catherine realized some of her children were trapped inside, she bravely raced in to rescue them, bringing them out one and two at a time until they were all safe. But in doing so, she exposed herself to a massive amount of the strange Shivan radiation. And her body began to change...
Within days, Catherine swelled with power, her body coursing with energy. She realized that she had been given a gift. She retired from the mission, gave up pursuit of her life as a nun, and instead donned the mask and costume to fight injustice in a new way. For her headstrong bravery, she earned the name Sister Courage from her fellow Sisters at the mission, who now keep her secret.
For six months, she trained with Longbow, learning how to use her powers and assisting them in combatting Arachnos in Bloody Bay. After her tour, she changed to Reservist status and began operating on her own as Sister Courage, splitting her time between Paragon and the Rogue Isle as she continued to learn her new trade. Finally, she believes she has learned all Longbow can teach her and has formally separated from them, instead joining with the Golden Age Heroes to pursue larger and greater threats.
Powers
Sister Courage's cells constantly release a kind of energy which is stored up in her body. This energy is very much like Cosmic Rays, a combination of Shivan meteor energy and her own body's natural signatures. Sister Courage can release this energy through her skin and discharge it into powerful blasts.
However, most of these blasts are short-range in nature, meaning that she must rely on actually punching her targets, or getting very close. This has the disadvantage of bringing her directly into danger from the enemy. But the advantage is that these blasts are incredibly concentrated, capable of cracking open tank armor, knocking enemies unconscious or dazing them, and propelling them fifty or sixty feet through the air.
When enough of her energy has been charged, Sister Courage can release it all in a single, massive blast that will wreck most everything around her. Such a release leaves her drained and powerless for a few moments while her internal 'battery' recharges.
She can also channel her energies through her feet, allowing her to fly at great speed: she's one of the fastest flying heroes of her security level, and her speed is increasing.
Temperament
Sister Courage is no-nonsense and direct. She has a smart, dry sense of humor, and tends to be blunt. She is very loyal and caring about people she is close to, looking out for their well-being in her own way. She is certainly courageous, but some would even say headstrong and foolish; charging in to situations better handled with careful tactics. This fearlessness also makes her easy to lure into a situation where she is out of her depth. Likewise, she is very protective of young people, and tends to "act first, think later" when it comes to children in danger. Even though she can release great power through her fists, she is still as vulnerable as any normal woman. She sometimes forgets how fragile she is in her zeal to bring the fight to the villains.
Enemies
When she first began her life as a heroine, Sister Courage struck back at the greatest enemy she had known: Arachnos. As the single-most repressive force in the Rogue Isles, she was determined to help the people of the Isles by hindering Arachnos in every turn. Her actions against the Spiders in Bloody Bay is legendary. Eventually, she realized that there are many other threats that can use her attention, though she still takes special interest in bringing down Arachnos plots whenever she can. As a result of her zeal, though, Recluse himself has taken notice of her, and there is a high price on her head.
Identity
Sister Courage's real name is a closely kept secret. It is known to the the Sisters of the St. Bonniventure Mission in Bloody Bay, who were witness to her transformation, to a few high-placed members of the Paragon City Diocese of the Catholic Church, and the leaders of the Golden Age Heroes. Sister Courage is concerned for what might happen to the Sisters of St. Bonniventure should her identity be revealed and groups like Arachnos seek reprisal for her actions.
Catherine Brecht "retired" from the mission to work as a fundraiser for various Catholic charities. Supposedly, she is in poor health after the accident in the Isles, and this is used as a cover for her sudden disappearances and long absences.
