Brazen Comet
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| File:Brazen Comet.jpg | |
| The Brazen Comet | |
| Player: @Depth_Lord | |
| Origin: | Magic |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Blaster |
| Security Level: | 23 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | James Robert Cardinham Jr. |
| Known Aliases: | Unknown |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 5'10" Normal, 6'5" As The Brazen Comet. |
| Weight: | 135lbs. Aprox |
| Eye Color: | Hazel (as Comet, they glow like embers) |
| Hair Color: | A Medium Golden Blonde |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Freelanced Treasure Hunter (more or less) |
| Place of Birth: | Paragon City - Toffet Terrace in Astoria. |
| Base of Operations: | Midnighters Club/Offices of Gabriel Gold in Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Dr. James Robert Cardinham (Father, Deceased), Ada Kelly Cardinham (Mother, Deceased), Kristen Evelyn Cardinham (Sister, Deceased). |
| Known Powers | |
| Able to create and manipulate mystical flames, ranging from fire to intense plasma. | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Slightly above average level of physical abilities when transformed. Otherwise well read in archeology, Egyptology and a teacher at the Steel Canyon university in 'primordial mythos.' | |
| Equipment | |
| A gem from which his powers originate and a snazzy hat. | |
| His 'Fire Gem' allows him to transform into a tall, powerful and heroic version of himself by some means he doesn't yet fully understand. | |
Contents |
Intro
There is a book called the 'Gilded Dictorum' by many of the premier mystical groups. One of this books main themes is the destruction of existence and has much to do with an elder pantheon of gods which existed before humanity and it's God's took over. This book however tells of four warriors whom would become the avatars of the four great elements which make up the whole of magic. Each of the elemental groups, though at constant war, have each crafted stones which will one day unite them against some great primal evil which has yet to reawaken with jaws wide enough to engulf the whole of existence like the great Fenris wolf. Sylvestris of Air, Gnomus of Earth, Undine of Water and finally Vulcanus of Fire each picked their champions at the beginning of time and waited for their right time to come. Each in turn creating their stories and their power uniquelt but to be used as a greater whole. To becomes something so powerful to break the jaws of the wolf and to in turn ensure existences continuity.
History
Early Life
There was once a district in Paragon City called Astoria. Now called Dark Astoria, it was a beautiful, bustling area full of industry and overlooked by the ominous Moth Graveyard. This area was where James Cardinham grew up with his Father, Mother and sister Krissy. His Father was a Doctor of ancient history and archeology and was away often. Though James was discouraged by having his father away a lot of the time, he still loved him when he was young. His sister and he would often play in the graveyards, inside the massive tombs which housed many of the richest, most powerful and loved of the city's late population. He was not above teasing her for being scared (even if he was himself) but his mother would often reprimand him, which he quite often needed as he was, at the time, a sub par student and a delinquent.
Teenage Years
His nature didn't change when he grew older. James grew resentful of his parents like most teenagers, even more so towards his father whom he would often refuse to talk to over the phone when he was away and often fought with when he was home. Eventually they almost came to blows when James attacked his father with a bat. His father however was able to take the bat away and almost used it to hit his son. Stopping and calming himself he asked him what would make him a better father and James replied "Maybe if you were ever here. Maybe if you were around when me or Krissy needed you." This was when his father stopped going on archeological trips to try to help his son. The teenager had become aggressive with everyone except for his older sister, whom it seemed was the only person he confided in and felt understood him. He was protective of her, beating up three older boys who lifted her skirt at school (while at the same time being put in the hospital when they came back looking for him with more friends). He would always goto parties with her just to stop her from doing anything stupid, which she inevitably would, and he would inevitably have to try to stop her. It got to the point that even she grew detached from him because of this though, hating how she was seen as defenseless by her 'younger brother.'
The Damning of Astoria
It was about this time in their lives that the Rikti Invasion came. Paragon was rampant with battle but amazing Astoria was all but untouched, with no real strategic value they were essentially overlooked by the alien invaders. Many of them saw this as a blessing of some kind. They couldn't have been more wrong however. In the wake of the destruction, the police, the military and the Heroes were weakened, unable to respond to major threats. This is when the Banished Pantheon appeared in Astoria. They rose from the ground with shamans commanding them, great laughing, disembodied masks roaming the streets as the invasion began. They tore families from their homes and tortured them with a loving glee. They did things no human should ever witness or endure, cannibalism, rape, torture and bloodshed, all in the name of their vile trickster god. All in an attempt to raise an ancient god which seemed to not care one bit of their vile offerings. Those few who could hid, like James and his family. What happened next would stand as one of the greatest betrayals in Paragons history, not by some supervillain or politician but by the people, and the heroes. Instead of trying to aide them, they simply marked Astoria as 'lost' and walled it off, allowing the vicious creatures inside to have free reign on the populace, quarantining all inside. Realizing what was happening, James Father and Mother decided they would make the final sacrifice for their children. They made a break for the unfinished walls, the power grid not yet up to power them. Their mother died running into a horde of zombies, allowing them to pull her apart as her family escaped. Their father died trying to hold off one of the giant Totems by himself, his last words to his son "Protect your sister, I will always love you both." When they reached the wall, they climbed to the top, hoping to climb down the other side. When they go there however, they found on the other side, the crews about to activate the walls. Without hesitation Krissy turned to his brother and gave him a hug and a kiss, then whispered into his ear "let me save you" and shoved him off the top just as the energy shield went up, she fell backwards, back into the Hell that was now Astoria. When James finally woke from his fall onto a nearby rooftop, he found his sisters severed hand lying next to him. He cried, at the age of 17, for the first time in years actually, holding the cold, dead, hand for hours till someone finally found him and took him to the hospital. He though his life was over but it had just begun.
Atonement
James spent 2 years in an asylum after his ordeal. He hated it but he had little choice in the matter. When he was there though he met a man, a Doctor named Numinous. He was unlike the rest of the doctors who treated the patients like cattle and cared little for their personal thoughts. Numinous would talk to Jim for hours about what had happened to him, even if he didn't want to, till finally he was able to let everything out and when he felt he was ready to leave, now almost the age of 19, Numinous instilled him with a thought. He told James that "The world is not inherently evil James, remember that, there as sides to everything that not everyone can understand but, what matters is if YOU are evil. If you can make that distinction you have morally won and that is what matters. You didn't kill your parents. You didn't make your father stay after your fight. They made their sacrefices for you and whatever you choose to do, they have succeeded in their mission. Revenge is not evil, Hatred is not evil unless you think that it is." James felt surprisingly relieved by these words, knowing now that a full life of revenge was ahead of him. Somehow, some way, he would pay back the Pantheon back in blood and maybe, some day even repay the ones who did the worst of the damage by allowing it to happen, by not stepping up even in the face of destruction, and protecting the ones they all took oaths to. Years later, James would return to the Asylum to try to thank Dr. Numinous only to find they had no record of the man and he was totally unknown to all the patients and doctors.
Rebirth
It was time to do something he had never been good at, to do something he detested more than anything in his life. It was time for research! Jim laid into every tome he could, every crazy conspiracy site and wikipedia entry about the Banished Pantheon. He found very little but what he found he absorbed surprisingly well. The stuff his father had tried to teach him when he was young came back to him and he learned things about the ancient world he never thought he could. he found a passion for it, he even managed to be happy for a time. When his studies at the University failed him however, he was approached by one Montague Castanella. He was a strange man with a secretive way about him but he had information that blew everything Jeames knew out of the water. Apparently James' father was a prominent member of their 'club' and he offered him his fathers position if he could pass the trials. Being a man with no special abilities, James did his best and almost failed a few times in his trials. Though he was not a practitioner of the arcane like much of their alumni, he was able to thwart the 5th Column with just a pistol, a whip and a witty personality in his final trial, to retrieve an ancient and powerful amulet. When he finally found it however, it's red and golden glow entranced him. Something about it called to him and when he finally laid hands on it, he was transformed in a blazing inferno. When the torrent of destruction finally ceased he found Kadabra Kill, another Midnighter whom he knew of but had never met, standing before him. He calmly strode across and retrieved the young man and led him to his safety. "Montague knew ya know." he started "He and your father knew what you were. You're a super-weapon of destiny. You're one of the four who will save everything." As he paused James spoke in a withered voice "Save everything... from what?" Kill stopped and smiled a big toothy grin as his cigar gave off an ominous red glow "Why, from Nothing my boy, from Nothing." He once again slipped into unconsciousness with a head full of questions.
Finality
James returned to thought in a bed inside of the Midnighters club. Mercedes Sheldon was there with Montague. They explained about the book, the Gilded Dictorum and his supposed role in it. They felt it was wrong to have told him beforehand, to try to force him into his fate, he instead was given the subtle option to take his place, or not to, which he chose subconsciously for himself. In truth he didn't care, he was happy. He now had a tool to help him in his goal. The Gem allowed him to transform into a 'perfect' version of himself, to become an elemental of flame in all it's form, function and destruction. He spent the next few years with the Midnighters help, searching for weaknesses and training his abilities to fight the elder Gods themselves. He didn't care for saving the world or existence, Jim cared for becoming a thing of destruction, a force of nature designed solely to hunt the ancient evil that slaughtered his family. He went on missions for the Club and sometimes of his own accord, sometimes for money, sometimes for the thrill and sometimes even for the greater good, searching for treasures and artifacts beyond compare. He now understood why his father had been away for so often and so long. He kept none of them except his pendant. He even lived at the Club. He felt at home there, they seemed to understand, or if not, to tolerate his personality, either vengeful or passionate, either morose or overjoyed he was accepted by them because their members were diverse and stranger than he, some even other survivors of the Astoria incident.
Golden Guardians
It was about a week after his 24th birthday when he was sent on a mission. To retrieve what was thought to be the second of the gems. Hit by a Gold miner in the deeps of Africa, they couldn't make heads or tails of it and he was sent with a team to retrieve it before it was taken by darker forces. When they arrive however they found instead a blind man. Gabriel Gold, Now known as Golden Wave had touched the Gemstone and been transformed in a similar fashion to Jim. They were awestruck. Though the transformation was inherently different it was also very similar. Gabriel was now struck blind by the transformation, it is yet to be seen whether this was an accident or how it was meant to be, but either way, they now had their second Guardian. They decided to leave quietly and to observe from a distance. Eventually the millionaire orphan found his powers over the awesome might of liquid and waters. Instead of using them as a destructive force however he seemed inclined to use them to heal. Becoming a 'hero' Gold fully embraced this lifestyle in the same way he embraced his new powers. Further more when he actually found the long lost Gilded Dictorum, the Midnighters were amazed. He somehow stumbled upon something they themselves had spent centuries searching for in the very same areas. Gabriel Gold translated the texts which were all etched into the perfectly preserved golden pages of the book. Somehow a book, older than writing itself was read like braille by his hands. He quickly began a search for the other Gems, with the intention of creating some type of 'super team', seemingly transfixed with the idea of being a hero. The club quickly enacted a plan. Giving James a name and a superhuman registration card, they sent Brazen Comet out to the world to be found by Gold. He would become part of the group and do what is necessary to guide it towards the right path, to act as the eyes and ears of the Midnighters and to if need be, take the reigns and do what is necessary to ensure that existence remains.
