Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
(mprbyrne@hotmail.com) on Monday, September 1, 2003 at 11:53:07
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charname: Culexes, Agent Culexes
race: Mutant
gender: Male
group: Operation Scorpion (see Background)
position: VILLAIN
descript: Suggestions....
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 192
Gaunt, tight-lipped and grim, but strong-willed, determined and loyal, Culexes
is also extremely pessimistic and views the world with a cold detachment. More
than once people have believed him to be ‘more machine than man’ or to have a
computer for a brain. What he sees, hears, or feels he processes and acts upon
without emotion influencing the process or the actions. Emotion, he believes, is
a weakness that can lead to risks that would otherwise not be taken. The only
risks Culexes takes are calculated ones. Emotion can get in the way, and in his
line of work distraction can be disastrous.
Strongly going by the saying ‘the ends justify the means’, he views the world in
complete black and white. For him, there is no grey; mutants are bad, people are
good. That he is a mutant too but does not mind hunting down others of his kind
is a testament to his indoctrination.
His lifestyle is sparse. If he needs it, he has it. If he doesn’t need it, he
doesn’t have it. Having something he doesn’t need would be a waste.
Culexes wears a jet black body-hugging leather outfit containing many pouches
and pockets. A lone painting of a skull is on the breast. Culexes also wears a
bone-white grinning skull-helmet. Around his waist is an equipment belt.
history: Culexes original name is unknown. He never tells anybody, and no one
dares ask. Doubtless it is on record, but it has never become need to know.
What is more widely known is that he was born like any normal human baby. He had
normal human parents. He had a normal human family. However, unlike other normal
humans, Culexes was a very special baby. He was different from the others. This
was instantly asserted by the niggling of dread felt by the nurses, doctors and
his parents in his presence. Two of the nurses, very weak-minded individuals,
could not withstand it and fled from the Seattle hospital room.
Once they calmed their dread and, like parents are occasionally wont to do,
forced themselves to love their child, they noticed other peculiar traits. The
baby never cried. He never laughed or showed any emotion of any kind. He was
perfectly content with being silent, most unlike other children of his age, even
to the degree of possible brooding. These attributes led only to a greater
discomfort.
For years Culexes and his family travelled around the United States as they
searched for a place to settle. Culexes was never able to stay in school for
long periods of time. He upset the other children and disturbed the teachers
with his presence. More than one, teacher and child, complained of nightmares.
Twice latent psychics went to the same school. Both times ended in disaster,
with the psychics crying and screaming in a combination of fear, panic and
hysteria. Both required counselling after their ordeal. Culexes was expelled
both times.
His parents soon became stressed. Their work suffered, as did their
relationship. By the time Culexes was ten they had divorced. His mother was
developing a drinking problem and a bad choice in men. None of them lasted long
in the same house as Culexes. His father quickly cut off contact from him and
eventually his mother as she started to loose her mind.
At twelve he dropped out of school for the last time; neither parents
encouraging him to return, and so he stayed at home. This doubled, tripled, the
time he spent with his mother, which was to prove her undoing. At fourteen he
watched on with casual detachment as she stabbed herself to death with a kitchen
knife. Culexes did not attempt to help her, and studied his dying, crying mother
with the same sort of look that a scientist reserves for a lab rat.
It took two days before the police came round looking for her. In those two days
Culexes was alone in the house with the body he did not bother to move. When the
police discovered him, they believed the worse and arrested him, despite being a
minor. Culexes was quickly released, but forced to go through counselling,
though he showed no signs of distress. The same could be said for the fact that,
although not eating or barely drinking in two days, he did not appear in any way
bothered by it.
The counselling lasted roughly two months before the councillor cancelled the
sessions. Culexes was sent to his father in New York, but he quickly threw his
child out onto the streets. It was here Culexes got his first real education; an
insight into the real world. He learnt the hard way how to survive but,
amazingly, managed to come through it unscathed both mentally and physically.
Thugs and rapists alike stayed clear of him, whilst Culexes quickly picked up on
the ways of the streets, turning to all means of robbery and pickpocketing to
earn just enough money to get by. Inevitably, Culexes became a drug addict. He
soon branched out into dealing almost as much as he was taking. Not even news of
his buyers dying reaching his ears stop him. He didn’t care, not holding any
sort of emotion for them at all.
It was at twenty-one that his life changed forever.
Culexes was starting to go up in the world. Although not having a job yet, he
was able to attend odd classes and develop something of an education. He began
to prey on those in better off areas of New York; the suburbs rather than the
streets.
One February 12th, he was following a man in those suburbs. He was wearing a
suit and carrying a briefcase, and Culexes knew it must be valuable from both
experience and the fact he was clutching it with a death grip. Waiting until the
man had passed under a broken street light and thus into shadow, Culexes struck.
To his surprise, the man whirled on him and hit him square in the chin with the
case in mid-dive. Dropping to the floor with stars in his eyes, Culexes was just
able to make out the man raising a syringe before he blacked out.
He came to many days later, lying on a cold medical bed in a bare, white room
with the man standing above him. What surprised him more than anything else was
the fact that the man was the first human Culexes had come into contact with who
didn’t seem in the least bit put out by his presence. The man called himself
Daedalus and for weeks this was the only person Culexes saw.
Whilst strapped to the bed, a tube running down into his body from a container
that was refilled each time it emptied, Daedalus explained that he had been
taken to a top-secret facility and gave him the code name Culexes. That is the
only name he now acknowledges. He was told he was now an agent in Operation
Scorpion, and it was repeatedly drummed into him that this was now his life. The
time before that had merely been the means to bring him into the world, now that
world was Scorpion.
Over the next few months of brainwashing, he learnt everything he needed to
know. At first this was done strapped to the bed in the room where the first,
and hardest, parts of the indoctrination took place. The containers pumped drugs
into his body that opened his brain to the process twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week. His mind was steadily broken down till no resistance was
left, then rebuilt to how Operation Scorpion like it. Even if Culexes wanted to
resist he would not have been able to.
For Culexes was by no means worried about what was happening to him,
more…curious. And soon, with the help of the drugs, he felt a sense of
belonging, as if he was meant to be there all along.
When this stage was reached, Culexes was released from his bed. The brainwashing
was by no means finished, but now the process also began to include training.
Culexes was trained to handle almost any weapon available, became skilled in
hand-to-hand and taught how to move stealthily. Scientists explained how
Culexes had no psychic presence whatsoever, not even a faint one like most human
beings; he was a psychic blank. This was why people felt on edge around him, and
why psychics could be downright petrified. Over time, people could ignore this
effect, but it took a strong will and determination. On the other hand, the
skill could give a decisive advantage. Reading him telepathically was like
staring at a blank piece of paper, and attempting to influence his thoughts like
trying to touch air.
He later learnt that the lamppost had been deliberately sabotaged, and that the
brief case was weighted. He was told Operation Scorpion had only recently become
aware of him, but that he was exactly what they were looking for. Part of the
indoctrination included telling him he was special to their cause, but this was
the truth too. He was told mutants were threatening the race of man and were a
threat to national security and Culexes could help eliminate that threat and
save the world. It was not long before he came to believe this himself.
After much training and experimentation, Culexes found he was aware of nearby
powerful psychics and, depending on distance, of those of weaker ones, too. He
found himself drawn impulsively to their presence. Agents of Operation Scorpion,
particularly Daedalus, enthusiastically encouraged him to develop these traits
and control them. Soon it became clear what Scorpion was grooming Culexes for,
and eventually put him to work in the field. Nine months of training and brain
washing came to fruition.
Culexes was a mutant assassin.
Over the last nine months, Culexes has tracked down and killed seventeen
psychics and mutants, and capturing nearly twice that amount for detainment. He
is the best field agent of Operation Scorpion.
But even with his special abilities, Culexes could not compete with some
mutants. To this end, he has been provided with a series of specialised
equipment. Not only this, his body is also pumped with special drugs that
heighten his performance. Although the drugs push his combat effectiveness to
high standards, Culexes has quickly become addicted to them. Indeed, he actually
requires regular small doses of them to prevent his nervous system from breaking
down, followed quickly by multiple heart attacks before convulsion and
haemorrhaging of the brain. He has only experienced the first symptoms of this
once and has never come close since.
Culexes has never dwelt on the fact he is a mutant. The Operation’s
indoctrination has been so good, he believes himself to be no more than a human,
perhaps an enhanced human but no more than that. As far as he is concerned, his
special traits are as normal as being able to wiggle ears.
Today, he remembers very little of his early life. Most of it is not even a
distant memory, and though Culexes has only been working with Operation Scorpion
for some eighteen months it is the only life he really acknowledges.
A note on Operation Scorpion:
There is a Native American story of a fox walking down the banks of a
fast-flowing river. He comes across a scorpion, who asks the fox to take him
across. The fox refuses, and asks what guarantee he has the scorpion won’t sting
him. The scorpion replies that should he do that, they’d both drown. So the fox
agrees and takes the scorpion across the river on his back.
Halfway across, the scorpion stings the fox. As the venom rushes through his
body and he begins to drown, he turns to the scorpion and asks “why?” The
scorpion replies “it’s in my nature”.
Agents of Operation Scorpion believe that, no matter what they might say or do,
it is in the nature of mutants to turn against mankind in a bloody war in which
the outcome is in doubt. Formed of radical members of the Humans First, an
anti-meta political group, they are an organisation that ignores international
boundaries and restrictions, operating outside any law besides their own.
To Operation Scorpion, politics is not enough. The mutant threat must be met
head on. Although it is within their policy to detain mutants and ‘re-educate’
them in the same way they did Culexes, so making them ‘safer’ to the world. Only
a select few in the Humans First, six to be exact, are aware of the operation’s
existence, and very little outside either organisation. If knowledge of the
Operation came to light, the public image for the Humans First could be
shattered. This is why it is kept strictly under wraps.
On the other hand, the Humans First want to be on the news, in the papers, up
there on the soap boxes declaiming how dangerous these metas are, and that
ordinary people shouldn't have to be afraid. Operation Scorpion is a sub-set of
the group, the part that does the assassinations, the kidnappings, the
"re-education" programs to 'cure' metas. They receive a list every month from
the Humans First of the metas they are to hunt down.
The ‘curing’ process is done in a detainment centre deep in the Nevada Desert
for captured mutants where they undergo indoctrination, rehabilitation or
imprisonment. The Operation also makes use of a training complex within the
Amazon forests.
They are prepared to use whatever weapon is available in their secret war, up to
and including weapons of mass destruction if need be (though as of yet it has
never come to this.)
‘Sanctioned’ mutants are used primarily for defence of their bases, particularly
those with psychic abilities that provide for another set of alarms. The only
mutant to be trained as an agent is Culexes. Due to his abilities it was decided
the risk was worth taking. At the time being, Culexes harbours no such feelings,
but some Scorpion leaders believe there are gaps in their brain-washing. He was
somewhat hurried through the process after all to get him into the field as soon
as possible.
These other sanctioned mutants have gone through the exact same process, and
many have been former targets that have since been imprisoned and deemed useful.
At the moment, Culexes is a sort of test. Should he prove to be an excellent
asset, and should more metas with similar abilities become known to the
Operation, then others may too end up like him.
Although they have told him otherwise, Operation Scorpion has been aware of
Culexes for many years. They sent him to schools where there were psychics, they
withheld investigation of his mother’s disappearance for an extra day, they
cleared him of charges, they sent him to counselling and they encouraged his
father to turn him out onto the streets. They did it all to see what effect it
would have on him. Culexes promptly passed all these tests with flying colours,
being able to get through almost any situation without harm and picking up
skills on the way. It was from an early age that he was able to tell who was and
who wasn’t a psychic and how to survive when life got tough. But most of all, by
the time Operation Scorpion got to him Culexes body was used to drugs and he was
willing to use them. Indeed, it was they who exposed them to him so his system
would accept the combat drugs more readily. The first dealer Culexes bought off
was on the Scorpion pay roll.
To the Operation, Culexes is exactly what they were looking for; smart,
detached, emotionless, a survivor, willing and, most importantly of all, a
natural psychic hunter.
powers: Soulless: Culexes is effectively soulless, a psychic blank; something
which causes distress to other ‘ensouled’ beings.
Limit: Is confined by walls, doors, etc. In open space it has a small ‘range’.
Limit: Not all see the image Culexes refers to as the Death’s Head, it is a
random occurrence that can happen to weak and powerful psychics alike.
Stunt: Works on all within close proximity. They become nauseated and
distracted, varying in intensity from individual to individual and with range.
Stunt: Those who see the Death’s Head after attempting to read his mind can be
forced to flee or become paralysed.
Stunt: Powers such as telepathy have no effect on Culexes whatsoever. Similarly,
he does not have an aura, etc. Culexes calls this the Abyss.
Stunt: Can sense all those that try to enter his mind over a short distance.
Combat Drugs: Is pumped with drugs to heighten performance.
Limit: Only works for a short period of time (4 hours max) after which Culexes
requires 2 hours to rest and ‘come down’.
Limit: Is not heightened to super-human ability, more to the limits of human
endurance.
Limit: Culexes has become addicted to the drugs and to live without them would
mean eventual death. He requires small doses on a regular basis.
Stunt: Increased speed, focus and strength.
Stunt: The drugs ensure Culexes’ complete and utter loyalty to Operation
Scorpion.
items: Own: Skull-helmet that includes an array of hi-tech gear (infra-red
sight, flash protection, digital goggles, satellite communications uplink, etc).
Always carry: Heckler&Koch .40cal pistol with a 13 round clip. A knife strapped
to a sheath on the outside of the left leg.
Built Myself: None.
Weapons: Executioner Pistol;
A machine pistol that is combined with a dart gun. Gun fires Penetrator shells
(explodes after entering the target). The dart gun can deliver either a strong
sedative or lethal venom. A switch is used to determine which is in use. There
is no safety. A silencer can be fitted onto the gun. The gun can fire on
full-auto, semi-auto or single shot. It holds eighteen bullets in each clip. The
dart must be reloaded each time.
played_by: Bailey Chase
player: Hey all, name’s Matt. I come from the south of England in a little place
called Eastliegh (just to let y’all know, I’m not a farmboy :P) near
Southampton. I’m 16 now and in LABN I play Chance (so Shaun, Heather and all the
rest will know me). My hobbies include computer games, music (rock, metal, etc),
anything sci-fi, movies (fantasy, action, etc, etc) and Warhammer. Hope you like
Culexes and I haven’t gone too far over board. And if ya don’t like him, no
worries. I’m sure I can cook up something you do. Sorry it’s taken so long Shaun
(you’ve been pestering me about this since I joined LABN :P) but hopefully its
worth it.
My fav superhero has to be Batman. He’s just so cool. Sorry, but it had to be
said. I also like Spiderman, X-men, and all the rest. I’m not a completely mad
comic book reader, but I do enjoy them when I read them. I also love the
superhero films and tv shows (including the cartoons. I’m such a geek lol…).
I have to say thanks to Heather, Robin and Adam for help with the faction bit.
It’s so much better than the lame thing I was struggling to come up with! And
hopefully it could mean there’s some real cool story arcs in the pipeline.
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Culexes (Accepted)
I didnt bother putting this as a poll cause A) its really good and I doubt anyone would say no, B) we need more players lol and C) Its Mat and we all know him already from LABN, so he's got a VIP pass to this club :D
However, if anyone has anything to say as to why he shouldnt be accepted, I guess voice your complaint here.....*looks around* ahno complaints, ok good
Culexes (Accepted)
The use of the term "Mutant" is inconsistent with the background we are developing. The proper term is Meta and can be substituted everywhere the term "mutant' is used.
General rule: Mutants are Marvel, Metas are FL.
Of course Matt can be forgiven for not getting that becasue he's been missing all the discussion.
:)
Culexes (Accepted)
There's a very imformative topic about that around here somewhere... (well, informative for me anyway)
Anywho, do I like the character? No, I love the character :D. It's great because, since all of our heroes are meta-humans' (more or less), he would be a great cross-over villain.
BTW, did you get the idea of the drugs that make him stronger from Bane (since your a Batman fan and all) or was the just a coincidence?
Culexes (Accepted)
'lo all.
Hehehe...that would have been cool if that's where I got the idea from. But, alas, just a coincidence lol.
Bloody hell, only just signed up and I'm getting told off already :P No worries, I'll change that all (and I'll read the discussion hehehe)
VIP... I like that :D