Difference between revisions of "Mantle"

Spoiler Warning
The following details are about a player-created storyline, or is information currently unrevealed about a character.
Please do not use this information ICly unless given permission to do so.

As time went on, Vik managed to convince his mom to let him take boxing lessons when he was thirteen after having a fascination with the sport for as long as he can remember. He found a lot of enjoyment in boxing and after participating in it for a couple of years, he got a job at Carl's Gym in Westside when he turned fifteen which let him be around it even more. But one of the most exciting parts of the job for Vik was seeing superheroes show up for workouts and training every now and then. While never having the nerve to actually talk to any, he still enjoyed seeing them which would later add to his motivation to want to help people like they do. In early 2022, the young Vik was walking home from work late one day when he was jumped by a member of a local biker gang. The criminal held him at knife point and demanded that he hand over is wallet, an order which the hard-nosed Vik refused to comply to without a fight.

Using his amateur boxing skills, he did manage to hold his own with the attacker for a while even getting some shots in, but the larger biker was still able to knock the young man down to the sidewalk. After falling on the concrete, the slightly dazed Vik struggled to get back up before the now angry biker could come at him with his blade and claim his wallet and perhaps also his life. It was then that something incredible happened. While touching the concrete in order to push himself off the ground, the same material seemed to creep up his arms and cover his chest in a tough but flexible layer of it. This strange event happened just in time as the thug charged Vik with the knife but instead of managing to stab him in the chest, the blade simply broke after hitting his now concrete covered skin. This occurrence shocked both victim and assailant and the would-be mugger soon fled with nothing to show for his attempted robbery but an injured hand.

Vik stood stunned as he looked down at where the knife hit him and as the concrete seem to dematerialize and his arms and chest returned to normal, and he realized he must be some kind of metahuman just like the ones he's heard about. This epiphany of his new-found abilities filled the young man with confusion, but also joy at what he could do. Keeping this a secret from his mother and friends at school, he began to practice his gift on different materials ranging from rubber to metal and came to the conclusion that he could only absorb solid matter and that he required a certain amount of a denser substance. Now excited at the prospect of becoming a hero himself, Vik started to assemble a simple suit that would hide his identity and act as his alter ego. After two weeks continuing to train in the use of his powers and fighting skills, Vik finally stepped out on the streets as the fledgling hero he dubbed Mantle.

After a couple of years operating as a hero and joining the super team called The Adventurers, Mantle's powers appeared to have underwent a major change. Seemingly after an important mission with his team where they attempted to prevent a major multi-universal disaster, Vikram's abilities altered to where he no longer simply coats himself in a tough external layer. Instead, he now actually partially transforms into the absorbed and mimicked material which has given him a "boost" of sorts in regards to strength, durability, and general versatility of his powers. While personally not knowing the exact cause of this change with his gifts, Mantle has nonetheless decided to use this to his advantage as he tries to fulfill what he sees as his divine purpose to help better the world.

PERSONALITY

Vik is a decently friendly and outgoing young man, but at times may come across as thick-headed, opinionated, and stubborn. He cares about his allies, friends, and of course his family, especially his mother and tries his best to take care of her despite the fact that he's the child. While maybe appearing to be the typical "dumb jock" type that enjoys participating in boxing and a few other sports on occasion, Vik actually enjoys learning new things through reading or watching documentaries when he can find the time to. Being raised as a Hindu, he is spiritual and refers to his abilities as a "gift" that he received for a divine purpose. Also while he no longer considers himself Hindu in the practicing sense, Vik does still have immense appreciation, respect as well as a fair amount of knowledge on the religion due to his upbringing. While he can occasionally be a jovial individual who has no problem joking around with people, he takes his work as a hero seriously as people's lives are on the line.

Because of how serious he usually is in the field, he tends to get annoyed with other heroes who constantly make quips and jokes rather than focusing on the task at hand. One major negative trait that Vik displays frequently is that he is short-tempered which can occur anytime from when someone he cares for is under attack, or simply when dealing with individuals he considers aggravating. This has even caused him to be at odds with his own teammates which as one would expect, can create problems working together in the field. His anger can become an issue during his time as Mantle as well such as when he'll seem to gain tunnel vision on a single opponent, while possibly ignoring others around him. Further contributing to his anger issues, one thing Vik hates immensely is having to run away from a fight. Having the "heart of a warrior" as some might say, fleeing from conflict bothers him to the point where he has been overwhelmed by particularly challenging enemies rather than accepting he's outmatched and retreating. However, he does earnestly try to keep his anger in check and even meditates to help calm his mind and relax when he can.

POWERS AND SKILLS

Solid Matter Absorption - Vik is able to physically absorb the properties of certain solid materials which can then be replicated on himself. Originally, it was a completely external layer that would coat his skin, nails and hair in the substance he duplicates. But after his abilities were enhanced, his skin, nails, hair, eyes, skeletal muscles, and some cartilage all actually transform into the material he's absorbed. This allows him to mimic that material's traits such as making him tougher to harm when absorbing stone, strong enough to lift heavy objects when he duplicates steel, greatly resistant to electricity from rubber due to its non-conductivity, and so on. His strength level also varies depending on the substance he fully coats himself in. Some examples being concrete allowing him to lift approximately 16,000 lbs (8 tons), hardened steel about 19,000 lbs (9.5 tons), and extremely durable materials like diamond allowing him to lift his maximum of around 24,000 lbs (12 tons). The enhanced strength he gains by transforming part of himself in a certain material also extends to his legs, which typically allows him to jump around 10 feet.
Mantle's ability to absorb the properties of solid matter requires contact with his skin but isn't limited to his fingers or palms, which naturally is how he tends to use them. He is also able to only make part of his body transform if he wishes which he generally uses on his hands or arms if he simply wants to increase his punching strength and defensive capabilities, or if he doesn't have access to enough of a substance. He's even able to alter himself with more than one material if he chooses, which causes both materials to blend together. Although his weight does increase with the total amount varying depending on what properties he's mimicked, the external layer itself always remains flexible and non-restrictive so it doesn't seem to impede his movement. Minor injuries sustained when in his altered state, such as if pieces of his stone flesh are chipped away, heals when he chooses to transform back into his normal form.

Metahuman Physiology - Mantle's body is naturally enhanced to a greater level than that of a regular human even without transforming his external body parts, and has seemed to increase as he matures over time. His skin, bones and muscles are all denser than usual and due to this, he is able to withstand impacts that could be lethal to normal human beings. This also provides additional protection to his internal biology when his external form is altered, such as when he falls from a great height. The denser bones and musculature also enables him to to jump farther and higher without sustaining bodily damage that might normally occur to a typical human. In addition to his enhanced durability, his base strength also seems to be greater than a normal human being his height, weight, build and age too.
While previously being able to lift around 300-500 lbs maximum during the earlier pubescent phase of his life, he now has the capability to comfortably lift around 600 lbs and up to 1000 lbs (half a ton) with tremendous effort. His endurance and stamina also seems to be greater than the average human, which gives him an edge over many opponents since he can generally hold out in a fight for a longer period of time in comparison. He is typically able to exert himself for roughly an hour before needing to rest and can run at speeds rivalling sprinters at approximately 22 mph. He seems to be able to heal at a faster than average rate as well, with bruises and cuts recovering in less time than one would normally expect. This unique physiology along with his typical workout routine ultimately means he should not be underestimated even absent a material transformation enhancing himself.

Amateur Boxer - Due to his keen interest and frequent training, Vik is a capable fighter who uses his years of boxing experience in combination with his abilities to best many of his opponents in combat. He is capable of throwing a punch at a speed of approximately 25 mph and with the force of at least 1,000 to 1,500 pounds psi (per square inch) when in his normal form. The amount of force behind his punch increases even further depending on the material he absorbs as well. Also since his "armour" doesn't negatively affect his speed or reflexes, he's able to use his learned boxing techniques to the fullest. An important note is that Mantle has also learned how to properly pull his punches so as not to seriously harm those he fights whether in the ring, or in the field.

Bilingual - Vik is fluent in both English and Hindi but being raised in America, he tends to mainly speak English. He also speaks with mostly an American accent when he is speaking English, with a slight Indian accent coming out at times that he doesn't notice. When he speaks Hindi however, his Indian accent is very much prevalent and makes him sound indistinguishable from other Hindi speakers born in India. Although he is technically able to understand and speak some Marathi thanks to his mother Anusha who is fluent in the language, he is only able to properly converse in Hindi and English and would generally struggle to follow along with conversations spoken in Marahti.

WEAKNESSES

Power Limitations - Mantle is unable to completely transform himself externally with a material if the object he attempts to absorb the properties of is too small. This means that he couldn't use a quarter to transform himself completely into metal, and instead only his hand would be altered. When he does attempt to absorb something small to "mantle up" completely, he not only finds himself unable to do so, but he also starts to feel immense discomfort which he describes as akin to holding your breath for too long, which eventually leads to severe lightheadedness. So far he only seems able to fully transform himself externally with substances in medium to larger sizes ranging from street signs to brick walls, but this may also depend on the material he's attempting to absorb. The exact reason for why this occurs or if he'll ever overcome this limitation is currently unknown. Vik's abilities are limited to only some crystalline solids such as network covalent solids (granite, diamonds, etc.) and metallic solids (bronze, steel, etc.) as well as amorphous solids like glass, rubber, plastic and wood. He can not absorb molecular solids like ice, sulfur or sugar, nor ionic solids like table salt. Another important note is that he can only mimic the properties of a material through physical contact with his skin, and is therefore vulnerable if suspended in the air or if he is obstructed by a thin material he can't absorb. Being rendered unconscious while in an altered form also causes him to automatically revert back to normal.

Material Vulnerability - Although certain materials can give him many positive attributes, he can also acquire traits that can cause problems for himself. For example, while using his powers on steel will generally make him very tough to harm, it also makes him vulnerable to electricity because of it's electrical conductivity. Conversely, absorbing rubber will make him far more resilient to electricity because of it being an insulator, but more vulnerable to other means of attack because of how comparatively soft it is to steel. This means that Mantle must always be careful with what materials he absorbs depending on the situation he's dealing with, as being too careless could cost him dearly. Also because the absorbed substance acts as more like an outer "shell" over his internal organs and skeleton, enough damage can still cause trauma to his still normal internal biological structure. This means he's still capable of feeling pain, breaking bones, and being knocked out cold if struck with enough force.

Still Human - While he is certainly more durable than a regular person, Vik is still vulnerable to the various dangers any human is susceptible to including extreme heat and cold, toxins and diseases, and also external attacks by blades, bullets, and blunt force trauma. It should also be noted that he still needs to breathe even when partially transformed into a substance, and is therefore susceptible to oxygen deprivation, smoke inhalation, and drowning.

GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

Newer Mantle Suit - After joining the super team known as The Adventurers, Mantle was given a newer suit that is even more durable than the previous one. Featuring the same colour scheme as the first suit, the second suit consists of a sleeveless shirt, tight-fitting pants, a segmented belt, elbow and knee pads, combat boots, and fingerless gloves with reinforced knuckle guards to increase his already impressive punching strength. It is made of a fire-resistant Nomex and triple-weave Kevlar-lined material which can resist heat up to 370 degrees Celsius (700 degrees Fahrenheit) and has also been insulated for additional protection against electricity. It also features tinted shatterproof fog and fire retardant goggles that both hide his identity, and provide additional protection to his face.

Composite Material Bracer - This bracer was given to Vik by his genius teammate Stinger and is a combination of some of the most durable materials found on Earth including steel, tungsten, diamond and chromium. It is worn on Mantle's left wrist and hidden under his glove to be used in case of an emergency where he requires a durable material to absorb. Because of the relatively small size of the bracer, when absorbed it is only able to convert the entirety of the hero's left arm.

Metal Pendant - On his 18th birthday, Mantle was gifted a necklace featuring a tungsten carbide pendant by his mother Anusha after she learned of his interest in metals. He now wears the necklace all the time when out of costume not only because of it being a gift from his mother, but also due to the fact that a strong metal can easily come in handy in certain situations where he quickly needs something durable to absorb. The small size of the pendant does mean only his hand and part of his forearm are transformed when absorbed by holding it however.

Adventurers Communication Device - A small but advanced piece of equipment that fits comfortably in the user's ear and allows them to communicate with others on the same frequency. It was given to Mantle after he joined the Adventurers so he could stay in contact with the rest of the team.

Original Mantle Suit - As a newer hero, Vik formerly wore a suit that was primarily purple and black with white accents. He acquired the more durable vest of this suit from an illegal arms dealer whose operation he put a stop to on one of his first outings as a hero in West Side, in order to help him going forward. It appears to mainly be a more durable Kevlar variant which can stop knives and bullets depending on the caliber. The rest of his outfit was made with whatever durable materials he could get his hands on which he ordered online. This was later replaced with the second and current Mantle suit after he joined the Adventurers.

Vigilante Clothes - After he decided to use his abilities to help others and fight crime, Vik assembled a makeshift costume made of any extra clothing he had lying around including a sleeveless hoodie, old jeans, spare sneakers and a handkerchief he'd wear around his face to hide his identity. He later stopped wearing makeshift outfits and acquired a stronger suit after repeatedly finding his clothing getting ripped from taking constant damage.

OPINIONS

PUBLIC

Since Mantle started his heroic career only a few years ago, he is not that well known by the public at large. That said, the people who do know of him as either a solo hero or member of the Adventurers super team tend to be thankful for his support and seem to have a level of respect for the young man. After footage of an incident taking place during a political rally was released where he as well as some of his Adventurers teammates appeared to exhibit reckless behaviour resulting in some injured civilians, Mantle did find that at least some people he later tried to assist were either fearful of him or refused his help outright in anger. He has since been trying to restore his reputation as a decent hero, and has seemingly done so for the most part. Criminals know him to be something of a roughneck and while they may not necessarily be fearful of him, some that know of him would likely hope to never meet him face to face.

HEROES

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CHARACTER FACTS

• One common definition of the term mantle means a covering of a specified sort and is used as a codename by Vik in reference to the fact that he can transform himself externally into a duplicated solid material that covers the internal parts of him which remain normal.
• Previously, Mantle was able to only coat himself in a purely external layer of a duplicated material. However after a major mission undertaken by the Adventurers, his powers have changed to where his skin, hair, eyes, skeletal muscles, and the some cartilage actually transform into a living facsimile of the material he's absorbed.
• It's possible that Vik was unharmed during the car accident that killed his father and injured his mother because of his metahuman physiology.
• While he is the only person with abilities in his family that he knows of, he does have a paternal ancestor named Kabir Mangeshkar that was a yogi and supposedly a mystic with supernatural powers. This has yet to be confirmed however and may have simply been a rumour.
• Has a large family which includes five uncles, five aunts, and ten cousins.
• Exercises often, usually every other day in between working at his security job and going on patrol as a hero.
• Has also been boxing since he was thirteen years old and practices it on a regular basis. His current weight class is cruiserweight (junior heavyweight).
• He was given the nickname "Mumbai Mauler" at the gym where he participates in boxing.
• In the five years he's been amateur boxing, Vik has had 46 Fights with 35 Wins, 11 Losses, and 0 Draws, as of April 2024.
• 26 of his wins were by knockout, while 9 were won by judge decision. (17 TKO and 9 KO)
• Vik has a habit of only really swearing in Hindi which he picked up from his mother, much to her chagrin.
• Perhaps ironically given his abilities and "tough guy" nature, Mantle seems to have a mild to moderate fear of needles which causes him to get anxious when he needs a medical procedure involving them.
• While his late father Rama was an avid cricket fan, Vik doesn't seem to care for or understand the sport.
• The last photograph of Vik's father Rama Patil was taken not long after he found work with the Millennium Cab Co.
• Prior to obtaining the composite material bracer, Mantle would carry some loose change in his pocket that he could use his abilities on should there be some type of emergency.
• He was named after his late paternal grandfather who died from liver disease while Vik was still just a baby.
• Even though he is a fluent Hindi speaker, Vik was never really taught how to properly write in Hindi after moving to America and even has some difficulties reading it these days.
• After joining the team known as the Adventurers, Mantle revealed his identity as Vikram Patil to the group after many did the same for him.
• The first "supervillain" he fought as Mantle (the power armoured beetle-themed Dynas) initially managed to overpower him and escape the bank he was attempting to rob, albeit empty handed. They would later encounter a second time with Vik and his ally besting the armoured criminal.
• A short time after his 18th birthday, he quit his job as a part-time janitor and took the steps necessary to become an unarmed security guard.
• Graduated from Westside High in early June of 2023, then began to focus more on his job and "hero work".
• In January of 2024, two years since he discovered his abilities and became a hero, Vik finally confided in his mother Anusha about being Mantle.

GALLERY