Difference between revisions of "Bohdan"

Description

A stout, monstrous looking humanoid with an immensely powerful and muscular physique, whose babewyn-like face shows signs of intelligence and human empathy. His voice is well modulated and somewhat gravelly. Though his exact origins are unknown, it has been ascertained that Bohdan has experienced over three hundred years of human history. His earliest memories involve being valet to a small royal family residing deep within the Tatras of the Carpathian Mountains. A castle residence with a well kept library, he would often seek intellectual gratification by studying the documents available to him. With the continuing development of modern society, Bohdan eventually came to realize how isolated he was, and decided to leave his centuries-old home in search of further knowledge.

Traveling across Europe, Bohdan was eventually made aware of Millennium City, and the unique attributes that make it the futuristic, secularized and heterogeneous society it is. Due to the degree of acceptance he encountered in regards to his looks and abilities, he decided to reside in the city. After undergoing psychological evaluation to determine his sociological fitness and mental stability, and after registering under ASPRA, he has been authorized by PRIMUS to live in and fight crime in Millennium City.

Appearance

Squat and muscular are two very accurate words to describe Bohdan's physique. Just under the average human height, Bohdan is as wide as he is tall, and has some shape shifting abilities: these allow him to change his smooth, completely hairless skin into a rough, armored hide, and sprout wings that enable flight. These wings are completely retractable, and are absorbed into his skin when not in use. His head bears a monstrous visage, and is very similar in shape to some 17th century Grotesques, as found in architecture from that period. He has a gaunt facial structure, his skull shape somewhat defined due to his low body fat, and his face possesses several creature-like features: a short snout, a large mouth with sharp teeth and prominent fangs, large open and pointed ears, and small coal-black eyes under a skeletally defined brow.

The rest of his bodily features include proportionally large four-fingered hands, and three-toed feet, both possessing claws which are usually kept in a long, dulled fashion. He possesses a three-foot long tail, ending with a spade-shaped tip. His wings (when present) are large enough to enable sustained gliding with some efficiently, but are primarily meant to create lift, and are thick and muscular to provide the force necessary in lifting his immense weight. Physiologically, Bohdan's low body-fat combined with alien genetics have given him an extremely dense body, more so than a human would be of similar size and shape.

His attire ranges from medieval peasant attire to technologically advanced combat armor, but he is most often seen in casual clothes, either social wear as simple as jeans and a t-shirt or more formal wear such as dress clothes or a lab coat. Frequently when flying he will wear no upper body attire at all, to give his wings maximum range of motion.

Powers, Abilities and Skills

Mentalist Powers

A power inherent to his species is the ability to manipulate matter and energy in close proximity; in such a way to produce seemingly physical constructs. Naturally, Bohdan is able to produce "objects" that are very small in scale, and nearly invisible to the eye: these created constructs are generally invisible to the eye. Through the use of advanced nanotechnology that interacts with and amplifies the metaphysical energies within his brain, Bohdan's ability to fabricate physical objects is intensified, and he can even manipulate energy beyond his physical range. This allows him to project telekinetic forces, as well as wield telekinetic weaponry in combat. In non-combat scenarios, he is able to use his powers to create small objects often used as tools. The smaller the object, the less energy and atoms are manipulated, and the less effort it takes for Bohdan to maintain control of the fabricated construct. Due to these mentalist abilities and discipline, he has an exceptionally strong will, and is able to resist offensive psionic powers used against him.

Physical Abilities

Being monstrously proportioned, Bohdan's physical strength is exceptional, and he is easily capable of defending himself even without his mentalist powers. Though his strength is not meta-physical, his short limbs, dense musculature and martial training allows him to lift objects over four times his own weight. His physiology is further made unique by his ability to alter or morph his body; however, due to not being raised by parents of his own alien species, this ability has been diminished to forming wings and modifying the density of his epidermis. The latter grants him greater than normal durability, as he can transform his normally smooth and somewhat leathery skin into a tough, armor-like hide. These two transformations generally occur together at the same time.

Further physical abilities include being faster than a normal human when moving on foot, and his mentalist powers give him a very minor degree of precognition based on his local environment, granting him a nearly instant reaction speed. His reflexes are greater than normal and his agility is ranked at a gymnastic level due to physical training.

Skills and Training

Bohdan was trained in the martial techniques of sword fighting as developed by European and some Asian cultures, taught to him by trained and experienced soldiers during his relative youth. During this time he also developed an interest in expanding his intellectual capacity by studying and maintaining a library, obtaining works and literature across all subjects and genres. Eventually discovering a particular interest in the natural sciences, Bohdan followed the subject for centuries, watching and learning as it developed and discovered more about the natural world. In this modern age, he has taken a particular interest in the fields of medicine, metaphysical sciences and nanotechnology. His intelligence quotient is significantly higher than the average individual, scored at a near-genius level, though this is mainly due to his exceptionally rational, skeptical and philosophical understanding of the world around him.

History

17th Century (1600s - 1700 CE)

Bohdan was discovered sometime between the 17th and 18th centuries (1650―1750 CE) by common folk residing within the Tatras region of the Carpathian Mountains. The small feudal society came across Bohdan one night in an event that, according to historical records kept at the time and later recovered (upon which this information is based), was described as "a bright star from heaven crashing upon man's domain". This description suggests a small pod-like space craft that had been either accidentally or deliberately directed for Earth, had crash landed, and the peasants had discovered Bohdan inside. Bohdan himself is described as being similar to a human in looks, but unable to control his morphing abilities, perhaps due to impact trauma. He is written that he had a magical aura, changing faces with each person he saw, before being bundled in cloth and taken to Zámok Kameň-krídlo; translation, "Castle Stonewing." Fatefully while outside the castle door, Bohdan seems to have pried loose the cloth binding him and laid eyes on a Grotesque mounted somewhere on the castle walls, resulting in him adopting his visage to that as well. Though initially repelled at the sudden statue come to life, the castle's inhabitants seemed to take Bohdan simply for a fear of rejecting what they considered "a sending from God."

Thus was Bohdan given his name, meaning "Given by God" in Slavic. Though still able to change forms, he found fewer shapes to change to, as the number of people let to see him was vastly reduced while in the castle. It is attributed to a natural defense mechanism that he began cycling through the shapes he had acquired upon arriving, and found the monstrous features of the Grotesque to be the most repelling to his human observers, combined with adopting a more intimidating physical form. Though the priest of the castle began demanding the creature be slain―that it was just as likely a demon come to curse their house as an angel sent to guard them―the lord of the estate saw differently: though a religious man, he was also superstitious, and well versed in more nomadic mythologies. To the feudal lord, it seemed that Bohdan's grotesque-nature might indeed be an able guard against both supernatural threats, and ones of a more physical nature. As such, he instructed there be no harm done to Bohdan, but that he instead be raised in a manner that would lend him respect to the castle lord's family.

Several years passed as the orders were strictly adhered to, and Bohdan grew from infancy into a more preadolescent stage of development. At this stage, the lord of the estate began to take a more active interest in Bohdan, and ordered that he be raised in the same way as one of his own sons. Though an extraordinary request by social standards at the time, it was recognized that Bohdan's very existence was an extraordinary circumstance, and that more formal schooling would improve Bohdan's relation with the castle family. The feudal lord's theory was proven true, as Bohdan entered adolescence with a very strong connection to those who provided his basic needs. At this point, the castle lord began to participate in Bohdan's upbringing, visiting him once a week in order to develop a closer relationship with the monstrous humanoid as he shared concepts of duty, loyalty and honor. He further began to shape Bohdan by exploiting the alien's ability to change shape as best as possible, producing a stronger looking, more intimidating figure.

As Bohdan became self aware and discovered he had his own interests and curiosities, he was granted permission to travel outside the few rooms he had called his home for over the past decade, and began meeting others. In more formal attire, he was better received by the estate's other inhabitants, and began to gain further knowledge in many areas as people shared their experiences and wisdom with him. He was further encouraged directly by the castle lord, to take up swordsmanship, and learn the more mundane arts of combat so that he might be the legendary protector of their estate. Bohdan did so, and several years passed as he improved in his fighting abilities, capitalizing on his gargantuan―though still of average height―form. By this time, Bohdan had developed an acquaintanceship with other members of the feudal lord's family, though he in no way had any personal friends to rely upon. After several more years passed, the castle lord was eventually stricken by illness, and his son inherited the throne following the older man's death.

The son was more philosophical in his approach to life, but was also hesitant to take on any responsibilities in dealing with Bohdan. Thus was the alien burden given to the castle's resident scholar, who eventually realized Bohdan's subservient nature to be very helpful in maintaining a library. The two struck a friendship several years later, when Bohdan began reading many of the books within the archive, and it was requested of the new castle lord that many books be purchased from traveling merchants that might visit the estate. The appeal was positively addressed, and as time went by, the library began to grow significantly larger. Bohdan's help became absolutely necessary to the scholar as the human grew older, and Bohdan's alien form remained active and healthy. When the scholar eventually passed away, the library was left in Bohdan's care until a new one could be found.

Bohdan found himself in a position of mingled freedom and responsibilities: he was accepted as resident steward of the castle's archive, while at the same time beginning to realize that he was incredibly unguarded. Inspired by sudden realization of the freedom he possessed, he began to practice forming wings and concealing them while performing his other duties, and eventually he began to take midnight flights around the castle. As he improved, he further continued his academic studies, and began to learn more about the philosophies of the times, as well as advances in technology in the far off lands. He also discovered his geographic location, and was in awe at the scale of the world in which he lived, having always been confined to the castle. Without the guidance of the old castle lord, he began to think for himself, and began to develop core thinking skills including rationalism and skepticism. He pondered the supernatural, and determined that he was no more metaphysical than any other human; up until his abilities further developed.

18th Century (1701 - 1800 CE)

As his mind became more open, and his training less based on what the castle inhabitants believed in, he began to let himself experience sensations he had not been exposed to. He began to develop Mentalist powers, natural to his alien species: however, due to not being raised by his own kind and thus never having been made aware of them, these late blooming powers manifested with significantly less capability than they might have, had he been raised in his natural environment by his own species. Nevertheless, as years of training went by, he eventually was able to control this power and fabricate small objects that were capable of interacting with physical matter.

19th Century (1801 - 1900 CE)

Time was a concept that meant little to Bohdan. His natural development was slower than a human's, but his life span was (and still is) incalculable. Generation after generation went by, and though the village and estate grew somewhat in size, the isolated location meant it saw little change or development. Centuries went by, but Bohdan was always kept up-to-date with the scientific advances of the age, by acquiring manuscripts, boots and pamphlets carried by traveling merchants visiting from such places as Italy, Britain, Germany and France. Untouched by war and strife, he learned more about the human condition by reading the news regarding such significant moments in history as they occurred. He felt the time drew near that he might leave his castle home in order to better understand the world around him, and to visit the places where he found great intrigue: he had developed a keen interest in scientific matters, and after the scientific revolution, and the swift rise of the industrial age, he wanted to witness first-hand these important changes in history.

20th Century (1901 - 2000 CE)

As the 20th century progressed, life was as it very much had always been for Bohdan. The castle, its estate and the nearby village were preserved and living monuments to the Feudal Age, but it was destined to clash with the sudden onslaught of the industrial era as World War II spread across Europe. Though geographically out of the way and isolated within the mountains, he was made keenly aware of the presence of technology, as mobilized forces traveled through the mountain passes he often flew over during his midnight ventures. For several years, he resided in the mountains on his own, away from the castle estate, as he knew what the results might be if his existence were revealed as being true to anyone of the modern world. Eventually the war came to a close, and he made his decision to travel West.

His introduction to the modern world was surprisingly easy. Already there were rumors surfacing about an unknown cosmic event— a kind of singularity that had occurred, granting certain individuals extraordinary powers and bizarre appearances. Books were already being written about such things, and Bohdan was mostly aware of their existence due to his own research. Therefore, after traveling for many weeks across the European continent all the way to the British Isles, the nature of his existence was not entirely shocking to the English scientist he made himself known to. Dr. Warwick Burkewood, a theoretical physicist residing in Edinburgh, found Bohdan something of a kindred spirit: both had keen aspirations to studying science, and Bohdan's metaphysical mentalist abilities in particular gave Burkewood a whole new purpose in studying theoretical physics.

21st Century (2001 CE - Present)

The two science-minded scholars learned from each other for many years, until the Battle of Detroit occurred and its consequences were felt world wide. The existence of superheroes could now in no way be denied, and it put the newly established Millennium City on the map as a place of advanced super-science and learning, as well as a place where those not entirely human might be more accepted. Bohdan bid farewell to his friend Dr. Burkewood, and again found himself traveling westward, this time to the futuristic metropolis that he might call home. Upon arriving he made immediate contact with PRIMUS and was evaluated for the purpose of being cleared to integrate with society. Passing all stages of his evaluation, he further registered under ASPRA (American Superhuman and Paranormal Registration Act), and declared his intention to help humanity through scientific research and helping citizens directly by combating crime with his unique abilities. He has since become recognized as a Physician (doctor of internal medicine), a resident Metaphysical Physicist at the Millennium City University and more recently an Applied Nanotechnological Neurology Specialist.