Gold Rush
HISTORYPERSONALITYPOWERS AND SKILLSWEAKNESSESGEAR AND EQUIPMENT
RELATIONSHIPSOPINIONSCHARACTER FACTSGALLERYREAL LIFE TRIVIA/STORIES
(Former) Vigilante Outfit - Gold Rush Suit 1.0 - Gold Rush Suit 2.0 - Gold Rush Suit 3.0 - Scuba Gear - Stealth Suit
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.
History
Danny's father became cold and distant with him as the days went on, but it wasn't the only relationship that became strained. The growing tension between Rodney and Kathy that had been around for years grew progressively worse until one day when Danny was 12, he returned home from school and found his father packing the last of his things in a moving van. Danny asked his father where he was going and when he was coming back, but all his father said to him was "Goodbye, kid." before he drove off. Asking his mother what was happening, she only told a deeply confused Danny that it was just going to be them from now on. That would be the last time he ever heard from his father. Kathy would do her best to provide for Danny in the years that followed, but she never seemed to be invested in his personal life. Their relationship went from parent and child, to feeling more like strangers that happened to be roommates from Danny's perspective. This would cause him to bottle up his emotions and withdraw even further from experiencing life fully.
After he graduated from high school, Danny got a job as a professional mover for a small company in order to save up money and also began looking around for apartments. A few months later and shortly after turning 18, he left his childhood home and moved to downtown Hamilton in an inexpensive apartment. Life for Danny continued to be bleak and mediocre as he simply spent his days going to work or being at home by himself, all the while still struggling with his depression. This dismal cycle would go on for several years until one day in 2019 while looking online for any new treatments for Major depressive disorder, he came across a recently posted ad asking for volunteers to test a cutting edge drug that could allegedly cure a myriad of psychological ailments including depression. At first Danny was suspicious that any single drug was capable of curing something as complex as depression among other things but after noticing that the testing was being conducted in Burlington, he decided that any chance to better his life was worth taking. He contacted whoever posted the ad and to his surprise, he was quickly met with a response which gave him a time and address.
Arriving at the destination later that day, he found a small and unimpressive looking building with seemingly no activity.
Cautiously approaching the entrance, he started having second thoughts and considered leaving until he was greeted by a thin man in a lab coat. The gaunt looking individual welcomed Danny and asked him to come in, which he nervously did. As Danny walked in and looked around, he noticed the space to be in disrepair but also saw various computers and lab equipment. However, there were strangely no other medical personnel or volunteers which perplexed Danny. When he asked where everyone else was, the man responded that too many people would only get in the way and that having one person at a time would allow him to focus his efforts for greater results. Danny didn't know if that was true but figured since he made it this far, he might as well go through with it. In his mind, life couldn't possibly get any worse for him.
The man went over to a table with various materials on it and quickly grabbed a small plastic container before walking up to Danny and handing it to him. As Danny peered inside the container, he found only a single gold coloured pill which confused him somewhat. He asked the man if that was all he needed to take and the man grinned and said to him "That's all that is required of you, my friend." before nodding to him. Danny became slightly apprehensive but being as desperate as he was to have a better quality of life, he took a deep breath and swallowed the pill. Nothing happened to Danny initially and he wondered how soon he would notice a change in his thoughts and feelings but just before he could ask the man what the next step was, his heart began to beat quickly and his body began to shake. Collapsing to the floor and continuing to convulse, he tried to scream for help but found he couldn't. The man didn't seem to react to what was happening and simply stood and stared coldly while Danny's vision began to blur until he eventually passed out.
Sometime later, he briefly awoke in the back of an ambulance to a paramedic used defibrillators on him. Danny felt a surge of energy rush through his entire body that was followed by sudden numbness, before passing out once more. He regained consciousness in the hospital a day later both scared and confused about the ordeal he just experienced. The doctor explained that Danny appeared to suffer from a form of tachycardia while going for a walk, but that he seemed perfectly fine now. They suggested that he stay for further observation and tests but Danny still being in a daze, refused and promptly called a taxi to return home. After getting back to his apartment in Hamilton, he began to sit and wonder if he should contact the police about his horrific experience. While thinking however, he became distracted as he noticed an odd change with himself.
The general aches he felt in his body from work were gone and his muscles appeared more defined than before. Wanting to clear his head, he decided to go for a walk to the store several blocks away to pick up a few things. Incredibly, he was able to get to his destination far quicker than usual as he was somehow able to move inhumanly fast. Danny was puzzled by this discovery so he decided to go back home to collect his thoughts, and once again managed to accomplish this by moving faster than normal. His mind began racing as he sat in his apartment thinking over everything that happened to him over the last few days. After several minutes pondering everything that had occurred, he concluded that by some twist of fate, the drug he took which was supposed to improve him psychologically instead managed to improve him physically to the point where he could move at incredible speeds. For the first time in a long while, Danny Chase was both happy and excited about the future.
Right now however, what he wanted were answers about the circumstances surrounding this miraculous transformation. Searching online, he couldn't locate any trace of the mysterious ad he answered just one day prior. Not wanting to give up, he traveled back to the place where he met the strange man and received the golden pill to get an explanation about his current situation. But to his shock, Danny found that the building was completely empty and there didn't seem to be any evidence of someone setting up a lab there. Returning home in a state of bewilderment once more, he pondered what his next move should be if he couldn't get the answers he wanted from the person that did this to him. It didn't take long for him to decide that since he was now given these abilities, regardless of how or why, he should use them to try and do some good for society like his personal hero Thundrax. He smiled and realized that now he could finally make a positive difference in the world, find a meaningful purpose for himself, and stop "running in circles" like he's been doing for the majority of his life. It was time to start moving forward.
For the next few weeks, Danny began to practice his abilities in his spare time. He learned how to properly use his tremendous speed and agility both offensively and defensively, and constantly pushed himself to move even faster so he could be as successful in his goal as possible. He also found that his physique changed over time to where the once out of shape young man, was now toned like an athlete. After three weeks of constant training, Danny decided that he was ready to use his talents to fight crime and help people. Throwing together a makeshift outfit from what he had lying around in order to hide his identity, he stopped his first crime in the form of an armed robbery at a convenience store on June 2nd, 2019. There was now a new hero on the streets. Danny would continue doing what he was able to do in the city and two weeks after going into the field, he created a new more "heroic" suit from materials he ordered online and took the pseudonym Gold Rush. Now the goal for him was taking shape even more.
As Gold Rush, he tried to use his abilities to help as many people as possible. This put him in conflict with gangs, thieves, dealers, and even killers and while he was afraid of being in the crosshairs of criminals, the satisfaction of doing good by helping those that needed it along with the excitement of stopping these crimes allowed him to keep going on and eventually get better at what he did. He continued doing various deeds and services to make society that much safer for two months, until he began to feel like he could be doing more to help out. Seeing that the crimes committed in Hamilton were ones that law enforcement could deal with on their own, he made the big decision to relocate to Millennium City, Michigan where the crimes were more serious and the criminals more intimidating. Danny made all the necessary preparations to move to the United States as well as considering that it was a worthwhile decision to make overall and on August 1st, 2019, he was now a resident of Millennium City.
Feeling like a little fish in a big pond, M.C. proved to be a major change for Danny. There was a greater number of heroes that resided there compared to Hamilton, and most of them were far more experienced or powerful than him. This was a somewhat daunting experience, since he started to feel like he could never measure up to the likes of his idol Thundrax, The Champions or any of the many other crime fighters that called Millennium City their home. Another intimidating aspect of this move was that the enemies were far more dangerous than what he initially expected. While he was only used to facing common criminals back home, he now had to deal with the likes of super villains, robots, aliens and even demons, which he was of course ill-prepared to handle at that time. All of these factors caused immense apprehension in Danny, and he considered returning to Hamilton where he had more confidence in his own abilities. But he has earnestly tried to overcome these fears and doubts and even though they still remain on his mind, Gold Rush isn't going to run away from this.
Personality
Typically shy and withdrawn, Danny has only recently started to come out of his shell. For most of his life he never had any friends but seemingly ever since he acquired his abilities, he has received a boost in courage and poise that has allowed him to find like-minded allies as well as make friends. Danny's main drive in life is to try and aid as many people as possible, and he has demonstrated a willingness to make personal sacrifices to achieve that goal. This drive has been with him since he was young, but he's always found it challenging to carry out that desire due to his repetitive thoughts and feelings of despair. With his new abilities, he finally sees himself as being capable enough to help people in ways he never could have imagined.
However throughout his life, he has also dealt with depression that has caused many difficulties day-to-day including a severe lack of confidence in what he can do. While he has been described as friendly, caring, and even charming by some, he struggles to see any positives in himself as his prevailing doubts and insecurities prevent him from being able to appreciate who he is and what he does. His depression seems to be constant, but fluctuates to different degrees. Some days he is able to socialize and joke around with people while having no visible signs of unease, while other days he finds it a challenge to leave his home and his demeanor makes him seem joyless and hopeless.
But one of Danny's greatest strengths he's exhibited, is his desire to never completely give up on himself. He has on many occasions been a positive voice to his friends and even complete strangers, and has shown a great optimism at times that's in sharp contrast to his generally perceived pessimism. It may be that positivity along with his desire to assist others, that makes him liked by his friends and allies. The knowledge that there are those who are tremendously thankful to him for the good deeds he tries to accomplish provide more motivation to continue on, even though his cynicism does get the best of him at times. Although Danny doesn't really see himself as a true hero, he has no doubt demonstrated an ambition and even a devotion to try and help out as many as he can, as often as he can.
Powers and Skills
Speedster Physiology - As a result of the experimental drug he took, Danny's entire body was physically altered. His stamina has been increased to the point where he is able to stay active and alert for almost 24 hours straight, and use his abilities for at least several hours before needing to rest. He possesses highly durable bones and tendons that act as shock absorbers while he runs, has the upper body strength to lift roughly twice his body weight (about 320 lbs) while his leg muscles are strong enough to allow him to leg press approximately 1 ton and enable him to leap great heights. His basal metabolic rate (BMR) is around ten times faster than that of a normal human being, which means his body requires a higher calorie intake than the average person. Because of his accelerated metabolism, he seemingly has an immunity to the effects of alcohol and various drugs as they burn too quickly in his body to have any effect.
Gold Rush is able to heal at an astounding rate, with injuries usually healing fully anywhere from a few hours to a few days (or less) depending on the severity. His body is also largely immune to the effects of dizziness and vertigo, and he is more agile with a greater sense of balance. Danny's brain can process information at a greater than average speed, allowing him to perceive the world differently. His rapid thought process also gives him some resistance to telepaths, as they may find it difficult to "read" his mind. His reflexes are also far superior than that of a professional athlete due to his quick reaction time.
There seems to be a protective field of sorts (possibly made of kinetic energy) that he generates when he moves at tremendous speeds. This greatly reduces most physical trauma he may endure from friction, and hitting as well as charging into a strong physical object or being. It is also able to surround anything he makes close physical contact with which protects items and people he may hold onto, thus keeping them safe and unharmed as they travel at a high velocity. This same field may also be what reduces the amount of damage that could be done to the environment around him such as preventing a sonic boom whenever he breaks the sound barrier. It should be noted however that this protective field is only generated while moving superhumanly fast, generally while he runs but also when he vibrates his arm to deliver a powerful punch.
Superhuman Speed - Gold Rush is capable of running at incredible speeds, far exceeding that of the fastest human sprinter. His average speed is typically around 180-200 mph but with maximum effort, he is now capable of running at around Mach 4.8 (approximately 3683 mph) or over four times the speed of sound. He is able to maintain supersonic speed for a few minutes before needing to rest and replenish his energy. His tremendous speed allows him to run on water, move quickly enough that he can barely be seen by the naked eye, and even dodge or catch bullets out of the air. While running at high speeds, Danny is still able to easily maneuver around without causing any complications due to his remarkable reaction time. Therefore, he's able to turn on a dime without having to reduce his speed as well as stop suddenly if he needs to. Using his speed he is able to also create hyperkinetic vibrations that can shatter tempered glass, as well as cause moderate to severe damage to other objects. He can also throw projectiles at extremely high speeds, which can be capable of causing harm to those with enhanced durability.
Gold is able to throw a barrage of punches in rapid succession and by building enough momentum, is able to hit with devastating strength which has been shown to be able to injure beings far stronger than himself. A similar effect has been demonstrated by him while standing still, as he is able to build enough kinetic energy to strike with immense force. It's possible that over time his maximum running speed will increase beyond Mach 4.8, as his initial top speed right after gaining his abilities was only around Mach 0.09 or roughly 70 mph.
Novice Scout - As Danny is able to move at superhuman speeds fast enough to avoid detection as well as cover much ground quickly, he typically tries to scout ahead depending on the circumstance. On those occasions he works with others, he is often employed to do this before the rest of the group moves in. This has been met with some annoyance by him however, as he generally (and perhaps understandingly given his power set) wants to move in and out of a situation in as little time as possible.
Diplomatic - While he is capable of holding his own in a fight, he often tries to avoid this when feasible and prefers to be tactful instead. This has sometimes been shown both when in the field, and in his everyday life with mixed results. He has also demonstrated an ability to calm a tense occurrence between others and prevent it from escalating into violence.
Weaknesses
Depression - Danny suffers from lifelong clinical depression which can cause him to question and even outright lose his motivation for doing everything from fighting crime, to just getting out of bed in the morning. While perhaps not as severe as it was earlier on in his life, it still prevents him from making decisions as well as causing him to doubt his own abilities. Certain occurrences even if relatively minor, tend to have more of a lasting effect on him. This has been shown to alter his mood greatly, which in turn can cause him to shut down emotionally.
Hyper-metabolism - Like most speedsters, Gold Rush has an accelerated metabolism and burns calories much faster than the average human meaning he periodically requires large quantities of nutrients. If he does not intake enough calories to maintain his energy, his body begins to feel ill effects including lightheadedness and fainting.
Human Being - While possessing a unique physiology that does make him more durable than the average person, Danny is still a human being that is vulnerable to many of the various methods of injury that typical humans can succumb to.
Impulsivity - Gold Rush has demonstrated at times that he can be impulsive to the point where he will run head first into a situation without a fully formed plan. Generally this is due to him believing that the longer he waits, the more likely problems will escalate.
Gear and Equipment
Current
Former
Relationships
Friends/Allies
Since moving to Millennium City, Danny has met many friends and allies. Some of them include:
- Thundrax - The legendary Canadian hero has interacted with Danny on more than one occasion. It is unknown if Thundrax is aware of Danny's double life as Gold Rush, as they have only conversed while Danny was in his civilian persona.
- Blue Pheasant - An experienced hero/vigilante that has become a mentor-like figure to Gold.
- Atomac - A member of the Protectors of the World, Gold and Atomac have become fast friends.
- Joan - A dragon-human hybrid that is as funny and caring as she is tough and strong.
- Nightingale (Gale) - The winged amnesiac who is the host to a dark magical entity. Her current status is unknown.
- Pressure - One of the first friends Danny made who possesses gravity manipulating abilities. Older brother to Gadgette.
- Gadgette - The kindhearted tech-based genius that is new to being a hero. Younger sister of Pressure.
- Nightingale (Jasmine) - The Gale who comes from a parallel universe, Jasmine is a telekinetic prodigy that is new to this world.
- Frostborn - The brave cryokinetic hero from Greenland that worships the Norse gods.
- Ireum Eobseo - A lovable and friendly assassin that is an unfortunate servant to the New Celestial Empire (NCE).
- Imitere - A compassionate woman with a mysterious past, who only wants to make up for her mistakes. Adoptive mother to Cody.
- Prism - A flirtatious photokinetic hero who like Danny, is just trying to find happiness and stability.
- Cody - A brilliant and enthusiastic wingless gryphon from a far away world. Adopted son of Imitere.
- Lem - The young wizard from New Zealand that specializes in healing life magic.
- Jawsome - A college student turned humanoid shark that simply wants to be human again.
- Enforcer - A strong and loyal ex-soldier with a gift for inventing advanced tech suits.
- Blair - The stylish Zyncho from another Earth that does mercenary work on the side.
- Disparaged - Close friend and former squad mate of Enforcer. Was tragically killed by Therakiel's followers.
Enemies
It was inevitable that trying to fight crime would cause Gold Rush to make enemies. Among the worst of them include:
The clever and brutal leader of the Outlawz street gang, Slade was the first personal enemy of Gold Rush. Being a normal human, many (including Gold himself) underestimate him and what he is capable of. His tenacity combined with his gang's use of military-grade weapons, makes him a deadly foe.
[Currently Incarcerated]
A mentally unstable and disfigured cryokinetic criminal. Not much is known about him, other than his motivation seems to be revenge for his feelings of rejection by humanity.
[Currently Incarcerated]
Was a simple security guard, until he was experimented on and became a powerful humanoid lizard. His mind now warped, Varanus wants to make "lizard-people" the dominant lifeform on Earth.
[Currently Incarcerated]
The self proclaimed "super genius super villain", Techla looks down on others she sees as having an inferior intellect. Although human, she uses technology of her own design to commit her crimes.
[Currently Incarcerated]
One of the more ghoulish enemies Gold Rush has faced, the savage cannibalistic woman known only as Freakshow has deadly motives that are seemingly just as mysterious as her past.
[Currently Incarcerated]
An ex-marine and ex-con proficient with firearms, James decided to become a gun for hire called Artillery after being dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps. He has since formed a group of deadly mercenaries to assist him.
[Currently Incarcerated]
A powerful and ancient vampire that harnesses dark magic, Claudia Cruor or Claudia Blood as she is often called wants nothing more than to conquer humanity. She has remained silent for centuries before deciding it was finally time to rule over humans with an iron fist.
[Currently Incarcerated]
A common criminal with an inferiority complex, Dickie Chow stumbled upon a missed shipment crate from VIPER containing the prototype S.H.O.C.K. suit. Now with power at his fingertips, he decided to use the suit to further his criminal activities as the villain Circuit Board.
[Currently Incarcerated]
A sadistic speedster that has only recently faced Gold Rush after a violent robbery attempt. Danny evidently made quite the impression after their first encounter and is now on the top of Breakneck's ever growing list of people he wants to suffer. With abilities similar to his, Breakneck may prove to be the deadliest of Gold Rush's foes so far.
[Currently At Large]
Opinions
Public
Gold Rush tries to stay out of the spotlight as much as he can, and as a result he is not well known to the public. Also having only been operating as a hero since early June 2019, he has yet to truly make a name for himself anyway. He only wants to do good in the world, and fame isn't really on his list of priorities. His general shyness further plays a role in his avoidance of being in the public eye as well as his fear of being scrutinized by the populace. In any case due to his low self-esteem, Danny finds it difficult to accept compliments and praise. This means that even if the the response from the public was mainly positive, he would simply feel like their admiration is misplaced and that he was undeserving of it. That being said, the handful of individuals that do know of his heroic exploits seem to think of him as a decent person who is genuinely trying to help as many as possible.
Heroes/Vigilantes
"This is gonna make me sound old, but working with Gold Rush really takes me back to the days when I was still new to the scene and figuring out stuff with my own powers. There's still that sense of optimism and desire to do something good with what he has. If he can work on his confidence and get beyond selling himself short, I think he'll go very far. Future teammates?" -- Atomac
"...But he will always be Respectable Hair Man, to me." -- Linden
"He's the most human out of all of us, both literally and figuratively. Just wish he'd give himself more credit for, y'know, saving the world" -- Joan
Character Facts
- Although searching for him not long after gaining his abilities, Gold Rush to this day has never found the mysterious individual that gave him the drug and forever changed his life.
- It's possible (though not known for sure) that it was a combination of the drug and the defibrillators that gave Gold his powers.
- Has a strict "No Kill" rule. Exceptions are only made when it comes to "killing" robots and the undead.
- When injured, he typically refuses to have those that can heal him use their powers for that purpose.
- Was mentioned in a newspaper article back in Hamilton early in his career, referred to as "Yellow Blur".
- One of the people Gold rescued during an attempted bank robbery was evidently quite the artist, and posted a rather detailed sketch of him online.
- In 2019 while in Vibora Bay, Danny was badly beaten by a large group of the New Shadows gang but managed to escape. His face was bruised and his goggles were cracked as a result. He's developed a deep loathing for the vampiric gang ever since.
- Doesn't like it when pompous immortal beings repeatedly complain about "mere mortals".
- Owns an old camcorder that he used for recording footage of his initial training just after gaining his abilities.
- His earliest memory was around the age of two, where he remembers seeing Thundrax on the news during "The Battle of Thunder Bay".
- Likes Kinetik, but he claims it has nothing to do with them both being speedsters.
- Owns a Kinetik costume which he wore around Halloween.
- Seems to have anxiety when it comes to dealing with magic in its various forms.
- Even though he is Canadian, he does not like hockey.
- Doesn't really like or allow photos of himself, although one blurry image was taken on a cellphone that may or may not be him.
- Holds much admiration for the Canadian hero Thundrax. He even owns a costume.
- Is admittedly a big fan of Prince.
- Gold's first encounter with the savage speedster Breakneck left him badly injured. Thankfully, he heals quickly.
- Danny eats a few Champs Mach 10 bars everyday in order to get the high amount of calories he requires due to his hyper-metabolism.
- He lives in an inexpensive basement studio apartment in Westside. Since it acts as his only HQ, he jokingly refers to it as "The Goldmine".
- Recently managed to accelerate over four times the speed of sound. (Mach 4.8)
- Things Of Note
"Yellow Blur" Newspaper Article
Fan Drawing
Damaged Goggles
Old Camcorder
Kinetik Costume
Possible Gold Rush Picture
Gold's Injuries Caused By Breakneck
Champs Mach 10 Bar
Danny's Studio Apartment
Gallery
- Artwork
By Shamserg
By Emmshin
By Heerog
By Phil-Cho
By JINworks
By Kenpudiosaki
By Sharknob
By Smackwell
By Chubeto
(With Atomac) By Suppa-Rider
By Cric
By Hyanide
By Biram-Ba
(With Atomac) By Jonathan Rector
By Dartbaston
By GlaucoSilva
- Screenshots
Real Life Trivia/Stories
- Gold Rush is the spiritual successor to a previous speedster I created named Vector. The only main commonality between the two are their powers however.
- The name "Gold Rush" is an obvious play on words.
- The first Gold Rush suit is loosely based on Wally West's Kid Flash suit from Young Justice.
- Also the tactical suit is based on the Darkwear stealth equipment worn in season three of Young Justice.
- The version 4.0 suit shares some similarities to the costume worn by Booster Gold in DC comics.
- I made it a point to not include any electricity or lightning to do with Gold Rush. This includes not generating electricity when he runs as well as no lightning bolt symbols.
- Using "Chase" as a surname was done for two main reasons. It was the name of a childhood friend of mine, and it is a pun as giving chase to something typically involves running.
- Certain elements of the character are lifted from my own life, including race, country of origin, and love of Prince.
- While I may increase his top speed, I will not make it anywhere close to the speed of light akin to the Flash.
- Was the third character created in Champions Online. The first was during a trial years ago, and the second was one done just to test out game play.
- The speedsters Gold Rush is closest to (mainly ability-wise) would probably be Quicksilver and Speed from Marvel comics as well as Kid Flash (Wally West) specifically from Young Justice.
Miscellaneous Stories
Dystopian Future Stories
HISTORYPERSONALITYPOWERS AND SKILLSWEAKNESSESGEAR AND EQUIPMENT
RELATIONSHIPSOPINIONSCHARACTER FACTSGALLERYREAL LIFE TRIVIA/STORIES
