Wavegirl
Contents
Appearance & Personality
Mariana, like most of her Atlantean brothers and sisters, stands at around six feet tall. Her skin is a vibrant aquamarine color, with dark, sea-green hair tousled on top of her head. Several strands of it are colored a bright, pale blue, whether or not that is natural or the result of her dying it remains to be seen. Unlike a lot of her kin, Mariana's body is heavily mutated. Her musculature is much more pronounced, and her skin has ridges in several locations that denote some kind of subdermal plating or armoring. In addition, her forearms and calves sport small fins, which she can flip in or out depending on mood or environment. Her eyes are larger than human ones, thanks to adaptations for deep sea living, they also glow with bioluminescence at night or in dark situations. The tips of her aforementioned fins, and the ends of the odd markings on her face, also glow with the same dim teal light. Should the occasion ever arise, one can see that her teeth are almost all sharp at the tips, perfectly suited for eating fish and other aquatic life.
Mariana is a thoughtful, calm individual. Many things have happened to her since her journey leaving home, tempering her once bright, bubbly nature into something more rational and level-headed. She prefers to act only when necessary, favoring thinking through problems and discussing things civilly before resorting to violence. Still inquisitive, Mari continues to strive to find ways to help her friends help themselves, to both the best of their and her own abilities. Far less impulsive than she used to be, Mariana prefers, and hopes, that she can defuse most conflicts by simply asking what's wrong.
One might notice, after speaking to her for a while, that Mariana has a...unique way of speaking. Thanks to being raised in a very different environment than Landers, she tends to gesticulate frequently when chatting with people. It doesn't matter if she's speaking in English, Atlantean, or some form of aquatic sealife language, her hands are usually always in motion, denoting shades of meaning or intent. Beyond that, she can come across as somewhat stilted, as she refrains from using contractions most of the time, as Atlantean does not have them frequently.
History
Born in the holdings of Clan Kalissa, near the ridges of the Mariana Trench, Mariana was raised by her mother Adelpha. She has little memory of her early formative years, anything before the age of seven or so is lost in a haze. She has no memory of who her father is, though her mother told her that he was a great man who is, unfortunately, no longer with them. Much of her childhood was spent learning to hunt, farm and otherwise exist peacefully within their clan. She often went on long, exploratory swimming trips around the nearby reefs and kelp forests, until one fateful day, well within her twelfth year.
She had been swimming through one of the many kelp forests surrounding Clan Kalissa, when she stumbled upon the body. The Atlantean man, for it could be no other, had clearly been dead for some time, and lying in plain view on his chest was an ornate amulet, made of some kind of foreign metal, inlaid with sky blue pearls. Fascinated by the object, young Mariana reached out to take it, when it lept from his body and bonded itself to her own, forever attuning itself to her beating heart. Afraid of what had just happened, she rushed home and hid the amulet for several weeks, before carefully slipping it back on and discovering that it was one of the legendary Fists of Atlan, artifacts that allowed a skilled user to manipulate the very water of their aquatic homes.
Several years later, her mother finally relented to Mari's incessant demands to visit Atlantis, and allowed her to leave the clan's territory, with, of course, a thousand and one conditions and worries and rules she would have to follow. She readily agreed to all of them, and set off, determined to explore the seas and visit her culture's legendary home. For two years she wandered the oceans, visiting all sorts of wonders and seeing many sights, from the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, to sections of the infamous Bermuda Triangle. She was accompanied on some of her journey by a handsome lad named Chadeos, with whom she later broke up with over some trivial matter, no doubt. Eventually, she reached the stone walls of Atlantis, and was admitted entry.
Here it was that she became fascinated with Lander culture, devouring all the information about their lives that she could within the ringed walls. Deciding that this wasn't enough, and that nothing would compare to first-hand experience, she set out for the fabled Millennium City.
The Young Renegades
After spending several weeks in the City of the Future, Mariana responded to an emergency siren at a local bank. Here it was that she first met the people that would eventually become her teammates - Soldier Boy and Adapto. Along with several other teen heroes, Mariana battled against a group of villainous individuals that would later become known as the Terror Team. Despite the heroes being defeated by a young telekinetic, a lasting bond was formed between them, and they resolved to keep in contact as a team, forming the Young Renegades. In later encounters, the team battled a multitude of foes, including stopping the anarchist group S.W.A.R.M. from assaulting a local mall, where they met and recruited Victory, to fighting the time traveling ne'er-do-well Hour Man. Other recruits included the warlock Devil Ray, young hockey star Power Play, armorer-extraordinaire Kevlar, archer heroine Quick Shrike, the energy absorber Powerbolt, and the terrific twins Star and Ace.
Most recently, the team has garnered the attention of Grim's Academy for Aspiring Supervillains, apparently becoming an extremely popular target after their victories over the Terror Team, the Fear Squad, and superhuman bruisers Comet and All-Daughter. While most of their battles have been benign in nature, events have led the relationship between the Renegades and the students of Grim's to a sour end - their conflicts are far more serious now, and it appears that the gloves may be off for future encounters.
In particular, Mariana has led the team into conflict with the international terrorist organization MANTA, who have the goal of taking over the world's oceans. After infiltrating one of their bases with Soldier Boy, Mariana supplied team genius Adapto with schematics for some unknown device - later discovered to be a teleporter crafted with technology from the far future. At the same time, she discovered a map within the base, covered in symbols for military targets. Most worrying, despite Atlantis being on the map, was the mark that represented Clan Kalissa - her home. Worried for her family and her friends, she has resolved to head home as soon as possible, and to bring the Renegades with her.
Deep Blue Sea
After spending plenty of time preparing herself and her team, Mariana and the Renegades finally set out across the seas to head for her village. Having left both Power Play and Adapto behind to keep an eye on things, Mariana was joined by Soldier Boy, Victory, Devil Ray, Powerbolt, Quick Shrike, and new friend Kid Orca on her journey. Located off the coast of Japan, the trip to Clan Kalissa was mostly a test of their patience with each other, thankfully uneventful. That is, of course, until the Renegades reached the village itself.
What started out as a relatively mundane, if slightly unfriendly, visit to an authentic Atlantean culture quickly devolved in a frantic, frenetic battle for the safety of both the village and it's inhabitants. Lemurian Mole-Men crawled from the depths of the trench, marching on the clan holdings in droves. Not only that, they were joined by four imposing figures, generals of some sort of monstrous army - once again, the Diver reared his helmeted head, followed by the steel golem Coruscating Engine, the Bleak monster Gullet and the Atlantean traitor Cyclone. While the Renegades battled the army of Mole-Men and the twin titans Diver and Engine, the great sea serpent Pisces fought the monstrous Gullet. Both bestial warriors fought in a frenzy as beneath them, Mariana and Cyclone duked it out. The Renegades were joined in battle by Mari's mother, Adelpha, and her ex-boyfriend, Chadeos. Strength and soul won the day as a mighty sphere of hellish energy devastated the Mole-Man army, cast by the hands of Devil Ray, driving the generals and their minions back into the murky abyss.
As the sun rose on the next day, the team hoped that the worst had passed. With several members out of commission - and Powerbolt gone hunting with Chad - Mariana, Soldier Boy, Victory and Quick Shrike hoped to enjoy a relatively peaceful morning out hunting with Adelpha. What was a routine trip turned into an ambush as the long-awaited MANTA attack finally occured, cornering the Renegades in a kelp forest. Led by the mysterious Steel Chimera, the MANTA soldiers and a giant enemy crab attacked the four young heroes and their parental guidance. With Chimera gaining the upper hand over Adelpha - and her mother's life hanging in the balance - Wavegirl discovered that her Fists could do more than shape the waves. They could ride the lightning! A devastating bolt of teal electricity nearly killed the enemy leader - her life only saved by the timely intervention of Mariana's teammates. With her mother safe, MANTA diverted, and a newfound power under her belt, Wavegirl looked to the future, unsure of what would come next. These attacks had left more questions than answers: why were Mole-Men attacking her village? Who were those four generals working for? What does MANTA want with her mother? And perhaps most importantly: what else can this amulet do?
While the other questions might not be so easily puzzled out, Mariana knew where she could get answers for the last one. The headquarters of the Fists of Atlan: the Temple of Oceanus.
- To be continued...
Recent Events
Besides the notable sight of an Atlantean in the streets of EmCee, Mariana has been involved with several particularly notable encounters with those of a more villainous bent. While at first a bit shy of being seen, she now has little problem showing off for any onlookers or media crews, since being dubbed the amazing Wavegirl! Given that most of the below have either been televised, or at the very least have had news articles written about them, feel free to use any as a basis of knowing who Wavegirl is.
Events that involved Mariana include:
- 7/2/2012 - In the first sighting of Mariana, she responded to an odd black cloud over the streets of Millennium City's Chinatown district. Upon arrival, she teamed up with local heroes Quick Shrike, Galatea, Bonesmith and Particle Man to do battle with a duo of vicious vampires serving the matriarch Asylum, namely the twin enforcers Bloodbath and Nox. With the assistance of the other heroes and her own natural talent, the two vampires were driven off.
- 7/5/2012: MANTA's Declaration - Her second appearance, she battled the forces of the oceanic terrorist group MANTA, along with several other heroes. In the middle of the frantic combat, she managed to talk down one of MANTA's sea monsters, eventually swaying him from their side to her own. Thus she gained her first mighty sea recruit: Pisces!
- 8/18/2012 - At the docks of EmCee, one of Wavegirl's foes, the disgusting conger eel-man hybrid Sawtooth did battle with her friend Pisces! Joined in battle by allies Chivalry, Soldier Boy, Warforged and Wildeye, Mariana dealt justice to the ancient evil. Sick combos with her teammate were performed, and at the end of the day, justice prevailed.
- 9/18/2012 - Mariana, along with her teammate Soldier Boy, go to Disney World! Unfortunately for them, the terrorist Le Fou had chosen the same day to blow up Disney Castle, and ruin everyone's fun! Joined by heroes Ignition, Nytestrike, Katerra and Bronx, they did battle with the terrorist clown and his lackeys, eventually preventing him from destroying the landmark and saving the crowds of civilians.
- 12/1/2012 - Visiting the Museum of History with teammates Powerbolt, Power Play and Victory, Wavegirl was thrust once again into conflict with the time-wandering supervillain, Hour Man. Aided in battle by Tariel, General Freedom, Dr. Omega and Landon Blake, she and her friends fought against summoned hordes of dinosaurs. As she, Victory and General Freedom moved to bring the fight to Hour Man himself, all four found themselves shifted to what Hour Man called the End of Time. Here, Mariana made one of the most difficult choices of her young life - she chose to discard the artifact that Hour Man used to control time, thus trapping herself, her two allies, and the supervillain at the End of Time for an eternity. Luckily for her, chronomancer Landon Blake had already begun a spell to drag them back, and thus she was saved from a fate of eternal stasis! Even despite that fact, Mariana had many things to come to grip with - including the nature of being a hero.
- 1/13/2013 - Responding to a call for assistance over the Respond & Protect frequency, Wavegirl arrived to find City Hall haunted by an ominous spectre! With her teammate Quick Shrike also there, the Renegades, as well as heroes Divael, Anarchy and Blue Freedom helped Wicket fend off the spirit, and retrieve a tome of odd, supernatural occurrences from it's grasp.
- 3/1/2013: Shadow of the Oceans - Returning the favor for Kid Orca's help at her home, and also disturbed by the recent abductions of entire village populations on the coast, Wavegirl, and her teammate Powerbolt met up with Kai and fellow heroes Riptide, Zelara and All-Star on the Japanese island of Leityo. Surprisingly enough, one of the lieutenants of MANTA, and a foe Mari had battled before, Hydra made his appearance as well, with an offer to help them get to the bottom of this mystery. As they investigated the abandoned village, Mariana, with the help of Nate Carter, found a Lemurian pyramid on site, which only confirmed her suspicions of their involvement. Shortly thereafter, however, a massive army of dead warriors from many cultures crawled from the deep, attacking the assembled heroes in a massive horde of decaying flesh. As the battle raged, Mariana and her fellow Renegade obliterated one of three leaders of the army, and helped to destroy the encroaching abominations. In the aftermath, the heroes gathered together, inspecting the mysterious pyramid, and Mariana was left to wonder exactly which Lemurian was involved...
- 3/5/2013: Wrong in the House of Right - As Renegades Soldier Boy, Victory, Kevlar, Power Play and Quick Shrike headed to the Savage Island to confront Raymond's father, Wavegirl gathered the remaining teammates together to battle his invading forces in Providence, California. Adapto, Powerbolt and Devil Ray were joined by New Vigil member Blue Freedom and unaffiliated teens Boy Robot and Skips. The impromptu team linked up with PRIMUS forces battling the encroaching Deathbots as the battle raged throughout the entire city. Deathbots, Evil Eyes and more were devastated by the teens and their military backup, only to be confronted with the deadly Tyrannomortis Rex - a gigantic mechanical dinosaur that dwarfed even the mighty Mega-Terak! Wavegirl and Blue Freedom joined forces to overload the shields of the menace, with Boy Robot providing Skips an entry into the creature's systems. A final, meteoric strike descended from low orbit, courtesy of Powerbolt, utterly demolishing the Rex and blasting apart the monstrosity. When the dust cleared, the day had been won - but the battle still raged on the Savage Isle....
- 3/16/2013: Mars Bars Mayhem - When the Cho'kalat empire threatened to destroy Earth in revenge for not handing over the still-living head of the long since deceased Milton S. Hershey, Mariana was determined to not let them do so. Meeting on an UNTIL base with Agent 'Komodo' Jones, the Atlantean was joined by fellow heroes Sparrowhawk, Impsblood, Laser Knight, Paragon and the mysterious Court Magician, as well as their pilot for the adventure, Melova. The assault on the peanut butter cup Planet Breaker went smooth as silky chocolate to begin with, as the heroes easily bested M&M soldiers and a vile swarm of chocolate bunnies, eventually coming face to face with Emperor G'ere'ardalay and his Three Musketeers. At the dramatic reveal of their superweapon, Paragon and the Magician went into the void to stop the chocolate cannon, while Wavegirl and the rest easily bested the best of the Cho'kalat empire. As the cannon backed up, our intrepid heroes fled the ship, making it out just in time to 'admire' the horrible view of the Planet Breaker going critical. A disgusting day.
- 3/20/2013: Starfall - With Crog invaders dropping onto the planet surface around Millennium City, it was only a matter of time before some of them hit the underwater home of Mariana and her serpentine ally, Pisces. A horde of alien warriors had set up a beachhead on the shores of the Great Lakes, bolstering their position with heavy duty energy shielding and artillery of all shapes and sizes. However, the defenses were aimed away from the water, at the advancing columns of human forces, and the approaching heroes Laser Knight and Drake Shadow IV. Fellow Renegade Kevlar, having seen the landing pods, had rushed to the beach as well to check on Mari. Arising from the depths of the lake, our Atlantean heroine and the sea beast at her side struck at the exposed flank of the Crog warriors, joined by the Earth heroes and the representative of Dogfleet, Space Dog. Her martial prowess and keen intellect were put to the test against the alien interlopers, until a mighty beast, encased in solid metal, joined the fray. With her teammate giving a somber, almost suicidal speech to her, Mari dove into combat with the Crog monstrosity, only to be surprised when Kevlar's armor grew to titanic proportions, letting him duke it out mano-y-mano with the monster. Despite the danger, the Crog were devastated, and eventually driven from her home. Now, if only Kevlar hadn't been so stupid!
(( More to be added later, as I remember the dates of each one.))
Powers & Abilities
- Atlantean Physiology: Being born an Atlantean, Mariana is naturally stronger, faster and more durable than any normal Lander. In addition to this, her mutation has given her boosted superhuman strength and speed, thus putting her on the level with some mid-level brick-like individuals. Underwater, she can easily outspeed most vehicles, and almost any Landers that try and race her. She can just as easily breathe water and air.
- Mutation: Mariana's mutations make her fairly different from other Atlanteans. Most obviously, her body has characteristics of various undersea creatures - her teeth are all razor sharp and pointed, large, bio-luminescent eyes adapted for vision in deep sea environments, sub-dermal cartilaginous plating causes the ridges underneath her skin, small fins allow her to control her high-speed swimming with ease, and her musculature is heavily advanced to cope with high pressure. Overall, her mutations make her tougher, quicker and stronger than a regular Atlantean citizen.
- Communication with Sealife: Unlike some other aquatic heroes, Mariana cannot telepathically speak to sea creatures. Instead, she literally speaks to them in their language. To date, she has been seen speaking to: seals, dolphins, whales, porpoises, penguins, gulls and gigantic sea serpents. When asked about other sea creatures, she simply shrugged and said she hadn't learned their language yet. Some creatures that can understand her native tongue of Atlantean are also just as easily spoken to as anyone else.
- The Gift of Atlan: Thanks to a relatively common mutation amongst her kin, Mariana does not have to remain underwater forever - she can breathe both water and air with ease. Despite this fact, she does have to immerse herself in water at least once every six hours for biological reasons.
The Fists of Atlan
Mariana's signature weapons are her mighty Fists of Atlan, ancient Atlantean artifacts that allow the user to manipulate and generate water to be used as a weapon. While beforehand, the intrepid Atlantean heroine was limited only to shaping water as her weapon, recent events at her home village have unlocked within the Fists the ability to harness the dangerous power of lightning! She is still far more comfortable using water as her primary defense and attack, but time will lend her more inventive use of her newly found electrical prowess.
When in use, the Fists form a breastplate and armored gauntlets, as well as a single shoulderpad on her left shoulder, crafted of green-colored orichalcum, inset with sky-blue pearls at the throat, palms, and shoulder. Faintly glowing pale green lines of power are inlaid into the metal, imbuing the Fists with their mystical ability. When she's not using them, the Fists take the form of her amulet around her neck, which she is rarely ever seen without.
The Fists are only usable to those of Atlantean descent, and so long as their user lives, they are bound to them permanently.
Weaknesses
- Watta watta, gimme water!: Mariana needs to immerse herself completely in water at least once every six hours. Should she go too long without doing so, her skin begins to dry and crack, and she experiences troubles breathing. The longer it takes her to douse herself, the worse these conditions get, until eventual death.
- Just a Teen!: For an Atlantean, Mariana is barely into her teenage years. She is inexperienced and does not have exceptional military training or anything to make up for that, and as such, can be outfought or outmanuevered by better trained individuals.
- Not in the gills!: Much like a shark, hitting her on her gilled neck will stun and disorient her. Thusly, her Fists of Atlan cover her neck with armor.
- Is it hot in here?: Intense heat, such as being surrounded by flames, coupled with thick, choking smoke, has proven to have a very adverse affect on Mariana. It accelerates the rate that she needs a full body dip in water, thus causing her to dry out and start needing fresh air badly.
Allies & Enemies
Allies: The Young Renegades
- Devil Ray // Raymond Right - Even with his odd views on things, Ray has always proven to be a capable and powerful compatriot, regardless of how his father..fathers, I should say, are. I hope that he can reconcile with the both of them someday.
- Soldier Boy // Alex Simmons - Alex is a stalwart friend and a stoic ally. I could hardly think of how this team would be without him there to help us. He might be reluctant to open up, but I am more than happy to let him take the time he needs to do so.
- Victory // Lisa Klein - Lisa is always ready for anything - fighting crime, going shopping, or even doing both, on some occasions. Her father might not approve of her heroics, but frankly, I do not think she much cares about his opinions on the matter.
- Power Play // Benjamin Keyes - Sometimes I wonder how Benji does it. No powers, no intense training. Just a boy and his hockey stick, ready to do what it takes to keep our city safe. There's something noble in that, perhaps moreso than even the rest of us can realize.
- Adapto // Marcel Simmons - I don't think Marcel truly gives himself enough credit for all the work he's poured into his heroics. Some of the things I have seen him create are far beyond my ability to truly understand - and with each passing day, I can only imagine that those inventions get better and better.
- Powerbolt // Aria Chambers - Aria has come a long, long way from when I first met her - and much for the better! Her actions as a hero, and as part of this team, are a true story of someone managing to turn their life around, and pull themselves out of a long depression by seeing that their gifts are just that - gifts, not curses.
- Star & Ace // Zoe & Maddie Perkins - These two are quite the pair! I have never seen people so full of energy - they even put Lisa to shame, at times. Star and I may have more in common than I originally thought, after meeting her ex-boyfriend. I am glad to have them on the team, and even more glad to see what their years of experience can bring to the table.
- Quick Shrike // Stephanie Meyers - Steph has her share of problems, as do we all. Whatever her issues with her old team, I hope that she can see that we are not them. Trust is a two way street, and all of us need to be willing to extend that hand.
- Kevlar // Micheal Karp - Mike, to put it frankly, is an idiot. He takes risks without thinking, and one day, one of those risks will catch up with him.
- Ravenheart // Cassandra Sierra - So much power rests in her hands, and I wonder if she is even aware of it. I do not think those...birds of hers have much goodwill towards her true interests, or any of ours.
Allies: Pisces
Pisces, the Lake Erie Monster:
First Encountered: MANTA's Declaration (July 2012)
The enormous creature known to the Renegades as Pisces was, at one time, a sea monster under the control of the aquatic terrorist group MANTA. The mighty sea serpent is clearly mutated, featuring elongated teeth and savage spines, as well as obviously enhanced musculature and size. At almost seventy feet in length, Pisces is a fearsome sight to see when adventuring underwater, no doubt. Thankfully, he is docile unless pestered, thanks to Mariana and her intervention at his first appearance. Nowadays he spends most of his time lounging about in Lake Erie, near Mariana's home. Several incidents have occurred with boats and missing food, but for the moment, no one believes the stories of the 'Lake Erie Monster'. For now, anyway.
Pisces is a loyal companion to Mariana, much like a dog would be to a Lander. He dotes on her as much as possible, and is extremely protective of her when he can be, which, alas, is less often than he would probably like, since, unfortunately, he is unable to exist on land. In a fight, he uses his natural weapons to deadly effect, using his razor sharp teeth for bites and slashes, and his powerful coils to wrap and squeeze enemies into submission. In addition, the mutations to his body allow him to spit corrosive acid venom at his opponents. However, he has troubles getting into smaller confines, such as rivers or streams, and as such is mostly confined to large bodies of water. In addition, he has little armoring or protection beyond thick skin.
Pisces spends most of his time fishing within Lake Erie, deep beneath the surface as to avoid (most) notice. When people visit near Mariana's island, he often drives them off by swimming close to the surface, showing off large, ominous eyes or sending cascades of water towards the boat in question.
Enemies: Valrax the Abolisher
First Encountered: The Kallistrate (February 2013)
Threat Level:
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The man known only as Valrax was born in the domed, undersea city called Lemuria nearly two and a half centuries ago. In 1763, he was one of only five children born to the House of Hyrg in the last hundred years. Kept sheltered from the vast majority of Lemuria’s citizens, young Valrax looked as if he was destined for the same, decadent decline as his entire species - the martial prowess, the magical superiority, the once bright conquering spirit of his kin had long since guttered out. As he grew, and began to tinker and learn of the inner workings of Lemurian magiconstructs, it became clear to him that his people suffered from a terrible lack of impetus. A terrible lack of drive and of soul. A lack of things to inspire and motivate. A lack, therefore, of beauty. It became his goal to help revitalize his fading culture by gathering beautiful things to himself, and setting them to conquer all who opposed.
His first subjects were members of his own house. Lemurian women who, through fate or clever ruse, had fallen out of favor with the Hyrg patriarch, turned to the young Valrax for a way to regain their lost standing. Despite his best efforts (and their frenzied screams), all of his subjects and tests failed. Even with his stellar record in manipulating the crystalline elements, the Lemurian women could not handle the stress, it would seem. In the midst of a delicate crystallos tincture, having carefully crafted it over several, painstaking weeks, a Mole-Man accidentally disturbed it, ruining the process entirely. And it was here that the man who would be the Abolisher had his first success. In his fury, the binding of raw ignaetium to the Mole-Man created something he could not have ever dreamed of - an ignaetium elemental. The first of his servants stepped forth that day - the one who would come to be known as Magflare.
And then, the Betrayer arrived. Valrax, now ninety one years old, remembers the day the Empyrean who would be king made the Bronze King kneel. And in return, he remembers that Arvad’s guiding presence saved his people from descending into complete decadence and depravity. Valrax swore his allegiance to the newly crowned king of Lemuria, before setting off to his own personal domed abode, inspired more than ever to prove his worth to Lemuria and it’s ruler. For years he toiled away, using his potent knowledge of sorcery and science to create the terrifying Coruscating Engine, and to trick and eventually corrupt a Jyln noblewoman into becoming the first of the Kallistrate, Shoreline.
In 1939, now at the venerable age of one hundred and sixty four years of age, Valrax, as well as Lemuria as a whole, joined in the conflict known as World War II, on the side of the Axis. Pisciremes and exocets under his command flooded forth from the dome that he called his home, loaded with Mole-Men and his three generals. They clashed with Allied naval forces in both the Atlantic and Indian oceans, and at times were even supported by Atlantean troops sent by Dargon the Usurper. Valrax was entranced. The beauty of battle did not escape his watchful eye, and even as the war waged on and the defeat of the Axis was evident, Valrax knew he had found his calling. And despite the tenative alliance between Atlantis and Lemuria during the war’s time, he had come away with a new recruit - an Atlantean woman, upon whom he tested his newest creation: a harness of fulminor gas. After years of surgery and mind-altering drugs, the woman became the second of the Kallistrate, Cyclone.
Since then, Valrax has lain semi-dormant to the greater eye of Lemuria. He failed to present any notable assistance in 1971’s Lunal-Kinesis retrieval, and, thanks to his presence outside the domed city, had long since fallen out of favor and mind of the House of Hyrg. He knew his time was coming, however - Lemuria had yet to unlock the secrets of immortality, and Valrax was aging. The knowledge of the Bleak Ones awaiting his soul after death was enough to drive Valrax to desperate ends. In a bid for survival, the Abolisher turned to Lander culture for the answer. And, in 1997, he found one. A ritual bargain with a demon lord of sloth promised to direct his soul to Hell instead of oblivion, and gifted him talent in actual sorcery, not just the technomagical prowess he already possessed. In order to keep his bargain, all he had to do was pledge to send sacrifices and souls to Belphegor. In return, he was granted the service of Lady Vaiziel, one of Belphegor's many servants, as the third of his burgeoning Kallistrate. The binding pact sealed the fate of Valrax the Abolisher, even as Lemuria fell to civil war in 2003.
The rebels under the command of Khusor made a foul bargain with the Bleak Ones themselves. In return for their shapeshifting ability, dark powers were granted to them, in an attempt to overthrow the rule of the Empyrean king. Valrax, still loyal to the man who had inspired his works, managed to capture a powerful servitor of the Bleak Ones, keeping the monstrous Gullet caged beneath his home as he now slaved to somehow protect not only his king but his goal of a beatific army. The rebels, twisted by their pact with their dark gods, were a stain on Lemuria. As so the Abolisher’s goal changed - instead of conquering the surface, his Kallistrate would be used to free his homeland of this foul corruption first.
In the year 2013, Valrax, as well as six other villains from around the world, became involved in a dark ritual to bring their collective master, Belphegor the Lord of Sloth to Earth. Representing the sin of Lust, due to his ultimate desire for beauty and to surround himself with carnal pleasures, Valrax was one of those empowering the ritual portal that would eventually allow the demonic archlord to enter the realm of Man. In order to weaken the portal, each of the six villains would have to be faced by their opposite virtue - a hero that exemplified the nature. Opposing the sin of Lust was Powerbolt, representing the virtue of Chastity. She was privvy to many of the past actions of the heinous Lemurian, and eventually confronted him at his first summoning of the Lord of Sloth. Thanks to her innate weakness to the mystic arts, the Abolisher took an early advantage, throwing her about with blasts of ignaetium and corsuqua. Since the battle took place in his own mind, Valrax fought toe to toe with the young heroine in an imagined pleasure palace dome, but even this was to his disadvantage. He was bested when she destroyed the glass ceiling holding back the mighty pressure of the ocean above. His defeat weakened the portal summoning Belphegor, and broke the sigil representing the sin of Lust.
Forever vain and self centered, Valrax hungers to surround himself with beauty and power - no mere mole men would do as servants to the mighty Abolisher. No, he lusted to gather the strongest and most beautiful of warriors to his side, to serve as his army against the surface dwellers and restore his House’s honor in the eyes of their king, mighty Arvad. Thus, his roving eye fell apon young Mariana, and her Fists of Atlan. His dramatic first appearance led to him coming into conflict with Renegades Powerbolt and Soldier Boy, as well as Mariana and her ex, Chad. Despite the quite brutal beating he delivered to Powerbolt, he was forced to retreat as MCPD forces neared the conflict site. He left vowing that this was not the last the Renegades would see of him - and there is little doubt that he is right.
Outside of his armor, Valrax is a weak combatant. His long years spent beneath the waves and underground did not lend him intense physical might. However, when his caraprix armor is worn, it allows him to become a versatile, dangerous opponent. The crystallos structure is infused with both ignaetium and corsuqua, which allow it to spew lightning and fling globules of liquid fire at his opponents. Fulminor pumped through the frame lightens it, and allows him to breath underwater when it is cycled through the breathing mask built into the suit. In addition to his Lemurian armor, Valrax's deal with the devil Belphegor allows him to cast spells of an infernal nature - generally they work on sapping willpower of the targets, eventually leaving them a languid, uninspired wreck of a person. With a bit of preparation time, Valrax can also summon devils to his aid, albeit infrequently and not without risk.
Members of Valrax's Kallistrate include:
- Shoreline, the Living Beach: A Jyln noblewoman, this crystallos-infused Lemurian controls the very sand and silt of her oceanic home to deadly effect.
- Magflare, Ignaetium Alive: The result of a clumsly Mole-Man and raw ignaetium, Magflare is a bombastic foe always a hairs-breadth away from a devastating meltdown.
- The Coruscating Engine: A steel and quicksilver golem with a boiling, crackling corsuqua core, the Engine spews forth lightning from it's fingertips against the foes of the Abolisher.
- Cyclone: This wayward Atlantean is infused with the quickening speed of fulminor, which lets her move at supersonic speeds, both above and beneath the waves.
- The Gullet: Once a Lemurian soldier, this monster of the Bleak Ones marches under the orders of the Abolisher only as a deadly reminder of what awaits him after death.
- Lady Vaiziel: A representative of the demon lord of Sloth, Belphegor, she serves as the third of his Kallistrate, wielding a mighty waraxe - but only when forced into action.
Enemies: Steel Chimera
- Main Article: MANTA
The organization known as MANTA is an oceanic terrorist group, dedicated to conquering Atlantis and Lemuria, and to claim sovereignty over the oceans of the world. They are led by the Atlantean terrorist known as Typhon, who made his debut at an attack on a diplomat from the undersea kingdom, delivering his ultimatum before violently executing him on live TV. The soldiers of MANTA are fiercely loyal to each other, and are exceptionally well trained and well equipped for combat against both mundane and superhuman threats. They are equipped with state of the art weaponry, generally laser and pulson weaponry thanks to the necessity of working underwater. Membership is mostly Lander, although Atlanteans that agree with the viewpoints of MANTA can be found amongst it's soldiery. As mentioned above, they are loyal to each other, almost to a fault, and will fight as hard as they can to protect each other and prevent losses.
Wavegirl has come into conflict with the terrorist group multiple times since their first appearance, at which she rescued the mighty sea serpent Pisces. Other encounters have involved her breaking up recruitment rings and battling one of MANTA's superhuman enforcers, Hydra, as well as a (relatively) successful infiltration of one of their undersea bases with fellow teammate and ally Soldier Boy. At the moment, Mariana is more than willing to fight MANTA's efforts on any and all fronts that she can. She is happy to share anything she has learned about the group with those that are inquisitive enough to ask.
First Encountered: Deep Blue Sea (January 2013)
Threat Level:
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Whoever the mysterious Steel Chimera is, she has shown herself to be a dangerous combatant in the ranks of MANTA. Her first appearance, albeit a small one, was to attack the village home of young heroine Mariana Zopyros, doing battle with her mother Adelpha. During the course of that conflict, the Chimera showed extreme talent in undersea martial arts, easily outfighting the trained hunter - and perhaps would have killed her if not for the intervention of her daughter.
Chimera's suit appears to be made of a tightly woven black fiber, with armored plating covering most of her torso and legs. A steel mask replete with breathing tubes covers her face, masking her features from sight. Whether or not she requires the mask to breathe underwater is unknown, but given her teal hair coloring, chances are high that she is of Atlantean descent, so the mask may be simply superficial. Black webbing reaches from her biceps and forearms to attach at her sides, providing a silhouette matching that of a manta ray when extended outwards. Her gloves have long spines on them, razor sharp and easily capable of slicing open flesh.
The woman is talented in many fighting styles, having adapted several for use underwater and against multiple opponents. It can be safely assumed that she is just as trained in the use of all MANTA equipment, despite her apparent disdain in using it. What her rank in the organization is, however, is entirely unknown.
Enemies: The Eternal Diver
First Encountered: Renegades Hit the Beach (September 2012)
Working With: House Hyrg
Threat Level:
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The barbarian clans of Atlanteans that reside near the Mariana Trench tell stories to their children, of the dangerous and wily ways of Landers. One such tale involves a young Atlantean girl of remarkable beauty, named Kallisto. She was fascinated by Landers and their culture, and oftentimes spent long days and nights near the surface, watching the comings and goings of fishermen. One such man fell in love with young Kallisto, and sought to court her. Though he was smitten with her, such a love could not be, as Kallisto was not blessed with Atlan’s Gift. The man refused to let her go, so infatuated was he. He forced her to the surface, and would not let her leave his side. She suffocated, unable to escape the clutches of the lovestruck Lander, and died on the surface. When word reached her family, her enraged mother cast a dark, powerful spell on the Lander man, binding him to his diving suit forever. Even death would not free him, as long after his skin and bones rotted away, his spirit would remain chained to the suit, cursed to wander the seven seas forever.
Tadeki Watanabe was that man, and he has wandered the seas for a long, long time. Atlanteans both enrage and infatuate him, their alien, fleeting beauty forever denied him by a vengeful curse. And so, he hunts, and he cries for the love he lost. The mighty diving suit remains strong, even after all these years under the sea. In one gloved hand he wields a mighty anchor, and in the glass-coated dome, twin orange specks burn with anger and pain. The Diver wandered the seas alone, until he trespassed on the domed city of Lemuria. Here, he was captured and corralled by the Abolisher, until his goals and Valrax’s aligned: the young Mariana and her Fists of Atlan.
The Diver is a brutal, inexorable foe. While slow in movement, the anchor he wields is deadly - heavy and blunt, it can crush and break bone easily. In addition, he can control the tides, forcing high or low tide no matter what position of the moon. On top of that, he is not a corporeal being, so puncture wounds do little to slow down his advancement. However, the Diver is incapable of leaving the sea, so those deep inland are safe from his wrath. In addition, if his glass dome is broken, he disappears in a rage, to reform at the ocean bottom, somewhere.
Opinions
Got an opinion about the wonderful WAVEGIRL? Add it here.
"Maybe just a teeeensy too serious, but hey... she's still super duper nice. Her skin tone probably makes it hard to coordinate her clothes well. If she ever needs help, she can totally call me." - Lash
"I'm not surprised at all that Alex asked her to fill in as the leader for the team. Mariana's smart, she's talented, and she's got the calm head on her shoulders that a lot of us need to keep from doing something stupid, and getting ourselves hurt. She's a good friend on top of that, and I know that, when it comes down to it, I can count on her to be there when she's needed." - Victory
"Mariana? She's like ten different kinds of awesome! She does talk a little funny sometimes but she's probably smarter than the rest of us. That whole water-bending thing is epic, too!" - Quick Shrike
"Mariana's a good friend, a good fighter, and probably a better person. I'm more than happy that she has my back." - Soldier Boy
"I like her. She's one of the nicest people I know and probably one of the scariest as well. I know some advanced piece of tech when I see it, 'magic' or not, and those fists of hers? Terrifying. It's cool though, she's my homie." - Adapto
"I have only encountered this Wave Girl rather briefly, but I will say this much: Out of the present generation of so-called teenage 'superheros', she is one of the few I expect to survive long enough to see 20. Maybe." - Inquisitor Phibes
"Can you say 'best teen superhero ever'? Wavegirl's awesome; she's got cool powers, a great personality and a wonderful taste in friends, if I do say so myself. Now if only she could get over her cute little crush on yours truly..." - The Flea
"There's nothing bad I can say about her, the kid's got heart. She looks like some people from back home, too - I wonder how much she'd like a vacation there." - Riptide
"The kid's alright. Pretty level-headed too, for the most part. Plus, she knows how to make ancient mystical armour look stylish." - All-Star
"Competent and level headed. She doesn't play around and listens to others. If she assists leading the Young Renegades then I'm assuming they are in good hands." - Sparrowhawk
"Haven't met the girl, but for a teen? She's bloody impressive. Another colorful addition to the Young Renegades, and if she's co-leading, they're going to be just fine." - Snowtalon
"Well, uh...Well. She's uh, she's nice, really nice, I suppose, uh...Why are you looking at me like that?" - Wicket
IMAGE GALLERY
Wavegirl by Eric Guzman
Wavegirl by Phil Cho
Wavegirl by Eryck Webb
Chibi Wavegirl by Eryck Webb
Wavegirl by Avionetca
Wavegirl by John Becaro
Wavegirl by Kenpudiosaki
Wavegirl & Adelpha by Avionetca
Wavegirl vs the Eternal Diver by Kenpudiosaki
Wavegirl Portrait by Ravietta
Wavegirl vs Cyclone by Zachula
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| Leaders: Soldier Boy • Wavegirl | ||
| Members: Devil Ray • Victory • Adapto • Power Play • Powerbolt • Star & Ace | ||
| Auxiliary Members: Ravenheart • Cardinal • Kevlar | ||
| @ag167 Characters | ||
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| Dire • Trinity • Manhunt • Sentinel • Force of July • Kitsunebi | ||
| Young Renegades • Frontiersmen • Gen Prime | ||
