Stonemason

40

The Second

Stonemason

"Mama Earth sends her regards. And trust me, she ain't very happy with your villanous shenanigans."

Freeform

Player: @Silversweds

Affiliations

Super Group

Protectors of the World

Rank

Member

· Other Affiliations ·

Element of Justice (Former), UNTIL

Identity

Real Name

Tobias Ferguson

Aliases

Stonemason II, Geo-kid (Former)

Birthdate

July 2nd, 1991

Birthplace

Quistis City, Oregon

Citizenship

American

Residence

Millenium City, Michigan

Headquarters

His basement

Occupation

Park Ranger

Legal Status

Registered

Marital Status

Single

· Known Relatives ·

Harold Ferguson (Father), Anne Clarke (Mother), Nicholas Clarke (Half-brother)

Physical Traits

Species

Human

Sub-Type

N/A

Manufacturer

N/A

Model

N/A

Ethnicity

Caucasian

Gender

Male

Apparent Age

23

Height

5'11

Weight

186 lbs

Body Type

Athletic

Hair

Dark Hazel

Eyes

Heterochromia (Green/Brown)

Skin

White

· Distinguishing Features ·

Heterochromia, Tattoo of a Koi fish on his right arm, along with a Kanji for "Serenity" on his left.

Powers & Abilities

· Known Powers ·

Geokinesis, Seismokinesis, Geo-Empathy, Form-altering Immunity

· Equipment ·

Water, compass

· Other Abilities ·

Basic Tai Chi, stonemasonry, wilderness survival

History

"You know, life never really plays out how you imagine it to. It's kinda like a dream, bunch of random images that fly before your eyes and before you really get what they're telling you, they're gone. Poof."

Childhood

Tobias grew up on the west coast in Quistis City. The son of a poor mechanic living in a rundown apartment in the city's industrial area, the Falls, Tobias' childhood was never very sheltered or safe. His father was a convicted criminal on parole, and his mother had left them both at the first chance she got, re-marrying a wealthier man from the finer districts of the city. Still, Tobias' father was a good man that struggled tirelessly in order to provide for his son and to give him all the opportunities he himself never had as a child. Though life in the Falls wasn't a very easy life, with gangs such as the Skullgang and the Red Banner cultists ruling the streets that the heroes weren't looking at. In order to protect his son, both from antagonizing and falling in with the gangs, Harold Ferguson made an effort in making sure the boy remained meek, reticent and inconspicous. Tobias was taught not to make a mark on the world no matter what, to merely drift with the wind while remaining as invisible as possible. In hindsight it wasn't a very good thing to teach a young child, but Harold was short on options.

Of course, this lead the young Tobias to be the favorite bully victim in the school yard, since he never did anything to fight back or defend himself, he just silently lowered his head and did as he was told. In time, this lead Tobias to become bitter and withdrawn, often retreating within himself and locking everyone out. As he approached 10 years old, he started skipping classes to walk through the giant Madeleine Gardens, the city park that spanned most of the southern uptown district in Quistis City, just to get away from the bullies. It was here that he first came into contact with the aging Walter Peaks, the earth-bending superhero Stonemason (Although this was unbeknownst to Tobias at the time). Befittingly, almost ironically so, Walter's civil identity was that of the caretaker of Madeleine Gardens, as well as a stonemason who specialized in making statues of superheroes. Several of his works already graced the reaches of the park. The elderly man and the young boy struck a quick friendship, Walter helping the young kid through his frustration by giving him an outlet in the form of martial arts and aesthetic practices such as painting and stone carving. As Tobias grew into his teens, he started spending more and more time with Walter, his attitude eventually mellowing out conciderably.

Life as a Hero

However, one day when Tobias had just turned 13, while working overtime at Walter's workshop he was greeted by the sight of a gravely wounded Stonemason stumbling through the door, severely wounded after having fought with Captain Conquest. Rushing to the man's aid, Tobias was shocked to find that the hero Stonemason was actually his aging mentor. While Tobias wanted to take him to the hospital, Walter adamantly insisted that he instead helped him down into the basement of the workshop, refusing to budge an inch. Confused but left with little option, Tobias agreed and helped Walter down the stairs into the dark basement. As it would turn out, Walter used his earthbending powers to reveal a hidden cave passage hidden beneath the workshop. Guided by Walter through a labyrinthian set of tunnels and grottos leading far, far below Quistis City, Tobias eventually came upon something that would change his life forever: In a cave lit only by bioluminiscent vegetation he saw an almost perfect sphere, made entirely from earth and dirt, hovering in the middle. Walter called it "The living earth" and whatever being this was, it was most certainly benign. A disembodied voice echoing through the cave urged Tobias to place Walter's body before the massive earthen orb. Tobias watched in amazement how Walter's broken body slowly mended before the Earth's great power. However, the living Earth had plans also for Tobias.

The living Earth declared that since Tobias had seen it, and heard it, he was now bound to it the same way Walter was. Before either of them could object, Tobias felt a sensation wash over him, one that he couldn't understand. Suddenly, he heard a heartbeat, a breath in the distance and all around him. Thinking he was going crazy, Tobias almost panicked until a recovered Walter approached him, telling him that what he was hearing was the Heartbeat and breathing of the Earth itself. The earth had declared him its protector and champion, and thus given him command of its vast powers. Tobias was, naturally, both exalted, awestruck and terrified all at the same time. Although Walter had hoped to keep his young protege out of the dangerous work as a Superhero, he knew now that there would be little to dampen the boy's enthusiasm. And so he took the young boy under his wing, training him in secret to hone his body and control over the earth. After half a year of dedicated training, Tobias took to the scene as the Geo-kid, sidekick of the famed Stonemason. For a year, they fought together as a team versus Stonemason's assortment of enemies, such as the Bluthexen witches, the mad scientist Makeshift, the cursed swordsman Atticus Hale and of course Stonemason's nemesis, the superpowered warlord Captain Conquest.

Crisis in Quistis City

However, everything culminated in 2009, when the Bluthexen sisters instigated the Bloodied Carnival, intent on sacrificing every human within Madeleine Gardens in order to gain immeasurable power. Aided by several supervillains such as Atticus Hale, Wild Wind, Dreadmask and The White Hand, their forces seemed unstoppable. While Skychild and Demoness used their magic to open a gateway through the barrier erected around the gardens, Stonemason and his sidekick Geo-kid entered inside in hopes of stopping the villains, but they were completely outnumbered. However, the appearence of The Nightsiders, consisting of Razor, Hollow and Black Cape, three until then unknown vigilantes, changed the tides of battle. Before anyone knew what had happened, Atticus Hale was beaheaded, Wild Wind and Dreadmask shot between the eyes, The White Hand bested in martial arts and torn to pieces, and the Bluthexen's charred bodies were found hanging from the ceiling of Preathorian Cathedral. It was a massacre, leaving an unrepairable wound on Quistis City as the Nightsiders declared their presence as hunters of evil men. In response, Skychild teamed up with Demoness, Stonemason and Geo-kid to create the Element of Justice, and the two teams fought bitterly over the course of 2 years, despite having the same ultimate goal. However, in 2010 Quistis City saw the rise of a new superhero team: Genesis Squadron. The team of superpowered teenagers were more then capable of taking care of Quistis City, and with Skychild being called back to her people in the sky, the Element of Justice disbanded. Stonemason and Geo-kid continued to fight crime, including the Nightsiders, as a team. That too, however, came to an end in early 2011. In a last confrontation between Stonemason and Captain Conquest, the aging hero found that he could no longer keep up and ended up losing a leg to the superpowered warlord. And when Tobias tried to beseech the Living Earth to heal him, it refused, claiming that his time as its champion had come to an end. Instead, it bestowed its full power unto Tobias, though that did little to appease the enraged youngster, who almost crushed the being with the very power it had bestowed him in a rare fit of anger. He was only pacified by Walter's urgings, and eventually came to terms with the situation. It was better for the aging Walter to finally be able to retire, after all. In the hospital, Walter urged Tobias to distance himself from the Living Earth and test his wings on his own in the world. Tobias decided to wander, stepping out onto the open road where he would spend the next 3 years traversing the states on foot. Recently, he's arrived in Millenium city, where he took up work as a Park Ranger at a nearby wildlife preservation park. Eventually, his activity in and around Millenium city caught the eye of Sparrowhawk, the leader of the local supergroup Protectors of the World, who proceeded to extend an invitation for Stonemason to join with them in their fight against evil worldwide. Tobias didn't have to think too hard about the opportunity and leapt at the chance to be part of a team once more.

Personal File

"It's gonna work out somehow." Those words have kept me going this far, and will take me as far as I need to go.

Appearence

Tobias looks pretty much like your average, healthy young man. A few years before his prime, he's built a bit on the lanky side but is by no means scrawny or thin. Several years of training as a superhero sidekick has honed his body well and this shows both in his body language and posture. Though generally inconspicous, the young man seems to carry himself with silent pride and can sometimes even appear imposing, however more often than not he tends to disappear among the crowd. Tobias' most striking feature would be his heterochromia, having one green and one brown iris. Aside from that, there's nothing else notable about his face: Shaggy, unkept hair, healthy complexion, blank gaze and dimunitive features keep him from standing out in a crowd.

Personality

Tobias' personality type is INFP, Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Prospective of the Assertive variant.

"INFP personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst of people and events, searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, INFPs have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine. /.../ INFPs are guided by their principles, rather than by logic, excitement, or practicality. When deciding how to move forward, they will look to honor, beauty, morality and virtue - INFPs are led by the purity of their intent, not rewards and punishments. People who share the INFP personality type are proud of this quality, and rightly so, but not everyone understands the drive behind these feelings, and it can lead to isolation."

Tobias has been told that he has his head in the clouds, and for a person so decidedly connected to the earth this is strangely true. Tobias is free spirit, preferring to express himself through art, music or just not at all, being perfectly comfortable alone with his thoughts. He tends to drift off into thought whenever he has to sit still for longer than a few minutes and can get caught up on the most trivial details, embellishing them and ending up fascinating himself too much and spacing out for what appears to others to be for no particular reason. This may cause him to appear unfocused or detached from reality, and to a point that's true. Although, he's not completely out of touch with real life, his time as a hero having taught him that there's time for dreaming and time for facing reality, and that the two don't mix particularly well.

Though by no means shy or reclusive, Tobias is still a bit of a loner. He prefers the silent rustling of leaves over the thumping beat of the dance floor and feels more at home off the beaten path, surrounded by the natural wonders of the earth. This is partly because of his empathic connection to the Earth, but even before his meeting with the Living Earth did he enjoy the feel of dirt and grass beneath his feet. While he doesn't mind company, quite the contrary, he still feels a certain need to withdraw every so often and just have some alone time, easily feeling burnt out if he's forced into constant social gatherings.

Tobias has few ambitions aside from making the world a slightly better place for the people who live in it. He's feels no need to prove his power or courage to anyone, making him come off as a laid-back and unambitious, sometimes even cowardly. True, he wears his emotions on his sleeve and isn't afraid to show them, wether it's happiness or fear. His Geo-Empathy tends to affect his mood as well, making it difficult for him to hide them even if he'd try to. Tobias has no problems with taking the backseat to someone more authoritan and charismatic than himself, being a follower rather than a leader. He's well aware of his shortcomings and feels no need to fight them or prove other people wrong about him, caring not for what it makes him look like in the eyes of his peers. He fights for what's right, and that'll always be good enough for him.

Having grown up as the sidekick to a superhero, Tobias of course always considers the need of others before himself. He's always the first to jump in should someone need his help and would never hesitate to step up to any villain trying to ruin somebody's day, no matter who they are. This level of self-sacrifice while admirable, usually ends up with him biting off more than he can chew, as his mindset won't allow for him to flee rather than fight as long as someone else is in jeopardy. This also reflects in his daily life, as he's not beyond giving away his last few dollars to a homeless man he passes on the street, even if those bills were supposed to pay for his food this week.

Meta Data

"Look, man... I don't just have the power of the Earth, I am the Earth. Get it? I could drop a mountain on your hiney without breaking a sweat. So how about we just put the guns down and talk this over instead? No? Alright then, don't say I didn't warn you."

Powers

Geokinesis

Tobias has the power to manipulate, shape, move and exert telekinetic force over earth, soil, sand, mineral compositions and even magmatic or volcanic composites. Through concentration, he can even alter the physical attributes of the earth, grinding stone into sand or hypercompressing it into denser forms. Stonemason's power is often limited only by his own imagination, and since Tobias himself is an artist at heart that has given rise to a number of unique techniques. Having had 10 years to hone his skills, Tobias' control and fine-tuning is so great that he can create elaborate structures and sculptures using only his power, though this takes a greater deal of concentration than simply ripping chunk out of the earth to use for fighting. Stonemason can cause stalagtites to shoot up from the ground from beneath enemies' feet, trap them withing rocky constructs or quicksand, levitate and bludgeon enemies with chunks of earth and even manipulate erosion, quickly changing and warping the shape or size of anything earthern. However, Tobias can only manipulate untampered Earth, meaning he cannot use his powers on things like Concrete or Asphalt. His powers are also dimished if the Earth is "Sick" with unnatural chemicals or poisons, or if it's terraformed by aliens. Often, such situations forces him to dig deep into the Earth's Crust, significantly slowing down the speed with which he can fight.

Seismokinesis

Tobias secondary power is that of seismokinesis, the ability to manipulate and generate shockwaves through the earth. With this power, he can cause the earth to churn or quake at his command, breaking it apart or making the ground beneath enemies unstable. The most force Tobias has ever generated was about 137 kilotons, registering as 6.6 on the Richter scale, however that was when he shared the power with Walter Peaks. Walter himself theorizes that the Champion of the Living Earth, when being the only one chosen, can reach magnitudes greater than 10.0, meaning Tobias can theorethically cause earthquakes, cave-ins, fissures, volcanic eruptions, avalanches and tsunamis of not just disastrous but actually cataclysmic magnitudes. However, this is all theorethical as Tobias has, understandingly, never actually attempted anything of the scale before. That being said, Tobias' seismokinesis can run amok if he's overcome with powerful negative emotions, and if the nearby earth is "sick" then his Geo-empathy is known to foster rage and anger within him, as he feels what the Earth is feeling. This means that Tobias needs to keep his emotions at check at all times, especially when on "sick" ground.

Champion of the Living Earth

As the designated Champion of the primordial being known as the Living Earth, Tobias has been gifted with the attributes of the Earth itself, being connected to it on an empathical nature. He "feels" through the Earth and can tell wether it's healthy and untouched, or sick with chemical, toxins or other influences such as alien terraforming or magical tampering. This is a double-edged sword, as standing on "sick" earth makes Tobias lethargic and physically ill, while pure and unadultered earth rapidly heals and sooths him in return.

But perhaps the most important is that the blessing renders him unchangable like the earth itself. Tobias is immune to transformations, magical or scientifical, of any kind since his human form is the form that the Living Earth recognizes as its champion. This means zombification, magical transformation, genetical tampering, vampirism or lycanthropy cannot affect him. This even extends to the unknown traces of Elder Worm DNA that resides within all humans, making it impossible for Tobias to be made an Helminth as well.

It should also be noted that all of Stonemason's powers stem from the Living Earth and should it ever deem him unworthy of being its champion, it can and will take them from him as easily as it granted it to him, designating another champion in his stead. It can also designating more champions than one, as it did when Tobias became the Geo-kid. It should also be noted that the Living Earth's powers is bound to Earth itself, and Tobias' powers diminish slowly if he leaves it for space or other dimensions. However, as a semi-mythological being, the Living Earth is just as strong in Faerie as it is on Earth, possible even stronger.

Abilities

Tobias is an accomplished artist in many ways, not only having been an actual stonemason apprentice for as long as he's been a hero, but also having dabbled in classical art such as oil-painting and aquarell as well as having learnt how to play guitar, bass guiter and trumpet. While certainly no professional yet, Tobias has an undying passion and interest in the arts, favoring romanticism in arts and literature, though he's always had a penchant for naturalism when it comes to his art and usually combines the two.

Furthermore, Tobias' love for the wilderness and his work as a Park Ranger has given him plentiful invaluable skills when it comes to surviving in the wild. He knows how to track, fish and set up camp with minimal equipment, as well as having proper knowledge of first aid and wilderness survival. He never leaves home without a watch and a compass.

Tobias also happens to be a practitioner of Chen-style Tai Chi, practicing it mostly to help himself relax and collect his thoughts but also to hone his body and keep it fit for fighting crime. He also has a tendency to mix in techniques and forms in his fighting style, admitting that he feels more comfortable and serene while practicing Tai Chi, claiming it to be easier for him to keep a cool head that way.

Affiliations

Allies

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Comments

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"Stonemason is probably one of the hardest people I know to put a finger on, much to his credit. He comes across as somewhat laid back and nonchalant, I suppose you could say? But the truth of the matter is that he isn't. He's a paradox, personality wise, in my opinion. More like the waves of the ocean than the rigidness of the Earth when you meet him at first. He's intriguing, for sure... though undoubtedly effective once he maintains focus. Not to mention incredibly powerful, probably much more than he is even aware of. We just need to work on that screaming bit..." - Sparrowhawk

"Okay, confession time. The first time I met Stonemason, I wasn't so sure if I would call him a hero. He's got this laid back, surfer boy kind of vibe to him. He spent the last half of one mission we were on complaining about his hair. I'm glad to say that my original assumption was wrong. He's got some insane power behind that easy going attitude of his, and when the chips are down, he's got this incredible focus. If it weren't for him, I'd probably be dead and buried. So uh...if you're reading this? Thank you." - Tesseract

"My number is 555-6789. CALL ME. Oh, wait wait! I mean, Stonemason is very, very nice. And cute. But nice and cute! Does anyone think if we had kids they'd have my eyes or his eyes?" - Lash

"As long as he doesn't slack off during missions we'll get along fine." - Fathom

"While I have not been with Stonemason much yet, the few times I have, I have been very, very grateful to have him around. That said, he's a solid teammate, no pun intended. To be able to control the very earth he stands upon like that...it's almost downright scary in what he could do if he put his mind to it." - Razira

"Give him a few more missions and we'll make a man out of him. Either that or get him killed. It's a 50/50 chance." - Artifist

Rogues Gallery

Miscellaneous

RP Hooks

• Were you a hero active around the 80s-90s? Then the name Stonemason most definitely rings a bell, as Walter Peaks was carrying the mantle back then.
• From the West Coast? Quistis City is relatively new but bustling metropol where the East and the West clashes, acting as one of the biggest centers for international trade and commence.
• Aura reader? Tobias' aura is visually and empathically Identical to that of the Earth itself. Curious, huh?
• Ever battled with the old supervillain Captain Conquest? He and Stonemason go way back as Nemeses for eachother.

Trivia

• Feels a lot more at home away from home, out in the wilderness. Tobias will constantly find excuses to head off to the park, or a local hiking trail, just so that he doesn't have to sit still at home. His favorite season is late Summer to early Fall, thought he likes all of them better than staying indoors.
• Tobias' favorite romantic artist is Caspar David Friedrich and his favorite piece by him is Man and Woman contemplating the Moon. His second favorite artist would be the naturalist Gustave Courbet.
• Listens to pretty much any kind of music, but favors the early rock and punk of the 60's and the 70's, especially psychedelic rock. Among his favorite bands are The Ramones, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Jefferson Airplane.
• Is the epitome of an omnivore, he'll eat just about anything and actually like it. He's got a very healthy appetite, albeit a very strange one that can appreciate combinations no man would think of. Like a Whipped cream, pepper jack cheese and sushi sandwich, or noodle soup with deep fried banana and mozzarella sticks. He doesn't tend to think his meals out, preferring to just grab what he can find in the fridge, when there's food in there. His food bill is quite extensive.
• Due to his dislike of sitting still at home, Tobias isn't a very technical person. He can barely operate his microwave and his TV hasn't worked for a month, he just hasn't bothered fixing it. When he does watch TV, he likes shows that doesn't require him to think a lot. Sitcoms and TV shows do it for him, though he complains that thrillers and criminal drama give him a headache.
• Generally buys all his clothes second-hand, when he bothers to actually buy some. Due to his extensive food bill, he rarely has money left to buy clothes and most of the stuff he wears is years old, often showing signs of wear and tear due to his penchant for outdoor life.
• May or may not be lacking in the hygiene department. His apartment has old clothes thrown all over and he only does laundry often enough to keep his neighbors from complaining about the smell. He has a bad habit of letting his dishes pile up in the sink, though he never lets any food go to waste.

Theme and Tropes

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Theme Songs

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