Post by fox on Apr 25, 2012 4:54:34 GMT -5
Basics: Mulford, James. Foxcraft.
Full Name: James Madison Mulford.
Codename: Foxcraft
Nicknames: "Fox"
Type: Original
Gender: Male
Species: Homo superior
Age: 18
Date of Birth: June 12
Hometown: Rock Valley, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Xavier New York City, City, New York
Loyalty: Neutral
Occupation: Ratcatcher and part-time performer
Hair Colour: Not applicable
Eye Colour: Gold
Height: 6'
Weight: 171 lbs.
Body Type: Lean.
Typical Style: Minimalist.
Distinguishing Features: See "Physical Mutations", below.
Physical Mutations: Foxcraft's mutation primarily was physical, so it left him quite altered: it transformed him into a fox-human hybrid, which is now and forever to be his form, powers of shapeshifting notwithstanding.
As a fox-man, he stands at 6' (not counting his ears), the same height as he was before. However, he lost a bit of bone and muscle mass, making him far leaner. His lower legs modified to become digitigrade, and he now only has four toes per foot. Both hands and feet bear semi-retractile claws, and both have pads (though the former are otherwise human). His face is a muzzle and his hair, after changing colour, was replaced by fur.
His pelt is a medium shade of orange above, and white below. The end of his tail is also white. His ears are black, as are the stockings/gloves that extend to within a few inches of his knees/elbows; he also has a pair of black, comma-like markings midway down his muzzle that point back up towards his eyes. Said eyes are a deep gold ringed with black, with slit pupils.
Also noteworthy are his scent glands. Like any fox, he has a very strong odour which most humans find unpleasant. And, since he is (normally) much larger than a real fox, his scent is proportionately more powerful.
Uniform: None.
Personality: The most defining aspect of Fox's character is his ambition. Brought up to believe the United States was divinely instituted, he developed a theoretical objection objection to democracy and the rule of law, preferring the institutions of medieval Europe and ancient China. This has since become a very personal hatred of the United States, thanks to his experiences. For he is slow to forget injury, and he lays the blame for the danger that engendered the need for him to abandon his home and live like an animal to the country and the society it harbours.
His drive to rule the country, to take it over and change it. is the only thing that keeps him going. It is the dream that keeps him clinging to his dignity as a rational being amidst the bitterness and the animal instincts. Not that he has not embraced his vulpine side; he cannot even remember what he looked like before his manifestation, and he sees himself as a fox, not a human or even a mutant. He has no qualms about what he eats, nor shame in exposure (he isn't attracted to humans any more, it may be noted). However there are certain things he has not indulged, since he aspires to be a king ruling over humans and mutants.
He actually has very high moral standards. He inherited a rigourous system of ethics form his father, and refined it through his reading. Proud and quite intelligent, he despises moral decay, especially addiction and cowardice. However, he does not think taking property or life wrong per se in a just war such as he believes himself to be fighting. He is simply too proud to stoop to theft unless absolutely necessary, and so far has refrained from killing out of a mixture of prudence (human mauled by giant fox would be a headline-grabber) and reluctance to kill a sapient being without need.
Always something of a loner, he lost a large part of his human gregariousness and naturally sees himself unique in this world of humans. Nonetheless he is quite willing to lend a sympathetic ear to those who want it -- after all he might be able to recruit the person to his cause. And once he has made a friend, he is very loyal. He is as slow to forget benefits as he is injury, and for someone he cares for he would readily lay down his life. He is not overly emotional, normally displaying a calm demeanour, but he is quite sensitive to emotions in others.
All of this is mediated by a golden tongue. His bitterness does give his words an acidic edge from time to time, and he smells like what he is, but he can still be charismatic and persuasive. He is, after all, confident in himself and his beliefs.
Family:
- Robert Mulford; father; 42; Lutheran pastor
- Caroline Mulford, née Cruise; mother; 40; flower shop assistant,
- Martha "Crystal" Custis Mulford; younger sister; 17; high school student
History: Foxcraft was raised in a conservative household, one that valued the American heritage of law, liberty, and personal responsibility. As a matter of fact, his father was a Lutheran minister, and both of Pastor Mulford's children were expected to live up to the highest standards.
Despite being strict (and the poverty which his small congregation enjoined on him), the Pastor truly loved his family. James' childhood was thus happy, if a bit introverted, a tendency exacerbated by his parents' decision to homeschool him and his sister. When he was twelve, however, his mother had to get a job in order to make ends meet, and they were forced to commence public school.
It took him time to adjust. By the time he started high school, though, he was attuned to his new world. He had friends (and enemies), he was the head of his class, and he was the star pupil of the local kung fu instructor, who for inexplicable reasons had wound up in this remote Pennsylvanian village. He had also begun questioning his father's beliefs; after being exposed to more liberal ideas at his public schools, he had actually reacted toward an older view of the world.
Through Master Zhou, he was put in touch with Chinese tradition; through his father's dusty collection of classics, with European tradition. Expanding his knowledge via the Internet, he even, during his seventeenth year, considered leaving his natal Lutheranism, although he was not certain whether Catholicism or Confucianism would be the better path.
In the end, he didn't do anything, afraid of wounding his father. However, while he kept this last radical step a secret, he did begin arguing with his father, both on Lutheran orthodoxy and American conservatism. This stressed the Mulford household, and James' little sister was the one who played the part of mediatrix. Both brother and father respected her, and it seemed things would eventually turn out all right.
Then, two weeks after he graduated high school, and one week after turning eighteen, James manifested as a mutant. Their town had been untouched by all the excitement surrounding the mutants; still, all the bad press had created a strong wariness of superhumans in the area. James and Crystal had discussed with mingled longing and trepidation what they would do if they manifested the X-gene; at eighteen, James thought the possibility had passed. But, it seemed, puberty had one last major change to throw at him.
Let us pause here to contemplate how James looked at the beginning of that day. He was a tall, muscular young man, with dark brown hair, dark blue eyes, and fading freckles. He had slightly tanned skin, a few unnoticeable scars from childhood scrapes, and calluses on his hands from martial arts practice. His face was sturdy, and enlivened by a rudimentary beard and moustache.
Nice, right? But there's no sense crying over spilled milk, as they say. It began with a tingling itch all over his body. Over the course of two days, his hair and eyes changed colour, his bones realigned, he lost weight, and grew a tail. Horrified, with strange new impulses demanding attention, he cowered in his room. His family, likewise, were shocked and frightened. There was no question of abandoning their son, but there was no way they could cope with having such an obvious mutant around.
Several days passed. James began coming to terms with his transformation. He realized that not only his current life but his dreams were forever shattered. He had been thinking of a career in politics, aiming eventually to be President, whence he could at least lay the groundwork for the new world he envisioned. That was out of the question now, but a new idea had taken its place. As a mutant, he would have to be much more direct and revolutionary -- and that idea was starting to appeal to him.
Meanwhile, he had to do something about the immediate situation. Despite what it would do to their position in the Valley -- poor but respected -- and the fact that his powerful odour was percolating through the whole house, his parents wanted him to stay. James, however, would not hear of it. Instinctively he wanted his own territory, and rationally he knew it would not only ruin them, it could get them all killed. He could not be hidden, even if he could stay inside forever; and sooner or later some anti-mutant group would find out and murder them all.
After a terrible argument with his father, his parents finally agreed to let him go. He packed a few possessions into his backpack, and then left. Where was his going? his family asked. New York City, he replied; maybe he'd find someone to help in that hotbed of mutant activity. They were still inclined to argue, but eventually, after shouting his good-byes, he walked out on them.
The last person to see him was Crystal. She followed him, and he said a proper good-bye to her. He also told her to report his disappearance to the police, as a case of a missing person. That would throw people off the scent, and obviously the police would never find him. She promised, and they parted.
It took him a month to reach Manhatten. During that time, he adapted to his situation. He learned to hunt like a fox, living off of what he could catch in the woods and, eventually, scavenge from roads and dumpsters. He also learned that he could shapeshift. It aided him in catching game, but did him precious little good on the social front: he could not hold his human "mask" long enough. The few people he encountered reacted in horror; he was even shot.
Bitterness grew in him, and several times he was tempted to just give up, claim an earth, and live out his life as an animal. Yet each time his purpose to become a king hardened, and pushed him on. He arrived in the coastal metropolis a very different person. He had devised the name "Foxcraft" for himself, leaving his birth name behind with the rest of his human identity.
He spent the rest of the summer trying to find a place in New York City. Obviously he could not just rent an apartment. He scouted the streets as an ordinary fox, smelling out places to establish a base of operations. He found Mutant Town, and while repulsed by the drug-soaked, depraved conditions, decided to settle in as one of the residents. He claimed the cellar of a ramshackle theatre as his lair, in exchange for dealing with the establishment's rodent problem.
The cellars connected to the Underground, and Fox was soon found by the Morlocks. They offered him a place among them, but after speaking with the emissaries he declined. Their defeatist attitude repulsed him; besides, he did not need anyone.
He regretted this during winter. During those months he felt his loneliness more keenly. Moreover, most mutants in Mutant Town were registered, and while the deranged owner of the theatre did not care, he could hardly protect Fox from the authorities. The vulpine had to move out of the cellar proper, resettling in a small system of tunnels further into the Underground. Still he declined to either register and join the decadent life of Mutant Town or descend to join the Morlocks.
Now, winter is loosening its grip on the city and a new version of the Mutant Registration Act has been adopted. Fox has also practiced with his shapeshifting to the point where he can appear human for a comfortable period of time. Because of this, he has become somewhat bolder, performing as a street singer to earn the money to expand his battered wardrobe.
He has also scoped out a restaurant as another customer for his pest control services, and a potential place to discuss subversive activities, as the owner seems open to that line of thinking. He has also been in contact with the Morlocks, building up an acquaintanceship with some of them despite still refusing to officially join.
(Note on mutant NPCs: The theatre owner is a weak empath {he can project emotions via his voice} who believes he is William Shakespeare and is addicted to Kick. The restaurant owner is Big Al, a minotaur with superstrength who immigrated from France; he has already appeared on the board.)
Classification: Gamma
Powers:
- Semper Vulpes: Despite having limited shapeshifting abilities, Fox's X-gene has made him more fox than human -- in fact, in a sense he is a fox with intelligence and free will. His vulpine instincts mesh quite well with his mind, but they are not human. Moreover his transformation was not a one-time thing: his genes actively resist any attempts to alter his form, and any injury will be regenerated, whether it be a wound or cellular or genetic damage, as his X-gene impels him back to being a "perfect fox". It thus mimics a healing factor, albeit a slow one: a broken bone, for instance, will take several weeks to eye, and a complex organ like an eye can take months to regenerate. But he is immune to viruses outright, and extremely resistant to most other biological or chemical agents. (For the limits it puts on his shpaeshifting, see below).
- Supervulpinus: In addition to his appearance and "healing factor", Fox's mutation gave him several superhuman abilities. First are his heightened senses; he is able to hear the minutest sounds over hundreds of yards (when paying attention), pinpointing the exact location of the source, moreover he has a broader range of hearing than a human; his sense of smell is keener still, and he is able to detect people's moods (and usually lies) through the shifts in their scent; and he has very good low-light vision and has super-human motion-detection -- he can track the passage of a bullet. Each of these has flaws, however: he is extremely sensitive to loud and high-pitched noises; he finds a lot of "ordinary" human smells offensive; and he is colourblind, somewhat short-sighted, and has difficulty distinguishing objects at rest.
Second, he has superhuman agility, reflexes and to some extent speed. He is very nimble and graceful on his feet, whether on two legs or four, and can move fast enough to easily evade bullets. His maximum speed on two legs is about thirty miles an hour; on four it is over sixty. However while fast he is not strong; he fact he is weaker than the average fit human (including himself before his transformation).
Third, he has very powerful natural weaponry. His claws and fangs have a Mohs hardness of roughly 8.5, and they grow slightly harder over time (while otherwise having the structure of nails and teeth). His hide is also unusually tough. Although supple with soft fur, the hairs are nearly indestructible, and the skin is tougher than any natural leather, giving him increased defense from convention attacks. (Good blades can still cut him, though they will be impeded and deflected; bullets can penetrate his hide, but much of the force will be absorbed).
These powers do vary according to his form. His sensory capacities are at their peak in his "baseline", hybrid form: they remain above vulpine average but decrease as he shrinks in size; they are significantly reduced if he replaces the relevant organs with the human equivalent, becoming merely very good (though he also loses the corresponding weaknesses). His nails and teeth retain their toughness in human form, but are obviously less suited for tearing into things; his hair remains strong but his skin is otherwise normal for a human. Even his agility is reduced, as his senses could not keep up with the accelerated motion (he is still superhumanly graceful, but he would find it nearly impossible to dodge a bullet).
- Transmutans: Fox is a shapeshifter, but only to a limited degree. His hybrid "werefox" form he considers his "normal" or baseline form: it is actually the highest he can push the "balance" between vulpine and human traits. He can freely shift between it and a quadrupedal form. Further he can fairly easily assume the form of a "real" fox, and any form intermediate to a real fox and his baseline. However, changing his size requires much more energy than simply shifting the structure of his body.
He can also shift in the other direction, becoming more human. However, as soon as he does, he begins to feel a subtle pressure in his body, an urge to return to his fox form. This increases over time, becoming actual physical pain if he resists up to his limit. The more human he becomes, the stronger this reaction is. Currently, he can hold a full human form for just under an hour; he has found that by compromising and manifesting various vulpine traits he can extend the period by about 50%. Note that his human form does not completely resemble his body pre-manifestation: he is more slender, with a narrower face, and his hair is a much lighter sandy brown (also he is cleanshaven).
Skills:
- Martial Arts: Foxcraft was Master Zhou's best pupil, and had made it to black belt in Shou Shu, specialising in unarmed fighting and the jian. He continues to practice, having adapted to his new body, and having a chance to use the skills on the street. However, his fencing has degraded to a point, since he does not carry the sword in his excursions through the city.
- Singing: Foxcraft is a beautiful baritone-tenor (formerly baritone -- yeah, his transformation raised his voice a bit), and was trained by the choirmaster of his father's church. After adjusting to his new facial structure, he is just as good as he used to be.
- Multilingual: Since he was interested in it, his father instructued Foxcraft in Latin, Biblical Greek and a little Hebrew. He still remembers a bit of the Latin.
- Pianist: James used to accompany himself on the piano while he practiced singing. he was fairly good at it, and occasionally practices on the sorry relic in Shakespeare's theatre (at night when nobody who cares is around).
Weaponry: Jian (Chinese long sword) -- Foxcraft received this as a gift from Master Zhou. Although an antique it is very serviceable, forged of good steel.
Role Play Sample: He was standing the window of the room he shared with Crystal. Their house had two stories, although it was otherwise cramped, and he could look down at the street without any great fear of being seen. Which was good, because he was no longer human.
Just three days ago. Although it had not been painful, the metamorphosis had had a nightmarish quality to it. It had begun when he was hanging out with a couple of his friends, as if to add irony to injury, for he knew he could never see them again. The process of becoming inhuman was bad enough, but the knowledge of what it meant for his future was worse.
How appropriate that it should be a fox, he thought bitterly. Nothing that could be easily hidden, no god-like powers to shake the world; just an animal on its hind legs, and one that had a long history of being persecuted at that. The words from the end of The Phantom floated through his head: "Track down down this murderer, / He must be found! / Hunt down this animal / Who runs to ground!"
He shook his head. He was not a murderer, and God willing he was not quite an animal -- despite the urge to scent-mark his shared bedroom. What was he, though? What was he going to do?
That was what he was brooding over, staring down at the world that was suddenly so very distant. His arms were folded over his chest, black forearms and orange biceps alike making a sharp contrast to the light blue of his nightshirt. He was clad in his pajamas because the loose cotton fabric was the coolest around, and the muggy Pennsylvania summer had been torturous enough before he was burdened with a fur coat. The matching shorts he wore backward, his tail just barely fitting through the fly.
It was ridiculous. Although, looking in the mirror after donning this costume, James had to admire the way it contrasted. In spite of himself, he was starting to like how he looked, fur and tail and muzzle and all. He was already beginning to think of it as "his" appearance -- a subtle effect of the mutation, he was sure. He was tempted to resent that, but, wasn't it just as well that God ha given him the grace to accept the change?
He sighed. Appearance was one thing, instincts another. Even the sensory changes were a double-edged sword: there were so many smells in his house that it had nearly driven him crazy when he first detected them, never mind that not all of them were pleasant. That was, a flippant part of him suggested, why he hadn't once left this room -- his own accumulating scent was at least drowning all the others out.
What am I going to do? He leaned forward, putting his hands on the windowsill. Wincing as the pads on his fingertips and palms come into contact with the worn wood. He dropped his head, staring at the black fur, and the claws just brushing the peeling paint. I can't live my life in our room.
He flexed his fingers, digging his claws into the wood. Damn it, he had no intention of staying up here! But, what could he do? Nobody in Rock Valley would accept him, now. He couldn't talk to them, and he couldn't fight them, a thought which had sometimes occurred to him: Fight. Kill. You're cornered. Which was, he supposed, the truth. It was also the response of a frightened animal, and thus was not something he would consider.
He smelt Crystal coming. Time to stop moping and eat. He raised his eyes, but only to look back on the street. Somehow, that world would be his again. Moreso than before. He could not think of himself as just a a hunted animal: he had a better goal than that. Somehow, he would attain it.
Your Name: Flam, Fox or Incultus.
Other Characters: Magneto and Cynthia.
Full Name: James Madison Mulford.
Codename: Foxcraft
Nicknames: "Fox"
Type: Original
Gender: Male
Species: Homo superior
Age: 18
Date of Birth: June 12
Hometown: Rock Valley, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Xavier New York City, City, New York
Loyalty: Neutral
Occupation: Ratcatcher and part-time performer
Hair Colour: Not applicable
Eye Colour: Gold
Height: 6'
Weight: 171 lbs.
Body Type: Lean.
Typical Style: Minimalist.
Distinguishing Features: See "Physical Mutations", below.
Physical Mutations: Foxcraft's mutation primarily was physical, so it left him quite altered: it transformed him into a fox-human hybrid, which is now and forever to be his form, powers of shapeshifting notwithstanding.
As a fox-man, he stands at 6' (not counting his ears), the same height as he was before. However, he lost a bit of bone and muscle mass, making him far leaner. His lower legs modified to become digitigrade, and he now only has four toes per foot. Both hands and feet bear semi-retractile claws, and both have pads (though the former are otherwise human). His face is a muzzle and his hair, after changing colour, was replaced by fur.
His pelt is a medium shade of orange above, and white below. The end of his tail is also white. His ears are black, as are the stockings/gloves that extend to within a few inches of his knees/elbows; he also has a pair of black, comma-like markings midway down his muzzle that point back up towards his eyes. Said eyes are a deep gold ringed with black, with slit pupils.
Also noteworthy are his scent glands. Like any fox, he has a very strong odour which most humans find unpleasant. And, since he is (normally) much larger than a real fox, his scent is proportionately more powerful.
Uniform: None.
Personality: The most defining aspect of Fox's character is his ambition. Brought up to believe the United States was divinely instituted, he developed a theoretical objection objection to democracy and the rule of law, preferring the institutions of medieval Europe and ancient China. This has since become a very personal hatred of the United States, thanks to his experiences. For he is slow to forget injury, and he lays the blame for the danger that engendered the need for him to abandon his home and live like an animal to the country and the society it harbours.
His drive to rule the country, to take it over and change it. is the only thing that keeps him going. It is the dream that keeps him clinging to his dignity as a rational being amidst the bitterness and the animal instincts. Not that he has not embraced his vulpine side; he cannot even remember what he looked like before his manifestation, and he sees himself as a fox, not a human or even a mutant. He has no qualms about what he eats, nor shame in exposure (he isn't attracted to humans any more, it may be noted). However there are certain things he has not indulged, since he aspires to be a king ruling over humans and mutants.
He actually has very high moral standards. He inherited a rigourous system of ethics form his father, and refined it through his reading. Proud and quite intelligent, he despises moral decay, especially addiction and cowardice. However, he does not think taking property or life wrong per se in a just war such as he believes himself to be fighting. He is simply too proud to stoop to theft unless absolutely necessary, and so far has refrained from killing out of a mixture of prudence (human mauled by giant fox would be a headline-grabber) and reluctance to kill a sapient being without need.
Always something of a loner, he lost a large part of his human gregariousness and naturally sees himself unique in this world of humans. Nonetheless he is quite willing to lend a sympathetic ear to those who want it -- after all he might be able to recruit the person to his cause. And once he has made a friend, he is very loyal. He is as slow to forget benefits as he is injury, and for someone he cares for he would readily lay down his life. He is not overly emotional, normally displaying a calm demeanour, but he is quite sensitive to emotions in others.
All of this is mediated by a golden tongue. His bitterness does give his words an acidic edge from time to time, and he smells like what he is, but he can still be charismatic and persuasive. He is, after all, confident in himself and his beliefs.
Family:
- Robert Mulford; father; 42; Lutheran pastor
- Caroline Mulford, née Cruise; mother; 40; flower shop assistant,
- Martha "Crystal" Custis Mulford; younger sister; 17; high school student
History: Foxcraft was raised in a conservative household, one that valued the American heritage of law, liberty, and personal responsibility. As a matter of fact, his father was a Lutheran minister, and both of Pastor Mulford's children were expected to live up to the highest standards.
Despite being strict (and the poverty which his small congregation enjoined on him), the Pastor truly loved his family. James' childhood was thus happy, if a bit introverted, a tendency exacerbated by his parents' decision to homeschool him and his sister. When he was twelve, however, his mother had to get a job in order to make ends meet, and they were forced to commence public school.
It took him time to adjust. By the time he started high school, though, he was attuned to his new world. He had friends (and enemies), he was the head of his class, and he was the star pupil of the local kung fu instructor, who for inexplicable reasons had wound up in this remote Pennsylvanian village. He had also begun questioning his father's beliefs; after being exposed to more liberal ideas at his public schools, he had actually reacted toward an older view of the world.
Through Master Zhou, he was put in touch with Chinese tradition; through his father's dusty collection of classics, with European tradition. Expanding his knowledge via the Internet, he even, during his seventeenth year, considered leaving his natal Lutheranism, although he was not certain whether Catholicism or Confucianism would be the better path.
In the end, he didn't do anything, afraid of wounding his father. However, while he kept this last radical step a secret, he did begin arguing with his father, both on Lutheran orthodoxy and American conservatism. This stressed the Mulford household, and James' little sister was the one who played the part of mediatrix. Both brother and father respected her, and it seemed things would eventually turn out all right.
Then, two weeks after he graduated high school, and one week after turning eighteen, James manifested as a mutant. Their town had been untouched by all the excitement surrounding the mutants; still, all the bad press had created a strong wariness of superhumans in the area. James and Crystal had discussed with mingled longing and trepidation what they would do if they manifested the X-gene; at eighteen, James thought the possibility had passed. But, it seemed, puberty had one last major change to throw at him.
Let us pause here to contemplate how James looked at the beginning of that day. He was a tall, muscular young man, with dark brown hair, dark blue eyes, and fading freckles. He had slightly tanned skin, a few unnoticeable scars from childhood scrapes, and calluses on his hands from martial arts practice. His face was sturdy, and enlivened by a rudimentary beard and moustache.
Nice, right? But there's no sense crying over spilled milk, as they say. It began with a tingling itch all over his body. Over the course of two days, his hair and eyes changed colour, his bones realigned, he lost weight, and grew a tail. Horrified, with strange new impulses demanding attention, he cowered in his room. His family, likewise, were shocked and frightened. There was no question of abandoning their son, but there was no way they could cope with having such an obvious mutant around.
Several days passed. James began coming to terms with his transformation. He realized that not only his current life but his dreams were forever shattered. He had been thinking of a career in politics, aiming eventually to be President, whence he could at least lay the groundwork for the new world he envisioned. That was out of the question now, but a new idea had taken its place. As a mutant, he would have to be much more direct and revolutionary -- and that idea was starting to appeal to him.
Meanwhile, he had to do something about the immediate situation. Despite what it would do to their position in the Valley -- poor but respected -- and the fact that his powerful odour was percolating through the whole house, his parents wanted him to stay. James, however, would not hear of it. Instinctively he wanted his own territory, and rationally he knew it would not only ruin them, it could get them all killed. He could not be hidden, even if he could stay inside forever; and sooner or later some anti-mutant group would find out and murder them all.
After a terrible argument with his father, his parents finally agreed to let him go. He packed a few possessions into his backpack, and then left. Where was his going? his family asked. New York City, he replied; maybe he'd find someone to help in that hotbed of mutant activity. They were still inclined to argue, but eventually, after shouting his good-byes, he walked out on them.
The last person to see him was Crystal. She followed him, and he said a proper good-bye to her. He also told her to report his disappearance to the police, as a case of a missing person. That would throw people off the scent, and obviously the police would never find him. She promised, and they parted.
It took him a month to reach Manhatten. During that time, he adapted to his situation. He learned to hunt like a fox, living off of what he could catch in the woods and, eventually, scavenge from roads and dumpsters. He also learned that he could shapeshift. It aided him in catching game, but did him precious little good on the social front: he could not hold his human "mask" long enough. The few people he encountered reacted in horror; he was even shot.
Bitterness grew in him, and several times he was tempted to just give up, claim an earth, and live out his life as an animal. Yet each time his purpose to become a king hardened, and pushed him on. He arrived in the coastal metropolis a very different person. He had devised the name "Foxcraft" for himself, leaving his birth name behind with the rest of his human identity.
He spent the rest of the summer trying to find a place in New York City. Obviously he could not just rent an apartment. He scouted the streets as an ordinary fox, smelling out places to establish a base of operations. He found Mutant Town, and while repulsed by the drug-soaked, depraved conditions, decided to settle in as one of the residents. He claimed the cellar of a ramshackle theatre as his lair, in exchange for dealing with the establishment's rodent problem.
The cellars connected to the Underground, and Fox was soon found by the Morlocks. They offered him a place among them, but after speaking with the emissaries he declined. Their defeatist attitude repulsed him; besides, he did not need anyone.
He regretted this during winter. During those months he felt his loneliness more keenly. Moreover, most mutants in Mutant Town were registered, and while the deranged owner of the theatre did not care, he could hardly protect Fox from the authorities. The vulpine had to move out of the cellar proper, resettling in a small system of tunnels further into the Underground. Still he declined to either register and join the decadent life of Mutant Town or descend to join the Morlocks.
Now, winter is loosening its grip on the city and a new version of the Mutant Registration Act has been adopted. Fox has also practiced with his shapeshifting to the point where he can appear human for a comfortable period of time. Because of this, he has become somewhat bolder, performing as a street singer to earn the money to expand his battered wardrobe.
He has also scoped out a restaurant as another customer for his pest control services, and a potential place to discuss subversive activities, as the owner seems open to that line of thinking. He has also been in contact with the Morlocks, building up an acquaintanceship with some of them despite still refusing to officially join.
(Note on mutant NPCs: The theatre owner is a weak empath {he can project emotions via his voice} who believes he is William Shakespeare and is addicted to Kick. The restaurant owner is Big Al, a minotaur with superstrength who immigrated from France; he has already appeared on the board.)
Classification: Gamma
Powers:
- Semper Vulpes: Despite having limited shapeshifting abilities, Fox's X-gene has made him more fox than human -- in fact, in a sense he is a fox with intelligence and free will. His vulpine instincts mesh quite well with his mind, but they are not human. Moreover his transformation was not a one-time thing: his genes actively resist any attempts to alter his form, and any injury will be regenerated, whether it be a wound or cellular or genetic damage, as his X-gene impels him back to being a "perfect fox". It thus mimics a healing factor, albeit a slow one: a broken bone, for instance, will take several weeks to eye, and a complex organ like an eye can take months to regenerate. But he is immune to viruses outright, and extremely resistant to most other biological or chemical agents. (For the limits it puts on his shpaeshifting, see below).
- Supervulpinus: In addition to his appearance and "healing factor", Fox's mutation gave him several superhuman abilities. First are his heightened senses; he is able to hear the minutest sounds over hundreds of yards (when paying attention), pinpointing the exact location of the source, moreover he has a broader range of hearing than a human; his sense of smell is keener still, and he is able to detect people's moods (and usually lies) through the shifts in their scent; and he has very good low-light vision and has super-human motion-detection -- he can track the passage of a bullet. Each of these has flaws, however: he is extremely sensitive to loud and high-pitched noises; he finds a lot of "ordinary" human smells offensive; and he is colourblind, somewhat short-sighted, and has difficulty distinguishing objects at rest.
Second, he has superhuman agility, reflexes and to some extent speed. He is very nimble and graceful on his feet, whether on two legs or four, and can move fast enough to easily evade bullets. His maximum speed on two legs is about thirty miles an hour; on four it is over sixty. However while fast he is not strong; he fact he is weaker than the average fit human (including himself before his transformation).
Third, he has very powerful natural weaponry. His claws and fangs have a Mohs hardness of roughly 8.5, and they grow slightly harder over time (while otherwise having the structure of nails and teeth). His hide is also unusually tough. Although supple with soft fur, the hairs are nearly indestructible, and the skin is tougher than any natural leather, giving him increased defense from convention attacks. (Good blades can still cut him, though they will be impeded and deflected; bullets can penetrate his hide, but much of the force will be absorbed).
These powers do vary according to his form. His sensory capacities are at their peak in his "baseline", hybrid form: they remain above vulpine average but decrease as he shrinks in size; they are significantly reduced if he replaces the relevant organs with the human equivalent, becoming merely very good (though he also loses the corresponding weaknesses). His nails and teeth retain their toughness in human form, but are obviously less suited for tearing into things; his hair remains strong but his skin is otherwise normal for a human. Even his agility is reduced, as his senses could not keep up with the accelerated motion (he is still superhumanly graceful, but he would find it nearly impossible to dodge a bullet).
- Transmutans: Fox is a shapeshifter, but only to a limited degree. His hybrid "werefox" form he considers his "normal" or baseline form: it is actually the highest he can push the "balance" between vulpine and human traits. He can freely shift between it and a quadrupedal form. Further he can fairly easily assume the form of a "real" fox, and any form intermediate to a real fox and his baseline. However, changing his size requires much more energy than simply shifting the structure of his body.
He can also shift in the other direction, becoming more human. However, as soon as he does, he begins to feel a subtle pressure in his body, an urge to return to his fox form. This increases over time, becoming actual physical pain if he resists up to his limit. The more human he becomes, the stronger this reaction is. Currently, he can hold a full human form for just under an hour; he has found that by compromising and manifesting various vulpine traits he can extend the period by about 50%. Note that his human form does not completely resemble his body pre-manifestation: he is more slender, with a narrower face, and his hair is a much lighter sandy brown (also he is cleanshaven).
Skills:
- Martial Arts: Foxcraft was Master Zhou's best pupil, and had made it to black belt in Shou Shu, specialising in unarmed fighting and the jian. He continues to practice, having adapted to his new body, and having a chance to use the skills on the street. However, his fencing has degraded to a point, since he does not carry the sword in his excursions through the city.
- Singing: Foxcraft is a beautiful baritone-tenor (formerly baritone -- yeah, his transformation raised his voice a bit), and was trained by the choirmaster of his father's church. After adjusting to his new facial structure, he is just as good as he used to be.
- Multilingual: Since he was interested in it, his father instructued Foxcraft in Latin, Biblical Greek and a little Hebrew. He still remembers a bit of the Latin.
- Pianist: James used to accompany himself on the piano while he practiced singing. he was fairly good at it, and occasionally practices on the sorry relic in Shakespeare's theatre (at night when nobody who cares is around).
Weaponry: Jian (Chinese long sword) -- Foxcraft received this as a gift from Master Zhou. Although an antique it is very serviceable, forged of good steel.
Role Play Sample: He was standing the window of the room he shared with Crystal. Their house had two stories, although it was otherwise cramped, and he could look down at the street without any great fear of being seen. Which was good, because he was no longer human.
Just three days ago. Although it had not been painful, the metamorphosis had had a nightmarish quality to it. It had begun when he was hanging out with a couple of his friends, as if to add irony to injury, for he knew he could never see them again. The process of becoming inhuman was bad enough, but the knowledge of what it meant for his future was worse.
How appropriate that it should be a fox, he thought bitterly. Nothing that could be easily hidden, no god-like powers to shake the world; just an animal on its hind legs, and one that had a long history of being persecuted at that. The words from the end of The Phantom floated through his head: "Track down down this murderer, / He must be found! / Hunt down this animal / Who runs to ground!"
He shook his head. He was not a murderer, and God willing he was not quite an animal -- despite the urge to scent-mark his shared bedroom. What was he, though? What was he going to do?
That was what he was brooding over, staring down at the world that was suddenly so very distant. His arms were folded over his chest, black forearms and orange biceps alike making a sharp contrast to the light blue of his nightshirt. He was clad in his pajamas because the loose cotton fabric was the coolest around, and the muggy Pennsylvania summer had been torturous enough before he was burdened with a fur coat. The matching shorts he wore backward, his tail just barely fitting through the fly.
It was ridiculous. Although, looking in the mirror after donning this costume, James had to admire the way it contrasted. In spite of himself, he was starting to like how he looked, fur and tail and muzzle and all. He was already beginning to think of it as "his" appearance -- a subtle effect of the mutation, he was sure. He was tempted to resent that, but, wasn't it just as well that God ha given him the grace to accept the change?
He sighed. Appearance was one thing, instincts another. Even the sensory changes were a double-edged sword: there were so many smells in his house that it had nearly driven him crazy when he first detected them, never mind that not all of them were pleasant. That was, a flippant part of him suggested, why he hadn't once left this room -- his own accumulating scent was at least drowning all the others out.
What am I going to do? He leaned forward, putting his hands on the windowsill. Wincing as the pads on his fingertips and palms come into contact with the worn wood. He dropped his head, staring at the black fur, and the claws just brushing the peeling paint. I can't live my life in our room.
He flexed his fingers, digging his claws into the wood. Damn it, he had no intention of staying up here! But, what could he do? Nobody in Rock Valley would accept him, now. He couldn't talk to them, and he couldn't fight them, a thought which had sometimes occurred to him: Fight. Kill. You're cornered. Which was, he supposed, the truth. It was also the response of a frightened animal, and thus was not something he would consider.
He smelt Crystal coming. Time to stop moping and eat. He raised his eyes, but only to look back on the street. Somehow, that world would be his again. Moreso than before. He could not think of himself as just a a hunted animal: he had a better goal than that. Somehow, he would attain it.
Your Name: Flam, Fox or Incultus.
Other Characters: Magneto and Cynthia.