Summer_Heat

((Senaria, I'm sorry I thought I had posted in due time. For the sake of progressing characters, I'm going to sum things up at the store for my side and move them on back to the estate. ))

After Brutus paid for the items and hoisted all the sheets over his shoulders, leaving Pyris to manage with all of the vials of spices, the two headed back at a quickened but casual pace to the estate. The walk seemed to take less time than the race earlier in the day, but was filled with the verbally one-sided conversation from Brutus, and the restricted gestures of Pyris. The two bantered about simple things, especially how to keep the fascination of Lucilla onto Brutus over the suitor that was following her around like a lost puppy. Upon arrival to the estate, Pyris headed for the storage area to put away the spices he collected while Brutus handed the sheets of fabric to another slave.

"Brutus, I'd like to have a word with you please." Lucius Marius spoke out towards his son, Pyris froze in fear they took too long. He didn't want another lashing. Brutus stood tall over his father, almost defiantly, but still in a respectful manner. "You're late again. Can you explain yourself?"

"I am sorry, father, I was merely speaking with the lady Lucilla at the Campus Martius. I was not aware so much time had passed." Brutus spoke calmly, trying to keep the blame off of Pyris, who his father so enjoyed pinning all fault upon.

"I understand your sympathy towards that poor slave, Brutus, but you can't keep protecting him. He will be dealt with for his dawdling. Right now I want you to relax and celebrate. Read this." Lucius spoke with a coy tone as he handed Brutus the introduction papers. This was indeed great news for Brutus, even though he felt he needed to protect Pyris from harm. "Now go prepare for dinner. it's time to celebrate this occasion."

Pyris had been listening into the conversation. At the word he was to be disiplined, he ran off to find a hiding place. He didn't hear that Brutus was going to be sent off to the army. Pyris managed to relocate downstairs, but Lucius Marius somehow managed to just materialize nearby wherever he was when he didn't want to be found. "Boy, why did you dawdle again?"

Pyris looked up frightened, his adrenaline began to pump through him. He tried to explain through gestures that Brutus was speaking to Lucilla and he couldn't properly shop, but it didn't help. Lucius slapped the slave in the face and berated him for his transgression. Pyris immediately crumpled into a ball in a post-trauma fit from years before. Brutus had walked nearby and heard his father scolding Pyris. A wave of saddness poured over Brutus, knowing he was going to be leaving his closest friend completely vulnerable to attack. In all actuality, it was nothing more than a mild scolding, but to Pyris, it was severe. Brutus waited silently out of sight for Lucius to finish speaking to Pyris.

As Lucius finished, he walked out of the room through one doorway, and at the same time, Brutus walked in through another. He saw Pyris sitting on the ground curled up and shaking, but no tears. It was a bit unusual, and the first time Pyris hadn't cried from one of Lucius' scoldings. Brutus knelt down to Pyris, and tapped his elbow to get his attention.

Pyris looked up quickly, his adrenaline still pumping through him. Seeing Brutus' face brought a new level of shame to Pyris, as he always tried to look up to Brutus and be more like him. His shaking slowed, but was still present. Brutus clasped hold of Pyris' nearest hand and sqeezed, just enough to remind him that he was there. Pyris pulled his hand away, not wanting to face the fact he was still haunted by past memories.

funky flashback lines

It was a really dry July night. Pyris was just starting to learn how to forge the metals in Lucius Marius' workshops. He was quite excited and was permitted to make a piece for his mother. He chose to make her a simple silver ring. The last finishing touches, he ran outside to give it to his mother while she was tending to the dying fields.

"Momma! Momma! I made you something!" a young Pyris' voice could be heard calling out. The figure of a boy appears at the entryway and rushes out to the mostly dead field of grass to meet his mother.

"Hello, Pyris, what have you made for me today?" his mother asked in a cheerful manner looking at the boy. Pyris held an outstretched hand to his mother, inside his hand lay a simply crafted silver band. "Uh oh, it looks like it doesn't fit. Don't worry I'll get a leather strap to place it around my neck."

"Here, momma, let me try to make it fit," and Pyris took the ring from his mother's offering hand. Pyris concentrated on the metal, trying to stretch it just enough that his mother could fit the ring on her finger. There was a bit too much metal around it, and as he applied more pressure to it, a dull glow could be seen being given off. Because the sun was out, the glow was obstructed. As Pyris concentrated harder, the ring started to truly glow the color of melting metal. Pyris saw this and threw the ring out of his hand at impulse, thinking he was buring himself.

The heat from the ring was hot enough to ignite the grass around it. The fire created quickly ensnared the two. Inside other slaves that saw the fire quickly alerted the rest of the household, all who came rushing out to attempt to put it out. The fire raged for a long time, and the smell of charring flesh was clear over everything else. The fire raged late into the night, but the slaves kept it well away from the house. The fire was finally fought back far enough that two bodies were found. One was completely charred, the other was still alive. Pyris' mother had attemtped to completely cover him and protect him from the fire. Unfortunately, as she died and burned, Pyris was trapped by her skeleton and soon no amount of protection would have prevented him from burning as well. However, only his clothing was burned away.

The next day Lucius berated young Pyris with questions and beating the slave when no answer was given. The boy just sat on the floor rocking back and forth, taking each lash as though it was release. The smell of his burning mother was still in his nostrils. Pyris was traumatized by his mother's death, and has never spoken since.

Back to current time

Pyris snorted as he shook his head, the memory of his mother's charring scent flared in his nostrils again, almost making the boy gag. He shook it off, and continued to look down. "You saw it happen again, didn't you?"

Pyris looked up for a moment only to glare at Brutus with firey eyes that would have enflamed someone if they chose.

"Pyris...." Brutus started, but didn't know where to go. He finished with a heavy sigh.

Pyris looked away from him. He refused to face this right now.

"Look at me. Please stop doing this. You can't fault yourself for what happened, or anyone else for that matter. What happened was unfortunate, but you need to move on. It's over."

Pyris looked at Brutus defiantly, then glanced down the hallway that Lucius had walked. A turn back to Brutus clearly stated he didn't think that Lucius had moved on from the incident.

"Well fine then, sit here and wallow in your selfloathing." He stood up and walked away, leaving poor Pyris to sit on the floor and deal with his problems. Brutus chastised himself in his mind for not trying hardedr to help him. He also couldn't stand to tell Pyris the news of the new job right now. It would tear the boy apart.

((yes Brutus and Pyris are wanting to pay for the items last mentioned. I left it open so we could interact instead of cutting you off ))

oooo there's a thought...

a supergroup (I'm sure every server has one) hoards a ton of trophies and then refuses EVERY request for a raid. I don't like that...sounds eerily similar to.... early Hami raids and the hoarding of the HO's.

perhaps give them a required acceptance of 3 per month or something? or if all raid requests are refused in 1 month double/triple the next rent charge? There needs to be an incentive for people to accept the raids other than PvP if the only thing they have to do is refuse it every time. Oh please someone tell me that's been addressed already or that it's being worked out...

COOL!

Brutus said his goodbyes to the three as he headed towards Pyris to see how he was doing. He looked over the items and back to the list. Most of the list were different sizes of fabrics that would be used for things. Of course, the things not found were some foods and some leather materials. "Pyris, this looks to be about everything we can get here. It's also getting late. Lets pay for these items and get back to the estate."

Pyris looked at Brutus eagerly, ready to return to his element. The list was short, only 6 things on it. However, 4 of them were cloth. Two linen, one of white and one of green, and two woolen of the same coloring. Also in Pyris' pile of items, he held two vials of pepper spice, a vial of Marjoram, a vial of cilantro, a vial of Dill weed, and as requested, two vials of saffron powder. One of the 'key items' they were to be sure to get he thought. Brutus took the woolens and some of the spices with Pyris to the shopkeeper.

"We are ready to pay when you are finished." Pyris tapped Brutus' shoulder, making gestures that represented he was asking how it went with Lucilla. Brutus smirked and nodded his head, the two seemed to have a very detailed conversation with only use of body language. Brutus was accustomed to Pyris' choice of communication, and when speaking to only him sometimes, he would use the mannerisms similarly.

just read all of it (took a few days with my schedule)


WOW


this is an excellent read, a powerful story, and compelling to the community connected to it. I dread trying to read the entirety of whittmore to understand some of the subtleties, but I actually enjoy not knowing how the characters are originally portrayed. Your writing knows no boundary, and the skill of penmanship (that still apply?) is masterwork. you have a new follower, Blood_Wolffe. You have truly impressed me with this.

Lucius Marius looked outside to see what time it was. His son and slave seemed to be taking longer than needed. Either there was a problem, which was not entirely impossible given the nature of Pyris' past, or which was more likely, they were dawdling and not focusing on their task. He sat at his bench studying the newest collection of jewelry made by his goldsmith and silversmilth. He set the good pieces to one side and the bad pieces to another so they could be melted down and reused. The day slowly became late.

He accepted the ring back and returned it to his finger. "Perhaps she may break his shell. He's been this way since his mother died. I think he blames himself for the accident. Though, I would be most intrigued how. She died in that fire 6 years ago, do you remember? Happened in the forges, a great explosion. His mother saved him from the fire but sacrificed herself. It was the first time I saw my father mourn the loss of a slave." He watched the interaction between Berit and Pyris further, noting Pyris warming up to her quickly, but keeping to himself still. He pondered in his head if Berit was aware what she was doing. He smirked and leaned down to Lucilla for a whisper, "It would be most intriguing to see them interact in other situations."

Pyris looked at Berit with a confused face. He was not embarrased for not knowing how to read. In fact, he was quite proud at what he had learned. He smiled a tired and surrenduring smile, accepting her help to find the materials needed. Each time a new word came up, Pyris' eyes seemed to light up as the information was stored in his head. He nodded and seemed to open his mouth as to express understanding, but no sound was ever made. The more he interacted with the woman, the more it became apparent to those paying attention the conversation was only one sided audibly.

"The simple things as leather bracelets and woodcarvings are subtle pieces of artwork that is almost always overlooked by those with a common eye. Berit must have found a good craftsman to purchase such simple trinkets. Take Pyris for example." A hand gestured to Pyris and Berit walking over to him. "He has a talent for manipulating silver I would say is only comparable to the gods." He removed a ring from his finger, and handed it to Lucilla. "He made this for me when I became a legal citizen, and only using the basic forge skill he had been taught to work them. The work impressed my father so much he permitted him to become a full time apprentice to our silversmith. Its that very attention to detail that your father admires in mine that my father admires in Pyris."

Pyris was oblivious to the fact others were talking about him. He was more concerned with Berit's sudden proximity and her question to him. Taking a nervous step back he stared at the woman with bright green eyes filled with fright and embarrasment. His thoughts stumbled as he thought of how to respond to her question. It was a simple yes or no question, but he couldn't think of the answer. He looked down at the list. Nothing was readable suddenly. It felt as though all eyes were on him at this moment, and the sudden attention was causing him to falter. He hesitated looking up, in fear of ridicule of a poor slave not knowing how to read. However, Berit didn't seem like the type to encourage mocery in his previous encounters with the woman, though distanted they were. His eyebrows gathered as he expressed his confusion, looking back at Berit almost pleadingly. Pyris was almost shaking trying to explain his problem while hiding his embarrasment. His eyes met Berit's, and seemed to try to explain everything with subtly. A weak smile flashed across his face, hoping she could understand his expressions. He slowly extended the list with an apologetic look on his face.

Brutus' lips pressed thin and curled downward. "Shame he's not better with people." He glanced back to the old man as he began rambling strange tongues. He recognized the greek perfectly, but the others he failed to understand by far. He turned back to Lucilla and smiled. His eyes for once gave away his secret of being a very soft-hearted and gentle soul while he unintentionally tried to flash his charm upon her once again.

Brutus glanced down at Velius, almost sneering. It was more apparent around others the grander height of the man, almost towering over everyone else. ((he's 6'6" not quite sure of others in the room)) His lip curled on the right as he sized the man up. In his mind, he laughed that he would be attempting to win Lucilla's favor. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Velius Seneca, and I hope you don't mind my intrusion."

Brutus began to focus more on Lucilla, ignoring the others and focusing on her. "Congradulations on your father's appointment. I do hope to you enjoy yourself tonight. As for me, my father requested that Pyris and I gather some simple supplies to restock before our materials arrive at our destination. You know how he is about hte particulars."

Brutus looked back to Pyris. He seemed to be managing himself with the list. Brutus smiled, realizing Pyris was starting to become literate. "Have you found anything fascinating on your opprotunity today?"

Pyris seemed to be wandering aimlessly. A quick lookover yielded no obvious woolens that would suit Master Lucius. He now just wandered lightly making it look like he was busy while Brutus spoke with Lucilla. He caught Berit looking over at him as he eyed the group once more with a longing face, and wuickly turned away and went back to examining the shop's wares.

[ QUOTE ]
“You have wealthy customers entering,” the Ancient Doctor said in the northern Germanic tongue. “I will browse and shop as you serve them.” His dialect was archaic, but still understandable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pyris turned and noticed the old man pointing at them. He looked over to see Brutus staring at some cloths holding in his hand some linen. Pyris tugged on the shoulder of Brutus' tunic, trying to get his attention. As Brutus turned to look down at Pyris, it seemed like things were said but not heard. Brutus instinctively followed Pyris' point and noticed the shopkeep. He gazed calmly trying to see what Pyris was pointing at, before his eyes fell upon Lucilla and Berit. "Ah ladies, I did not see you when I entered."

Brutus turned on his charm and glided over to the girls, completely ignoring the men standing around them. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Lucilla, and you too, Miss Berit. What brings you to the Campus Martius today?"

Pyris watched Brutus glide over to the two women by the shopkeep. He hated being left alone like that, but it was not his place to protest. His eyes flashed a saddness as he gazed towards the group, feeling outcast yet again. Odd that Pyris would be jealous of Brutus speaking to the women, he would rather have nothing to do with anyone at all. He looked around and then back to the list he had been given by Lucius. He was starting to learn how to read, not truly understanding some of the words. Knowing the combinations of symbols usually helped him associate them with the objects they represented. Staring at the list, he struggled in his head to remember what cloth was. He found two entries on the parchment: linens, and wools. The dimensions weren't mentioned, but Pyris knew from experience what he needed. He continued his search, picking up the sheet that Brutus had been holding. The quality was exotic, and definitely seemed like it would work, even though it was not quite the linen he knew his master sought. Fortunately, it was white. He took the sheet and held it while he searched for the woolens.

Pyris ((pronounced PIR-us or just think Paris)) sat in the field, basking in the sunlight of a warm day. It was the first true break he had seen in ages, and the youth hated the travel his master's role forced upon him. For all his life he had served his master, Lucius Marius, and little did he know his owner was also his father. Of course, his father denied it, and never recognized the ******* son of a Spartan slave as his flesh and blood. Nonetheless, his mother gave him a Greek name hoping that he would. Pyris' mother died when he was still a child, leaving his father to raise him fully as a slave. Pyris was born almost two decades ago on this day, and no one truly cared to remember.

"Boy! stop sleeping in the fields! You have work to do!" Lucius called out to him. Pyris was instantly on his feet. Pyris rushed to the entryway to answer his master's call. "I'm sending you and Brutus the the market to gather some supplies. I expect a full supply when you return, and make sure you don't dawdle."

Lucius Marius lived in Rome prior to his patronage of Antonius Justus. While in Rome, he married a young woman by the name of Junia. Brutus was a few years older than Pyris, but they were still the same age and had grown up together. Pyris had shown interest and great skill managing the forges and thus his placement as an apprentice was logical. Lucius Marius was a smith by all definitions, having a small company that held someone to focus on unique metals. He was also one of the prized clients of Antonius Justus. The supplies, however, were simple cloths, food, and gems. Outside, Brutus stood waiting for Pyris to get ready.

"Care to race me Pyris?" Brutus said as Pyris walked up to him. Brutus stood almost a whole head taller, and much larger than the youthful Pyris. Brutus always beat the kid, having a few years not to mention rigorous athletic training. Pyris looked up at the man, gazing sheepishly into his eyes. The look said please no, but the smile said yes. Brutus merely laughed. "You're weak, that's why I beat you. Father has you busy with the forge so much you can't train with me in the gymnasium. Come on, I'll slow up."

Brutus' offer was all to inticing to Pyris. A flash of fire coarsed through his eyes and he nodded, determined to win this time. Brutus laughed again. "Ready! GO!" and the two men were off racing to the bottom of the hill and towards the Campus Martius.

Brutus stood at the entrance watching the bustle of people pass by, turning around only when he heard running footseps behind him start to slow down. "I even walked the last half and it still took you this long?"

Pyris leaned forward to catch his breath. At Brutus' taunt, he loked up with glaring eyes facing betrayal. Brutus walked towards the young man and helped him forward. The two moved into the streets, finally arriving to the exotic store. "Pyris, do you remember this store from the last time?" Pyris shook his head no, then shrugging not knowing what it was. The two entered on a whim of curiosity not sure what they would find inside.

((OOC: oh yea. they're in normal citizen wear, white tunic to the knees, sandals, etc.))

((Paul is Blake's roommate atm.))

Paul had returned home from discussing things with his superiors. It was midday, and yet the apartment suite still seemed rather dark. Paul put his keys on the entry table by the door, and hit a lightswitch.

Nothing.

Something was off. Power was channeling through the lights, but there was no light comming from them. Actually it seemed that turning the lights off made the room brighter. Logic compelled Paul to turn all the lights off and manage himself like that. However, the creature inside the room had other plans for Paul.

As Paul moved into the kitchen, the essence seemed to gather itself around the flourecent light fixture above him, pooling heavy like a rain drop. It was hungry. Recently losing it's host to strenuous torture and pain was not a pleasant loss. It wanted a new host, but it also wanted to feed. It had waited so patiently for new prey, for the right opprotunity. It seemed now that here, in this apartment, this man standing in darkness in the middle of the day would be his first fresh meal in ages. Paul rubbed his eyes, the absence of light starting to bother him and causing him to lose his focus. As the drop of black essence pooled over him, he moved out of the way. The drop fell into the floor, but quickly reformed itself. It slithered and slunk behind Paul until he stopped and looked for the curtain pull. As Paul groped around int the darkness, the brooding sense of fear tapped his brain, resulting in a rapid and sudden turn to face whatever was behind him.

Paul's face could have been held frozen in that horror if it was to be his death. It had risen from the floor behind Paul and shaped itself into its true form, a Nictus. The dark creature seized its moment to act, and wrapped its tentacles fiercely around Paul almost scarring him.

While Paul was only human, it did not stop him from having a strong will to resist such a posession. It was this strength that drew the nictus to him, and it was this strength that would be Paul's undoing. The more he resisted, the more frenzied the nictus became. In a fierce motion, the nictus chose to feed rather than posess, and attempted to swallow Paul's head in one gulp. Knowing that something had to stop it, Paul dropped his guards and welcomed the Nictus within his body. As the two merged, both mids screamed in agony and terror at what they had just became.

With nothing to suspend Paul's body in the air, he collapsed, pulling the curtain down with him. Light pierced the room as Paul shuddered and hid from the light. The nictus was furious at losing his meal and unwilling host. Paul's journey to contain the being had only just begun, and many fights would ensue inside his head for dominance.

The room was silent. Paul lay motionless beneath a bundle of curtains while the phone rang. However, while Paul's body was present in the room, his mind was far too preoccupied to consider checking in on reality.

The world around Paul was a purpley ooze that seemed to glow the same blackness that he had seen in his apartment. It was like he was walking around in a fog machine. He could hear a voice thinking, but not sure from where. "H-hello?"

<Yes?> The voice seemed to boom from all directions, echoing off the walls of infinity, even though it seemed like a whisper.

"W-what do you want? Paul demanded."What are you doing here?"

<You somehow tricked me. You tricked me into entering you willingly. You have wrecked both our powers, boy, and now we're stuck. My strength will return, and I expect to take this body as mine.

"My my. You are arrogant. Take a look around in here, and pull yourself back. This mind was always dark, and your presence does not mean a forced change in morals. I never wanted you in here, but I wasn't about to let you take me. I was as hungry as you were, and both for power." Paul laughed. He sounded more evil than the nictus he had just consumed. "Not all humans are good, and not all humans need to be forced to do something."

<Interesting proposition. We can be stronger as one, and both will have the power the other desires. Yet I still long for a soul to feed upon. We must find it!> The nictus' voice was hurried and rushed. In the hurriedness, it seized control of Paul's body, and jumped out the window.

It teleported itself to the ground, preventing a fall that would hurt them. Paul started to struggle against the nictus having control, but it only was a slight distraction to it. A civilian passed by the alleway, and the nictus tentacles reached out and snagged her. Paul's body was unrecognizable, as the black aura of the nictus was emanating from his eyes. Holding her suspended in the air, he sucked her soul from her body, and devoured it into his own. Paul felt devirginized as he heard the woman scream and knew he was the one letting her die. As the soul coarsed through the nictus' and thus Paul's body, a sense of desire filled with him. He enjoyed the taste, but dared to think of what he would become if he just fed on anyone.

"Such power...such taste...such a foul act. You killed her!

<And yet you did not stop me. You and I are equally at fault for her death. WE killed her.>

"We must not do that...we must only feed on our enemies. To do otherwise would surely mark us as villain and we would be hunted like an animal." Paul shuddered internally as he thought about what he had done.

<You liked it, didn't you? You want more. I can taste your hunger. A new taste of power, you're only saying you don't want to do that. This is going to be quite the interesting bonding, my pet.>

"Have you ever bonded like this before? I mean, with another human that wanted it, or has it always been something you forced upon them?"

<There was once a sourcerer...my first human. He willingly took me for that power I offered. He was a black magic practitoner, and lusted for that power I offered. No human since has wanted it, until you.>

"Then as an entity that works together, we shall honor that sorcerer with our name. Let us go and register, so we can further mask our will."

Paul headed to Galaxy City where he registered as a heroic Warshade named Keaj, after the sorcerer the nictus once inhabited. The symbiosis was a dark one, and there was no telling what evil or good the two would accomplish.

the one grand paragraph made it somewhat difficult to follow...damn my dislexia...It also didn't help that there were strange codes within some of the words. not sure what they were there for, but it broke the flow. perhaps do some touchups and break up the paragraph?

((OOC: this is the 'reader's digest' story of my character, Blake "Trak" Davies, as found on the Paragon University thread. At a later time I may add other character's backstories to his as my character list grows. The PC events mentioned are all found on the website under City backstory, so I'm not giving away any spoilers to those that can't find them. Hope you enjoy!))

The Grid. Not many heroes now admire what the grid does, and most take it for granted. Then again, not many heroes now a days were around before the Grid, before the medical teleporters, before the criminal teleporters….before the war walls and before the war, when Boomtown was Baumton, Faultine was Overbrook, and the Hollows were known as Eastgate.

The history of the Rikti War intertwines Paragon City’s history more than ivy growing up the side of a building. It’s common knowledge that it was connected to the Portal Corp, but it’s less common knowledge that the drug Superadine was also linked to it. Looking back at history when Back Alley Brawler first discovered the drug was when the whole thing began. It was in the mid 80’s and addicts were looking for their new fix; dealers for their new market. The Regulators and the Dawn Patrol teamed up to fight the war on drugs in the streets, and in a desperate attempt to stem the tide of drugs coming in, they went after the source. The Freedom Phalanx was called in and the effects of the drug were discovered: the ability to see and travel to other dimensions. This is so rarely known because Statesman forbid any amount of the research to become public knowledge in the risk that other madmen would follow suit on the city’s population. It seemed however that Dr. Brian Webb, a brilliant scientist and member of the Freedom Phalanx, couldn’t let the possibility of such knowledge and research go to waste. He left the Freedom Phalanx and went on to technologically recreate what the research had found, and ultimately founded Portal Corp.

Blake Davies was only eight years old when Portal Corp was founded. He had grown up in Galaxy City, and went to school there. He played in Perez Park before the gang wars started to escalate. He had grown up admiring a hero, like every other child in Paragon City. Every child had a favorite, and there were enough out there it was a treat for two kids to have the same hero. Blake’s favorite hero was a speedster named Synapse. Synapse was a member of the Freedom Phalanx, and it was the fact that he was a speedster that drew Blake to him. Since Blake could walk, he ran. He ran wherever he could, and he did so quite well. It wasn’t until high school when he was tested for metaphysical abilities that he discovered he was a Meta. On the genetic level, Blake had the ability to transfer electrons across atomic molecules so quickly he could generate a charge.

Blake never had tapped into it except to enhance his ability to metabolize food for energy, and he didn’t even know he had done that. Removed from the track team, Blake started on a downward spiral towards delinquency. He quickly got picked up by the Outcasts, and grew to have quite a reputation within his small crew, moving up in ranks faster than he could run. Unfortunately, on a particular heist he was planning, a local hero came in and put an end to his little party, sending him straight to the Ziggurat. Because he was still a juvenile when he was arrested, the court could only ban him from usage of his powers.

As years went by, Blake had started to learn how to properly use his powers, not just for offensive purposes. He learned his elecrokinetic mutation was more than just electrical. He discovered how to transfer energy from other objects into himself and others for a more healing manner. In 2002 things were going well for him, and he was about to receive his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was hoping to work with one of the big-name companies that dealt with technology and computers by the end of the year. Those dreams would be put on hold, just before class one day in May when strange lights appeared over the city.

When the invasion struck, the city was crippled within the first fifteen minutes. Blake trampled across grounds running faster than cars trying to dodge blasts from the strange energy weapons. He had one thought on his mind: his family. Reaching Galaxy City faster than he ever had before, he arrived only just in time to see an energy blast tear through his brother, Kevin. His sisters, Susan and Angela had fallen on the ground but were too afraid to stand up. Blake was frozen with fear. Their only saving grace was a passing hero sped by them and moved them out of harms way only to have a second later a pothole where the two girls had fallen. As Blake looked up at the hero, he saw it was Synapse. Bullets and explosions in the background froze as the revelation of what just happened sunk into him. He could run that fast, he could save lives, and he could perhaps be the guy that saves someone else’s family from an energy blaster.

Thus, Blake created his superhero personification, Trak. As Trak, Blake sped through the city streets aiding heroes and civilians getting them to safety. He also became a runner for supplies between zones that seemed to have lost communication. His past crimes were temporarily forgiven by the city and he was given temporary registration. As the summer of 2002 progressed, Blake saw the war walls go up, and entire city zones crumble within as Paragon City became the biggest war zone of the invasion. He did everything he could to save who he could, but this was a time before medical transporters, and many times his efforts to save countless heroes were futile as they died beside him and he was forced to run. The images scarred him, and after the Omega Team’s sacrifice and the stemming of the war, the city revoked his temporary hero status. It seemed to Blake that he was no longer needed.

Months went by until one day a member of the G.I.F.T. division contacted Blake about reapplying for superhero work. Blake accepted, and joined the first wave of new heroes to return to Paragon City after the war. Trak was reborn.

Trak’s career was a simplistic one, growing from local hero to well-known until he ultimately earned his place within the Freedom Phalanx under reserve status. However, Blake’s days as Trak were numbered, and soon he encountered one of the most dangerous villains ever to be rumored in the Portal Corp since its reopening in 2004: Tyrant.

The day Tyrant and Trak clashed was as horrifying and one-sided as the clichéd “Godzilla vs. Bambi.” Trak was decimated against the Praetorian version of Statesman, and the ending battle left him so wounded physically, mentally and emotionally. At the end of months in critical condition, Blake retired from working as a superhero upon leaving the hospital. All was not lost for his work as a hero for the city however, as one of his contacts at the Portal Corp had put in a good word for him with someone, and Blake was contacted by the Grid. Using the painful images of the countless heroes he had tried to save and seen fall in battle against the Rikti, Blake readily took the position at the Grid to ensure that no hero would suffer death while inside the walls of Paragon City.

The risk that something can turn around and one-shot you is probably what the devs thought was balanced risk for the reward of just waltzing into a large mob and getting all that free xp from Nova/Inferno/etc. Luckily TB is a targeted aoe

I also agree that the range is something to leave lacking, but the dev's likely figured people wouldn't forget about all those pretty range enhancements they give them. Also they were reluctant to change the secondaries from melee powers but I think that idea may be going out the windo with any changes made here. I think I saw somewhere Statesman said he didn't want to do away with melee , but bring them up to the usability of /energy or /devices.

As for the hate you mentioned, since someone previous pointed out the damage difference closes (and I've noticed that greatly with my offender) I still notice that a blaster hits just a bit more than I do, but does generate a lot more hate. So I'd agree with you there that it's unbalanced.

Tankers can't take down mobs fast. they herd them great, but can't do crap for damage. I've seen such a wide variety of power types that the only reason I think they seem unbalanced goes back to that closing gap in the late game. Tanks start getting closer to the Blaster's damage, and since they can handle more in their AoE range, they get more for their buck.

Scrappers do have risks. Their armors are expensive as hell and being that close throwing out power after power without some elaborate dance of toggles and building they have, from what I've seen, go down just as fast as a blaster.

From what I can remember of the original blaster role, they were supposed to be the offensive juggernaut and have some melee powers if an enemy came too close to them.

Trak workman's comp pay from the city for his work during the Rikti war speeding everyone out of harm's way and such. He now works with other heroes withing the Grid to maintain the power from Terra Volta and keep the medical teleporters online.

As for Summer Heat? well, when he's not being a superhero, he's an exotic dancer at a night club called 'Victory's Finest'. He is not proud of where he works.

True, you bring up some good points. as for States wanting to make peace vs. Tyrant, that entity was never involved in the rikti expedition. However this isn't to say that the Praetorian Rikti expedition to Praetorian Rikti homeworld would be more of an invasion and the Praetorian Rikti invasion on Praetorian Earth would have been a coutnerstrike. I only hypothesize off of what I've learned in-game, and by reading the history on the website.

geez, and I thought sorting out the Praetorian Earth histories was confusing..now the rikti have invaded it? I guess that could make sense, but the story would be completely skewed....possibly...here's my take

(Raises Nerd level to a dangerous level)


Disclaimer: may contain spoilers that are easily found on the website under History

In Prime Earth, Back Alley Brawler discovered the drug Superadyne in a drug bust, then went on a crusade to remove the drug through taking out the source. The source was then traced back to a team of scientists (Always suspected Crey, though never proven to me). At this point Webb leaves the Phalanx to use the information found in the lab to break the dimensional barrier, opens the Portal Corp, visits the Rikti Homeworld, has a NICE CHAT with them, then never visits again. Later on then of course the invasion happens and old files are dug up that find the knowledge of what homeworld they were from and what they are.

OK so then Marauder (BAB) wasn't interested in busting thugs for drugs in Praetorian Earth, and Superadyne is now Fixadyne, and Dominatrix has one wierd fetish. The only way it would work the same for the invasion would be the crazy scientists make it again, sell it amongst the Praetorian AV's (particularly Marauder and Dominatrix) Praetorian Webb stumbles on the idea, Tyrant instead of discouraging like States did, forces him to research, and discover Portal Technology.Praetorian Portal Corp. would be a dangerous thing, and then possibly they could have stumbled upon the Rikti homeworld after we had, and left the bad impression that only Praetorians can. And since the Praetorians look so similar to us, the Rikti probably got offended, made their own technology, and invaded US because they thought we were the visitors both times.

Ultimately, after the Rikti realize that we weren't the invaders, they invade Praetorian Earth. However since most of their numbers were lost fighting Prime Earth, and they never like to back down from a fight regardless of whether or not they were wrong to begin with, their numbers for fighting Praetorian Earth weren't as much, and while it was still devastating for the Praetorians, the Rikti on Praetorian Earth would have been completely erradicated.

Meanwhile, the few surviving Rikti on our earth take some chemicals to the {deleted for spoilers not found in Website History}

(turns Nerd level back down to normal)

so it could be possible the rikti invaded, but I still think it's a small stretch of my imagination that they would have...especially to have praetorian rikti...hell they'd be good and friendly to us!

Since Statesman has posted a statistical analysis of Scrapper secondaries (proving that Dark Armor was actually weaker and all others were balanced) it also presented the fact that All scrapper secondaries allowed (through the use of Spines primary) could take on some pretty obscene numbers that make me as a blaster feel feeble. My question is this: Since Scrappers with their extra 100% damage over blasters not really needed, can blasters have it instead since a) our defense is our offense, b) ranged attacks do less damage (as Statesman said in the beginning of this thread) c) The original design of a blaster was to be the offensive juggernaut with Scrappers outputting damage BELOW them.

So again I ask, "Can the damage caps be switched where Scrappers are capped at 400% and blasters at 500%?

actually even better would be to cap our damage at the same level (450%) and increase our base attack damage to be more.

just my $0.02

OK from recent experience, I HAVE made the run from Atlas Park to the Portal Corp. you CAN do this sort of thing, it's all in knowing what the agro radii are for each mob. However this is not to say quicherbichin. I absolutely LOATHE getting my L 6-12 missions spawn on the other side of grendel's gulch or eastgate heights where I have to trudge across the hazard map, dodging each mob carefully only to turn around and have one spawn AROUND me. no warning just, "Hey, fellas! Look who's here!" That part more than anything is what I don't like about the hollows. The rest, eh whatever.

Making the trek across the hollows down through Julius the Troll and past into red zones does kinda stink when you're only L 10...