Astronomer

Strength 10x

Agility 6x

Intellect 16c

Willpower 11x

Hand Size: Edge:

5 (30) 3

Origin:

As are his fellow Elders of the Universe, the Astronomer is a being so obsessed with his chosen field of study, astronomy, that his overwhelming devotion to it has actually extended his lifespan indefinitely. His age has also granted him the Power Primordial!

Powers:

Immortality (s): thanks to his driving passion to understand the universe and all its phenomena, the Astronomer has effectively become immortal. He can be killed by being brought to zero (0) Health, but he will eventually recover from any injury or demise.

Unless he somehow loses his passion for astronomy, that is. Furthermore, the machinations of the Grand Master have barred him from Death's realm. Death was forced to claim him temporarily after this, but he got better; Death is a rather intransigent entity after all.

In other words, the Astronomer effectively has this power twice. For him to pass permanently, he would have to a) lose his love for a study of the universe, and b) somehow have Death convinced to kill him - and keep him dead - or else he'll eventually return.

Power Primordial (i): as do the other Elders, the Astronomer has access to the Power Primordial, the energies loosed by the Big Bang itself. Though able to produce virtually any effects with it, the Astronomer has only demonstrated the following thus far:

* Environmental Independence (s): tapping the Power Primordial to handle the sundry needs of a physical existence, the Astronomer has done away with such base needs. Possessing this power at intensity 30, he no longer needs to breathe, eat or drink to sustain his life.

* Invulnerability (s): the Power Primordial has granted the Astronomer protection from a very wide array of threats. He effectively possesses complete immunity to Disease, Energy, Pressure Variance, and Poison assaults of any stripe.

* Telepathy (w): the Astronomer has not done great things with this ability, mostly wielding it to communicate with others who are in the void or, as is usually the case, no longer speak his dead language. He possesses this power at intensity 1, at least.

Hindrances / Augmentations:

Obsessive: part of the reason he's immortal to begin with, the Astronomer overwhelmingly obsesses with his chosen art. If presented with an astronomical quandary, the Astronomer must investigate immediately or drop to zero (0) in all abilities for the duration of the encounter.

Equipment:

Viewing Lens (w): worn over his right eye, this instrument allows the Astronomer to see vastly distant objects. It effectively grants him intensity 30 Telescopic Vision while worn, giving him an infinite line-of-sight when observing all that transpires in the universe

Wrist Blaster (a): the Astronomer wears a simple blaster on his wrist to deal with would-be threats to his person. It is unknown if it uses his Power Primordial or another power source, but will inflict intensity 20 concussive damage per blast regardless.

Skills:

Astronomy 3 (i): it should probably go without saying but the Astronomer knows just about everything there is to know in this area of expertise. He's had billions and billions of years to study it, after all, and gains the benefit of an autotrump in astronomical matters.

Physics 3 (i): as a necessary aside to his one true passion, the Astronomer has actually developed a practical understanding of the laws of physics in our universe - the better to observe it with. He also makes physics-based Intellect actions with the benefit of an autotrump.

Costume:

The Astronomer wears a two-tone green robe most of the time, one with patterns associated with his lost world, which he accents with a steel collar / shoulder pad combo. He also wears dark green boots, a dark green cape and light green gloves.

Calling:

Explorer, with a dash of World Domination: the Astronomer primarily exists, in his mind, for the sole purpose of cataloging and studying the universe in its entirety, though his immense arrogance can be used against him if one wants his help to take over, say, the universe.

Costume:

The Astronomer wears a two-tone green robe most of the time, one with patterns associated with his lost world, which he accents with a steel collar / shoulder pad combo. He also wears dark green boots, a dark green cape and light green gloves.

Personality:

As is the case with most of his fellow Elders, the Astronomer shares a passion for his art which may be described as 'monomaniacal' - and he loves to talk about it. He's rather arrogant as well, believing himself better suited to running the universe than anyone else.

Who else understands it as well as he does?

Real Name: unrevealed
Occupation: astronomer
Legal Status: citizen of an unknown, dead world
Marital Status: (very) single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: Elders of the Universe

Height: 6' 4"
Hair: dark brown
Eyes: white
Weight: unknown
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: the Astronomer has a large ridge running along the center of his skull. He also wears a full beard and moustache at all times.

Story:

Little has been revealed about the past of the entity now known as the Astronomer. It is known that, as a mere mortal, he was obsessed with learning how the universe operates, and studied it unceasingly. So much so, in fact, that he had use for little else in his life.

Withdrawing into his laboratory, his studies continued even as his life did; for some inexplicable reason, his passion for astronomy was so great, so overwhelming, that it overcame the limitations of mere flesh. He used this extended lifespan to advance astronomy greatly.

Not that anyone noticed. Over the years, as his people slowly died out, the Astronomer persisted, only seeing that they were gone when the food deliveries stopped. By this time he had begun to grow in touch with the Power Primordial however, and no longer needed it.

Now alone in both body and spirit, the Astronomer left his vacant home world and began to explore the universe in earnest, and continued to do so for over five billion years. Enjoying his complete isolation, you can imagine his surprise when he met other beings like himself.

Explaining that he and his new 'friends' were the Elders of the Universe, they described the state of the universe as it currently existed, and the Astronomer thought all of this was silly. And that beings such as Galactus shouldn't be running things - he was far more qualified.

The Astronomer didn't go around eating planets after all - planets that he'd taken such painstaking efforts to catalog.

To this end he hatched a plot with the Grandmaster to kill the world-eater, knowing that his demise would ultimately end the universe. Naturally, the plan was to survive the ensuing Big Crunch and emerge as new, Galactus-powered entities to rule this fresh cosmos in concert!

Collecting the various Infinity Gems, the Astronomer and his fellow Elders launched their assault on Galactus, but were foiled thanks to the interference of the Silver Surfer and Galactus' herald, Nova. In the aftermath of this scheme, the Astronomer was thrust into a black hole.

Arriving in a strange realm, the Astronomer began to collect the Infinity Gems anew alongside the Possessor and the Trader, as all six had came with when their plot blew up in their face. It was at this time that they encountered the powerful entity known as In-Betweener.

This entity followed the Elders as they were collected in turn by the Silver Surfer and Reed and Sue Richards at Galactus' behest, and struck when they led him through the black hole; at this spot between universes, the dichotomy of physics made his might nigh-incalculable!

Grappling with Galactus, the In-Betweener tried to draw him into the black hole to dispose of him, but the Elders took exception to this, as they wanted to be the ones to destroy the Devourer of Worlds. No longer needing them or their nattering, he dealt with them. Harshly.

Seemingly summoning Death herself with his newly found might, he ordered her to slay the Elders outright. Though the Elders had to die, the decree that Grandmaster had roped her into prevented Death from acting against the Elders directly - so Oblivion himself did.

Manifesting in Death's very form, Oblivion struck down the Astronomer, along with the Possessor and the Trader, rendering them nonexistent. However, being that they could not die permanently, these three Elders eventually came back to life, their annihilation ultimately preempted.

Laying low after this, as one does upon the failure of a plot to destroy the universe and everyone within it, the Astromoner was not seen again for several years. He emerged from seclusion in time to witness the start of the Annihilation wave, along with several other Elders.

While this event did not end all life in existence, the multiverse itself would collapse a short time later, and unable to escape this calamity the Astronomer died with just about everything else in creation. At least, that is, until reality was jumpstarted soon afterwards.

This eight instance of our universe was rebuilt as a direct continuation of the previous one, and with it came a new reserve of the Power Primordial. Drawn to it, the Astronomer and several other Elders journeyed to the Battlerealm, the last vestiges of the old continuity.

There they engaged in a Contest of Champions, as is their wont, over the fate of this new Power. Unfortunately for the Astronomer, his Champion was quickly defeated in the Contest by the Grandmaster's, and he left Battlerealm empty-handed - as did all the other Elders, in time.

What the Astronomer has gotten up to since this latest defeat has yet to be revealed.

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