Slow Jim

Strength        Agility         Intellect       Willpower
8x              3x              3d              5x

Hand Size:      3 (17)
Edge:           1

Origin:

Atlanteans themselves are a race of magically altered humans. Slow Jim is an Atlantean who was further altered, though by toxic waste instead of mere magic, and developed additional powers as a result (instead of cancer, like most other people in his situation would).

Powers:

Atlantean Physique: born an Atlantean, Slow Jim has a variety of special, magically endowed powers that allow him to persist beneath the waves with impunity. Of course, these ascendant abilities also allow him considerable advantages when operating above the surface, too.

* Blending (a): virtually invisible beneath the water, Slow Jim is almost completely transparent where conventional light is concerned. He blends into the background with intensity 4 ability, gaining a +2 underwater and a -2 if moving at all.

* Dual Respiration (s): Slow Jim can extract the gases required to continue his biological processes from either an earth-normal atmosphere or an earth-normal body of water (fresh or salt). He can only stand being in dry conditions for a maximum of one hour, however.

* Resistance to Cold, Electricity, and Pressure Variance (s): his body built to thrive even at the bottom of the ocean, Slow Jim possesses intensity 16 (+4) resistance to these potential damage vectors, which dovetails well with his additional powers.

* Unusual Sensitivity (w): Slow Jim sees blues and greens much more vividly than other colors, considering his natural, underwater habitat. It is unknown which colors he has lost sensitivity to as a result of this adaptation, but they're likely further down the spectrum.

Intensified Physique: though dosed at birth with highly toxic chemicals, the changes wrought within Slow Jim's body didn't manifest until adulthood. Of course, Slow Jim now has full access to the powers granted to him by that industrial offal, including the following capabilities:

* Body Armor (s): helping him to function better at super speed, particularly if he runs into something, Slow Jim's body dampens incoming damage considerably. He benefits from intensity 4 (+1) damage reduction against all forms of attack, regardless of its origin or type.

* Electricity Generation (i): when moving at high speeds, Slow Jim's body collects the resultant energy generated by friction for later use. He can then discharge this energy at will, inflicting intensity 12 stunning energy damage per devastating blast.

* Super Speed (a): while he was rather lethargic before this ability manifested, Slow Jim is now incredibly quick! He possesses this power at intensity 10 ability, allowing him to perform actions at ten times their usual speed - and eleven total attacks per exchange!

Hindrances / Augmentations:

Monstrous: Slow Jim's wraith-like appearance horrifies most normal (edge zero) humans. As such, they have a like Willpower score when it comes to resisting the urge to flee him on sight. This hindrance applies if the norms can see any of Jim's transparent flesh at all.

Requirement / Moisture: while he can survive above the waves, Slow Jim nonetheless requires a moist environment to persist for long periods of time outside the water. Lacking this, he will lose -1 of Strength each hour he's forced to act in particularly dry environs.

Equipment:

(none)

Skills:

Languages / Czech, English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish (i): thanks to his formative years as a circus freak in various European countries, Slow Jim has developed the use of a variety of languages, which he can read, write and speak in.

Contacts:

Slow Jim has friends in the form of the Variety Show, who respect him as a powerful combatant - and aid in their war against various supernatural monstrosities. He also has friends in a few multiversal mercenaries that, for a while, were known as T.H.E.M.

Calling:

Outcast: while he does not hate humans per se, Slow Jim knows he is not one - and that he isn't welcome amongst them. He thus avoids gatherings of norms if at all possible, and generally only chooses other ascendant humans (or like aliens) for friends, for the most part.

Costume:

Slow Jim doesn't really wear much of a costume. He is used to being nude, or mostly so, but nonetheless wears a pair of Speedos ™ while helping his fellows to fight the good fight - if only to spare Mos Quito a seizure. His blending ability accounts for these, luckily.

He tries to wear shoes as well, but they rarely hold up to his high speed movements.

Personality:

Jim is slow to trust anyone, having grown up in the dog-eat-dog world of circus shows. When he does develop friend he feels comfortable around, Slow Jim often goes to great lengths to protect them - he considers such people the most precious things on earth.

Real Name: Slow Jim (he was given no name at birth)
Occupation: adventurer, occasional mercenary, former circus performer
Legal Status: citizen of no nation
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: the Variety Show, former member of T.H.E.M.

Height: 6' 1"
Hair: green
Eyes: green
Weight: 160 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Slow Jim is completely transparent. When in motion, one can see his outline against the background somewhat easily, but for the most part he's practically invisible when standing still.

Story:

Slow Jim knows little of his people, the Atlanteans, for he was not raised by them. No, Slow Jim may be an Atlantean by birth, but he was not raised by such. This because his family was dosed with toxic goo discarded by an unscrupulous corporation, and died off shortly thereafter.

Well, all save for Slow Jim, that is. For some reason, the chemicals that he'd been bathed in interacted with whatever mysterious magic makes an Atlantean an Atlantean, working to change his cellular structure instead of simply dissolving it on the molecular level.

The extent of these changes were not immediately apparent, and as such Slow Jim was unable to stop himself from being 'found' by fishermen hours later. As a newborn, after all, he wasn't even aware of what was going on around him, much less inside his mutating frame!

For the longest time, Slow Jim was passed along from one freakshow to another, becoming something of a hit in various circuses as they rounded eastern Europe. He thus grew up amongst humans, some of which admired his strange beauty while others found him repulsive.

As he grew into adulthood, the changes that Slow Jim's body experienced at birth began to exert themselves, and he found that he could suddenly move fast... very fast. Thus, he made his escape from the latest circus that had bought him, to make his fortunes elsewhere.

Adopting the name of Slow Jim, something of a joke on the name his owners had given him, the Atlantean found it somewhat difficult to get by on his own - at least at first. He eventually learned how to blend in with the right clothing however, and quickly learned the ways of the world.

The real world that is, not the surreal reality presented to him by his fellow freaks in the circus.

A master of many languages, and possessed of considerable power, Slow Jim was able to make his way as a hired thug, despite being unable to show his face - or any other part of his body, for that matter. However, his career as a solo operative was somewhat short-lived.

In time, Slow Jim encountered a small team of mercenaries who plied their trade across space and time, a group that included the mysterious Moebius - a rather notorious sword for hire. Slow Jim worked with them for a while, because really, what else did he have to do with his time?

This group went its separate ways shortly after dealing with Moebius' many enemies, and Slow Jim once again found himself alone - though again, this was not to last. You see, as he wandered the earth in search of adventure, Slow Jim found it - when targeted by evil fairies!

Though rather powerful, Slow Jim was overwhelmed by his diabolical foes, who were more than happy to torture and dismember him solely for their own amusement. Before they could do so however, Slow Jim was rescued at the absolute last second by a team of supernatural hunters!

This group, the so-called Variety Show, is comprised of various individuals with a bone to pick with numerous supernatural entities. In fact, some of them were supernatural entities themselves! Nonetheless, they had it out with Slow Jim's fairy foes, and dispatched them forthwith.

Upon realizing that they were all outcasts like himself, abnormal beings kicked to the curb of society and forced to live on its outer edged, Slow Jim asked to join them - if only to have a like group of people to hang with. And seeing no reason not to, they let him do so.

Slow Jim has been with the Variety Show ever since!