Mantle
Spoiler Warning
The following details are about a player-created storyline, or is information currently unrevealed about a character.
Please do not use this information ICly unless given permission to do so.
HISTORY
As he grew up, Vik took up an interest in boxing and even found a part-time job as a janitor at Carl's Gym when he turned fifteen that allowed him to indulge in that interest through watching fighters come and go as well as through being allowed to participate himself at times. But the most exciting part of the job for Vik was seeing the occasional superheroes show up for workouts and training. While never having the nerve to actually talk to any, he still enjoyed seeing them which would later add to his motivation to want to help people like them. In early 2022, the young Vik was walking home from work late one day when he was jumped by a member of the Cobra Lords biker gang. The criminal held him at knife point and demanded that he hand over is wallet, an order which the hard-nosed Vik refused to comply to without a fight.
Using his amateur boxing skills he did manage to hold his own with the attacker for a while, but the biker proved to be too much of a challenge for the young man. After being knocked to the concrete, Vik struggled to get back up before the now angry Cobra Lord could come at him with his blade and claim his wallet and perhaps life. It was then that something incredible happened. While touching the concrete in order to push himself off the ground, Vik was able to somehow absorb and mimic the properties of the tough substance and cover himself in a flexible layer of it. This strange event happened just in time as the thug charged Vik with the knife but instead of stabbing him, the blade simply bounced off his now concrete skin. This occurrence frightened both victim and assailant and the Cobra Lord soon fled with nothing to show for his attempted robbery but an injured hand.
Vik stood stunned as he looked down at where the knife hit him and realized he must be a metahuman that could absorb matter and form a protective layer over himself to increase his strength and durability. This epiphany of his new-found abilities filled the young man with confusion, but also joy at what he could do. Keeping this a secret from his mother and friends at school, he began to practice his ability on different materials ranging from rubber to metal and came to the conclusion that he could only absorb solid matter and that he required a dense amount of whatever the substance was. Now excited at the prospect of becoming a hero himself, Vik started to create a suit that would hide his identity and act as his super alter ego. After weeks continuing training in the use of his powers and fighting skills, Vik finally stepped out on the streets as the fledgling hero he dubbed Mantle.
PERSONALITY
Vik is a friendly and outgoing young man, who at times may come across as thick-headed. He cares about his mother deeply and tries his best to take care of her despite the fact that he's only a teenager. While appearing to be the typical "jock" type that enjoys participating in boxing and other sports, Vik is actually a caring soul that is willing to give others the shirt on his back if they needed it. He also enjoys learning new things through reading or watching documentaries when he isn't out working, boxing or patrolling the streets. One negative trait that Vik has displayed is that he can lose his temper at times which can cause him to fly into a rage and lose his judgment. However, he tries to keep his temper in check the majority of the time and is typically more easygoing mostly.
POWERS AND SKILLS
Solid Matter Absorption- Vik is able to absorb solid materials, which coats himself in the substance and allows him to take on its properties. This grants him increased physical durability and strength which is proportional to the material he absorbs. Absorbing Steel for example will make him tough to harm from bullets or blades, whereas absorbing rubber will make him greatly resistant to electricity due to its non-conductivity.
Metahuman Physiology- Mantle's body is more durable than that of a regular human even without absorbing a material. His skin, bones and muscles are all denser as well, which adds additional protection for him. His endurance and stamina also seems to be greater than average as well which gives him an edge over many opponents.
Amateur Boxer- Due to his interest and frequent training at Carl's Gym where he works, Vik is a capable fighter who uses his skills in combination with his abilities in order to best his opponents.
Bilingual- Vik is fluent in both English and Hindi but being raised in America, he tends to mainly speak English. He also speaks with an American accent when he is speaking English.
WEAKNESSES
Requires A Lot Of Matter- Mantle is unable to completely coat himself with a material if the object he attempts to absorb is too small. This means that he couldn't use a quarter to cover himself completely in metal, and instead only his hand would be coated. So far he seems to only be able to absorb substances in larger quantities.
Matter Limitations- What Vik is able to use his powers on also depends on the substance itself, as he is only able to absorb solid matter. He also has difficulties if not a complete inability to absorb certain substances that are too thin like plastic bags or paper. The materials he can use his abilities on seem to only be denser ones including stone and metal, as well as wood and rubber if large enough.
Substance Variability- How durable and strong Mantle is entirely depends on the material he absorbs. Using his powers on steel will generally make him very tough, but it also makes him vulnerable to electricity. Conversely absorbing rubber will make him immune to electricity, but far more vulnerable to other means of attack. Also because the absorbed substance acts as an outer shell over his body, his armour can be shattered or destroyed depending on the force and material he's coated with.
Human Being - While more durable than a regular human, Vik is still vulnerable to the various dangers any human is vulnerable too including knives, bullets, and blunt force trauma.
GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
Mantle Suit - As the hero Mantle, Vik wears a suit that is primarily purple and black with white accents. The main purpose of the costume is to help hide his identity, and to provide additional protection from harm.
