Artificer
Identity: Public, though largely unknown
Alternate Identity: Heroditus Fabricus Stylianos
Birthplace: Atlantis
Legal Status: Atlantean citizen (minor) with no criminal record
Base of Operations: Claremont Academy
Residence: Claremont Academy Dorms
Occupation: High School Student (Sophomore as of 2019/2020)
Affiliations: Atlantis, Claremont Academy
Family: Xyles (father), Yrdoste (mother), Theodora (twin sister); Baelrath (distant cousin, deceased), Barbara (aunt); Aueivokans, Epatoeuns, Kinoibios, Teptavopos, and Yttapchos (renowned ancestors)
Age: 16 (Date of Birth: September 1st, 2003)
Gender: Male
Species: Human Offshoot (Atlantean)
Height: 6 ft 4 in. (1.93m)
Weight: 210 lbs. (95kg)
Skin: Olive
Hair: Black (very dark green)
Eyes: Sea Green
APPEARANCE
Tall, sleek, and reasonably attractive, with a long Aquiline nose, sharp cheekbones, and strong jawline topped by sea green eyes. He keeps his hair -- a shade of green so dark is appears black -- long (sometimes up in a ponytail or man bun, sometimes loose), and is trying to grow in a beard; he is certain it shall be magnificent.
His preferred outfit is dark blue short breeches that end just at the knee & a dark green short-sleeved tunic, cinched together by a brown belt and bandolier which are covered in pockets o5 various sizes. He is also often seen with a pair of goggles -- left lens purple, right lens green -- set on his forehead when not in use. He’s still getting used to wearing shoes, but currently favors gladiator-style sandals that lace up to his mid-calf.
HISTORY
Thousands of years ago, the island continent of Atlantis was home to a civilization of Preserver-enhanced humans, advanced far beyond anything else on Earth. Atlantean “technology” was a strange combination of scientific principles, the alien science and technology of the Preservers, and their understanding and use of magic, including ley-line energies, enchanted crystals, and tapping into various elemental forces. Much was destroyed or lost during the Sinking, as was the knowledge to make and maintain it (hindered by the fact it was all hand-crafted, never mass-produced), but several scraps remained.
The Stylianos clan has long worked to recover and restore these lost artifacts, which has given them some sway in Atlantean culture; while none are part of the nobility, many serve as favored artisans or in the military. Heroditus and his twin sister Theodora are the latest in this long line of techno-mages, and received both practical education and formal training in mechano-mysticism since they were eight. Theodora had a surpassing talent for manipulating magical energy, and focused on sorcery and spellcasting -- unusual for the family, though not unheard of -- while Heroditus proved quite adept with the artifacts and devices that made Atlantis (and his family) so great.
In an effort to expand his knowledge and skills, Heroditus applied to and was accepted at Claremont Academy. He hopes to learn about surface world technology and magic, to see if those techniques can be used in recreating lost Atlantean artifacts. He might also give the superhero thing a try -- he’s not eager to get into combat, but not averse to it either, and what better way to field test his creations?!
PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION
Heroditus is proud of his people and his family, and is eager to learn all he can and bring further honor to himself and his house. He misses the family workshops, but will learn to make do at Claremont. He’s strong minded, strong willed, and totally dedicated to his craft. He has some trouble understanding others who aren’t as dedicated to their pursuits, especially if those pursuits don’t involved magic or technology (ideally both).
Atlantean society as a whole tends towards being conservative, haughty, proud, and reserved, valuing predictability & stability. It is martial but not violent, valuing peace & friendship and preferring diplomacy to battle, but also believes in the precise application of force when & where appropriate. Given their rigid & reserved natures, Atlanteans also tend towards xenophobia -- particularly against Surface Worlders -- though they regard such dislike & distrust as normal & sensible.
As in most cultures, their adolescents often run counter to this. However, the typical rebellious Atlantean teen would still seem calm and cool-headed compared to the typical rebellious Surface Worlder teen.
Most of this applies to Heroditus, though he is more open-minded and innovative (some would say iconoclastic) than most of his peers. He is the one who volunteered to go to the surface world and study at Claremont Academy, and he looks forward to seeing Surfacer magic and technology (which most of my peers dismiss), and how it might be integrated with Atlantean devices.
POWERS & TACTICS
Like most Atlanteans, Heroditus can breathe water, not through gills but because the lining of his lungs was adapted (due to arcanogenetic modifications performed on his ancestors) to allow him to extract oxygen from water and to withstand considerable water pressure. He can also breathe air, although he’s most comfortable in an aquatic environment (and can dehydrate over time if not immersed in water). His eyes are sensitive to light and able to see in dim lighting in the ocean depths, although not in complete darkness. His muscle tissue is denser than human; though he’s built like a swimmer (who sidelines as a blacksmith), he can out-perform most (non-metahuman) weightlifters.
Another arcanogenetic modification done to him, thought up by him but designed & performed with the help of his mother, added magic-sensitive photoreceptor cells to his retina. This allows him to see magical energies, which appear to him as auras of various colors.
Heroditus is able to generate magical energies, though only roughly; he can generate omnidirectional bursts of magical energies and create mystic shields around himself. He can channel his mystic energies into an assortment of mechano-mystical devices -- effectively acting as a battery for them (or, rather, the Devices provide Alternate Powers for his Magic) -- to generate a variety of effects; he’s always tinkering with them, refining and adding new abilities. His current kit includes a multifunction blaster, a gauntlet that can create, shape, and transmute matter, goggles that enhance his vision and hearing, and a headband that can generate light and holograms.
ALLIES
His family.
His roommate, Benjamin “Rebound” d’Amato.
His intramural squad/team (Green Squad): Danica “Chelone” Holmes, Veronica Danger, Monica “Lady Liberty” Gutiérrez, Astrid "Ms. Thursday" Torsten, Benicio “Octoman” Wang, and Micah “Thunderbird” Roebuck.
ENEMIES
No personal enemies so far, though he has little fondness for Deep Ones.
MISCELLANEOUS
Behind the Scenes
I’d been toying with the idea for some sort of spellcaster. That idea morphed into a technomancer -- somewhat like Marvel’s Forge, in that they’d specialize not in magic spells but in magic items. (I’d thought of giving them ties to Ogoun, loa of metalworking & rum-making, since vodou loa are supposed to be as big in Freedom City as the Asgardians are in Marvel and the Greek deities are in DC, but I could not get that to gel properly.) Flipping through Atlas of Earth Prime showed that Atlantis’ technology is technomagical, so that became my starting point. (I also drew bits from the Champions superhero RPG, as technomagic is also prevalent in both their Atlantis and Lemuria.) The idea of “fish out of water” soon bubbled up, as did “exchange student,” so my technomancer became my second Claremonter.
One visual difference I’m going to try to play up between him & my other gadgeteer: while Doktor Archeville’s tech is more art deco (with Kirby Crackles), Artificer’s -- and most Atlantean stuff -- will be more art nouveau.
COMPLICATIONS
Accident: While Heroditus is quite skilled with Atlantean technowizardry for his age, there’s still a lot he needs to learn. And there’s even more he needs to learn about Surface World technology and magic. So when he tries to test some new bit of mechano-mysticism he’s come up with, or tries combining Atlantean and Surfacer gear, unexpected side-effects can occur. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for declaring that Heroditus’ experiments have created some sort of hazard, which he must drop his current task to deal with.
Dehydration: If kept out of water for prolonged periods, Heroditus will weaken, first becoming fatigued, then exhausted, then unconscious. Exposure to intense heat or other desiccating effects can also cause this.
Open Space Anxiety: Heroditus grew up in an environment that constantly pressed in on him, and not experiencing that gives him some anxiety. He sleeps in a pressurized water-filled tank, and when out and about wears a compression vest. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for declaring that Heroditus experiences a major anxiety flare up, rendering him helpless and unable to take any actions.
Where Are The Crystals?: The technology of the Surface World -- modern electronics, or even simple combustion engines -- are as weird and alien to Heroditus as Atlantean techno-magic is to Surface Worlder engineers. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for declaring that his unfamiliarity with Surfacer technology causes significant setbacks.
OTHER
Character Sheet [link]
Claremont Roommate: Benjamin "Benny" "Rebound" d'Amato (2019/2020, 2020/2021), Charles "Charlie" "Nevermore II" Pym (2021/2022)
Claremont Schedule: Sophomore in 2019/2020, Junior in 2020/2021, Senior in 2021/2022
Claremont Team (2019/2020): Green (teammates: Chelone, Veronica Danger, Lady Liberty, Ms. Thursday, Octoman, and Thunderbird.)
Claremont Team (2020/2021): Green (teammates: Felix "Legatus" Century, Veronica Danger, Micah "Thunderbird" Roebuck, and Astrid "Ms. Thursday" Torsten)
Claremont Team (2021/2022): Blue (teammates: Naomi "Invisigirl" Ellison, Danica "Chelone" Holmes, Leon "Paper" Moore, Wilona "Effigy" Tabana)
HellQ [link]
Interview/20 Questions [link]
Reputation Table
TIMELINE
2003
September: Heroditus born.
2019
July/August: Heroditus’ father is summoned by General Dalekos to investigate the remains of an Atlantean military outpost, which had been attacked by Deep Ones. Heroditus is also invited along! At the outpost, the young Artificer learns of experiments done on changing Deep Ones back into Atlanteans, and finds evidence of atrocities. But not all the atrocities had been committed by the Deep One assailants. (And Carrions Bests)
August 28th: Heroditus moves in to Claremont. He meets several students: Leroy aka “Sun Dragon” and Dio, Kameron aka “Red Lynx,” Lulu aka “Crystal Gazer,” and his roommate Benny “Rebound” d’Amato. (It’s Mov(in)g Day!)
September: Heroditus meets a few latecomers to Claremont: Mia “Soliton” Mustafic-Markov, Danica “Chelone” Holmes, Judy “Daystar” Smith & Ashley “Watchdog” Smith, and Maxine “Spectre” O’Brian. Something about Heroditus deeply unsettles Danica, though he does not catch on to this. (Late Arrival)
A few days later, Heroditus joins Claremont’s tech club (hosted by Valeria Velásquez), along with Benny, Judy & Ashley, Leroy, Mia, Claude “Gnomon” Jergens, Benicio “Octoman” Wang, Micah “Thunderbird” Roebuck, and Nick “Vox” Brown. At the first meeting, he sees Leroy create a block of “programmable matter,” OctoBen gets the idea to connect the block to the internet, and Heroditus helps with that by building a psionic-optical communication bridge. (Tech Compliance)
A few days after that, Heroditus is summoned to Dr. Marquez’s office, to be made aware of an incoming guest speaker: Sea Devil, a Deep One! He shares some information about the conflict between Atlants and Lemuria, and agrees to behave himself during Aquaria’s speech. (Fish Out Of Water)
He does indeed attend the speech, along with Atlantis’ Prince Telemachus and General Dalekos, Crystal Gazer, Octoman, Red Lynx, Soliton, Adam “Specimen” Lanchester, Sun Dragon, and Vox. The presentation goes… awry. (Dagon the King)
October: Artificer, Ms. Thursday, Octoman, and Red Lynx get caught between tech smugglers and Red Lion & his New Freedom mercenaries! (Daka Rush: Claremont)
November: Heroditus takes his roommate up on his offer of boxing lessons, and is joined by Claude, Judy & Ashley, and Octo-Ben. (Punching Up)
Headmistress Summer introduces Giang “Tsunami” Trang to Heroditus, hoping the two might help each other. (Still as Water)
Heroditus and his Claremont Squadmates (Chelone, Veronica Danger, Octoman, and Thunderbird) visit the Hanover Zoo. But Fear-Master and Goanna are there, too! (Reptile Brain)
December: Deep Ones have attacked Atlantis! They injured Xyles, and Theodora is nowhere to be found! General Dalekos brings in Heroditus (and he brings in Octoman), while at the same time Aquaria (and Miss Grue and Wraith) investigate the attack. But what both groups find may unnerve all of them -- Theodroa was changed into a Deep One! (Hydra the Queen)
2020
February 9th: Heroditus joins Benny in another sparring session, along with Àjàṣorò "White Lioness" Tafari. (Again)
March 7th: Heroditus and the rest of Green squad accompany Veronica Danger to find two lost archaeologists in the Taklamaka Desert, in Western China. (Ancient Enemies) The group is separated, leading Heroditus and Danica on An Unexpected Journey!
April 1st: Heroditus is kidnapped enlisted to aid Princess Thaelia (aka Glamazon) and Giang "Tsunami" Trang, taken to San Juan, Puerto Rico and from there to an abandoned Atlantean outpost near the Bermuda Triangle -- one Thaelia's grandfather had used! (Spring Cleaning)
April 7th: While studying in the library, Heroditius meets one of Claremont's newest students, Muirne (aka Shadowborne), and her guardian, Dee (aka Synapse). (New to Freedom)
April (Late): It's prom time! But Heroditus is not interested in that. He is interested in the alternative event being put on by Professor Gale al-Salaf, though. Benny and Danica are there, as is new student Leon (Paper). But who is al-Salaf's special guest speaker? (Just Like Fire)
October 31st: A Lemurian curse turns approximately 1% of Earth's population -- that's about 8,000,000 people -- into werewolves! Davyd & Heroditus are out walking Claremont's Quad when it hits the shapeshifter -- can his Atlantean associate aid him? (Night of the Wolves)
2021
April 24th: While at the Millennium Mall, Heroditus sees an AlienGator and Freedom Eagle ∞, falling through some sort of portal in the air! Fortunately, Muirne (Shadowborne) and Natalia (Nocturne) are also there, and the three Claremonters help protect civilians and subdue the reptilian mensace. And then welcome Freedom Eagle ∞ to their city (?). (Future Freedom, Today!)
September 4th: Heroditus helps guide the incoming Claremont students to their rooms, with some success. He also chats with his new roommate, Charlie (Nevermore II), as well as with Bernadette (Multi-Girl), Ryder (Chitin), and Utsawa (Kensei). (Hut Two, Hut Two!)
October 4th: Heroditus and the rest of Blue Squad (Chelone, Effigy, Invisigirl, and Paper) attend a "survival class" in Arizona's Painted Desert. So dry, so arid -- he hates it! And that's before they.... (Survival Class: Prussian Blue)
October 31st: Heroditus attends A Gathering of Mages at Parkhurst, to discus some recent disturbances they've all been sensing.
November 3rd: Artificer, and Freedom Eagle ∞, begin receiving mentorship from two Claremont alumni: Geckoman and Phalanx! (The Kids are Alright)
December 17th: While accompanying some classmates (Neko Musume, Luke "Nightscale" Landers, Owain "Kid Gawain" Jones, Leon "Paper" Moore, and Alice "Shooting Star" Armstrong) to a pre-Christmas party in a Riverside warehouse, Artificer & friends stumble across a robbery happening at the Benedict Sans Office Tower. It's up to them to rescue the hostages and stop the bad guys! After they're done, Gawain turns the heroes into birds so they can quickly fly away, which Heroditus hates. (Party Crashing)
2022
June: Graduation from Claremont.
2023
December: Artificer decides to try the "be social" thing an attends the Freedom League Holiday Party. (Holiday Cheer!)
2024
February 14th: While on a tour of the Lighthouse with Ghost, hosted by Velocity, Heroditus bears witness to the (new) Star-Khan's (Kinarr's) attempts at heroism, which is undertaking in order to prove how different he is from his father (Kinan) & to woo Paradigm of the Praetorians! (Written in the Stars)
