ICCharacter Name: Ox
Lineage: Tammuz
Current Refinement: Ferrum [Iron]
Past Refinements: Stannum [Tin]
Athanor: Pending
Repute: 0
Description: Ox is an athletically-built African American male. Although he is neither incredibly tall or broad-shouldered, he is covered in toned muscle and stands upright with the discipline of a soldier; his features and muscles have a slightly sculpted appearance, as though he were hewn from a massive stone slab. One gets the feeling he can take just as much punishment as he can dish out. His head is shaved and his chin and jaw are covered in a thin layer of stubble; his face and body are dotted with small nicks and scars, the most notable of which is above his right temple. There is a gold earring in his left earlobe. Abstract tribal tattoos coil down his arms from shoulder to elbow, in a design that reminds one of thorned branches. When Ox is shirtless, one can clearly see a large tattoo of the Taurus astrological sign in the center of his chest, and the words “Semper Fi” tattooed on his back. Ox wears a well-worn pair of desert camouflage pants tucked into combat boots and a heavy, lined zip-up hoodie with the hood up. Sometimes he wears cheap wrap-around sunglasses for effect. A durable alice pack filled with books is almost always on his back, and he is never without the latest issue of X-Men.
Disfigurement: As Pyros runs through his body, Ox's eyes turn to black, glassy beads and his skin takes on a dried, cracked appearance, like mud that has been baked a blisteringly-hot sun. Small dust motes hover around him. The air fills with the smell of sand and dust. The Hebrew for “Duty” glows on his forehead, like the ember of a sun.
Background: Ox has been moving through the States for the past decade, give or take a year. Although he is not famous in Created circles, he has gained a small reputation for his interest (some would say “obsession”) with superhero comics, especially the X-Men. At the start of his Pilgrimage, the story goes, he stumbled on a massive collection of comics and was taken by the idea of a group of freaks who looked mostly human but had incredible powers, who tried to defend humanity despite incredible hatred and prejudice. Needless to say, he's taken that to be indicative of the Promethean condition. Now he wanders through cities and towns in the role of a vigilante, protecting the weak and downtrodded from bullies and oppressors, as well as the things that go bump in the night. He has been known to band together with any like-minded Created, forming a temporary “supergroup” until their Pilgrimages take them on their separate ways.
Personality: Ox is generally quiet and reserved; he is often the model of the motto “Deeds, Not Words.” He believes that physical perfection is the key to transcending his current state, but also focuses on honing his mind. Where others falter, Ox endures; he tries to maintain a clear and level head, even in arguments and combat. Keeping his anger bottled up in dangerous, of course, and when it takes over there are few who remain to tell the tale. His ways parallel the beliefs of the samurai, which Ox studies regularly and uses as a lens to focus his Pilgrimage. Most of Ox's time is devoted to practicing the ways of the sword, fist, and gun, as well as the study of Eastern and Western philosophy. He believes that creative expression is part of a well-rounded warrior, and reads and writes poetry on occasion. Most of Ox's current interactions with humanity are either those he encounters on hunts for evil, those he watches on the streets, and what he sees in movies and on TV. Needless to say, he is a big fan of superhero and samurai movies.
History: It is safe to assume that Ox was once a Marine, from his back tattoo to his ability to speak Arabic, his innate skill with weapons and tactics to his BDU pants. What that says about his Creator is anyone's guess; Ox certainly doesn't like to talk about it much. Regardless, in his previous life and this one, it is obvious Ox was meant to be a weapon; some Prometheans have murmured about the connection between military service and slavery.
OOCPlayer: Simon
Inspirations:
- Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai
- Hagakure (In the Shadow of Falling Leaves)
- Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
- Our Lady Peace – One Man Army
- Unbreakable
- X-Men (comics and films)
