Talonknight

Player: @Owldad

NAME: Thomas Worthington III (Secret)
KNOWN ALIASES: TalonKnight, TK
PLACE OF BIRTH: Hollownest, Unknown Location
BIRTHDATE: September 25, 19XX
AGE: 34
EYE COLOR: Brown
HAIR COLOR: Black
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 215 lbs
BODY TYPE: Peak Athletic
OCCUPATION: Adventurer, Protector, Socialite
KNOWN RELATIVES:Max Worthington (Father, Deceased), Margaret Worthington (Mother, Deceased), Timothy Worthington (Grandfather, Alive)
SKILLS/ABILITIES: Check Below
EQUIPMENT: Check Below
AFFILIATIONS: Global Defense Force, Blindsiders

The beginning.

In the early 11th Century, a young squire and his master were sent by the Knight’s templar to search for the “Holy Grail” during the Crusades. They believed that the grail would help them liberate Jerusalem from “the infidels” and spread their faith throughout the world. When weeks of searching turned into months, and then into years, the band of once noble knights grew disillusioned with their mission and the war, and decided to abuse their power, except the squire and his master. Everything hit boiling point when the Band of Knights came across the rumored “cursed” village, known for its dense population of desert owls* (a symbol of bad luck in Middle Eastern Culture). Soon, conflict broke out between the villagers and the Knights, leading to them pillaging and plundering. The young squire and his Master had enough, and decided to take matters into his own hands, joining the oppressed villagers in driving the rogue band of knights away. The battle was bloody, and the master was fatally wounded. With his dying breath, he elevated the young squire to knighthood.

This act of bravery and honor almost cost the squire his life, being badly beaten and near death’s door. Unbeknownst to the squire, the “cursed” village they had helped were also the keepers of the “Holy Grail”, which used the superstition on owls as a cover for the underground river which was situated within the village. The river had healing properties caused by a meteorite which landed in the area hundreds of years ago, and it was the source of power of the“Grail”. Bathing in the river not only had fully healed the squire of his wounds, but had also granted him limited enhanced strength, speed and stamina. The village shaman gave the young squire a piece of the meteor, in exchange for protecting its secret and saving the village and its people from the band of rogue knights. They dubbed the young man “al Sada*”, or “the death owl” due to the loud cry he let out for his unavenged master. The squire was grateful for his second chance, and swore then and there to the shaman to not only protect the secret of the grail, but also the innocent and to stop tyranny wherever he went.

The young squire, now a knight, returned to his hometown in Europe, only to find it rotting with corruption. At first, he tried to handle the problems with diplomacy, as Sir Thomas Werthy, landowner and lord of a small village beyond the valley. But the people had given up hope, and the cruelty of the King’s men had made it hard to stand up to the injustice, even for a knight of the templar.

Finding inspiration from the village that saved his life, “al Sada” forged an identity to drive out the corrupt villany in his lands, also striking fear into those who even tried. On that day, the first TALONKNIGHT was born, giving birth to a long generation of crime fighters who fought through centuries of villainy to protect the innocent.

The legend of the TalonKnight grows.

"Beware, beware the TALONKNIGHT! His eyes of gold a frightening sight! Turn and run with all your might! The TALONKNIGHT hunts tonight!" -18th Century Nursery Rhyme

Thomas “Tripp” Worthington III grew up a happy child in peaceful times, unbeknownst to him the legacy of his family. His father was Maxwell Worthington, CEO of Worthy Consolidated and his mother Margaret was a socialite from an equally wealthy family.

Tripp was a superhero fanboy; he fell in love with the idea of fighting crime and saving innocents. He’d sit in his father’s 50th floor corner office and watch out for heroes doing flybys and saving people. It wasn’t until Tripp’s 10th birthday where his father revealed the family’s long kept secret: he was part of a long legacy of crime fighters, and he would be next in line to pick up the mantle… if he was worthy (no pun intended). His father showed him the “Hollownest”, a secret base of operations located in an undisclosed part of the world, accessible only through a special teleportation device (designed with the help of Nikola Tesla) and explained the duties and responsibilities of a TalonKnight.

All business.. 60% of the time, everytime.

Thomas Worthington III, or Tripp is either loved or hated by the general public and media for his reckless antics and turbulent "relationships" (not really). However, there is more to his personality than just "Billionaire Philanthropist/Playboy" and "Relentless Vigilante". The first is the cliched "Billionaire Philanthropist/Playboy" persona that Tripp plays so well. Tripp theorizes that in a world full of superheroes, a reckless, irresponsible and arrogant billionaire who would consistently make world headlines and gossip columns for his acts of recklessness and scandal would draw the attention of terrorist organizations, super-villain plots, and assassins for hire, as some sort of "VIP victim" or "easy target". This method of "baiting" his enemies puts Tripp one step ahead of would-be adversaries, being more prepared for attacks, rather than going on the assault. Another reason why Tripp insists on acting like an "irresponsible, arrogant buffoon" is so that others stay away from him, and not learn his secret legacy, in turn protecting those close to him. A TalonKnight is always taught that "the tighter the circle, the less casualties there will be".

As TalonKnight, Tripp is focused, business-like, and sometimes hard to be around. Being prepared at all times and minimizing the risks to himself and those close to him are high priority when Tripp formulates a contingency. He is most comfortable being in control, and seeing others stray from his "battle plans" and "contingencies" will make him lose sleep and mildly irritate him (although he most likely won’t voice it). Tripp is a perfectionist, and will strive to get things done as efficiently and effectively as possible. He understands that he cannot control all situations, so instead he prepares endlessly, almost giving himself migraines going meticulously through every scenario. Tripp is also unreasonably brave and strong-willed, willing to put his life on the line to save the lives of others, not caring if he gets hurt or killed. His commitment to the mission of the TalonKnight is extremely unhealthy, even bordering on obsession.

To those close to him he can seem distant and cold, yet he still tries to be polite (as he can be). His business-like demeanor is almost unsettling, but he tries to offset it with dry and sarcastic humor (which backfires most of the time).

Born for this.

Legacy Crimefighter: Tripp Worthington comes from a long line of crime fighters, with knowledge and experience spanning over centuries. With each TalonKnight new knowledge and technology is passed on, eventually compiling various techniques and methods of crime fighting. Groomed from a young age, Tripp developed and honed his crime fighting skills through regular lessons with his grandfather, and other tutors, making Tripp the perfect weapon in the war against the world's evil.

Excellent/Skilled Combatant: The TalonKnights have developed a systematic fighting art only taught to heirs of the mantle. The unnamed combat art used by TalonKnights can be described as a combination of holds, strikes, and complex locks to disable and (when necessary) kill foes. Developed through centuries of experience, the 17th TalonKnight described the fighting form as "a combination of Boxing, Japanese Judo, and Shaolin-inspired Kung-Fu". Tripp employs this fighting style daily, adding some modern martial arts to his fighting style, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Combat Sambo. TalonKnights are also well versed in the use of combat arms, being able to use various ranged weapons (bows, rifles, throwing projectiles, etc.), and melee-based weapons (swords, knives, etc.) with equal effectiveness.

High-Level Strategist: Tripp has been trained in numerous forms of combat strategy, studying classical warfare philosophies and historical war scenarios since he was a child. Always taught to see the "big picture" and the "end game", Tripp uses the vast contingencies and protocols the TalonKnights before him have put in place to his advantage. Although impossible to be prepared for every eventuality, Tripp "cheats" by manipulating situations to his advantage, surprising his enemies and presenting the illusion of having foreseen the eventual actions of his foes.

Keen Analytics/Deductive Reasoning: Although not the best in the world, Tripp has a vast network of detectives and experts from around the globe at his disposal, most are contacts his predecessors have made. He uses this network to piece together clues and data to be able to solve even the most complicated of cases. His cowl constantly streams data to "M.E.R.L.I.N.", which in turn is passed onto his contacts, who help him piece together clues and scenarios to help solve crimes. Due to constant exposure to detective work with some of the best detectives in the world, over time, Tripp's own deductive reasoning and crime solving skills have been honed, even solving a couple of cases on his own.

Skilled Driver/Pilot: Tripp pilots numerous vehicles. He is skilled enough to maneuver whatever vehicle is at his disposal as if it were an extension of his body. Part of his training as a TalonKnight involved Tripp piloting and studying schematics of vehicles, as his mentors felt that it was an essential part of being the TalonKnight. Since he cannot fly, or run with superspeed, vehicles are a key part of the TalonKnight's arsenal, therefore, being a skilled pilot or driver is definitely a must.

Keen Intellect: Constant study and thirst for knowledge has assisted Tripp in developing his intelligence/IQ. Tripp is competent in basic sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology. Knowledge in these fields help him troubleshoot his equipment, as well as develop formulas and antidotes for situations that require it. He is also a capable engineer, with skills varying from troubleshooting of the "M.E.R.L.I.N." system, to hacking computers during missions and operations.

Peak Physical Condition: Tripp was raised from a young age using a specialized diet and exercise regimen developed by the 9th TalonKnight during his stay in Japan, and has been used by other TalonKnights since its inception. The diet and exercise regimen have helped Tripp and previous TalonKnights develop muscles and dexterity comparable to an Olympic-level athlete. Their diet helps develop strong bones and muscles, while also making the immune system stronger, increasing the dexterity, immunity and recovery capabilities of the human body. Meanwhile, the exercise regimen develops high-level flexibility, peak human strength and endurance, allowing the TalonKnight to perform certain movements the average human being can't. It is necessary to prepare the body to accept “the blessing” bestowed upon new TalonKnights when they take up the mantle.

Things we need to work on.

Only Human: Despite being equipped with cutting edge technology and having centuries worth of crimefighting knowledge at his disposal, Tripp is still extremely mortal. Unlike most of his peers, he does not possess super powered abilities or skills, making him susceptible to metahuman/extra-human attacks. Without his armor he is also vulnerable to attacks just like a normal human and can be mortally wounded. Over time, his body will break down from the continuous rigors he puts his body through, eventually having to retire from the mantle of TalonKnight.

Overconfidence: Because he’s trained from a young age, and studied the teachings of the TalonKnights before him fanatically, Tripp has come to be very confident in his abilities. This in turn has led to becoming confident to the point of arrogance, sometimes getting himself into situations beyond his capabilities. This, combined with his lack of social skills (prideful, distant) has led to many sticky situations in the past.

Secretive Control Freak: Tripp’s need to be in control leads to him keeping his cards close to his chest. He feels like the less his peers know what he’s thinking/planning, the more control he has over the situation. His secretive nature ironically feeds into his trauma of losing those close to him.

Poor Social Skills: Although charming and approachable in his “Philanthropist/Playboy” persona, Tripp is far from sociable. He is introverted, quiet and prefers the company of silence. His business-like demeanor is off putting, even to the ones closest to him like his Grandfather and Monty. In reality, he was traumatized early in his TalonKnight journey, after watching his parents die at the hands of their arch-nemesis. Ever since then Tripp has had trouble getting close to people for fear they will either get hurt or suddenly taken away from him. Because of this trauma, he tends to push people away, coming across as prideful and arrogant (even his jokes don’t take well). Tripp’s grandfather has acknowledged this blindspot multiple times in his training, arguing that in the past, isolation from a reliable network of contacts and friends have led to a TalonKnight’s demise, something he fears will happen to Tripp if he doesn’t change his ways.

Obsessive Tendencies: When Tripp broods over something, the thought turns over and over in his head trying to come up with a solution or answer. Due to his extreme focus on whatever he’s brooding over, it sometimes leads to paranoia, overplanning, and contingencies that may be more dangerous than initially planned. This weakness can also be exploited because of the tunnel vision it comes with. Currently, this is being amplified by Tripp/TalonKnight's exposure to an ancient golem, the Odeum.

Aristocratic Upbringing: Tripp's "I know what's best for you" attitude stems from decades of Worthington upbringing. Having been raised generation to generation to believe that they are best equipped to help others (through their money, influence and strength as TalonKnights) has given Tripp the misconception that he knows what's best for the world and those he helps. While he means well, it comes across as unsavory and controlling to those around him. Not only that, his 'control freak' nature seeps into this ingrained attitude, alienating him further from his teammates and allies making him an easy target to isolate should a villain decide to attack.

Tools of the trade.

Cowl:

Body Armor:

Weighted Cape:

Gauntlets: Wrist HUD and control unit.

Utility Belt: Grappling Gun + Hook, Smoke Pellets, Basic Tool Kit, Med Kit, Universal Hacking Kit, Compact Escape Kit, High Density Cuffs

Weapons:

- Hoot-e-rangs:

- Exploding Hoot-e-rangs:

- Pocket Proximity Mines:

- Compact Concussion Grenades:

- Compact Smoke Grenades:

- Caltrops:

- Combat Aerosol Sprays:

Nightbird MK I to V: The talon-mobiles have been a staple of the TalonKnight's arsenal of tools since the industrial revolution. As this era's TalonKnight, Tripp has updated the talon-mobiles with the Nightbird series (currently onto Mark V), adding modern day enhancements for modern day crimefighting. The Nightbird MK V's top speed is around 250 mph, powered by a 1,200 horsepower (combined) twin turbines. Fully armored and armed with a combination of lethal and non-lethal weapons, the Nightbird allows TalonKnight to fight modern supervillains on equal footing.

The Strix MK II:

The Battlebruiser MK I to IV: A series of heavy battle suits designed to give the wearer strength, durability and flight comparable to the flying bricks (e.g. Areus) around Paragon City. Conceived due to his heightened paranoia caused by the exposure to the Odeum and getting gravely injured in the battle against Doomsday in New York, the Battlebruisers are armed with high-density synthetic impervium plates, laser canons, jet-boosters and a micro reactor to power the suits for at least a week (at full power output). Tripp is constantly improving its features to match the data that he gathers for every mission so far.

Friends in high places.

TalonKnight's greatest foes.

Fun Facts about The TalonKnight.