Aquarius
(Captain Trips persona)
Context
There are two pre-requisites for this entry :
- The Wild Cards setting primer, which explains these novels and their world.
- The Captain Trips character profile, since Aquarius is an aspect of this character.
Background
- Alter Ego: Cetus Dauphin.
- Marital Status: N/A.
- Known Relatives: N/A.
- Group Affiliation: N/A.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile, Earth’s oceans.
- Height: 6’ Weight: 280 lbs.
- Eyes: White Hair: None
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Powers and Abilities
Aquarius can transform into a supernaturally powerful bottlenose dolphin. He:
- Is nearly bulletproof.
- Can breach ship hulls by ramming them with his rostrum.
- Can communicate with all other cetaceans.
Aquarius retains many delphin characteristics in his human form.
He is highly dependant on immersion in water — after half an hour out of water he dehydrates rapidly, his skin visibly beginning to tighten and crack.
History
Aquarius’s imaginary history has never been addressed in detail. bAll that is known is that his human form was originally a French-Canadian sailor.
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Description
Aquarius is a huge man with the broad musculature of an Olympic weightlifter.
He is gray-skinned and completely hairless, with a large swollen forehead.
He only wears a pair of Speedos with the same gray tone as his skin.
In his animal form he looks like an unusually large (16’) bottlenose dolphin.
Personality
Aquarius is laconic and dour. He possesses little interest in land dwellers and their foolishness. He has a particular disdain for those who hail from nations that still conduct whaling, whether or not they are personally involved in it.
His only desire is to live his life in the sea among the dolphins. He would have swum off into the ocean depths long ago, except that he realizes that in an hour he would transform back into Mark Meadows and promptly drown. He grudgingly cooperates with Mark’s goals as he recognizes that their survival is mutually dependant.
His personality becomes even more alien while in dolphin form. He perceives the world in four dimensions — the usual three plus the flow of the water — and his sensory input is distinctly inhuman. Mark Meadows is often disoriented after spending a lot of time as Aquarius as a result of memories of this dissonant sensory input.
Quotes
“I did not ask to be here, land-dweller.”
Dr. Tachyon: “Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve ? Something that might help us take out the guards.”
Aquarius (rancourously): “I turn into a dolphin, and I swim real fast.”
DC Universe History
See the Captain Trips write-up for Aquarius’ DC History in conjunction with Mark Meadows. With Mark living in Opal City, Aquarius would only have manifested on an occasional trip to the coast, and would be virtually unknown.
For a DCU history incorporating Aquarius as an independant entity, he could be another subject of the same alien experimentation that was inflicted upon Dolphin. The experiments conducted upon him had different results — Aquarius lacks Dolphin’s raw power, but enjoys somewhat greater versatility.
He would undoubtedly spend most of his time foiling whaling efforts. He could do this most easily by simply warning his fellow cetaceans of the imminent threat, but would certainly also sink ships as the opportunity presented itself. He might also get involved if he discovered dolphins or whales being captured for experimental purposes.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
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Aquarius
| Dex: 05 | Str: 07 | Bod: 06 | Motivation: Unwanted Power |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 03 | Min: 06 | Occupation: Marine Guardian |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 01 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: N/A |
| Init: 10 (12) | HP: 020 |
Powers:
Cold Immunity: 02, Growth: 01, Ultra Vision: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
Growth is Always On (STR listed above is already adjusted for active Growth).
Skills:
Vehicles (Sea)*: 05
Advantages:
Iron Nerves, Language (French).
Drawbacks:
- Attack Vulnerability (Flame and Heat, -3CS to RV).
- Attack Vulnerability (Water-borne poisons, -2CS to OV/RV).
- CIA (Protect fellow cetaceans).
- Controllable Alter Ego (Dolphin Form).
- Distinct Appearance (Huge gray-skinned man).
- Fatal Vulnerability (Lack of immersion in water, loses 1 AP of Current BODY every 10 minutes (8 APs of time)).
- MID (Land Dwellers).
- SID (Land Dwellers from whaling nations — Japan, Norway, etc.).
- MPR (Nearsighted — can only see clearly up to 3 APs distance).
- Serious Rage (If cetaceans are injured).
- Socially Inept (Minor).
Alter Ego: Aquarius’s Dolphin form
| Dex: 05 | Str: 11 | Bod: 08 | Motivation: Unwanted Power |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 03 | Min: 06 | Occupation: Marine Guardian |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 01 | Spi: 05 | Resources {or Wealth}: N/A |
| Init: 10 (12) | HP: 020 |
Powers:
Analytical Taste: 06, Cold Immunity: 02, Growth: 03, Sonar: 07, Speak to Animals: 06, Swimming: 05, Water Freedom: 07, Ultra Vision: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Growth can be added to Aquarius’s Movement (Swimming) when used as the EV for a Charging Attack – this means that his total base EV for making a Charging Attack is 8 (+2).
- Growth is Always On (STR listed above is already adjusted for active Growth) (-1).
- Speak to Animals is limited to cetaceans only (dolphins, whales) (-2).
- Water Freedom does not allow Aquarius to actually breathe water — treat APs as duration of time he can hold his breath (-1).
Drawbacks:
MPRs (Mute, no fine manipulators, no sense of smell, nearsighted — can only see clearly up to 3 APs distance).
Source of Character: Wild Cards series (novels, comics), character created by Victor Milan.