Silverhawk

Context

This character is an original creation, made as part of the 2016 Halloween character creation contest, using the DC Heroes random magical character creation system.

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Background

Powers & Abilities

Sara began training at the police academy, proving adept at the detection stuff.

The incident unfortunately occurred before she got trained in gun use. Afterwards they seemed disinclined to let her near them. Which is, like, totally nonsensical. She’d never have shot Lieutenant Grant in the leg while trying to save him if she’d had actual training.

Artefacts

The Amulet of the Silver Hawk is an ancient magical item created by druids well over a millennium ago. It chooses a wielder to whom it’s bonded until their death, the choosing only able to occur on All Hallows Eve.

The Amulet enhances her physical abilities and mental acuity, and controls the air. This is often used for flying, and other tricks such as creating animated servants. Animating air creatures is only possible in human form, due to the concentration required. The Amulet also allows the wearer to transform into a hawk with silver plumage.

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The Ring of the Fried Idiot is a few months old. It was cobbled together by one of the crackpots from the Sons of the Arcane. It got its name from its creator burning himself to a crisp in the empowering process. And Sara felt the Amulet sounded pretentious enough for both of them.

The Ring can emanate a field that causes those nearby to grow uneasy and nervous of the wearer. At full power it can easily cause a panic in the weak willed. The Ring can also absorb energy attacks – such as those favoured by the Technocracy nutjobs.

Since gaining these objects she’s studied magical history, particularly druidic magic.

History

Sara Lyons’ father was a Boston police officer who was killed on duty when she was in her teens. This made her mother resistant to Sara’s intentions to join. It didn’t stop her though, and she made good progress in academy.

Boston had become host to a couple of dangerous cults interested in mystical objects. Especially items transferred to the local museum for their Halloween exhibit. The Sons of the Arcane sought the magical items to increase their personal power. They used science to duplicate magical abilities with varying degrees of success.

The Technocracy were an offshoot of the Sons convinced magic was too dangerous to harness. They sought to destroy all magical objects, and those who used them.

The police department realised their interest. Officers tied up the warring factions, while recruits from the nearby academy helped move the items. Sara was among them, under the command of her father’s partner, Lieutenant Mark Grant.

A group of the Sons reached the museum before they got the items out, and attacked. In the confusion, Sara got hold of a gun, and tried to force a Son to let go of the captive Grant. She accidentally shot both of them in the leg, giving Grant the opportunity to subdue his captor.

Taking the items out by hand, the Amulet of the Silver Hawk chose Sara as its wielder. It turned her hair white, and then turned her into a hawk. Disoriented by the change, she was knocked out by the Sons and taken captive.

Taking Flight

She came to in their hidden base, as the Sons rushed to battle invading Technocracy forces. They left trying to get the Amulet to work for them till later, keeping her alive in case it’d help.

They forgot about her, tied up and separated from the Amulet. She watched in horror as the nearby imbuing of a ring with power fried one of the Sons. The other ignored him as he donned the ring. He also ignored the trolley knocked over by the falling body, spilling the Amulet onto the floor. Sara managed to crawl over to it. Touching it turned her into a hawk again, freeing her.

She subdued the nearby Son and confiscated the ring, then looked for a way out. The only exit was the one currently in the middle of a pitched battle. Somewhere between blind panic and gleeful exhilaration, Sara plunged into the battle wearing the Amulet and the Ring – the latter of which she was sure would fry her any second, but what the hell, so could their weapons.

Within minutes she was the only one left standing. After a moment of stunned awe, she hurried off to call it in. When the dust settled, she discovered the incident at the museum was all over the internet. As was her identity.

It’s all academic

The police department saw this as an opportunity to have their own superhero on the payroll. She continues her training in the academy, while serving as a responder to superhuman incidents.

Grant, restricted to a desk due to his injury, is her reluctant supervisor.

Getting her actual accreditation is proving problematic until she’s graduated. Which means she’s stuck doing more PR stuff than she’s comfortable with.

Description

Of medium build, Sara’s most prominent feature is her hair. While wearing the Amulet, it’s a striking silver. Otherwise she appears like a regular young woman, albeit one who seems to have trouble staying still.

Her uniform is police academy sweats that she’s been allowed, for the moment, to personalise. She does want a proper superhero uniform, but has to wait for the focus group the department has set up to come back with something she’s willing to wear.

Personality

Easily excitable and prone to impulsive behaviour, Sara’s so hyped up at being a superhero. Sometimes her enthusiasm gets the better of her, but she genuinely wants to help.

Her hyperactive nature has been somewhat calmed by the changes, and her perceptive faculties have been enhanced. She still gets a bit squee in the presence of other superheroes though. And a few of the cooler villains (she’ll still try to arrest them, or at least get a selfie). She can be irritating in her geekiness.

She’s developed a bit of an addiction to flying, taking every opportunity to do so. She still gets a bit wigged out by doing so in hawk form, so will generally only change when useful.

She’s happy for the chance to serve as her father did, albeit more publicly. She’s less happy at how little control she seems to have. Silverhawk. Really? How did they come up with such a creative name? And her uniform? Do they not understand the fundamentals of branding?

For the moment she’s following orders, trusting someone in charge knows what they’re doing. Despite the evidence.

Quotes

“Ooh, magic.”

“What’s a Manimal  ? Is that an old person thing ? Is it related to the Ladyhawk  garbage you were spouting ? You’re just making words up, aren’t you ?”

By Gareth Lewis.

Source of Character: Homemade.

Helper(s): The random magical character creation system.

Writeup completed on the 16^th of October, 2016.