Entropy

Xander Cade, known occasionally as Entropy, is a junior Physics professor at CBSU and reluctant manipulator of the destructive force of Entropy: hence the name.

Description
Xander is an even 6' tall, filling out an athletic 185 pounds. His features are sharp, but not harsh, with defined cheeks and a strong chin. Dark brown hair is styled neatly and kept close cut, with his bangs creeping downward toward green eyes. He is in most respects a young, attractive, fair skinned young man, save for the peculiar wisps of grey mist that drift across the surface of his body at all times, moving and shifting like dust in a breeze. The ashen aura is intangible and is never large or thick enough to conceal him, but treats clothing as if it were not there, drifting lazily through them on their aimless path.

When dressed for everyday outings, Xander tends to prefer a simple, professional look. He leans toward well cut suits that make the most of his athletic figure and look like the work of a proficient tailor, when in reality they are fashioned of light, thin Entropium, allowing them to withstand the decaying effects of his ashen aura.

Beneath these clothes at most times is the special suit of Entropium made for him, a snug and flexible suit of grey fiber mesh. Across his chest, back, shoulders, forearms, thighs and shins are areas of thicker material, though even there the suit seems to flex and bend well. Throughout the thicker areas have been woven strands of red fibers in with the grey, giving the suit a subdued burgundy hue. Padded gloves shield his hands, and boots likewise cover his feet.

Life History
Born in San Diego to a pair of theoretical physicists, Xander's life was academically oriented from an early age, though he managed to make a reasonable attempt at a social life, and even participate in the occasional sport. Life passed uneventfully for many years, and he was well on his way to a full ride at the university of his choice when the first manifestation of his powers occurred. This disruption changed his life considerably, especially as his parents began regarding him more and more as a test subject, but he persevered, even in the face of the appearance of the Destabilization phenomenon. Eventually he secured a place at Colonial Bay State University, far from the west coast, both for its strong Metahuman Studies department and facilities, and for its distance from his parents, in case something...happened.

Xander's powers continually made him the subject of much clinical interest, first in his parents, then their associate who taught him to control his power in exchange for playing 'guinea pig' in his experiments, then with the staff of CBSU's Meta Studies department, ever eager to have a new subjects. He endured this without complaint, even as the tests became more intrusive, even painful, in the hopes that among the poking and prodding there would be found a way to prevent the uncontrolled destruction he was capable of. His own studies concluded a full year and change early, and a position of junior professorship with the science department was offered, one which he gladly accepted.

The past years have seen his talent and knowledge in his field gain prominence. He and Abigail Grey, his grad student assistant, have developed the fabric Entropium that she and her classmates invented into a strong, stable way to harness his latent energy. Xander has had a fleeting encounter with the mysterious Hand of Ash, finding himself the subject of attention he has no idea how he earned. Long hours as the subject of experimentation in the university lab, many of them painful, led to a tenuous control of the volatile nature of his powers. And Entropy, Abigail's vision of the hero Xander might be, has been tested on the streets of the city, the reluctant professor becoming a neophyte in the ranks of the protectors of Colonial Bay.

Origin
Entropy’s powers came through no fault of his own…indeed, there is little to explain the manifestation of the unpredictable forces within him. The onset came late in high school, in subtle ways only recognized in hindsight for what they were. Paint peeled and faded from the wall next to where he sat in class. His chairs and desks aged and fell apart far faster than they should have. Meals and baths became lukewarm minutes after he neared them. His parents, noted physicists, picked up on it eventually and began to examine him like any other anomaly, using their own laboratory to run tests as to the nature of his complications. Eventually, the patterns to the effects became clear. The level of entropy, the release of energy on a molecular level, was vastly increased around him...energy that retained heat, energy that bound complex molecules together. Things were literally falling apart in his presence.

As time went by, the manifestations became stronger, to the point that Xander could ‘feel’ them. With this came a strange aura that appeared and faded, tattered tendrils of grey ash that floated along the surface of his skin. With the help of a knowledgeable associate of the family, Xander began to learn to take control of the power, purposefully concentrating it and directing it outward offensively and defensively. Considering he was far from the first teenager to develop metahuman powers, this was all seen as positive progress. One night, however, the entropic force manifested in a manner far stronger than he'd ever felt, far beyond his ability to control. Outward projected the destructive force, rendering him helpless and severely damaging his parent's laboratory, ceasing its assault only when Xander collapsed from utter exhaustion. This event, dubbed 'Destabilization' by his concerned, yet scientifically objective parents, went on to repeat itself a handful of times throughout his life, shaking his confidence in his own power and making him paranoid of their use.

Throughout college he minimized the practice of his powers, usually only bringing them forward while under the observation of CBSU’s Metahuman Studies department. Trying various and ever more desperate experiments to gain a complete grasp of the destructive force within, things came to a head when he managed to induce a Destabilization within a carefully prepared test chamber. The waves of entropy radiating from his body were redirected inward upon him, seeming to feed the reaction. At the moment when it seemed the process must turn critical, Xander's body suddenly dissipated completely into thin air, apparently finally falling victim to his own power. The worst was feared till amazingly, the young man was found two rooms away and one floor above, deeply unconscious but otherwise unharmed.

Under careful scrutiny by CBSU scientists and the occasional volunteer meta with similar powers, Xander's new ability was studied and repeated, then trained to be used at will. Though the sheer energy needed to completely destroy, then reform his body seems to have solved the issue of random Destabilization, He remains uncertain and wary of their possible return during an exertion of his otherwise careful control over the force of entropy.

Skills
First and foremost, Xander Cade is a scientist. Possessed of considerable intellect and a highly scholarly parentage, his pursuit of higher studies was all but inevitable. His doctorate is in Physics, with concentration in Metahuman Biophysics. He has knowledge of both the practical and theoretical, having gone through the applications of the science while he was being poked and prodded. In his time at CBSU he has established himself as an authority in these fields, and offers his knowledge freely. As a side effect of extensive time in the laboratory, as the subject of experiments and otherwise, Xander's knowledge of electronic devices has grown considerably, and he is often able to assist those building or modifying such devices for lab work.

The primary language used for archaic physical science terminology is German, and Xander was immersed in it from a young age. He picked it up along with everything else, adding to it with further classes to round out a firm grasp of the language. The multicultural setting of Colonial Bay brought, among other things, a curiosity in the Japanese language, and he has managed a basic understanding of their spoken and written word.

Xander’s tenuous grasp of his destructive powers and his flagging self confidence originally drove him to take up martial arts years ago to help focus his mind, and that pursuit has paid off well, providing a strong, limber body and impressive fighting ability by normal human standards. The precise control of his body helps compensate the lack of control he feels for his powers, and the fluid, controlled movements of martial exercise provides a sort of centering ritual when he feels troubled.

Powers
Xander finds himself with a unique and somewhat distressing influence over the natural force of Entropy: hence, the name. Entropy is a fundamental force of physics that slowly and inevitably breaks down and disperses subatomic energy: energy that, for example, holds the atoms in molecules together, energy that propels a projectile, or the coherent energy in electricity and light. Some physicists believe that it is entropy that will be the doom of the universe, as everything eventually breaks down into a homogeneous cloud and all Creation succumbs to 'heat death'. Fortunately, Entropy's powers are a great deal more limited, though he finds little comfort in such details.


 * Entropic Blast - The most raw and unrefined manifestation of his power, Xander can project a beam of raw entropic power outward to strike a target, causing a sudden and violent release of subatomic bonds. Since the power disassembles the struck target at its most fundamental state, physical armor or energy fields have limited effect as they themselves become the source of the damaging reaction.


 * Touch of Decay - A more subtle, if no less effective application. Xander can manifest the ambient aura of decay that surrounds him into a touch, accelerating the subject's natural destruction a thousandfold.  The careful, precise application of the power comes at a price, however: the quickly reactive, constantly changing energy of living matter disrupts the process, rendering this power useless against it.


 * Entropic Shackles - A subtle shift and restraint in entropic energy allows Entropy to sheathe a target in an energy-robbing field without actually doing harm, sapping the kinetic force of movement and rendering them immobile unless the field can be overwhelmed. Such is the immaterial, carefully directed nature of the field that it offers no innate protection for the victim from outside harm.


 * Entropic Screen - By far the most energy-intensive use of Entropy's power. With concentration, Entropy can project a wall of pure entropic force.  Energy blasts are rendered incoherent, bullets and other projectiles are robbed first of their kinetic energy, then their molecular bonds, and the force of movement against it is dissipated to nothingness.  The manifestation of such power at a distance is difficult, however, and requires a great deal of Xander's focus.


 * Entropium Resonating Mesh Armor - A gift of sorts from his remarkable assistant Abigail and her cohorts, Entropium is a flexible fiber capable of being easily woven into a fabric. It has the unusual property of resonating and storing Xander's aura of entropy instead of being destroyed by it like most other objects, and in addition to providing him with clothing he doesn't have to replace every week, it has been manufactured into a special, flexible suit of armor.  Infused with his entropic aura, this armor provides him with considerable protection from most sources with no conscious effort on his part, saving him from everything from strikes, to energy blasts, to falls from considerable height.  For all the abilities his command of entropy has granted, Xander is still very much vulnerable to the slings and arrows of adventuring, he tends to wear it beneath his clothes whenever there is a chance of...mischief.


 * Controlled Dispersion - As a result of the numerous, often painful experiments undertaken to rid himself of his dangerous Destabilizations, Xander has learned to turn his entropic energy inward, instantaneously destroying his physical form. Through an ability still not wholly understood by anyone, himself least of all, a fraction of a moment later he is able to completely reform some distance away.  His control of this power is not insignificant, and he is able to reform in the position he desires and retaining as much kinetic energy as he cares to, making relative speeds before and after his movement irrelevant.


 * Thermodynamic Exception - A side effect of the destructive powers running through Xander's body relatively unchecked is the fact that he himself has become immune to physical and biological entropy. Though he eats and breathes as a normal human, he is no longer subject to the functional or cosmetic effects of aging.  A note of dark irony to Xander, who has noted in one of his melancholy moments, "I'm surrounded by the force that will kill the universe, and I just might be around to see it."

Personality
Publicly, Xander plays the part of bright student and junior professor to the hilt. He is confident in his (considerable) knowledge, glad to offer insight and expertise, and objective in most things. As a representative of the University or as a man of science, he is ever collected. His projection of levelheadedness sometimes comes off as detachment, but he is never unfeeling.

Most importantly, he conducts himself as Alexander Cade: mid-twenties, male, university professor. In his eyes he is simply a scientist, albeit one with...complications. Though it is difficult to separate the two, given his ever-present aura, 'Entropy' is a facade, one largely built for him by others, and he wears it like he would any business suit.

His confidence suffers in private, ever troubled by his powers and their connotations, unsure of himself and the safety of those close to him. As a result he is reluctant to make lasting bonds, holding most people at a professional distance for what he sees is their own good. The separation from other people plays into his own doubts and distress, though for all his intellect it is unlikely he is aware of the damage his conscious misanthropy is doing.

Entropy's psychological foundation is not a steady one. Though outwardly he tries to portray calm, clinical confidence, the existence of his powers, and especially their fundamental nature of entropy, disturbs him. This isn't fire, or ice, not a neutral, natural element for building or destruction as the wielder wills. Entropy is a force of decay, and many of his scientific peers consider it the killing wound of the universe, the source of its very mortality. Some scientists less detached to the issue may say his manipulations pose no real harm in the grand scheme of things and he is overreacting, but even in the best of circumstances he is hesitant to unleash his powers without a real cause. Their steady growth in potency, along with the fresh memory of his earlier 'Destabilization' incidents, wear at his confidence. Occasionally he is shaken by a particularly powerful result of his force, shocked by his own power. Thus freshly confronted with his capability for destruction he is prone to bouts of fatalism and introversion, and will not invoke his powers again for a time until his conscience settles or an absolute, pressing need presents itself.

Complications

 * Distinctive Features: Aura of Entropy (Not Concealable, Noticed, Major Reaction, Detectable By Common Senses) - Most of Xander's woes stem directly from his Entropic powers: specifically, their unpredictable, unstable nature. Physically, Xander is normal human, though an exceptional one. However, his powers constantly manifest as an ashen aura, wisps of what look like grey ash or dust that drift close to his skin. They are intangible and never thick or numerous enough to actually conceal him, but treat clothing as if it weren't there, drifting over and through it.  Anyone able to see him can also see the aura, and it is unique enough to mark him, rendering a disguise or 'secret identity' impossible.  Some find the constantly drifting scraps of fog a bit ominous and unnerving, especially if around him long enough to see the accelerated wear of objects in his proximity as they succumb to the entropic effect of his aura.


 * Psychological Complication: Doesn't Trust His Powers (Common, Moderate) - The legacy of his Destabilizations still haunt Xander, and he continues to be wary of his own powers, fearing a relapse into the unpredictable, indiscriminate destruction he was formerly plagued by. The fact that his ability to teleport manifests in his own self destruction offers no more comfort.  Because of this, he is reluctant to use his powers, relying on intellect and his martial arts in a confrontation until they are obviously ineffective, or the need to protect others outweighs the danger he himself poses.


 * Hunted: Hand of Ash (Infrequent, More Powerful, NCI, Enslave/Kill) - An organization, or rather, a cult, by the moniker Hand of Ash has set their sights on Xander, having unsuccessfully tried to kidnap him once already.  Their exact purpose is unclear beyond taking him relatively intact, but what little can be found in public record about the organization labels them a 'doomsday cult', intent on nothing less than the destruction of the world...at the very least.


 * DNPC: Abigail Grey (Infrequent, Normal, Useful NonCom) - The stereotypical bright eyed, idealistic grad student, Abigail was assigned to Xander upon his appointment to the faculty of CBSU. She is quite aware of Xander's abilities (not that he would be able to hide them), and has made him into something of a 'design your own superhero' project.  The source of Entropium, she gleefully prods him into moonlighting as Entropy, something that Xander reluctantly indulges as much for her sake as his own.  A bit naive to the realities of superheroism, possessing an unshakable enthusiasm and sharing none of her project's fatalism toward his powers, Abigail spends most of her time on campus, working toward her own Metahuman Studies doctorate when not slipping into the science labs to assist Xander or see what latest, greatest metahuman discovery is being worked on.


 * Susceptibility vs. Drain/Suppress (Uncommon, 2d6/Turn) - A symptom of the force of Entropy that runs through every atom in Xander's body is the fact that it has become as intristic to him as protein: So much so, that should those powers be drained or suppressed, it causes him actual harm as his body begins to break down from the lack of equilibrium.


 * Accelerated Decay: Unluck (1d6) - Objects around him are constantly being attacked by the latent field of entropy being generated by his body. Usually this effect takes form in little more than cold meals and drinks and worn furniture, but occasionally something actually important can fall victim to a quickened end of its serviceable life, with unfortunate results.

History in Colonial Bay
Took professorship in the Physics department of CBSU fall of 2056.