ATARAXION: APPLICATION
Aug. 8th, 2015 12:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thecoldshoulderP L A Y E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Your Name: Anodyne
OOC Journal:ohanodyne
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: Nope.
Email + IM: anodynegeno@gmail.com
Characters Played at Ataraxion: Glacius (previously)
C H A R A C T E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Name: Algidus
Canon: Killer Instinct (Season 1)
Original or Alternate Universe: Alternate Universe (boxmods CR AU; Algidus is a clone of Glacius that took on a new name to cement his differentiation. See AU Clarification section for details.)
Canon Point: During Algidus' vigil of the Box's ocean barrier, before he discovered Jolene with his communications relay.
Setting: As Algidus is a clone of Glacius, his canon setting is the same as the ice alien that preceded him in Ataraxion. Algidus hails from a frozen planet of ice and snow located in a solar system very far from ours, though his work in external affairs and love of exploration eventually brought him to earth. The earth in the Killer Instinct universe is very similar to ours, though of course there are events and organizations that set them apart. Near the more populated areas like cities, pollution has started to weaken the environment despite the slightly advanced state of technology, though out and beyond there are still a wide variety of stunning locales, many of which are detailed in the wiki's list of stages. There are the spider-invested caves that assassins dwell in located in Thailand, the oasis-like Forgotten Grotto in Greece, Amazon rain forests inhabited by a tribe of warriors, and many more interesting locations--including the planet's arctic rims, in which Algidus crash-landed during his first visit to earth, and from where he was pulled when he was brought into the Box.
As for the setting there, 'The Box' is the nicknamed assigned to the setting of the first Arc of the game by its long-term residents, based on the vaguely square shape formed by the largely electrical and impregnable barriers fencing them in. Within the barrier, the Box was mainly divided into northern and southern towns that served as semi-residential areas. Northtown was mostly surrounded by woods and lakes and possessed a large fallout shelter, as well as a variety of establishments like a bar, clinic, and grocery store; Southtown boasted a number of abandoned houses and a large hotel near a boardwalk that lead out to the shore and ocean. A number of other oddities could be found in the Box, such as the deep caverns out near the barrier, the collapsed subway tunnels, and the ship that was sunken underneath one of the lakes.
The technical term for the Box- the one used by the Technicians who brought them there - is the 'containment zone', though many use 'killing floor' interchangeably because of the routine horrors and torment those trapped within were made to suffer, often to lethal results. Why? The Box exists as a sacrificial zone for those trapped inside, with the intention of placating some sort of higher deity.
History: Again, Algidus was cloned from Glacius, so his canon history is the virtually the same. His ancestor made the journey to earth two millenia ago in response to a distress signal that was sent out by a scouting party that became trapped on the planet. The alien embassador was captured by the cultists of the ancient demon lord Gargos and was forced to fight his way to freedom. Once Gargos was defeated, the ambassador went on to locate his stranded comrades, whom he then freed and lead back to his ship. Though all of the aliens ultimately made it back to their homeworld safely, the ordeals of this alien ambassador explain why his race made a point of avoiding contact with humanity…
…until his descendant was forced to crash-land on our world 2000 years later.
This was Algidus, though it was before he had been brought into the Box, cloned, and had taken on the new name as a result. He possessed a natural talent for fighting, a love of exploration, and a certain curiosity. While wandering the galaxy in search of new life, the ice alien skimmed too close to the Earth and got trapped in its gravitational field, only to crash-land deep in the heart of a snow-bound mountain range. Though his injuries were grievous, the alien was able to use the healing ice around him to recover. Groggy but counting himself lucky to be alive, he surveyed the damage and set out in the hope of finding the parts he needed to repair his ship. Upon making his way towards the nearest city, the alien discovered that much had changed since his ancestor visited the planet. In that span of time, the world had changed; pollution weakened the environment, governments fell, and chaos ruled, with huge mega-corporations battling and destroying each other for shares of the world’s wealth. Though his ancestor wrote warnings in the history books of Algidus’ race of humanity’s unreasoning brutality, the alien hoped they were simply exaggerating. Unfortunately, the alien was soon made to regret his trusting nature when a corrupt mega-corporation named Ultratech captured him for use in their own unique brand of “scientific research”.
Ultratech had risen above the other warring mega-corporations through nefarious means: rather than joining in direct battles with their competitors, Ultratech profited from their suffering by selling them the very weapons they use against each other. Sales of weaponry were not the only source of profit for Ultratech, however. Their entertainment division produced the top rated television broadcast of the future: the Killer Instinct tournament, which also served as a testing ground for Ultratech’s weapons. The winners of the tournament were promised whatever they desire, while the losers suffer a significantly poorer fate. It was in this brutal, bloody competition that Ultratech forced the captured alien to fight if he ever wanted to see freedom again, with hopes to ultimately prove his race to be inferior to humanity. Unfortunately for Ultratech, Algidus fought fiercely to see his homeworld again, defeating each and every competitor that he was matched against… but he never killed any of them, even if his mercy came at great cost to himself. Having no plans to actually free the alien but realizing they were running out of options, the corrupt mega-corporation unleashed Cinder, a being of fire, upon the alien in his final match. The battle was fierce and Algidus was ultimately forced to take the convinct’s life, which in turn forced Ultratech to honor their agreement with him.
After escaping from the grasp of Ultratech, Algidus took the advanced technology from them that he needed and finally returned to the site of his crashed spaceship. With the materials on hand, the alien repaired the escape shuttle of his ship and headed home, the memories of the corruption he faced there gradually fading… though he knew he would have to return.
With the husk of his crashed ship still lost out in the arctic rim, the alien was honor-bound to return to earth despite the pain and suffering he endured there in order to recover his lost technology. His goal in this was two-fold; he was tasked to remove all traces of his presence on earth and by doing so safeguard the existence of his people, and to prevent his technology from falling into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, he wouldn't get the chance to complete this mission, as he was pulled into the Box from this canon point.
Personality: As a maladjusted clone Algidus is a being that exists with a near-perpetual state of conflict within himself—Glacius’ honor and kindness pitted against the anger and mistrust that the Technicians of the Box have hard-wired into him, plus his bitterness over the hand he has repeatedly been dealt in life. As such, nearly all of his numerous issues arise from this sense of internal conflict, which means that he doesn’t fit the alien of ice archetype quite as well as Glacius (from whom he was cloned) does. Algidus often seems cool-headed and somewhat distant just as his original did, but since a lot of his patience is taken up by his attempts to deal with his own issues, his emotions can flare--this often means that he is more likely to act hostile or aggressive than he did back before he was cloned. Jabs and insults get under his skin more easily because they echo the indignities he suffered at the hands of Ultratech and the Technicians and proves in his mind that others are simply from the same cut as them. It also doesn’t take as much pushing to get him rearing for a fight, and similarly, he doesn’t have the same reservations about causing others pain that Glacius did due to all the suffering and agony he has been forced to endure at multiple points in his life. Algidus now believes that the alternative to violence is waiting for violence to come from a universe that has proven itself to possess neither respect nor compassion. As such, he often boasts about his powers and abilities and uses fighting as a way to put his strength on display to discourage anyone that might seek to harm him or his people. On a deeper level, it is a direct cover for the feeling of inadequacy and disposability that Algidus suffers because of his cloned nature; his false arrogance is an attempt to conceal the fact that he feels he was created to be a mere copy.
While this might make it seem like Algidus’ honor and nobility have been entirely eclipsed by anger and resentment, he is still cloned from Glacius and thus still retains a number of his positive traits as well. He retains that same fiercely loyal streak underneath his brooding demeanor; while it burns the fiercest for his people and his homeworld (for whom he would gladly lay down his life), it isn’t reserved solely for them. In fact, the icy alien can be downright sympathetic with those who he feels have been dealt a similar hand in life as him—particularly those who have endured great suffering and hardship but are still fighting to come out on top. It was for this reason that he was drawn to the other clones in the Box and willing to collaborate with them to some extent despite his suspicions that many of the others in the strange prison were out to get him. While he has little tolerance for those who let themselves get caught up on their own perceived weakness, he has an honest respect for those who are struggling with the circumstances of their life but refuse to give up. Algidus himself is much the same way; he is aware that a lot of his issues spawn from the circumstances of his creation, but he practices an active defiance in his will to survive despite all odds. This is another one of his strengths that he has retained from before he was cloned: Algidus is as spirited and strong-willed as they come. The harder things get for him, the more he kicks back against them; anyone who shows him support in these dark times will have great success breaking through his cold exterior despite his general reticence and mistrust of outside species.
Essentially, when it comes to building relationships with others Algidus very much returns what he gets. If you insult him or attempt to incite conflict he has no qualms about returning it—in fact, he will often seek to retaliate to even greater extents in attempt to discourage further transgressions. If he comes to view someone as a threat either to himself, to his people, or those he cares about, he will become constantly suspicious and have little hesitation when it comes to engaging them. As sad as it is, he expects others to come out swinging and so that is what he is most equipped to retaliate against… so if someone acts with kindness and compassion upon first meeting him it often will throw him off or even disarm him just because it goes so strongly against what he has come to expect from the universe. If someone is patient with him, respects his space, and shows him support when he needs it, he will do his best to grant them the same courtesy—which will open the door to develop a deeper friendship with the alien.
Once that door is open, befriending this reclusive and secretive alien can still take quite some doing because of his upbringing and how the cruelty he has endured has altered his perception of the universe—but he still has the propensity to care deeply for someone regardless of their species. Often times expressing this level of friendship is difficult for him, however, just because of how walled-off he is used to being. If he angers someone that he cares about, he will often act indignant himself and retreat for awhile, but then after getting some space and time to breathe he will often come back and attempt an apology (even if he often feels humiliated in doing so). If he performs an act of kindness he will either attempt to blow it off or conceal it entirely, as he is afraid of others thinking he is soft and thus can be taken advantage of. This is also why Algidus often seems like he has a hard time consoling someone who is having a experiencing difficulty in their life even if he is actually a rather good listener. He is even worse about opening up about his own problems, as he is terrified of showing any signs of weakness and likes to maintain the appearance that he is in control of his circumstances at all times.
Also worth noting is Algidus’ attitude towards humanity, which has become even more complicated ever since he was cloned. As he shares the same canon history as Glacius, he didn’t write us off despite what his ancestor suffered or his race’s belief that we are a species of unreasoning brutality. When he arrived on earth, Ultratech told him that his confinement would be for his own good... and he trusted them and allowed them to take him captive rather than attempting to fight or harm them. Ultratechs’ betrayal of that trust and all of the subsequent abuse and cruelty they subjected him to was the first instance in Algidus’ life that contributed to his resentment and anger towards humanity. He was beginning to overcome this, but when he woke up in the basement of the Technician’s Facility and saw the way they were treating their prisoners and the dark forces they were serving, his trust and hope were shaken right down to their very core. When the icy alien finally escaped out into the Box’s killing floor he was ready to forsake humanity entirely and flee back to his homeworld spouting condemnations… but Glacius’ honor, chivalry, and belief in us as a young species remains embedded deep within him.
Algidus struggles with this sense of responsibility for humankind frequently. As much as he is a harsh and sometimes even violent individual, he remembers the kindness he was shown in the Box before he was cloned. Since he feels those bonds have been wrested from him now that he is a Technician-created monster, the icy alien is now seeking similar friendships to help him through a very dark time in his life, though he is not entirely aware of that desire. He's not going to be openly friendly or needy with anyone right upon meeting them and will never openly subject himself to humanity's whims again--it is the price of his suffering at the hands of Ultratech and the Technicians—but as much as he sometimes feels like he wants to, he can’t bring himself to forsake humanity, either. Despite his resentment, even humans are not exempt from his protective nature… so long as they prove themselves to be worthy of it.
Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:
Abilities/Strengths:
Weaknesses:
R E V I S I O N S.
As a creature that has adapted to survive on a freezing homeworld, the tropical environment of the planet on which the Tranquility has crash-landed naturally poses some concerns. Thankfully, Algidus himself comes toting some highly advanced alien technology that is literally woven into his icy skin with its main purpose being to combat such obstacles posed by off-world travel. Close inspection of his character model reveals technological glyphs that coat his entire body; these glyphs light up in a certain pattern over his body intermittently, giving them the appearance that they are flowing over his body. This complex system helps to regulate his body temperature, protecting him from warmth and heat and allowing his icy skin to maintain its integrity in a variety of environments, as shown in-game. Two of these in-game settings stand out particularly: he has been shown to be able to exist in an amazon jungle--a tropical environment that is likely very similar to the setting of Ataraxion--as well as the reactor room of a highly advanced industrial building, complete with a searing core and bursts of flames. It is also worth noting that since these glpyhs are woven into his hard icy skin it in turn protects them; damaging the technological weave is actually incredibly difficult. In-game, powerful blows from his opponents dislodge large portions' of Algidus' icy armor, yet the weave continues to flow over his body and perform its functions uninhibited. Obviously it is not completely indestructible; certain things like being caught in an open fire (as stated in the Weaknesses section) or being plunged into the acidic river found on the planet could damage it and strip him of his skin in one fell swoop, but obviously it wouldn't be worth apping him into the game if the unique challenges provided by its setting weren't going to pose problems for him. So, it is completely feasible that Algidus can survive in Ataraxion's setting... he's just not going to be completely comfortable, and he will have to be be careful of course. Cold or freezing temperatures provide him with comfort and respite and it will be easier to wear him down without them, but they are not absolutely necessary to his offworld survival.
It is also possible that in time he might come to pursue more direct solutions to this unique predicament. Once Algidus' walls start to come down a bit and he begins developing CR with other characters, I could see him collaborating with them to salvage tech from the Tranquility; if any of that could be used to keep even a small area cool or even just provide him with a shelter that was constantly out of the sun, then he would be willing to pursue that. If not then he would collaborate with other groups that were more oriented around exploring the planet (and he would also look around on his own where applicable) in order to find a place or shelter that would be most suitable to someone with his unique preferences--again, this could be something as simple as a particularly shady spot to keep him out of the worst of the heat or something more prominent like a cave system that would be a little more cool and damp. So, either way, while the tropical environment is not life-threatening it would open up a number of new avenues for other characters to generate CR with him, which I feel is valuable.
On the topic of sustainability, Algidus is incredibly independent and resourceful and absolutely able to take care of himself even in a foreign, unforgiving planet. His powers make him more than adept at hunting a wide array of fauna to provide himself (and others, if he warms up to them enough) with food and taking hydration out of rain and plant life, and he is more than capable of staking out a proper space or shelter for himself. For example, his ability to toss jagged chunks of hail with great accuracy would make him adept at knocking down high-hanging pods of seeds or fruit, as well as being able to pluck flying creatures (like the geckos listen in the Flora and Fauna page) from the air. Larger prey are susceptible to his ability to alter the environment; for example, he could freeze their feet to the ground temporarily and then shift his long limbs into weapons to cut at vital points, or simply impale them repeatedly with his shatters (his ability to summon large spears of ice up from the ground at any time). Anything aggressive that attempted to get their claws or fangs into him would find the alien liquidizing into a puddle to dodge and launch a counterattack (or escape if they proved to be nasty or tough enough). During his stay in the Box, Algidus almost never relied on the store that provided a large percent of other characters with their food and supplies; for a good period of time he lived out in the wilderness where he hunted and foraged for himself. If anything, being in a setting like Ataraxion will pose unique challenges through which the alien can prove his adaptability in new ways.
Inventory: The power cell from his ship that he took off of Sadira when he defeated her.
Species/Race: Cryomorphic multi-layered alien organism.
Appearance: Front and back view. Algidus' height and weight are listed as variable in-canon due to his shapeshifting abilities, but in his natural bipedal form he stands at about 6'8''ish (I discerned this by comparing him to the next tallest character in the game; Fulgore's canon height is 6'5'' and Algidus is a few inches taller than him). At first glance he appears to be made entirely of dark ice, with spiky protrusions jutting out from various points of his body. The reality is that he is a multi-layered organism; he has a frail, more traditionally organic inner form that is encased in a protective outer skin that is made of thick ice. Both of these layers function in tandem with each other like a human's skeletal, muscular, and skin systems do. For example, his gill arches are completely exposed and vulnerable without the outer layer providing him with gelatinous operculum (and breathing becomes a life-threatening ordeal without the moisture that said operculum provides), and he looks very spindly and odd-looking without the extra muscling of the second icy layer. Woven into his icy skin is a complex system of technological glyphs. These glyphs--which I refer to as his microweave--flow over his body intermittently and help him keep his icy outer skin intact in above-freezing temperatures.
He has rock-like spikes that protrude from his elbows, hips, spinal cord, sternum, and knees. He has four horns made of the same hardened organic matter on the top of his head--two short ones closer to the front of his skull, and two longer ones at the back. His eyes are a glowing green with reptilian vertical slit pupils, and he has no mouth. His hands have two fingers and two thumbs each and his feet have sturdy heels and two large toes; both his hands and feet are an opaque dark goldish-ochre color and exude freezing mist in warmer temperatures. He has eight gills--four on each side of his neck--that decrease slightly in size from top to bottom. Due to his life as a fighter, he has a chiseled, muscular build; his chest is broad, his waist tapers, and his arms are powerful and long. His inner organic form is much thinner and even more alien-looking. Noticeable differences include his deep eye sockets, skeletal-looking nasal cavity, frail neck, and spindly limbs. He does his best to keep this inner form concealed and protected by his outer layer of ice at all times.
It is also worth noting that Algidus' species often undergoes gradual changes based on the environment around them. Due to his separation from the ice and snow of his homeworld and his prolonged exposure to the salty ocean waters of the Box, Algidus has taken on a number of physical changes that set him apart from his original. The spikes of his mandibles are starting to protrude more from his icy flesh and have taken on a slight curve. Jutting from his back--from his pronounced trapezius specifically--are two large curling horns. Two smaller horns with a more gradual curl protrude from just below that, near his flank. His skin has darkened considerably as well.
Age: Never stated in canon, but it is likely that his species lives much longer than humans do on the norm and Algidus is fully matured.
AU Clarification: The Personality section of the app goes into further detail on this subject, so this will be used to discuss important events that shaped Algidus as well. Once Algidus (though again, at this point he still had his original name of Glacius as he had not yet been cloned) was pulled into the Box he underwent a number of events that changed him as a person. Very soon after he arrived, a strange eclipse occurred that stripped the inhabitants of their powers and tampered with the senses of those that did not have any. The alien's icy outer skin began to melt and as he desperately searched for a way to keep himself cool he stumbled upon a young woman named Mia Allen. As he had only been in the Box for a few days and was still learning how things worked, Algidus was petrified that she would react with fear or attempt to turn him in to whatever authorities were present in this strange new land. Instead--to his utter relief-- she chose to help him. She lead him to a walk-in freezer that he would come to call his home for a large portion of the upcoming summer. Later on, he returned the favor by coming to her aid when she lost one of her arms and remaining by her side until proper medical attention reached her. Thus was the start of one of the alien's core friendships in the Box.
His interactions with Mia were so completely different from anything the alien had come to expect from humanity that he began to come out of his shell a little bit. When flesh-eating vines invaded the Box, the valiant alien found himself unable to just sit idly by while innocents suffered. He used his unique powers to destroy the insidious plants wherever he found them and come to the rescue of any who might need his aid. One of the beings he helped during the event was a vampire named Paloma (though Algidus had no idea of her condition until much later). Later on, when Algidus was exploring the ocean and was attacked by a shark, Paloma found him limping back through Southtown--and instead of reacting with fear or condescension she took him aside and helped him wash out his wounds and reconstitute his icy skin so that he could begin to heal. Once again, the alien had experience kindness in a time of need; his wariness and mistrust of others, particularly humans, began to rapidly ebb away.
An angry post on the network by a young woman known as Jolene Harris threatened to remind him of the things he disliked about humanity, but after conversing with her briefly he was surprised to discover how much he emphasized with her feelings of being lost and out of place. The two arranged to meet in person to see how they could help each other, and it was from that sense of understanding plus the support he had been shown by others that Algidus finally opened up enough to let someone in on his plan for escape from the Box. The alien was assuming this to simply be a mutually beneficial partnership; he had no idea that they had planted the seeds of what would be the closest friendship he would ever know. As Jolene and Algidus did what they could to further their plans they weathered numerous Technician-concocted torments-- a catastrophic flood, illnesses that nearly claimed both of their lives, and a deadly pathogen that finally did take them-- and the two beings that had become so accustomed to operating alone learned to rely on and trust one another. This friendship (which eventually entered into a romantic relationship) plus the friendship he shared with Mia, Paloma, and numerous other residents of the Box helped Algidus put his past behind him. He began to realize that not only was there merit to not keeping himself walled off from every single person he came across, but that he could not condemn all of humanity for what he suffered at the hands of Ultratech.
Unfortunately, this budding trust and faith in humanity was turned completely on its heels when Algidus awoke in the bowels of the Technician's Facility in early May. This was the point where he had been cloned, and he and Glacius became separate entities. As he began searching for an escape back out onto the killing floor, he witnessed on full display the true depth of the terrors and monstrosities that his captors were responsible for. Through wretched torments, the Technicians were serving a power that posed a threat to everything in the galaxy-- everything he'd ever known. Just as he felt foolish for trusting Ultratech’s representatives and allowing himself to be taken into their custody when he first landed on earth, the alien now felt blind for believing that humanity could ever be anything but a cancerous blight to the universe. The horror and pain of this realization only increased when made his way into the Box and realized his original was alive and well within the killing floor. The Technicians had hard-wired him and the rest of the clones to want to replace their originals; they had turned him into one of their terrors, and the icy alien became embittered over the hand he had been dealt. With the friendships he had forged wrested from him, the Box and the people in it became nothing more than a monument to humanity’s sins, and the dark icy creature became desperate to escape so that he could return to his people to warn and safeguard them from this unparalleled threat. He headed out to the Southtown shore (where he originally arrived in the Box), keeping a constant watch for any weakness in the barrier through which he could flee. It was during this lonely vigil that he grappled with not only with his identity, ultimately forsaking his old name and taking on the name of Algidus, but with the sense of responsibility for humanity that he had developed before he was cloned.
S A M P L E S
Log Sample:
The fluid begins to drain from the gravity couch within and the doors slide open. A massive shape both glimmering and dark falls from inside it, colliding with the wall below with a crash that reverberates through the medbay. Curling horns rise up as Algidus hoists himself to his feet, quickly taking in his surroundings. What has happened? Before there was only dark and quiet, the distant sound of the ocean waves roiling far above his head as he probed an impregnable barrier. Now there is red and chaos all around him—emergency lights and a blaring alarm, he quickly realizes. The systems are familiar but not the architecture. Some sort of ship that he doesn’t recognize—but he knows it’s not one of his species’ make and that is enough for him. There is no safety here; he cannot linger.
The noise isn’t helping his disorientation, but the dark silhouettes of damaged support beams against a bright light suggests an escape route. His body aches from the fall, but the alien knows he can push on. He gathers his legs beneath himself and then surges upward in a powerful jump, latching onto those broken structural supports and using them to aid in his climb. His green eyes rapidly adjust to the shifting light and he takes in a breath of the air from the world beyond. When Algidus finally pulls himself up to stand tall on the hull of the crashed ship, his keen vision detects approaching shapes--human shapes. He remembers rumors of the Technicians being human. The Technicians, how the name burns in his mind! The Technicians who saw him as nothing but a tool. The Technicians who dredged him up and turned him into just another monster. The Technicians who should all be cast into a fiery pit to feel themselves burned clean from the world! Is this to be another of their games? Have they transferred him to some other killing floor? Doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter. He will survive, just like he always has.
He doesn't want to wait for danger to come to him. Algidus wants to unleash his powers on these corrupt beings as they make their approach, to show them the error of their ways in creating him, in releasing him—to make them answer for the suffering they have wrought. But at that moment his vision expands and as he realizes the true depth of his predicament he suffers a moment of despair. The weight of grief and disbelief becomes so intense it seems almost palpable; like an outside force crashing down on him, it beats him to the hull on his hands and knees. His mind is racing. He doesn’t recognize the make of this ship. He doesn’t recognize anything, not even the world that stands around him as a mockery to all of his carefully-crafted plans! It doesn’t matter if there’s a barrier anymore; it doesn’t matter if he’s free of the damned Box anymore. This isn’t the planet on which he originally crash-landed. He has no way of getting back to his own crashed ship, no way of utilizing its technology to free himself from his imprisonment. His people are lost to him! Hopes of seeing his homeworld again have been dashed, scattered out into the stars that once seemed to hold such promise!
He should never have tried to be protector of humanity. He should have never sought to be an agent of peace, should have never left his homeworld when he escaped humanity’s grasp the first time. Everything wants only to make him and his people suffer, and he has only given it repeated opportunities. No more. Algidus realizes the humans are still approaching him and pushes himself to his feet so that they cannot glimpse his weakness-- he finds it unbecoming himself, so he steels himself against the weight of his sorrow. He has stood defiant against fate’s cruel hand through everything and will continue to do so as long as it takes. He will play along with these new faces so long as they prove themselves useful and uninterested in subjecting him to any cruel whims. For if there was a way onto this strange planet then there must be a way off. He will find it. He will do whatever it takes. It doesn’t matter how long he has to wait or what sort of unspeakable things he has to do to see his escape, his old mission completed, and his people safe.
He will survive, just like he always has.
Comms Sample:
[Algidus spent quite a few moments toying with the odd-looking communications device he’d found before he actually attempted to use it to access the network. As a secretive, reclusive being, he’d had little desire to eavesdrop on the inane day-to-day conversations of the mostly-human inhabitants of this world—nor to have himself be hounded with questions by nosy individuals.
But if he could just reach out to some, maybe there would be a point to it after all. Someone who knew the lay of the land better, or someone who knew the cold places where he could take refuge from the warming seasons… or maybe even someone that might have an idea of how to get off of those ball of dirt and trees. Any information at all that might better his chances here he would be a fool to turn a blind eye to. So he puts aside his misgivings and uses his device to access the network, but not without heaving a sigh—he doesn’t exactly have high expectations for his first post.]
I am looking for anyone who might impart knowledge to me about this planet. I can exchange certain supplies or services in return for any information… should what you share with me prove to be worth my time.
But be warned! I exercise no tolerance for trickery. I have been used before and have no desire to be subjected to such underhanded games again; if you seek to do the same, you will answer for it. I recommend you choose your answers carefully.
Your Name: Anodyne
OOC Journal:
ohanodyneUnder 18? If yes, what is your age?: Nope.
Email + IM: anodynegeno@gmail.com
Characters Played at Ataraxion: Glacius (previously)
C H A R A C T E R I N F O R M A T I O N
Name: Algidus
Canon: Killer Instinct (Season 1)
Original or Alternate Universe: Alternate Universe (
boxmods CR AU; Algidus is a clone of Glacius that took on a new name to cement his differentiation. See AU Clarification section for details.)Canon Point: During Algidus' vigil of the Box's ocean barrier, before he discovered Jolene with his communications relay.
Setting: As Algidus is a clone of Glacius, his canon setting is the same as the ice alien that preceded him in Ataraxion. Algidus hails from a frozen planet of ice and snow located in a solar system very far from ours, though his work in external affairs and love of exploration eventually brought him to earth. The earth in the Killer Instinct universe is very similar to ours, though of course there are events and organizations that set them apart. Near the more populated areas like cities, pollution has started to weaken the environment despite the slightly advanced state of technology, though out and beyond there are still a wide variety of stunning locales, many of which are detailed in the wiki's list of stages. There are the spider-invested caves that assassins dwell in located in Thailand, the oasis-like Forgotten Grotto in Greece, Amazon rain forests inhabited by a tribe of warriors, and many more interesting locations--including the planet's arctic rims, in which Algidus crash-landed during his first visit to earth, and from where he was pulled when he was brought into the Box.
As for the setting there, 'The Box' is the nicknamed assigned to the setting of the first Arc of the game by its long-term residents, based on the vaguely square shape formed by the largely electrical and impregnable barriers fencing them in. Within the barrier, the Box was mainly divided into northern and southern towns that served as semi-residential areas. Northtown was mostly surrounded by woods and lakes and possessed a large fallout shelter, as well as a variety of establishments like a bar, clinic, and grocery store; Southtown boasted a number of abandoned houses and a large hotel near a boardwalk that lead out to the shore and ocean. A number of other oddities could be found in the Box, such as the deep caverns out near the barrier, the collapsed subway tunnels, and the ship that was sunken underneath one of the lakes.
The technical term for the Box- the one used by the Technicians who brought them there - is the 'containment zone', though many use 'killing floor' interchangeably because of the routine horrors and torment those trapped within were made to suffer, often to lethal results. Why? The Box exists as a sacrificial zone for those trapped inside, with the intention of placating some sort of higher deity.
History: Again, Algidus was cloned from Glacius, so his canon history is the virtually the same. His ancestor made the journey to earth two millenia ago in response to a distress signal that was sent out by a scouting party that became trapped on the planet. The alien embassador was captured by the cultists of the ancient demon lord Gargos and was forced to fight his way to freedom. Once Gargos was defeated, the ambassador went on to locate his stranded comrades, whom he then freed and lead back to his ship. Though all of the aliens ultimately made it back to their homeworld safely, the ordeals of this alien ambassador explain why his race made a point of avoiding contact with humanity…
…until his descendant was forced to crash-land on our world 2000 years later.
This was Algidus, though it was before he had been brought into the Box, cloned, and had taken on the new name as a result. He possessed a natural talent for fighting, a love of exploration, and a certain curiosity. While wandering the galaxy in search of new life, the ice alien skimmed too close to the Earth and got trapped in its gravitational field, only to crash-land deep in the heart of a snow-bound mountain range. Though his injuries were grievous, the alien was able to use the healing ice around him to recover. Groggy but counting himself lucky to be alive, he surveyed the damage and set out in the hope of finding the parts he needed to repair his ship. Upon making his way towards the nearest city, the alien discovered that much had changed since his ancestor visited the planet. In that span of time, the world had changed; pollution weakened the environment, governments fell, and chaos ruled, with huge mega-corporations battling and destroying each other for shares of the world’s wealth. Though his ancestor wrote warnings in the history books of Algidus’ race of humanity’s unreasoning brutality, the alien hoped they were simply exaggerating. Unfortunately, the alien was soon made to regret his trusting nature when a corrupt mega-corporation named Ultratech captured him for use in their own unique brand of “scientific research”.
Ultratech had risen above the other warring mega-corporations through nefarious means: rather than joining in direct battles with their competitors, Ultratech profited from their suffering by selling them the very weapons they use against each other. Sales of weaponry were not the only source of profit for Ultratech, however. Their entertainment division produced the top rated television broadcast of the future: the Killer Instinct tournament, which also served as a testing ground for Ultratech’s weapons. The winners of the tournament were promised whatever they desire, while the losers suffer a significantly poorer fate. It was in this brutal, bloody competition that Ultratech forced the captured alien to fight if he ever wanted to see freedom again, with hopes to ultimately prove his race to be inferior to humanity. Unfortunately for Ultratech, Algidus fought fiercely to see his homeworld again, defeating each and every competitor that he was matched against… but he never killed any of them, even if his mercy came at great cost to himself. Having no plans to actually free the alien but realizing they were running out of options, the corrupt mega-corporation unleashed Cinder, a being of fire, upon the alien in his final match. The battle was fierce and Algidus was ultimately forced to take the convinct’s life, which in turn forced Ultratech to honor their agreement with him.
After escaping from the grasp of Ultratech, Algidus took the advanced technology from them that he needed and finally returned to the site of his crashed spaceship. With the materials on hand, the alien repaired the escape shuttle of his ship and headed home, the memories of the corruption he faced there gradually fading… though he knew he would have to return.
With the husk of his crashed ship still lost out in the arctic rim, the alien was honor-bound to return to earth despite the pain and suffering he endured there in order to recover his lost technology. His goal in this was two-fold; he was tasked to remove all traces of his presence on earth and by doing so safeguard the existence of his people, and to prevent his technology from falling into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, he wouldn't get the chance to complete this mission, as he was pulled into the Box from this canon point.
Personality: As a maladjusted clone Algidus is a being that exists with a near-perpetual state of conflict within himself—Glacius’ honor and kindness pitted against the anger and mistrust that the Technicians of the Box have hard-wired into him, plus his bitterness over the hand he has repeatedly been dealt in life. As such, nearly all of his numerous issues arise from this sense of internal conflict, which means that he doesn’t fit the alien of ice archetype quite as well as Glacius (from whom he was cloned) does. Algidus often seems cool-headed and somewhat distant just as his original did, but since a lot of his patience is taken up by his attempts to deal with his own issues, his emotions can flare--this often means that he is more likely to act hostile or aggressive than he did back before he was cloned. Jabs and insults get under his skin more easily because they echo the indignities he suffered at the hands of Ultratech and the Technicians and proves in his mind that others are simply from the same cut as them. It also doesn’t take as much pushing to get him rearing for a fight, and similarly, he doesn’t have the same reservations about causing others pain that Glacius did due to all the suffering and agony he has been forced to endure at multiple points in his life. Algidus now believes that the alternative to violence is waiting for violence to come from a universe that has proven itself to possess neither respect nor compassion. As such, he often boasts about his powers and abilities and uses fighting as a way to put his strength on display to discourage anyone that might seek to harm him or his people. On a deeper level, it is a direct cover for the feeling of inadequacy and disposability that Algidus suffers because of his cloned nature; his false arrogance is an attempt to conceal the fact that he feels he was created to be a mere copy.
While this might make it seem like Algidus’ honor and nobility have been entirely eclipsed by anger and resentment, he is still cloned from Glacius and thus still retains a number of his positive traits as well. He retains that same fiercely loyal streak underneath his brooding demeanor; while it burns the fiercest for his people and his homeworld (for whom he would gladly lay down his life), it isn’t reserved solely for them. In fact, the icy alien can be downright sympathetic with those who he feels have been dealt a similar hand in life as him—particularly those who have endured great suffering and hardship but are still fighting to come out on top. It was for this reason that he was drawn to the other clones in the Box and willing to collaborate with them to some extent despite his suspicions that many of the others in the strange prison were out to get him. While he has little tolerance for those who let themselves get caught up on their own perceived weakness, he has an honest respect for those who are struggling with the circumstances of their life but refuse to give up. Algidus himself is much the same way; he is aware that a lot of his issues spawn from the circumstances of his creation, but he practices an active defiance in his will to survive despite all odds. This is another one of his strengths that he has retained from before he was cloned: Algidus is as spirited and strong-willed as they come. The harder things get for him, the more he kicks back against them; anyone who shows him support in these dark times will have great success breaking through his cold exterior despite his general reticence and mistrust of outside species.
Essentially, when it comes to building relationships with others Algidus very much returns what he gets. If you insult him or attempt to incite conflict he has no qualms about returning it—in fact, he will often seek to retaliate to even greater extents in attempt to discourage further transgressions. If he comes to view someone as a threat either to himself, to his people, or those he cares about, he will become constantly suspicious and have little hesitation when it comes to engaging them. As sad as it is, he expects others to come out swinging and so that is what he is most equipped to retaliate against… so if someone acts with kindness and compassion upon first meeting him it often will throw him off or even disarm him just because it goes so strongly against what he has come to expect from the universe. If someone is patient with him, respects his space, and shows him support when he needs it, he will do his best to grant them the same courtesy—which will open the door to develop a deeper friendship with the alien.
Once that door is open, befriending this reclusive and secretive alien can still take quite some doing because of his upbringing and how the cruelty he has endured has altered his perception of the universe—but he still has the propensity to care deeply for someone regardless of their species. Often times expressing this level of friendship is difficult for him, however, just because of how walled-off he is used to being. If he angers someone that he cares about, he will often act indignant himself and retreat for awhile, but then after getting some space and time to breathe he will often come back and attempt an apology (even if he often feels humiliated in doing so). If he performs an act of kindness he will either attempt to blow it off or conceal it entirely, as he is afraid of others thinking he is soft and thus can be taken advantage of. This is also why Algidus often seems like he has a hard time consoling someone who is having a experiencing difficulty in their life even if he is actually a rather good listener. He is even worse about opening up about his own problems, as he is terrified of showing any signs of weakness and likes to maintain the appearance that he is in control of his circumstances at all times.
Also worth noting is Algidus’ attitude towards humanity, which has become even more complicated ever since he was cloned. As he shares the same canon history as Glacius, he didn’t write us off despite what his ancestor suffered or his race’s belief that we are a species of unreasoning brutality. When he arrived on earth, Ultratech told him that his confinement would be for his own good... and he trusted them and allowed them to take him captive rather than attempting to fight or harm them. Ultratechs’ betrayal of that trust and all of the subsequent abuse and cruelty they subjected him to was the first instance in Algidus’ life that contributed to his resentment and anger towards humanity. He was beginning to overcome this, but when he woke up in the basement of the Technician’s Facility and saw the way they were treating their prisoners and the dark forces they were serving, his trust and hope were shaken right down to their very core. When the icy alien finally escaped out into the Box’s killing floor he was ready to forsake humanity entirely and flee back to his homeworld spouting condemnations… but Glacius’ honor, chivalry, and belief in us as a young species remains embedded deep within him.
Algidus struggles with this sense of responsibility for humankind frequently. As much as he is a harsh and sometimes even violent individual, he remembers the kindness he was shown in the Box before he was cloned. Since he feels those bonds have been wrested from him now that he is a Technician-created monster, the icy alien is now seeking similar friendships to help him through a very dark time in his life, though he is not entirely aware of that desire. He's not going to be openly friendly or needy with anyone right upon meeting them and will never openly subject himself to humanity's whims again--it is the price of his suffering at the hands of Ultratech and the Technicians—but as much as he sometimes feels like he wants to, he can’t bring himself to forsake humanity, either. Despite his resentment, even humans are not exempt from his protective nature… so long as they prove themselves to be worthy of it.
Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:
Abilities/Strengths:
- Fighting Prowess: Algidus received extensive hand-to-hand combat training back on his homeworld and honed it further when he was held prisoner on earth and fighting for his freedom. Unlike other fighters, however, he doesn’t need to be in close to his opponent in order to do damage to them. He can utilize his unique abilities (see the "Transformation" bullet point) to strike from a fair distance away; he will then either follow up with close range attacks or force his opponent to run an obstacle course of deadly hails and shatters if they want to approach him. He also hits like a truck; his strongest blows are fully capable of knocking his opponents off of their feet and lifting them into the air. When he builds up enough energy during combat he can utilize it in what is known as a Shadow Move; these moves are denoted by a shadowy after-image of Algidus following him while he performs said moves, and usually are stronger and hit more times than a regular move.
- Transformation: Algidus possesses the ability to morph his body into different shapes. This includes--but is certainly not limited to--liquidizing himself into a puddle and quickly moving across the ground (this can then lead seamlessly into an uppercut to strike an off-guard opponent), or morphing his hands, arms, and legs into weapons. These transformations add considerable length to his limbs, allowing him to strike an opponent that might consider themselves out of his reach. He cab also generate a jagged ball of ice, which he seems to be able to control as an extension of his body even though it is no longer attached to him—“tossing” it at his opponents to keep them at bay. Although Algidus technically is a shapeshifter, he is not likely to take another individual's shape, but rather to morph parts of his body into forms that make him more effective at a given task. I refer to alteration of his form as "shifting" (and when he shifts back into his natural form I refer to that as "reverting").
- Control Over Ice: This is similar to his transformation ability, but essentially, Algidus has a limited control over ice and can use it to aid his offensive and defensive capabilities. For example, he can jam his hands into the ground (it doesn’t matter if it’s snow and ice, solid rock, or even metal-- he has some way of affecting the terrain regardless of what it’s made of), and large, sharp, and very solid spears of ice will erupt from the ground in front of him to pierce or strike his target. He can also achieve a similar affect by just stomping on the ground, or even with a simple gesture. The force with which he strikes the ground seems to affect the strength, size, and force of the ice spears generated.
- Durability/Instinct Mode: Algidus’ strange body structure and composition makes him incredibly tough and able to survive an amount of punishment beyond that of normal combatants. He also has a binary vascular system which means he can bleed much more than any human before risk of entering shock becomes a possibility. Additionally, Algidus has another means of increasing his durability by entering his Instinct Mode. In this state, the air around him distorts slightly from all the energy he is exuding, and he gains added plates of ice armor that make him even tougher and able to power through hits without flinching to launch his own attacks. These ice plates can regenerate as long as he is in Instinct Mode, but the mode does not last long and they dissipate as soon as he is out of it.
- Healing Ice: Seen in the comics—if Algidus is seriously injured, he must seek out a patch of ice and snow in freezing temperatures and submerge himself almost entirely in it. The amount of time that the healing process takes depends on the severity of his injuries. After the process has completed, Algidus will reawaken and be good as new; he can use this to survive injuries that would otherwise kill him. However, while he is healing he enters a sort of torpor, and this makes him entirely vulnerable while the process is actually occurring.
NOTE: This short video highlights pretty much all of the above offensive abilities. Also, Algidus can also use his Transformation and Control Over Ice abilities non-offensively; for example, the cold he can generate at will can be used to numb pain (as seen in the comics), and thus it can be assumed that it can do just about anything else cold is used for medicinally, such as controlling a fever or reducing swelling. He can use his ice to protect someone, typically by forming a shield or cover out of it (also seen in the comics).
Weaknesses:
- Mobility: He doesn’t have quite as much mobility as the other characters from the Killer Instinct tournament roster, being unable to do quick dashes like the others (though he makes up for it by being able to do a short but fast forward-tackle, and he has more range to his fighting style than others, as discussed previously). Being a slow and steady being, he rarely runs, so it can be easy for most characters to outpace him (though his walking speed is fairly quick given his long strides).
- Aversion to Fire: Being a creature of ice that thrives in the cold, Algidus can be considered weak to fire; it doesn’t burn right through him like a burst of fire would do to normal ice, but it can melt through his outer skin eventually. For example, in one of the comics he is trying to shelter a character named Cinder (think of the Human Torch, but permanently on fire) from a sprinkler system that has been set off. Algidus forms a shield of ice from his arms over Cinder to protect him from the water, but comments that Cinder is beginning to burn through him. It is also worth noting that the only thing allowing Algidus to survive in above-freezing temperatures is a complex system of technological glyphs woven into his icy skin; if that is damaged, his outer skin will eventually begin to melt once temperatures get too high. Since both layers of Algidus' anatomy function in tandem with one another, melting away his icy skin has extreme complications for him. He will be incapacitated by pain as it essentially feels like he's been skinned alive, and his gills will eventually dry up, making asphyxiation inevitable. Without the support and covering of that icy skin, it is also likely that his gill arches will suffer breaks all on their own. I could go on, but yeah, fire--or anything that forces that inner layer to function on its own-- is bad news.
- Mortality: In a tournament like Killer Instinct, fighters die all the time--and Algidus, despite his incredible combat prowess, unique abilities, and toughness, is not immune to that. It takes a ton to put this alien down and he's an opponent you should never take lightly, but he can still be killed should he sustain too much damage.
- Out of Place: Though Algidus seemed to have at least dabbled in external affairs and enjoys getting off-planet to explore, he suffers heavily when forced apart from his own species--particularly for lengthy periods of time. He also initially is pretty bad at interacting with species outside of his own, since secrecy has always been in his nature. It takes a lot of work for him to befriend individuals outside of his species, and even more for him to open up and begin to trust them. This was made even worse by what the Technicians put him through in the Box; he is now even more prone to shutting himself off from others just as a measure of misguided self-preservation.
R E V I S I O N S.
As a creature that has adapted to survive on a freezing homeworld, the tropical environment of the planet on which the Tranquility has crash-landed naturally poses some concerns. Thankfully, Algidus himself comes toting some highly advanced alien technology that is literally woven into his icy skin with its main purpose being to combat such obstacles posed by off-world travel. Close inspection of his character model reveals technological glyphs that coat his entire body; these glyphs light up in a certain pattern over his body intermittently, giving them the appearance that they are flowing over his body. This complex system helps to regulate his body temperature, protecting him from warmth and heat and allowing his icy skin to maintain its integrity in a variety of environments, as shown in-game. Two of these in-game settings stand out particularly: he has been shown to be able to exist in an amazon jungle--a tropical environment that is likely very similar to the setting of Ataraxion--as well as the reactor room of a highly advanced industrial building, complete with a searing core and bursts of flames. It is also worth noting that since these glpyhs are woven into his hard icy skin it in turn protects them; damaging the technological weave is actually incredibly difficult. In-game, powerful blows from his opponents dislodge large portions' of Algidus' icy armor, yet the weave continues to flow over his body and perform its functions uninhibited. Obviously it is not completely indestructible; certain things like being caught in an open fire (as stated in the Weaknesses section) or being plunged into the acidic river found on the planet could damage it and strip him of his skin in one fell swoop, but obviously it wouldn't be worth apping him into the game if the unique challenges provided by its setting weren't going to pose problems for him. So, it is completely feasible that Algidus can survive in Ataraxion's setting... he's just not going to be completely comfortable, and he will have to be be careful of course. Cold or freezing temperatures provide him with comfort and respite and it will be easier to wear him down without them, but they are not absolutely necessary to his offworld survival.
It is also possible that in time he might come to pursue more direct solutions to this unique predicament. Once Algidus' walls start to come down a bit and he begins developing CR with other characters, I could see him collaborating with them to salvage tech from the Tranquility; if any of that could be used to keep even a small area cool or even just provide him with a shelter that was constantly out of the sun, then he would be willing to pursue that. If not then he would collaborate with other groups that were more oriented around exploring the planet (and he would also look around on his own where applicable) in order to find a place or shelter that would be most suitable to someone with his unique preferences--again, this could be something as simple as a particularly shady spot to keep him out of the worst of the heat or something more prominent like a cave system that would be a little more cool and damp. So, either way, while the tropical environment is not life-threatening it would open up a number of new avenues for other characters to generate CR with him, which I feel is valuable.
On the topic of sustainability, Algidus is incredibly independent and resourceful and absolutely able to take care of himself even in a foreign, unforgiving planet. His powers make him more than adept at hunting a wide array of fauna to provide himself (and others, if he warms up to them enough) with food and taking hydration out of rain and plant life, and he is more than capable of staking out a proper space or shelter for himself. For example, his ability to toss jagged chunks of hail with great accuracy would make him adept at knocking down high-hanging pods of seeds or fruit, as well as being able to pluck flying creatures (like the geckos listen in the Flora and Fauna page) from the air. Larger prey are susceptible to his ability to alter the environment; for example, he could freeze their feet to the ground temporarily and then shift his long limbs into weapons to cut at vital points, or simply impale them repeatedly with his shatters (his ability to summon large spears of ice up from the ground at any time). Anything aggressive that attempted to get their claws or fangs into him would find the alien liquidizing into a puddle to dodge and launch a counterattack (or escape if they proved to be nasty or tough enough). During his stay in the Box, Algidus almost never relied on the store that provided a large percent of other characters with their food and supplies; for a good period of time he lived out in the wilderness where he hunted and foraged for himself. If anything, being in a setting like Ataraxion will pose unique challenges through which the alien can prove his adaptability in new ways.
Inventory: The power cell from his ship that he took off of Sadira when he defeated her.
Species/Race: Cryomorphic multi-layered alien organism.
Appearance: Front and back view. Algidus' height and weight are listed as variable in-canon due to his shapeshifting abilities, but in his natural bipedal form he stands at about 6'8''ish (I discerned this by comparing him to the next tallest character in the game; Fulgore's canon height is 6'5'' and Algidus is a few inches taller than him). At first glance he appears to be made entirely of dark ice, with spiky protrusions jutting out from various points of his body. The reality is that he is a multi-layered organism; he has a frail, more traditionally organic inner form that is encased in a protective outer skin that is made of thick ice. Both of these layers function in tandem with each other like a human's skeletal, muscular, and skin systems do. For example, his gill arches are completely exposed and vulnerable without the outer layer providing him with gelatinous operculum (and breathing becomes a life-threatening ordeal without the moisture that said operculum provides), and he looks very spindly and odd-looking without the extra muscling of the second icy layer. Woven into his icy skin is a complex system of technological glyphs. These glyphs--which I refer to as his microweave--flow over his body intermittently and help him keep his icy outer skin intact in above-freezing temperatures.
He has rock-like spikes that protrude from his elbows, hips, spinal cord, sternum, and knees. He has four horns made of the same hardened organic matter on the top of his head--two short ones closer to the front of his skull, and two longer ones at the back. His eyes are a glowing green with reptilian vertical slit pupils, and he has no mouth. His hands have two fingers and two thumbs each and his feet have sturdy heels and two large toes; both his hands and feet are an opaque dark goldish-ochre color and exude freezing mist in warmer temperatures. He has eight gills--four on each side of his neck--that decrease slightly in size from top to bottom. Due to his life as a fighter, he has a chiseled, muscular build; his chest is broad, his waist tapers, and his arms are powerful and long. His inner organic form is much thinner and even more alien-looking. Noticeable differences include his deep eye sockets, skeletal-looking nasal cavity, frail neck, and spindly limbs. He does his best to keep this inner form concealed and protected by his outer layer of ice at all times.
It is also worth noting that Algidus' species often undergoes gradual changes based on the environment around them. Due to his separation from the ice and snow of his homeworld and his prolonged exposure to the salty ocean waters of the Box, Algidus has taken on a number of physical changes that set him apart from his original. The spikes of his mandibles are starting to protrude more from his icy flesh and have taken on a slight curve. Jutting from his back--from his pronounced trapezius specifically--are two large curling horns. Two smaller horns with a more gradual curl protrude from just below that, near his flank. His skin has darkened considerably as well.
Age: Never stated in canon, but it is likely that his species lives much longer than humans do on the norm and Algidus is fully matured.
AU Clarification: The Personality section of the app goes into further detail on this subject, so this will be used to discuss important events that shaped Algidus as well. Once Algidus (though again, at this point he still had his original name of Glacius as he had not yet been cloned) was pulled into the Box he underwent a number of events that changed him as a person. Very soon after he arrived, a strange eclipse occurred that stripped the inhabitants of their powers and tampered with the senses of those that did not have any. The alien's icy outer skin began to melt and as he desperately searched for a way to keep himself cool he stumbled upon a young woman named Mia Allen. As he had only been in the Box for a few days and was still learning how things worked, Algidus was petrified that she would react with fear or attempt to turn him in to whatever authorities were present in this strange new land. Instead--to his utter relief-- she chose to help him. She lead him to a walk-in freezer that he would come to call his home for a large portion of the upcoming summer. Later on, he returned the favor by coming to her aid when she lost one of her arms and remaining by her side until proper medical attention reached her. Thus was the start of one of the alien's core friendships in the Box.
His interactions with Mia were so completely different from anything the alien had come to expect from humanity that he began to come out of his shell a little bit. When flesh-eating vines invaded the Box, the valiant alien found himself unable to just sit idly by while innocents suffered. He used his unique powers to destroy the insidious plants wherever he found them and come to the rescue of any who might need his aid. One of the beings he helped during the event was a vampire named Paloma (though Algidus had no idea of her condition until much later). Later on, when Algidus was exploring the ocean and was attacked by a shark, Paloma found him limping back through Southtown--and instead of reacting with fear or condescension she took him aside and helped him wash out his wounds and reconstitute his icy skin so that he could begin to heal. Once again, the alien had experience kindness in a time of need; his wariness and mistrust of others, particularly humans, began to rapidly ebb away.
An angry post on the network by a young woman known as Jolene Harris threatened to remind him of the things he disliked about humanity, but after conversing with her briefly he was surprised to discover how much he emphasized with her feelings of being lost and out of place. The two arranged to meet in person to see how they could help each other, and it was from that sense of understanding plus the support he had been shown by others that Algidus finally opened up enough to let someone in on his plan for escape from the Box. The alien was assuming this to simply be a mutually beneficial partnership; he had no idea that they had planted the seeds of what would be the closest friendship he would ever know. As Jolene and Algidus did what they could to further their plans they weathered numerous Technician-concocted torments-- a catastrophic flood, illnesses that nearly claimed both of their lives, and a deadly pathogen that finally did take them-- and the two beings that had become so accustomed to operating alone learned to rely on and trust one another. This friendship (which eventually entered into a romantic relationship) plus the friendship he shared with Mia, Paloma, and numerous other residents of the Box helped Algidus put his past behind him. He began to realize that not only was there merit to not keeping himself walled off from every single person he came across, but that he could not condemn all of humanity for what he suffered at the hands of Ultratech.
Unfortunately, this budding trust and faith in humanity was turned completely on its heels when Algidus awoke in the bowels of the Technician's Facility in early May. This was the point where he had been cloned, and he and Glacius became separate entities. As he began searching for an escape back out onto the killing floor, he witnessed on full display the true depth of the terrors and monstrosities that his captors were responsible for. Through wretched torments, the Technicians were serving a power that posed a threat to everything in the galaxy-- everything he'd ever known. Just as he felt foolish for trusting Ultratech’s representatives and allowing himself to be taken into their custody when he first landed on earth, the alien now felt blind for believing that humanity could ever be anything but a cancerous blight to the universe. The horror and pain of this realization only increased when made his way into the Box and realized his original was alive and well within the killing floor. The Technicians had hard-wired him and the rest of the clones to want to replace their originals; they had turned him into one of their terrors, and the icy alien became embittered over the hand he had been dealt. With the friendships he had forged wrested from him, the Box and the people in it became nothing more than a monument to humanity’s sins, and the dark icy creature became desperate to escape so that he could return to his people to warn and safeguard them from this unparalleled threat. He headed out to the Southtown shore (where he originally arrived in the Box), keeping a constant watch for any weakness in the barrier through which he could flee. It was during this lonely vigil that he grappled with not only with his identity, ultimately forsaking his old name and taking on the name of Algidus, but with the sense of responsibility for humanity that he had developed before he was cloned.
S A M P L E S
Log Sample:
The fluid begins to drain from the gravity couch within and the doors slide open. A massive shape both glimmering and dark falls from inside it, colliding with the wall below with a crash that reverberates through the medbay. Curling horns rise up as Algidus hoists himself to his feet, quickly taking in his surroundings. What has happened? Before there was only dark and quiet, the distant sound of the ocean waves roiling far above his head as he probed an impregnable barrier. Now there is red and chaos all around him—emergency lights and a blaring alarm, he quickly realizes. The systems are familiar but not the architecture. Some sort of ship that he doesn’t recognize—but he knows it’s not one of his species’ make and that is enough for him. There is no safety here; he cannot linger.
The noise isn’t helping his disorientation, but the dark silhouettes of damaged support beams against a bright light suggests an escape route. His body aches from the fall, but the alien knows he can push on. He gathers his legs beneath himself and then surges upward in a powerful jump, latching onto those broken structural supports and using them to aid in his climb. His green eyes rapidly adjust to the shifting light and he takes in a breath of the air from the world beyond. When Algidus finally pulls himself up to stand tall on the hull of the crashed ship, his keen vision detects approaching shapes--human shapes. He remembers rumors of the Technicians being human. The Technicians, how the name burns in his mind! The Technicians who saw him as nothing but a tool. The Technicians who dredged him up and turned him into just another monster. The Technicians who should all be cast into a fiery pit to feel themselves burned clean from the world! Is this to be another of their games? Have they transferred him to some other killing floor? Doesn’t matter, doesn’t matter. He will survive, just like he always has.
He doesn't want to wait for danger to come to him. Algidus wants to unleash his powers on these corrupt beings as they make their approach, to show them the error of their ways in creating him, in releasing him—to make them answer for the suffering they have wrought. But at that moment his vision expands and as he realizes the true depth of his predicament he suffers a moment of despair. The weight of grief and disbelief becomes so intense it seems almost palpable; like an outside force crashing down on him, it beats him to the hull on his hands and knees. His mind is racing. He doesn’t recognize the make of this ship. He doesn’t recognize anything, not even the world that stands around him as a mockery to all of his carefully-crafted plans! It doesn’t matter if there’s a barrier anymore; it doesn’t matter if he’s free of the damned Box anymore. This isn’t the planet on which he originally crash-landed. He has no way of getting back to his own crashed ship, no way of utilizing its technology to free himself from his imprisonment. His people are lost to him! Hopes of seeing his homeworld again have been dashed, scattered out into the stars that once seemed to hold such promise!
He should never have tried to be protector of humanity. He should have never sought to be an agent of peace, should have never left his homeworld when he escaped humanity’s grasp the first time. Everything wants only to make him and his people suffer, and he has only given it repeated opportunities. No more. Algidus realizes the humans are still approaching him and pushes himself to his feet so that they cannot glimpse his weakness-- he finds it unbecoming himself, so he steels himself against the weight of his sorrow. He has stood defiant against fate’s cruel hand through everything and will continue to do so as long as it takes. He will play along with these new faces so long as they prove themselves useful and uninterested in subjecting him to any cruel whims. For if there was a way onto this strange planet then there must be a way off. He will find it. He will do whatever it takes. It doesn’t matter how long he has to wait or what sort of unspeakable things he has to do to see his escape, his old mission completed, and his people safe.
He will survive, just like he always has.
Comms Sample:
[Algidus spent quite a few moments toying with the odd-looking communications device he’d found before he actually attempted to use it to access the network. As a secretive, reclusive being, he’d had little desire to eavesdrop on the inane day-to-day conversations of the mostly-human inhabitants of this world—nor to have himself be hounded with questions by nosy individuals.
But if he could just reach out to some, maybe there would be a point to it after all. Someone who knew the lay of the land better, or someone who knew the cold places where he could take refuge from the warming seasons… or maybe even someone that might have an idea of how to get off of those ball of dirt and trees. Any information at all that might better his chances here he would be a fool to turn a blind eye to. So he puts aside his misgivings and uses his device to access the network, but not without heaving a sigh—he doesn’t exactly have high expectations for his first post.]
I am looking for anyone who might impart knowledge to me about this planet. I can exchange certain supplies or services in return for any information… should what you share with me prove to be worth my time.
But be warned! I exercise no tolerance for trickery. I have been used before and have no desire to be subjected to such underhanded games again; if you seek to do the same, you will answer for it. I recommend you choose your answers carefully.