D’Arkaine

For more information, http://www.creyindustries.com/viewhero.php?id=428  or http://www.virtueverse.net/wiki/D%27Arkaine

From CreyIndustries.com

“Realname: Henry Donaldson

Gender: Male

Security Level: 32

Powers appear to be Magic – Defender based.

Current Base of Operations: Virtue

Suspected Powers

Kinetics
Radiation Blast
Speed
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Henry Donaldson was born and raised in North Carolina. He is the only child of Jacob and Danielle Donaldson, a construction contractor and school teacher respectively. He lived a relatively happy childhood free from major disappointments or injury. He was enamored with the famous stage magicians and illusionists such as David Copperfield and the Amazing Jonathan.

Henry began training to be a stage magician at an early age. He would check out every book on magic from the library and practive each trick until he felt he had it mastered. Maybe he could have practiced just a little bit more. He usually felt he knew a trick backwards and forwards when he really did not. He would send off for magic kits from every catalog he could find. As he entered his teens, he began putting on small magic shows for neighborhood kids. usually with amusing not quite successful results. He studied at magic schools across the South in hopes of entering show business. His hope and dream was to apprentice with and study under the Amazing Jonathon. He sent letter after letter. Demo tape after demo tape. Each one resulting in a polite and firm form letter stating that the Amazing Jonathon did not take on students.
Undeterred, Henry decided to move to Paragon City, current home and base of operations for the Amazing Jonathon. Henry became a small time magician mainly performing at children’s birthday parties. Despite all the real-world magic he saw in this city of heroes, Henry was only intereted in stage magic. He was shocked when he learned of the death of his idol from a massive heart attack. He moped around his tiny apartment for days before inspiration struck him. He would break into the Amazing Jonathon’s mansion and find some secret that he could use. It would be kind of like he had studied with him and give him a souvenir. Using his mediocre stage training, Henry was able to gain access to the mansion with surprising ease. He went room to room looking for the Amazing Jonathon’s workshop, the room he developed his tricks in. He finally discovered it after hours of searching. He found several tricks in various stages of assembly. Then out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a large leather-bound book. Flipping through the pages, Henry noticed various odd diagrams and text in a language that looked vaguely like Latin.

For hours, Henry struggled to read the book – sound out words in a low voice. When he reached the end, Henry turned back to the first page, only to find it and all subsequent pages completey blank. After the intial surprise, Henry threw the book across the room and left his apartment to wonder the street aimlessly. Muttering under his breath, he did not take notice of just which part of town he was heading into. From a nearby alleyway, Henry heard a woman scream for help. He rushed in and saw two members of the Hellions mugging an woman. At once the knowledge came to him of spells that would slow the assailants and fire bolts of green energy into them to subdue them. After assuring the victim was safe and on her way, Henry couldn’t help but laugh and give a shout in victory. Somehow, the book had given him real magic. Real powers.

At least that is what he thought at first. The next day Henry tried to access those same powers while performing at a small theater. His confidence shattered when nothing happened, Henry struggled through the rest of his routine – poorly. He left the theater amid catcalls and flying debris. Deciding to test his powers again, Henry again head into the same area of town looking for trouble. The same two Hellions saw him and jumoed him. Again Henry was able to summon green eldritch energy offensively and was able to weaken his foes. As he was fighting the fact was burned into him that he was given great power, power to help people, power to fight evil, but not power to use for his own benefit.

With this knowledge, Henry decided to make the best of a bad situation. He registered as the hero, D’Arkaine and commenced fighting small crimes. If he happens to drop some business cards along the way, so be it. He has teamed with Vindicator and Angrytownsman in the past and was briefly a member of the Gauntlet.

During the two years Henry has had access to real magic, he has tried time after time to use real magic in his stage act. Almost a year ago, while performing at a birthday party for Joseph St. Claire, an obnoxious 13 year old, Henry decided to show the insulting children real magic. For whatever reason, alignment of the planets, weakened dimensional barrier, whatever, Henry did actual magic. He summoned a demon from his tophat. Not just any demon, but old Scratch’s pet kitten, Fluffy Darkness. Fluffy Darkness was not clothed in the cute and kuddly flesh she wears today – but the children at the party saw a true demon emerge and take flight. Fortunately, most of the children passed out and do not remember what occurred.

D’Arkaine has stopped performing for children’s birthday parties. He has devoted himself to finding Fluffy Darkness and sending her back to hell. He blames himself more and more for every of her victim’s that turn up – with their souls devoured, staring vacantly into space. He still practices stage magic to make the rent, but doesn’t have quite the same enthusiasm he once did.