Real name: Michael Durith
Occupation: College Student
Identity: Michael's status as a mutant is public
Legal status: U.S. Citizen, no criminal record
Other aliases: Technomancer (online)
Place of birth: Albany, NY, USA
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: Nathan Durith (father), Marie Durith (moather),
Francine Durith (younger sister), Douglas Durith (younger brother)
Group affiliation: None yet, although he is on fairly good
terms with The Pack
Base of operations: Columbia University, and the Den when he's
bored
First appearance: November, 2001
History:
Born in Albany, New York in the summer of '82, Michael Durith didn't have a privileged childhood, but never lacked for the basic essentials of life either. He was a typical middle-class computer geek.
His childhood was rough. Being more mental than physical in the strength department, he was ridiculed throughout most of his life, having very few friends. He turned to computers to keep himself from becoming suicidal, which left him a bit weird.
Despite this, he had a mostly pleasant childhood. He was introverted in person, but online, he was talkative, going by the handle of "Technomancer". It was through the online community that he was introduced to the Wheel of Time novels, to many of his favorite RPGs, and to anime.
His father worked for the New York City Public Schools through most of Michael's life, although by his junior year at Westchester County High School, his father had been hired by Columbia University. This granted Michael and his siblings free tuition to Columbia which, combined with his computer skills, all but guaranteed him acceptance there.
Shortly before he was due to begin his education at Columbia, the First International Symposium on Mutant Origins and Issues took place. Michael attended each meeting...more out of curiousity than anything else. Or perhaps it was fate.
Regardless of which it was, on the fifth (and as it turned out, final) day of the Symposium, Magneto arrived and proved to all who were watching that mutants were real. Michael was more convinced than others...and for good reason. The removal of the Low Memorial Library's domed roof sent a panic greater than any he had felt before surging through Michael. And that panic triggered the latent 'X-Factor' in his genetics. He could sense the EM fields pervading everyone present, the cameras, and Magneto's manipulation of the Aurora Borealis. Michael Durith was a mutant.
He had lived his life since then in more seclusion than normal, rarely emerging from his dorm room save for classes or to make purchases. But he tried to become more social, hoping that, as mutants become more common and open, he would no longer have to hide who he is.
Amusingly, it was at a Friends of Humanity picnic where Michael decided he would no longer hide himself. Instead of obeying a command from his dad (then an FoH member) to force Bobby and Zandra to leave the park, Michael revealed himself as a mutant and engaged in a debate that convinced his father, at least, that the Friends of Humanity were a greater threat than mutants.
Since that event, Michael has decided he is through with hiding who he is. The world's just going to have to accept that mutants are out there. And maybe he can help prove that not every mutant is a bloodthirsty maniac. Most just want to live their lives in peace.
He knows he has a long way to go...and is even facing resistance from other mutants. Due to a mention of Freddy Krueger during the time of the "Columbia Curse", as it became known, Dave Haller...as well as the rest of Columbia Branch...is convinced that Michael's a psychopath. Sure, he's a bit nuts, but he's human (Well, sort of). Of course he's gonna be a bit nuts!
Height: 5'10" Weight: 173 lbs.
Eyes: Green Hair: Brown
Unusual physical characteristics: Well, he wears glasses...
Strength level: Can carry a 19" monitor around, though it's
rather difficult.
Known superhuman powers: Electrokinetic -- Can create
and control electricity. He's also capable of sensing the
electromagnetic fields created by computers, animals, and powers
like Magneto's.
Other abilities: If it's a computer, he can use it (and
possibly rebuild it). Also speaks Japanese fluently, and has access
to any non-Mythos information he needs.
Weapons and paraphernalia: Two computers (desktop and
notebook), a Palm Pilot, a cell phone, and a compact car. He
also has a book with him at almost all times, and a decent amount of
money in his checking account. (Enough to keep from having to survive
on ramen noodles, at any rate.)
Other notes: Although Michael's mutation is a matter of public
record (thanks to revealing himself at a Friends of Humanity picnic), the
details of this power are not (though they believe electricity is involved
somehow). All they saw was him creating lightning along one of his hands.