Water Dragon – Jerry Craythorn
Jerry Craythorn has had a history of problems, stretching all the way back to his very early days. He was always getting into trouble, and there always seemed to be adults around when something went wrong. Of course, it was always Jerry who was blamed for the trouble. Because Jerry was smaller than his peers, he was picked on incessantly as a boy. Though the tormenting continued, Jerry found a hero in the super-powered speedster, Johnny Rocket. Craythorn felt that when Johnny came out of the closet, it made him even more of a hero because now Rocket had deal all the pressures of being a super hero, along with his orientation.
Craythorn's life was permanently changed during a family trip to Ireland. While visiting a small village, Jerry decided to explore a little of the surrounding countryside. He fell down a dry well, and was there for several days with a broken arm. Though Jerry was eventually rescued, he was found with a multi-colored tattoo of a dragon covering his chest and stomach. When he awoke, doctors ran tests on him, but no cause for the strange tattoo could be discerned. Jerry's started exhibiting strange behavior, such as talking to an imaginary dragon name B'rlam (Gaelic for flood). His parents, with no idea how to deal with Jerry's problems, put him in psychotherapy. While Jerry was undergoing treatment, his parents divorced, and Jerry's father was granted sole custody.
Jerry's bad luck string continued not long after. While opening a new account at a bank, the place was held up by armed thieves. After a standoff with the police, the robbers used Jerry as a hostage, threatening to shoot the boy if their demands weren't met. Just as the robbers were about to seemingly get their way, the Dragon emerged and Jerry's powers manifested themselves for the first time. Using his powers (and having virtually no control over them), Jerry learned he could transform into a variety of forms, including that of ice, water, and vapor. Joining Jerry in defeating the bank robbers was his hero, Johnny Rocket. After the robbers were taken into police custody, Rocket and Jerry talked for a long time. The hero explained that there would be hard times ahead, especially since Jerry had little initial control of his super abilities.
Rocket suggested Jerry check out the Claremont Academy, and recommended Craythorn to the headmaster, Duncan Summers. Word got out about Jerry's newfound powers, and this of course made its way back to Jerry's father. The elder Craythorn had no love of superheroes, and made it very clear he wanted nothing more to do with his son. Jerry was quickly enrolled at Claremont, and has not seen his father since.
Although Craythorn was enrolled at the Claremont Academy specifically to train his super-powers, Jerry was far too hot-headed to fit in with the other supers-in-training. He was set aside with another misfit, T'kul, who fashioned himself a fiery demon. Though T'Kul and Jerry were close, it was clear that the 'demon' had plans that might have included the boy's enslavement, and Jerry and his fellow student came to blows. Jerry's water powers and T'kul's fire powers made for quite the spectacle, but the fight ended when one of the faculty used neutralization powers to shut both antagonists down.
Both students were severely punished, and Jerry, seen as the instigator, was blacklisted and eventually dismissed from the Claremont Academy. Jerry found a job, got his own place, and eventually passed his GED. Life was rough for Jerry, and more than once, he considered using his powers for personal gain. Johnny Rocket once again came to Jerry's aid, suggesting that the young super join a new Commission on Economic Development pilot program that would pay supers to defend Freedom City.
Unbeknownst to the heroes enrolled in this program (called CDEF Corps), it was secretly backed by Heironymous King, owner of Majestic Industries and a known opponent of super-heroes in general. King backed the program in an effort to discredit Freedom City's heroes, and may have even included a 'ringer' in the program who would bring it down from within. Craythorn, now calling himself Water Dragon, joined the CDEF Corps, and along with him came the Nemean Lion, Herakles, Fire Drake, Tecknage, Overrider, and Shyft. This team only lasted six months before its self-destruction, with the near killing of many innocent bystanders during a fight with Remlock.
The failure of the CDEF Corps forced Jerry to rethink his career choice, and after many subsequent attempts at finding work, he finally found something he loves - driving a cab. An unusual choice for someone with super-powers, Jerry has found it peaceful and soothing, as opposed to the pressures of being a hero. Jerry recently met the retired hero known as The Shield, and has been convinced to give the super-hero thing another try. The Shield has promised to show Jerry the right way to do the hero thing, and has surrounded Jerry with much more reliable people than what he found in the CDEF Corps.
Jerry's personal life is also on the rebound. He has found love with a woman named Jeri, though only his close friend Johnny Rocket knows of this new development. This new direction in his life has almost made Jerry forget about the pains of his past... almost.
Water Dragon: 151pp; PL 10; Init +6 (Dex); Defense 18 (16 flat-footed); Spd 30ft run, 70ft swim (water form only), 40ft fly (gaseous form only); Atk +6 melee (+8S, punch - ice form only) or +8 ranged (+10S, water bolt); SV Dmg +3, Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12. Hero Points: 5.
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Balance +4, Computers +2, Drive +3, Escape Artist +6, Hide +4, Knowledge - Geology +6, Language - Ancient Gaelic, Open Locks +4, Search +3, Sense Motive +3.
Feats: Amphibious, Far Shot, Identity Change, Immunities (Cold, Heat, Pressure), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mystic Awareness, Rapid Strike, Slippery Eel, Underwater Combat.
Powers: Alternate Form - Water/Liquid Form +8 [Includes in Water Form: Am Save - Dmg, Elasticity, Swimming; Extra: Continuous; Power Stunts: Ice/Solid Form (Includes in Ice Form Protection, Super-Strength), Vapor/Gaseous Form (Includes in Vapor Form Flight, Incorporeal (Vuln to Electrical and Air), Suffocate; Flaw: No Immunities; Source: Mystical; Cost: 5pp/rank; Total: 44pp], Elemental Control - Water +10 [Power Stunts: Create Water, Water Blast, Slow, Suffocate; Source: Mystical; Cost: 2pp/rank; Total: 28pp].
Note: In Water Form, Dmg Save is +11. In Ice Form, melee attack is +8S dmg, and he has Protection +8.