Personality
With a dry sense of humor and a slight British accent, Issac is otherwise nondescript. He is always watching, always aware. He excels in misdirection and can amuse with parlor tricks that mask his true powers. More inquisitive than Jessica Fletcher, Issac avidly searches for knowledge of all sorts. He loves to foster curiosity and instill wonder in others, and will work against those who bring fear and suffering to people. He is often mysterious by habit, but prefers simply to remain unnoticed.

History
Born in England to American parents, Kenneth Bartlett was a mathematical prodigy. He spent his life going back and forth across the Atlantic; though fairly outgoing, he had a hard time keeping friends, and learned to amuse himself with books and computers. At University he gained acclaim in the field of optical physics. However, he was troubled by the apparent soulessness and lack of wonder he found in the field. So he left his University position, taking a Sabbatical to study philosophy and religion. As he read Newton at the foot of Silbury Hill, a portal opened. Beneath the hill was the sanctum of an Archmage - his new mentor.

The Mentor said he had existed beyond normal human lifespans, and while the xenotech kept him alive he was forced to remain inside the facility's protective field. The Archmage was intrigued by Kenneth's quest, and Kenneth was amazed by the mage's scientific theories. After a time, he asked to become a technomage.

The next 24 hours were grueling, as the xenotech - better known as symbitech - was inserted into his body and began acclimating itself to the new environment. The initial merger was successful, and continues to this day. Once merged, the symbitech began to speak to him, not in words, but impressions and intuitions. In his mind, he saw science and spirit unite, and felt anew the wonder of the universe. Kenneth took the name of Isaac as his name of Magic, in honor of Sir Newton.

After a short acclimation period, Mentor sent him back into the world to learn and grow as an Initiate in the arts of the Technomage.

Under the name Isaac Wallis, he now teaches one class a year on Theoretical Quantum Optics, where he occasionally amuses his students with slight of hand tricks.

Quote: Call me Isaac. Too dull for you? What'd you expect, "The Shadowbane" or something? I'm not a superhero, I'm a technomage.

Age, physical description, etc.

30, 6', light build (158 lbs) with a face a bit on the severe side (but not too unpleasant) with high cheekbones and a hawkish face. He has piercing grayish-blue eyes, short black hair and fair skin (although he thinks he should work on his tan a bit).

How do you earn a living?

For just over a year he has worked as a researcher at the University; teaches two classes a year (Modern Optics, Advanced Optics) in addition to his research. In addition, he has access to some of the family money, given to him on his majority, which has grown enough to let him live comfortably. He owns a modest home not far from campus.

Friends and family:

Parents, Diane and Roland, are still alive and living in England. Roland worked in international law. Isaac made an amicable break with them, communicating maybe once a year. They know he's more than he was, and has changed his name to reflect this, but know little more than that. Isaac's older brother, Dennis, *does something lucrative maybe*;

His younger sister, Marjorie, is in Oxford working on a degree in music theory; her ambition is to write orchestral music and then conduct it.

Isaac is on good terms with most of the physics department, but outside of the occasional party he doesn't spend much free time on most of them. The two notable exceptions, Michael Cranston and Nell Myers, spend many coffee-stirred evenings debating everything from international politics to physics theory to the patterns of the universe; while they are unaware of his powers and tolerate his occasional mysteriousness, they are the nearest things he as to real friends.

He is one of the faculty advisors for the Society of Physics Students, and is on friendly terms with many of them. For the most part, he maintains a certain friendly detachment with people. However, once he makes a true friend, he'll devote a good deal of energy on that relationship.

Camilla Coleridge, 24, is a grad student in the chemistry department (focused on chemical metallurgy). She met Isaac briefly at the university, but it wasn't until he saved her life after a car accident that she really noticed him. They have since become close (in a mentor-student sort of way), and she sneaks supplies from the lab to him. She doesn't yet know he's a mage, but he doesn't think it will be much longer. [I expect she'll become more involved in his life - not nec. romantically - in the future].

Where do you live in SA,and what are some of your routines? (Fav. restaurants,
coffee shop, bookstore, etc.

Spends much of his time studying or experimenting.

Hero ID

Isaac doesn't believe he's a "superhero" although it's probably easier for the buffoons to understand than "technomage." He keeps his more powerful side hidden, although not as fanatically as a Secret ID would require. His students don't know, and he prefers to keep it that way - it might get in the way of his teaching.

He almost pathologically prefers to wear black -black slacks and black button down, or black jeans and black Tshirt. In "action mode" (closest thing to superhero outfit) would include long sleeves and gloves, and possibly a cloak. In "battle/oh shit mode" he wears NuMetal armor suit.

When he's idle, he tends to perform tricks (walking coins across his knuckles, for instance, or doing the "Jareth" (from Labyrinth) trick with small "crystal" balls.

Attitude towards normals/supers?

He feels most normals are underachievers who have had all sense of wonder leached out of them. He wishes to protect the oppressed and fearful in hopes that they may rise above what they are.

Isaac has mixed feelings about superheroes. Some he sees as theatrical buffoons whose wisdom has not achieved the same heights as either their powers or their vanity. A guilty corner of him is secretly intrigued by them, and while he may dryly berate some superheroic encounter around the watercooler, he'll be sure to read the details in the newspaper that night.

Demeanor? Is different in your hero ID?

His demeanor is basically friendly with a dry wit, but is not apt to get too chummy. In "technomage mode" he becomes somewhat more mysterious, to the annoyance of those who around him.

Name some of your character's heroes (costumed or not)?

He holds his mentor, ***, in high esteem. His heroes are among the greats of science, mathematics and philosophy. As far as caped crusaders, he wouldn't call them personal heroes, but is apt to respect those whose actions are in line with own views.

What are some of his or her goals, esp. as relating to coming to SA

SA's physics department has an excellent research reputation, with high quality facilities. They needed a professor, and while his teaching credentials and pubs weren't what they could be, he impressed the faculty.

Guilty pleasures: Bowling trophy, Micronauts collection, Twinkies, etc.

A good cup of hot tea, although he's acquired a taste for fine coffee. As a child, he was a great Dr. Who fan, and has occasional bits of memorabilia laying around. He likes many kinds of music, from classical on, but tends to listen to electronica.

A note on Symbitech

Symbitech is short for Symbiotic Xenobiotic Technology. It is essentially a semi-sentient life form in symbiosis with its host, the mage.

The 'tech manifests a little differently in each mage. It develops in response to its host, for better or worse. A mage with the heart of a healer gains augmentation in that direction, while the symbiot of a naturally-violet mage grows to give him greater effectiveness in combat.

The 'tech does more than tap the mage's energies and augment his abilities. The 'tech becomes a constant, comforting presence in the mage's mind; he can feel it thrumming through his body, an extension of himself rather than a separate entity. It sings to his soul and shows him the hidden patterns of the cosmos.

As time goes on, the mage's attitudes and perceptions change. Not that his personality necessarily changes noticeably (although it could), but his sense of aesthetics may become more unusual if not alien.

The sybiotic lifeform is capable of extruding a material called (for convenience sake) NuMetal, a metallic alloy unknown to human technology. Strong titanium yet light as plastic, it can be formed into a variety of shapes, and is semi-organic in nature.

Order of the Technomagi

Mages are a secretive lot. No initiate has any idea how many technomages there are; guesses range from a dozen to a hundred. It's assumed there are five archmages. Only a master or archmage has the facility or expertise to initiate a mage.

1. Novice: blank pentagram
2. Initiate: one arm colored (lower left)
3. Adept: two arms colored (right)
4. Greater Adept: three arms colored (left)
5. Master: four arms colored (lower right)
6. Archmagus: five arms colored (top)

Some believe there is a secret rank above the archmagus, signified by a colored central pentagon.

Progression

When a mage's understanding of technomagic reaches a critical point, he goes inside himself. For a period of several days, the symbiot undergoes a burst of growth, insinuating itself further through the host. It imparts deeper secrets of magic and the cosmic patterns. The mage awakens, a member of the next rank and privy to knowledge no lesser mage can know.

At Master can contact with at least one Archmage and is aware of some other Masters. If necessary, a Archmage provides what is necessary to create a true Place of Power, or the Master can take an abandoned Place of Power of another (a very rare occasion). The mage's personal power increases by an order of magnitude, but the price is a loss of mobility; traveling more than about 20 miles from his Place of Power weakens him greatly.

Behind the Scenes

Issac doesn't know the whole story, of course. Mentor's symbiotic xenotech has merged with him at the cellular - even genetic - level.

Hunted- In the two or three years he's been abroad, he's made an enemy of which he is unaware. Perhaps revenge is involved, but more likely it's someone who realizes there is more to his power than meets the eye. [Alternative, he can have a local enemy; I'll look at the SA stuff.]

Watched by Archmage- Issac doesn't realize it, but he's being carefully watched.

Rivalry: Other Initiates- While not necessarily loners (many are quite gregarious), technomages are wary of their own kind. They feel uneasy in the presence of another Technomage, and can detect another mage's workings. If one discovers a city is home to another initiate, she will likely move on. While two mages may work together for a common goal, they usual go their separate ways afterwards. If two claim the same territory, things get chilly. [This is actually a built-in effect by the Makers, who thought it would be dangerous if these powerful humans began working in an organized fashion. Should mages discover how to override this impulse of distrust, their cooperation could change the world.]

Dependent NPC Camilla Coleridge, 24, is a grad student in the chemistry department (focused on chemical metallurgy). She met Isaac briefly at the university, but it wasn't until he saved her life after a car accident that she really noticed him. They have since become close (in a mentor-student sort of way), and she sneaks supplies from the lab to him. She doesn't yet know he's a mage, but he doesn't think it will be much longer.

Code of Mages
There are five points in the Code sworn by each Initiate.

1. Maintain Secrecy
   The true secrets of the order are not to be divulged to outsiders. The true secrets of your rank are not to be divulged to those of lesser rank. The secrets of magic must forever remain hidden, for their sake as well as ours. [Magic may seen, but should never be understood by the masses.]
2. Follow the Progression of Power
   Observation leads to questioning leads to knowledge leads to understanding leads to wisdom. This is the path which must be followed to its conclusion before true power is gained.
3. Maintain Wonder
   Never let flame of wonder die in the soul, for a jaded heart invites darkness. [This is often extrapolated to maintain wonder in others.]
4. At All Costs Preserve the Light
   Preserve knowledge, preserve the good, for in this way may we, and humanity, progress to a higher order within the cosmos. [This is left to interpretation; some horde knowledge, others distribute it. Some see strict order as good, and uphold every law, while others feel that expanding individual freedoms promotes the good. Some see "good" as synonymous with "useful"]
5. ????
   There's another point, I just have to figure out what it is.

ISAAC'S BRUSHES WITH SUPERHEROIC FAME

Camilla's Car Wreck
It was raining heavily when Isaac left the campus. A speeding van lost hydroplaned and sideswiped the car in front of him before careening into a wall and exploding into fire, killing the driver instantly; the other car bounced around a lightpole and also caught on fire. He dashed out and pulled the unconscious survivor from the car and saved her life using nanites. He stayed with her until the ambulance came, and visited her often in the hospital. No witnesses saw anything supernatural.

The Heist
Radiant Concepts provided a research grant to the university. Isaac suspected that someone was snooping around to abscond with the results of that research. Looking into the matter using spy probes and good old fashioned sleuthing, he discovered a dangerous ring engaged in industrial espionage, selling laser technology to foreign corporations. At least one student had been beaten so bad that he would never fully recover. On the night when the final theft of the technology was planned, he donned his armor and met the spies. By the time the police arrived, the entire ring was unconscious or blinded. In jail, they described glimpses of a dark blue figure who would appear to blind , disorient or stun them, wreak havoc with their electronics, and then disappear. Their pistols and pepper spray had no effect. The security system they thought they'd disabled suddenly came on.

Blue Flame
Quite by accident, Isaac discovered a protection racket against the businesses near his neighborhood. The main perp was a thug named Mick Carter. He had the unconscious ability to enhance his intimidation skills with a low-grade fear aura. Isaac spend a couple of days spying on him and his small gang, both with electronic surveillance and by invisibly rifling thorough his papers and gear. When Mick paid a visit to the newsagent for his weekly payoff, a man in black met him in the alley. Suddenly wreathed in a nimbus of blue flame (which conveniently obscured Isaac's face), the figure put the fear of God in the two-bit criminal, relating all sorts of facts about him and his history of petty crime, and in a commanding voice demanded that Mick pay for his crimes and lead a reformed life before final judgment was passed. Mick saw the light and turned himself in, confessing to things the cops had no idea about. He is now serving time and has become a devout Christian.

Word of the fire-wreathed figure leaked out, and one of the tabloids christened the mysterious figure "The Blue Flame", but otherwise there was little made of the event. The name would cause him some consternation if he were aware of it.