Jack Doe

[PapaSmurphy]

Player Nickname: PapaSmurphy

Name: Jack Doe (A.K.A. JD; Jay; Jackie Boy; Smilin' Jack; Jack N. Box; Jumpin' Jack Flash)
Codename:
Age: 27(?)
Date of Birth: Estimated Early 1987/Late 1986 (Assigned: 01/01/1987)

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 185 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Place of Origin: Boston, MA
Nationality/Race: Caucasian
Classification/Origin of Powers: Mutant

Status: Refugee
Occupation: Homeless / Former Thief & Con-artist

Personality Profile: Amiable but not exceedingly trusting, Jack has never really had a support network and prefers not to have to rely on others. He understands the value of friendship and companionship but has trouble getting close to anyone. Tends to lie for no real reason but in the past few years he has been determined to bring more honesty to his life.

Physical Description: "Average" describes a great deal of Jack's appearance. He tends to look a bit younger when clean shaven and perhaps a touch older when his beard his properly scruffy and he's gone awhile without a shower. "Unkempt" would also usually describe him, unless he's recently been able to clean up and shave. His hygiene is generally above average when compared to his homeless peers. He wouldn't have it any other way, finding it quite useful to be able to blend into a crowd. Perhaps the most notable thing about him is that there's usually at least the hint of a smile on his lips.

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General Power Information: Creation, and limited control of, multiple sentient copies of himself.

Ability One: Multiplication - Jack is able to spawn copies of himself at will and reabsorb them. This usually requires some impact, though it can be as minor as clapping his hands or snapping his fingers. Greater impacts, such as a solid punch, or extreme emotional states can sometimes cause him to spawn copies when he doesn't mean to. These copies are sentient, with their own memories which are integrated with Jack's when they return to him.

Ability Two: Mental Sync - Jack and his copies share a limited telepathic connection. While they can not hold silent conversations they are able to pass along general impressions, emotions and "nudges". As such they tend to work quite well in chorus, though occasionally signals can get a bit crossed in stressful situations. The range is also extremely limited since they are not able to "feel" each other beyond thirty feet.

Ability Three: Mutant Metabolism - Jack is unable to exceed 185 lbs. in weight no matter how much he eats. There have been no extensive studies about where the additional mass of whatever he eats goes but it would seem to be used to generate his copies.

Drawbacks & Weaknesses: Generating a large number of copies, more than a dozen, will make Jack extremely hungry. His ability to spawn copies is severely limited by malnutrition. Jack also learned that his copies are capable of developing personalities that diverge from his own when they are allowed to exist for prolonged periods which can make them less likely to follow orders - this in turn can make them difficult to reabsorb.

Skills: Panhandler, pickpocket, lockpicker (padlocks, doorknob locks, deadbolt locks), silver-tongued liar. Experience fighting hand-to-hand and with a short knife.

Background: According to the Boston homicide detective who worked the case Jack's mother, "Jane Doe", was likely an illegal Russian immigrant brought in as a sex worker. Her mutilated body was found in an alley in early November, 1987. Jack was found swaddled in blankets in a cardboard box several feet away. Doctor's estimated he could was between 8 months and a year old so the birth certificate created for Jack listed 01/01/87 as his birthdate. He grew up in the foster care system, graduating to juvenile detention by the time he was 12. The next foster home he went to was the worst by far and the place where Jack's mutation was revealed. One night Jack's foster father struck him, not an uncommon occurence, and he spawned a copy of himself for the first time. After getting over a bit of shock the drunken man tried to bash the two boys' heads together and Jack reabsorbed the copy.

Jack found himself homeless since his foster father made it clear that a "freak" wasn't welcome to stay. He learned the basics of street life and self-defense the hard way. He started to hang with a few other street kids and they began running scams on tourists, snatching purses, three card monte schemes, then eventually B&Es. Jack never let his friends know about his mutation but his copies did come in handy when he couldn't find a friend to help with a scam. A botched B&E when one of his friends put an old man in the hospital Jack got to spend his first stint in grown-up prison at 17. He was in and out over the next several years, making some criminal associates and learning. He learned how to pick many locks, how to run con schemes mainly focused on check and credit fraud. During one particularly dark period in his early 20's he spawned a copy to keep himself company. That copy, who he came to refer to as "Jackie", existed for a little more than a year. Near the end of that period Jack could feel many negative emotions start to drift closer to the surface when Jackie was close by. When Jack told Jackie it was time to be reabsorbed the copy attacked him. Luckily Jackie was unarmed and, in his rage, tried to just choke his creator so Jack was still able to absorb him. Since then Jack has been reluctant to let a copy exist for more than a month or so.

Eventually Jack just grew tired of the criminal life. He got out of prison once more at 25 and spent two years on parole living at a halfway house in Boston. He was able to get a job at a gas station thanks to his parole officer, Steve. Jack sent in a copy to work his shift more often than he probably should but otherwise tried to be an upstanding citizen. Jack told Steve about his abilities after a few months, even giving a demonstration when the man remained skeptical. Steve set Jack up with a counselor who specialized in helping "different" people with their stress and anxiety of living "in the closet". The same counselor pointed Jack towards Salem where he had heard of an enclave of powered individuals who could perhaps provide Jack with more help in getting his life together.

Criminal Record: Multiple arrests and convictions for burglary, breaking & entering, petty theft. One conviction on conspiracy to commit assault.

Quirks, Extras, Random Character Facts: Despite his dark past Jack is a generally upbeat fellow who likes to make people smile. He's terrible at karaoke but still loves to do it when the chance arises. He's also a decent impressionist and can do an excellent "Who's On First?" with one of his clones. While he seems to have an extensive vocabulary Jack an only read and write at approximately a 10th grade level.