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Team RDDT: Roth Nikola — Description

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Name: Roth Nikola
Age: 17, 25th day, 4th month
Gender: M
Symbol: A red Snoo antenna
Occupation: Intern (former), Student
History: Roth was born far from the urbanized Atlas center, living in the most rural of regions. These regions, due to religious fervor and risk of Grimm, made sure to have aura unlocked at an early age. Relatively quickly it became apparent that his semblance allowed some odd occurrences. Lights and other electrical devices would sometimes remain on throughout his home, even when unplugged, batteries removed, and the breakers flipped. St. Elmo’s light became prevalent throughout the region at times. Between this and his unusual appearance, he garnered special reputation in his home town. An older gentleman, a huntsman past his prime, took interest in him. He recognized the boy’s ability, seeing potential in his odd side effects. The man had many old friends within the world of weapon smithing, including members of the Schnee Dust Company and the Atlas military. Finding an employee willing to take the strange pale boy, Roth found himself in the company of an eccentric man working in the Knight project. Roth had a natural talent for understanding the workings of a mind, playing with small test bots the employee occasionally brought home. During the day, he began frequenting the local plaza to people watch. With his interest in robotics and powering semblance, he designed a pair of droids who would become his weapons. The bots allowed him to control the rampant energy he gave off when using his semblance, channeling it into a useful form. He likewise designed a lightweight exoskeleton and eyewear to make up for his frail frame and bad eyesight. These were hooked into his body, powered by his semblance and excess heat. Many people would call him a friend, his understanding of people making him likable to just about everyone. As well as he got to know all of them, however, few really knew what the quiet but smooth talking boy thought. His sudden decision to enter Beacon Academy surprised those who thought he would dedicate his life to science. With a golden mind and a silver tongue, he easily wormed his way into combat school. With his weapons a testament to his abilities, he entered Beacon Academy with everyone wondering what Roth intended. Little did they know the sudden action occurred due to the source of the droids AI – stolen SDC software and hardware. For now, he’s escaped his caretaker by moving to Vale as a huntsman, but the droids still bear the marks of their SDC origins.
Personality: Roth could be called quiet – he certainly wasn’t someone who ran his mouth unnecessarily. He’d crack a joke or pull a prank every now and then. He’d make the most cold people blush with his flattery and could cut someone with his wit should they try to get smart with him. However, he was by far most animated with his weapons, the two AI of his making. Whether it is upgrading their software, firmware, or hardware, these are the things that take much of his interest. He’s very private about their function, however, to avoid suspicion of their origins as military tech and his past in Atlas. It is as though everything else is but a game he plays to stave off any boredom, a cover to blend in.
Strength: His weapons pack a lot of firepower with a lot of versatility. The exoskeleton and eyewear also possess rudimentary software with a variety of abilities, such as enhanced sight and buffs for reflexes, strength, and flawless hand-eye coordination. He is undoubtedly a smart guy, especially when it comes to knowing how people think. He can serve as an emergency generator if necessary.
Weakness: He relies on his machines to supplement his less than perfect physical ability. Removal or destruction of these would severely cripple his abilities. An EMP would likely ruin the electrical systems and possibly kill the AI of his weapons, which manage the complicated systems and computations necessary to operate all of his technology.
Semblance: Production of electric energy. The electrical power isn’t quite under his control, but radiates from him. It produces palpable effects – hair standing on end, static discharge, and electrical devices turning on without power. In extreme states, it can even produce St. Elmo’s fire along items and ball lightning.
WEAPON
Name: Sta Je Novo and Sta Ima Novo
Primary Form: When condensed, they form a pair of large cube, roughly 6 cubic inches. Twelve legs are arranged into a square side (just imagine a circle cut into twelve equal sections and a square cut out with one at each corner). Each leg has screen on the outer side, allowing it to display anything, though the default is the form of a Professor’s Cube (5x5 rubik’s cube). This can be played either through touch screen or hand motions. Eyes are on the corner legs, in the largest part (the middle of the corner square on the professor’s cube).
Secondary Form: They can take another form, expanding to roughly sixteen times their condensed size. Within these sits a spherical core, housing the computer elements of the Novos. They can be powered by the excess energy from Roth’s semblance, a resource of electric dust, or batteries recharged through his semblance. They possess rudimentary AIs that are rambunctious and mischievous (being prototypes of the AK-220). Two ports run through it, forming a circular tube with a spherical cavity hollowed out in the center. Each port extends out toward one of the sides, segmented into eight equal arcs. The corner legs on the base fold out on limbs reminiscent of Spiderman’s Doc Ock to allow walking, possessing enough strength to carry a sitting Roth. The smaller legs possess limbs like the eye, able of picking stuff up with enough dexterity to, ironically, solve a Rubik’s Cube.
Tertiary Form: The ports on the core allow Roth’s arm to go through. Four of the arcs on the ports extend inward to form a tight hold on the arm. The bottom of one Novo (let’s say Je or “Jay”) is on his outer forearm. The legs on the sides connected bottom edge fold out to extend into a spiked shield. The spare legs on the sides now facing upward and downward fold out into a slanting plane against the back of the shield. The remaining ones from the sides Roth’s arm is through extend into a kind of armored sleeve over his elbow and hand. Use of his semblance can cause the appearance of St. Elmo’s fire (plasma) along the tips of the legs, marking the potential for electric shield bashes. The other Novo (let’s say Ima) has only the sides with arms through them change. The side on his upper arm forms an armored sleeve like that on Je, though this one is all around instead of just one side. The side on the hand has the smaller legs pull back to let the hand through. The corner legs extend to about eight times their length and join into a blade of about four and half feet in length. Roth holds this at the connecting limbs, giving him a sword. Like the shield, St. Elmo’s fire forms at the tip when his semblance allows for electric abilities.
Quaternary: With his hands within the core, the same sleeve mentioned in the sword design is formed over his elbow. The legs main legs of the opposite face go to the outer part of his body, the inner and forward leg of the top spinning out to become opposable. This creates a five fingered claw that shares all the dexterity of his hands but far greater strength. They mirror the movements of his hands within the core’s cavity.
Quinary: With his hands within the core, the same sleeve mentioned in the sword design is formed over his elbow. The opposite face has the legs pull back to leave the opposite port bare. Through use of semblance, the air within the cores is ionized into plasma. Magnetic manipulation from the Novos fires it out (like a railgun) to form a plasma cannon. If the legs form a funnel, a concentrated beam like that seen in the spiderdroid can be used. Similarly, if the corner legs split the opening into four, it creates a kind of scatter shot. This is a draining use for both the Novos internal power supply and Roth, making it a last resort/badass mode thing.
History: Je and Ima were mostly made by Roth. Some elements of their design were given as assistance by his caretaker. However, the bulk of their sophistication comes from tech that Roth stole from the Atlesian Military division of the SDC, specifically the Atlesian Knights program. This includes the prototype AI that he’s altered for their personalities. Their completion marked the end of Roth’s days in Atlas as he fled to Vale and joined Beacon Academy to escape his caretaker and military investigation.
Fighting Style: I imagine each form having it’s uses. When he wants to keep some distance between him and his opponent, especially if there’s more than one, I think the plasma cannons come into play. The scattershot softens up a group nicely, while the full blast brings a bit of “shock and awe.” Should he need to be a bit more tactical or defensive, the sword and shield comes into play. However, the hands also give quite a bit of brutal power as well. They allow him to literally jump in and rip Grimm apart or beat opponents into a bloody mess.
Trivia: Roth means red in old German. Nikola comes from Nikola Tesla, and means “victory of the people.” Sta Ima Novo and Sta Je Novo come from Serbian, both (according to Google Translate) mean “What’s new?” which was the former motto of Reddit and the source of Snoo (‘S new?). Why Serbian? Nikola Tesla was Serbian. He and reddit’s technomancer themes led me to the semblance and capabilities of Roth because of Tesla’s research into wireless power transmission and a death – excuse me, “peace ray” . The birthday is based on April 2005, which is supposedly when Snoo was made up (4, 2005 to 25 4).

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