History
Wyatt Ferguson (born June 1961) is one of the oldest active superhumans of his world. He has been involved in superhuman affairs since he was eight years old. At that time, an extradimensional supervillain abducted him and several other children who would one day exhibit superhuman powers. The Powernaut of 1969 rescued the children, but the experience was so traumatic that Wyatt did not psychologically recover until 1971.
Wyatt had a normal youth and young adulthood thereafter: public school in Clermont, Indiana; university in the engineering co-op program at Purdue; defense contracting in Massachusetts. This persisted until 1988, when Wyatt began his life of adventure. He kept an journal, which is one of his world's leading primary sources of superhuman history. It would be silly to reproduce that history here, but some summarization is useful.
- 1988-1994: Startup. Wyatt had only basic human strength and some martial-arts training then. Yet he started his adventures by single-handedly invading Russia to neutralize some stolen technology and restore America's glory. He soon gained the attention of mystic powers, for ambition if nothing else. Wyatt would spend several years wielding various forms of borrowed power, before abandoning his active pursuit of adventure.
- 1995-1999: Escalation. Wyatt soon discovered, not wanting adventure is different from not getting it. Other superhumans had arisen, and Wyatt worked alongside them in a company of consultants. Then mystic powers once again focused on Wyatt, as the powers gathered for a judgment upon the Earth. By the end of this period, Wyatt had regular access to superhuman powers, and had introduced himself to many of the world's superheroes.
- 2000-2003: Across the Universes. Wyatt spent this period jumping between two Earths: his homeworld, and another Earth full of gaudy superheroes resembling those in comic books. Before the end of this period, Wyatt would wield a full range of intrinsic and extrinsic powers, and change the fates of worlds. He emerged from this time confined to one Earth, wielding what seemed to be only baseline human powers.
- 2004-2011: Superhuman World. Even without powers, Wyatt's experience in superhuman affairs made him useful as a consultant. In that capacity he had yet more adventures, with yet more highs and lows in his power level. He emerged from this period tired, but retained a baseline set of his own superhuman powers.
- 2012-present: Shutdown. By the end of 2011, Earth has begun an irreversible global climate catastrophe which will make it uninhabitable by 2023. Many humans have left the Earth, for space or for other realities - much like Wyatt had once done himself. But thus far Wyatt has stayed, with a grim desire to see the end approach. He will surely leave before the end arrives. He has even seen his older future self go backward from the end. But as of the present date, he is not likely to have seen his last adventure toward the future.
Personality
As a young adult, Wyatt Ferguson sought adventure. Now he does not, but he is a weirdness magnet and usually finds it anyway. He is not a standard hero, but he seldom refuses to help when someone asks him to. He is not a journalist, but he is obsessive about journaling his own travels and adventures. He is also highly moral in his own way. Together these characteristics make him prominent in his world, well beyond what anyone might expect of him.
Wyatt is extraordinarily well-connected among his world's superhuman community. They know, his motivation level fluctuates greatly. But he's considered to be experienced, resourceful, and calm at all levels of weirdness. He really has seen it all.
Wyatt's mother died naturally in the 1990s. His father is alive, but disappeared. Wyatt, along with his siblings Calvin and Lauren, are grandchildren of the World War 2 hero Secret Commando, who still lives. Wyatt and Calvin get along well with their grandpa, but he likes Wyatt best (despite thinking Wyatt is a dumb$#!+ at times).
Among the siblings, Wyatt was the beleagured middle brother. Calvin was the protective elder brother, while Lauren was the bossy little sister. They all get along nowadays. Calvin Ferguson has wielded U.S. Government shrinking armor. And Lauren seems to have a secret life... But Wyatt does not especially care. He is a free spirit now.
Powers and Abilities
Wyatt Ferguson has decent gadgeteering skills, and has trained in the martial arts. He has also acted on stage. Wyatt can read and speak the Russian language.
Wyatt has some innate powers, coming from his family bloodline. Males of his bloodline enter a healing coma the first time they die, and acquire these powers when they recover. However, barring supernatural intervention, the second death is permanent. Wyatt had his first death in 1996, and was brought back from a second death in 2003.
Wyatt has fairly reliable access to these mostly-innate powers.
- Flight. Usually this is at about a gliding speed. For some reason, this power works best along power transmission lines. (1996)
- Tracker. This power seems to have no practical limit. Wyatt has found people and things, even across a continent and then across dimensions. (1999, 2004)
- "Hyper-Body Hyper-Transfer Protocol". Wyatt can walk between universes under his own power. He can use this ability to move without restraint within his home universe, or even to divert entire trains across universes. Also, he's able to merge with his other-dimensional counterparts or split them off. He's even used this power to merge with the Powernaut. (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
- The Blessing of Odin. In 2003, Wyatt had custody of a certain dead Nordic elder god. Before they parted ways, Odin blessed one of Wyatt's hiking sticks. Ever since, Wyatt has been able to generate and control lightning with that stick. He can also utter powerful Nordic curses. (2003, 2007, 2011)
Some of Wyatt's trenchcoats, hiking sticks, vehicles, and martial arts items have been exposed to his "Flight" and "Tracker" powers so often, the powers have migrated to them. But they retain their powers for Wyatt to draw upon, and will go to his side upon need.
Wyatt's innate powers once manifested themselves as a random "Power of the Day", sometimes enhanced by outside forces. This is a nearly-complete list of those.
- "Hypnotist of Ladies". Counteract mind control, at least among women who'd been exposed to a certain form of that. (1999)
- "Killer Frisbee". Throw a plastic flying disk with remarkable power and accuracy. (2001)
- Master Plans (or, the Red Right Hand). Travel across worlds and universes to recruit people for large plots. At such times, his blood cells could subconsciously act as low-level mind control microtechnology. (2001, 2002, 2003)
- "Body of Unobtainium". Channel the full power of the mystery molecular compound from which Ellipsis gets his energy powers. (2001)
- "Make It Never Was". Revert recent history. (2002)
- "Eat Rads". Survive toxic levels of radioactivity. (2002)
- "Mystery Mutagenic Serum". Turn into a random radiation monster - and induce a similar random change in others. (2002)
- "Fart of Freedom". Chemically reverse mind control. (2002)
- "Indiana State Stick". Shoot sparkles from a walking stick, so as to look like the logo on the Indiana state flag. (2003)
- Strength. At least mid-level superhuman. (2003)
- Neutralize. Neutralize all superhuman powers in an area around him, though that includes his own powers. (2003)
- Transformation. Change shape and size. (2003, 2005)
- "Tapepower". Telekinetic control of duct tape. (2003)
- Invisibility. Make himself, others, or small items invisible. (2003)
- Invulnerability. Make himself invulnerable from assaults... short of planet-destroyer level. (2003)
- "Acid Barf". Break loose from any gag. (2004)
- "Very Small Storms". Create a thunderstorm the size of his hand. (2005)
Wyatt has at times been granted the following extrinsic powers.
- "Demon Computermonger from Hell". While indwelt by a particular demon, enhanced ability to manipulate computer networks. (1988)
- "Seven Ways of Going" (or, the Britannia Beach Power). Affinity to the Gems/Engines of Reality, seven artifacts which together have the power of a Supreme Being. After 1996, Wyatt could not use those items - but neither could they affect him. And when he holds them, people who touch him can use them. In 2011, he got several people to deactivate the items and banish their power. (1988, 1996, 2011)
- "Magic Pocket Universe". Reality control over a small area, at least in cooperation with others who know how to use that same power. (1995-1996)
- "Deputy Champion of Death". Manifest any ability he needs in order to move to the side of a dying person; command dead spirits. In this capacity, he gained the name "Deathbringer". (1996, 1999, 2003, 2014)
- "Thorpower". Channel electricity, often in inventive ways. (1996)
- "Stamp of God". A passport which, when opened, transports Wyatt and any companions to a random but useful destination. (1996)
- "Jehovahpower". Channel the power of a Supreme Being, but only when people pray to him. (2000)
- "Luciferpower/Wacopower". Summon evil people to his side, compel them to do even more evil, and withstand a siege. (2001)
- "Shivapower". Channel the power of a Destroyer-God. (2001)
- "Galactuspower". Become a cosmic-powered Destroyer of Worlds. (2003)
- "Bite the Voodoo Biscuit". Induce pain in others, provided Wyatt has a humanoid-shaped cookie to bite. (2007)
- "Methodpower" (or, the Black Hat Power). Join with a goddess and a mystic being to become a supernatural hunter of fools, with control over the superhuman powers of others. The power has since migrated from Wyatt. (2008, 2011)
Wyatt has proven resistant to intrusion by mentalists such as Ellipsis and Lateran. They find his mind silly and distasteful.
Wyatt has maximum baseline-human resistance to the effects of alcohol. He has kept up with physically-powered superhumans in drinking sessions. He also knows the proper pre-emptive measures to take for recovery.
Due to an infection inflicted upon him by The Trillions alien species in 2009, Wyatt can breathe carbon dioxide in place of oxygen.
Appearance
Wyatt is medium-height, 175 pounds, with long black hair and no facial hair. He typically dresses in street clothes appropriate to the weather. He usually wears a floppy wide-brimmed hat with a strap, and often a trenchcoat. He usually carries a walking stick.
Wyatt is of mixed ancestry: mostly German, with a history of English, Irish, and Mashantucket Pequot (American Native) elements. Genetic testing might reveal traces of most anything. Wyatt is officially 1/16th Pequot, which entitles him to a small cut of proceeds from the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. So he is independently wealthy, as long as he is thrifty.
Wyatt is slightly hard of hearing, and has minor arthritis of the knees and elbows. From 1995 to 1999 he had a heart condition.
Publications
Author's Notes
Wyatt Ferguson is one of the "ruling" trinity of my stories, alongside Ellipsis and the Powernaut. His adventures originate from comic-book satire I wrote in 1988, plus a dream diary I got rolling in 1995. I later used him as a supporting character in Ellipsis role-playing games, to great effect. The existence of Wyatt and Ellipsis in the same stories basically makes my world a "shared universe", even when I'm the only writer. However, I now cooperate with other writers. Some are receiving this Wiki with interest. He even has a rival Wiki entry for an interdimensional counterpart. Who knows, maybe there will yet be more sharing in the story of Wyatt Ferguson.
|