Speirthur

Irish-American, Iain has spent quite a bit of time in Ireland, Africa, and Europe, doing photography for major magazines and publications, and occasionally 'art' photography of his own. After the success of a set of photos on the brutality of man, he has returned to New York, where he has shown several sets of photos of mutants and super powered beings, shot from a streets eye view, in such a way that they seem powerful, almost godlike in his presentations. He's been, lately, accused of being a mutant sympathizer.

Spierthur, a costumed super villain, is wanted, for several crimes. Interpol has him listed as wanted, but does not have any leads on real identity. He has disrupted several cities by attacking corporate and private holdings. His uniform description is well known to police in Europe. He has not yet been active in the United States.

Background
"If you miss your family so much, why don' you jus go Back to Ireland!"

The angry voices were common in Iain's childhood, his parents, both full of liquor, were having their weakly shouting match. Iain couldn't help but hear the slammed doors and raised voices, as his mother announced, "I will, you stupid git! I'll go back, an I'll stay there! You can kiss my rosy red.." *SLAM* The door slamming cut her voice off, as she stormed out of the house.

Iain remembered mostly living in the States, where his parents had, for as long as he could remember, argued and fought about one thing or another. He knew his parents had moved from Ireland because they were concerned about raising a child in the violent atmosphere of the Troubles. All the same, New York, with the constant crowds, and the endless traffic, and the lack of people she knew had worn on his mother. By the time he was in school, she was miserable, and had gone out of her way to make Iain's father miserable with him. All the same, hearing his mother leave frightened and upset Iain greatly. It was a moment he would never forget.

After that day, things calmed down. Sure, kids at school still picked on his flaming red hair, and his vaguely Irish accent. Sure, his dad was merrily drunk shortly after getting home from work most nights. But, without his mother, his father became more attentive, more eager to show his 7 year old son how much he cared.

And then there were the visits to Belfast. In spite of the Troubles, his mother had returned to her family in Belfast. He visited on holidays, the family often assisting with the expense of travel, and when he was there, he led a charmed life. He went roaming streets with cousins, and was constantly spoiled by his mother, grandparents, aunts and uncles. He only had to ask, and whatever he desired was given to him, both at home, and while he was visiting his parents.

At an early age, Iain displayed a certain capability for keeping secrets and a duality of nature. He was both sensitive and artistic, and capable of cruelty and arrogance. He could be charming in the presence of authority, and a brat to children his own age. Other children began to realize, his side was the best to be on, and he developed cliques and circles of friends throughout his school career. His spoiled upbringing, by the time he was in his teens, had led Iain to believe that he was special. He took up painting, and photography, showing skill in both, but truly enjoying photography, he was accepted to the New York High School of Art and Design. There, he studied photography and art, for the first time finding children with egos as large as his own. In this environment, he truly thrived, becoming a ringleader of the crueler, more jaded children at the school.

It was in his high school years which he was introduced to another thing he grew to enjoy. While visiting his family in Belfast, some of his cousins introduced him to shooting. They had found themselves an old rifle, and out in a field, they had set up several bottles. Iain began to learn to shoot from them, but it would be years before he would truly invest much time in the hobby.

After high school, Iain moved back to Ireland himself, not just to be nearer to his mother's side of the family, but to further his studies of photography. He applied to Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology, and he began to go there for college. The transition from high school to college was hard on Iain. All the friends he knew were back in New York, and, while he was charismatic, he found fewer people willing to coddle his arrogance at his new school. One weekend, after a girl turned him down for a date, Iain found himself agitated. Prowling through the alleyways, he felt as if his blood were boiling.. as if he might explode. Filled with frustration, Iain slapped a dumpster, and, as he did, his body flared. Plasma shredded the dumpster, introducing Iain to his mutant power.

Through college, Iain became more withdrawn, partying less with his college peers, and focusing on his powers. He spent the weekends and late nights learning to call forth his power on demand, and by the time he turned 20, almost finished with his degree, he had formed the Speirthur persona. A mask, a body suit, and the fact that his hair and eyes turned a flickering purple made it easy for him to hide his identity, and, as mutants became better known in the press, he realized, he truly was special. Better than the masses of humanity, and gifted with powers that few would ever dream of.

Once he had found a method of using his plasma to form a shield, he began to ambush politicos who he felt misused their power. At this stage in his life, he was regarded as a minor menace, as he took special care not to harm anyone with his powers, and he had yet to focus the powers for strong offensive purposes.

It was not until after he graduated college, when he was in the Congo in early 2000, attached to a UN peacekeeping force in Ugandan held territory, that he first used his powers to do more than shield himself. Under a heavy machine gun attack, which had pinned down the unit he had been attached to, he found himself separated, and being fired upon by a group of militants. Raising a hand, he focused his plasma into a powerful bolt which cut through the support wall of the building the militants were in, and brought it down upon them.

After that, Iain decided not to need to use his powers on the job ever again. He began to invest money in body armor, which he wore in the field, and in weapons. He became known as the 'Combat Reporter' to the units he attached to, since he often spent time target practicing during down time, and was not afraid to pick up a rifle and defend a convoy or his unit, in spite of the questionable legality of such actions.

After that conflict in the Congo, he also began to take a greater interest in survival skills. As he began to travel around in Africa, he began to pay guides money to teach him survivalist skills, and would go out for weeks at a time, taking pictures in the deep bush of places few people could reach, with only himself and his guide. He began to make contacts with various militant groups, and took dramatic pictures of generals and soldiers in hideouts deep in the Congo. During this period, he learned to fly as well, so that he could reach airfields and locations which transport was traditionally denied to.

After returning from Africa, in 2003, Iain flew out to cover the 2003 invasion of Iraq, attached to a British unit which helped to take Baghdad. He learned quite a bit about more ordered military operations. Again, he studied marksmanship from troops, convincing them to let him train with them when they did target practice, and, more than once, helping to defend them when they were attacked.

After returning from Iraq, Iain settled down for a while, and took urban photos in Ireland and England. He began to strive to catch mutants, and sometimes took self portraits of Speirthur in action, portraying mutants in godlike moments of power. Speirthur became more active, striking out at companies that he felt had 'oppressive' policies towards the public, and at political people whom he disagreed with all over Europe.

Through his battles as Speirthur, Iain learned to fly, by directing the energy of his plasma into intense bursts at his feet. Once this happened, Speirthur became an international threat, often 'popping over' to France, or even Germany, in order to create Chaos.

In the last few years, as mutants began to become more publicly visible, Iain began to worry about being tracked down. Speirthur became more active in denouncing anyone who spoke out against mutants, attacking anti mutant protestors and politicians. When the 'Mutant Problem' became international news with the conflicts between the X-Men and the Brotherhood, Iain decided to leave the United Kingdoms, and return to New York.

In New York, Iain set himself up as an urban photographer, and began to shoot more pictures of mutants, heroes and villains. A common theme in his photography is the superiority of those with powers, often showing them floating over, or looming over, mere normal people. A particularly popular photo is of a silhouette of a super hero, floating over the Empire State building. The picture is cropped close, centered on the powerful figure, a cape billowing behind him, almost straight out in the wind like a flag. The floating man's head is inclined to look down upon the city below. There is no way of telling whether this floating figure is protecting, or plotting, his face concealed by the backlighting which outlines him sharply. It is the centerpiece of his Mutants on the Rise exhibit, which he has shown at modern art museums, and at various art galleries in New York.

Iain has not been out as Speirthur for several months, laying low in New York, and getting to better know the political terrain, as well as entertaining himself with camping trips and setting up a membership with a shooting range. Still, with anti mutant sentiment, and fear mongering groups like Friends of Humanity gaining popularity, Iain cannot sit by much longer.

Personality
Arrogant: Iain believes in the superiority of mutants. He views his powers as a gift, and proof that he is better than the masses of humanity. To Iain, the world is composed of the weak, and the strong, and he views his powers as strength, to take what he desires. He will rarely back down, or admit that he is wrong.

Charismatic: Iain is, in spite of his disdain for most of humanity, quite charismatic when he chooses to be. He's got a ready smile, even if he doesn't mean it, and can passionately argue in such a way that people tend to listen.

Passionate: Iain doesn't really hold opinions halfway. He either believes in something passionately, or not at all. When he debates things, he rarely admits that the opposing viewpoint has any merit. He enjoys living life, without fear or restraint, and takes pleasure in the joys of life as he seems them.