Origin: The Legacies, Brussels

The European Quarter in Brussels is a bubble of different EU nationalities, living and working together for the European Institutions, lobby groups and research agencies. Their kids grow up in a cocoon of European schools, mixing among different languages and cultures.

The Ocellos, Mr. Staicu, Ms. Livanou, the Molnars: These are your parents and your parents’ friends. Your families all came together in a loose community because they all had powers. Some of the parents are part of EPIC (the European Parahuman Intervention Coordination) – a branch of EUROPOL which monitors illegal cross-border activities committed by powered individuals. Others work as lobbyist for Marked rights or are prominent researchers for DG RESEARCH, the European Commission department responsible for policy on research, science and innovation.

You’ve all known each other since childhood. E. Ocello and A. Staicu as the leaders of the group; J. Molnar as the brains; young Livanou as their mascot; and V. Mistry as the glue that kept them together. You call each other “Legacies”, as a sign of pride but also responsibility.

You go to the same European schools, spend summers together and celebrate each other’s birthdays. You are always compared with each other. And most importantly, you all celebrate together that rite of passage of receiving the Mark. You feel the weight of your parents’ expectations on your shoulders. Some parents openly talk about their hopes and dreams, others play it cool and say that “they do not care what it is, as long as their children are happy”. You were nervous about whether you would get a Mark at all; whether it would be “good enough”. And now that you have your Mark, you are nervous about whether you have what it takes to become heroes and to live up to your parents’ legacy.

You are standing in the shadow of your parents. You are expected to step out into the light. Can you fill their shoes?

Return to character list

03: E. Ocello // Hail Cannon

Age: Senior Student, Origin: The Legacies, Brussels, Training Team: Sunburst /

Power: Weather Control

You are the youngest child in a long-standing family of Marked, hailing from southern Italy. The Ocello family is closely knit, loyal, loving and fiercely protective. They prepare their children for the Mark from childhood, with taxing field trips and a library of musty tomes. Your parents are members of the EUROPOL sub-branch EPIC and have a lot of expectations for you. Your were the leader of your Legacy peers, and lead with bravado.

Your Mark came late and caused a lot of sleepless nights to you and to your parents. What if your Mark was mediocre? But thankfully the Mark did come; it granted great abilities and the entire family rejoiced. Of course, that meant that you would need to work even harder to prove your worth. “This is not the time for distractions, such as frivolities and love. You are an Ocello. You need to prove that you are the best!” That’s what your parents tell you and what you keep telling yourself. But under all that facade of bravado and confidence, there is a lot of insecurity and nervousness. What if you are not good enough? What if you are not the best? Maybe at the Academy you will learn to accept the other students as peers. Or maybe, against all your parents stand for, you will realise that want something else for your life.

03: E. Ocello // Hail Cannon Read More »

13: A. Staicu // Rewind

Age: Senior Student, Origin: The Legacies, Brussels, Training Team: Lightning /

Power: Time Rewind

Everyone else dreams of being as powerful as their parents; for you, that is your worst nightmare. In your family’s homeland, Romania, your father, Dumitru Staicu or Silverwing, was a national hero. That was until he betrayed the Marked Alliance and sided up with super-villain Deathray. He was arrested following investigation by EPIC investigators, led by the Ocello parents. Now Staicu, Sr. resides in a EUROPOL affiliated maximum security prison on the Swiss alps and you have to live with the stigma of his name. You still visit him, though; after all, you are all he’s got left. Before this, amongst your peers you had high status, then you got ousted. You found out who your true friends were.

You prayed that the Mark would skip a generation. Without powers, you would not have to worry whether you too would turn to evil, like your father. Without powers, you would not have to stick in a community where everyone knows who you are and judges you for it. In your final year at Mistry Academy, you want to find your place and be accepted as one of the good guys. But are you truly a good guy?

13: A. Staicu // Rewind Read More »

23: M. Livanou [Reserved]

Age: Junior Student, Origin: The Legacies, Brussels, Training Team: Blizzard /

Power: Healing

You were conceived through in vitro fertilisation and selected by your Greek-born mother as a match for for your elder sister, Lydia, who had leukemia. The process was successful at first but Lydia deteriorated and in her twelfth year, she died. For you, it seemed as if you had failed in your life’s purpose. More worryingly, although you missed your sister your feelings towards others were numbed. You enjoy people’s company but cannot feel a strong emotional bond with others. You worry that you may not be normal; that others may see you as a freak. After her death, Lydia’s peers took you in, treating you as their mascot, but not taking you seriously.

When your Mark kicked in, you gained a new purpose in your power to heal. But sometimes you wonder how it would be to have something just for yourself. You insisted on coming to Mistry Academy, so that you could make a new start and see whether you are worth more than just spare parts for a dead sibling.

Content warnings: Cancer, illness and death of a child

Please note that Livanou in Greek is the feminine style of surname. The masculine surname would be Livanos.

23: M. Livanou [Reserved] Read More »

33: J. Molnar // Microwave

Age: Senior Student, Origin: The Legacies, Brussels, Training Team: Drizzle /

Power: Gentle Warming

Your French mother is a legendary vigilante turned EPIC member; your Hungarian father is a lobbyist for Marked rights. In theory, their combined powers passed down to their only child would produce a Mark of superior quality. But fate seemed to be laughing that day. Your Mark produces a laser beam that gives a pleasant warmth rather than devastating and fearsome destruction. Your parents felt a mixture of anger and guilt and could not accept that they would be the laughing stock of all of their friends. They tried to push you to overcome the limits of your power but to no avail. Before your power came in, your keen intellect and calculating mind meant you were the best of your peers at the challenges you faced. Now, the ones that mock you call you Microwave. You prefer simply Wave. You are tired of trying to prove yourself to your family, your friends, even the Academy. Perhaps all you really want is to accept your limits; accept yourself for who you are.

Content warnings: Family pressure and emotional abuse

33: J. Molnar // Microwave Read More »

43: V. Mistry // Reverie

Age: Senior Student, Origin: The Legacies, Brussels, Training Team: Hurricane /

Power: Illusions

At an early age, Dr Mistry left you in the care of the Molnar family, who later told you Dr Mistry was your mother. Growing up, you only saw her rarely, although you did get the occasional visit and birthday present. It seems that Dr Mistry was excellent at tracking down and nurturing Marked children but, you always felt growing up, that you would just like to have a mother for yourself.

When your Mark manifested, you were home alone. Your illusions haunted you wherever you went and you were found hours later, inside a wardrobe. You attended Mistry Academy as a pupil and began to understand the nature of your powers.

At the Academy, your anger with your mother grew deeper and one day you and your mother had a big fight. You fled the Academy, determined to strike out on your own, free from the expectations of your mother’s name. That was the last time you ever saw her. She died and you never had the chance to make up with her, to tell her that you love her, that you need her. You are haunted by guilt and grief but you cannot find the strength to admit it.

Content warning: Parent death

43: V. Mistry // Reverie Read More »