LogFAQs > #972041555

#38 - Bat-Boy
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Nora backwards first appeared in Campaign 1, the victim of his father's mistreatment and testing. Turned into some sort of chiroptersapien, Aaron Langstrom was a wild, cornered creature. Less vicious then frightened, Aaron eventually was cowed into submission by the party at the time, and eventually he was reverted to human. However, by the start of Campaign 2, it was revealed that Francine Langstrom and converted her entire family back into the were-bat legacy of her husband, Man-Bat, and Aaron was found once again fully transformed in the Cinque prison. It was there that children who proved resistant to the Equation were subjected to cruel, humiliating experiments meant to test the extents of Anti-Life. Fortunately for Aaron, friends both old and new came in and swept him back to safety in Checkmate. Now, he's found guardianship in the pair of Bloodfruit and Data 7.

While both dote on Bat-Boy, it's Data 7 that proves the most remarkably interesting. You see, Aaron is resistant to rolls by Data 7 of his natural comprehension with animal languages. This means that Bat-Boy communicates entirely through body language, and like a newborn tyke, everything has to be relearned - his senses have changed, his mental faculties are back at square one, and Data 7 seems to have developed a real empathy for the sweet, silent were-bat. I really enjoy flexing the muscles of imagery with Bat-Boy, and if the above image doesn't already tip you off to it, Aaron has extremely emotive eyes that I hope carry the weight of the scene from the DM's side. More fascinating, I think, is that Bat-Boy is the child of Data 7's long hated nemesis, Man-Bat. The scientist who experimented ruthlessly on Data 7, Kirk Langstrom left many of Data's first friends and found family members dead or tortured - only a few survived. Yet, when given the most precious cargo in Man-Bat's possession, Data 7 has demonstrated far, far more compassion for Bat-Boy than nearly anyone else in his circle of influence. It's a complex story that is always gripping, even in its simplicity.

And, much like with Bloodfruit, there is a sweet compassion to the process of carrying for the Spring's most unusual resident. Bat-Boy is developing slowly, acclimating once more to a life spent less as a human than a beast - and perhaps it's that specific distinction that prevented the Equation from setting in. Only time will tell just what part Bat-Boy will play in the campaign to come.

Hint: Another undrafted character that falls higher on an alphabetical list than this entry's character.