(Stormstrike was created for the rpol.net game VnV: The Tampa Titans)

Sylvain Entrenard was born and raised in Aix-en-Provence, France and had a pretty normal family life growing up. He was of average intelligence but did well in school because he applied himself twice as hard to studying, something impressed upon him by his mother. He was fascinated by technology and went to college, earning a degree in Electronics Technology. Knowing he would likely have more opportunities available to him he immigrated to the USA, having learned to speak English well in high school and college. He farmed out resumes to numerous companies, hoping to find a research position in the Electronics industry.

     Sylvain was able to secure a position with National Semiconductor and became involved in research on power grid management; especially regarding spikes, brownouts, and power overloads. One day in the south of Kansas he was working with a crew on troubleshooting the local powergrid to get it operational again after some heavy storm activity damaged it. It was a clear but hot and humid day and there was talk of storms mounting in the west which were still a ways out. He and the crew kept working then the crew took a break while he was finishing up the last work on a large transformer unit. It is said that lightning can strike a person when there isn't a cloud in the sky nearby and that proved to be the case today. As he was touching the transformer/capacitor assembly a massive bolt of lighting struck him, flickering for several long seconds as it made a circuit between him, the transformer, and the heavens above. Almost as soon as it began it was done and Sylvain was lying on the ground, smouldering and severely burned over a large portion of his body. He was rushed to the hospital and put in the burn unit, the doctors astonished to find him not only alive but apparently in little pain.

     The days passed as Sylvain healed from his burns and initially everything seemed to be getting back to normal. Over a period of days however strange things began to happen. When his moods shifted the literal feel of the room started to change, sometimes cold and other times stifling and humid. Other times if he waved a hand dismissively at someone in anger or frustration it would be as if a sudden breeze blew over the person. He began to wonder if there was some connection with his accident and these strange happenings. One day he was sitting outside in the sun and was getting overly warm. He looked up at the sun and moved his hand from left to right across the face of the sun, wishing there was a little cloud cover so he could have some shade. The next thing he knew the little wisps of clouds in the air built into large banks of clouds that sheltered him from the sun. He concentrated some more, envisioning the wind blowing and a soft rain falling and to his surprise that is exactly what happened. Apparently he had acquired some ability to affect the weather from the lightning strike. Feeling he would be thought of as a freak, since he already had significant scarring from the lightning, he kept this to himself but resolved to look into it more when he was released.

     Sylvain had no idea what he was in for next, something that would wholly cement him in "freak" status. His recovery continued but more strange things began to happen. He would have minute bursts of uncontrolled fast movement at times when walking or trying to reach for things. Initially he and the doctors passed it off as a nervous system delayed reaction to the massive energy that had coursed through him. The frequency did not decrease, in fact these bursts of speed started happening more often and for longer durations. It seemed like he was having to learn to move all over again as his body wanted to leap away like a lightning strike. He applied himself to recognizing the sensations of an incoming "spike" as he called it and worked to gain some mental control over it, trying to reprogram his own cerebellum to move in a new way. Little by little he learned fine control over the movements and could even engage the bursts at will and sustain them. Neurologists and doctors from all over came to try and determine what exactly it is that was causing this. He hated all the attention, not to mention all the poking, prodding, and testing. He was healed now as far as he was concerned and ready to get out and get on with his life. He tried to sign himself out AMA but they would not let him. Furious, he gathered what possessions survived the strike and slipped out a window. When security tried to give chase he put on a massive burst of speed and left them in the dust, creating a fog bank to further hinder pursuit. Going home he gathered his possessions into his car and took off, wanting to get out of the city before they tried to bring him back for more "tests".

     Sylvain travelled the countryside, taking on odd jobs when people were able to look past the scars that traced in infinite detail the path of the lightning through him. When he was alone he would work on mastering his speed, finding he could run as fast as a sports car. He would help out farmers in dry areas without their knowledge by calling up small rain storms to irrigate their fields. He never stayed in one place long enough for people to catch on and kept to the small town where it was less likely he would be recognized. He started thinking about what other good he could do with these new gifts he had been blessed with. He knew people like him existed, he had read articles about them. He knew there was great injustice all around and felt perhaps he could make a difference. He also knew he couldn't run around scaring the hell out of people with his scars. With all the cash he had saved he commissioned a set of finely-wrought chainmail, a winged helm that covers much of his face, and an intricate but sturdy spear.

     Sylvain had thoughts galore about ways to use his power and also how to harness the energy from storms. If it affected him well, perhaps it could be used to empower the spear he had. Making inquiries over the internet he was able to hook up with some biofeedback and bioelectronics researchers. In their spare time they worked on his spear with him, enhancing it with microcircuits and capacitors while he used biofeedback technology theories to work on attuning himself to it using the energies within his body. After much work and experimentation the spear was done. He found he could throw it then pull it back to him along the energy path that was left between them when he threw it. It was also able to store electrical energy from lightning in itself that he could draw upon to boost his own energy or to cause the head of the spear to be charged with electricity. During this time he also took training on how to fight with his spear, no sense having it if you can't use it well. After months and months he was done, he felt he was ready. He had his gifts, he had his armor, and he had his spear. Sylvain Entrenard was reborn as Stormstrike; winged helmed, clad in shining mail, and wielding the spear Stormstrike's Spire! Now he just needed to find where he can most effectively use his talents, and so began his search for that "right place and right time"...