Berserkers
General
A Berserker is a para who gets a brief, intense & violent surge of paranormal strength & invulnerability. During the time their power is activated, they are immune to any & all injuries. Their powers are almost always limited though, to relatively short durations.
Language
Another name used for Berserkers is Amuks. Some refer to Berserkers as “Crazies”.
Powers
A strong Berserker can go into a rage that lasts upwards of an hour but that's exceptional. Most rages last only around 20 minutes or so.
More blood shed during a rage, the more blood a Berserker wants to shed. As soon as the blood stops flowing, their power goes, unless they reach their time limit first.
Totally invulnerable in a rage. But also blinded by their rage & unable to really think straight. Few Berserkers remember anything from their rages but they seem to be able to act on information & knowledge they've had leading up to a rage.
Stilling a Berserk in a rage is a very, very hard thing to do.
The best way to protect one's self in the presence of a raging Berserker is to stand totally still, make no moves or sounds. If you do nothing, the Berserker will ignore you. If you flee, he/she may pursue you, unless they have others closer to them who are acting as if they want to fight. Also, holding anything that can be perceived as a weapon is a bad idea.
A Berserker will use any & everything at their disposal to battle the "threats" they see around them when they go into a rage. Attacking them only intensifies their rage & seems to make them stronger.
In fighting, a Berserker will fight an opponent until that opponent quits fighting them or, as is often the case, is unable to fight back.
Whether they are in real life or not, a Berserker in a rage is a master of any & all weapons they come into contact with. They are "ultimate fighters" seeming to know & be masterful at every known martial art.
They may not seem coherent but, somehow, Berserkers seem to intuitively know the weaknesses of the opponent they are up against & will do everything they can to exploit it.
Strong emotions can trigger the powers. If triggered in that manner Berserkers describe themselves as "misfiring" & later describe the period as being somehow "more out of control" than normal.
Berserkers never feel the injuries the suffer in a fight, afterwards.
Berserkers are immune to blood-born pathogens when in a rage.
Weaknesses & Limitations
Weak Berserkers will go into a rage on a full moon night, as soon as the moon comes up, whether they want to or not. Average & stronger Berserkers often learn to control this urge and can control when they go into rages (exception being the above noted “misfires’).
The longer & more intense the rage, the longer the rebound time after. The more exhausted and tired the Berserker is, after.
A lead lined room or box can keep a Berserker from using their powers.
A Berserker always has to be conscious to use their powers. So, keeping one constantly sedated keeps them from raging.
Most Berserkers don't' remember their rages, sensing only a hole in their memory. Some, however, do have flashbacks of their rages.
A Berserker in a rage is all instinct and emotion, they are not good at problem solving and reasoning. They operate on a very basic, primal level.
Lifestyle
Many Berserkers are alpha Type A types.
Oddly enough, anger management issues don't seem to bother Berserkers at any levels outside of the norm.
Military & intelligence agencies like to employ Berserkers for their talents. Crime syndicates too.
An urban legend holds that Berserkers are always people who go looking for trouble though there doesn't seem to be any real evidence to back that up.
Legal
No courts have recognized being in a Berserker rage as a legitimate defense for violence done by a Berserker. Berserkers are listed as one type of paranormal subject to forced lobotomy if they are deemed to be unable to control their powers & pose too great a public threat.
Side Effects
Those Berserkers who can recall their rages often suffer greatly from depression & substance abuse issues.
Many Berserkers suffer arthritis & joint issues later in life.
Though conscious memory fails most Berserkers, many suffer from night terrors & nightmares which are thought to be related to their powers & their rages.
Other Paras
If matched against an equally invulnerable para, will battle to a draw until their power's time wears out.
Can be frozen by a Gorgon stare.
Can be caught by a sticky Blob.
Can't penetrate a Shielder's shield.
Mind's can't be read by Telepaths in a rage.
Seem to be a rare human who can withstand a Vampyre's "look" while raging.
Immune to Incubi & Succubi charms while in a rage.
Are immune to Puppeteers, always.
Seem to be easy to dream dive in, according to Dream Divers.
Copyright 2012, M.R. McCaffery. All rights reserved.
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