Nutcase

Nutcase was a violent serial killer from the Bay Area, but is now a member of the Merry Band.

## Professional Status

### Power Description

Tinker, presumably specialized in self augmentation

## Abilities and Powers

Nutcase is a tinker of unknown specialty, though he is presumed to be some sort of medical tinker with a focus on self augmentation. It is unknown the full applications of his power, though they should assumed to be vast. He has transformed his body into a bio-mechanical contraption that has stripped away all but the most necessary systems. His entire body is capable of working independently of itself. It should be assumed that no one part of his body is any more vulnerable than the last. The carapace that covers his body is durable enough to resist rifle fire. The entire body is known to be self contained and has no seams that expose his body to the outside world.

Each of his limbs is connected to his torso with a number of metal cords and chains, allowing him to extend and manipulate his limbs at range. This makes his entire body inhumanly flexible, capable of moving in ways a human never could.

He is far stronger and far faster than he seems to be. He has shown the ability to lift cars and is capable of running over forty miles per hour. He is also capable of using his limbs as grappling hooks to traverse areas. He is capable of detaching his limbs to move into incredibly small spaces, such as slithering down storm drains or through air vents.

### Equipment

More so than most Tinkers, Nutcase is capable of outfitting his body with a number of lethal contraptions and weapons. All of his equipment is stored perfectly within his metal body making it difficult to discern which equipment he is using at any given moment. The following is a list of tools and weapons he has used in the past. This is by no ones a comprehensive list and he has shown remarkably intelligence and foresight, suggesting an intelligence beyond even Tinker standards.

* Telescopic blades that extend from his hands and feet. He has never *not* been seen with these, so it should be assumed he always has them. They are remarkably sharp, capable of puncturing light armor.
* A powerful firearm integrated into one or both of his arms. He has been shown to use both rifle and shotgun variants of this weapon in the past.
* An odorless, though highly flammable gas. It is likely this is the same resource he uses to operate the about firearms.
* An odorless and highly lethal neurotoxic of, presumably, his own design.
* A number of retraceable blades that extend from his chest to discourage grappling and rip into people he has grabbed.
* The chains connecting his limbs are razer sharp, capable of ripping into people.
* On one occasion, his head was replaced with an explosive that activated when his head was detached from his body.

Nutcase has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to situations and is incredibly intelligent. It should not be assumed that the same tactic will work on him more than a handful of times. It should also be assumed that there are very few locations he is capable of entering and that conventional security systems will do little to impede him.

## Appearance

Nutcase stands just over nine feet tall. His head has no eyeholes, ear holes or any intake vents. There is only a peeling metal surface coated in rust, with shallow indents where the eyes and mouth should be and a slight bump for a nose. His entire form is corroded metal and tarnished chains that bellies its true durability. He stands on a pair of lithe, digitigrade feet more akin to knives than feet.

## Personal

Nutcase has shown himself to be incredibly intelligent, even by Tinker standards. He is particaurly playful and has been known to toy with victims before killing them, though has also been known to get close to just to show how powerful he is. Prior to joining the Merry Band, each of victims were reported to have resisted from a somewhat long amount of time before being killed. The fact that he allowed himself to be seen, couple with the lack of effort he placed into certain killings, suggests that he enjoys terrifying his victims. On several occasions, he has hunted down victims instead of killing them where their place of residency was.

Like other serial killer, though perhaps more evident than the Merry Band, Nutcase favors certain types of  people as victims. He purposely hunts down rogues, anyone seeking to make a profit from their abilities, especially those trying to make the world a better place. And tinkers. This suggests that was either negatively effected by such parahumans in the past, or was possibly a similar person prior to his entombment.

He arose after the Cetus attack on San Francisco, so her effect should not be discounted. It is possible that Nutcase was negatively effected during or after the Cetus attack which sparked his serial killer tendencies.

He has not shown the ability to speak or communicate through conventional means. He uses sign language or spells out words to get his meaning across.

## History

Prior to joining the Merry Band, he was a violent serial killer from the Bay Area. He has at least five confirmed victims, including Donjon, though likely had more.

#### Recruitment

Nutcase was a prospect recruit during the Merry Band's attack on Oakland. It is unknown who championed him but, given his personality and modus operandi, it is likely he was sponsored by Quiet. Despite being (presumably) chosen by Quiet, he also killed her then placed her body into the Oakland PRO building. After twenty-four hours, he then re-infiltrated the PRO building, killed multiple PRO officers, then recovered the body for unknown reasons.