Davis Alexander
NPCs
Jason Tulee
Chelsea Wildheart
Moondancer
c r e a t e d b y T i m W a t t s
Real Name: Davis Alexander
First Appearance: Forte 2000 #1
Base of Operations: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Anthropology Graduate Student
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Richard Alexander (father), Teresa Alexander (mother)
Hair: Brown (as Davis), none (as Rainier)
Eyes: Green (as Davis), white (as Rainier, no lava), red (as Rainier, when using lava)
Height: 6’1 (as Davis), 7'6 (as Rainier)
History: Davis Alexander was a graduate student in the Anthropology department of the University of Washington, with a degree emphasis in archeology. Fascinated his entire life with the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest (where Davis grew up, in and around Seattle), Davis focused his dissertation on the religious life of Native Americans.
It was during his third year of his degree program when his research and field work brought him to a legend that seemed to have been widely missed by most scholars. It was the legend of Ta-co-bet, defender of the lands of Washington and her people. Ta-co-bet is the name Mount Rainier was actually given by the indigenous peoples of the area, before, in 1792, Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy came along and named it after his friend Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. It was said that a “spirit being” carved from the mountain itself by the Creator came forth in times of need. Legend has it that it came forward during a time of European expansionism, too, when a particularly unfriendly captain showed up and tried overtaking the local tribes (that are now part of the Yakima Nation). Defeated by Ta-co-bet, the captain later returned, it’s said, with three witches, who defeated and bound the spirit back to the mountain with their black arts. And there the spirit remained, trapped and hidden for centuries.
It was during his journey into a deep glacial cavern on Mount Rainier, led by his friend and guide Jason Tulee, that Davis came upon a hidden chamber (a chamber opened by an earthquake somewhere along the way) where an urn made of coal rested. Thinking he had come upon a major archeological find, he planned to excavate the site carefully and treat the urn with great care. But he was seized by a ridiculous compulsion to smash it against the cavern wall. To his quickly dawning horror, he did so. And, in doing so, released the spirit of Ta-co-bet, and was overcome and inhabited by it. Transformed by the possession into a being of rock, with massive strength and the ability to project lava, he became a super-being. A super-hero? That was nowhere in his plans. All he could think to do, once he realized, to his relief, that he could transform back into his own body with some concentration, was to keep the secret (from all but Jason, who was there with him when it happened) until he figured out what had happened to him and what to do about it.
Soon, fate would throw him together with three new super-heroes to the Seattle area, and, calling himself Rainier, he would become a reluctant defender of Seattle and a member of the new Forte.
Power and Abilities: When Davis lets the spirit of Ta-co-bet overtake
him, his body is transformed into one much larger than his own and made
of solid rock. He's incredibly strong and very hard to hurt. He can also
project lava from his hands. Through the spirit that is within him, Rainier
also gains insight through occasional visions and intuitions.
Personality: Above all, Davis is a man of knowledge. He hungers
for it. He takes any opportunity to learn something new about the world
around him or its people. He's fascinated with ancient history, believing
its lessons can guide us in the world today. He borders on obsessive behavior
when it comes to tasks and projects. He believes in the inherent goodness
of all beings, and respects all cultures and peoples. His dedication to
his work and studies haven't left much time for a social life, and some
in his life have accused him of being more comfortable with dead cultures
than live people. He's a master at chess (and was in fact something of
a celebrity in the field as a child) and enjoys games of strategy. He
has a vast collection of music from around the world, and particularly
loves Latin music. Davis is also an accomplished photographer and artist,
both skills he's put to use in his chosen field of archeology. He's been
all over the world, both with his parents as a child (his well-to-do parents)
and in his adult life, and still uses any vacation time he has to journey
to new places around the globe. He prefers motorcycles to cars, when Seattle's
weather permits, and has both street and off-road bikes. Davis is a thinking
man, and rarely lets his emotions get the best of him. He's calm and rational,
understanding and generous, and a good friend to those who can see past
his focused demeanor.
Davis Alexander