This is Jungle, a member of the Intruders, TRDL’s latest posthuman team.

Concept, Design and Art: Joao Marques
Background: Thom Chiaramonte and Joao Marques

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Jungle

Name: Paul Sisulu
Affiliation: The Intruders

TRDL Carbon RPG Stats:

Melee: 50
Reflex: 40
Muscle: 30
Vigor: 30
Acumen: 10
Observation: 20
Will: 30

Life: 150
Influence: 60

Abilities:

Jungle’s enhanced abilities are of unknown origin. He demonstrates significantly higher agility and endurance levels than a normal human, and his strength, senses and resistance to injury are clearly posthuman attributes. However, he has never spoken of his past before working at the Kreuger Park, and no public records appear to confirm his mere existence before that time. It is believed that he is the product of one of the private posthuman engineering programs, but no further information has surfaced. Jungle’s enhanced physiology is reflected in the Attributes above.

Hypersensitivity: Jungle’s vision, hearing and olfactory sense are all dramatically more sensitive than a normal human, manifesting in night vision and auditory or olfactory feats at +3CS to Observation rolls.

Berzerker Rage: Rarely exhibited, Jungle has been witnessed entering a bezerker state during periods of extreme psychological and physical distress [if more than one half of Jungle's Life is reduced in a single round, or if he fails an Acumen Save as a result of emotional distress] causing a boost of his Reflex, Power and Vigor by +2CS for 1d10 rounds, with a reduction of Acumen and Will by +3CS. During the rage, he also experiences +3CS towards Stun/Shock Saves, and can continue fighting despite prohibitive physical damage. After the rage subsides, he lapses into a near-catatonic, unresponsive state for 8-12 hours.

Reflexive Boost: At the onset of a melee, Jungle may take two actions per round, for 1-6 rounds, unless successfully ambushed.

Body Armor: Jungle’s skin offers 20 AP resistance to blunt attacks, 10 AP resistance to edged attacks, and 30 AP resistance to energy and temperature based attacks. Unlike most other posthumans with damage-resistant physiology, Jungle’s musculature behaves effectively like body armor, taking damage against it’s Core Strength of 30 until depleted, at which point Jungle’s skin exhibits massive surface trauma, and he proceeds to take damage as normal.

Origin:

Paul Sisulu was a security guard at the Kreuger Park wild animal reserve in South Africa, rumored, among the staff, to have never spoken an unnecessary word in six years on the job. Virtually silent, always observant, frequently motionless, Sisulu’s physical presence was as much a part of his work as any particular security task, and the other staff tended to keep their distance from him. He was known to gravitate towards the park’s large game territory, and was seen standing unusually close to a pride of lions, numbering nearly 40 animals, hours before he failed to check in at his scheduled break. A search of the grounds had not revealed any sign of foul play, and it was assumed that the reclusive man had either quit or run into trouble off-duty and was eventually replaced.

Seven weeks later, Sisulu was spotted roaming the park, surrounded by the pride, nearly nude and visually feral. Initial efforts to extract him from the animals were unsuccessful, as the lions were defensive and aggressive, and he showed no apparent interest in rescue. It was only after two females were shot in a botched effort to forcibly remove him, that Sisulu agreed to leave the pride and meet with authorities and his former security staffers. To their stunned disbelief, he announced himself as the leader of the pride, the dominant male having deferred to him but, unusual for the species, continuing to roam with the others as an active pride member. He refused to leave the park, and warned that efforts to interfere with his pride would meet violent resistance. The park’s owners, fearing a publicity problem, and seeing an opportunity for an unusual park attraction, agreed to leave Sisulu alone, and the man returned to his new family and co-existed with them for months thereafter.

Amparo Garcia, Baby Boom of the Intruders, appeared at the park in late August of that year, abandoned her vehicle tour and set off into the park to find this human lion that had received so much press, and came across the pride in the shelter of a grove of trees. At first sight, Sisulu was awe-struck by the beautiful Cuban woman’s presence, and eventually came forth from the protective phalanx of his animals to meet with her. Towering over her, rank from months of living in the wild, animal grooming and so on, his impression on her was significant. The two made an immediate connection, and after some discussion, Sisulu agreed to return to the civilized world with her, and leave his pride in the care of it’s former alpha. The two exited the grounds, with the bewildered security detailed uncertain whether or not to interfere, and by the time the park warden was on the scene, Sisulu and Amparo had disappeared.

Sisulu appeared alongside Baby Boom and the other members of the Intruders as Jungle, the team powerhouse and physical combatant, who’s somber, penetrating stares and penchant for raw meat was offset by his tenderness when dealing with Amparo. He soon became one of the team’s most valuable members.

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You can see this illustration herein the TRDL Universe Gallery.

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