The Raeken family were a steady part of Beacon Hills until they moved away around 2009, following the death of their older child, Tara. For his part, Theo was your standard 10 year old kid who played little league, came to birthday parties and got into your typical bouts of trouble. Now, back in Beacon Hills, Theo may not be the boy people remember. He has a ready smile for anyone willing to entertain it, and he can pour on the charm with the best of them, but those that knew him best will tell you...there's just something different about him, even if they can't put their finger on it.
Personality
Theo is a textbook case of potential going to waste. His priorities seem to find the farthest point opposite of what would be most constructive to his long term well-being and park themselves firmly there. He's a skilled artist of manipulation, and often manages to squeak by on charm and smooth talking. At the core of his being is a very angry and broken young man who seems to simply embrace that which life has handed him with little ability to evolve beyond it. He's the king of passive resistance, of exalting the achievement of some bare minimum by the narrowest of margins as some heroic virtue. Imaginative, insightful, maybe even clever, he's far from lazy, and at the slightest provocation can be motivated to great effort in pursuit of survival which usually results in destruction of private property and possibly the maiming of those involved. When it comes to himself, Theo is a tightly coiled time bomb of wants, needs and blurry interpretations of right and wrong.
Background
Theo was born the youngest child to Beacon Hills locals Jonathan and Angelia Raeken on a warm April afternoon. For the most part the Raeken family lived a fairly normal life until the death of their daughter Tara led to the family packing up and leaving Beacon Hills. Up to that point, Theo, then in the fourth grade and a fairly typical ten year old who enjoyed a childhood of friends, birthday parties and little league. Life would however, change dramatically for Theo in the years to come.
It was the official story that Tara died of exposure after becoming lost in the woods following an injury that left her leg broken and the wounded girl trapped in the freezing waters of a local creek. The reality was much different. Though there are those who would see the situation as a heartless young boy who stood by selfishly and watched his sister die, Theo would argue that he was tricked by three supernatural entities who assured him that his sister in fact wanted him to have her heart. Regardless of the true story, the Dread Doctors did in fact harvest his sister's heart, transplanting it into Theo and beginning his evolution into the first chimera. Though their research tended to far exceed Theo's understanding, and though he was (according to what he was told) a failure, the Doctors did not dispose of him as they did many of those that came after him. Perhaps their use of him was supported by his lack of empathy for their victims, but Theo remained in their company for almost eight years before a sudden choice shifted his story once again.
Not to long ago rumors of a powerful and unique pack in Beacon Hills reached Theo. Additional information on the pack, primarily that it was led by his former classmate, the True Alpha Scott McCall, fueled by Theo's desire to become a real Werewolf (and maybe an Alpha). Likely also due to a subconscious desire to have a pack at his disposal, Theo manipulated his way away from the Dread Doctors (aka, ran) and struck out for Beacon Hills. What exactly he would do once he reached there is anyone's guess. For the most part he has pushed the Doctors to the back of his mind and placed all his focus on surviving.
SKILLS
Academia - Competent Level
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Theo is a smart guy, but when it comes to the books he can get by without really shining. He graduated, that's about all he can boast about really. He has your standard level of public school-gained academic knowledge.
Athletics - Competent Level
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Theo is a survivor and for that reason he keeps himself fit and capable. Though he has no real interest in organized sports (not since he played little league at least), Theo is an athletic young man and possesses the skills of a well-oiled machine when it comes to matters like running, jumping, climbing or using his physical strength to move an object.
Theo is a charming and cunning expert when it comes to words. He understands what makes people tick and is particularly good at finding buttons and pushing them. He was blessed with a silver tongue and isn't afraid to lay it on thick to get himself where he needs to be, or of course, to get what he wants. It's just one more skill used to survive when all else fails.
Fighting - Competent Level
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Just one more (and the most important) skill gleamed from his "unique" situation is a firm understanding that only the strong survive. This means that Theo is not afraid to, and is no stranger to, throwing a punch or two if it comes down to it. He's a fairly skilled fighter, mainly fueled by his drive to /absolutely/ survive to fight another day.
Supernatural Lore - Competent Level
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Nine years being effectively raised by the Dread Doctors has afforded Theo some knowledge about the more obscure creatures of the supernatural world. He certainly doesn't have the same level of information possessed by the druids, but he does have some knowledge about topics that may be lesser known, even to some small degree. (This is clearly a hook-skill that can be used by STs and Staff. I have no interest in showboating or abusing this skill.)
ABILITIES
Power: Dominance - Enhanced Level
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Like werewolves, chimera can intimidate those without exceptional willpower, especially normal humans and most animals, simply by making their eyes glow and growling or snarling towards them. They naturally gives off a predatory aura, though this is enhanced and punctuated by any show of dominance, typically when they are agitated or nervous.
Power: Healing - Enhanced Level
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The resiliency allows chimera to endure non-lethal wounds from personal weaponry such as swords, shotguns, or even rifles without significant loss of ability. Minor wounds heal almost instantly, and even more severe wounds will heal within a few days at most.
Power: Natural Weapons - Enhanced Level
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In their shifted forms, chimera have sharp fangs and claws. In Theo's case, the same as those of a werewolf or coyote. These are able to carve through stone and steel, and their bite's pressure is able to shatter bone and tear flesh easily.
Power: Pain Transfer - Enhanced Level
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Werewolves can alleviate the pain of someone else by transferring it onto themselves. This requires physical contact and significant focus, becoming more difficult depending on the severity of the pain.
Power: Physique - Enhanced Level
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Like werewolves, chimera are much tougher, stronger, and more agile than an average human, able even to twist and bend solid metal, smash through most structures short of armored or strongly-reinforced materials, and break through solid walls of cement or brick with moderate effort. They can resist substantial amounts of damage, especially blunt force trauma, and emerge either unscathed or with only minor injuries. Especially when "shifted," and specifically when running on all fours, they can easily outrun most mundane opponents. They also possesses superior agility, able to catch arrows in midair with moderate effort and, with a little luck, even dodge projectiles like bullets. This enables them to leap much higher and farther than an average human, as well as giving them the ability to bounce off walls and tumble like a skilled gymnast.
Power: Senses - Enhanced Level
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The senses of a chimera are enhanced far beyond the ability of any average human. They can hear things like a person's heartbeat and tell if they are nervous and possibly lying and clearly hear the murmur of a quiet conversation several rooms away. He can see over long distances and also possesses excellent night vision. Through scent, they can track a person, even if the trail is days old; they can also isolate specific individual scents in a larger group.
Power: Wolf Form - Enhanced Level
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Unlike most werewolves Theo's link to his coyote side allows him the rare ability to fully shift into a black wolf.
ADVANTAGES
Being the last living Raeken, Theo is privy to the goods that leaves behind. This includes the bulk of his family's properties, remaining financial means and, of course, insurance payouts. He's no high roller but the benefits keep Theo stocked in microwave dinners, a nice enough truck and all the ridiculously tight t-shirts he can wear.
WEAKNESSES
Chimeras are by nature fragmented, a melding of the human and the supernatural. This causes them several drawbacks, as compared to full-blooded or "natural" were-creatures. For instance, their bodies are constantly healing at a very low level, just to keep themselves healthy. While natural supernatural possess the ability to heal serious wounds in a matter of minutes, for a Chimera, healing serious wounds may take hours. While this doesn't stop them from healing, it can work against them, especially in situations where being wounded slows them and others down. Furthermore, healing for a chimera requires focus and concentration, which again, hinders them in situations where time is of the essence. Chimera also cannot fully integrate into a pack, as werewolves can. There are no alpha chimera, and chimera cannot receive the usual benefits from working with a pack or being connected to a strong alpha.
Jesus H. Christ, Theo is not a leader! Not only does Theo lack the empathy and compassion to be a leader or alpha, but he lacks the true desire (though if you ask him, he swears that is his ultimate goal). At the end of the day, his true goal is power and survival, and proving to those around him that he IS strong and capable, even if he's not a true werewolf. In fact, Theo's rage and anger problems can easily be traced back to the fact that he is merely a Chimera in a world of supernaturals. That which is his greatest strength, is a very crippling handicap as well, especially considering the impact it has on him psychologically.
Though it's not necessarily a flaw that will leave him twitching on the ground, Theo's life has not afforded him many opportunities to truly learn the concept of empathy for those around him. He is prone to actions fueled by his selfish need to come out on top, or escape without too much harm. For this reason it can be difficult for those who have seen the "true" Theo to trust him. It can also be hard for Theo to understand the actions of his peers or embrace the idea that someone may be truly concerned for his, or someone else's, safety or wellbeing.
As with werewolves, werewolf/coyote chimera are closely tied to the phases of the moon. This affects them in various ways, such that they are at their strongest when the moon is full and their weakest during a lunar eclipse. The phase of the moon also strongly affects the character's emotions, such that they can become almost overwhelming near the full moon. The character will find a strong urge to shift during the full moon, as well as on the nights just before and after a full moon. As with most werewolves, Theo eventually learned to control his shifts and to manage his emotions even during the full moon.
During a full lunar eclipse, werewolves of this type are generally powerless and essentially reduced to the status of ordinary, if healthy, humans. If the Bite cured them of any health conditions or injuries, these remain cured. Once the moon becomes visible again, their power is restored. During a partial eclipse they are somewhat weaker than normal, but they do retain their powers at a high-end Basic level.
