Name: Nigel Walker

Gender: Male, bisexual (usually chooses male partners)

Age/DOB: 30/1995

Origin: Armacham-Aperture Genetic Modification Facility/Repurposed Earth

Family: unknown parents, likely a single pair modified with engineering; with some of the Reborn kids it's clear Lexie has some shared genes; mixed by Melissa with at least 3 offspring engineered including Galen and Niven with Gene

Other: Nigel is one of Paxton's closest friends and confididants, willing to allow Pax into his mind to look around, or help him through times of crisis. He is also very attracted to Paxton, but there's only that one time... >_>

Height: 5'10"

Weight: average build, good muscularity but obviously not tremendously strong

Hair: black, afro, usually cut / cropped fairly short, alternately done in snug braids

Eyes: dark brown, often glowing - had he been treated with Icarus it's likely they would have changed to a brighter, yellower color

Appearance: darkly brown skin as shown, he's quite attractive and pleasant on the eyes - he likes wearing layered shirts and jackets, he would be at home in almost any comfortable clothing; has a nice voice in addition to his appearance, and gives off a strong sense of self-assurance. He does not generally have facial hair.

Icarus Processing: none, though he's given thought over the years to having Melissa perform the process. He's rather talented on his own, however, so there hasn't been much need.

Image Credits: City of Heroes/Icon; Doll Divine Harry Potter Maker; Tektek

Genetic Abilities: Strong light production and manipulation. His ability to move light and create it extends from all portions of the visible spectrum, and only a bit into ultraviolet or infrared. He is not able to manipulate Xrays or other energy nor produce heat with this power, just a fairly narrow subset of wavelengths. That said, he's very good at it. From a single candle-flame sized light (not heat) up to a massive barrage of blinding white light, Nigel is capable of illuminating (in his adult years) a space of up to 10 thousand square feet equally brightly. He can use this power to nullify existing lights - not turn them off, but actually make their wavelength invisible or 'dark'. He can produce strobe-like flashes, spectrum rainbow-like patterns, and effectively create 'light illusions' which anyone that has the ability to perceive those wavelengths can detect. Vortally, this power is just as bright as the light it creates, though to anyone with Vortal senses, it can be overwhelming even if all he's doing is masking light bulbs.

He has a standard set of Psionics - though he's reasonably weak with empathy and Vortal detection, his telepathy has a decent enough range to be able to converse mentally across the entire width of the Enrichment Center. His mental energy and Vortessence is that of a bright, happy, sunlit yellow, though it does range into a cold blue shade if he's feeling angry or out of sorts.

Skills or Profession: In training to be an 'entertainer', Armacham would market Nigel as a showcase piece before the Events. His powers at that age were hardly spectacular, but he did try very hard to impress his keepers as well as those investors that he was paraded around. When the Events occurred, however, he became far more useful, than just as a guy that juggled light or made people have light-based seizures. He helped the young kids move around the Enrichment Center when the power failed, and though his light fizzled after a time, he made a concerted effort to improve. Nigel has spent the better part of his life in the Outlands signalling at a distance, helping people slink around in the dark, and even attack things which can be stunned with a burst of light.

As Paxton's friend and advisor, however, Nigel excells in an intellectual capacity far more than his lightshow would indicate. He was always more of an egg-head than a jock, and can give Paxton a good run for his money when a debate or discussion is going on. He has a strong love of the arts, but also that extends into art history and theory, architecture, and some degree of civil engineering. Perhaps his ability to light a place up and see where the shadows fall, has given him an edge for designing rooms, placing conduit, and putting the right color scheme together in an area to keep unwanted visitors out and people inside it happier.

Personality: Generous, confident, secure and reliable, Nigel is the quintessential 'friend'. He's not afraid to poke fun at Paxton or anyone else for that matter - he likes a good pun and joking around, but when things start getting serious he understands when to shut up. Nigel is the type who knows when to offer a hug or a smack upside the head. He truly regrets when he can't be there for someone in need, and doesn't hesitate to apologize if he's done something that makes someone sad, angry, or hurt. Nigel is not a leader, but neither is he a speechless follower - he will contribute as much as he can, to his limits, and he knows his limits can be tested. He's willing to do things that make him afraid, but he's not going to stupidly say 'hold my beer' and do some insane stunt. He makes a great companion to groups, though he has less to relate to when they're mostly children or parents-with-kids. Though he definitely expresses interest in some women, Nigel is not what anyone would call 'straight'; he's comfortable with Melissa creating offspring for him and not having to worry about that messy stuff.
Events or History: When the Synchronicity Events occurred, Nigel was among the older of the students at the Enrichment Center, and as such afforded himself some amount of responsibility. Though they were following Geoff, he didn't have to be told to put a light up for people to follow in the darkened hallways. He's always understood how important it is to keep up as well as show a good example, so he diligently put himself to work improving his powers and skills until he knew he could be relied upon. During the exploration to find GLADOS new Cores, he was almost struck by Turret fire, and pretended to 'die', shooting lights downward into the huge expanse of darkness below - and allowed the others on his team to continue finding their way to the Personality Cores. Since he was 'dead', he wasn't allowed to return when they actually attacked her and provided Paxton with well-needed counsel.
As a teenager, he enjoyed exploring and finding stashes of items, but generally remained in the Enrichment Center or later on, at Black Mesa, to provide communications and networking for those on the move outside. He was key in the evacuation of the Center, when Ulathoi arrived, as he was on monitor / comm duty when that happened.
As an adult, Nigel splits his time between the facilities, and now as a dragon rider, he is absolutely thrilled to be able to move around the area to explore without really endangering himself. Since he can aim his lights very precisely, he is often used as a twilight or dawn scout, and can hide messages back to the Rookery with ease.

Dragon

Name: Xildarr, easily seen light
Gender: Male
Size/Shoulder/Length: Small / 6'6" Shoulder / 26' Long, 42' Wingspan
Colors: White, Pale Yellow contrast on belly and wing sails, Yellow Markings (very faint), Glowing Yellow
Features: Clawed feet, Hide/Skin, Ridged Neck Spines, Straight Horns, Forward-Curving Neck Spines, Pupiled Eyes, 3 Tined Leathery Wings with sharp spines at wrist, 'Floating' tail spade (invisibly connected), Glowing spines, Glowing neck/back ridge
Powers: Strong winged flight, exceptional at hovering and backwards / upwards movement (can carry things easily); Verbal and Vortal Speech (speaks own language, English, and seems to know a smattering of Vortigese), has a surprisingly deep voice for a 'bright' dragon; Light-Based powers - create and manipulate light and darkness, extending well into ultraviolet range (less so into infrared), Can produce illusions and distracting flashes, pinpoint accuracy, laser-level damage at short range, can also cloak and turn 'invisible' along with whatever is nearest, effective closest to body; Can teleport for short distances (not farther than 100 meters, but can do so quickly and numerous times in succession until exhausted).
Parentage: Unknown, off-world
Origin: Constelia at Deviantart
Other Info: With the forward-swept spines on his neck, it seems similar to some of the 'Court' dragons of Vella Crean. It's unknown whether he's related but it seems likely that he'd be able to breed with them more easily than some without those features.

Xildarr seems a lot more serious than his companion Nigel, and he's always looking around or taking sidelong glances to make sure everything is okay. His vision is just as spectacular as his powers, so if he does spot something wrong he won't hesitate to go correct it. That's gotten him into a bit of trouble now and again, but for the most part he keeps to himself and has interest in other dragons that carry light based powers more than other types. He doesn't care for fishing, so he will hunt on the nearby scrub plains or even make trips into the Grand Canyon to see if there are stray antelope, deer, rabbits or even feral burros and horses. Though he's capable of speech, he hardly ever does talk to anyone besides Nigel and other dragons. He likes to have his actions speak for him.