Vidalia Carlyle

The youngest sister of Julia Carlyle, Vidalia ('Lia') Merritson Rionach Carlyle is an upcoming character in the Legion of Lawndale Heroes canon. The older of twins born to Deforest Carlyle and his wife Lauren Merritson, Vidalia (known more casually as 'Lia') is six years younger than Julia, four years younger than her sister Antigone and five hours older than her fraternal twin brother Lexington Carlyle.

Background

An inquisitive child prodigy (not so different from her twin) Vidalia's powers appeared when she was ten years old, and his others soon thereafter. Unlike Antigone or Lex, however, Vidalia has no interest in attending Fielding Preparatory Academy or using tutors, and has decided to follow in her sister Julia's footsteps by attending the United States Academy of Extranormal Studies at Evansville, Indiana. She is part of a USAES Cadre that includes Chris Griffin and Lyndon Davers, and is a member of the Special Transportation Systems Program, just like her sister.

Vidalia's name comes from several sources; her first and her second middle names are of past Carlyle matriarchs, while her first middle name is her mother's maiden name. Because of her position as the youngest Carlyle daughter, Vidalia is under no pressure to pursue any specific life-path (unlike Julia, who is Heir to the High Chair of the Clan Carlyle and will be matriarch someday); this is part of why she made the decision to attend USAES.

Like her twin, Vidalia went through an early growth spurt; like her brother, she is now a slim, athletic 6'3 (the same height as their father). She has the same dark scarlet hair as Julia, her father DeForest and his twin Lexington (but with tiny, copper-hued flecks in her jade eyes, see Powers), and prefers to wear her hair in short yet stylish (and regulation-appropriate) cuts. She has been given the nickname 'Lia' by his twin brother (as payback for her calling him 'Lex'), and it has been accepted by all comers. As with her twin, Vidalia's mother holds a great deal of influence over her (but not in an overbearing manner).

Vidalia has been taught (as have all young metahumans involved with Elite society) to not flaunt their abilities; because of the training and warnings she has received (both at home and at USAES, Vidalia doesn't try to show off her abilities at all.

Powers

Merhumanity: Vidalia possesses the ability of merhumanity, and can transform the lower half of her body into a flexible, fish-like tail that she can use to move effortlessly underwater (as well as swim with extreme ability on the surface).

Merhuman Adaptations: Vidalia's body possesses special adaptations allowing for high-speed, long duration underwater subsistence and activities; this extends to operating in extra-dimensional environmental areas that resemble liquid areas of existence.

• Vidalia's skin is more durable than a normal person's skin; even in normal form, she can resist puncture wounds and medium caliber rounds (up to that of a standard .223/5.56 mm round - the round used in the M-16/AR-15). In addition, her skin can automatically adapt a hue appropriate to blend in with her aquatic surroundings (although she can do this at will).
• In merhuman form, Vidalia's body can actually sustain itself while underwater with no need to eat, drink or breathe for up to fourteen days. She also possesses gills when in merhuman form, but can manifest them in her normal form if necessary.
• Vidalia's eyesight is incredibly acute and in merhuman form, is perfectly adapted to see underwater without any mechanical assistance. In addition, her eyes are adapted to adapt instantly to any sudden, radical change in light; thus, she cannot be blinded. Vidalia can also see detect any form of heat or energy sources; this ability is only available in her merhuman form.
• Vidalia's strength, agility and endurance increase in her merhuman form. She can lift up to ten tons while in merhuman form, her agility increases to a level where she can dodge any non-energy projectile, and her endurance is equal to the level of a Class Four physical adept.
• Vidalia can generate a personal energy field around her body that allows her (like her sister Julia) to access the Speed Force - but only when in merhuman form and/or when underwater. It allows her to achieve great speed without disturbing the surrounding environment or the creatures within, and to survive the massive pressure changes at the bottom of the oceans. This field also acts as a mid-range Level Four force-field against damage, and she can extend it around anyone or anything she carries. even without the Speed Force, Vidalia can still move at speeds of up to 400 MPH.
• Even without the field, Vidalia has the ability to survive at the extreme pressures and temperatures present at the bottom of the oceans, and to avoid pressure-related conditions like 'the bends' when returning to the surface, even if doing so at extreme speeds. This ability also makes Vidalia able to easily resist the extreme G-forces involved with the use of fighter craft and space launch operations.

Environmental Awareness: When in merhuman form, Vidalia possesses an innate awareness of her environment. As with her sister, this awareness makes Vidalia a superior navigator in the waters as it allows her the ability to act as a combination radar, sonar and GPS system in order to map out the entire area in which she is in and keep track of all movement within.

Mental Shield: Vidalia possesses the hereditary Carlyle power of an innate psionic shield that protects her from all mystical, psionic, neural and emotion-based probes and attacks, regardless of the form or level of power involved. This shield is always in place, but she can allow persons access inside her mind at her discretion.

Enhanced Physical Attributes: Because of her lineage, Vidalia has enhanced physical capabilities, which may increase as she matures.

• She can lift up to eight hundred pounds (and up to two hundred pounds with no effort).
• She can fight as well as a person with superior fighting ability and formal combat training.
• She possesses agility and stamina equal to a collegiate-level gymnast.
• Vidalia possesses enhanced physical attractiveness (equal to other young ladies such as Rossalyn Palmer), which makes her an spectacularly attractive young woman that has already garnered her much attention (wanted and unwanted) and promises to gain her much more as she matures. (Like Rossalyn, Vidalia is ranked as a 5 on the Byrne/Claremont passive power scale, as opposed to her sisters (Julia as a 2 and Antigone as a 3) and equal to her brother Lexington.)

Hydro-Healing: Like all Clan Carlyle members, Vidalia possesses has a healing ability. In her case, Vidalia possesses the ability to survive even mortal injuries, self-heal any damage she sustains or heal others from the same critical injuries (although medical assistance can help speed the process) through contact with any fluid substance (the closer to water, the faster the healing process). The healing process is not instantaneous, but submergence of the injured into the same water source Vidalia is in contact with begins the process; as long as Vidalia has a limb inserted in that body of water as the injured at least two minutes every hour, the healing will progress as if she is in direct contact. Vidalia's healing ability allows her to heal herself for others at up to twenty times as fast as normal through water immersion; if she is in physical contact, the healing rate increases to fifty times faster than normal. Like Julia, Vidalia can pass along her healing power through her own bodily fluids; a kiss from Vidalia can heal minor injuries and ailments within minutes. Her healing power also allows her to resist any contaminants or other pollutants within the sea that she may encounter.

Hydrokinesis: Vidalia has a Class Three ability to control any form of liquid around her. Like her sister Julia (who has pyrokinesis), Vidalia can form solid objects from fluids to use as tools, weapons, etc. Vidalia enjoys using her powers around water fountains, where she can create small aquatic creatures to entertain others.

Gliding: Vidalia possesses the exact same ability as her sister Julia, which allows her to travel through the air on air currents alone without the use of any form of assistance. In this manner, Vidalia can travel at speeds of up to the speed of sound (770 MPH). When she uses this ability in conjunction with her hydrokinesis, Vidalia can travel atop bodies of water at speeds up to the speed of sound. (She can also use this ability if she is in a ship of some sort; depending on the size of the vessel, it can travel from 300 MPH down to just over 100 MPH. Of course, she can travel at slower speeds, depending on the structural stability of the vessel. Che cannot accelerate any vessel significantly larger than an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer..

Talents and Interests:

• To Be Added