Barfbat

<infobox> <title source="name"><default>Barfbat</default></title>

<image source="Image"></image> <image source="image"></image> <group><header>Basic Information</header> <label>Civilian Name</label> <label>Aliases</label> <label>Gender</label><default>Unknown</default> <label>Death</label> <label>Age</label><default>Unknown</default> <label>Post-timeskip</label> <label>Ward start</label> <label>Relations</label> <label>Family</label></group> <group><header>Professional Status</header> <label>Occupation</label> <label>Classification</label> <label>Unique Features</label> <label>Alignment</label>

<label>Status</label><format>

{{{status}}}

</format>

<label>Location</label> <label>Teams</label> <label>Previous Team(s)</label> <label>Base of Operations</label></group> <group><header>First Appearance</header> <label>Worm Debut</label> <label>Ward Debut</label></group> </infobox> Barfbat is a parahuman in the employ of Cauldron.<ref name="5xII e1">“Fair,” she said. “Who are we waiting for?”

“A handsome fellow known as Barfbat.”

“I know Barfbat. He took us out to eat, remember? The restaurant had chickens in cages just outside the door.”

“Was that him? Right. Well, speak of the devil and he’ll appear.”
[...]
Kurt waved the others back. Barfbat and the two boys backed off, keeping a respectful distance, so the conversation would be quiet. - Excerpt from Interlude 5x II</ref>

Personality

Jocular but professional.

Relationships

Has a working companion in Chugalug.

Appearance

He never looks the same.

Abilities and Powers

Barfbat is the type of changer, self mutating tracker. For example, he can fly with the help of wings and strange inflatable tumor-like growths. He can also make a slit appear down his face, resembling a bat's nose and aiding him find people with its associated super-smell. This is presumably the source of his name.<ref name="5xII e3">Barfbat winged his way down. Tumorous, fluid-filled growths deflated and his wings retracted.
[...]
A slit appeared down the center of his face, and then it parted in layers, each layer adding to a flower-like bloom that was a comprehensive nose that obscured eyes and ears both. Tumors swelled and filled with fluid around his neck and shoulders, stretching out until the skin was transparent, veins standing out where the light hit them.

He broke into a run, arms extending until he could use them to help run, and Jeanne and Kurt both followed. As they reached the outskirts of the little town, they caught up with Kurt’s younger ‘brothers’.

Barfbat had an augmented body, but Kurt and his brothers had efficient movement. Jeanne was fit, she exercised and ran every day, and she could use her power to help traverse obstacles or reduce wind resistance, but it was still an effort to keep up.

They caught up with the thief. It didn’t take long. The terrain was hilly, and that slowed their quarry more than it slowed any of them. - Excerpt from Interlude 5x II</ref>

He is also noted to have enhanced hearing.<ref>“Moose-” Rain started, barely audible. I tensed at his voice, looking up. I motioned for him to continue. “Moose said Barfbat has enhanced hearing and smell.” - Excerpt from Heavens 12.6</ref>

History

Background

Was a recipient of a Cauldron vial in 1998 worked several favours,<ref name=5xII_e2>“Hi Barfbat,” Jeanne said.

“It’s nice to see you, Jeanne. This is really it, Number Man? I’m done?”

“This will be the last favor we ask of you, and your contract from June 1998 will be considered finished,” Kurt said.

“It’s about time,” Barfbat said. “Decades of my life spent keeping a phone nearby.”

“We’ve helped you out along the way, as payment for having you in reserve. But time is of the essence. Can you sniff out our man? I think he’ll be scared.” - Excerpt from Interlude 5x II</ref> still had one left to do.

He languished for a while waiting to be called on for his last favor, though he was compensated for this.<ref name=5xII_e2/>

Gold Morning

Presumably participated as others did, willingly and unwillingly.

Early-Ward

Helped Cauldron track down an old acquaintance thus completing his final favour.

Post-Goddess' Takeover

Hired by Cradle as part of a mercenary group on Earth N.<ref>Heavens 12.5</ref>

Trivia

• Barfbat is an example of a parahuman whose physiology grants him enhanced senses without putting him into a thinker category,<ref name=RPG1>Question by braincraft: What classification is used for enhanced or expanded senses? There are a lot of characters in Worm that have something along those lines, and outside of Worm there's stuff like Superman's telescopic vision, x-ray vision, and enhanced hearing, or Wolverine's ability to track by scent.
  
  Answer by Wildbow: Thinker. In some rare cases they'd fall under a Brute classification. - RPG.net comment by Wildbow.</ref> the same applies to his enhanced speed, which technically could qualify him as a Mover.
• It is unknown if he actually has a cauldron tattoo.

References

<references/>