Suttee (Virtue)
Affiliations
Suttee is a student with Squadron X (Virtue Supergroups).
Backstory
Mohini Roshan comes from a small village in India that still practices many of the ancient Hindu customs. Mohini's father Minesh was a farmer and horse trader, and it was during an accident that he was trampled to death by a stampede of horses. The villagers mourned the loss of Minesh, but they also demanded that his wife Shilpa sacrifice her own life as well atop his funeral pyre as per the ancient suttee customs. Although Shilpa was a devout woman who loved her husband and never would have remarried she had no intentions of committing suicide, especially since no arrangements had been made for Mohini. then 13, to marry anyone in the village.
Shilpa was forced against her will to partake in the suttee ritual, an event that still traumatizes Mohini. Shilpa was cast onto her husband's pyre while several villagers held Mohini back, but this did nothing to stop Mohini's latent mutant abilities from erupting. As Shilpa succumbed to the flames Mohini screamed and also burst into a conflagration of fire, igniting those around her so badly that many of them died from the burns. Mohini leapt into the funeral pyre to drag her mother from the flames, but Shilpa was already dead and her body began to crumble in the incinerating heat.
Mohini ran in fear from her home, the terrified screams of the villagers cursing the burning girl to never return. Unable to return to her relatives for fear of what could happen to them or her, Mohini continued running away and lived as a vagrant and street urchin for several years. Mohini eventually made her way to New Delhi where she existed as a pickpocket and thief for a time. She was arrested at least once, but was able to burn her way out of her jail cell and escape.
For several months Mohini wandered New Delhi, and found refuge among many other young urchins and abandoned children. Her abilities ensured these children that Mohini was a goddess, and they did anything and everything for her. Had she not been a good natured young girl Mohini very easily could have worked these vagabonds into a fanatical band of thieves, but Mohini had no desire to do this.
In January of 2008 Mohini was found in New Delhi by a small group of two Americans and a Nigerian teenager who were looking for a young girl who was responsible for starting several fires without using any noticable accelerants. The Nigerian, who went by the name of Nairobi (Virtue), was able to find Mohini quite easily even when she attempted to evade detection. The Americans, a man and woman named Morisco (Virtue) and Polarias (Virtue) spoke to Mohini through Nairobi and offered to help her understand what she truly was and to develop her powers more effectively. Although Mohini was sad at the thought of leaving her adopted family of street children, she realized that she needed a more proper environment to fully understand her potential.
Mohini is now a member of Squadron X (Virtue Supergroups) and has relocated to Paragon City. She speaks broken English and often mispronounces or misuses words and phrases, but she is learning very quickly. Although it may be easy to assume that she is not very intelligent, Mohini speaks every Indian language (22 of them!) and is a prodigy at mathematics. Mohini has taken the name of Suttee as a reminder of the origins of her powers and to honor the unwilling death of her mother.
Powers
Firey Aura
Mohini can self-immolate and surround herself with a blazing shield of fire. These flames are hot enough to actually protect her from physical harm as metal objects like steel and lead will soften and melt while organic materials like wood and flesh will burn. Mohini can also extend this aura around herself, igniting and burning anything and anyone who stands close enough. Unfortunately for Mohini her firey auras burn through clothing, including her own, so she isn't too quick to use this ability in public. Mohini carries a backpack full of extra clothing just in case, at least until she can have a costume or uniform designed to accomodate her abilities.
Firey Melee
Mohini can also focus her flames around her hands and wield them in a far more dangerous manner. By touching a target Mohini can inflict severe burns upon it, and if she holds on long enough the heat and flames will eventually consume the entire object. Although this ability makes it difficult for Mohini to use her powers 'safely' against people, she has learned how to diminish the heat that surrounds her to the level where only first and second degree burns will be inflicted. Mohini watched in horror as her mother burned to death and has no desire to inflict this upon someone else, no matter how evil or 'deserving' they may be. When Mohini uses this ability to confront a dangerous person she intensifies the heat and flames only to the point where repeated exposure will cause the target to fall unconscious due to the searing pain.
