László — cardex

Description of László's life before stumbling upon the Salem University for the Misunderstood and Monstrous:

László Ságy was born in 1976 to a poor, rural family in the immediate periphery of Hódmezővásárhely, located squarely in the middle of the Alföld, Hungary's great plains. As neither of his parents were members of the ruling Communist Party, favourable conditions for resettlement weren't afforded to them. His parents were primarily active in agriculture - most specifically, the cultivation of flax. As they were the only family in the region with the know-how of how to cultivate such a plant en masse, they escaped collectivisation and were able to live largely on the backs of their own labour. Even during childhood, László displayed great skill in all matters mathematical and mechanical - learning to count to 100 at age two. He would routinely get in trouble for disassembling mechanical gadgets and knick-knacks, once taking his grandfather's pocket watch apart and putting it back together in the span of two hours. His parents noticed his proclivities, and sent him off to study in Budapest's Party Academy at age 7. There, he was relentlessly bullied for his peculiar personality and oftentimes confounding behaviour - however, this never bothered him much, as the reprieve of his bedroom afforded him more than enough refuge to indulge in his tinkering and crafting of schematics. His whole life turned around once he read a book about electrochemistry from the academy's library - swearing to himself that he would, from then on, dedicate himself to this craft completely. He started flunking out of classes that just didn't interest him, leading him to receive a red notice threatening expulsion. László, at age 13, decided he would not stand for this, and to leave as soon as he could.

However, the machinations of revolution acted faster than he could, and Budapest was soon swept up in the pro-western protests that brought about the end of the regime - and the Party Academy. He immediately hitchhiked his way back to his family's small homestead, spending the rest of his adolescence working at the farm and doing electrical experiments with whatever compounds he could scrounge up from the scrap heap. Once, while trying to haggle over a rod of Gallium at a chemistry supply store, he was noticed by the dean of one of France's largest universities, visiting family in Hódmezővásárhely. After chatting with the intrepid László for a while, he offered the young man a scholarship to study electrochemistry full-time. Once enrolled, he breezed through classes with barely any effort, completely stumping his lecturers. He started writing scientifically sound papers while not even finished with his third semester, managing to be published in the journal "Nature" at the age of 17 - the youngest person ever to have done so without being a co-author. He got fast-tracked directly to the position of Chargé d'enseignement - being able to finish his doctoral degree at the age of 19. He was offered a lucrative permanent teaching and research position at his home university, which he reluctantly accepted, despite his distaste for being tied down. He lasted all of six years as a fully tenured professor before his wanderlust caught back up to him again. He suddenly tendered his resignation, packing a suitcase with his most important earthly possessions, and leaving wherever the cheapest train took him.

Starting at the age of 23, László would fully realise himself as an itinerant academic, suddenly showing up at the house of an expert in the field of electrochemistry unannounced, equipped with nothing but his suitcase, the clothes on his back, and a head full of ideas. He would normally stay for a few days, just enough to collaborate on numerous papers and eat the contents of their fridge, before either being kicked out or packing up his suitcase and moving on to the next collaboration partner. László never showed a desire to settle down, and by all means intended to continue this lifestyle until his last breath. Twenty-six years of such activity passed, and László, now at the age of 49, found himself hitchhiking across Massachusetts. He'd heard rumours of a state-of-the-art electrochemical laboratory, hidden away deep in the old-growth forests of Salem, Massachusetts from one of his repeat collaborators. Not one to let such a chance slip through his fingers, he packed his suitcase and made off for rural Essex County. He spent many hours wandering around aimlessly, however never losing hope about locating his eventual goal. By chance, he spied the flickering of gas lamps through the canopy of trees, immediately beelining there. To his surprise, what he found wasn't just a solitary lab - it was a full-on university, and one he hadn't heard about. More importantly yet, it was one where he hadn't collaborated with anyone. Oh, the knowledge he could receive - oh, the knowledge he could share!

It was late at night when he stepped onto campus, and he immediately made way towards what he perceived to be the professors' flats. He rang the first doorbell he came across, hoping to find a similarly academically-minded person behind the reinforced front door. Before he could enter, however, the campus' security darted out of the shadows and quickly confined László. Apparently, he was somewhere where he wasn't supposed to be.

Ever since then, László has been confined to the Salem University of the Misunderstood and Monstrous' campus, unable to leave due to fears he'd spread news of this place's existence among the world's human population. This, to the transiently-minded László, has been a travesty. At least there was the huge biochemistry lab to keep him company. However, his curiosity would get the better of him - ending up with him having a vat of hyper-reactive chemical compounds spilling over himself. This contact will result in a monumental transformation.

Description of László's personality:

László has always been an eccentric personality. Even in his youth, he has been known as a strange fellow, not being particularly social, but having a keen head for calculations and logical queries. He's had undiagnosed Aspergers' syndrome his entire life, along with a likely case of ADHD. This has led him to focus on the field of electrochemistry in particular, only truly showing his social side when his topic of interest comes up. The little friends László has been able to make throughout his life are all academics within the field of electrochemistry - and he routinely visits them in order to collaborate on yet more papers, or to talk about new theories he's encountered on his travels.

László, when he's not around visiting collaborators, mostly keeps to himself. He doesn't drink, doesn't do drugs, and certainly isn't one for partying. When he's alone, he's mostly buried in books and journals, trying to soak up as much information as possible in order to enhance his own theories, as well as gathering information to share with fellow academics as soon as he gets the chance.

When he visits fellow collaborators, László's mostly a courteous guest, keeping mostly to house rules. However, between visits, he mostly neglects to sustain himself with food and drink, which often leads to him raiding his hosts' fridges. For this reason, people he visits often keep their fridges stocked, lest he show up on their doorstep.

László's never been romantically involved. This is partly due to a lack in interest that stems from romance not being a part of the field of electrochemistry, and his personality and lifestyle seeming offputting to any prospective partner. However, he's not completely against the idea, and should someone understanding of his eclectic personality come along, he wouldn't oppose romantic involvement with too much vehemency.

László hates being tied down, always keeping on the move. He prefers to use public transportation, as he doesn't own a drivers' license. Anywhere that's inaccessible by public transport, he travels to by hitchhiking, and anywhere that doesn't have people willing to take in a strange man into their car, he reaches by travelling by foot.

His long years of itinerancy have led to him developing quite a few survival skills, and he's able to survive in the rough for a couple of days. He finds joy in finding and identifying plants, seeing all of nature as one huge process of electrochemistry. Most disciplines, such as biology, mathematics, engineering, even psychology and sociology - are subordinate to electrochemistry in László's mind. Everything, to him, is part of a process that combines electricity with chemistry, as is life itself.

Despite having studied in largely English-speaking environments, László should still maintain a relatively strong Hungarian accent when speaking, often resulting in peculiar idiosyncracies within his speech.

László's always been a real fan of instrumental music, finding himself being most able to complete essential work when completely immersed in music. As soon as vocals come into play, however, László's out. He's annoyed many a person he's been allowed to hitchhike with by turning off their radio as soon as the "hits" came on.

László dreams of living his current lifestyle until the day of his death, never intending to stop advancing the field of electrochemistry. His preferred way to go out would be during a lecture about this very topic. At least then, he tells himself, he would finally stop getting dumber.

Description of László's physical appearance before his transformation:

László, prior to his transformation, is quite gaunt, never having done any physical exercise of his own free will. As such, he is relatively thin. He constantly walks with his hands behind his back, and has done so since his youth, which gives him the appearance of a cranky old uncle.

He's got what could best be described as a mess of curly grey-and-black hair, as well as a relatively unkempt beard - though he does shave down whenever given the chance. However, the chance isn't given all too often. László's starting to go bald on the top of his head. While it isn't normally noticable, the bald spot has been growing in prominence over the last five years.

László chiefly dresses in short-sleeve, brown-ish button-down tartan shirts. This is both due to him resenting the restrictions long-sleeve shirts put on him, as well as the knowledge that stains on brown clothing are much harder to spot, and as such, it's easier for him to keep up a clean appearance.

He wears a pair of thick-rimmed prescription glasses, due to him being very near-sighted. Even if he wanted to, his terrible eyesight prevents him from getting a drivers' license.

Description of László's transformation:

When László spills the highly reactive compound within Salem University of the Misunderstood and Monstrous' electrochemistry lab over himself, his body undergoes a process of irreversible, monumental transformation, laid out in four distinct phases.

Phase 1 - 0-10 minutes after initial exposure:

During the first phase, László will experience a dramatic change in physique, expressed chiefly through a gain of musculature the like of which László has never experienced. In the span of 10 minutes, László will gain muscles as would befit a lifelong powerlifter, and doubling his body weight merely due to muscle.

This should also go along with an initial increase in László's height, increasing from his previous 1.65 metres (5'3" feet) to a markedly taller 1.82 metres (6'0" feet on the dot). However, successive phases should increase his height even further. During the first phase, his height should increase to 1.82 metres at most during this phase.

Phase 2 - 10-30 minutes after initial exposure:

During the second phase, László should truly begin his transformation into a monster. First, his whole body should be covered in shaggy, grey fur of medium length, emanating a light, but lingering smell of sulphur. In the area above the bridge of his nose, the a third eye should begin to form. This should happen in conjuncture with László's eyes turning a burning, crimson red, as would be expected of, say, the devil.

At the same time, László's finger- and toenails should extend considerably and darken, resembling claws more than their actual human counterparts. These should be made out of pure obsidian, and able to cut even through steel.

The beginnings of László's horns should begin to show at this stage, poking out of his cranium. While the transformation should be quite painful, László should be fascinated by what he sees as another stage of electrochemical research.

Phase 3 - 30-60 minutes after initial exposure:

During stage three, Lászlo's transformation should rapidly accelerate. For one, his face should push out into a lupine muzzle, adorned with sharp teeth and a black, cool nose. His already crimson eyes should become slitted, with his third eye developing fully. Him being able to see through a sudden additional eye should cause momentary confusion, his vision becoming blurry before his body is able to adjust.

László's ears should gain points and extend out of the sides of his head, not unlike artistic deptictions of the Devil. His hearing should become sharper, and he should be able to pick up on even the slightest details.

At this point, his legs should evolve from plantigrade to digitigrade, with his knees snapping backwards in a rather violent fashion - his stance, therefore, should adjust, along with the way he manages the centre of gravity within his body. László's greatest worry, at this point, should be about no longer being able to effortlessly collaborate with fellow academics outside the Salem University for the Misunderstood and Monstrous, though he should find his own transformation, though painful, quite academically interesting.

Phase 4 - 60-80 minutes after initial exposure:

The fourth and final phase goes along with the conclusion of László's transformation. During this stage, his horns should extend outwards quite far, until they extend a considerable distance past the back of his head. They should gain a colour akin to copper - not quite red, but not quite white, either.

László's body size should increase even further during the fourth stage, increasing from 1.82 metres (6'0" feet) to 2.56 metres (8'4" feet) within a matter of 20 minutes. Along with that, his already considerable musculature should engorge even further, making him look like a titanic beast of burden.

László's personality should remain untouched by the changes.

Character description