Groundswell

Groundswell is a net.hero created by Amabel Holland.
Alter Ego:	Lilly Paschall
Aliases:	Merrax the Maimer
Primary Writer:	Amabel Holland
Status:	Member of the LNH (Classic Team)
Usability:	[should prolly ask Amabel]

History

Content Warning: body horror

The sister <or cousin?> of veteran LNHer Carina Paschall AKA Sing-Along Lass, Lilly Paschall worked as a bank teller in Net.ropolis, a job she despised. Unable to pursue her passion of acting and performance, she found herself depressed and unmotivated. But when the Rampaging Elephant attacked the bank she worked at, she rose to the occasion and helped fend him off. Nonetheless, the Elephant captured her and took her to the sewers, where the dread ruler of the New Dogs, Barkseid, gave her a costume and told her she would be imbued with the Power CosMc and battle the LNH!

This baleful cosmic force transformed her into the stone-skinned Merrax the Maimer, who attacked a group of LNHers at the Net.ropolis Mall. She came close to defeating them, even unmasking the Ultimate Ninja, but was vanquished by an unknown power. Reverting to human form, she reunited with Carina.

Lilly joined the LNH, helping the LNH Friends defeat Kalibark and travelling to Apoochcalypse with Ultimate Ninja to get revenge. Her powers had remained dormant, but upon coming to Apoochcalypse they began to return, with pebbles emerging painfully from her skin. When Barkseid killed the Ultimate Ninja, the cosmic power surged through her, transforming her fully once more. She killed Barkseid, and then found herself connected to the Source Code , which allowed her to return the Ninja and their allies to life – at the cost of returning Barkseid as well.

Returning to Loonivearth, she found her apartment had already been sold by the landlord; she no longer had any place in life outside the Legion. She learned from Doctor Stomper that the her body had become a battery for cosmic power and she would periodically transform into Groundswell. Admitted as a probationary LNHer, she defied Ultimate Ninja's orders in leaving the LNHQ to rescue Alicia Avenue's children, and in retaliation the Ultimate Ninja demoted her to reserve member.

Nonetheless, she continue to serve in the Legion, taking part in the Smurph-Snorc War and having various adventures and cheap gag appearances in early issues of Journey Into Irrelevancy. At the end of that series she took on the Bhigghrehenghuyhsian invasion of Earth, impressing the Ninja with her performance.

Net.Heroes on Parade

By now, she'd already grown close to her fellow LNHer Michette Duclos, AKA Lunchbox Lass; their relationship was intense and intimate and soon developed into a strong mutual attraction. She soon also made friends with Maggie Bernard, AKA Yeaworth Lass, who like her struggled with involuntary transformations.

When the Terrible Ones attacked Michette, Lilly, Maggie and a group of other new-ish net.heroes and fellow travelers came to her defense. Lilly took on a leadership role, coordinating the battle to save the woman she cared for deeply.

The LNHQ was soon attacked by a revenant created by Chatillon, which in spite of Lilly's incredible power nearly killed her. She was still in the hospital when Chatillon abducted Mimi, finding out only after she woke up. But even though she was barely on her feet, nothing could stop her from fighting to save her beloved friend.

She fought her way to a hellish area in the LNHQ subbasements where Chatillon held Michette, preparing to steal the part of her soul that belonged to the lunchbox. Chatillon revealed the things Lilly had been hiding: that her powers were killing her and she had at most a year to live, that she was in love with Michette, and that she'd made a deal with Chatillon to not interfere in exchange for gaining her love. But Lilly went back on her deal; she would never let Michette get hurt. With help from Speed Richardson and Tyler Bridge, she vanquished Chatillon and saved Michette. After this, she and Michette were finally able to admit their feelings for each other.

<gay stuff>

Personality

Initially, she was depressed and uncertain of herself. She loved acting and singing in her church choir, but wasn't given a chance to pursue it by her exacting workload, leaving her feeling hollow. Yet from the beginning she was someone who could keep her head in a crisis. Originally, in her powered up form, her determination and strength of will increased greatly. Over time, she became a determined hero whether powered up or not, with strong leadership skills.

She was very self conscious about her appearance during her transition periods, as she'd been as a teenager, when she'd had severe acne.

Powers and Abilities

Lilly's body is a battery for cosmic power, stored in a rocky layer beneath her skin. She periodically transforms, during which she sheds her human skin and becomes a being of stone. The transformation process is painful. She has to recharge after each transformation; after the transformation's end she becomes exhausted and vulnerable. In powered-up form she has superhuman strength and stone skin, as well as a wicked cosmic axe and the power to shoot energy beams.

She could manipulate the Earth in small ways, raising up stone platforms and such, which increased the speed of her transformation.

Appearance

As Lilly, she is lithe, with short cropped hair. Has a long angular nose. There are pebbles poking through her skin on her arms. When powered up, she initially became tall and muscular, with grey stone skin; later she resembled a rockier version of her normal human self.

As Merrax the Maimer, wore a red-paneled shoulder-padded suit which left very little to the imagination. She wore a more modest outfit as Groundswell. New Look Lass gave her a costume made of a puffy material which gave her a lot of space, with V- neck cleavage and a golden LNH belt.

Appearances

• Net.ropolis #1-10
• The Smurph-Snorc War #3-4
• Journey Into Irrelevancy #1, 4, 6, 13, 22-24
• Net.heroes on Parade #1-26/TEB #1-5