| Introduction
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xxxxxPlant dude, instructor at Xavier's Academy, and member of the X-Men.
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| History
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xxxxxIn October of 1984, Kansans Terry and Chuck McClain welcomed Silas into the world. Silas was the third child of the McClain clan, a Kansas farming family from a long line of farmers. The McClains worked a wheat farm, with children expected to be full participants in the work when not at school. Silas had a natural aptitude and took joy in helping his mother in the homestead’s vegetable garden. Plants always seemed to grow full and healthy in his care.
xxxxxThe simple placid life was disrupted in Silas’ fourteenth year. As his body underwent the normal changes of young men, something else began to happen. Before any outward manifestations of his eventual mutation became apparent, Silas began to notice when he worked the garden or the fields he could stimulate flowering and growth in plants just by touching them. Considering this ability freakish, he hid this fact from his family. Later, he began to feel incredibly ill, pain that seemed to emanate from every cell in his body. His mother took him to the nearest doctor who was entirely baffled by the severe pain that caused the young man to scream nearly constantly. Pain relievers and all medicines seemed to have no effect. Inexplicably, all of the young man’s hair fell out, even his eyebrows. His eyes shifted from a plain brown to a vibrant green, and the pain seemed to have no abatement.
xxxxxSilas was taken to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where diagnosticians ran every test they knew of to explain the boy’s predicament. One morning, a nurse came in to check on him, expecting to hear him screaming in pain as he had been for days, but instead she was the one ended up shrieking. Around the boy’s bed was his skin, shed entirely. In its place was a lush green flesh, stalks for limbs, and blooming in a crown on his previously bald head were daffodils, matching a vase of the flowers placed in his hospital room.
xxxxxThe news spread of the mutant ‘plant boy’ of Agra. Silas’ family was naturally shocked, but before long came to accept their son’s new appearance and shielded him from the local media circus. Medical test after medical test later, Silas begged his family to stop him from becoming a lab rat. Chuck checked his son out against medical advice and took him back to Agra. The news story reached the attention of Xavier who contacted the family, offering his services in schooling the young boy, but the family refused, preferring home schooling.
xxxxxUnfortunately, the news story also made the attention of a research lab at a large agribusiness firm interested in genetic modification of plants. One morning the McClains couldn’t find Silas. Unbeknownst to them, Silas was in a lab strapped to a table. Attempting to find agricultural applications from Silas’ mutation, the lab became the young man’s personal hell. The researchers forced him to emulate different plans, hacked off bits for biopsy, and injected him with various substances to test his body’s response. After two months with no success of police finding Silas, the McClain family reached out to Xavier for help. X-Men broke into the lab and freed Silas, though had to prevent young Silas from choking the lead researcher to death with his arm-vines.
xxxxxSilas’ parents saw the necessity of him being protected and guided in his abilities and agreed for him to attend Xavier’s school. Early on, Silas’ treatment at the hands of the researchers lead him to echo some of the beliefs of Magneto, fearing and hating humankind. Over time, Xavier and others tapped into his continued love of his family to break him of his hateful attitudes and made him a convert to Professor X’s philosophy of coexistence. There Silas grew into a humble, affable young man who was diligent in his studies. After matriculating, Silas continued serving Xavier as a member of the X-Men going by the alias Sylvan. Meanwhile, Silas pursued higher education in SUNY’s distance and later online courses, earning a BS and MS in biology, specializing in botany.
xxxxxAfter eight years, Silas felt he should spend some time as a private citizen and retired from active service. In the interim he traveled extensively, often spending times in forests and natural environments around the world. He also spent time in famine stricken areas, fostering food growth. In 2016, Silas began to long for a purpose besides doing an impressive impersonation of a douglas fir and volunteered to serve as an instructor with his old Professor.
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| Powers
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Plant Form
Silas’ entire body is made up of plant cells, though their form is variable. While he usually holds a vaguely human shape to avoid dysphoria, he can take non-bipedal form. His head and some form of attached trunk for his internal organs are integral parts and cannot be shed. His size is not fixed, though the larger he is, the more resources he requires to live and thus his resting form is rather short and slender. While in his youth he was locked into emulating a single plant’s form, he can now borrow elements piecemeal.
Resilience and Regeneration
Silas is entirely immune to human ailments and diseases, yet is susceptible to disorders that affect plants. Physical blows have little effect and Silas feels little pain even if a limb is severed. Regeneration after being wounded requires significant focus and resources.
Sustenance
Silas’ base metabolism is lower than an average human, but he requires significantly more resources when undergoing any transformation or regeneration of his form. Silas is fully capable of sustaining himself from photosynthesis though still eats and enjoys doing so. Sunlight or similar light is needed for photosynthesis and extended periods of darkness weaken him and eventually could be fatal. He needs certain nutrients, especially nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and calcium. These can be derived from soil absorption or eaten items. The more extensive or more rapid the change or regeneration, the more resources are required. Silas breathes in carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen.
Flame and Frost
As a plant, Silas has a rational fear of flame. Fire will damage him far more than physical blows will and burns hinder his regeneration. He generates no body heat and is subject to the ambient temperature. Frost retards his ability to change his shape, and severe enough cold will halt his metabolism entirely.
Chlorokinesis
Silas can grow existing plants, make them bloom, and even cause them to move in rudimentary ways, but only upon direct physical contact. Limitations on these interactions face the same sustenance requirements as his personal transformations. He cannot create plants where none exist and cannot alter the inherent traits of plants he interacts with.
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| Skills
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xxxxxAs a former farmer, credentialed botanist, and plant being, Silas has significant skills in the area of biology, agriculture, and animal husbandry. He has strengths in wild environments like navigating, telling poisonous plants from others, and natural medicines. On the farm and in his courses at Xavier’s School he grew to be an able horseman.
xxxxxIn his training as a member of the X-Men, he trained in the martial art of Muay Thai and is an able fighter. He was never particularly skilled with any melee or ranged weapon use and prefers to use his body. As a team member, he is known for being empathetic, supportive, and self-sacrificial.
xxxxxSilas is a bit of a luddite when it comes to modern technology, especially computers. He enjoys needlework, being skilled in both knitting and crochet, often giving his handiwork as gifts. Silas also enjoys playing cards, especially poker.
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| Connections
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Friends
- Liv - Student and fellow chlorokinetic. She'll be a plant master before long if I have my way!
Foes
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| Gallery
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[[Image:|x150px]]
[[Image:|x150px]]
[[Image:|x150px]]
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| Silas Clayton McClain
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| Codename
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Sylvan
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| Birthdate
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10/7/1984
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| Birthplace
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Agra, KS, USA
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| Species
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Mutant
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| Affiliation
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Xavier's Academy
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| Alignment
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Chaotic Good
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| Powers
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Plant Form, Chlorokinesis
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| Occupation
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Professor
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| Registration Status
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Unregistered
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| Played By
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Neil Patrick Harris
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| RP Hooks
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| Class of 2002 - Silas graduated from Xavier's Academy in 2002 - perhaps you were in the Academy at the same time?
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| Ex-Lab Rat - Silas was kidnapped in his youth and experimented on heavily by an agribusiness. Maybe you can empathize?
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| Do-Gooder - He served as a member of the X-Men from 2002-2010. Were you friend or foe during the same period?
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