Overlord

Tanar t’Darthesin (a.k.a. Overlord)

Original text by Aaron Allston (RIP, my friend)
The man most of Earth knows as Overlord was born Tanar t’Darthesin on the planet of Katar. His mother was Anna Dirkson, a human woman captured from Earth by Katari slavers and sold to Danar, the governor of Katar. By virtue of her indomitable personality, Anna won her freedom, then worked to improve the situation of Terran slaves and ex-slaves, becoming a heroine to the Terrans and their descendants on Katar.
Anna’s son (by Danar) was Tanar. He was a kutu (the Katari equivalent of a nerd)—physically weak because of his Terran heritage, unhappy, studious, and inventive. He resented his mother’s popularity and grace, his father’s strength and charisma, his own weakness and unattractiveness to Katari women. He swore to make himself the most powerful Katari warrior ever, a master of women, and a leader of nations.
By the time he reached manhood, Tanar was a biomedical genius, developing genetic treatments which would eventually make him stronger than any Katari. In the meantime, he designed a suit of powered armor and departed Katar for his mother’s world, where he planned to begin his conquests. On Earth, he finalized his genetic modification program and applied it to himself, but it would be many years before the mutagenic changes would be done, so he continued wearing his power suit.
During this time, while studying the Earth and making his plans, Tanar met a young light-controlling super named Prism (a.k.a. Chloe Christenson), who fell in love with him. Tanar took her back to his underground Lair as his Free Companion, delighted to have someone so devoted to him. Later, during one of his first fights with the superhero team known as the Crusaders, another woman—by the name of Joanna Glenleven—offered to be his companion if only he’d make her wealthy and powerful. Tanar agreed and took her back to his Lair as well. This began a decades-long conflict between Prism and Lady Power.
Over the years Overlord collected other beautiful women: some were Free Companions, others were superheroines he’d captured and implanted with mind-control devices (such as La Panthere). Living up to his oath to be a master of women, he acquired a virtual harem of super-powered females.
Now the most powerful Katari who ever lived, Overlord decided it was time to be a leader of nations. However, his first conquest scheme, the capture of Chile, was thwarted by the Avengers. In fact, the Avengers stopped many of his plans, although a similar attempt by the novice superhero team the Lightbearers ended in disaster. Two members (La Panthere and Ranger) were captured, while a third (SnowFalcon) was killed. Soon after, he tangled with the Avengers again, and was driven off. Soon, the Avengers became a constant foe, even capturing him on one occasion. The authorities mistakenly thought Overlord was of normal strength without his suit, but by now his genetic augmentations had made him super-strong, so he simply walked out of his cell.
Meanwhile, having become fantastically wealthy because of inventions he’d patented, Overlord bought the island of Samana Cay in the Caribbean, intending to use it as his new power base; he abandoned the old Lair.
About this time, Overlord’s oldest child, his daughter Tanith (by Prism) left the Lair, seeking training in the outer world and hoping to gain her father’s attention, which he seldom gave to his daughters. She would go so far as to join the Avengers as the super Luster. At about the same time, his son Morgan (by Lady Power) desired to make his own mark as a conqueror. Overlord opposed the move but eventually gave in to Lady Power’s entreaties, giving Morgan (who called himself Power Lord) the old underground Lair and a team of hired supers. Power Lord then launched his first and only plan: he captured Avengers Mansion while the heroes were out, gassing the civilian employees, teleporting them back to the Lair, then lying in wait for the Avengers to return. But Ichi-ban’s wife Ryoko managed to send out a distress signal; the Avengers returned, aware of his intrusion, and captured him.
Ichi-ban, emotionally unstrung because Power Lord had dared to kidnap and threaten his wife, vowed revenge on the young villain. He used his mystic powers to sneak into Stronghold where Power Lord was held, killing him with a lethal dose of potassium cyanide.
Power Lord’s death shocked Overlord out of the many preconceptions he had about his career and intentions. Depressed, blaming himself for his son’s death, he lost his interest in conquest and domination. Incensed by her son’s death, Lady Power left him, claiming the right to exact revenge on Ichi-ban; Overlord acquiesced to this request and did not pursue Ichi-ban himself. He then freed his mind-controlled companions, altering their memories so they recalled their stays with Overlord as passionate affairs—so they would not be emotionally injured by their time spent with him (unlike La Panthere who still hated him). All of his Free Companions but Prism left him. Depressed, abandoning his plans for conquest, he retired.
Eventually, Overlord’s pride and restless nature got the best of him, and he began work again—this time in the field of technology and medicine. He refined his genetic experiments, developing antigeria treatments, and distributing his volumes of notes to those scientists capable of utilizing them. In addition, he also reconciled with Tanith and the Avengers, assisted the heroes alliance during the Battle of Detroit, taught Man Mountain Thunder the art of Daragak, and discovered a new future for himself, if not as a fully-fledged superhero, then certainly as someone many people, both human and Katari, can look up to.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Tanar is in excellent physical condition due to his genetic treatments. He is well muscled and toned. He has superhuman strength and durability.

Mental characteristics

Sexuality

Polyamorous heterosexual.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Tanar has developed several treatments for anti-aging as well as a plethora of other scientific advances that have benefited humanity.

Mental Trauma

The death of his son, Power Lord, affected him deeply and he has not fully come to grips with his feelings.

Intellectual Characteristics

Overlord has mastered and expanded several fields of science including biology, chemistry, physics and electronics.

Current Status

Working on antigeria treatments as well as many other scientific projects.

Year of Birth

1950 73 Years old

Birthplace

Katar

Current Residence

Samana Cay

Pronouns

He/Him

Sex

Male

Eyes

Black

Hair

Tawny gold

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Scandanavian complexion

Height

6'4"

Weight

260 lbs.

Known Languages

Tanar speaks a large number of languages:

• Arabic
• Cantonese
• English
• Japanese
• K'Pok
• Katari (native)
• Mandarin
• Norwegian
• Russian
• Shivall
• Spanish