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He stood beneath the guy they’d strung up, blood running off of the shroud that seemed to flow from his back and the edges of his face. His expression was hard to read, but the fact that he seemed to be luxuriating in the blood rather than avoiding it… it didn’t put him in my good books.

Taylor, Venom 29.5

Mantellum is a Case 53 who was involved in the Irregulars' raid on Cauldron's headquarters after Gold Morning began.

Appearance[]

Mantellum has a cloak and a tail that coils behind him, making him look like a human manta ray whose folds drape over the surrounding area.[1]

His appearance changed over time.[3]

Abilities and Powers[]

Mantellum's area-of-effect power creates increasingly protective layers that block perception powers[4] into or out of his radius[5] by blinding shards.[6] This even affects subconscious ones such as Lung's transformation, and human senses.[7] This effect is so intensive that it blocks even Contessa's power, although it does not work across dimensional boundaries,[8] or video.[7]

According to Cauldron records, his power nullifies sensory aspects of powers[4] within 15 feet of him and conventional senses within 5 feet. However, during the Irregulars' raid, his power's radius was around 100 feet.[9] Although Doctor Mother speculates the Irregulars used a Tinker or a power-boosting Trump to help develop his power,[10] Sveta states that they helped him get strong mostly by giving him a chance to figure out how his power worked.[11]

History[]

Background[]

Mantellum was Cauldron test subject 2601.[1] Because Cauldron thought that his powers were not developing, they released him into Earth Bet, and he was termed a Case 53.[10]

Post-Echidna[]

The Irregulars found Mantellum sometime after their formation.[2] They helped him get stronger.[11]

Gold Morning[]

Mantellum accompanied the Irregulars on their raid on Cauldron's headquarters to foil Contessa and the Custodian, whose abilities his power blocked, while other Irregulars cornered Doctor Mother downstairs from their entrance.[12] His power nullification forced Contessa to escape the facility through a dimensional portal and fake her own death at the hands of another Irregular.[8] Meanwhile, the Custodian led Weaver's group to Mantellum's blind spot, where Weaver used her swarm to kill him with Defiant's nano-thorn knife.[13]

Chapter Appearances[]

Worm Chapter Appearances
Cockroaches
1. Cockroaches 28.1 Absent
2. Cockroaches 28.2 Absent
3. Cockroaches 28.3 Absent
4. Cockroaches 28.4 Absent
5. Cockroaches 28.5 Absent
6. Cockroaches 28.6 Absent
x. Interlude 28 Debut
Venom
1. Venom 29.1 Absent
2. Venom 29.2 Absent
3. Venom 29.3 Absent
4. Venom 29.4 Appears
5. Venom 29.5 Appears
6. Venom 29.6 Absent
7. Venom 29.7 Absent
8. Venom 29.8 Absent
9. Venom 29.9 Mentioned
x. Interlude 29 Appears

Trivia[]

  • "Mantellum" means "mantle" or "cape" in Latin.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 “You let too many free,” Weld said. He almost sounded sad. “You see that guy over there?”

    She looked. It looked like a human manta ray, though his folds draped over the surrounding area. A tail coiled behind him.

    “Yes. Two-six-zero-one, if I remember right.”

    “Mantellum.” - Excerpt from Interlude 28
  2. 2.0 2.1 “I was talking with some of the guys, I think it was yesterday. You know, I’m the oldest of the under-sixteens. The older Irregulars found the one we’re calling The Cloak two days ago-”

    “Mantellum.”

    “Yeah. And it sounds like as soon as we have a good window or opportunity to go after Cauldron, we can.” - Black 13.z
  3. “Micro-dots, hidden in the tattoos,” Sveta said, touching her cheekbone, where the tattoo stood out. “One of the Irregulars had it discovered while they were in the PRT, trying to figure out if the tattoos were applied in a specific way.”
    [...]
    “Some cases changed over time,” Five clarified. “Mantellum was one. Cauldron found it useful to have a way of tracking subjects.” - Infrared 19.8
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mantellum Case 53. Blocks out sensory aspects of powers progressively more with proximity. Irregulars - Parahuman List, bolded edit by Wildbow
  5. Mantellum operates in a different way than Hatchet Face, blocking all power use into or out of his radius. It becomes a contest of strength. Make your decision accordingly. - Comment by Wildbow on Reddit
  6. How do you nullify a power in Wormverse? Would any old power nullifier from another universe work, or does it need to be done in a specific way? Similarly, what would it take to duplicate a Wormverse power?
    Mantellum was a power nullifier who basically blinded shards. He arguably wouldn't have any effect on a sensory power that wasn't a Worm power. - Comment by Wildbow on Reddit
  7. 7.0 7.1 Excerpt from Venom 29.4
  8. 8.0 8.1 Excerpt from Interlude 29
  9. It’s a power with layers. Each successive layer enhances the level of protection. Except everything on record says the range it blocks powers only extends about fifteen feet. Get within five feet, no senses work. It’s not supposed to be a hundred feet like this.

    “Six times the range,” Cuff said.

    Somehow.” - Excerpt from Venom 29.5
  10. 10.0 10.1 “Ah. We didn’t think his powers were developing.”

    “You do,” Weld said. “But he, we, found workarounds.”

    “Curious. Can I ask?”

    “No,” Weld said. “Bad form, to outline that sort of thing.”

    A tinker, perhaps, or the right power-boosting trump. - Excerpt from Interlude 28
  11. 11.0 11.1 Sveta nodded. “Could. Absolutely. But once you start thinking like that about a precog, there’s no coming back up for air. It sucks you down. With Contessa, we found a possible in, a weak Case Fifty-Three that Thinkers couldn’t see clearly, we helped him get stronger, mostly by giving him a chance to figure out how it worked, and then we moved fast. We should move fast.” - Excerpt from Radiation 18.9
  12. Excerpt from Interlude 28
  13. People were reacting, outside the circle. How much damage had I done?

    The lights went out.

    Another pass.

    Mantellum’s effect dissipated. The blind spot filled in, a crowd, capes, blood spraying. My bugs could sense them all. - Excerpt from Venom 29.5

Site Navigation[]

Case 53s
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The Irregulars
Leader Weld 
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