Name:[color=9e0b0f][b] Sir John Blackburn [/b][/color] stats : [hider] Agility- 5 Smarts: 6 Spirit: 5 Strength: 4 Vigor: 5 [/hider] Skills: [hider] Fighting- 1 Gambling -2 Investigation - 3 Knowledge- 3 Lockpicking- 1 Persuasion - 3 Shooting -1 [/hider] Appearance: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/230880198499893248/437272291144105984/271743c2204c59b702374600312eeaf9.jpg Gear weapons: John main weapon is an Four Barrelled Howdah Pistol that he acquired during the Abyssinia Expedition, Very short range and only holds four bullets but it can drop an elephant. John also carries his 1845 pattern infantry officer’s sword on his back and whilst not an weapon John also has his Gentleman's lion head Cane. outfit: John's outfit is an three piece suit in a new steampunk-ist style that has been gathering popularity in the UK. On his feet John wears Army issue Hessian boots: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/290669413257052160/436964334371864579/d17f861849146563412317f22aae7502.jpg Other notable items: Marked cards Background: [hider] Born into a working class family John's prospect's changed when his father was given an Battlefield promotion during Crimean War. Instead of joining the Grunts like his father and grandfather had done, John attended Military school and gained an lieutenant commission in the Indian Army were he fought in the Abyssinia Expedition. Shortly after the expedition John was promoted to captain but despite John's skill he was shunned by the officers and men alike for being of working class origin. It got so bad that John was about to leave the Army when he was approached by a member of the Directorate of Military Intelligence and offered an role in the growing organisation. John accepted and for the next ten years worked for Military Intelligence, Helping the Birtish Empire from the Shadows. The Directorate of Military Intelligence has know about the dead and various other monsters appearing on earth for several years now, with John himself being one of the first members of the directorate to witness it first hand at the battle of sedan. Posing as "birtish advisor" to French John was actual there to eliminate a French colonel and acquire the documents he carried but with the Frogs losing so badly John was dragged into the fighting before he could escape. With the help of an Franz, an member of the Austrian expeditionary force and a French solider named Constantin John was able to hold of the Prussian and was about flee when the unthinkable happened: the corpses of the fallen rose up. Soon they were surrounded as undead Prussians, French, and Austrians lashed out from all sides. They where almost overwhelmed but managed escape though an Prussian Artillery Barrage and fled into the Night. Resting in a nearby forest it was discovered that Constantin had been hit in the chest with artillery shrapnel. Despite Constantin's Plees and John's suggestion he die instead of "forever be embarrassed that bloody Prussians beat them." Franz couldn't bring himself to abandon a fellow soldier. He pulled the shrapnel out piece by piece and bandaged the wound, saving Constantin from death His screams. "Tough French Bastard isn't he?" Hiking back to Paris they arrived just in time for the coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Helping Franz (And Constantin) get their compensation and release from service the group went their own separate ways although before they did, they exchanged contact details... Franz and Constantin were talented soldiers and could been of use to the Directorate.. or to John himself. Returning to England John continued to work for the Directorate but was now tasked to find out more about the dead and various other monsters appearing that people had long considers to be fairtale stories. By 1879 this investigation had led john to American. The civil war has recently "ended" with a peacefire and despite some rumours and hostile Indian tribes people flocked to American west to get their hands on "Ghost Rock" a new resource than burns Five Times Hotter and 100 Times Longer than Coal. By chance Franz, now a member of the Imperial Society and the Frenchman from sedan where also heading to American. claiming to now be an moderate successful Businessman John joined them, claiming to be interested in ghost rock for a factory he part owned. The group took a ship together across the pond. arriving in American Franz acquired a coach and the small band of old European soldiers is on their way to Selina, Kansas. [/hider] Worst Nightmare - Being beaten by an Frenchmen