STATUS:
10+ years of an RP idea, finally finished, on 10.10.2025. Goodnight Raven Squad, you were the best, wildest, most silly near future SOF RP that lived on the guild, and you got a worthy send off :)
9 mos ago
Current
10+ years of an RP idea, finally finished, on 10.10.2025. Goodnight Raven Squad, you were the best, wildest, most silly near future SOF RP that lived on the guild, and you got a worthy send off :)
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likes
Bio
I've RP'd for the best part of over 15 years now here on the Guild, and particularly like military settings, both contemporary, past and near future. I have even dabbled in a little more experimental RPs, as well as created a plethora of 1x1s over my time in the guild. I like creating RPs with a distinct flavour- and often shift between narrative-led RPs to semi-randomised plots. I've been more a GM lately than a player, and don't really lean into fandom- instead, exploring my own universes lifting themes from other source material.
My main interests are military-themed, near-future RPs, with a focus on technology. But I'm beginning to push what that RP idea looks like- taking inspiration from lots of media and focussing on the fun, indulgent side of RP, whilst also exploring the lows and emotional side.
Raven Squad is a project over seven years in the making, and focusses on a class-based, eccentric yet half-grounded near future special forces team that acts as a response team where you can't send any special forces team in. It's incredibly dumb, incredibly loose, and yet, has delivered some of my favourite plot points in RPG. A brainless action flick a la John Wick and Kingsman meets a complex thriller with a fun left turn in it, Raven has been the culmination of over a decade of loving special forces RPG, gaming influences and other silliness in a package that has provided players with something quite different to a normal military themed RPG. While at an end, this is an RP that is a signature- it's silly as hell, takes itself barely seriously, and is what peak fun military RPG to me should be.
Delta Hyper is a love letter to Wipeout, F1's Drive to Survive (Netflix) and contemporary Formula One, with influences from solarpunk, cyberpunk, transhumanism and other posthumanist concepts. An RP that follows pilots in their ups and downs, it's a story that hasn't got me playing an actual character, but framing the camera at each pilot (played by others), and presenting it as if it were a documentary. Lifting elements from TTRPG, this is a Racing RPG like no other and no parallel exists- using dice rolls and randomisation, with a stats-driven system to generate race results, rather than actually RPing the races, players experience the fast-paced, dynamic world of anti-gravity racing. This means that come Qualifying and Race, the results are genuinely a surprise to everyone- and based on decisions made through dilemmas and decisions made between races. Friendships, rivalry, the glamour and even a little political undertone play out in 2094, in a colourful, utopian future that focuses on the fight to take first place.
Then there's Tactical Breach Wizards: Fireteam Hex. First use of any set IP as a formal setting, this is an RP that offers a darker mirror to Raven Squad, focussing on the other side of the equation- unlikely heroes in an uncomfortable position. I don't normally do fantasy, but the world, the lore, the feeling of the characters and the ability to write a comedy just was too difficult to pass up. An RP that focuses on a group running away from a variety of threats as wanted mercenary wizards in the middle of a post-revolution, Eastern-Europe adjacent 1990s to present Polavia.
Lastly, Dispatch: Heroes of Claremont. This is another IP-adjacent world, albeit drawing on a different setting and a new cast of superheroes. As my "first" proper superhero RP, this combines workplace comedy, a Storyteller-lite system and a fun, diverse, and large cast together in a dynamic, diverse setting.
I'm pretty flexible and try and get back to people on ideas and responses, but sometimes, I may become very busy and it will take some time till I am un-busy. I aim to clear posts within a week!
Cool- mind if I slightly pitch things forward into the armoury with my next post? I can get some sweet-talk going in there, between the various operatives in some quick-fire stuff if needs be, or even collabs :)
I also put in a really cheesy moment that only me and @ONL are gonna understand, it's a bit of a throwback to my first post in a MW RP, very similar to this....six years ago when I was new to RPG.
Also, there might be some unrestricted savage in my post, at least, mentally. Because I think Merlin's good at that. Rise to it how you like :D I do want to play him as a complete cynicism to the team and it'll make him/me look like a complete asshole for a while, but every member of the team will get his respect, one way or another....promise ;P
Merlin's kinda a grenadier, but he might not use the UGL on his SCAR a lot- or, for special stuff, he might just take a full-size shotty over his 870, such as an M1014, or AA-12. With a drum. And potentially 12 gauge frags.
Why bother being a grenadier when you can carry an automatic shotgun that fires explosive rounds? :D (although practicality means that it can't be used for 99 percent of things that you'd normally use a shotgun for, eg. closer quarters, and half a dozen reasons that I could start reeling off....)
Merlin's SCAR actually makes him a bit more of a Designated Marksman if he had to be oto, with a close-up effect if he puts a longer barrel and stock adjustment into it, he handles that 7.62mm round rather nicely. For diving stuff, perfect, otherwise, a 7.62mm FN Minimi (I thought about the FN MAG, and other bigger GPMGs, but I thought for Merlin's role as more of an Automatic Rifleman who can move about, yet fire a harder round, the Minimi is a better shot) lights shit the fuck up. Hurrah.
Scwheet! I'm gonna have fun with Merlin. I think with half the team, he's going to be a judgemental arsehole, and the other half, he'll be pretty amicable. By judgemental arsehole, I will advise you ahead, his swearing is gonna be good....Edward on the other hand, I think is kinda gonna be getting on with anyone :P
Chief Warrant Officer Merlin Bastion looked operator-esque, not formal, not even like he was trying to make an effort, his long, black curly hair poking a little out from the back of his beanie, his blackbeard at full drive, to Hell's Angels extent with a simple ponytail knotted in at the chin, wearing a blue thermal shirt and a pair of MTP-fatigued trousers. And being on the carrier already, sent ahead of the Captain, he had acclimatised to the excess that was an American aircraft carrier, the USS Washington no less. Everyone kept ranting an raving, and he'd been on one before, it was too fucking much. He would rather prefer a smaller ship, a smaller place, more basic. That way, you could actually smuggle a box with a couple of bottles of cider in, the decent tipple. This place was too locked up, in it's own ass, he thought to himself.
He headed down into the bowels of the ship, past the armouries he'd been sitting in for the last three hours, adjusting his weaponry, past the enormous aircraft storage and barrack areas, and past at least a few dozen people already, all shaven, all formal. Then there was him. He knew he didn't fit the usual remit of a soldier, but nobody would dare question him when details were presented, not when the record and track details of who Chief Warrant Officer Merlin "Wizard" Bastion was shown. He headed through another corridor, close to the briefing room, the noise of footsteps behind.
Walking past, Ed bumped into the large Warrant Officer, Merlin looking down from his stout frame, through the narrow corridor. Ed was not as tall as Merlin, and wearing a Auscam shirt and trousers, a boonie hat slung around in his hand, he seemed rather different. Slim, and young, he was newer to this, clearly. "Shit, you're Merlin Bastion, right?" Ed asked, as Merlin chuckled in a brushing-off tone, Ed sounding confident and keen, already aware of who Merlin precisely was. "Nah, we get confused a lot. Sorry mate." Merlin said, as he was about to walk away, not really rating the Kiwi he had just spoken to, as Ed ran ahead. "No, it's definitely you! I've been told you're 2IC of the team, we're meeting in five minutes! Couldn't mistake you, could I?" Ed was keen, too much so, filled with the energy that came with being put into Echo, with the big leagues. The stories he had heard about Merlin were enough to really keep him interested, though Merlin seemed to not care. "Mate, I've heard the stories, you're a fucking legend in the SOF circles, and-" "Close to ventilating your eye socket. Calm your shit." Merlin sighed to the Kiwi's keenness, as he turned back to the New Zealander.
"We are meeting in five. You seem like you're gonna be fresh meat, so don't get fucking fried on the fire too fast. What's your name, lad?" Merlin asked, as Ed stopped, taking in the stature of Merlin. They weren't joking, the man stood at least six inches taller, but it was the sheer frame on him, he looked like he could pick up a Minimi and handle it like a rifle, probably terrifying it enough first. "Cpl Edward Thatcher....they call me Wraith in my old team." He keenly said, still a little enthusiastic at it all. "Well, you appear to be anything but fucking one, because it's difficult to bump into someone like me." Merlin chuckled slightly and yet sounded terrifying in his tone of voice, his normal sound carrying through the corridor with ease. The Devonian was barely even caring at this point, knowing he was scaring the everloving shit from the younger soldier, sighing, his West Country drawl coming through clean as day. If this was a different era, he'd be a pirate, no question or doubt about that, he already sounded half like one.
Turning back, Merlin kept walking, Ed following behind, as they headed towards the briefing room. Ed seemed to calm himself, as Merlin looked back, feeling a little bad for what he did. Poor lad, he didn't really deserve that. Merlin was like that, he could be a little wrathful at times, well, he could just blur out and not really care at times, he didn't really have a respect for what Ed seemed like he could be at times. He had to at least keep the conversation going. "I'd suppose you ended up here for good reason then. Haven't really seen Kiwis deployed much." "Couple tours in Afghan, nothing like you though. I heard that story about that IS executioner, did you seriously decapitate him or-" "I don't know really, I mean, I think that was the second one that week. I mean, I can't really tell you the truth, or I'd end up in some fucking court somewhere. Let's keep it at rumors, yeah?" Merlin said, knowing that well, a few good people he trusted knew exactly what the last trip to Syria had looked like. Bloody, bloody mess. Though that said, there was a hardened terrorist cell that didn't want the bearded Brit to come and back and hang them in bits on wooden crosses again. Things like that, Merlin didn't enjoy telling people.
Entering the briefing room, they took a seat near the front, Merlin nodding to the Sergeant, as he leaned back in his chair. He turned and saw a woman in a dress of all things, an African-American, and a Pole. He gently locked eyes with each person, his dulled brown eyes firm, and they seemed to take in the mind of every pair of eyes that they saw, weighing them up, evaluating them, processing them analytically, in how they outwardly projected, and seemed to already be. Merlin liked doing that, just knowing what he had on side.
My intention there really, to really project Merlin into that. I didn't actually know that far into it, but I would have thought he'd make good for being a relatively high rank at about that pitch, given his age and experiences (an awful fucking lot), to know what he's doing. Stuff like RSMs are very, very specific and not really relating to what Merlin would be doing, so WOs are a nice area to place him in, if he's a 2IC.
I originally had him as an officer, but actually, for this RP, CWO1/2 is a relatively nice position for him, the more I think about it. He's not officer material (you can't see him going pip-pip, chaps) because he'd way prefer to kick some fucker's head in than sit behind a desk, or keep back. Though he could, I think it can be justified by that. As far as the States go, I only know that it's a specialism, but not that, actually.
It seems like a combined task force, from the looks of things- lots of countries (NATO, I take it, plus friends) into one task force.
Doesn't entirely surprise me, you don't want too many officers in the pot, hence why even with Merlin as a Warrant-Officer type, he holds the 2IC position close to JB, yet gets the chance to go a bit mental. I'm really looking forward to playing him, he'll be plenty frightening enough, which I don't really get the chance to really bring out into some of my characters, military or otherwise. The kind of person who yelling sounds like a fucking foghorn.
Seriously, two Polish characters in this RP, and they're not mine. You better do a good job of being Polish, or else I'll smash a bottle of Dabrowka vodka over your head. :D
(I'm a 3rd generation Polish person in the UK and speak it fluent)
Agreed. I've done everything from total insanity, arcade-like to relatively realistic. Should be a laugh, the right mixture of action-y fun and a little sanity should do it.
"You either fuck people up so they never exist again or they bite you in the arse a year later. I've been in this line of work too long to know that. We don't do half measures. We sweep this place and leave nothing under the fucking floorboards, everyone clear!?"
Name: Merlin "Wizard" Bastion
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Rank: Chief Warrant Officer (CW2)
Nationality/Special Forces Unit: British, Special Boat Service (SBS)
Preferred Role: 2IC, Automatic Rifleman/Grenadier
Appearance:
Taken in 2016, this photo doesn't bring out just how gravelly his face is, nor his stature, but it has a good attempt at his beard and stare. Taken on NATO SOF Exercise Beta, in Alsace, France.
Merlin is a scary motherfucker. It turns out that it hasn't faded with age, either. Because when you meet him, you understand the hype that really leads to why he has his reputation. Why he is equally feared, and equally liked. He stands at 6"6, and has a strong build, being built more for strength than agility, a mountain of an individual, yet not into the realms of freakishly strong- he's probably at the apex of where he wants to be, neither some powerlifitng loon, nor any less frightening. Rugby, swimming as well as a lifetime of hard physical work has been responsible for this, Merlin's routines being in full force. You wouldn't want to turn to see him behind you in an alley, shall we say. He can still run marathons in full operational gear, so don't assume that this has come at the cost of his stamina and endurance- this fellow still has some life in him, the same as he had over a decade ago, and has now. He has a world weary look, and has a number of scars running down the side of his face, mostly minor but observable on close observation. His distinctive beard, flowing and filling an awful lot of his face, is the easiest way to make him out apart from his general gravitas. He has dark black hair, left to go long, and dulled brown eyes. One particular feature is that he is almost wholly missing three toes on his left foot...the answer for why it's like that is a grizzly one, and a lucky one (see later). He has a tattoo of a Trident on his back, and a Serpent across his right shoulder- of a local Devonian type, with an intricate design.
Merlin is often seen with a black, blue and green patterned camouflage beanie over his head that takes his long hair (and yes, that isn't the easiest thing to describe), though of course, being an SBS operator means swimming or HALO jumps, and of course, there are times that it won't be practical. A brown shemagh, as well as a pair of worn Mechanix gloves on his hands rounds him off, as well as a pair of well worn Karrimor boots do the trick. He has sometimes got a pair of Wiley X sunglasses over his eyes, though this isn't frequent. He has a strong English West Country accent, coming from rural Devon. Or if you don't know what that is, imagine a pirate accent, though less plunder-y. Yes. I am not even joking, that is the best I can do to describe it.
Personality:
Merlin's personality is one that brings him alive, and it's one that is both respected and feared, complimenting his build- when his voice is raised at someone or something, you may want to consider earplugs, because he makes Brian Blessed sound quiet (I'll leave that to you to figure out if you don't know). He has a strong wroth when in the field of combat, and will happily take the charge and do some serious damage to an enemy. This has helped his reputation in both ways; the rumour of Merlin "repeatedly smashing the militant's skull against the desk, until internal bleeding took over and the man was left on the floor" allegedly being in written in one of his After Action Reports is one that seems to sum it up well at his most extreme. He seems to have a sense of strong authority, and can laugh with the whole team one minute and removing himself from the circle of his command.
Merlin plus cider get on well. Very well. Like his beard, cider is a core part of Merlin's life; it isn't alcoholism, but being from the West Country, the golden nectar needs to be close by in one shape or form for the good times to flow. This is before the next minute, where he can be going back to business and being switched on, cold hearted and absolutely on point with the task at hand. He leads by example, and seems to have a certain commitment to what he does- this being the practice of fucking people up, or clearing out a terrorist hideout. He doesn't like bullshit, in fact, he has a very low tolerance for it, and within his team, he does not like people who aren't willing to follow him into hell if he's going head-first.
His thuggish nature is not a dumb one, however. He is cunning enough to maximise the chaos of a situation if required through his team, or to make them clean out a number of enemy forces in dead silence, being aware of the application of chaos in the right way. He is astute, knowing how to play the mind game, or to put himself, and a fireteam, into a place to cause havoc. It's why he's a Warrant Officer, after all. His application of tech isn't as high as others in the team when it comes to deploying or using drones, but he knows what is available and how his team can use it, so he'll keep it subcontracted throughout the unit to supply him with information, be it the use of drones or their own observation in the multi-lateral HUD system utilised by the team. Merlin's moral code is fairly blurry given his intensity, but he is the type of individual to do the right thing when it counts. He seems like an individual who is not encumbered with the world on his shoulders, but knows what the stakes are, and will always know where he stands with his men. Merlin's wroth can make him sometimes short-sighted, but on the whole, he has both the wisdom and the ability to lead with example in the field.
Bad things happen if you decide to be critical of his beard. Really bad things. Apparently.
Weapon(s):
FN Minimi Para 7.62mm, Light Machine Gun -200 Round Box -EOTech XPS3 Holographic Sight -EOTech 3X Magnifier -Surefire M900 Flashlight/Vertical Foregrip -Bipod -AN/PEQ-2 IR Laser -Tan Spray
FN Herstal SCAR-H -20 Round 7.62mm mag -Fourth Gen -16"/18" Barrel (swap choice) -Trijicon TA31F ACOG 4x Optical Sight -Aimpoint Micro T-1 BRDS (Backup Red Dot Sight), side-mounted -AN/PEQ-15 Laser/Light Module (Barrel Mounted) -Surefire Mini Monster 5.56 Sound Suppressor -FN EGLM 40mm GL Platform OR VTS "Potato Peeler" Grip OR M26 MASS Shotgun System -Rifle sprayed in Grey/Tan Hexagon pattern
A hard-hitting Belgian classic, used by SOF groups across the world. With a 7.62mm cartridge and a high level of modularity and accuracy, it makes for a perfect weapon for Merlin's use when the LMG won'd do the trick. Even if the GL doesn't find use, the weapon is excellent for infiltration where a larger box-fed weapon would be impractical. The ability to work the weapon is why Merlin has so few alternatives he uses.
Fixed in Loadouts:
870P MCS -12 Gauge OO Buckshot, Capacity of Four Shells -Ghost Ring Sight -Black Paint
Perfect for making an entrance, blowing the hinges off doors, this weapon looks more likely to be found in the hands of a biker rather than an operator, with it's short barrel and lack of stock. Still, it does it's job well, and for breaching, it is compact enough to be wielded with fairly little problem, the 12 gauge still able to blow apart anyone in it's path.
-Sig Sauer P226 Mk25 -Ghost Ring Sight -12 Round Flush Magazine in .357 SIG -Osprey SIG Silencer -X300 Surefire Flashlight -Black Finish
A nice little sidearm, trusty and reliable- firing a .357 round, this thing is able to pack a serious punch, with Swiss reliability and accuracy that comes in it's usual 9mm offering scaled up. With a Ghost Ring and an Osprey silencer, it's a Merlin's best but last friend to the tap-tap with, or first when a lightweight, powerful offering is needed. It's a weapon utilised by all branches of the British Armed Forces and numerous other special forces groups, so this thing is as good as gold, though the caliber is a demand that Merlin has. All the stories of a Glock having a cooler, more modern and fast firing look are rubbish to Merlin. This is his baby.
Light Anti-Tank/PDWs can also be used for mission-specific incidences, examples being:
-Bofors AT4 CS -Bofors Carl Gustav M3 -Heckler and Koch MP7A2 Vickers Tactical -Heckler and Koch MP5SD6
Merlin Robert Bastion was born in 1984 in Honiton, Devon (England), to a schoolteacher mother, and a Major for a father, James, serving in the Royal Marines. So it was clear that when Merlin grew up, there was going to be a clear influence on where he'd go. He was a burly lad in his youth, and he did well in school, finding his subjects challenging, but not difficult- passing with moderate grades. He was a member of the Rugby and Swimming Clubs in his town, as well as the Cadets- just waiting till he finished school to go join the lads in the forces.
Joining the Royal Marines Commando, like his father, he found the lifestyle perfect from reservist work from 16 following onto full service from 18. It was being with the lads, killing Taliban, wearing the Green Beret that made him know he was doing things right. The Royal Marines Commando gave him the chance to specialise and get involved in semi-SOF operations, such as the nature of their tours in Afghanistan. He spent four tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was promoted to Sergeant by the age of 25. He led a squad-sized element, and proved to be adept at both employing an anger and a command that would be expected of a Marine, picking up valuable skills in the tools of the trade. He was not exemplary, and had gone through at least one Beasting in his service. But he was respected by his friends, and he did a good job. He wasn't half-assed, he was not a soldier here by conscription or pressure even from his dad. He was here, because he found it was a good way to make a living, and through his service, became a staple man that you could count on. Not some lucky opportune soldier who proved his guts, he proved it because he lived for it. There were times when Merlin was particularly pushed- nine men from Merlin's platoon were killed in the space of two months, two from his squad alone. The worst of the war in Afghanistan was in reclaiming the villages and valleys of Helmand, and it was having an enormous strain on every single man involved. The Royal Marines were the sharpened force that got these areas back, and IEDs, rocket attacks, and the constant threat of suicide bombings meant that Merlin was thrown into the very worst of the shitpit. In these circumstances, you either grew and became a braver, leading man, or sunk back down and lost your mind. Merlin did not let it get him down, and knew the job at hand, getting him and his lads home whilst giving hell to those who wanted to kill them. It was six years of enlisted and NCO work that put Merlin's basics into place, his mean nature and grit putting. This was however, a dark time for other reasons too. Merlin lacked his beard.
Coming home, Merlin then applied for the Special Boat Service two years later, following another tour in Basra, Iraq. This tour saw him lead a platoon of men, acting as a support force to SBS operations in the Euphrates Delta in anti-insurgent work. Already serving alongside some lads from the Regiment, he found it wasn't a big lifestyle change- it was more of the same, and with more Gucci (cool, or specialist) equipment involved from his viewpoint.
This transfer occurred at the age of 26 after all, rather late for an operator, but was not refused due to his good results and competence in the field. Merlin's training had not been a big change for him- stamina was the key focus, and found himself in a position where he had to develop his cardiovascular skills, improving his breathing capacity, developing his fatigue thresholds. He passed with fairly high marks, and wasn't expected to fail- Merlin wasn't the kind of individual to do that, he was driven by something far deeper it seemed than most candidates would be. After pushing through the training and several years service as a Lieutenant, and was eventually allowed to lead a fireteam. He performed operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Libya and was deployed to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Syria, among others. He's seen an awful lot of places in almost over a decade of SOF operations, from target elimination, reconnaissance, frogman work, TACP duties, sweep and clear operations with local forces, domestic counter-terrorist deployments, among others. Merlin wasn't officerial material, but rose to the rank of Warrant Officer aged 34. Whilst well-suited as a leader of men, Merlin was seen as too stuck in to his duty to be of use.
One rumour that persists is that Merlin beheaded an ISIL executioner involved en route to the extraction, and a squadmate shared the footage on the internet in a terrifying turn of events- the WO Bastion denies this, but the rumor is said to have more than just words to back it's claim up, from unknown sources in the intelligence and special forces community, it may be him. Several more years in the SBS followed, with Merlin continuing his duties, as a trained diver, jumpmaster, and team leader of a force that echoed that of a Navy SEAL team. In the last four years, it is known that this was the point he was involved in a IED incident following a breach that killed an operator and badly wounded him- and left him needing to have several toes amputated, this being after losing a couple of pints of blood and being brought home. He was back in Britain by the time he was fixed up fully, but this part of the story in particular is quite gruesome. As the surgery for amputating his toes was scheduled to take place a week after he had fully recovered, being a non-priority in comparison to his physiotherapy and other medical check-ups, Merlin was left in pain and was sick of stubbing his feet. So taking his Dive Knife, he quietly returned back to his barrack, and...well, he has three toes missing on his left foot. On the plus side, the surgeon did say he did a remarkably clean job if so.
Last year, he was transferred to be the 2IC in Zero, and has taken the position with his usual confidence. He's good at his job, and he sees duty to get the job done. He seems to have brought his reputation with him, and he has faith in his operators, much like they'd have faith in him. His mountainous, bearded, beanie wearing figure is a sight to see, the combination of a violent scalpel with a surgeon's precision one that makes Merlin the die-hard motherfucker that he is.
Battle Dress Uniform -Usually composed of a AOR1/AOR2/MTP/Puma patterns on locale (Merlin opts for AOR patterns for it's benefits in arid/temperate environments where MTP fails, while the old school Polish Puma design is useful in Urban/Arctic terrains). -Crye Precision Plate Carrier w/MOLLE Loadbearing Equipment -Beanie OR Dark Grey/Carbon Ops Core Tactical Helmet -Wiley X Sunglasses (sometimes) -Karrimor Tan-Colored Boots -Mechanix Black Gloves
Predator 30 Assault Pack -Tactical Binoculars (Ranging Device/Integrated into TOS abilities) -Petzl Headtorch -1L Camelpak -5m of Paracord -Combat First Aid Kit
Shoulder-Mounted Bullet Camera Quad-Lens GPNVG-18 Night Vision Goggles Petzl Hip Harness (Climbing/Rappelling) Knee Holster for P226 Dive Knife (lightweight, very sharp, like a prison shank. Great at slicing through things. Paracord. Webbing. Throats. So on.)
---------------------------
Name: Ed "Wraith" Thatcher
Age/Gender: 22
Nationality: New Zealander, former NZSAS
Rank: Corporal
Preferred Role: Designated Marksman/Rifleman
Appearance/Personality:
Ed stands at about 6"0, well built, but beyond just about the level required to be an operator at this level. He has short dark blonde hair, though he normally wears a properly ANZAC boonie hat, covering this, with a gentle five o'clock shadow on his face for a beard, with tinged hazel eyes. He has no tattoos, only a scar from training across the right side of his chest. His accent is thickly Australian/New Zealander, he sounds exactly as you would expect.
Edward, or Wraith, is fresh-blood, keen yet patient. He would wait for the moment he needs to take his shot, yet seems to be rather engaged and chatty, and willing to prove his worth, his wroth only breaking sometimes and hard to spot, given he swears oft. He knows he's the new blood and has something to prove, yet knows he's on the team, and he's there with good reason, Ed knows that, he thinks. He seems straight-talking at times, and dithering at others. Safe to say, Merlin doesn't really like him for the latter, and it doesn't bode well for Ed at times. Whilst new, he is quick to adapt, and is keen to get stuck in, although he isn't perhaps as sensitised to the heart of darkness that people like Merlin have really seen. He's killed people, he knows he will keep going, sometimes from afar, sometimes up close, no problem. But there's nothing as brutal as what some operators have done, not yet, at least, and he doesn't seem to be addicted to violence and chaos, he seems rather to watch from afar, and click the shots when he sees them.
Weaponry:
Mk14 EBR MOD 0, DMR -20 Round Box of 7.62mm -TA648-308 6x48 ACOG w/RMR sight -Vertical Grip -AN/PEQ-15 IR -Bipod -Surefire Silencer -Camoflaged in black/grey spray
F88A2 Austeyr, Carbine -30-round 5.56mm mag -16" barrel -Elcan 1-4x SpectreDR Sight -AN-PEQ/15 IR -VFG Foregrip -Surefire Mini Monster Silencer (optional) -Camoflaged in tan/grey spray
Fixed in Loadouts:
Heckler and Koch MP7A2 -40-round 4.6mm magazine -Aimpoint Mini T-1 RDS -Surefire Sound Suppressor -LLM-01 Light -Dark Grey Finish
-Sig Sauer P226 Mk25 -Tritium Sight -12 Round Flush Magazine in 9mm -Osprey SIG Silencer -X300 Surefire Flashlight -Grey Finish
Battle Dress Uniform -Usually composed of a AOR1/AOR2/Auscam patterns on locale -Crye Precision Plate Carrier w/MOLLE Loadbearing Equipment -Boonie Hat OR Carbon MICH2000 Tactical Helmet -Mammut Black-Colored Boots -Oakley SI Tactical Black Gloves
Assault Pack -Tactical Binoculars (Ranging Device) -Petzl Headtorch -1L Camelpak -5m of Paracord -Combat First Aid Kit Quad-Lens GPNVG-18 Night Vision Goggles Petzl Hip Harness (Climbing/Rappelling) Knee Holster for P226 Gerber BK3 Knife (guthook)
Born in South Island, New Zealand to a Australian housewife mother and a New Zealander farmer come market trader, Edward grew up i
He always
He was given leave to join Task Force Zulu, his high level of marksmanship and a chance to
I've RP'd for the best part of over 15 years now here on the Guild, and particularly like military settings, both contemporary, past and near future. I have even dabbled in a little more experimental RPs, as well as created a plethora of 1x1s over my time in the guild. I like creating RPs with a distinct flavour- and often shift between narrative-led RPs to semi-randomised plots. I've been more a GM lately than a player, and don't really lean into fandom- instead, exploring my own universes lifting themes from other source material.
My main interests are military-themed, near-future RPs, with a focus on technology. But I'm beginning to push what that RP idea looks like- taking inspiration from lots of media and focussing on the fun, indulgent side of RP, whilst also exploring the lows and emotional side.
https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/190121-raven-squad-second-storm-military-spy-fi-rp-completed/ic
Raven Squad is a project over seven years in the making, and focusses on a class-based, eccentric yet half-grounded near future special forces team that acts as a response team where you can't send any special forces team in. It's incredibly dumb, incredibly loose, and yet, has delivered some of my favourite plot points in RPG. A brainless action flick a la John Wick and Kingsman meets a complex thriller with a fun left turn in it, Raven has been the culmination of over a decade of loving special forces RPG, gaming influences and other silliness in a package that has provided players with something quite different to a normal military themed RPG. While at an end, this is an RP that is a signature- it's silly as hell, takes itself barely seriously, and is what peak fun military RPG to me should be.
https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-delt-hyper-anti-gravity-cyberpunk-solarpunk-slice-of-life-rp/ic
Delta Hyper is a love letter to Wipeout, F1's Drive to Survive (Netflix) and contemporary Formula One, with influences from solarpunk, cyberpunk, transhumanism and other posthumanist concepts. An RP that follows pilots in their ups and downs, it's a story that hasn't got me playing an actual character, but framing the camera at each pilot (played by others), and presenting it as if it were a documentary. Lifting elements from TTRPG, this is a Racing RPG like no other and no parallel exists- using dice rolls and randomisation, with a stats-driven system to generate race results, rather than actually RPing the races, players experience the fast-paced, dynamic world of anti-gravity racing. This means that come Qualifying and Race, the results are genuinely a surprise to everyone- and based on decisions made through dilemmas and decisions made between races. Friendships, rivalry, the glamour and even a little political undertone play out in 2094, in a colourful, utopian future that focuses on the fight to take first place.
https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/196931-tactical-breach-wizards-fireteam-hex-military-modern-fantasy-action/ic
Then there's Tactical Breach Wizards: Fireteam Hex. First use of any set IP as a formal setting, this is an RP that offers a darker mirror to Raven Squad, focussing on the other side of the equation- unlikely heroes in an uncomfortable position. I don't normally do fantasy, but the world, the lore, the feeling of the characters and the ability to write a comedy just was too difficult to pass up. An RP that focuses on a group running away from a variety of threats as wanted mercenary wizards in the middle of a post-revolution, Eastern-Europe adjacent 1990s to present Polavia.
https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/197399-dispatch-heroes-of-claremont/ic
Lastly, Dispatch: Heroes of Claremont. This is another IP-adjacent world, albeit drawing on a different setting and a new cast of superheroes. As my "first" proper superhero RP, this combines workplace comedy, a Storyteller-lite system and a fun, diverse, and large cast together in a dynamic, diverse setting.
I'm pretty flexible and try and get back to people on ideas and responses, but sometimes, I may become very busy and it will take some time till I am un-busy. I aim to clear posts within a week!
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I've RP'd for the best part of over 15 years now here on the Guild, and particularly like military settings, both contemporary, past and near future. I have even dabbled in a little more experimental RPs, as well as created a plethora of 1x1s over my time in the guild. I like creating RPs with a distinct flavour- and often shift between narrative-led RPs to semi-randomised plots. I've been more a GM lately than a player, and don't really lean into fandom- instead, exploring my own universes lifting themes from other source material. <br><br>My main interests are military-themed, near-future RPs, with a focus on technology. But I'm beginning to push what that RP idea looks like- taking inspiration from lots of media and focussing on the fun, indulgent side of RP, whilst also exploring the lows and emotional side.<br><br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/190121-raven-squad-second-storm-military-spy-fi-rp-completed/ic" title="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/190121-raven-squad-second-storm-military-spy-fi-rp-completed/ic">roleplayerguild.com/topics/190121-rav…</a><br><br>Raven Squad is a project over seven years in the making, and focusses on a class-based, eccentric yet half-grounded near future special forces team that acts as a response team where you can't send any special forces team in. It's incredibly dumb, incredibly loose, and yet, has delivered some of my favourite plot points in RPG. A brainless action flick a la John Wick and Kingsman meets a complex thriller with a fun left turn in it, Raven has been the culmination of over a decade of loving special forces RPG, gaming influences and other silliness in a package that has provided players with something quite different to a normal military themed RPG. While at an end, this is an RP that is a signature- it's silly as hell, takes itself barely seriously, and is what peak fun military RPG to me should be.<br><br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-delt-hyper-anti-gravity-cyberpunk-solarpunk-slice-of-life-rp/ic" title="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-delt-hyper-anti-gravity-cyberpunk-solarpunk-slice-of-life-rp/ic">roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-del…</a><br><br>Delta Hyper is a love letter to Wipeout, F1's Drive to Survive (Netflix) and contemporary Formula One, with influences from solarpunk, cyberpunk, transhumanism and other posthumanist concepts. An RP that follows pilots in their ups and downs, it's a story that hasn't got me playing an actual character, but framing the camera at each pilot (played by others), and presenting it as if it were a documentary. Lifting elements from TTRPG, this is a Racing RPG like no other and no parallel exists- using dice rolls and randomisation, with a stats-driven system to generate race results, rather than actually RPing the races, players experience the fast-paced, dynamic world of anti-gravity racing. This means that come Qualifying and Race, the results are genuinely a surprise to everyone- and based on decisions made through dilemmas and decisions made between races. Friendships, rivalry, the glamour and even a little political undertone play out in 2094, in a colourful, utopian future that focuses on the fight to take first place.<br><br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/196931-tactical-breach-wizards-fireteam-hex-military-modern-fantasy-action/ic" title="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/196931-tactical-breach-wizards-fireteam-hex-military-modern-fantasy-action/ic">roleplayerguild.com/topics/196931-tac…</a><br><br>Then there's Tactical Breach Wizards: Fireteam Hex. First use of any set IP as a formal setting, this is an RP that offers a darker mirror to Raven Squad, focussing on the other side of the equation- unlikely heroes in an uncomfortable position. I don't normally do fantasy, but the world, the lore, the feeling of the characters and the ability to write a comedy just was too difficult to pass up. An RP that focuses on a group running away from a variety of threats as wanted mercenary wizards in the middle of a post-revolution, Eastern-Europe adjacent 1990s to present Polavia. <br><br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/197399-dispatch-heroes-of-claremont/ic" title="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/197399-dispatch-heroes-of-claremont/ic">roleplayerguild.com/topics/197399-dis…</a><br><br>Lastly, Dispatch: Heroes of Claremont. This is another IP-adjacent world, albeit drawing on a different setting and a new cast of superheroes. As my "first" proper superhero RP, this combines workplace comedy, a Storyteller-lite system and a fun, diverse, and large cast together in a dynamic, diverse setting.<br><br>I'm pretty flexible and try and get back to people on ideas and responses, but sometimes, I may become very busy and it will take some time till I am un-busy. I aim to clear posts within a week! </div>
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