Name: Darius Washington AKA Erebus
Age: 27
Birth Place: The Bronx, New York City
Appearance: Erebus stands at 6'1" with a lithe but muscular build. His hair is snow white and long enough that he ties it back in a bun; but he is otherwise clean shaven and even lacks eyebrows. Instead of fingernails, he has sharp bone-white claws. Erebus' eyes are gold with cat-like pupils; his ears are pointed and he has sharp long canines, though his teeth are otherwise normal. His skin is extremely dark grey, nearly black, and much of his torso and limbs are marked by various scars. Most striking of all however are his long black horns which protrude back from his head and are akin to those seen on mythical dragons. A white inverted cross was tattooed onto his collarbone. Attire wise, Erebus often sports leather jackets when he's on the clock but he also likes to dress up when the occasion calls for it.
Drawn Card: Joker-Ace
Card Manifestation: Erebus' form was twisted into something demonic, but powerful. His razor sharp claws can retract or lengthen on command. His teeth are similarly sharp and can rend flesh or snap bone. Erebus' eerie eyes enable him to see in near pitch black. His skin is not bulletproof or even knife-proof but his pain threshold and endurance are far beyond a normal human's; allowing him to survive and fight through wounds that would outright kill most people. He also recovers far faster, is immune to most infectious diseases, and can completely heal from anything short of limb loss. Erebus is also strong enough to lift and toss full-grown men with minimal effort. On all fours, he can run as fast as any Olympic sprinter; and he is as agile as any freerunner, capable of performing feats of acrobatics one sees more in fiction than reality. His reflexes are similarly inhuman, though he cannot dodge bullets, shooters often have trouble getting a bead on him and he is fast enough to deflect knives with his bare claws. Erebus is also capable of emitting an extremely loud wailing that he uses for psychological effect. When residents hear his scream at night, they lock their doors and bolt their windows.
Character History: The man once known as Darius Washington was born to an average working-class family in the Bronx. They lived in a bad neighborhood, and many of Darius's extended family were mixed up in drugs or gangs. Darius himself however had been a good kid, quiet and studious, and his parents did his best to provide for him and his siblings and keep them out of trouble. He hadn't been particularly interested in athletics and was more intellectually inclined. As such, he mostly kept to himself, with only a handful of close friends, and spent most of his time reading, drawing, and dreaming of the beautiful places and amazing sights he'd see someday. But he wanted to change things as well. Darius saw the suffering of those around him, and resolved he would help build a better future. He dreamed of going into politics, bringing real change to the neighborhoods that chewed up and spit out so many hopeful souls. But he had to get out first. He did well in school but wasn't awkward or weak, and most of his more quarrelsome peers left him in peace. As he moved on through the years and kept excelling in academics, it looked like he would be the first in his family to go to college. His parents were proud of him, rightly so, and his future looked hopeful. He graduated high school with a full ride. His family was proud, he was happy. He moved out of the neighborhood, entered a world he always wanted to be part of. But he soon regretted it.
During his first semester, his younger brother was shot and killed in a shootout between two rival gangs. None of the gangbangers themselves had died, and someone had stolen his brother's shoes while he was bleeding out on the street. Darius never found out who, but he knew exactly who was involved in the shooting. He knew the police didn't care, that nothing would come out of it. He'd already seen it happen a dozen times to other families. But something inside that quiet, mellow kid broke when he saw his brother's cold little body. With help from a cousin, Darius bought a gun and set to work. Darius' dad had been in the army and had taught his kids how to defend themselves, for what good it did his brother. But those skills proved useful to Darius. All of the gangbangers dropped one by one over the course of a month. Darius wasn't like the others, he wasn't loud or arrogant or incautious. He was precise, he was careful, he was merciless. Eventually the gangbangers, who had thought the other gang was responsible, wiped each other out and the police were none the wiser about Darius' involvement. For just a moment he thought he had done something important. Almost immediately after that, other gangs sprung up, more people died. More people continued to languish in poverty, addiction, and despair. He realized these problems were too big for him. That it was near futile to fight it.
Darius gave up, dropped out of school and enlisted. Not out of patriotism or a desire to save lives. He realized he was good at killing people. Realized he didn't particularly care if he lived or died. And that at least he'd finally get a chance to travel the world. Darius joined the army and was sent overseas to Iraq. He came close to death many times, even wished for it on certain days, but they never managed to kill him. He spent many years in the military, advancing through the ranks. After some time, he began to find solace in the military. Not in the work, but in the order, and the camaraderie. He fought for the men and women by his side, not for anonymous ideals, and soon rediscovered the fact that saving a life was its own reward. After he was discharged he decided to return home, with fresh eyes. Many of those he had served with had come from similar humble beginnings, and were now mired in them once again upon their return. He was shaken out of nihilistic rut and decided that he did have the tools to if not change things, than at least make them better. Darius became heavily involved in the community, helping to organize soup kitchens, food drives, homeless shelters, anything and everything he could do. When his efforts were threatened by criminals, he took matters into his own hands. He was ruthless in his drive, willing to do almost anything for his dream. Through his own sweat and tears, and the help of like-minded individuals, his home started to make a turn-around.
Then Black Queen Day. His neighborhood was severely affected. Of those that weren't killed by the disease, many perished in the chaos of looting and riots, while others starved. Most of his family died, and Darius thought he would too. Instead he changed, became a demon right out of his nightmares. His community spurned him and he wandered adrift, surviving day to day until he managed to reach Jokertown. While some members of the community weathered the oppression and the squalor, Darius refused to stand idle. He failed in his own community, but this time, failure only reignited his drive. He quickly decided his unique combination of skills left him best suited for the Demon Princes, who he saw as some of the only ones really protecting the Jokers. With his skill, efficiency, and dedication he quickly began to advance through the ranks. Now he stands within reach of the upper echelons, and he hopes, a real chance at saving and protecting his new home. The current political situation in particular has infuriated him, and his growing disdain and outright hatred for government, especially the President-Elect and Dictator of New York, is well known in the gang and Jokertown.
Jokertown Role: Erebus is one of the Demon Princes' top operatives. He leads his own small team of skilled Jokers. They're used both on jobs that require discretion or necessitate extreme violence. His nightmarish appearance and manipulative nature make him a prized negotiator for the gang as well, making him a favorite to intimidate rivals. Erebus is also responsible for his own corner of Jokertown, protecting them from the nats and other gangs that prey on the weak, while also making a profit for his bosses. Erebus is also highly ambitious and seeks to climb the ladder to one day be one of Lucifer's inner circle, in the hope he will have the influence to help protect and uplift the residents of Jokertown. He does this out of a twisted philanthropic motivation and sees himself as a guardian of the neighborhood; and he often does try to reach out to more legitimate members of the community to assist. Erebus occupies a unique niche as both a dangerous member of the underworld and a community leader.
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