Blake "Blondie" Luther
Weapons Expert / Gunslinger
Personal Stats:
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Spiecies: Ghoul (post-War transformation, slowly transforming into a Feral)
Profession: Drifter, ex-NCR Veteran Ranger
Psychological History:
Motivations and Outlook:
Beneath Blake's old hardened stoic exterior that is fortified with a love for alcohol and a dry sense of humor hides a sad and broken man that has experienced much tragedy throughout his life and has had growing issues coping with them as he is desperately trying to hold onto his old morals and beliefs that once made feel him more just than the people he fought.
He has yet to open up to others after a long time of becoming detached from the world. It's not that he truly mistrusts or thinks less of others, he just simply wears his armor, both figurative and literal, to shield himself from the world around him, as well as the other way around. Needless to say, it will take some time for his armor to get cracked and for him to open up to the group.
It makes no wonder that he has got a bit of a stubborn side to him. With him it's his way or the highway... Well, not really. As a Ranger, it was drilled into him real fast on how to shut up and follow orders. However, you'll still need a silver tongue or at least a compelling point to sway his opinion on something.
By the same token, he won't try to sell you an idea with fancy or flashy words, just ruthless honesty with the rare joking remark. It could be attributed to the fact that most of his "discussions" happened with the type of folk to ambush you on the highway asking for your caps or your life. And in those types of arguments, his gun did most of the talking - meaning he never really had to learn his way with words.
Due to this, the violent and heavy hitting approach is his forte - both from the front, or having sneaked up to the enemy's rear.
Don't get me wrong – for him, there is always time for diplomacy: both the short-term truces and agreements made between both parties while on the battlefield by the foot soldiers like him or the peace treaties brokered and signed by his leaders. But at the same time, that has been mostly the exception made through necessity or desperation, not always the rule.
Worse yet, he has slowly begun to shift from his old tactical, calculative or even cunning ways of planning and fighting, to a more savage and brutal way of starting and ending fights.
There is this rage and anger within him. And it's not just his condition - that isn't even the half of it. He didn't really notice it until he grew older and thought it would go away with old age, but it had only grown and gotten worse - no thanks to the conflict he kept putting himself in.
When he went after the people who killed his loved ones, he left behind any piece of humanity he still had left after weathering in the wastes and the Mojave. And he never truly had gotten it back. You could even say that he stopped being human after that - and you'd be right. Literally.
He blames and deeply resents himself for the death of his family. He believes that they'd still be alive had he not betrayed and abandoned them when he had gone to serve in the Mojave. He compares and sees himself as no different to his own father that had spent his life abusing his own family.
Knowing that he'll never forgive himself, he sees no need for redemption - his family is dead and he doesn't believe in god, as such there is nothing or no-one to redeem himself for. And yet, despite all that, there is still a piece of the good person he once was trying to survive and live on. The kid who tried to get away from home at all costs and the Ranger who naively believed he was making a difference in the world.
Unfortunately, it looks like that journey is coming to an end. Because while he might not die and may live on for centuries, Blake sees becoming feral as no different as being "dead".
He finds it deeply ironic, because when he still had everything he had no issues going head-first into dangerous battles or situations, but now that his fate is sealed and he has nothing left, he still desperately wants to hold onto the last thing that remains but is slowly fading away - his memories of his family.
Backstory: *Insert Lorem Ipsum here*
Flaws:
-Old
"I was already an old man when I turned and, sure as shit, I haven't become any younger."
-Alcohol abuse
"Alcohol kills me in a different way now, but atleast it makes one of the pains go away."
-Turning feral, will influence the characters personality over the story and he might not make it till' the end
"I can feel it, one of these days I will finally turn. Hell, in a way... I already have..."
Relationships and Reputation:
- Likes the NCR, holds positive reputation with them.
"I've spent most of my life fighting for the Republic and upholding it's values. Now I want nothing to do with it anymore. Still, this is my homeland and my people."
- Despises slavers, will become antagonistic/hostile towards them
"As the NCR Rangers, we dedicated our fight towards abolishing slavery and eliminating those who put others in collars and shackles. While our mission eventually changed, the sentiment didn't."
- Hates the Legion, Brotherhood of Steel and Enclave, holds negative reputation with them.
"We've gone to war with these groups for different reasons, but they've attacked the NCR first - they drew the first blood, not us. For each one of their members I've killed, I've lost a close friend. I don't even want to think about the innocent people caught in the crossfire. I don't fight for the NCR anymore, but that doesn't mean I can just turn off how I feel about these people."
- Dislikes raiders and tribal groups
"I wouldn't have an issue with tribals if they tried to integrate with the NCR better, but at the same time we're the ones encroaching on their lands. I won't do anything if they won't. Raiders, however? Open season."
Opinions on Team: TBA
Skils and Equipment
Skills:
-Ranger
“The NCR Rangers are the Republic’s elite force operating in the furthest, most dangerous and most isolated frontiers of the NCR. We’ve been trained to fight alone and win even against the most overwhelming odds. I’ve seen and taken part of our growth from a semi-legal abolitionist agency to the most elite fighting force of the NCR.”
As a Veteran Ranger, Blake has been given advanced training in firearms, explosives handling and close combat techniques, as well stealth and reconnaissance tactics. Plus, he has had plenty of experience in survival and basic self-aid techniques. Sufficed to say, even in old age he is more than prepared for the trek to Oregon.
-Gunslinger
"I've lived by the gun my whole life. I tried to walk away and live a different path, but... it didn't work out. Now... I think I'd rather die by a gun also."
Despite his choice and preference for "cowboy guns", Blake is an expert marksman with all other sorts of conventional projectile firearms. While his gunslinging skills may have slightly atrophied in his age, he is still one of the top shooters in the group, if still not the best. His skill with weapons also goes beyond the practical, with him able twirl and spin his two revolvers with ease as a means of impressing or intimidating his opponents.
-Ambidextrous
"Ranger training prepares you for a situation when your primary shooting arm is immobilized. With that skill in my hands, I had the bright idea of using two guns at the same time."
As the name implies Blake is able to shoot exceptionally well with both hands, even at the same time.
-Repair, maintenance and improvements
"Your weapons are your only lifeline. Keeping them clean and maintained will ensure reliability as well as accuracy and avoid any unplanned malfunctions in the middle of a gunfight.
When it comes to customization, engravings gives you no tactical advantage whatsoever. However, optimizing your weapon for a given situation can make all the difference in a battle. Just a small change can make a big impact."
Military training has ensured that Blake will make sure to keep his weapons well maintained. In fact, he will go as far as to make sure that the rest of the team also keep their firearms maintained. As well as that, he can also help with small jury-rigged quality-of-life improvements on the teams firearms. He is no engineer, however. Just the stuff one can do in the field.
-Handloader
"The logistical link between a target and the firearm that is shooting at it is the round that is fired from the gun. Using the correct type of ammo for the target will ensure an advantage over your foe. Unfortunately, sometimes we had shortages of match-grade ammunition. Some made do. My friends and I decided we would make our own loads - we came up with some wildest shit that would even make the Gun Runners jelaous."
Given the rights tools and surface, Blake is able to make a range of unique handcrafted ammunition, starting from match-grade like handloads to rounds filled with toxins from poisonous plants or venomous creatures.
Alternatively, with no access to such a workstation, he can quickly turn regular ammunition into handmade split-point dumdum rounds with just his knife, mimicking a hollow-point round at the cost of accuracy.
Weapons:
- Primary: Custom Cowboy Repeater
A decently-worn refurbished pre-War Winchester style lever-action rifle with an extended tube magazine. The rifle features a brass receiver matched with a dark ebony hardwood furniture that complements well with Blondie's black armor.
- Secondary: 2x 357. Magnum Revolvers
A pair of modified Colt Single Action Army revolvers. Featuring a blackened steel finish and custom bone grips, they appear worn after years of reckless gunslinging, despite good care being taken in maintaining them.
- Melee: Combat Knife
A standard-issue NCR combat knife. Well sharpened.
Armor/Clothes:
-Damaged NCR Ranger combat armor
The famed “Black Armor” of the NCR. It is a set of pre-War military body armor refurbished by the Republic for use by the NCR Veteran Rangers. Blake wears it with the NCR Ranger heavy duster and rodeo jeans, just like the other Veteran Rangers. The armor itself, however, has been unfortunately damaged, owing to a recent gunfight Blake found himself in.
To accommodate for his twin revolvers, Blake wears two belts holding 357. Magnum ammo with two holsters attached near his hips - one in a standard position on his right and the other in a crossdraw position on his left. Apart from that, a bandolier is worn over the duster by Blake to hold more ammunition as well as a small backpack to hold the essential supplies and tools.
-Ranger helmet
Complementing the black armor is a modular advanced military helmet that was issued alongside it. It has a built-in combination of low light optics meant for use with the infrared/white light lamp as well as a gas mask module that can also alter Blake's voice. When worn in combination with the armor (which is how he wears it most of the time), it can hide Blondie's identity and the fact that he is a ghoul. The smell might eventually give him away, though.
Personal belongings:
- Personal Diary
Misc: