"ROANOKE" RYAN BLACK

[JaceMachine]

callsign: “ROANOKE”
name: RYAN BLACK
played by: JEREMY MARKEL
level: 3RD
class/level: FAST/2, STRONG/1
starting occupation: ADVENTURER
age: 25
gender: MALE
height: 5’11”
weight: 190LBS
eyes: BROWN
hair: BLACK
experience: 3000
next level: 6000
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STR: 12/+1
DEX: 17/+3
CON: 15/+2
INT: 17/+3
WIS: 13/+1
CHA: 10/--
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hit points: 28/28
defense: 21 [ = CLASS (5) + EQUIP (3) + DEX (3) ]
undercover vest (defense bonus: +3),
initiative: 3
speed: 35 FT. PER ROUND
action points: 17
wealth bonus: +14
reputation: 0
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fortitude: 3 [ = BASE (1) + ABILITY (2) ]
reflexes: 5 [ = BASE (2) + ABILITY (3) ]
will: 1 [ = BASE (0) + ABILITY (1) ]
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melee attack: +4
ranged attack: +3
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weapons -
- (1) COMPOUND BOW w/ 24 ARROWS
- (2) KATANA
- (3) H&K MP7
- (4) BLOWGUN w/ 24 POISON DARTS
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balance: 7
climb: 6
computer use: 3
concentration: 6
craft -
- mechanical: 5
- structural: 3
- visual art: 3
- writing: 3
diplomacy: 0
disguise: 0
drive: 3
escape artist: 8
forgery: 3
gamble: 1
gather information: 0
handle animal: 0
hide: 8
intimidate: 0
jump: 6
knowledge -
- current events: 3
- popular culture: 3
- streetwise: 3
- tactics: 9
listen: 1
move silently: 8
navigate: 3
profession (I/E OPERATIVE): 1
read/write language: AMERICAN
research: 3
ride: 3
search: 3
sense motive: 1
sleight of hand: 8
speak language: AMERICAN
spot: 1
survival: 1
swim: 1
treat injury: 1
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feats - MARTIAL ARTS WEAPON PROFICIENCY, COMBAT MARTIAL ARTS, COMBAT REFLEXES, PERSONAL FIREARMS PROFICIENCY, SIMPLE WEAPONS PROFICIENCY
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talents - INCREASED SPEED, MELEE SMASH
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GEAR - Aluminum travel case (large), backpack, binoculars (standard), digital camera, canteen, casual clothing, cell phone, multi-function PDA, chemical light sticks (5), compass, contractor’s field bag, duct tape (2 rolls), duffle bag, battery flood flashlight, hip holster, knife, katana, throwing stars (20), caltrops (50), search-and-rescue kit, pathfinder ?, multi-tool, map (road atlas), pull-up pouch vest, rain poncho, rope (150’), sleeping bag, MP7, 2-person dome tent, trail rations (12), walkie-talkie (professional), 2 popular press paperbacks, bolt cutter, Blitzkrieg uniform, headset microphone, undercover vest (defense bonus: +3), blowgun.

[Roanoke]

Ryan “Roanoke” Black is strict in discipline, serious and very much the silent brooding type. He gives very little time or thought to joking or small talk. He’s highly introverted and consequently won’t say anything unless it’s necessary. Given his taciturnity, it’s pretty easy to forget he’s there, which is advantageous in his line of work. He is a team player but isn’t afraid to voice his own opinions when situations merit it or when creative differences arise. In these instances, he doesn’t butt heads to be a dick; he does so because he is very dedicated to his work.

Roanoke was born to a Caucasian mother and a Native American father. As a child he exhibited promising talent in writing, especially poetry. As any good mother would do, she encouraged him to pursue it. Naturally his father was less than thrilled with this, feeling that his son had no need for “sissy” activities. This was only one of many disputes his parents had.

Their marriage slowly disintegrated until one fateful evening when Ryan was 13. Ryan watched his father kill his mother. Nobody knows this (except Ryan's grandfather); not anyone on the I/E team and not anyone else that Roanoke knows. His father had, in recent months, become isolated and withdrawn, opting for liquor sustenance instead of partaking in family activities. On this particular night he'd had too much to drink and had convinced himself that his wife was cheating on him.

After the horrible events of that night, Ryan was raised by his grandfather. He was taught all the things about his heritage that should have been passed on to him by his father, and then some. He grandfather passed on all of the knowledge that he carries with him today: combat martial arts, weapons proficiency (archaic and otherwise), hunting (usually with blow darts or bow and arrow) and stealth, including lethal and non-lethal takedowns, alongside many other arts and practices.

His grandfather was always stern, sometimes curmudgeonly, but beneath that hard outer crust it was plain to see that he loved Ryan and wanted only the best for him. He wanted Ryan always to strive to achieve higher levels of success and never to settle for second best, however, he was always there to give a little support after a setback. It was his grandfather who introduced Roanoke to the infinite possibilities present in the idea that a setback wasn't a failure; rather it was an opportunity for improvement. "Wise men and fools both make mistakes," he used to say. "The fools are the ones too stupid to learn from them." He was strict with his teachings when it came to lessons on lethal force because he wanted Ryan to understand the importance of not using lethal maneuvers without first having just cause.

To this day Roanoke hates himself for freezing up and doing nothing; for allowing his mother to die. He is constantly trying to atone for this grievous error. He is too ashamed to speak of it with anyone and it takes its toll on him constantly.

He suffers from nightmares where he relives seeing his mother’s neck sliced open, spraying out torrents of dark blood. The nightmare is always the same, with her mouthing the word “Why?” to him and him screaming helplessly and then waking up in a cold sweat, at first thinking (until rational thought sets in, at least) that the sweat is her blood pulsing onto his skin and flowing freely in tiny rivulets.

He also suffers from occasional fugue states where he can, if triggered properly, enter into a blackout rage. What he does or who he does it to, he cannot remember when he recovers. The team knows nothing of this ailment.

Despite all that he has been through with his father he still goes to see him at the sanitarium. He has no respect for his father, only a sense of honor. He very strongly believes that all sons are duty bound to honor their fathers, at the very least. However, he hates and resents his father and thanks the state for continuing to deem him a menace to society. He truly believes that if his father were to be set free it would be his duty to kill him.

He goes to visit his mother’s grave only once a year, on Christmas day, which happens to be both his and his mother’s birthday. He wants to vindicate her and feels that the only way left for him to do that is to focus on the present and not dwell on the past. It is for this reason that he cannot bring himself to visit her more often.

Roanoke has very few friends in the traditional sense. Just a few well-trusted people that he has met in his travels as an adventurer. Every now and again he may get together with them to go out for a drink if he doesn’t have other arrangements. More often than not, though, Roanoke prefers to be alone. On such occasions, during downtime, he frequents techno raves. The noise and energy levels are more than ample to help him drown out all the idle thoughts that spiral around inside his head. He has several personal contacts at the raves he attends. Many of these individuals are fairly trustworthy acquaintances who would be willing to help him out in a pinch.

Despite Roanoke’s loner lifestyle and his aversion to relationships in general, he does have a love interest. He keeps it secret from the team because he doesn’t want to get Reanna involved in the work that he does. It’s not that she doesn’t know. Rather he doesn’t want her to become a liability to his profession. He has constant fears of something terrible happening to her if an enemy were to find out about her. He takes every measure to keep her from being used as a pawn against him.

Roanoke enjoys reading, writing, swimming, skydiving, bungee jumping, biking, hiking, snowboarding, and rock climbing. The types of books Roanoke reads include sci fi, fiction, horror, fantasy and an occasional mystery. Whenever not on the job, he pretty much always has a book in his hand. Roanoke reads books and drinks two or three cups of coffee to help him chill out at the end of the day before going to sleep.

Roanoke likes weaponry, especially archaic weaponry. He has a frighteningly large collection of throwing knives, daggers, bows, long swords and throwing stars in his home. He likes many forms of techno music, videogames and movies. He pretty much likes anything that serves as a distraction.

Roanoke is a people watcher. It is a sort of pseudo-hobby he has picked up along the way. He just likes to watch people go through their day-to-day lives with all of their personal ticks and idiosyncrasies. In many ways he views the reactions and interactions between the individuals that he watches as being infinitely better than anything from Hollywood or on TV.

Roanoke hates people who don’t use the brains that God gave them. He feels that if a person isn’t mentally or physically deficient in any way, they shouldn’t act like they are. He has little tolerance for anyone with a low attention span or an inability to read signs or follow simple directions (though he does derive enjoyment in watching people "pull" on doors that say "push" and the like). On the job, Roanoke can be impatient at times and therefore doesn’t like waiting for anything or anyone. To wait is to be out of control. To wait is to allow time to pass that can never be had again. Having no control over a situation is quite possibly Roanoke’s greatest fear.

Roanoke will not allow complacency or indecisiveness to muddle his ability to act or battle his way out of a tough spot. He is very resourceful and will use any means at his disposal to complete a mission. He is very much capable of using discretion, but if necessary he will kill anyone that gets in the way of the team’s mission objectives.