Name and/or Alias: Riley
Age & Gender: 22; Male
Race: Human
Height & Weight: 4'10"; 102lbs.
Type: Adept Gunslinger
Appearance: A thick, brown, and messy crop of hair covers his head, though he manages it well enough to prevent it from becoming a nuisance. He has a small, narrow frame with an athletic build and light muscle definition. As for clothing, he's usually seen wearing a form-fitting t-shirt, sometimes with a faded logo of some obscure band, but usually plain, and a pair of dark blue denim pants. On his hands, he wears a pair of black, fingerless leather gloves which he is almost never seen without, same as his black, reinforced, bulletproof leather
jacket. Another thing he is never without is his pair of
goggles which have been heavily modified to scan people and items of interest with the lenses displaying specifications on a HUD (only visible inside the lenses), greatly increasing his situational awareness, and comes with a built-in magnification function. On his feet are a pair of black running shoes with specially-compounded soles that give him extra bounce for increased agility.
History: Riley was an orphan almost since birth. It didn't do much good for his childhood that the orphanage he spent his early years in was really just a small, run-down apartment full of kids and little-to-no adult supervision. Growing up in the slums hadn't provided him with the best set of values, always having been a liar and a thief, and being damned good at it too. Throughout his childhood, the boy grew up with an unruly group of tramps, generally having to scrap and steal for their next meal. There were times when he found himself at a disadvantage, for he was always a bit of a runt and was easily overpowered by the bigger kids, but there were times when his stature proved to be advantageous. His size made him light on his feet, allowing him to outrun most other kids, but he discovered something about himself when he found he could outrun those that should've been as fast as he was. It was as if he had found a way to will himself to run faster, like there was some dial within him that he could crank to incredible levels. It wasn't just running either, he discovered he could climb faster, traverse alleyways with leaping bounds - it was like his adrenal glands became voluminous reservoirs he could tap into whenever he so desired.
In Riley's mid-adolescence, he had nearly perfected his abilities which he used to best the best of thieves and couriers. Needless to say, this attracted much unwanted attention and it was soon made apparent that he needed some way to protect himself. Procuring a defensive weapon did not prove difficult, he managed to pocket a
Colt Asp and a box of ammo right from underneath the clerk's nose, and so began his self-training in the art of Gun Fu, as he'd heard it referred to. He started spending more time inside, learning the ins and outs of his prize pistol and getting creative with different methods of drawing, loading, and holstering. In a matter of days, he knew the gun better than most would with years of experience. However, he knew he couldn't just start unloading bullets into whomever became a threat so he plucked himself a
butterfly knife for a less conspicuous line of defense.
Settling in an abandoned apartment, far from his 'home', he was left to think about what may lie ahead in his future. He knew the usefulness of his skill, he knew that they could be used for more than just 'getting by' - the only obstacle he could see was being introduced into the unforgiving world of contract killing. He figured there'd be no easier way than by putting his skills on display for the world to see. Finding the absolute worst cesspit of gambling, sex, and drugs, he set up a simple Cup Game stand using five plastic cups, two ball bearings, and a cardboard box. It was nothing new, such things have been done billions of times over, but what people came to see was an unaugmented human with so deft of hands, shifting and sliding the cups at such blinding speeds as he was.
Some local club owner, an Elf by the name of Ewa Kozyra, heard of this kid with hands quicker than a bullet and saw for himself just how true that claim proved to be. Quite impressed, Ewa offered Riley a job as a sort of tax collector, picking money and valuables off those who tipped lightly or just appeared to have an overbearing pocketbook. Months into his 'career', Riley was given an opportunity to take a more dangerous position on Ewa's roster which meant a lot more money; an offer Riley had no intention of turning down. There was even potential for word of his prowess to get around, and perhaps employment opportunities may present themselves as a result.
Reason to be here/things to do: To earn a life for himself that he hadn't the opportunity to do before, which meant having to make quite a lot of money.
Personality: Riley can be quite cocky at times, but he never lets his attitude affect his work. A loud, foul-mouth who's always quick to make a joke and usually has something to say about anything. He won't give a shit if you didn't want his two cents, he'll give them regardless. He constantly feels the need to test his own abilities to their fullest, but he knows his limits as they stand and isn't stupid enough to push them too far. Or at least hasn't been in a position which would call for it.
Notable skills: In combat, he has speed unlike anything seen before, being able to unload a full cylinder into enemies and reload in a matter of seconds. His speed isn't just with guns; on his feet, he's fast as the wind and his hands alone can be as fast as greased lightning, having the prestidigitation to outmaneuver most machines. He's a natural-born liar and quite the smooth talker when he needs to be, and his quickness in his wit only enhances his abilities all the more. He's a master in the art of Gun Fu and is not at all afraid to let it be known. He also has basic knowledge of computers and vehicles, along with minor experience in explosives, primarily knowing how to handle them and how to make them go boom.
Equipment: Aside from his goggles, enhanced running shoes, and armored jacket (as listed in Appearance), he keeps with him his trusty Colt Asp and butterfly knife holstered to his left hip (both shown in History) along with a more recently acquired
Remington Roomsweeper in a sling on his back, mostly concealed by his backpack. He keeps his ammunition (.357 Magnum cartridges with hollow-point rounds for Colt, 12 ga. armor-piercing slugs and double-aught buckshot for Remington) in various pouches and within the webbing of his
messenger backpack. Within his pack, he also carries around a lockpicking kit, a datapad with advanced security encryption (should it ever be 'misplaced'), a firearm maintainance and cleaning kit, blade sharpening kit, and a couple extra sets of clothes.
Contacts:
Ewa Kozyra (Elf) - Owner of The Fen of Fire, a nightclub in one of the more dangerous parts of town. A harsh and ruthless businessman, will go to extreme lengths to ensure that he has his way. Riley's current employer and main source of income.
Karol Reeds (Elf) - Ewa's personal assistant, tech specialist, and hacker. Spending most of her time at a desk and behind a wall of computer moniters, she manages nearly all aspects of Ewa's legitimate and illicit business. Riley's go-to girl for assistance getting into secured systems through his comms (when manual hacking is required) and datapad (for every other instance, when jacking into a network and letting Karol work her magic through it is easier).
Reuben Gaff (Orc) - Ewa's personal arms dealer, does most of his dealings in Black Market arms. He keeps Riley supplied with munitions, as per Ewa's request, and is always willing to cut Riley a good deal for weapons that his employers budget won't cover.
Russel Kibisiac (Human) - An old friend, at least the closest thing to a friend, of Riley's from his youth. A man struggling with a chem addiction that he's been trying to ween himself off from since meeting up with Riley. Assists him (for a small fee) with the occasional bounty, usually with tailing from another angle, diversions, and just about any other way he can be useful.
Augustus "Gus" Weyler (believed to be an alias, race is unknown) - An informant, private investigator, and overly paranoid (for good reason), fast-talking well of information. Currently Riley's occasionally a source of dirt and other info on high value targets. There is very little that Riley, or anyone else for that matter knows about him - Riley has yet to even see him in person.
Danyel Goodhart (Elf) - Operator of Ewa's own chopshop and highly skilled mechanic. Don't let her name fool you, she's cold-blooded and won't hesitate to put a bullet through you if you become a threat to her or her employer's business. Occasionally allows Riley to use the shanty living quarters in the back as a temporary safehouse for when he needs to lay low for a while.
Mickey Magri (Human) - Ewa's drug, arms, and assorted contraband runner. A speed-demon at heart, pilots his heavily modified
2056 Benson Rampage. He's always happy to give Riley a lift or act as his getaway driver whenever he has the time for it. Keeps his craft locked up in the chop shop owned by Danyel, whom he mostly works with.
Other: Riley doesn't take too kindly to being ridiculed for his stature and is generally quick to prove the offender wrong to judge him for it. Although he has a tough exterior, he has a soft spot for a good meal and a pretty face. It wouldn't surprise him if he'd made an enemy out of a few people, so it's likely there are some who wouldn't be opposed to have him taken out of the picture.
