"INSERT QUOTE FROM CHARACTER" - Dana Mercer

The sister of Alexander Mercer, Dana Mercer is a charismatic socialite, diplomat, and an observer to the Didactian Council, and often serves to reign in her older brother’s more negative impulses.

History
Dana was not born, she was created by her “brother” in 65,000 BC. Fearful of death, Alexander created her as a “living backup”. His plan was that if he were to be slain, his soul would simply take over his “sister” and recreate his old body and then get revenge, snuffing out her consciousness in the process so he could live again. Dana knew nothing of her planned fate, and was given false memories of having always known her brother and having arrived in reality with him.
Before the Rebellion, Dana helped her brother and fought alongside his soldiers in their many conquests. Rather than cold-bloodedly exterminate, however, Dana preferred to simply conquer and colonize, and confronted Alex several times about his brutal policies of extermination of every “inferior” species. Despite their differences, Dana steadfastly stood by her older brother and was horrified when the Rebellion broke out, and was deeply affected by the atrocities on both sides and tried to use what authority she had to reign in Imperial forces, with only marginal success. She even once attempted to reach out to Charles Orson in the hopes of potentially brokering some sort of peace between the two parties towards the end of the Rebellion; her messenger was returned to the Imperial Palace in pieces and when Alex found out about her “treason”, the two fought for several weeks of bitter argument. Yvonne Hartman even opened a file on Dana after this (this did little to further endear Hartman fo Alexander), though nothing came of this.
Charles Orson had always been curious about Dana, suspicious of her personality which was in stark contrast to that of her “brother” and concluded two things; Dana had been artificially created by Alex to “offload” his unwanted emotions and that, furthermore, Dana would play a key role in saving Alex if he were ever seriously injured, since they shared Blacklight strains. With this in mind, when The Battle of Arcadia occurred in 29,000, Charles set out to kill Dana before Alex, hoping to deprive him of this resource. Dana had already been evacuated, and he fought Alexander instead, leading to the death and disappearance of both parties.
Dana was horrified and enraged by her brother’s death, and used her powers to cut a bloody revenge-fueled swathe through Orsonian forces until a temporary ceasefire was negotiated. She worked with Nathan Koenig to resurrect her brother, fulfilling her purpose, but in a very different way. Dana provided a large portion of her own biomass to create a new body for her brother while Koenig and Imperial occultists began to work on contingency plans. After 5 days of near-constant work, with all participants nearly dying in the process several times, Alexander is reborn, albeit with a completely different personality than before; Dana attributes this to her biomass being used as the base of Alex’s body somehow absorbing elements of her personality. Unbeknownst to anyone, Alex’s subsequent personality shift is due to the fact that the last remnants of Nyarlathotep had been destroyed when he died.
Dana was critical to encouraging the best aspects of her “new” big brother’s personality, encouraging mercy, compassion, and tolerance, helping suppress and eventually eliminate his worst impulses left over from his old self. She is partially responsible for the modern separation of church and state and Cybusian religious tolerance. Nonetheless, she was also supportive of The Great Reconquest, and took a leading role in the retraining of Cybusian troops so that the atrocities of the Rebellion weren’t repeated. Dana’s influences helped shift the goal of Imperial wars and The Great Reconquest from “conquest and subjugation” to “colonization and the spreading of civilization”.
Since the Rebellion and Great Reconquest, Dana has served in several capacities. Recognizing her more democratic inclinations, Alex appointed her the official Imperial Observer Of The Didiactian Council. In this capacity, Dana observes and reports on the affairs of the Council, but also offers compromises, solutions to problems facing legislators, and generally making sure things run smoothly without directly interfering in the affairs of the Council, since she has no voting rights within the Council. She takes to this role well, smoothing over debates and promoting peace within the Council. Dana also serves as a semi-official ambassador for the Council and her brother, traveling the Empire and abroad to meet with everyday citizens and dignitaries alike, acting as a sort of ambassador promoting goodwill and friendship and reporting problems to her brother and legislators. In this capacity, she has limited negotiating rights, but after she makes a good impression, an official Imperial representative is often sent in her wake to formalize agreements or terms. She works with several charities and organizations such as the Followers of The Apocalypse and works to promote Imperial culture. Among other things, Dana has helped negotiate trade deals, concordats between the Mercerist Church and newly discovered states, helped create initial diplomatic ties between the Empire and other nations, and, in a rather impromptu negotiation when a more official diplomat could not be found, negotiated the release of Imperial citizens from custody following a violent revolution in a bordering nation.
A major schism between brother and sister occurred in 2021, when, in attempt to drive them apart, Elizabeth Green informed Dana of the true circumstances of her creation. For the first time, the two physically fought one another and Dana fled to Wagondia for the better part of a year until Johannes Vanderberg stoked fears of Alex returning to his old ways without her presence. These fears were false, but the two reconciled, Dana embracing Alex as her brother regardless of the fact that she was created as a backup plan.

Personality
Dana is perhaps best defined as the opposite of her brother. He tends to be serious and somewhat gloomy, she tends to be more sunny, sociable, and optimistic. Alex is more authoritarian and ambitious, Dana is more democratic and relaxed. While she takes her work quite seriously, she’s also a charismatic socialite who can charm her way through any evening, which comes in handy during her diplomatic missions. Dana has also been noted for her ability to effortlessly switch between being charming and relaxed, and being deadly serious and alert at a moments notice; one observer has noted “Miss Mercer can switch between hosting a cocktail party and engaging in target practice in five seconds flat, and no doubt has done exactly that at least once in her eventful life as a diplomat.”
Though considered deeply worthy of worship by Mercerists due to her role in resurrecting her brother, Dana is distinctly uncomfortable with being worshipped (thus further distinguishing her from her brother) and specifically requested Alex put to a stop to it. Despite this, some still regard as her as a Saint, Sankta Dana.

Appearance
Dana is a Charoda and an exceptionally powerful one at that, possibly the most powerful one in existence due to her origin, being created directly by her brother and inheriting some of his divine powers. Dana has a Blacklight purity of 100% and can do whatever an Evolved can do, and more, having access to every Charodey ability. Her default form is, unsurprisingly, fairly similar to that of her brother; she is a tall (6’9”) young woman with ice blue eyes, a sharp jawline, short brown hair, and tends to wear a black dress and an elaborate black and red kefta emblazoned with an M for Mercer. Dana’s kefta is extremely heavily armored and heavily modified with shields and gadgetry, and has a specialized pocket to hold her collapsible shotgun (she does not carry it on diplomatic missions, but otherwise generally keeps it on her person), The Reaper. If she has to wear something more practical, she tends to wear a simple red shirt, black jeans, boots, and a somewhat shortened version of her kefta, which adds a respectable element to an otherwise practical outfit.

Personal Life
When not traveling for her job or attending Didactian Council sessions, Dana acts as a socialite, throwing or attending parties, cultural events, or otherwise being sociable and representing the Mercer family in society. Dana also enjoys hunting and practicing her shooting, and is an excellent shot with a pistol, rifle, or shotgun (to the extant that one can be an excellent shot with a shotgun, that is), and enjoys hunting in the woods of Varykino on Arcadia. She enjoys swimming as well, and frequently visits the luxurious banyak complex at Voronezhy.

The Reaper:
The custom shotgun of Dana Mercer, The Reaper is her primary and favorite weapon, and has been in her service for centuries. Crafted by Nathanial Usher, one of the renowned Usher weapon-artisans as a gift to Dana when he briefly sought her hand, she quickly grew fond of the gun. Consisting of a fabricator-fed semi-automatic shotgun, The Reaper can fire all the shells a Brawler can, as well as unique rebounds developed for it, including psionic inhibition shells which use Nullwave technology, and hyperheated shells which can quickly melt through power armor like butter. The Reaper is decorated with a nanite-wooden stock, Art Deco patterns, and the engraving “Don’t Fear The Reaper”, a joke on Dana’s part. The shotgun can collapse on itself to adapt to tactical needs, the stock and barrel expanding or collapsing for travel or combat. Dana keeps The Reaper on or close to her person at all times.

"Surrender now and I may spare you. If you do not, I will make you an example of the stupidity of challenging the Cybusian Empires finest." - Alexander Vosch, speaking to an enemy commander

Sometimes nicknamed “The New Delta”, Alexander Vosch is an Imperial commander known for his ruthlessness and efficiency in combat. He studied the tactics and methods of James Delta, and he has a reputation for being merciless to his enemy until they are either utterly crushed or they surrender unconditionally. He maintains his own flagship, Obsidiax, a Forge Class Battleship which he continually modifies with more advanced weapons and defenses, often with weapons he acquires from Torchwood sources, thanks to Torchwood friends and contacts. He maintains a close friendship with fellow Consulate member John Forge, and will happily exploit this friendship to receive Prowler support or experimental weapons systems. He has seen combat against Drakul, cultists of Nyarlathotep, and many conventional foes, conquering several dozen star systems for his lord, god, and namesake, Alexander.

Vosch also serves as the High Consul for the Imperial Navy, his youth an oddity among the far older Consulate members, but Alex finds his youth and enthusiasm refreshing. He maintains an excellent working relationship with High Consul For Intelligence, Johnathan Forge and the High Consul For The Imperial Army, Nicholas Black, but his enthusiasm for war and conflict puts him at odds with Reinhardt Wolf, the High Consul for Foreign Relations, whom he considers meek and in favor of using Chamberlin-like appeasement tactics.

History
Born in 1955 to Johnathan and Elizabeth Vosch on Arcadia, Alexander Vosch comes from a long line of military leaders dating back to The Rebellion. Vosches have led Imperial fleets for centuries, and Alexander was no different, graduating with honors from his high school before moving onto the prestigious Imperial Naval Academy and earning a position as an officer. He quickly worked his way up the ranks until he was the captain of his own Avenger Class Destroyer, the Mercer's Fury. In 1971, while conducting routine patrols, his vessel was attacked by a vast number of pirate vessels. Going up against twelve ships, he preformed several daring maneuvers and ended up destroying six by himself, and crippling three more by the time reinforcements arrived. This display drew the attention of his superiors and he was prompted to command a squadron, and then eventually a fleet in 1983. He drew the Emperor's attention after he led a fleet to conquer a small nation in a series of brilliant strategic maneuvers which led to the surrender of the enemy without the loss of any of his ships in 1990. He was promoted to High Consul of the Imperial Navy in 2000.
Personality
Polite, well-mannered, charismatic, and generally the picture of a gentleman, Alexander Vosch is a staple of Imperial high society.
Vosch is widely considered to be a poster boy for Imperial expansion, though his good looks, charm, and charisma hide his cruelty and desire to utterly exterminate his foes. Within Torchwood, there are whispers he has executed foes who have attempted to surrender and threatened to orbitally bombard civilian population centers to force surrender, although none of these accounts have been verified. Unbeknownst to many, Vosch has made it a secret mission of his to try to recover Orsonian artifacts through his contacts in Torchwood, for purposes unknowable to anyone but himself. Some theorize he is trying to create a Cybusian version of The Sword of Tritus, though this is bound to be a futile effort.
Appearance
Vosch is an Evolved-majority Banshiek, known for his natural talents for pyromancy, Mesmerism, and healing, though he is also a powerful telekinetic, once even crushing a small corvette attempting to flee into hyperspace, though this was incredibly taxing on him. His default form is the one he is most comfortable in, a tall and handsome male, scruffy, with reddish-brown hair and ice blue eyes like his namesakes. He typically wears his naval officers uniform, combining a suit and tie, trench-coat, and cap, all in charcoal grey and dull red.
Personal Life
Unusually for a man of his standing, Vosch is bisexual, and is sometimes considered to be the third contender for Natalia Usher’s heart, when he’s not chasing handsome movie stars and fellow officers of a similar persuasion. Like Natalia, he tends to go from one lover to another, restless. He once had a fling with Edward Mordrake, and regrets it to this day, describing the famous Cybusian writer with "That man is a walking disaster of strong emotions, strange desires, and a seemingly never ending supply of energy.”
Vosch enjoys working out, reading, and is a frequent visitor to the theater and cinema.

Obsidiax:
Alexander Vosch’s personal flagship, the Obsidiax is a feared vessel among the enemies of the Empire. In addition to the standard armament of a normal Forge Class Battleship, Vosch has outfitted his ship with several unique weapon systems. He has outfitted with a set of unique spinal weapons in addition to its standard Singularity Cannon and twin Artonic Cannons. These consist of an Ultra-Heavy Surge Cannon, like the kind used on Corsair Light Carriers, and a Mesmerization Device, which fires a wave of Mesmerizing energies and signals at a target, “borrowed” from a Black Dawn cruiser which was to be scrapped. Other weapon systems include 20 specialized silos, which can fabricate unique munitions such as E-99 weapons, as well as a series of 200 systems for creating and launching “Dark Matter Torpedos”, which are masses of Dark Matter contained in a magnetic sheath and “steered” into the enemy at high speed, packing even more punch than a normal Dark Matter cannon. Finally, fifty-five Colony drone swarms are embarked, as well as Wasp and Guardian swamps. Thanks to Torchwood connections, he even has a small colony of Yellowjacket drones for combat testing, although he has not used them yet due to the special security measures built into them to prevent capture.
The Obsidiax has a highly improved reactor system, to compensate for the new weapons systems and strengthened shields. Like most Cybusian vessels, the weapons of the Obsidiax are concealed until needed, but the Obsidiax boasts elaborate Mercerist iconography on its black and red hull, and Vosch’s quarters are adjoined by a large and highly elaborate personal shrine to Alexander, and houses many Bone Charms and Mercerist icons and texts.

Deputy Director of Torchwood

Nathan Koenig

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Personal Info

1 trillion BC

Born:
Birthplace:	Arcadia
Age:	1 trillion and 2556 years
Father:	N/A
Mother:	N/A
Gender:	Male
Sexual Orientation:	Asexual

"Science is the greatest asset at our disposal. With knowledge and patience, all problems can be overcome, even the resistance of other nations to our will." - Nathan Koenig

Dr. Nathan Koenig is one of Empires foremost scientists, having been in existence since the Empire was formed. He is largely responsible for many of our technological advances and is also the Deputy Director of Torchwood.

History
Nathan Koenig was created by Alex shortly after creating the Evolved. He was an Evolved research assistant, to assist Alex in engineering weapons, ships, and fabricators. He largely kept away from the frontlines, but would occasionally field test weapons himself. It was said that Alex came up with Imperial weapons, but Koenig made them mass-producible. He assisted in the bioengineering of the species eventually known as the Orsonians, the development of Particle Cannons, plasma weapons, and Tesla weapons. When the Orsonian Rebellion occurred, he designed all sorts of prototype weapons in a vain attempt to stop the Orsonian advance, and fought valiantly in the Battle of Arcadia alongside Yvonne Hartman, his boss at Torchwood. The two ended up in the Imperial Palace, just as Charles Orson was about to strike Alexander down. Koenig, acting fast, modified a flare to exceed its normal output by 1000%, and Director Hartman then fired it at Charles, distracting him enough for Alex to go on the offensive and force him to teleport out. Following Yvonnes brutal Consumption, Alex promoted Nathan to lead Torchwood, following the signing of the Treaty of Arcadia. Koenig ignored the desire to mourn when Alex died of the magical wound, instead focusing on a way to resurrect him. He did so, using various experimental devices, biomass samples from Alex, and a Blacklight donation from Dana Mercer, resurrecting his creator.
Following his return from the dead, Dr. Koenig, with Dana’s help, managed to convince Alex to establish an Imperial Constitution, Didactian Council, and Imperial Supreme Court, though this earned him a demotion to Deputy Director of Torchwood. Over the ensuing centuries, he assisted in the development of Hardlight, Dark Matter, and Artonic and Singularity Weapons. When the Empire first discovered Drakul, he was the first to perform an autopsy, and ran various experiments on captive specimens, discovering the healing properties of the white fluid which acts as their blood. He, with fellow Torchwood scientist Anton Sokolov, managed to temporarily trap Nyarlathotep in our reality for Alex to Consume, though this led to Alex being possessed by him. Ultimately, he was expelled, thanks to Koenig and Dana submerging Alex in Regenex. Koenig continues to serve Alexander faithfully.

Personality
Nathan is exceptionally intelligent, possessing detailed knowledge in most fields of study, having had countless centuries to study and experiment. He is somewhat eccentric and has a tendency to ramble. He is an incredibly curious person and is always excited to learn more about virtually any subject, be it through analysis, experimentation, observation, or perusing databases. He is also rather sarcastic, though he has trouble grasping sarcasm directed at him, and can be condescending at times without meaning it. Despite his role as a scientist, he is not afraid of combat. He sometimes leads Agents in battle, and is normally armed with his custom pistol, Sterilizer. He is fiercely protective of his Agents, and if they are threatened, he is not a threat to be taken lightly. Koenig is a devout Mercerist.

Apparence
As an Evolved, Nathan can manipulate his appearance at will, but his default form is a tall, lanky, pale Human with brown hair and green eyes. He typically wears a Torchwood uniform, minus fedora, though he often substitutes the trenchcoat for a lab coat, which he almost always wears.

Personal Life
Koenig enjoys experimenting in his spare time, reading, debating, playing chess, and designing gadgets and weapons.
Koenig is rarely at his home, spending most of his time in his labs at The Panopticon or on field expeditions both with Torchwood and on his own.
Nathan is asexual, believing relationships other than friends to be a waste of time, coupled with the fact that he has no desire to reproduce, as he prefers to focus on his work.
Nathan is fond of Technocratic-Director James Abrasax, regarding him as a protege.
Secretly, thanks to his advanced age, Koenig keeps electronic backups of his memories and personality ready to be transferred into a clone, having done this several times.

Sterilizer:
Dr. Nathan Koenig’s sidearm, the Sterilizer has served him well since before the Rebellion. Originally a Tesla pistol, effectively an electro-laser, the Sterilizer has modified many times over the centuries. Currently it fires bolts of Dark Matter, black energy which deals catastrophic damage to armor and living tissue it touches. Befitting its name, it can fire Hardlight bolts as well, causing physical damage and inflicting immense heat and energy damage, cleanly burning and cauterizing a wound, but causing local bodily fluids such as blood to superheat. It can also fire stun bolts, and, while Koenig greatly prefers energy weapons, it can also function as a normal Torchwood issue .45. The Sterilizer is a compact weapon, small enough to fit in Koenig’s armored and shielded lab coat without a holster, but is more powerful than its size would suggest. Due to Koenig’s constant tinkering, it can easily punch through shields and power armor, spelling doom for those who would foolishly underestimate the deputy director of Torchwood, one of the brightest minds in the Empire.

Director of Torchwood

John Forge

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Personal Info

Born:	21,000 BC
Birthplace:	Arcadia
Age:	24,023
Father:	John Forge Sr.
Mother:	Elizabeth Forge
Gender:	Male
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual

"INSERT QUOTE FROM CHARACTER" - John Forge

The Director of Torchwood, John Forge is one of the most terrifying and most powerful figures in the Cybusian Empire. A former Marine and a veteran of the Great Reconquest, Forge has many many centuries of combat experience behind him. Despite sometimes intentionally playing up an image of being a simple country boy to throw opponents off-balance, John is a clever trickster who will make use of any and every advantage he can to win, be it in a firefight or as the director of Imperial intelligence and special operations.

History
John Forge was born on the colony world of Atrux in 21,000 BC, and quickly developed a love of hunting, occasionally disappearing for days and coming home with literally dozens, even hundreds of kills. He earned good grades in school, but failed to apply himself, showing little interest in higher education.
A devout Mercerist, John was excited by the opportunity to serve his god by fighting the remaining Orsonian states. He joined the Marines and established himself as an excellent warrior. His service record was so impressive that he was selected for service with Blackwatch, the Marine special forces unit. As a Blackwatch operative, John proved himself to be both a master marksman and a patient planner; he once stayed in position for two weeks straight waiting for an opportunity to snipe an Orsonian general whose strategic brilliance was impeding Imperial advances. This is also when Forge’s talent for deception became known.
On a mission on a strategic Orsonian world, John’s unit was discovered before reaching their target. However, the Orsonians were unaware his team was the only force on the planet. Using props, fake soldiers and weapons, and various ingenious fake attacks on Orsonian positions, he managed to convince an Orsonian commander that he was facing a much larger Cybusian force than he was. Forge offered to meet to discuss a ceasefire so that the Cybusian “army” could evacuate it’s “wounded”. As soon as the Orsonian commander met with him, Forge and his unit slaughtered the guards, with Forge Consuming the commander and returning to the local Orsonian headquarters in the commanders form, before slaughtering everyone present by himself and escaping disguised as a janitor he had Consumed.
The real demonstration of Forge’s mettle was on the planet currently known as Ostrakirk. His Blackwatch team was supposed to infiltrate the planet and destroy strategic targets. While they succeeded in knocking off-world communications out, when trying to sabotage a refueling depot, the Orsonians revealed a trap; they opened fire with extremely heavy artillery, sacrificing the depot if it meant eliminating the Blackwatch team. Most of Forge’s squad died, and he was cut off from those who survived, who were captured and executed. Being the sole survivor of his unit, Forge began to put his hunting experience into action. He slowly and methodically identified, stalked, and eliminated enemy patrols, and then began a two-month-long campaign against the Orsonians. He singlehandedly assassinated commanders and politicians using traps, subterfuge, and direct attacks, destroyed infrastructure and supplies, took out small outposts, and generally harassed the enemy constantly in a one-man-war.
By this point, the main Imperial fleet was approaching the planet. Deciding to try to repeat an earlier trick, Forge created hundreds of makeshift dummies and vehicles, hopelessly fake to anyone up close, but good enough to fool satellite images or airborne recon. Forge made contact with the leader of the planet as his fleet was being destroyed by the Imperial Navy. Posing as the leader of a vast army of Marines who had made landfall and having the Orsonians “confirm his story” by investigating the dummy army with satellites and spy drones, Forge offered to spare the members of the Orsonian military and government if they surrendered to him immediately. After much argument amongst themselves, the more cowardly governor agreed to surrender the world (the infuriated Orsonian generals promptly tried to kill their traitorous counterpart). The planet was taken without another shot being fired.
This impressive feat drew the attention of Torchwood. At the time, the agency was slowly starting to adopt a more active approach to things instead of the more passive and traditional role of pure intelligence gathering. Forge’s clever ruses and successful guerrilla warfare campaign made him an ideal candidate for the changing agency, and Forge was selected to become a Torchwood Agent.
Forge was given advanced training in infiltration, psychology and sociology, asset cultivation, and more.
Due to his considerable experience, he quickly developed a reputation as one of Torchwood’s best. He regularly infiltrated enemy groups which had some sort of issue (be it a logistical issue or a shifting power dynamic he could exploit), and would then proceed to do one of four things: make the existing problem worse while framing someone else or an outside party, destabilize the group by encouraging pre-existing tensions or creating new tensions, tricking the group into making mistakes, or simply dismantling the group from the inside out by himself. These missions infiltrated everything from Orsonian black ops teams to the highest-ranking command structures, and made Orsonians everywhere paranoid and distrustful of their own allies, fearing infiltration.
One particular mission stood out; having Consumed an Orsonian officer, Forge remained in deep cover for two years, subtly manipulating things so it seemed as though a number of superior officers in a strategically important sector might be a Torchwood spy ring sabotaging a campaign, and then proceeded to manipulate an Orsonian lieutenant into killing all of the officers with a bomb through two years of manipulation, mind games, and gaslighting. Immediately thereafter, an operation was launched to take advantage of the gaping hole in the chain of command, and the sector fell, despite considerable resistance by the Orsonians.
In another mission, over the course of two months, Forge manipulated the commander of an experimental Orsonian super weapon into thinking his AI and his bridge crew had been compromised, posing as an elite Orsonian counter-intelligence officer (this same officer had nearly caught Forge, but was ambushed and Consumed after a long fight). Through a series of manipulations, hacks, conventional and digital sabotage, and gaslighting, he tricked the commander into shutting down the AI and then turning key members of the bridge crew over for interrogation. From there, he proceeded to kill the captain and the surviving bridge crew, and then, via a Cybusian AI, turn Orsonian ship security measures against the crew or simply vented atmosphere from the ship, suffocating huge numbers of Orsonians while Forge escaped in the confusion. The superweapon was then made to self-destruct, wasting trillions of credits and years of work, and eliminating a potential threat to the Emperor himself.
At one point Forge managed to gaslight the leader of an Orsonian nation into thinking his generals and elite were conspiring against him, spending three years on a deep cover operation and ultimately leading to Stalin-like purges of the military and civic elite, which was immediately taken advantage of.
Forge developed a reputation for being an expert manipulator on a personal scale: he would tailor his mannerisms, opinions, reactions, and modes of speech to whatever his targets expected, often posing as a hard-line anti-Cybusian. He gained a reputation as an expert forger, working with his AI to create convincing evidence of betrayal, planting fake tracking devices or explosives for him to “discover” and then blame someone else, manipulating financial records, access logs, and video or audio evidence to play targets against each other with suspicious activity or damning evidence of betrayal.
And on the occasions where his cover was blown, Forge distinguished himself as a ferocious and pragmatic combatant, not hesitating to stab people in the back, hurl them out of windows to temporarily remove them from combat, use tendrils to trap targets, using household objects to his advantage - he once rigged a series of lights to explode, showering an Orsonian squad with shrapnel, while simultaneously under fire from a set of rigged shotguns, distracting them and giving Forge plenty of time to line up headshots. He also tended to make improvised explosives, flash-bangs, smoke grenades, and incendiary devices in the field from found materials and used them to his advantage for both combat and his manipulation schemes - and otherwise fighting “dirty”. His unconventional and merciless tactics, mixed with his penchant for manipulation and trickery, made him an incredibly difficult opponent to combat. When chased, he was a highly proficient driver, often using tendrils to drive while firing out the window, firing at the pavement to ricochet rounds up through less armored bottoms into vehicle interiors, terrifying and potentially injuring or killing the occupants or damaging the hover units on a hovercar.
Because of all these things, Forge earned a terrifying reputation among anti-Cybusian Orsonian states. One intelligence agency dubbed him “The Crimson Raven”, because he would infiltrate an area, wreck havoc and cause chaos, directly or indirectly, and then slip away “like a blood-soaked raven flying away” in the words of one frustrated Orsonian counter-intelligence officer. There is at least one incident where -independently of any operation- an Orsonian was killed by his allies because he was believed to secretly be Forge in disguise.
Forge was specifically singled out for assassination. On one mission, Forge had a very close call. After Consuming and infiltrating a command center, the center began to flood with toxic gases. Turrets and several Orsonian commando teams were activated/sent in; the Orsonians had predicted Forge would strike there, and decided to sacrifice the entire command center if it meant eliminating him. The entire command staff and everyone inside was gassed to death, turrets killing stragglers. Forge tried to play dead, only for his lifesigns to be detected. What ensued was a viscous game of cat and mouse among the corpse-strewn command center, commandos and Forge stalking each other, each trying to kill the other. Forge killed several of the commandos, and ended up fighting two at once in close combat, clad in heavy armor and unable to form biomass weapons. He was badly beaten and very nearly incapacitated until he managed to get lucky and Consume one of them. As he Consumed the commando, another activated grenades and embraced Forge as they exploded, sacrificing himself to try to kill him. Badly battered and running low on biomass, Forge managed to ambush and Consume a final commando. As soon as he did so, the Orsonians began to bombard the now lifeless facility with artillery and aerial bombing, bombarding the base for two hours of continuous shelling and bombing, following by spraying a napalm-like substance on the remains. Forge had only just survived by fleeing the facility as fast as he could, managing to evade the Orsonian forces, who had pulled back to avoid the artillery. Seriously wounded and low on biomass, Forge had to Consume local animals to regenerate his biomass before being exfiltrated from the planet. For their part, the Orsonians thought they had killed him -thanks to traces of his biomass being found amongst the flaming rubble, only to be disabused of this notion when the officers responsible all began to die in “accidents” involving explosives or fire.
Forge continued to rise through the ranks. As the Great Reconquest started to come to an end, it was realized that Forge would be more valuable directing operations and passing down his skills than in the field. Forge achieved deputy director status by 12 AD, and took over as Director and High Consul for Intelligence in 995 AD, an unusually fast promotion, attributed to his friendship with the Emperor by naysayers. Forge promptly began to implement his own operations into Torchwood training regimens. Kill-Teams and Prowlers had been around in rudimentary forms since Forge was recruited, but Forge substantially improved Kill-Team performance by devoting more resources to them, modifying training regimens, and enhanced the Prowler program with greater funding and access to more research and development. Forge also pioneered psychological profiling, Torchwood’s prestigious Behavioral Science Unit being founded in 1265, a young Thaddeus Roth being one of the first profilers recruited. Under Forge’s regime, an individual Torchwood Agent has extensive training in combat and investigative skills, and even “ordinary” Agents from Section Two are capable of wrecking incredible havoc thanks to training regimens inspired by Forge which emphasize adaptability, psychological warfare, infiltration, and how to weaponize the mundane.
Forge continues to serve as Director, albeit one who isn’t afraid to take to the field. Forge had the distinction of being one of a relative handful of mortals to kill an Ancient Drakul. He personally helped a Kill-Team hunt down and execute the Dragotina Ancient in 1371, following the disastrous attempt at internal containment by SecOps. He was nearly killed in the process, but managed to take advantage of the Ancients ego and tricked it into putting him in a position where he could shoot it in the heart with his secondary sidearm, immediately following up with a headshot before it could kill him. He then decapitated it’s corpse for good measure. (He later mandated carrying two pistols rather than one as a result of this encounter.) Later, during an infestation, Forge infamously managed to catch a Drakul stinger in midair and rip it out, also kicking a Drakul out of a window where it was impaled on a streetlight and burned to death by the sun. Forge remains the only mortal to ever rip out a stinger.

Personality
John Forge has been described in many different ways, ranging from “outer colony bumpkin” to “the Devil incarnate”, and in truth he tailors his personality to whomever he’s speaking with, to play to their preconceived notions or gain an advantage. His closest friends have the greatest insight into his true personality; he is a cold and efficient killer, willing to do whatever is necessary to accomplish his goals and serve the Empire. He has a penchant for dark humor and sarcasm, but is typically deadly serious when not trying to manipulate someone. He is a devout Mercerist, and wears several bone charms over his armor, all made from the bones of his enemies.
John is a highly capable combatant in ranged, close-quarters, and melee combat, and often accompanies his Agents on deployments, using a datapad to stay up to date and run day to day affairs. He is a fierce and pragmatic combatant, and often uses a pair of custom Usher Specials, though he just as often uses his Blacklight powers and raw strength. To this day, no one else but Vaun Eichhorst has ripped out a Drakul stinger. Some say he is the greatest individual combatant in the Empire.

Apparence
Forges default form is a tall, muscular young man, with brown hair in a slight crew cut, a scruffy beard, and intense blue eyes. He tends to wear either his power armor or an Imperial Marine officers dress uniform when not in armor.
He generally wears his custom modified suit of black and red power armor, without a helmet, though he will wear it in biohazard situations such as when engaging Drakul. John’s suit was modified so he can use his Blacklight abilities, at least on one arm, thanks to the front portion of the left arm being capable of retracting in on itself, while retractable plates allow him to Consume. To his slight annoyance, this has now become a standard feature on Imperial power armor. He maintains three Bone Charms, one on each wrist and one around his neck. They emit heat and 'whispers' when he is in danger. One of them slows time when he's in combat, one of them occasionally transmutes incoming projectiles into ravens which attack the shooter, and the last one slows time when he aims.

Personal Life
Forge has few hobbies, but enjoys hunting, reading (mostly Dark Adventure Mystery Magazine), and, surprisingly, is something of a film buff, enjoying film noir. He, -somewhat bizarrely given the short time it’s been around and the backwater status of the world it originated from-, enjoys American-style football from Timmy City and country music. While easily capable of imitating and functioning in high society, Forge tends to prefer simpler, heartier fare and his drink of choice is beer, specifically the Varykino Breweries lager, which he’s drunk all his life. A very private individual, Forge has never been known to date, though he has been known to enjoy occasional one night stands.

Mars and Ares:
Torchwood Director John Forges personal sidearms, named for the Greek and Roman gods of war, Mars and Ares are a pair of Usher Special .45 pistols, modified with silencers integrated into the barrel and self-adjusting holographic sights, as well as under-barrel taclights with a UVC output mode. The pistols are decorated with elaborate Mercerist iconography, and have black wooden grips and a dark grey body with red detailing. The pistols have been modified to also fire bolts of Dark Matter, if need be, though Forge prefers physical munitions over energy weapons. Mars and Ares are always by Forges side, in holsters on his power armor. In the rare event he wears a suit, they are kept in armpit holsters.

Natalia Usher

Natalia Usher

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Personal Info

Born:	1868
Birthplace:	Carcassia
Age:	688
Father:	Thomas Usher
Mother:	Elizabeth Usher
Gender:	Female
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual

"INSERT QUOTE FROM CHARACTER" - Natalia Usher

A beautiful Banshee, Natalia Usher is a member of the famed House of Usher, and the only Usher who produces weapons who has not been affected by the Usher Malady, which causes the biomass to become hypersensitive, pale, and slowly waste away. Her cousin, Roderick creates weapons as well, though he slowly goes mad in the family’s ancestral estate on Carcassia, with his sister, Madeline.

History
Natalia was born to Elizabeth and Thomas Usher, October 15th, 1868, and, after attending the finest private schools available on Carcassia, and learning the art of weapon-smithing from her father, who was an expert crafter of weapons, much like her grandfather, Nathanial, was sent with her mother to Arcadia for a decade to represent the Usher family in society on the illustrious capital planet. In 1895, they were called back to Carcassia, for Nathanial was finally dying after many centuries.
Upon arriving, she found her grandfather, whom she had only rarely seen due to his unnatural hypersensitivity and aversion to conversation, slowly wasting away in a room lit by a single candle. If anyone within the room or its immediate vicinity spoke above a whisper, Nathanial would be wracked with headaches. Even the gentlest touch made him scream in agony as he suffered sensory overload, and he claimed to hear and see things which were not there. One day, as Natalia brought him the blandest food they could find, he began raving madly, and his biomass began to rot before her eyes. He attacked Natalia, believing her to be some sort of foul monster that plagued him, striking her many times before regaining her lucidity. He was restrained, and alternated between babbling about nonsensical things and screaming like a lunatic until he was found in his bed a week later, a few biomass ‘bones’ which were incapable of even beginning to regenerate, covered in rot and pus.
The attack and the horrific death of her grandfather severely affected Natalia, and she attributed part of this to the fact that he had not left the home in centuries, terrified of whatever he had uncovered in his days of exploration. She vowed not to make the same 'mistake' as him, terrified of being reduced to the pitiful and insane state he had. She began her exploration of the Empire and other territories in 1896. She explored both ruined worlds and luxurious civilized planets in equal measure, developing a valuable collection of art, relics, artifacts, and curios she has spread across the countless luxurious estates, penthouses, and estates she owns across reality, in many nations. In more modern times, she briefly settled in Germany, taking a liking to the place, but quickly moved on after two years of exploring Europe and South America.
Personality
She has gained a reputation for being as intelligent and cunning as she is beautiful, an expert markswoman with the guns she crafts for her rare clients, and for her flightiness, rarely staying on a world longer than a month or so unless she is working on a weapon or is particularly charmed by the world or things she has added to her collection. She has been back to Carcassia only twice, to see her cousin Roderick, with whom she was a great childhood friend. She avoids him, fearing the Malady is contagious, and regards Carcassia as a cursed world. She is noted as having a morbid curiosity about death and an especial fondness for artifacts related to it.
Appearance
Natalia is a Banshee, known for her skill at healing and telekinesis. She is also innately gifted with the power of necromancy. Her form is tall, slim, and pale, with long red hair, often in curls, and with poison green eyes. She often wears a black dress, and conceals a Dark Matter derringer she built herself.
Personal Life
She has recently engaged in a frenzied and much-gossiped-about month-long romantic fling with Cybusian-Wagain playboy billionaire, Francisco D'Anconia, but left for Arcadia shortly afterward to one of her many homes on the planet. In addition, she has caught the eye of the Emperor himself, and the two engage in an on-again-off-again relationship, Natalia cycling between the Emperor, D’Anconia, and Alexander Vosch. Natalia maintains a vast and constantly growing collection of art, artifacts (historical, magical, and mechanical), trinkets, weapons, and curios, all dispersed across her many estates and penthouses. This collection includes many things, but one of her most prized possessions is a bloodstained Kefta said to have belonged to Yvonne Hartman, the original Director of Torchwood.

Usher weapons:
Natalia, as one of the last Usher weapon-artisans has created a number of unique weapons, which can be crafted upon request:

Usher Model 1789 Laser Musket:
A heavily modified laser rifle, the Laser Musket is a powerful weapon with effectively infinite ammo. The Laser Musket uses a powerful crank which uses physical force to generate power. This Laser Musket uses the crank to power its array of dynamos and capacitors which hold and amplify energy creating a very powerful and very accurate laser beam capable of punching through armor or even destroying a bit of biomass. The downside of the Laser Musket is its slow firing speed, and the strength needed to turn the crank to generate enough power. The Model 1789 is rare, but is still made by the Usher weapon-artisans to fulfill orders from wealthy clients should one wish to purchase them. Each Laser Musket is beautifully crafted, with elaborate craftsmanship and cravings and decorations, custom-built to fulfill an order. Delilah Kaldwin owns one with elaborate rose and vine carvings on it, using it for hunting, and Anton Sokolov uses one with magical runes on it to ensure only he can use it, and ensuring the laser is made even more powerful with magic. Francisco D’Anconia owns one, having paid Natalia Usher handsomely to craft one with the D’Anconia family crest and the D’Anconia Holdings logo on the stock, with Art Deco inspired ornamentation throughout, though he keeps it in a secure gun vault in his Santiago estate and almost never uses it.

Usher Model 2020 LeMat Revolver:
Modeled after a unique weapon from the 1860s, the LeMat revolver, this is a rare and highly expensive improvement on an already exotic gun, crafted by the few members of the aristocratic Usher family who have not become hypersensitive to all sensory input, or gone insane, or both. The original LeMat was a .42 caliber cap and ball revolver, holding 9 balls, and had the unusual feature of a small secondary barrel which could hold and fire a shotgun shell, and was popular with officers in the Confederate Army. Roderick Usher, inspired by this unusual weapon, decided to craft the weapon anew. Purchasing an original LeMat from a Timmian antique gun dealer, he spent a month painstakingly engineering a copy, then four more creating the new version detailed here.
No longer firing cap and ball rounds, the Usher model has entered the 21st century, and fires .44 caliber rounds rather than minie balls, using an innovative nano-scale fabricator which harnesses the recoil to start the process of fabricating a new bullet, which takes less than a second, to fill the empty cylinder while the next cylinder slides into place. The shotgun is preserved, firing a single shell, replaced by fabricator after firing. The bullets and shells can have a number of different variants, thanks to the fabricator system, ranging from incendiary armor-piercing, to specialized shield-busters. Each guns appearance is custom-tailored to the clients specifications, but is beautifully designed, and guaranteed never to fail, operator error excepted. To own an Usher weapon is to own a masterfully crafted weapon, albeit an extremely expensive one. John Forge possesses an Usher Model LeMat, but he prefers his .45 pistols.

OOC: Should you desire an Usher weapon for your character, shoot me a telegram. She can craft one for your character, so long as you credit her and link to this factbook.

CEO of Stoneheart Industries, Ancient Drakul

Thomas Eichhorst

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Personal Info

Born:	1305
Birthplace:	Erfurt, Germany
Age:	1251
Father:	Hermann Eichhorst
Mother:	Sarah Eichhorst
Gender:	Drakul
Sexual Orientation:	N/A

"INSERT QUOTE FROM CHARACTER" - Thomas Eichhorst

An Ancient Drakul, Thomas Eichhorst is an anomaly in more ways than one, as he seeks to repent for his actions as a Drakul, and thus hunts other Drakul, while maintaining the manners and bearing of an undead gentleman.

History
Born in 1305 in Germany, Thomas Eichhorst trained to become a doctor, like his father, who taught him where to collect leeches for bloodletting, how to interpret astrological signs and omens, and how to tell if the bodily humors were imbalanced by looking at blood and urine. When the Black Plague struck his town in 1345, Thomas became a plague doctor, donning their iconic mask, cloak, and hat. He used his medical knowledge to help people the best he could, though little did he know that another kind of plague was lurking. While gathering leeches to use in bloodletting treatments in a swamp, he was attacked by a creature, a creature we now know to be a Drakul. Thomas was infected and turned a few nights later. He arose from “death” and infected much of his town, though the surviving townsfolk later thought they died of plague, and hastily buried them in a mass grave. Over the ensuing years, Eichhorst gradually regained his intelligence, and began feeding more discreetly, killing his meals after feeding to ensure they did not turn, and hunting his feral Drakul brethren. Thomas began to disguise himself as Human with various makeups and makeshift fake body parts to cover his decayed nose. He continuously updated his medical training over the centuries, so he could learn more about the anatomy of Humans and compare them to Drakul. During the Great War, he fought for the fatherland as a machinegunner, discreetly feeding on the wounded in No Mans Land at night. During WW2, he was “rewarded” for his service with a position at the Treblinka concentration camp, where he fed on prisoners to end their suffering and nourish his unnatural thirst. He eventually moved to the Cybusian Empire, founding a corporation, Stoneheart Industries, a cover for his Drakul hunting activities. It was while hunting that he encountered Vaun, his “son.”. The two quickly bonded and together destroyed the Ancient responsible for an outbreak on Arcadia.
Personality
Thomas, despite his nature as a Drakul, is quite pleasant, much to the surprise of those who meet him. He is polite, well-mannered, and a perfect gentleman. He has occasionally rescued victims of muggings by draining and killing their attackers, then escorting them home. He is rather indifferent to death, having seen so much of it during the Black Death. He does not get quite grasp sarcasm, as he is almost always dead serious, which can make interacting with Dr. Koenig and Alex rather difficult, as they are extremely sarcastic, as is Vaun. As an Ancient, Thomas can prove at such speeds that are nearly impossible for the Human eye to process in anything but a faint blur, and has minor psychic abilities, and the ability to project a telepathic humming, buzzing noise of such intensity that it is akin to a roar, typically rendering technology inert and people unable to do anything to resist being drained and infected. He can also manipulate and weaponize shadows, using them to restrain foes. He can also use the blood currently in his system to form sharp claws and blades made from the blood, though he will need to drink afterward. He prefers to drink his foes dry, then snap their necks to ensure they will not turn.
Apparence
As with all Drakul, Thomas has alabaster white skin, the cartilage of his nose has rotted away, and he has developed a stinger. He disguises this with makeup, blue contact lenses, and prosthetics to look like a Human, much as he did when infected. He also tends to wear suits, preferring to maintain the stylings of a gentleman, despite being undead.
Personal Life
Thomas enjoys drinking blood from wine glasses, and his favored type is B+, and least favorite type is O-. According to him, each blood type is uniquely flavored, though drugs, alcohol, diet, and disease all add flavors as well.
Eichhorst still has his plague doctor outfit, and keeps it in a glass display case in his mansion.
Eichhorst, disturbingly, enjoys what he calls "human cocktails". Human cocktails consist of making a Human (occasionally, prisoners are given to Eichhorst so he may feed) drink a bottle of wine, schnapps, or other alcoholic beverage, giving it time to circulate through the bloodstream, and then draining every drop of their blood.

Woden:
Thomas Eichhorsts sidearm, Woden, named for a Germanic god of war, is a modified Luger P08. Equipped with a fabricator configured to make and fire silver bullets, the Woden is only rarely used, as Eichhorst prefers to rely on his vampiric abilities, but Thomas keeps it on his person at all times in the unlikely event he needs it.

Vaun Eichhorst

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Personal Info

Born:	1347
Birthplace:	Germany
Age:	1209
Father:	Thomas Eichhorst
Mother:	Identity unknown
Gender:	Male/Drakul
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual

"INSERT QUOTE FROM CHARACTER" - Vaun Eichhorst

A Human-Drakul hybrid, Vaun Eichhorst is Thomas Eichhorsts "son", and the two hunt Drakul together. Thomas and Vaun also occasionally assist Torchwood on special operations, or for operations where Drakul are suspected to be involved,

History
Before his “father” Thomas Eichhorst regained his intelligence, he fed indiscriminately, including on women. While in a small village in Germany in 1347, he infected a pregnant woman. While in the womb, Vaun, already mostly developed, took on vampiric traits. He was born pale, possessing a stinger and nictating membrane over his eyes, and yet, he cried like a normal baby. The mother, some motherly instinct left over from before her transformation, fed him blood and “cared” for him, until she was killed by a mob. Vaun developed on his own, ultimately developing into the entity he is today. He sought out his father, killing any Drakul he encountered, assuming his father to be malevolent. He eventfully encountered him by chance while hunting ferals on Arcadia. After some initial mistrust, the two bonded and worked together to destroy the Ancient responsible for the outbreak. Since then, the two have trained Torchwood in proper tracking and engagement techniques, as well as cooperated with Koenig to explore Drakul anatomy.

Personality
Vaun is quite sarcastic, and tends to be cynical, as he has lived quite a long life, witnessing many atrocities over the years, from the horrors of the world wars to Drakul infestations across countless worlds. He is somewhat overconfident, and is generally quite calm and collected in combat, especially when facing feral Drakul, who he regards as animals to be slaughtered. Vaun is very loyal to his father, and has a very strong sense of honor and right and wrong, sometimes taking to the streets and using his superior speed and agility to kill criminals.

Apparence
Due to his unique nature as a Human-Drakul hybrid, Vaun does not resemble most Drakul. He retains a nose, ears, yet also possesses a “stinger”, the proboscis used by Drakul for feeding, as well as possessing their white blood. Unlike his father, he makes no attempt to hide his nature, regarding it as dishonorable. Interestingly, due to some mutation, Vaun does not have the paralytic toxin which carries the virus, and is injected when Drakul feed. Thus, he is unable to infect others, though this also means they will experience the pain of their carotid artery being breached and blood or biomass drained out of their bodies. He possesses his fathers inhuman speed and agility, and psychic abilities. He typically wears a dark blue longcoat, and fights with a silver blade with a Human bone hilt he made for hunting ferals. He also arms himself with a pair of cut-down Auto-Repeaters for ranged combat.

Personal Life
Vaun and Dana Mercer have formed a somewhat odd friendship. They are both sarcastic and good with a gun, and they often Drakul together, for recreation and stress relief. The two compete over kill counts, though Vaun is in the lead by 1,000. Dana, on the other hand, has more experience killing Orsonians and other species. Vaun otherwise spends his time reading, attending plays, lectures, and otherwise learning and experiencing culture.

Nyx and Nox:
The custom Storm Auto-Repeaters of Vaun Eichhorst, named for the Greek and Roman goddesses of night. Created by Nathan Koenig after Vaun requested ranged weapons to supplement his sword and replace the pair of Timmian Micro Uzis he was using, they are cut down and very compact, their stocks replaced by smaller and more compact grips, and their barrels shortened. Modified to only fire silver bullets, the pair of weapons have served Vaun well in his Drakul hunting.