Post by WC on Aug 3, 2011 17:01:53 GMT -5
Name: Lucky Streak , alias : ' Wild Card '
Gender: Male
Age: 28 in whatever years applicable.
Species: Earth Pony
Coat: White
Mane/Tail Color: Black, with frayed red highlights.
Eyes: Dark red irises.
Cutie Mark: A stylized ace of spades.
Residence: Campsites at varying locations throughout Equestria; Appleloosa when tacked down to one place.
Occupation: Outlaw/Bandit
Special Talents: Gaming; Subterfuge, Mental and otherwise; Natural Luck; Fortified Willpower; Agility (though nowhere on par with a regular pegasus) ; Natural Earth Pony strength
Likes: Games, Success, Valuables, Efficiency, Control
Dislikes: Losing, Lack of planning, Being Outsmarted, Nobility, Spiders, Parents, Most Ponies, Betrayal.
Weaknesses/Failings: No magic; no flight; manipulative; prejudiced (against unicorns and nobility); PPD ( paranoid personality disorder ) ; parental issues; competitive; slight temper; control freak; aggressive.
Attributes/Accessories: Whenever he's seen he's sporting a faded crimson saddle, connected to a simplistic leather harness that holds varying accessories and gear pertaining to his work , and survival. A specially tailored duster is worn and tucked under the saddle, layered with fire retardant polymers to minimize injury and damage from electricity and flame...whether it be magically conjured or not. In a world where magic is prominent and pious unicorns throw their sorcery around, one must always be prepared, especially if you're an earth pony.
A similarly colored, leather hat is perched upon his cranium with an Ace of Spades card tucked into the middle strap. A bandit's kerchief is draped around his neck and easily manipulated to cover his muzzle in an instant. There's a crimson wrap encircled around his left front hoof, a subtle symbol amongst highway cabals that indicates leadership of a sort.
The sealed pouches along his bandolier, upon his hip, and within the inside of his coat contain several different accessories, for offense and otherwise :
His horseshoes are also fitted with reinforced steel for intensified impact should melee combat arise. There's also thin gaps in between them to hold one of his specialized cards, poker chips, or other, miniature objects should there be a need to.
Note: He rarely keeps every item listed up on here on himself constantly. The equipment varies from situation to situation, or if certain things are needed for a particular job.
( All weaponry is courtesy of his explosives expert, Bambina, as well as his camp blacksmith/mechanic , and other contacts through Equestria, such as the inventor Wispy Cosmos. )
His rightmost ear is notched and scarred from a past scuffle, and a sparse goatee covers his chin.
( Lucky also has a pronounced and exaggerated 'latin' accent, bordering on cartoonish, akin to Antonio Banderas. )
Personality: Lucky is a shyster and thug by trade, but with a level of intelligence and tact beyond that of a common street criminal. Raised as a noble but living as an outlaw, he knows the ins and outs of both lifestyles, and definitely plays to those strengths to get what he wants. One minute he can be a gracious charmer: the next, a violent adversary. Despite that, he makes it a priority not to ever kill those he and his group of bandits target , as he prefers attaining an almost storybook-like notoriety, rather than achieving a bloodthirsty reputation. This doesn't stop him from wounding those whom he deems deserving of such agony, however.
Lucky's resolve is strong, perhaps moreso than most. His adamant sense of willpower , honed through trial and error over the years, has made him impervious to most powers of suggestion. His dedication to his band of misfit ponies illustrates how stalwart he is when his mind is set to something, and shows that underneath his gruff and calculating exterior is a pony who cares deeply for the well being of his 'family', and ponies of similar fates.
Whenever someone does manage to get the best of him or a plan backfires he doesn't take it well , and will sulk and glower for a time, which makes it abundantly clear he has some trouble dealing with what he himself dishes out to others.
He never wishes to appear weak, especially in the eyes of his comrades. It's because of this that sometimes he takes on more burdens than necessary or attempts a physical challenge that far exceed his abilities, and is met with disappointment and embarrassment whenever failure occurs. It is this insecurity that makes him relatively spiteful towards most pegasi and unicorns, finding their abilities of flying and sorcery to be unnecessary and even pathetic boons when compared to earth ponies, who must use their wit, strength, and perseverance to achieve what the latter races barely lift a hoof to do. One could even say he is jealous, though he'd naturally never admit that.
He is also a tad paranoid, though he does his best not to show it. He doubts strangers instantly, and uses a variety of fraudulent social techniques and facades-- to the point of almost literally acting -- to get those to open up, and use their vulnerabilities against them, should they prove despicable in his eyes. Anypony whom he doesn't intend to usurp, see as a threat, or generally want to speak to, he keeps at arm's length with casual cynicism, to ensure they don't become a distraction.
Back Story: Lucky was born into the upper castes of Manehattan, though if he could have had it his way , he would have never opted for that choice
His mother and father -- Cream Sherry and Amontillado-- were rich socialites , grandstanding on the fortunes of their ancestors and mingling with the most important of the upper class, barring royalty. Lucky never had a penchant for such fancy and pompous interaction, preferring to entertain himself with simple games, or attempting to playfully quiz the very few friends he had within the patrician castes. Naturally, most of them scoffed at his 'infantile' exploits and sought only to be like their conceited and successful parents, much to his dismay.
Even as a colt, Lucky had an aptitude for one-upping others through games of chance and artful wit. This often brought his parents significant grief whenever he was sent home from private school for instigating quarrels, both physical and emotional, and it was certainly a source of contention with the rest of the aristocratic community they were involved with. Lucky was wounded by the fact he was ignored by so many for the sheer fact he was a natural scoundrel, but still found solace in games and puzzles whenever he was left on his own, which happened frequently considering he hardly ever saw his parents due to their incessant hobnobbing . He became relatively bitter over the fact other ponies could not contend with his innate 'charm' and finesse with incidental fortune, and began to see not just nobles, but all ponies as lesser players in the grand scheme of things.
When he became of age, his father took a sudden, and intimate interest in him. Masquerading his greed as love, Lucky's father began taking the young colt to competitive card games and casinos, abusing his son's abilities involving games, as well as his natural affinity for luck and being able to discern tics and physical tells from other opponents. At first, Lucky saw this as a perfect chance to bond with the older stallion and make his father proud of him, completely unaware of the true reasoning beneath it all.
He unfortunately uncovered the truth during one of his parents' overly ornate soirees. Lucky overheard his father boasting to his closest friends about his 'secret weapon' at the game tables, coining his son as a useful tool in the grand scheme of things. He was further devastated to discover his father was willing to temporarily 'sell off' his offspring to others for their own high rolling escapades.
Heartbroken and devastated, Lucky cornered his parents with this revelation. His father hid nothing, and remorselessly admitted to every word being true. His mother, sat silently nearby, demure and obedient. Enraged, Lucky stole a sizable sum of money from his father and abandoned his highborn lifestyle, running away the first chance he got.
Lucky angrily discerned he didn't need anyone's love or companionship to pave his own path in life, nor did he require some sort of monetary security blanket from his parents, whom he deemed worthless and uncaring. He'd find his own way in the world, and he was going to do it the way he wanted to, while backstabbing and fleecing every pony who even dared to look at him scrupulously.
The rogue pony kept to the streets of towns he ventured through, using the coin he had stolen from his parents to learn how to survive and adapt to whatever scenario he encountered through trial and error, and of course by his own subterfuge. When exploring the myriad of lifestyles in the world outside nobility he realized losing happened a lot more often than he imagined. Every other day he found himself at the mercy of those who could out-think him with ease, eventually losing every single bit he had pilfered from his father that fateful night. This unmerciful life lesson brought him to pursue one goal only : never, ever lose.
With this in mind, he endeavored to learn every nuance of deception and guile to keep his losses at a minimum, using the kindness of others to get his way, or even manipulate the more unforgiving ponies into pitying him to learn specific secrets. His inherent competence for crooked acts attracted the attention of a particularly rough crowd of fellow thieves dubbed 'The Crimson Saddles', highway ponies intent on robbing wealthy nobles blind, the very same Lucky Streak used to interact with.
Since then, he's contributed much to their growth over the years, working his way up the ranks through grisly methods to achieve a dominating spot amongst some of his brethren. In order to separate himself further from a life he had long disposed of, he took on the alias 'Wild Card', a fitting name for his rough visage.
Through either fate ; fortune; or something much more nefarious, Lucky Streak is now the sole leader of The Crimson Saddles. Since he has attained leadership, he's recruited new ponies, ones down on their luck and searching for a means of worth in the harsh, unforgiving world. With his new group he intends on making a lasting imprint on Equestria, whether it likes it or not.
Gender: Male
Age: 28 in whatever years applicable.
Species: Earth Pony
Coat: White
Mane/Tail Color: Black, with frayed red highlights.
Eyes: Dark red irises.
Cutie Mark: A stylized ace of spades.
Residence: Campsites at varying locations throughout Equestria; Appleloosa when tacked down to one place.
Occupation: Outlaw/Bandit
Special Talents: Gaming; Subterfuge, Mental and otherwise; Natural Luck; Fortified Willpower; Agility (though nowhere on par with a regular pegasus) ; Natural Earth Pony strength
Likes: Games, Success, Valuables, Efficiency, Control
Dislikes: Losing, Lack of planning, Being Outsmarted, Nobility, Spiders, Parents, Most Ponies, Betrayal.
Weaknesses/Failings: No magic; no flight; manipulative; prejudiced (against unicorns and nobility); PPD ( paranoid personality disorder ) ; parental issues; competitive; slight temper; control freak; aggressive.
Attributes/Accessories: Whenever he's seen he's sporting a faded crimson saddle, connected to a simplistic leather harness that holds varying accessories and gear pertaining to his work , and survival. A specially tailored duster is worn and tucked under the saddle, layered with fire retardant polymers to minimize injury and damage from electricity and flame...whether it be magically conjured or not. In a world where magic is prominent and pious unicorns throw their sorcery around, one must always be prepared, especially if you're an earth pony.
A similarly colored, leather hat is perched upon his cranium with an Ace of Spades card tucked into the middle strap. A bandit's kerchief is draped around his neck and easily manipulated to cover his muzzle in an instant. There's a crimson wrap encircled around his left front hoof, a subtle symbol amongst highway cabals that indicates leadership of a sort.
The sealed pouches along his bandolier, upon his hip, and within the inside of his coat contain several different accessories, for offense and otherwise :
- Deck of surgical steel, razor-edged playing cards at his chest pouch, used for flinging at foes at a distance. ( 52 total )
- Lightweight, weaponized discs painted to resemble poker chips. Each color represents a different function: Green for smokescreen ( some of them contain a concentrated, airborne anesthetic, usually a chemical similar to Isoflurane, to knock out and pacify foes. Some also contain a lachrymatory agent (( tear gas)) ) ; Red for mid-grade explosive ( a blast radius of about 4-5 meters ); Blue for Poison Joke gas ( used to temporarily nullify ponies' -- particularly unicorns' --abilities ; is used rarely, being susceptible to it himself ); White for flashbang/stun munitions ( filled with pyrotechnic magnesium to burn visionary senses and daze adversaries ). They're all about 4 inches wide and 2 inches thick. He usually keeps two-three of each on his person at all times.
- Bola hitched with a large gambling die on either end. Used to entangle or hinder foes. When feeling particularly chancy, whatever sides the dice end up when used determine the fate of whomever is trapped within the bola.
- Metal and leather vambraces, forged by a Master Blacksmith, are underneath the sleeves of his duster jacket -- wrapped around his ankles in the front for better flexibility-- with complicated, in depth mechanics: two, titanium steel blades in the shape of Spades are kept within the nested sleeves of those arm bands on dual-spring loaded guided rails, with buttons on one side to unsheathe said blades or retrieve them. Mainly used in close quarters combat or for a silent kill, if necessary. There are also spring loaded compartments encircling each vambrace, wrapped around the 'wrist' in a cylinder ( with practicalities similar to a single-action Revolver ) for loading with his darts, vials, ( mentioned below ) and other combat sundries. A hidden trigger to fire said ammunition is nestled on the opposing side of where the button is to project and retrieve his Ace of Spades blades.
- Stuffed in and outside of his bandolier are a row of darts ( used for inserting into the launchers upon his wristbands ), and a few vials and orbs/capsules, similar to paintballs. The containers hold several mixtures ranging from animal estrus/musk of varying species, to a highly corrosive acid.
The darts are tipped with a daub of concentrated manticore toxin, drawn from the beast's venom sac itself. The poison itself is a form of neurotoxin-- similar to real life batrachotoxin ( toxins that are produced by poison dart frogs )-- though it's effects are temporary. The toxin opens a mammal's sodium channels within their nerve cells, making their neurons no longer capable of sending messages to the body, thus inducing partial paralysis that lasts for at least an hour, or until an antidote is taken.
- Note: The darts are usually pre-loaded with assistance from another. Being an earth pony, he has few ways to 'handle' the darts safely without help, as using his mouth would cause him to inadvertently ingest the poison. - Small spheres containing sharp caltrops , designed to look like jacks game pieces. The metal shards are incredibly sharp, and when detonated from their respective orb they have the ability to attach to the ground, soil, or even walls, and can also impede and hinder ground-based movement. They can also painfully attach to fur and flesh. These are usually used against earth ponies or pegasi, the latter to coat their wings in metal shrapnel to wound the sensitive tissue of their wings, and impede their ability to fly, but not fatally injure or maim. The caltrops' edges are sharp enough to stick to supposed 'blade wings'--metal apparatuses used on pegasus' wings to act as fighting instruments--and can severely damage the framework of said 'weapons'.
- A second, removable attachment for his vambraces/wrist launcher. Very much like a modern day taser, this appliance contains two electrodes, attached by conductive wires, and a slot for a nitrogen charge/cartridge, similar to a paintball gun. A trigger on the device is pulled with a hoof, sending the electrodes out ( which are barbed ) to a maximum of 15 feet. When the barbs sink into flesh a non-lethal shock is applied, creating a neuromuscular incapacitation that can send even the biggest draft horse to the floor. It's a one-shot system, meaning the cartridge needs to be replaced after every use.
- Rations; cigarettes ; muzzle reliant lockpicks; matches; rope ; misc. survival gear; portable Rebreather ( when using his own airborne anesthetics or in a hazardous location ) ; ear plugs on a string ( for explosives, sonic weaponry. )
His horseshoes are also fitted with reinforced steel for intensified impact should melee combat arise. There's also thin gaps in between them to hold one of his specialized cards, poker chips, or other, miniature objects should there be a need to.
Note: He rarely keeps every item listed up on here on himself constantly. The equipment varies from situation to situation, or if certain things are needed for a particular job.
( All weaponry is courtesy of his explosives expert, Bambina, as well as his camp blacksmith/mechanic , and other contacts through Equestria, such as the inventor Wispy Cosmos. )
His rightmost ear is notched and scarred from a past scuffle, and a sparse goatee covers his chin.
( Lucky also has a pronounced and exaggerated 'latin' accent, bordering on cartoonish, akin to Antonio Banderas. )
Personality: Lucky is a shyster and thug by trade, but with a level of intelligence and tact beyond that of a common street criminal. Raised as a noble but living as an outlaw, he knows the ins and outs of both lifestyles, and definitely plays to those strengths to get what he wants. One minute he can be a gracious charmer: the next, a violent adversary. Despite that, he makes it a priority not to ever kill those he and his group of bandits target , as he prefers attaining an almost storybook-like notoriety, rather than achieving a bloodthirsty reputation. This doesn't stop him from wounding those whom he deems deserving of such agony, however.
Lucky's resolve is strong, perhaps moreso than most. His adamant sense of willpower , honed through trial and error over the years, has made him impervious to most powers of suggestion. His dedication to his band of misfit ponies illustrates how stalwart he is when his mind is set to something, and shows that underneath his gruff and calculating exterior is a pony who cares deeply for the well being of his 'family', and ponies of similar fates.
Whenever someone does manage to get the best of him or a plan backfires he doesn't take it well , and will sulk and glower for a time, which makes it abundantly clear he has some trouble dealing with what he himself dishes out to others.
He never wishes to appear weak, especially in the eyes of his comrades. It's because of this that sometimes he takes on more burdens than necessary or attempts a physical challenge that far exceed his abilities, and is met with disappointment and embarrassment whenever failure occurs. It is this insecurity that makes him relatively spiteful towards most pegasi and unicorns, finding their abilities of flying and sorcery to be unnecessary and even pathetic boons when compared to earth ponies, who must use their wit, strength, and perseverance to achieve what the latter races barely lift a hoof to do. One could even say he is jealous, though he'd naturally never admit that.
He is also a tad paranoid, though he does his best not to show it. He doubts strangers instantly, and uses a variety of fraudulent social techniques and facades-- to the point of almost literally acting -- to get those to open up, and use their vulnerabilities against them, should they prove despicable in his eyes. Anypony whom he doesn't intend to usurp, see as a threat, or generally want to speak to, he keeps at arm's length with casual cynicism, to ensure they don't become a distraction.
Back Story: Lucky was born into the upper castes of Manehattan, though if he could have had it his way , he would have never opted for that choice
His mother and father -- Cream Sherry and Amontillado-- were rich socialites , grandstanding on the fortunes of their ancestors and mingling with the most important of the upper class, barring royalty. Lucky never had a penchant for such fancy and pompous interaction, preferring to entertain himself with simple games, or attempting to playfully quiz the very few friends he had within the patrician castes. Naturally, most of them scoffed at his 'infantile' exploits and sought only to be like their conceited and successful parents, much to his dismay.
Even as a colt, Lucky had an aptitude for one-upping others through games of chance and artful wit. This often brought his parents significant grief whenever he was sent home from private school for instigating quarrels, both physical and emotional, and it was certainly a source of contention with the rest of the aristocratic community they were involved with. Lucky was wounded by the fact he was ignored by so many for the sheer fact he was a natural scoundrel, but still found solace in games and puzzles whenever he was left on his own, which happened frequently considering he hardly ever saw his parents due to their incessant hobnobbing . He became relatively bitter over the fact other ponies could not contend with his innate 'charm' and finesse with incidental fortune, and began to see not just nobles, but all ponies as lesser players in the grand scheme of things.
When he became of age, his father took a sudden, and intimate interest in him. Masquerading his greed as love, Lucky's father began taking the young colt to competitive card games and casinos, abusing his son's abilities involving games, as well as his natural affinity for luck and being able to discern tics and physical tells from other opponents. At first, Lucky saw this as a perfect chance to bond with the older stallion and make his father proud of him, completely unaware of the true reasoning beneath it all.
He unfortunately uncovered the truth during one of his parents' overly ornate soirees. Lucky overheard his father boasting to his closest friends about his 'secret weapon' at the game tables, coining his son as a useful tool in the grand scheme of things. He was further devastated to discover his father was willing to temporarily 'sell off' his offspring to others for their own high rolling escapades.
Heartbroken and devastated, Lucky cornered his parents with this revelation. His father hid nothing, and remorselessly admitted to every word being true. His mother, sat silently nearby, demure and obedient. Enraged, Lucky stole a sizable sum of money from his father and abandoned his highborn lifestyle, running away the first chance he got.
Lucky angrily discerned he didn't need anyone's love or companionship to pave his own path in life, nor did he require some sort of monetary security blanket from his parents, whom he deemed worthless and uncaring. He'd find his own way in the world, and he was going to do it the way he wanted to, while backstabbing and fleecing every pony who even dared to look at him scrupulously.
The rogue pony kept to the streets of towns he ventured through, using the coin he had stolen from his parents to learn how to survive and adapt to whatever scenario he encountered through trial and error, and of course by his own subterfuge. When exploring the myriad of lifestyles in the world outside nobility he realized losing happened a lot more often than he imagined. Every other day he found himself at the mercy of those who could out-think him with ease, eventually losing every single bit he had pilfered from his father that fateful night. This unmerciful life lesson brought him to pursue one goal only : never, ever lose.
With this in mind, he endeavored to learn every nuance of deception and guile to keep his losses at a minimum, using the kindness of others to get his way, or even manipulate the more unforgiving ponies into pitying him to learn specific secrets. His inherent competence for crooked acts attracted the attention of a particularly rough crowd of fellow thieves dubbed 'The Crimson Saddles', highway ponies intent on robbing wealthy nobles blind, the very same Lucky Streak used to interact with.
Since then, he's contributed much to their growth over the years, working his way up the ranks through grisly methods to achieve a dominating spot amongst some of his brethren. In order to separate himself further from a life he had long disposed of, he took on the alias 'Wild Card', a fitting name for his rough visage.
Through either fate ; fortune; or something much more nefarious, Lucky Streak is now the sole leader of The Crimson Saddles. Since he has attained leadership, he's recruited new ponies, ones down on their luck and searching for a means of worth in the harsh, unforgiving world. With his new group he intends on making a lasting imprint on Equestria, whether it likes it or not.