Post by sethwynd on Jun 13, 2009 5:08:19 GMT -8
• Desmond . Descartes •
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x x NICKNAME : A few close associates will call him Des from time to time. When he's not running around in a mask, that is (as for why the son of a Frenchman has an Irish name, his father is half Irish and named his son after an uncle).
ALIAS : Fancy Dan (actually a word, means "showy").
AGE : 32
BIRTHDATE : September 7th, 1946
APPEARANCE : Desmond is a fairly handsome individual by most standards, something that's clearly gone to his head. He makes a point to always appear well groomed; black hair is kept neatly trimmed, and his face usually clean shaven. He has brown eyes, lightly tanned skin, and more often than not, a smile on his face. Usually for one of two reasons: the presence of an attractive woman, or the prospect of doing something incredibly daring / stupid / careless / any word you feel would apply to killing off members of the local criminal factions.
As far as a physique goes, it's fairly apparent that although Desmond could probably hold his own in a fair fight, he places greater emphasis on being able to quickly get away from the fight afterward. Rather than trying to transform himself into a freakishly large individual, he favors lean muscle mass over hulking biceps. So far he's managed to avoid picking up any scars, which is either a testament to his skill or his unbelievable luck. Desmond also lacks any tattoos to speak of, and the reason is two fold: he doesn't want any identifiable markings on him as they can't be removed, and he isn't exactly jumping at the chance to let a total stranger scrape at him with a needle just to make a pretty picture. Similarly, he's avoided getting any piercings because he isn't too keen on the idea of someone punching a hole through any part of his body. Call him untrusting or old fashioned if you must, but it just doesn't sound like an enjoyable night on the town to him.
ATTIRE : As one probably guessed from the name, Fancy Dan's got a thing for formal wear. Aside from your basic undershirt and kevlar vest, everything he owns qualifies as either formal or semi-formal. He wears a black silk dress shirt over the vest (the shirt's measurements were increased above what he'd wear without the vest, to make it feasible), a red silk tie over that, and over both items of clothing he wears a black, two button blazer. And since he was doing so well with the black motif, he figured he'd keep on going with a black wide brim fedora and black eyemask to help conceal his identity. But since he doesn't run around without a proper pair of pants on, he's also got a pair of black dress slacks to keep himself decent. The black leather shoes he wears are always polished to an impeccable shine, and on occasion he'll even wear a pair of black sheepskin gloves. Not so much to keep his hands warm, but to improve his grip in adverse conditions and also keep prints off his work. He also keeps a silver pocketwatch and chain on his person, even when on assignment, because one can't say enough about punctuality.
Sleep wear is the only real thing he's got that's not expensive or even semi-formal, and that's through no real fault of his own. After all, it isn't like there's a pair of formal briefs on the market, or likely to be in the near future.
(For an idea of what it all looks like, click HERE)
PLAY BY : Rafael Feldman
AFFILIATION : Independent, though he'd not be averse to the idea of joining the Guardsmen if approached.
OCCUPATION : Hitman. Note that he doesn't just accept any job that comes his way; he has to feel that the person deserves what he delivers. A shopkeeper who won't pay has nothing to worry about, at least not from him. Even mob informants have nothing to worry about. He's usually called in when an active member of the Malley Boys or Mannino Family is targeted, usually by one side or the other, though he has received pay from unknown benefactors before. So long as he's careful not to get caught, he enjoys good, although perilous, employment from both gangs. Although, all it takes is one eyewitness to get away unnoticed, and he could very easily find himself in a world of trouble...
EQUIPMENT : His primary weapons are two nickel plated Colt .45 pistols. 12 round magazine, .45 caliber (hence the name), and generally a good handgun to use if you don't want someone to get back up after you shoot 'em. For special occasions, he also owns a number of other firearms, including rifles, shotguns, and a Thompson submachine gun. These however, are not carried on his person unless the situation calls for the extra firepower.
On the defensive end of the armory, Desmond usually wears a Model Y kevlar vest underneath his costume (note: this came out in 1976, with other, less concealable kevlar vests available as early as 1975). Why? Because although he usually acts plenty arrogant and self confident, he knows he ain't no Superman. And dying's a bit of a downer, so he'd like to avoid it.
PERSONALITY : Come on, with a name like 'Fancy Dan,' does it come as any great surprise that he's a bit vain when it comes to his appearance? Which is a bit unusual in itself, considering he doesn't mind taking expensive clothing into gunfights and brawls, where it'll no doubt get torn or damaged. While he believes maintaining a proper appearance is paramount for himself, he doesn't apply the standard to others. Partially because he doesn't much care, but also because he feels other people should be allowed to conduct themselves and their business as they see fit, so long as nothing illegal's being done (bit of a double standard when it comes to -his- business).
Whether or not he's masquerading as Fancy Dan or not, Desmond has a fondness for showing off. It's more pronounced in his alter ego's behavior, but it's not uncommon for him to boast or show off on a smaller scale when acting as a civilian. He's a fan of many vices, ranging from women to alcohol, and in his opinion one can't go wrong with a bit of both. He doesn't devote all his spare time to flirting and drinking however, as he knows he may be called to 'perform a service' at any time. That, and with the money he spends on clothes, it's not like he could afford to spend all his spare time with women and alcohol, at least not if he's the one footing the bill (and given how much he likes showing off, it's not surprising that he'll usually jump at the chance).
SKILLS : The man's an expert at improvisation, everything from cover stories to improvised weapons, and it rarely takes more than a few seconds for him to come up with something useful. Which is great for someone in his line of work, because there's always a chance the authorities might come sniffing around his place and find it slightly suspicious that a civilian has his own private arsenal.
Speaking of which, Desmond is an excellent marksman. He can't compete very well with military specialists, but he can certainly give law enforcement a run for their money. Not surprisingly, he's also rather skilled at gun maintainence and repair; a necessity in his line of work, along with other skills such as lock picking, minor demolitions knowledge (he can't bring down a building, but he can get you in or out with a bang), and experience with electrical wiring means he's also good at shutting off the lights when need be (both for concealment purposes, and to prevent anyone from calling for backup). As far as his driving skills go however, he's less 'stuntman' and more 'suicidal.' Not many people volunteer to ride shotgun with him as a result.
STRENGTHS : The man's always got a plan. Even if it's just made up on the fly, he's never at a loss for how to proceed. Rather than simply jumping into a situation with guns blazing and damn the consequences, he'd very much prefer to remain among the living and non-handicapped. As a result, he's always got a plan of action ready to go.
WEAKNESSES : Although a careful planner, his plans aren't bulletproof and neither is he. In fact, one of his biggest shortcomings is his own overconfidence. In situations where most people might wait for help or retreat, he'll happily continue onward; a strategy that's resulted in several narrow escapes over the course of his career. Plus, there's that whole 'vanity' thing that may as well be pointed out by a glowing neon sign.
RESIDENCE : Desmond owns a penthouse in Manhattan. It's not cheap, but with him, nothing ever is. Hardwood floors, furniture that changes on a whim about once a year, and a great view of downtown Manhattan. One bedroom, one bathroom, a walk-in closet, spacious living room, a kitchen and dining room, and a small study room that he's converted into a walk-in armory. Kept under lock and key of course, he doesn't want anyone getting near the guns but him.
FAMILY :
Alain Descartes (father, deceased)
Domenica Descartes (mother, living)
HISTORY : Desmond's father, Alain Descartes, was a first generation immigrant to the United States, having served with the French Resistance during the War, and arrived in November of 1944. A little more than two years later, he married a woman by the name of Domenica Mannino. His father, already experienced with sabotage, found easy work with the Mannino crime family. After all, he already knew explosives like the back of his hand, and also had plenty of experience with a firearm. He had a fairly simple but well paying gig as a Soldier for the family, until a botched job on a state official led to his incarceration. Worried he might talk, and because it was cheaper than hiring him a lawyer, it was determined that the best course of action was to have Alain killed. On March 23rd, 1962, they did just that.
When it happened, fifteen year oldDesmond was already familiar with the sort of people his father worked for, and had run errands for a few of his father's fellow mafiosi. Legal errands of course, as you don't send a schoolboy out to whack somebody, you're bound to get into trouble with the law. Desmond had fairly mixed feelings about what had transpired at the time. On the one hand, his father had stressed that the Mannino organization was family, and they had to look out for each other. And even with Alain gone, some of the Mannino men did check in on Desmond from time to time. He had to balance the feeling of rage that they'd betrayed his father in such a fashion with his knowledge that, frankly, that was just the way of things with the sort of people his father worked for. He'd heard the phrase "just business" before, and he was certain that if it were anything else, they'd have turned against his mother and him instead of helping support them when necessary. After all, when he needed work after graduating from a local high school in 1964, it was the Mannino family that extended a helping hand.
However, within the next two years it was soon discovered he wasn't terribly skilled at extortion or intimidation, and although he was good in a scrap, there wasn't much else going for him. He was even given a shot at wheelman, though that ended after he'd terrified his passengers during his first getaway. One of them described the experience as "all gas, no brake." He was retired in February of 1967, though as he'd not betrayed the family's trust or showed any sign that he'd do so in the future, he didn't meet the same end as his father.
At first content with being sent packing, over time Desmond began to grow somewhat disgusted with the Mannino family as gangland violence went on the rise, and he was in his mid twenties when he first hired himself out as a hitman. Someone in the Malley Boys decided he was worth a shot and hired him in June of 1971 to take out a Mannino soldier by the name of Drago. Surprisingly, the job went off without a hitch, and Desmond managed to avoid implication. Of course, this was only because he hadn't used his real name when introducing himself to the man in the Malley Boys. He was well aware of the consequences should anyone in the Mannino organization find out he'd killed one of their own, so he wasn't about to go around using his real name.
One job led to another, and as the money began coming in, so did the experience. He was a decent shot to begin with, but years of trial and error he'd picked up a few tricks of the trade and transformed himself into a fine marksman. He could begin investing in better weapons and equipment, and although it was no substitute for the experience he'd racked up over the years, it certainly helped put it to better use. Eventually Desmond made enough money that he could afford to create an alter ego for himself. At the very least, this would help take some of the heat off...not from the police, but from the numerous gangs he'd managed to thoroughly piss off. If they thought his other aliases dropped off the map, and then had someone with a mask to deal with, he could rest easy knowing that he wasn't likely to wind up in someone's crosshairs until he put on the costume.
Fancy Dan's first appearance was in March of 1977, and he's been at work ever since.
YOUR NAME : Most people call me Seth. Take a look at the contact info, you'll see why.
CONTACT :
AIM: Seth Wynd
MSN: seth_wynd@hotmail.com
YIM: seth_wynd
RP EXPERIENCE : Going on about seven years now, in a few different genres.
HOW DID YOU FIND US? : RPGD.
