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| The Phantom
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| Attributes
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| Agility:
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4
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Strength:
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2
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Toughness:
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3
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| Perception:
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6
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Intellect:
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3
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Willpower:
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6
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| Abilities
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| Costume
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4
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Gun Belt
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4
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Marksmanship
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5-7
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| Martial Arts
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7
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Parkour
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5
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| Advantages
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| Base of Operations
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Camel Husbandry
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Devil
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| Eidetic Memory
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Equestrianism
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Guran
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| Hero
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Hyper-Senses
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Investigation
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| Linguist
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Stealth
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Wealth
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| Flaws
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| Gear
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Guran
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Singh Brotherhood
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| Information
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| Name:
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Christopher "Kit" Walker
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Jovial and jocular, yet stern when necessary.
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| Position:
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Crime-Fighter
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| Team:
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N/A
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| Age:
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Twenty-two
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| Sex:
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Male
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| Race:
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Human
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| Type:
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Adapted FC
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| Actor:
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Jessie Williams
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| Alts:
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N/A
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| Timezone:
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PST
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| Music:
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"Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler
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| Quote:
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N/A
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| Tone Likes:
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N/A
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| Tone Dislikes:
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N/A
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Background
| Between five and six hundred years ago, pirates attacked a ship off the coast of east Africa. The only survivor of the massacre was one Christopher Standish, who watched as his father was murdered, thankfully passing out shortly thereafter. When he awoke, he was in the village of the Wasaka, a people who thrived on enslaving other natives. The Bandar Tribe were the Wasaka's latest victims, and one old man named Guran, the Bandar Chieftain, nursed him back to health, though that health was heavily tested by his new masters. The decision to end the Wasaka's slavery of the Bandar stemmed from seeing Guran worked literally to death.
Using cloth stolen and hidden, it was stained a dark violet, then he dressed himself to look like Kua the undying, the demon-god of the Wasaka people. After a brutal fight with Urzuk, the Wasaka Chieftain, he ordered the Bandar freed else Urzuk forfeit his life. From that day on, he wore the costume and stood for honor and justice in the face of evil. When the Bandar settled, he stayed with them, and one evening before the communal bonfire he uttered the oath each descendant who came after him uttered: "I swear to devote my life to the destruction of piracy, greed, and cruelty, in all their forms, and my sons and their sons, shall follow me."
He realized that evil needed more than a man to fight it. It needed someone as timeless as evil itself was. Keeping the iconography inspired by the Wasaka demon-god, he became The Phantom, and took the last name of Walker as an homage of sorts to the legend he would create of the Phantom being the Ghost who Walks. He fought the Singh Brotherhood, the group of pirates responsible for the most atrocities, including the death of his own father, for the rest of his life.
As each Phantom died, his son took his place, usually the first-born if there were more than one. The youngest known Phantom took the mantle and took the Oath of the Skull when he was thirteen, and the eldest was twenty-five. They all upheld the illusion that the Phantom was timeless, immortal; when someone thought they killed the Phantom, they were soon surprised. Each Phantom named their son Christopher "Kit" Walker, in honor of their forefathers, and each son was raised with a sense of duty, valuing honor, training from childhood for the day when they would wear the costume and fight injustice.
In Sixteen Sixty-Four, the Phantom defeated Redbeard, the dreaded pirate and leader of all pirates, and his three closest men--Big Bart, Salla, and Crusher. Their defeat made the Phantom the leader of all pirates, and with those three, plus a hundred loyal followers of Redbeard, started the Jungle Patrol. Over a century later, that Phantom was murdered by a member of the Singh Brotherhood who had infiltrated the Patrol. His soon learned that lesson well, and ever since then, the Phantom was the unofficial leader of the Patrol, known only to the Captain. All below him didn't know of the Phantom's involvement, and the role of Captain was only passed to those who had proven themselves worthy of the responsibility.
In time, the Skull Cave was expanded, refurbished; the female mercenaries, the Sky Pirates, were defeated, and more--every Phantom has had their own illustrious career.
The current Kit Walker, the twenty-third in the line that stretched back to the one who freed the Bandar from the Wasaka, was born twenty-two years ago, in Bangalla, Africa. Like nearly every Kit Walker before him, he was born in the Skull Cave, with a midwife from the Bandar Tribe attending. Also like his forefathers, he spent most of his childhood in training. Of course, it wasn't usually put forth as dry training. Many things were made into games, or seen simply as fun. Target shooting, herbalism, tracking, equestrianism--nearly everything he was trained in was done carefully. One of the main points consistently driven home was that one day he would take over the role of Ghost who Walks, to defend the defenseless, to protect the weak, across the globe.
In his early teens, he spent three years with nomads, a closely related off-shoot of the Tuareg people. They come through Bangalla every year, and had for centuries taken young Walkers amongst them, train them in the ways of the lands, guiding them, until they were returned a year later recognized as an adult. Before that ceremony, he, like his forefathers, lived as a Tuareg man--driving herd animals, tracking, observing the night skies, ultimately in the silence of the desert "meeting himself".
"Meeting oneself", to many Tuareg, is finding that part of one's heart and mind, discovering who one "really is", whether one likes what is found or not. Coming as a surprise to no one, by the time he returned to his family, he was ready to assume the mantle of the Phantom, to be the symbol of hope for the hopeless, and a symbol of fear for the fearsome. He had learned that who he really was--was the Phantom.
The twenty-second Phantom died not long after his return, fallen to the guns of illegal "blood diamond" smugglers. Hero, his horse, took him directly to the throne room. Somewhere along the journey, the Phantom had died in the saddle, slumped over the horse's neck. Kit and Guran interred the twenty-second Phantom in the Crypt, then Kit swore the Oath of the Skull, donning a Phantom outfit.
In the time since he first accepted the mantle of Phantom, he and Guran have overseen changes in it--there have been, over time, more than a few "civilians" who have become friends of the Phantom, and he now engaged their help. Further, Kit has introduced more technology to the mythos, instead of relying purely on physical skill as his ancestors had. The Phantom must still appear to be ageless, but as the world changed, so must the Phantom. This he realized early, and so took the steps to see this realization become reality.
The first major decision he made as the Phantom was--to move. He'd heard too many reports of age-old friends of the Phantom in trouble in the eastern United States, and as it the number of other costumed crime-fighters grew, so, too, did the number of people preying on the innocent. After scouring the Phantom Chronicles, he discovered that there were enough abandoned and blocked-off subway tunnels that he could form a new base of operations. So, leaving Guran to tend to the Skull Cave in Bangalla, he's come to the United States. In the guise of Kit Walker, young college student, he's brought the mythos of the Phantom to the growing number of those who feel helpless.
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Abilities
Gear: Costume (4)
Made from a Kevlar weave, the costume gives him decent protection from most trauma (giving an additional two (+2) toughness when worn, though it obviously doesn't protect from potential internal bleeding as a result /from/ said trauma.
One of the cowl's main features are tiny speakers next to the ears, functioning similarly to Bluetooth devices and connecting wirelessly to his gauntlets. There are also connections for the eye mask, so it can be powered by the battery pack in the belt.
The eye-mask, though designed to look like a piece of cloth, is actually computer equipment encased in sturdy rubberized fabric. Connected to a pack hidden in the costume underneath the belt, it can record anything the Phantom sees, up to thirty minutes, as well as enhance his vision. Night vision and image amplification (up to two times), specifically. When not connected to the cowl, it can function for a little over a half-hour on its own battery; longer depending on what gets disabled. Each function can be accessed by pressing against it in differing spots.
The gauntlet on his left forearm functions similarly to a smart phone, accessing the Internet via WiFi and W.W.A.N. technology, as well as housing a hidden eight-megapixel camera with a built-in flash around halfway down the back, a hidden four-and-a-half-inch screen with a custom-designed web browser and voice-recognition software. On the interior of each are panels that fold back, functioning as photovoltaic panels so the belt's battery pack, as well as the batteries in each gauntlet, can be recharged. The gauntlets connect to the belt's battery via simple nodes woven into the sleeves of the suit, letting them be put on and taken off with ease. Though connected to the belt's battery, that's only to charge the left gauntlet, so it relies on its own internal batteries. Between charges, the batteries can last for a little over three hours, though that can be extended based on what systems are powered up.
On the outer side of each gauntlet is a panel that can can fold out, revealing a grappling hook on a small metal line. Custom-designed, the grappling hook features three tines that can unfold, each with a single joint. The design allows it to grab onto nearly anything, including the wire itself. The entire thing has a weight limit of just under three hundred pounds each, nearly doubled if both lines are used together. They can be deployed with a certain flick of the wrist backward, and released with the same motion. When released, the line is automatically retracted into the gauntlet.
Gear: Gun Belt (4)
Designed to look like "just" a gun-belt, it's actually a treasure-trove of technical items. The skull icon on the buckle actually pops off, and with a press of the button on its back, it acts as a homing beacon, pinging local cell towers for easy tracing. On the interior of the belt are numerous pockets, containing items such as a cloth eye mask and cloth hood, a few precious gems to use as currency across the world, very small tools for fine-tuning of electronic devices, a battery pack for the devices in the rest of the suit, and lock picks. The battery can last last for around four hours between charges, which is accomplished through simply plugging it into a standard wall outlet.
Skill: Marksmanship (5-7)
With training mostly focused on semi-automatic pistols, the Phantom's skill is analogous to the United States Army's Expert level, making him a steady shot even from horseback. This only applies to his skill with pistols; rifles and other weapons haven't been trained with nearly as much, so his skill is much lower.
Skill: Martial Arts (7)
He's trained since a young boy in martial arts. As such, the Phantom adept at hand-to-hand combat, specializing in one-on-one or small-group combat and non-lethal take-downs, grappling, and strikes/moves aimed at pressure points.
Skill: Parkour (5)
Parallel to his study in martial arts, he's been a practitioner of Parkour since adolescence, since his father first heard about it, and he's become quite skilled.
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Advantages
Advantage: Base of Operations
Being so far from Bangalla, he doesn't have access to the Skull Cave and all that it offers. That's not to say what he does have is chopped liver, though. He's managed to make a decent, if small, base for himself beneath New York City, in the old and abandoned subway tunnels. There's a small gym, the equivalent of a one-lane shooting range, a small library, a replica of the Skull Throne (though without the Chain of Patience), and so on. It's not much, but it's home--and no one as yet knows it's there, save for a few homeless living underground that have seen a "purple ghost on a white horse" riding through the tunnels.
Advantage: Camel Husbandry
Similar to Equestrianism, though obviously dealing with camels. However, here, it's specifically the dromedary (single hump), or Arabian camel. While he might technically get along alright with a bactrian (dual hump), that's rather a crap-shoot. The relevant cultures rear the two species differently, and along with the otherwise differences in general personalities, there's really no guarantee he'd be able to get a bactrian to do much of anything. Even with the dromedary, he isn't as well-trained as someone who had spent their entire life with one. In general, he could probably get one to calm down if it were enraged, maybe even enough to ride, but not much beyond that.
Advantage: Devil
For the last few generations, each Phantom has had a Devil at his side. A full wolf rescued from here or there and brought to Bangalla, they're raised with the Phantom they'll be helping. Loyal, brave, and intelligent, Devil can be given complex commands ("Go get the red satchel", "Find Hero and bring her here", "Don't let this man move an inch", et cetera). He listens only to the Phantom with regularity. Friends of the Phantom, he'll generally only listen to if they tell him Kit/The Phantom is in trouble and needs him. Other than that, anyone who tries to give him commands may find themselves "marked" before he goes on about his business.
Advantage: Eidetic Memory
Using the "mental palace" technique, he has a nearly-photographic memory. Told or shown something once, he can recall it in detail at a later time and at a moment's notice. This goes for names, faces, clothes, locations, and so on.
Advantage: Equestrianism
One of the many things he was trained in from a young age was handling horses. Though it focused on raising and training Arabians, he can deal well with most breeds, to the point where it almost seems like a mystical bond to an on-looker. In truth, it's just years of training, though a few treats hidden in his belt don't hurt, either--and he almost always has a treat.
Advantage: Guran
Hailing from the Bandar tribe--the same tribe that found and rescued the very first Phantom--Guran is the friend, aide, mentor, and confidante to Kit. Similar to the line of Walkers, there has always been a Guran standing next to the current Phantom, as each gives the son the same name and lives with that Phantom in the Skull Cave. Arguably the most important "resource", Guran is the voice in the Phantom's ear, giving him all the information he doesn't know--which is actually a decent amount. Knowledge of African herbs doesn't help much in the middle of a city, and Parkour is a great way to stay fit and get from point A to point B, but is most helpful if he knows where he's going and has at least a rough idea of what's /between/ A and B. From cultural notes to directions to "simply" advice, Guran is the one thing that the Phantom truly needs.
Advantage: Hero
Every Phantom since the turn of the previous century has had a pale-white horse named Hero, and this one's no different. This Hero is an Arabian mare, raised from birth by his father. Intelligent and loyal, she can be given semi-complex commands ("Go home", "Go get Devil and bring him here", et cetera). She can be ridden with or without her tack, bridle, et al., depending on her rider's preference. She also kicks like--well, like a horse, and has saved a Phantom's bacon once or twice.
Advantage: Hyper-Senses
Not a literal augmentation past human-normal ranges of the senses; instead, he's trained in automatically studying the people and things around him. When he meets someone new, he automatically tracks their vocal ranges, studies their body, and such, just as when he enters a new location.
Advantage: Investigation
Using abductive and deductive reasoning, combined with his near-perfect recall and hyper senses, he makes quite a skilled detective indeed. He may not be the absolute best by any means, but it takes someone who really knows what they're doing to set up a scene such that he can't figure out the truth.
Advantage: Linguist
Having studied linguistics since a young child, he can speak Arabic, English, Swahili, and Tamesheq fluently, and has a passing familiarity with German, Japanese, and French. He can rite fluently in English, Swahili, and Tifinagh.
Advantage: Stealth
For a guy in a purple costume, he can go unnoticed when he wants to. Careful placement of footsteps, knowing how to hide just out of someone's peripheral vision, and how to scoot away when he's about to be noticed are all things he's been well-trained in.
Advantage: Wealth
Though no Donald Trump by any means, thanks to his father's liquidating some assets and investing wisely throughout the world, he can live off the interest to certain investments. Though he can't purchase Central Park penthouses or Lamborghinis, he can rent a decent loft or pay for meals at a three-star restaurant without having to check his funds beforehand, with enough to pay for college tuition besides.
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Flaws
Flaw: Gear
In general, the communication/tracking aspects work similarly enough to mobile phones to share a few weaknesses. The obvious weakness is that there are plenty of places where he couldn't get a signal, including (but not limited to) being in the middle of nowhere, basements, et cetera. Also in general, most of the technological aspects haven't been fully field-tested. They've been quite extensively tested in the Skull Cave, but no controlled environment can truly be analogous to the field. As such, he knows quite well that many things he's worked up probably won't work how he hopes they will, and there's at least a chance that this or that item may not function at all when put under real duress.
Flaw: Guran
The Phantom has to be seen as a one-man everything, nearly omniscient and omnipotent. The truth is that for as much as the man under the mask has trained, there is quite a lot about the world he doesn't know. That's what Guran helps with--which means that if he's cut off from Guran, he will be very close to Totally Screwed. Having moved halfway across the world--he's coming to find out that he'll be cut off from Guran /often/.
Flaw: Singh Brotherhood
Once a rag-tag band of pirates held together by oaths of blood and fear of reprisal from the leaders, over the centuries the Brotherhood has managed to continue to exist into modern times. They've started turning their interests away from open, violent piracy, and have begun to see how else they can make their profit--which is leading them from the high seas into the board rooms. Once led by a blood-descendant of the Singh line, now any who prove their worth may earn the title of leader--though the "proof" required, as often as not, is beyond those who attempt to obtain it. There is no silver medal, no honor in failure, so the ones who fail to achieve leadership are usually swiftly, and violently, dealt with by whoever does. Throughout history, they have maintained the enmity of the Phantom; the two sides have a long history of feuds, of one side foiling the other. More than half of the Phantoms who have fallen have done so because of the Brotherhood. Anyone and anything remotely connected to the Phantom is in danger, as the Brotherhood is /always/ on the look-out for ways to kill, stop, torture, or otherwise annoy the Phantom.
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Wanted
- Zorro: Another legacy character, with a rich and interesting history.
Gallery
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