The Exchange II: Ref: Harkin Derringer

--BASICS--

Name: Harkin Deringer

Age: 35

Sex: Male

Race: Human


--APPEARANCE--

Height: 5'9

Weight: Average, 150 pounds

Build: Lean

Skin: Caucasian

Hair: Short light brown, looks slicked back

Eyes: Gray

Other defining features:
Clean shaven, middle and ring finger on left hand are missing (replaced with mechanical prosthetics).
His face could be described as somewhat sharp looking but not overly so. His nose isn't pointy, for example.

Clothing: Victorian-era suits and fine clothing.
For the tournament, as he won't be under cover Harkin will be wearing a dark grey long coat (which he'll remove in a close-combat fight) with a grey waistcoat and dark red shirt underneath. Matching dark grey trousers follow and a pair of black shoes to finish off the simple but sophisticated ensemble.

--PERSONALITY--

Overview: Misanthropic (disillusioned with society), somewhat vain, but tries to carry an air of professionalism at all times.
While he doesn't hate people per se he has a general dislike after past events and prefers the times he's spent hunting and working alone. During jobs where he needs to get close to someone (target or otherwise) and/or socialise as part of his infiltration his professionalism kicks in and his thinly veiled dislike vanishes.
His bouts of minor vanity came about as a result of his misanthropy, turning his attention more inward inclined as a result.


Loves: Hunting.
A good chase gets his blood pumping, be it escaping or pursuing.
His son, even if he has trouble showing it.

Hates: Sport/targets giving up too quickly/easily.
Unprofessional colleagues.
Smudges.
At times himself.
Failing his family.

Fears: Becoming the hunted.
Turning into the monsters he targets (which he believes has already happened).


Strengths: Long range fighter, trained in a variety of weapons and sidearm's.
Agile and quick thinking.
Adequate acting ability (for his work at least).
Can "put on the charm" if need be.

Weaknesses: Close combat capabilities nowhere near the level of long range abilities.
Prone to vanity and showmanship at times.
Anything that reminds him of his wife.

Pick one of the SEVEN DEADLY SINS that your character relates to, and one that your character does not relate to:
Relates to: Pride. Harkin takes pride in his work, appearance and himself. He'll be quick to anger if any of these are insulted. His family as well. When society decided not to right the wrongs set against him it was his pride and anger that caused him to take matter into his own hands.
Does not relate to: Sloth. Even when down on his luck he was never one to sit down and do nothing about it. His job has no room for slovenly behaviour as that would lead to error, which can and will lead to error in his opinion.

Pick one of the SEVEN HOLY VIRTUES that your character relates to, and one that your character does not relate to:
Relates to: Diligence. There has never been a job he's left unfinished. His pride wouldn't allow him to do anything unless it was one hundred percent completed.
Does not relate to: Patience. While patient in work and mind, sometimes staying in the same spot for days if it means the job's complete, he was unwilling to forgive and show mercy to the ones that did him wrong. He embraced revenge and what has happened has changed his outlook on humanity ever since.

Quirks:
When not otherwise occupied Harkin will routinely remove a handkerchief from an inside pocket of his coat and polish whatever he's holding.
If either alone or somewhere it won't cause a panic/isn't unusual to do so he'll do a quick check of all the weapons currently on his person and the ease of which they come to hand.
Occasionally he'll pull out a gold chain with a locket on the end and open it. If close you'll see a whole spectrum of emotions cross his face before he puts it away.
If standing near anyone, a large group or one person, he'll either move away or, if engaged in conversation, move as far back as possible without seeming rude.
If given the opportunity he'll play the violin to relax.



--HISTORY--

Setting:
Victorian London, the world has moved past clockwork mechanics (although remnants of the technology stubbornly remain with fanatics and collectors) and Europe has fully embraced the almighty power of steam! Now what's all this about an "internal combustion" engine and "diesel" in America?

Family/Friends:
A distant relation of the American gunsmith, the majority of Harkin's family have already perished and the few who haven't are either overseas or he's not in contact. His wife died several years ago and as such his household is comprised of himself, his two servants, their daughter and his son, William.
The servants Robert and Jane Fletcher are happily married and old friends of Harkin's. The couple watch his son while he's away, serving as surrogate parents, as well as creating and maintaining his weaponry and tools/gear. Their daughter, Elisabeth, a quiet girl has always avoided Harkin for reasons she won't say.
Other than some acquaintances he's made during hunting expeditions and at the society (see below)  his misanthropic nature means he has few friends.

Background:
His parents, having moved back to England from America, were simple people who made an honest living. Growing up in London a young Harkin became increasingly fascinated by firearms, a passion his distant relative in America shared. Seeing this his father organised a hunting trip with a friend of the family for the young man and he found he had a passion for it. The trips became a regular occurrence as he grew in skill and age and eventually met his wife on one expedition.
The two were soon married and had a son together in a humble home in London. A couple of years later however, while in the city, his wife was murdered by two men. To his outrage nothing was done about this, as the men in question had connections in the right places.
With his wife gone and her killers unpunished Harkin hunted them down like the animals he'd killed in the past and exacted his justice on them, killing them mercilessly and getting away with it, the authorities unable to pin the crime on him due to several alibis and evidence pointing to multiple suspects.
His actions were noticed by a shadowy group known only as the Gentleman's Society of Hunters and other Sporting Pastimes. The society, impressed with the skills shown approached him with the prospect of turning to assassination, hunting the "most dangerous game of all" in their words. With his new misanthropic world view of humanity he accepted readily, happy to rid the world of people that no doubt deserved what was coming to them.
The society paid for the anonymity and housing of their new promising member and he took on the friends who provided his most solid alibi, employing them as servants and to watch his son while he was gone.
But as a result he became distant from his young son, unable to stand being around his him for any length of time, reminding him of his failure, his dead wife, and the guilt that comes with both.
Over time he realised the grim irony that he now does to others what has been done to him and can't face his son because of it, furthering the distance between the two.


--COMBAT--

Fighting Style: Ranged (long, medium and short)
Harkin prefers to take out his opponents at range, first stalking them and then taking his shot undetected.
If detected he'll either bunker down if his location is suitably defensible, or begin moving position, taking a shot at each new location.
If long range no longer works he'll switch to medium range and so on, moving quicker and becoming more agile as distance shortens.
Close quarters combat is a last resort when he can no longer keep distance between him and his target/opponent. If the opportunity arises he'll retreat back to a ranged position.

Weapons/Gear: (It's helpful to include combat purposes AND physical descriptions.)
Weapons:
Long ranged: Two long range rifles (both collapsible) which can be used in medium range too, one sniper rifle (also collapsible)
Short ranged: Various pistols and handguns (his main being a Derringer pocket pistol, heavily modified, with dark red design), assortment of throwing knives
Close quartered: Several deployable traps and snares (usually set up around him to stop anyone getting close or set up in advance if he knows where his target will go), one concealed glove pistol on right hand, middle prosthetic finger conceals a retractable poison needle, two small easily concealable blades.
One fine walking stick which, when the handle is twisted in the correct combination, unlocks and becomes a rapier, the handle becoming a hilt. The hilt features an additional handle that when pulled repeatedly activates an internal generator that causes the blade to become heated and able to burn on touch. The generator is anything but quiet and will give off a fair amount of steam, the blade itself with become visibly heated (i.e. the metal will turn orange). The generator takes multiple "revs" to get going will take time to heat the blade. As such it'll only be used when the opportunity best presents itself.

Note: Despite the technology steadily becoming outdated, Harkin is still fond of clockwork mechanics over steam and prefers combining the two.  
Harkin's handguns mostly use clockwork mechanisms to reload and fire faster while the rifles appear to be more of a combination of clockwork and steam-power, with the same reloading mechanisms but steam-tech to power the gun and shots.
The guns themselves look like modified flintlocks from 1770-1795.

Gear:
A large case that, upon opening, seemingly only contains a simple violin. Underneath and in the linings are where the various weapons he can't conceal on his body are stored (the three rifles mainly).


Unusual Abilities: Being human he hasn't really got anything out of the ordinary past the skills already described, which he trained extensively to be able to utilise.

Physical Attributes: Being fairly lightweight Harkin is quick on his feet and fairly agile, as his work demands. He's able to easily climb buildings and structures and navigate them with practised ease. Compared to an average human he's got the same physical limitations, not being any stronger or faster.
He has good eyesight too.


--TOURNAMENT--

Your character is invited to the tournament by...:
Death

Why does your character want to be a death god?:
Being a big game hunter and assassin Harkin believes he has the necessary qualifications to bring in souls, living or dead if direct intervention is desired. Other than that the allure of the perks of godhood appeal to him, as it would not only separate him from the society he feels contempt for but would give him the ability to come to terms with his life when time is no longer a factor.

Reaping style: (Is your character the type to sit back and let fate take its course, to meddle and try to speed up the process, or what?)
While no saint himself if he feels the soul in question deserves what's coming to them he may decide to make them his new target and hunt them down personally.
Otherwise he may use his infiltration techniques to insert himself into their everyday lives and make the likely hood of their demise increase.

Team:  N/A

Are you okay with other tournament entrants KILLING your character in their tournament writing?:
Yes. Harkin has been developed with The Exchange in mind so I have no qualms about him being killed off.
Keep in mind he'll go out with dignity, no begging and such.

Are you okay with other tournament entrants using your character in their tournament writing?:
Yes, please do!

Other: Harkin is from the Victorian era (Steampunk inspired yes but Victorian regardless) so he's obviously going to be a bit wary of anything technologically advanced past that time period. With the gadgets in his setting this wouldn't be as bad as normal but just keep that in mind. He won't freak out about it but wariness and intrigue will be the order of the day in such an encounter.
Finally, being a hunter, Harkin would take trophies from noteworthy kills. Teeth, bones, etc. It's a practice he rarely bothers with when killing people but he has occasionally taken something of note. An exotic item or weapon being the most likely thing he'd take as a trophy.


--LAST WORDS--

1. He doesn't like people.
2. He's conflicted about his family and what he's become during his time as an assassin.
3. He prefers to avoid direct confrontation, preferring subterfuge or long ranged combat.