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Name: Ethan "Roach" Gray

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Type: Dreamer

Appearance:

Roach is only seventeen, but he only looks like it from the neck up. From the neck down, he’s massive. Being on the street means he’s underfed, but he has a naturally large physique that no amount of malnutrition can deteriorate. He’s solidly built and towers over most other boys his age, even some grown men. His dark hair is cut short, usually unevenly since he tries to trim it himself. The left side of his face is scarred from a slash wound that runs from his eyebrow down onto his cheek.

Personality:

It’s always been easy for Roach to use his size to make others bend to his will. In the orphanage, he was a bully, intimidating others in order to run certain things how he saw fit. With Dodge and Patrick, he was able to repurpose his physical advantages. Now he reserves his bullying for the people Dodge says, or for anyone that threatens the boys and the people Roach cares about.

His time at the orphanage has left him with a strong aversion to any kind of authority; Dodge is the only person he answers to. He’s been through a whole hell of a lot in his short life, making him seem jaded and much older than he is. He comes off as stoic and aloof, content to cross his arms and lean in the doorway until Dodge needs him for something. As cold as Roach seems, though, still waters run deep—he feels things intensely, but he has a better handle on it than most people and doesn’t usually see the need to act out or be melodramatic. He does have one hell of a temper, the kind you want to get the hell away from so he punches holes through walls instead of through you. Dodge is apparently the only person who calm him down when he gets that bad.

Sexuality:

Straight

Constants:

Trustworthy – Roach is just one of those guys that you always know you can count on. He won’t tell your secret, he’ll return your favor, and he always, always keeps his word. As cold as he may seem sometimes, there’s something about him that makes people want to confide in him—maybe because they know he won’t go spreading their business around. That he rarely, if ever, even lies, inspires a sort of general impression of honesty and good sense. If Roach thinks it’s okay, then it must be okay, right?

Loyal Protector – Roach takes care of his own, and when you’re his own, you are until you die. He will fight to the death to protect the people he cares about with no thought whatsoever to his own safety. He doesn’t take on these loyalties lightly, and when you’ve got Roach on your side, it’s an honor and you’re better off realizing that. Just because he'll die for you doesn't mean he appreciates people doing risky things willy-nilly because they know Roach has their back. He'll save you, he'll always save you, but he'll be pissed about it. Ask him to do something and he’ll do it, even if he thinks it’s a stupid idea that’s going to get everyone involved killed—he’d rather be there to do what he can to keep more stupid things from happening, at least.

The Voice of Reason – Roach gets things. He sees right through most situations and most people, and he knows better than to fall into those traps. The problem is, the people around him usually don’t know better. Roach is there to tell them, “That’s hot, don’t touch it.” And if they touch it anyway, he’s there to do what he can to make it better. He can give his advice, even try to stop what he’s pretty sure is going to be a stupid move, but in the end, people are going to do what they want. That doesn’t keep Roach from telling them they’re stupid to do it.

Aspect Origins – Roach is already pretty calm, but he seems to chill out even more. He’s far less likely to respond violently and is more prone to smiling and joking. Usually content to go along with stupid ideas, he’s more likely to protest and physically stop someone from doing something that he’s sure will end disastrously.

City History:

Roach was born Ethan Gray to a family that was making a meager living. He was his mother's pride and joy and his father's little man. His father worked in one of the local factories and boxed in an underground boxing league at nights. They barely got by, but they were happy.

As his father continued to rise in the boxing ring, it became apparent that he might be able to actually box professionally and about that time the Konovich Syndicate took an interest in the young star. They came to him offering what every poor factory worker with a dream wanted, money, and planned to back him on his rise to professional boxing. It was an exciting moment for the family, but then the Syndicate came to him, needing him to throw fights so they could make money off gamblers.

The first few fights Roach's dad agreed to throw, benefiting from the extra money, but as he got wary about it, the Syndicate brought in threats, to both him and his family. Finally, fighting in his most important match, the one that would make or break his place as pro fighter, he refused. He won the fight, but when he came home he found his wife and eleven year old son bound in their living room. The Syndicate hitman killed both or Roach's parents in front of him, and then tortured the young boy. Most of the torture was rooted in sexual abuse, but he was sure to leave Roach with a scar across his face, a token to remember the man by. Roach stayed there, tied up, until the next morning when the police arrived on the scene.

Roach was put in the orphanage, too old for any family to consider adopting. Whatever nice aspects to his personality had died with his parents and Roach became the biggest bully of the orphanage. Bossing kids around, stealing food, toys and more from younger and smaller children caught the attention of the nuns and other faculty at the orphanage. Troubled with Roach's behavior, he became a target for punishments from the nuns who ran the place. Fed up with being bossed around he eventually broke out, making a run for the streets at age thirteen.

On the streets he met Dodge and Patrick who appreciated the kid for his size. Although not one to take kindly to authority figures, Roach warmed up to Dodge almost instantly and soon became their enforcer, keeping the younger kids in line and always there to pull in the trouble makers, or those who weren't living up to expectations. He knew about Patrick's brand of punishment and did everything to stay away from it. Once was enough.

When Patrick left, he stuck with Dodge, loyal to the older boy, and quickly became one of Dodge's right hand boys, sticking up for the guy and doing his best to fight Dodge's fights (even if Dodge doesn't need or want him to.)

Special Skills and Abilities:

Impressive fighting skills. He grew up watching and mimicking his father’s boxing, but years on the streets have blended that with free-for-all bar brawling. He’s also got the necessary handwork skills for pickpocketing, but his size usually means that people are too aware of him for him to get away with something.

Weaknesses:

Revenge Seeking – Roach remembers the man who killed his family, who marred his face. And he wants revenge. One day he'll find the man and make him pay. Although leads come rarely, finding this man is the one and only thing that supersedes his loyalty to Dodge.

Issues with Authority – Although he'll listen to Dodge, that's pretty much where it ends. Roach has major issues with figures of authority. He considers the police useless because they weren't able to track down his parents' killer. He found the adults at the orphanage to be a waste of time, only interested in punishing him. He's got a smart mouth and a big fist to back it up. Eventually he's going to piss off the wrong person.

Strong but Slow – Roach is a big boy, which means he can't move as quickly as someone much smaller than him. He'll knock your teeth out with one punch in the mouth, but he has to catch you first. His size also means he's rather clumsy and prone to accidentally knocking things over or breaking delicate objects. Don't ever ask him to be discreet or sneak around.

Violent – One might think that because of Roach's violent beginnings, he'd be less inclined to follow the same example. That's not the case at all. He's got an explosive temper, the type to punch holes in walls (or people) over a stubbed toe. He thinks nothing of breaking limbs or worse. He doesn't get any kind of sadistic pleasure out of it, but it certainly doesn't bother him. Put on someone's leash and Roach becomes a hammer, smashing through whatever he's pointed at. Personally wrong him or someone he gives a damn about and he'll do worse on his own than he would on someone else's dime.

Suspicious – You don't look as big and mean as Roach does without someone thinking you're up to something. Don't have him guard a door unless you want people to know that something shady is going on inside.

Scared of Bugs – Roach hates bugs, especially roaches—that’s how he got his nickname. As big and tough as he is, let a roach skitter past him and he will probably scream. It’s why he can be almost obsessively clean about his living space; he doesn’t want any reason for a bug to come crawling in his direction.

Strengths:

Survivor - Watching someone kill his parents and then suffering through their torture should have broken Roach, but instead he just got tougher. He bounces back quickly from most trauma, physical and emotional. It takes a hell of a lot to really break him, and if what's happened to him already hasn't, nothing will.

Not as Stupid as You'd Think - Most people expect a kid as big and mean as Roach to be dumb as rock, but he's not. He might not be educated, but he's got an intelligence about him that doesn’t necessitate books or formal schooling. That he has good sense and can rationalize things already makes him smarter than a good chunk of people. Anyone thinking they can easily outsmart him because he's big and stupid is going to be pretty surprised. And very hurt.

Loyal - Roach knows who he stands beside and refuses to budge for anything. He is loyal to Dodge and unless Dodge betrays him, he always will be. No counter-offer, no incentive, no threat, will ever make change sides.

Controlled - Anger is the one emotion Roach can’t quite get a handle on, but everything else is easy enough for him to keep under wraps. Sadness, jealousy, love, fear—everything that people allow to control them and their actions, Roach is able to hide behind a calm, cool, and collected exterior. Unless he wants you to know, it’s difficult to figure out exactly what he’s feeling.

Family or Connections:

Dodge and his street kids, and Maddy, who he knew when they were at the orphanage together.

Residence:

Dodge’s crew’s apartment.

Career:

Knight to the Prince of Thieves.

PB: Tom Vaughan

Other Information:

Cat Person - Most people are oblivious to the fact that Roach has a nurturing side, tiny as it may be, and he likes it that way. He has a soft spot for cats and makes something of a hobby of rescuing stray kittens and raising them. Because of him, there’s usually cats all over the crew’s apartment. He’s fiercely protective of each and every one of them—hurt one of Roach’s cats, and you’ve got yourself a problem.

He has one cat he’s especially fond of: a little white female with big blue eyes that he calls Snow. No one knows that the reason he likes her so much is because she reminds him of Maddy.