Proud Patriot
| Proud Patriot | ||||||||||
| Player: @Showermonster | ||||||||||
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| The Ghost of Freedom | ||||||||||
| Biographical Data | ||||||||||
| Real Name: | Rayl Issac Torien | |||||||||
| Known Aliases: | Pat, Ice Cream Man, The Wyoming Wrangler | |||||||||
| Gender: | Male | |||||||||
| Species: | Human | |||||||||
| Ethnicity: | American | |||||||||
| Place of Birth: | Wyoming | |||||||||
| Base of Operations: | United States | |||||||||
| Relatives: | Multiple | |||||||||
| Characteristics | ||||||||||
| Age: | 29 | |||||||||
| Height: | Six Foot Three? Four...? I forget | |||||||||
| Weight: | Err- I haven't weighed myself recently… | |||||||||
| Eyes: | Bluish | |||||||||
| Hair: | Brownish | |||||||||
| Complexion: | A bit battered here and there, but good! | |||||||||
| Physical Build: | Well-built, as needed. Nothing excessive! | |||||||||
| Physical Features: | A solid history with the scars to prove it! | |||||||||
| Status | ||||||||||
| Fame: |
Global | |||||||||
| Alignment: |
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| Identity: | N.T.K.B. | |||||||||
| Years Active: | 11 ( Two Army, Seven PRIMUS, Two 'cape') | |||||||||
| Citizenship: | American since birth | |||||||||
| Occupation: | "Retired" PRIMUS Official | |||||||||
| Education: | High School and SFT | |||||||||
| Marital Status: | In a relationship | |||||||||
| Known Powers and Abilities | ||||||||||
| Special Forces Training, Experience, and Energy Projection. | ||||||||||
| Equipment and Paraphernalia | ||||||||||
| Special Forces Gear | ||||||||||
| Physical Attributes | |||||||||
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Reflexes |
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Regen |
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| Energy |
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Psionics |
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| Telepathy |
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| Sorcery |
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Tech. |
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Knowledge |
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Bravery |
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| MaekadaBoxSlim created by @Maekada | |||||||||
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Proud Patriot is now living in psuedo-retirement in Wyoming, where he tends to his ailing parents while helping law enforcement when necessary. Can usually be called on for help by PRIMUS-affiliated heroes or people who know him. Send me an In-Game mail message if I'm not on and you need something related to him!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've neglected to update Proud Patriot's old page for so long that it is horrendously outdated. Expect this one to be worked on MUCH more!
 The author of this article has marked this as a creative work, and would prefer that other users not edit it. Please respect this, and unless repairing a typo, spelling, or other minor technical error, think of this page as read-only. |
Contents
History
"The ability to change; to improve...that is what makes us human. Without change we are simply machines of flesh and bone following nothing but our default programming: our primal instincts and needs. To refuse to change; to grow up and understand yourself and the world around you...that is true defeat."
Summary
Personality and Beliefs
Personality
"So...how about that weather?"
Proud Patriot can be difficult to understand, based on how and when you meet him. While two separate sections are shown below, it should be noted that the two naturally would begin to overlap as they reach one anothers' respective time-frames.
Example: Shortly before his perceived death Mid-2012, he was roughly at the personality he has to this day.
Enlistment - Pre-Death
Initially Proud Patriot kept a strict, need-to-know approach to the CRP Channel: report situations, ask for help or advice, and then carry on. In social situations he was seen as quiet and nervous; always attempting to change the topic to the weather when more...racy (usually sex) topics are brought up. In combat he was could be somewhat snarky between active confrontations, though kept quiet when needed and followed the orders of more experienced superheroes (or "Capes")...despite his distrust of them.
He displayed classical signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a series of events left him and others close to him mutilated, mutated, and even killed. He kept most of his personal thoughts and feelings to himself, and used vigilantism as a means to cope with his memories while helping his people directly.
Revival - Present
On Respond and Protect, he's often seen as a slow-witted, leisurely guy who helps settle minor disputes, makes jokes, and talks about ice cream. In person he's considerably more lively, though still seems to have some difficulty understanding some things in a fast-paced conversation. In a combat scenario, he is quiet, commanding, and does not respond well to witticism, and will chastise someone for unnecessary actions or dark humor.
He's coped well with his past with the help of his friends and fellow 'Capes' (Namely Nightwave and Nightfang among many others.), and his fun-loving and active social life seems to be his way of 'making up for lost time'. He became more open with others, and even a little bit flirty with a certain hero.
Beliefs
"It's hard to define an American.
Race obviously doesn't work, and religion is out of the question...You can't be born American, either...well, you can legally, but it's still not right: I know immigrants who are more American than those of us who are 'Native-born'.
The way I see it? Americans are made...crafted...the way an artist chisels a statue from a block of marble. You take a man and give them the desire for freedom, the love of humanity, and a respect for social order and you have an American...though I suppose that's just me describing what a Patriot is again, huh?"
Social and Political
"If America is the land of the free, why do we declare some to be more free than others?"
Proud Patriot is as his name says: He is extremely Proud of his country and it's history (and his family's contribution to it.). However, he doesn't let pride and nationalism get in the way of common sense; while he lists himself as Republican, he will openly support any proposed bill if he believes it will be for the better for his fellow Americans.
In his youth, Proud Patriot was largely oblivious to social issues such as the rights of Gays, Mutants, Aliens and Machines. After leaving his rather sheltered life in Wyoming and out into the rest of the Country, he could largely be described as indifferent and even, at times, intolerable toward them (mostly in regards to mutants/irradiates). Life in Millennium City, as well as the friendship of Maxine Guzman, AKA Nightwave helped bring to light the issue of gay marriage, which he became an avid supporter of. Soon after he started supporting Mutant rights, and from there a myriad of other minorities.
While he may not agree with or understand foreign policies often, he supports America's allies. He is sometimes (wrongly, yet understandably) accused of being being a warhawk/warmonger as he is staunchly supportive of military actions meant to punish tyrants for breaking agreed upon rules, or to liberate people who are clearly under an oppressive government.
When asked about immigration, he tends to sympathize with the plight of illegal immigrants, yet still believes they should be "found and re-located...so they can enter the country through legal means.". He believes that a true immigrant would comply with America's laws of immigration...yet concedes those laws may need to be changed to help fix the problem of illegal immigrants.
He tends to avoid economic matters and has an unexpected disdain for socialism: He believes that the government should ensure that all people have the ability to achieve 'greatness and comfort through hard work' but should not 'balance the economic scale' to give benefits to people just because they are a part of a certain group.
He thinks people trying to repeal the Second Amendment are, in his words: "History-blind fools just begging for tyranny.".
He's a stalwart believer in euthanasia, and that people should have the right to die with dignity; that the deliberate delay (by doctors or one's family) from a painful and terminal situation is horrific and a crime in and of itself.
His often conflicting legislative beliefs have drawn criticism from multiple politicians, especially that of a certain Anti-Mutant Wyoming Senator.
He's often made the joke that he would have an easier time "...fixing America if I bought a massive aircraft carrier, named it 'America', and declared it to be it's own independent nation.". This is a reference to the failed 'Doomsday Bill' that Wyoming tried to pass in 2012.
Faith
"Patriotism is like a religion: you have debates over it, and wars over it."
Proud Patriot is not religious: that much is concrete, however he clearly has some sort of otherworldly belief that drives him forward and through situations others might call impossible. When asked about his spiritual beliefs, he'll often say that "Patriotism is my religion", though this may not be far from the truth. Proud Patriot's belief in his country and his fellow Americans is unshakeable: he believes that they can accomplish anything once they put their hearts into it.
He believes that humanity is, at it's very core, good-natured and that the criminals and tyrants of the world are "either misguided souls who are losing sight of their humanity, or [the] hollow shells of once great men.".
Even his critics compare his Patriotism to a religion, claiming that "He [Proud Patriot] is to America what Pope Urban the Second was to Christianity.". Pope Urban II called for the initial crusade to retake the Holy Land in 1095. Proud Patriot has often replied to these comments with the following statement:
"Maybe they are right...Maybe I am a crazed zealot; an American Crusader or a Crusader for America. Maybe both. Patriotism is like a religion, after all: You argue over it like a religion, and you kill for it like a religion. It's no secret that I've done both, and if I must: I will again."
Abilities and Equipment
Abilities
"I am the very model of Modern PRIMUS Official..." (Sung to a certain tune, naturally.)
Strength: At full exertion, Proud Patriot can lift tanks or artillery, giving him a total strength rating of around Seventy (small) tons.
Training: Proud Patriot can eliminate up to six close proximity targets in rapid succession, while using only CQC. His tactical mindset proves invaluable in helping him take out an enemy operation on his own. In firefights his steady aim (from experience and cybernetics) help his shots connect exactly where they need to, and his overall calm demeanor prevents him from making careless mistakes.
Linquistics: Contrary to popular belief, Proud Patriot speaks more than just English; he is fluent in Spanish, French, and was learning Japanese and Russian prior to his (first...:U) death. He's stopped trying to learn more languages since, as it gives him a headache.
Cybernetics: Proud Patriot's cybernetic body is largely made of a psuedo-organic aterial, made by the deceased Supervillain Communist Mani-Fisto. This gives him better resistances to anti-cyborg tactics and EMP blasts, which would temporarily disable his regenerative abilities rather than shut his entire body down. He's considerably more agile and flexible than he used to be, able to easily take strides of three yards. This, coupled with his hardened exoskeleton and enhanced re-action time, allows him to go toe-to-toe with sword wielders unarmed and remain on fairly even ground. Body laced with nanomachines, standard cuts and wounds can be repaired within a day, though removed limbs would have to be manually re-attached, and typically follows a healing period of two to six weeks of minimal usage.
Energy Projection: His cybernetics give him minor projection abilities, which he typically uses to create defensive cover during firefights, temporarily seal off exits and chokepoints, or create temporary barriers around teammates. It's debated whether or no he can use this ability offensively.
Overall: In terms of overall power, Proud Patriot is by no means on the level of Superheroes such as Defender, Ironclad, or Thundrax. However, his advanced cybernetic body, extensive training, and force projection abilities place him firmly in the gap between Super-soldier and Powered Superhero, and makes him a terror for non-metas to face. Well-rounded and a capable leader, Proud Patriot works best with a good team, fighting off throngs of henchmen and 'elite humans', leaving the other heroes to fight the true Supervillains.
Equipment
"This is my rifle, this is my gun..."
Suit of Valor: Despite the durability of his new body, the costume Proud Patriot wears features some extra protection, namely from the environment, while remaining lightweight and breathable
William and Cody: A pair of unique Colt Single Action Armies received from Colt Manufacturing, both as a gift for stopping an attack on one of their factories, and as a bit of a marketing ploy. These two revolvers, featuring ten inch barrels and chambered for .357 rounds, are nothing special compared to the firearms wielded by other heroes, or even used by Proud Patriot himself, but their overall reliability are the main reason they are used so heavily by him. The barrel and cylinder on each are a metallic blue color, With the frame of William featuring the pattern of the American flag, and Cody with the pattern of the Wyoming flag. The stocks are made of richly colored walnut, with two medallions on each: on the left side of both is the American symol, and on the right the manufacturer's.
FN SCAR-H: Nothing special about this weapon at all. No story behind it, nothing. Just a rifle.
The Family Tree: An M1 Garand that saw service in the Second World War, this rifle has been updated for combat in the modern generation. A powerful semi-automatic weapon, The Family Tree uses .50 caliber bullets fed into the top with a special-made twenty-round clip. These clips can carry variants of the muniton, either incendiary or armor-piercing. Equally capable at all ranges, it has become one of Proud Patriot's favorite fire arms. While it features a bayonet for emergency usage, Though is largely used for utilitarian purposes due to the advances made in modern body armor.
Weaknesses
"Everyone has their weaknesses, and I'm certainly no different."
Psionics: While not as much as he used to, Proud Patriot has always had a notable weakness to psionics and mind control and despite the added resistance he's gained from exposure, a specially made pendant, and his new body, he's still rather susceptible to them, to the point that he will back out of a mission if there is even the possibility of enemy psionics being involved.
Slow: not in the physical sense, but given the experiences he's been through, he does have difficulty understanding what people are saying, which can lead to mistakes in following orders or otherwise communicating.
Obvious things: He's durable, yes, but come on- if you drop something heavy enough, swing, pierce, or otherwise hit with something strong enough, it's going to do damage and eventually kill him if you can keep at it.
Ice Cream: Okay, not really. However, in order to maintain his body's regenerative abilities AND keep his body from overheating, Proud Patriot consumes a lot of sugary and cold foods...he just prefers ice cream because it is DELICIOUS.
Affiliations
"I guess I know a few people..."
Friends, Allies, and Acquaintances
"There are few people in the world like them and I'm proud to call them my friend...hopefully the feeling is mutual..."
Player Characters
Nightfang: Phillis...it all started with the name Phillis...a joke name given to the vampiric superheroine by the hero Lion Heart, it was adopted by Proud Patriot and used to tease the woman over the Respond and Protect frequency used by heroes. Eventually the jokes turned into a strong friendship on and off the field, which turned into flirting, which turned into...well?
Despite their relationship, Pat still thinks of her as that 'crazy friend' which makes him regret being in the Rockies even more given the distance between Wyoming and Millennium City.
Dobergirl: If Proud Patriot ever had a little sister, he would want her to be like, if not just be, Dobergirl...if only he could remember how they met...regardless, she is one of his closest friends (and part of him likes to think of her as his sidekick when the two work together), and he is always willing to help the younger hero out!
Engineeress Meara: Proud Patriot has a love/hate friendship with Meara. For the most part he enjoys her playful ribbing and her bubbly personality, but she equally skilled at irritating him...she really has to learn when and when not to do that.
Thundrax: Many heroes (and people in general) look up to Defender as their Superhero Idol: for Proud Patriot, this idol is Thundrax, in large part as the Canadian hero is far more attached to and active amongst the people, and is all in all the type of hero Proud Patriot aspires to be like. He refuses to call him by his actual name (despite it being relatively common knowledge) as he believes it to be improper and even disrespectful.
The Silver Vixen: Proud Patriot's former roommate when he moved to Millennium City, the duo gathered a myriad of hilarious stories and side adventures, and maintain a good friendship despite rarely seeing one another...no they did not date.
Texas Two-Step: A good friend he'd made rather randomly through the super human community. Tex was the one who was able to calm him down and bring him back to reality after his apparent loss of memory, finally removing PSI from his mind. Prior to Pat's 'death', the duo were frequently spending time together, though ave since become distant...they're just never on the com at the same time.
Squall Edymillion: An alien who Pat describes as an 'insatiable pervert', the duo actually have a fairly strong friendship. Whenever Squall says something perverted, Pat would always snap at him with a warning or threat, which the alien would then turn into something suggestive...this became a bit of a game for the duo. Whenever Pat was hanging out with Squall, you could guarantee that Tex would be around as well; and vice versa. The alien has since left Earth to return to his own people.
Nightwave: The first superhero Proud Patriot ever met and the first one he befriended, Nightwave was (and in a way still is) in many ways the older brother (not a typo) that Rayl never had. She is the reason he would step away from his total dedication to the military; she is the reason he became Proud Patriot the Superhero instead of Proud Patriot the Supersoldier; she was the original foundation for his change in mentality both politically, socially, and emotionally...it's a shame that their friendship remains in disarray after a heated argument that Proud Patriot (and myself :S) cannot recall in detail.
Liberty's Shield: A patriot from another dimension, the duo share a sense of comradery, but never really because close friends due to a lack of frequent interaction. Nonetheless, the man's someone Pat knows he can count on.
Binary Man: A fellow soldier, the duo shared a lot in common and became fast friends...however, this would not last after a heated argument split the two up. This particular fence has since been left unmended for two years.
Arc Thunder: An UNTIL Agent whom Proud Patriot served with on a joint operation in Africa to rescue some UNTIL Troops. While they worked together there was a bit of a block between them due to their differing organizations.
Since then, the two have a begrudging respect for one another, but don't expect them to be in a room together and not take potshots at one another.
Mr. Blank: The Enigmatic crimefighter was introduced to Proud Patriot by his then partner Nightwave...the two were suspicious of one another (do you blame them?) but got along well enough.
Winter Wonder: Daughter of Communist Mani-Fisto, she was able to keep Proud Patriot's body frozen, and thus preserved, after his final defeat at the hands of her father; This makes her the reason he is still alive. She has co-operated fully with UNTIL and is now a superhero in her own right, and the self proclaimed 'sidekick' of Proud Patriot...he's not aware of this.
NPCs and Organizations
PRIMUS: As a PRIMUS veteran, Proud Patriot has maintained very close ties with the organization, and often steps in to help them in matters they'd rather not trust to 'other' capes...some people speculate that he's still on the PRIMUS payroll.
Agent Othello: A fellow tester of the Valor suits, Proud Patriot looked up to the seasoned veteran even as his abilities surpassed that of the older man's. Othello has since retired and is living a comfortable life in Florida.
Rogue's Gallery
"I've made a few enemies too...Some who are out to kill me, some who have been killed, but some- some I can't help but pity..."
Communist Mani-Fisto: Also known as Comrade Conqueror, this Noe-Stalinist inventor first appeared on the villain scene in 2010, after more than thirty years of living a quiet life away from his days as a child superhero in the Soviet Union. The duo first engaged one another when Mani-Fisto attempted to steal the first 'suit of valor', then a type of power armor. Proud Patriot, donning the suit, managed to fight the supervillain to a draw (though Fisto was allegeedly holding back). The duo would clash multiple times before, ending either in ties or Proud Patriot's defeat.
This would eventually culminate in Proud Patriot's 'death' at the hands of Mani-Fisto when the latter fired a rocket at the former, who dove to save escaping PRIMUS hostages. Mani-Fisto, either out of respect for his nemesis or the sadistic desire for a trophy, gathered the remains of Proud Patriot and, with the help of his daughter Winter Wonder, created a new Cybernetic body for Proud Patriot, brain washed him, and used him as his personal guard.
A joint operation between UNTIL, PRIMUS, and a group of superheroes led to Proud Patriot's return and the death of Mani-Fisto.
Other Information
"Not sure what else there is to say, really..."
RP Hooks
"If you ever need to call on me for anything..." - Are you or were you in PRIMUS? He was a soldier and an official, maybe you met him?
- Spending time in the Greenskin area? He often knows a thing or two about the situation and can fill you in.
- Like Ice Cream? He can often be found at Pat's Ice Cream and Coffee in Millennium City's Central area.
- Are you a somewhat new hero? Proud Patriot knows the feeling, feel free to talk to him while he's on the coms.
- Working in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States? Maybe you'd like to team up with the 'Wyoming Wrangler'?
Rumors
Feel free to add your own as well. No need for name dropping, it's funnier that way!
- Proud Patriot is totally a momma's boy.
- Proud Patriot was lactose intolerant prior to his new body.
Character Opinions
"Hey, before you go I was wondering...I know it's stupid but- have people been saying anything about me?"
"So...how about that weather?" ~ Rayl's usual Awkward Silence/tension breaker.
"I like the guy. Seems a bit accident prone and a bit emo, but he does the right thing in spite of that." -- Thundrax
"He doesn't seem to like gum." -- Mr. Blank
"Pat's totally awesome! He's a cyborg asskicker who throws tanks and eats ice cream! How could you not like that?" -- Dobergirl
"His armor makes him look like a cheap plastic action figure, he glows in the dark and he crashes every vehicle he drives. And he's kind of a doofus. Still... he's a great guy." -- Nightfang
"I feel sorry for him. He's crashing on Fatfang's couch." -- Blue Freedom
Tropes
"When you think about it, no one's really all that original; just interesting."
Captain PatrioticNo need to explain this one...also this next one also goes without saying...
Awakening The Sleeping Giant - While Pat's reached a fairly strong Power Level he will not work (as a Superhero) within Millennium City unless it gets to the point where his being there is absolutely needed.
Improbable Aiming Skills - While Pat himself lacks the Obscene Amount of Firepower of Some other heroes he instead has uncanny aiming skills due to training and robotics...though he isn't against using big guns with one hand and uses them on occasion...besides Revolvers are Better.
No One Could Survive That - Pat's been in multiple Helicopter crashes, lost his arms and legs in explosions, been riddled with bullet holes, all while on fire. Also he's been 'mostly dead' a good amount of times. If this isn't him I don't know what is. KING OF SUICIDE MISSIONS.
Break the Cutie - While the name seems unfitting, this is pretty much Pat summed up until now.. He's gotten himself blown up, tinkered with like a machine (alright that kinda was valid at the time but STILL de-moralizing), suffered through a brief bout of alcoholism, and all sorts of other bad stuff...but hey, he's now an near unstoppable , super cyborg , Modern Major Badass...even if he doesn't act like it.
Hell- the whole initial plan for Pat was to see what happened when you put a "normal" person into the super world...not normal 'but with super intelligence', just. normal. TO be honest I was sure he'd shoot himself by now,but NOOOO everyone had to be nice...
Number Two - Despite his newfound badassery, it's very unlikely that Pat will ever lead anything for a long period of time when working with Superheroes.
Obfuscating Stupidity Pat plays dumb, but really he wouldn't have the job he has if he was now would he?
All American Face - He's that guy from the middle of nowhere who grew up on apple pie, hot dogs, and baseball. Enough said.
Trivia
- I like trains.
