The Dread Red
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
[[Image:[img] [/img]|300px|]]
| |
| There is no escape from The Dread Red! | |
| The Dread Red | |
| Player: @The Mystic Red | |
| Origin: | Magic |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Brute |
| Threat Level: | 50+ |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Confidential |
| Known Aliases: | The Iron Titan, Big Red, The Russian |
| Species: | Magically Empowered Human (Praetorian) |
| Age: | Biologically 25, Chronologically 99 |
| Height: | 8'0" (6'6 depowered) |
| Weight: | Around 1200 lbs (194 lbs depowered) |
| Eye Color: | Red and fiery. (Brown depowered) |
| Hair Color: | Dark Brown bordering on black. |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Russian (Praetorian) |
| Occupation: | Former Russian Super Soldier, Former Cole Regime Enforcer, Current Rogue Mercenary and Super Criminal |
| Place of Birth: | Volgograd, Russia. (Praetorian Equivalent) |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | No living relatives. |
| Known Powers | |
| Tremendous Physical Strength, Nearly Invulnerable, Dark Spiritual Magic (ala Ghost Widow's tutelage) | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Military trained soldier, including tactics, functional martial arts, modern weapons usage, squad and guerrilla combat. No sense of humor. | |
| Equipment | |
| Mystical Armor enchanted by Russian Sorcerers. Modified Impervium allow clockwork arm. | |
| ' | |
Character Synopsis:
Alexei Rossovich, aka the Dread Red is the Praetorian counterpart to the legendary hero the Mystic Red. Much like his Primal counterpart, he was born in Russia during the rise of Soviet power. However unlike his Primal self, Praetorian Alexei grew up worshiping military might and the imperialist agenda of his government. During a major battle while still just a soldier, Praetorian Alexei stumbled across an old suit of armor, unbeknownst to him at the time this armor was magically enchanted by Russian Sorcerers and carried an incredibly powerful spell. Donning the artifact, he was forever transformed into the Dread Red, a magical super weapon his country eagerly used in it's attempted conquest of the world. A dreadful weapon, Alexei inspired fear in many enemies with most assuming only Marcus Cole could stop the likes of him and the Russian Military.
However Alexei became disillusioned with his government as they began to rely on atomic armaments and not super soldiers such as himself. Believing they were choosing a cowards route, the Dread Red went into self imposed exile only to return later when Marcus Cole reemerged to invigorate the Praetorian world. Believing Cole was a just emperor who respected the power of Super Humans, Alexei offered himself to Cole's regime, and spent years as an enforcer and Powers officer. It was only when Cole and his regime banished Alexei that he realized that Emperor Cole was no better than his previous masters, another leader scared of his power and too afraid to confront him. Banished to Primal Earth, the site of Praetorian Alexei's greatest defeat, he now serves as a rogue mercenary while plotting some manner of revenge to get back at Praetorian Marcus Cole.
Contents |
Affiliations
During his nearly century long life, the Dread Red has had several associations with major political and military powers. Originally a soldier in the Russian Military, he was later promoted to Super Soldier status after discovering his armor. His association with the Russian military was cut short after the Korean offensive. Years later he became affiliated with the Regime of Marcus Cole as an enforcer and member of his Powers Division. Alexei served for years as a top tier agent and soldier before cutting ties shortly following his believed exile. Currently the Dread Red is known to associate with Arachnos as a freelance mercenary, specifically Ghost Widow, whom he has been seen in close contact with. Known only to a few though are his direct ties with the Conclave organization, working as their premier muscle and enforcement agent.
Personality
Praetorian Alexei is the polar opposite of his Primal self. A stern menacing man with seemingly no penchant for fun or frivolity. He maintains himself as a soldier at all times, and treats every issue the way he believes a soldier should. Everything is either a problem or enemy to be defeated, preferably in the most direct and efficient manner available. He respects law and order, but so long as it benefits him and serves his interests, unlike his heroic counterpart. His tremendous mystical powers have only heightened his pride and willingness to use force to obtain his desires, making him a dangerous and direct man. He is not above or against friendship though, and associates with several rogue elements on a regular basis. His main criterion seems to be for his imagined sense of professionalism, and other criminals or mercenaries who take jobs seriously, and respect the chain of command so long as they all benefit can generally find Alexei to be a boring but trustworthy ally.
Praetorian Alexei especially despises weakness, and sees people incapable of taking their desires as peasants or sheep to be used up by the strong. If one is as powerful or in the rare case more powerful than Alexei, he is very willing to work together or even follow commands from that individual.
Powers
The source of the Dread Red's powers is an ancient suit of enchanted armor he found during a battle in Russia. This armor, an old artifact that had been enchanted by multiple sorcerers is a focus that channels an overwhelmingly powerful spell. This spell flows through the wearers body and continually reapplys it's effects in a sort of positive feedback loop, granting the wielder several mystical abilities. In the case of Alexei Rossovich, it grants him the following powers.
Magical Strength
The Armor of Faith grants its wielder the might of all Russia. This aspect of the spell translates to phenomenal super human strength bordering on the upper tiers of power. Alexei is capable of punching through walls, tearing apart tanks and hurling massive boulders with ease. He has also been known to smash into the ground with enough force to create shock waves or tremors.
Magical Invulnerability
The Armor of Faith makes it's wearer the unstoppable symbol of the people. This aspect of the spell is perhaps its most powerful effect, and makes the wearer nearly invulnerable to all harm. Alexei has been hit with blunt force, shot at, set on fire, blasted with magical energy, frozen, electrocuted, and attacked with any number of means, none of which have ever truly harmed him. The spell continually reinforces itself, ensuring that the wearer remains unharmed so they can continue their purpose. However the spell does have two major holes. It seems the spell completely ignores the existence of psychic powers, leaving Alexei highly vulnerable to telepathic or mental attack. The Dread Red keeps this a closely guarded secret, and generally avoids or kills psychics upon meeting them. Second the armor is incapable of preventing temporal effects, a weakness which the Primal Alexei discovered by being jumped through time. Were someone to try and send the Dread Red forward or backward through time, his armor would have no ability to stop them.
Magical Physiology
While wearing his armor, the Dread Red is nourished and protected by his magical powers. He needs essentially no food, water, air or sleep and seems to not age. While his stamina is tremendously improved, he can be tired out if forced to engage in physical activity long enough or overpowered by the combined efforts of other powerful individuals.
Spiritual Dark Magic
Disgusted at what he sees as his only failure, Alexei has sought out new sources of power to supplement his armor. Specifically he has looked into the old magics like the Banished Pantheon and Mot, and through Arachnos the powers of Ghost Widow. Spiritual magic allows Alexei to tap into the souls of those he has slain, a great resource, and granted him several new powers, including an ability to restrain others with the ghostly limbs of the dead.
Abilities
Alexei Rossovich was a well trained soldier before he found his armor, and possessed advanced knowledge and training in modern martial arts, tactics, firearms, bladed weapons as well as mental training to be resistant to fatigue, willingness to follow orders, and to think on his feet. He speaks Russian and English, and is trained in some mechanical aspects.
Clockwork Arm
In a momentous battle with his Primal self, Alexei's right arm was destroyed. It has since been replaced with a Praetorian style clockwork limb which has several functions. The arm is constructed from an impervium allow, making it strong enough to match Alexei's usual levels of strength and ferocity, but also has communications functions, a jamming function, and an emergency teleportation system. The arm has also been mystically attuned, and can be used to channel magic just like his body, though at greatly reduced effectiveness.
