Stan Gulliver

Stan Gulliver is written by kikiee241.

Biography
Stan hails from the Martian capital city of Burgan as an independent researcher of arms. His father was a retired military official who had much to teach him, though Stan was more interested with his mother's engineer occupation. He lacked the discipline to enrol in the AMC, but the awe-inspiring show of firepower on the rare battles he observed remotely led him to find another way.

If he didn't join the military, what other things could he do? Having gone to pursue work in distant colonies to bypass strict regulations found on his home planet, his weapon expertise was the only thing that made him feel useful. Experience with Earthers and Vespers had led him to hide his origins to avoid getting immediately labeled as a hostile (even though these were peaceful times, some people still harboured resentment towards other planets).

He eventually set up base on the colony of Sigma-2, Mars' largest colony. His time there was pretty lax, giving him time to experiment with his explosives, but it took only one (maybe a few…) accidental explosion to cause widespread paranoia in the area. It wasn't long before he was roped into AMC affairs again and shipped elsewhere to "improve diplomatic relations". He couldn't help but think they just wanted him out of their hair.

Physical Appearance
Standing 5'10 with a robust frame that he admits is not all muscle, Stan at least sees himself fit enough to go scavenging for scrap metal and other materials, and maybe far-out adventure. His rounded face and jade green eyes are framed by a mop of loose chestnut curls which he tends to neglect, unlike the soul patch he dutifully keeps beneath his lip. Often his hair would nearly reach the top of his shoulders, partially concealing the Martian tattoo of a ragged, stylized fireball on the nape of his neck. As he is somewhat embarrassed of his origins, the rest of the tattoo is often obscured by a scarf or the collar of his shirt.

Currently, he favours muted colors in his limited wardrobe. He seems to like wearing a spring green button-down shirt with short sleeves over a dark undershirt like a jacket, along with a pair of well-worn worker's jeans and running shoes. Occasionally he may be seen with fingerless gloves when things get serious, or when dealing with sharp or burning things.

Personality and Traits
Stan is an eccentric guy, to say the least. Stubborn and rash, he can become fired up about things easily, and cool down just as quick. He hates it when things don't go his way, displaying a childish frustration when authority figures deny him resources, for example. Nevertheless, he displays a disengaged coolness during his work or when dealing with weapons in general. He's not one to talk much (unless he gets into a conversation about arms and machinery), and is mostly harmless if left alone, but those who want his help either need cash or a way to survive his whining. If you can get past his arrogance and self-importance, Stan can be a loyal and dependable friend.

He has a great curiosity that has led him to many places and loves to try new things on his ongoing quest to familiarize himself with as much weaponry as he can. With all the knowledge he hoards, he also hoards many other things acquired through his travels on the basis that they "might" be used in the future. This clutter often stays in piles on the floor, making it hard to find things or even navigate.

Primary Combat Style
Stan knows his weapons inside and out. An expert at gun maintenance and nano-blade sharpening, he isn't a terrible shot (most of the time), though his true combat power lies in awe-inspiring explosives. Other than traditionally setting them up in unexpected places, Stan has repurposed a slingshot to fire marble-sized bombs that explode on impact. The slingshot itself is a standard Y-shape model used by children, but with the addition of an extra leg that presses against his wrist to improve power and stability. The ideal distance for a shot is about 50 feet, aimed at the ground beneath the target or along a wall (adding the blast radius to the equation, and Stan doesn't need to worry about pin-point accuracy). The bomb must hit with enough force to trigger an explosion (e.g. getting thrown really, really hard), therefore they are relatively safe when stored in his belt pouch.

Several types of bombs are in development: his current arsenal includes the standard low-power explosion, a firecracker-type that creates a loud bang, and a smoke bomb. This combat style involves quite a bit of collateral damage and/or friendly fire when on an all-out offensive, though his non-destructive explosives have a myriad of uses.