Alias: None (Real Name Unknown)
Race: Apoc High-bred
Aspects: Body 4, Mind 3
Sex: Male; Ht: 6' 6"; Wt: 174 lbs.

"That's need-to-know only, kid, and you? You don't need to know."

Character Description/Notes: There is little that is known for certain about Black Op. Indeed, the number of whispered rumors about his background far exceed any truth... and telling the truth from the fiction is almost impossible. Speculation flows that he's not fully human underneath his mask - that an ASEAS research project to create a better breed of super-soldier bore fruit in his existence. There are also those who swear devoutly that he's not just one man, and instead the title of "Black Op" is shared between a team of seasoned agents who use their ability to "be in two places at once" to confuse and terrify the opposition. Some people go so far as to believe that he has stolen magical powers from the L'na, or can even bend the Flux itself to his will.

All of these rumors receive a shrugged "no comment" from the man himself. After all, being the most (in)famous representative of the ASEAS's covert operations division almost demands the cultivation of a special sort of mystique. Assassins can target a man, but there's no killing a legend. As such, the man known only as Black Op apparently spends nearly as much time honing his phenomenal persona as he spends practicing his deadly covert arts. He is seemingly able to switch vocal mannerisms, tactics, combat styles, and even personalities at the drop of a hat - one minute a talkative, debonair phenomenon brazen in his self-confidence... and the next second a silent, stalking psychopath who enjoys his explosives in an entirely unhealthy manner.

It could be all an elaborate act. Or it could be that he's not just one man, and there's no telling where the other "Black Op" representatives are. Or, perhaps, he's actually just that twisted. There's really no telling for sure, and that's the point. Even when he works with partners or attached to a unit, there exists a wall of inscrutability that shields him from the understanding of others and leaves them unable to pin him down. Given that his assignments are often of the most sensitive of natures, and his activities are so commonly disavowed that he might as well be his own political entity, it's not surprising.

Of course, therein lies another rumor - that Black Op isn't actually part of the ASEAS. In quiet conversations away from prying ears, it is suggested that the "prize operative" of ASEAS covert intelligence isn't an official operative at all - he's a free agent, working towards his own ends and hired on a mission-by-mission basis. Even darker mutterings mention that he's been seen fighting against the High-bred in some engagements, for no reason anyone can begin to explain.

Only Black Op himself knows the truth, and he's not talking.

Tactics: The strategies used by Black Op vary by the necessity of the moment, but all are typically equal in their lethality. He can be a quiet "snap the neck" operative when required, but likewise he shows no fear or hesitation in un-slinging a large-caliber weapon and passing out fiery pain. On the contrary, he almost seems to relish the opportunities he gets to ditch the stealth and add to his folkloric achievements with a large, flashy body count.

This is not to say that the man is reckless or inattentive in his judgment, however. Indeed, those who have served alongside him on assignments speak in reverent tones of his ability to quickly assess and compensate for any tactical circumstance. Even with the limited Intel and minimal preparation that typifies the sort of mission calling for Black Op's specific skill-set, he seems able to produce effective plans for engagement and extraction almost at will. This improvisational ability somehow also appears relevant to his combat skills, as the legends of his death-dealing using implements as unorthodox as pencils, bottles of alcohol, and even a man's own clothing would attest.

If anything truly seems to be his "calling card," however, it's his particular fondness for smoke grenades. Sowing confusion, distracting and misdirecting the enemy, or even simply emerging theatrically from a cloud of vapor with guns blazing... such acts are so common that some among the Degenerate Churl have a special name for Black Op. "He Who Comes With Death and Smoke" is famous even amongst his enemies.

Legends:

• Y'know, that man once killed a guy with a toothpick! Give him a wide berth.
• They say The Dreaming secretly wants him dead, and no one knows why.
• I heard from a guy who used to know his superior - he's not a man at all, but a specially-modified Klik they've disguised as one of us.
• Yeah, you know he once survived six months alone in zombie country? Supposedly wound up having to hunt them for food, and now they keep him in that suit 'cause it keeps him from turning into one of 'em.
• One of the grunts who went out with him on a deep-cover jaunt talks in his sleep, and... well, when I was bunked up with that guy all he did was say "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" over and over again. Poor sod.
• Folks say he's a general's son - should be set up for life - but he volunteers for the most dangerous of missions simply for the thrill of it.
• I was sent by one of the briefing rooms when he was on base here, and heard him having a huge argument with someone... but when I walked past, he was the only man in there!
• Y'know, some fellas in the barracks say that Black Op is actually a girl using all those techno-gizmos in her suit to hide it. Can't imagine why...
• I heard he actually comes from the future! He got sent back here to make sure we can rebuild civilization, but can't tell nobody 'cause it'll erase him from existence.

(Click for Hooks)

Role-playing Hook
Black Op is the quintessential "tall, dark, mysterious stranger." His true nature is intentionally left as ambiguous as possible, so that he can fulfill the role of the man of mystery whenever and wherever he is encountered. It is up to those who play him to decide what amongst the legends constitutes truth and what specifically motivates this enigmatic spy. Likewise, each individual person is able to define Black Op's core personality beneath his masquerade. Is he a flashy, quick-tongued operative in the vein of Ian Fleming, or is he instead a deeply-disturbed dark hero with a tortured past and little moral compass? That's left for the player to decide.

 

Sense Hook
The most interesting sense to play with when dealing with Black Op is SIGHT, simply because the common visual cues available for playing most characters cannot be used. Clad head-to-toe in an all-concealing suit of tactical armor, there are literally no expressions to see on his face to clearly demonstrate his thoughts or emotions. This leaves body language, a potent but generally-underutilized role-playing aspect. The way Black Op stands, walks, gestures, and otherwise carries himself has the ability to speak volumes about his emotional state without ever directly requiring him to verbalize them. Using this commonly overlooked method of conveying information also allows Black Op to retain his mysterious aura, as there is plausible denial-ability for anything he "says" in utter silence.

 

Adventure Hook
An ASEAS expedition force into Degenerate Churl territory has been wiped out nearly to the man by a strange group of hostiles - who were *not* apparently Churl. Indeed, the single survivor reported that their attackers were a locked-and-loaded commando team geared up in high-tech combat equip... and led by Black Op. The ASEAS AI has sent an investigatory squad to discover the truth of the matter... only this group likewise includes the membership of Black Op, who is tasked with rooting out his claimed "impostor."

Game Master's Hook
Black Op is one of the most fun non-player characters a GM can spring on their players: a man of mysterious motives, neither necessarily an antagonist nor an ally, who runs in the same circles and repeatedly brushes past the players' characters without ever firmly standing behind or against them. That sort of interaction as "just another guy in the world with my own goals, which aren't necessarily yours" gives a layer of depth and complexity to the world you portray and is very much appreciated by players with a taste for the political or social aspects of the role-playing experience.

Battle Hook
Black Op is an natural born leader and a phenomenal asset when it comes to Untold: Battle. Whether he's a Front Line combatant or in your Rear Line calling the shoots, do not count him out! When you combine his excellent combative prowess with some of the rockin' powers from Lock'n'Load, then your opponent had better watch out! With his mastery of these awesome firearms, Black Op can really bring the pain!