attributes: the gunslinger is the lone hero, wandering the land, defending those unable to defend themselves. an enigmatic and laconic individual, the gunslinger rose to its current archetypal power during the nineteenth century, when tales of the old west and its unbreakable codes of survival and honor sparked people's imaginations. the gunslinger's roots go far back in history, from the ronin of feudal japan to the knight errants of medieval europe. some say that the mythic heroes of ancient greece also embody the ideal of this questing warrior. even in modern times, this romantic figure has not gone out of fashion. indeed, tales of caped avengers protecting the city and its citizens from harm reasonate with the gunslinger's undertones.

 

the gunslinger need not wield a gun to carry out his duties. as mentioned above, his mythic status was established long before the western expansion of america. he embodies the warrior ideal: strong, proud, honorable and compassionate. in fact, the gunslinger is often linked with another archetypal figure; that of the orphan. as a role-model and authority figure, he often becomes a father-figure to the orphan...eventually training him in the ways of battle so that someday, he may have a successor.

 

taboo: the gunslinger is a champion of the oppressed and may never, either through action or inaction, allow an innocent to come to harm. also, he cannot ever retire from his position as defender (the only exception is when he passes on his mantle to the orphan).

 

symbols: the most potent symbol of the gunslinger is himself. the tall, silent, brooding man with the cold eyes and the gravelly whisper of his voice. the other symbols of the gunslinger are whatever items he has adopted in his pursuit of justice: a cape or mask, a revolver, silver bullets, a fedora, his steed (anything from a white stallion to a harley-davidson motorcycle).

 

suspected avatars in history: the noble gunfighter of dime store novels or the masked crime-fighter of tabloid news. older avatars include the green knight, the ronin of feudal japan and even mythic greek heroes like heracles or perseus. batman, mad max and zorro are all fictional examples of the gunslinger.

 

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note: the three gifts described below will not magically come into the character's possesion. he must either seek them out or have them granted to him by another person. acquiring these gifts is not without expense, hardship or danger (his "steed of virtue" a vintage motorcycle, may currently be in the collection of a powerful drug-trafficker) but he will eventually find out where they are and intuitively know that they are his ("can you loan me a few hundred bucks? i saw a biker jacket in the window of that store that i really got to have...").

 

1%-50%: at this level, the gunslinger gains the first of the three mythic gifts: the armor of truth. the armor may take any shape: a mask and cape, a sherriff's badge, a leather jacket or even actual armor. in any case, it embodies the gunslinger's status as a champion of justice. when wearing the armor of truth, the gunslinger's social skills may be substituted with his avatar: gunslinger skill. this ability can only be used to command admiration, respect or fear and may not be used in a seduction-type situation.

 

51%-70: the gunslinger is bequeathed the second gift: the sword of justice. in these modern times, the sword typically manifests as a firearm (but a sword or some other weapon may be used if it fits with the gunslinger's persona). when wielding the sword of justice, the gunslinger may flip-flip the damage he receives when hit by gunfire.

 

71%-90%: the gunslinger is granted the third and final gift: the steed of virtue. while the original gunslinger avatars did ride horses (winged horses), the modern avatar makes due with a tricked-out sports car or motorcycle. while in control of his steed (ie: driving), the gunslinger gains strength and confidence, allowing him to flip-flop any roll he makes.

 

91%+: the gunslinger literally becomes the man with no name. all records, both physical and electronic, of his existence vanish into thin air. everyone on the planet becomes aware of his presence, yet no one can remember any specific details. from now until the day he dies, he is a man of legend. it is at this level that the orphan will be drawn to the gunslinger's side.

 

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