Ricky Valder

**Ricardo "Ricky" Valder**, also known as **Golden Valder** is a High-Level Syndicate hero of the American Syndicate of Heroes and on again off again resident of Sulis Sanctuary.

## Personality

Ricky Valder is ruthlessly arrogant and unkind. He is obnoxious, conceited, and aggravating towards those around him with full knowledge of this effect. Being born into wealth, he is accustomed to having things a certain way and when stripped of these privileges becomes rather vile and difficult.

As a hero, Golden Valder is rather vain, his interest in heroism adjacent to what fame he can gain from his gracious acts. He typically only gets involved when there will be some publicity involved, which follows as the entire role of Golden Valder nearly serves as an advertisement for Valder Enterprises.

## History

### Childhood and Adolescence

Ricky Valder is the son of Tech Billionaire Steward Valder and his wife Eldora Valder. Growing up in wealth, Ricky had every desire fulfilled. He wasn't particularly close with his father, though he had a scheduled one-on-one meeting with him once a month he always filled. He had a stronger relationship with his mother who stayed at home with him.

Eldora wasn't a perfect mother, often pawning him off to other people on the Valder pay-roll. Ricky didn't resent his mother for this until her death from Breast Cancer when he was 16. He didn't accept her death easily, and began to resent his father.

### Becoming Golden Valder

After college, Ricky assumed his role in his father's company, taking special interest in the engineers that worked there. Inspired by the superheroes of ASH, who were some of Valder Enterprise's best costumers, Ricky was determined to prove that anyone could be a hero, even himself.

He gathered a team of Valder's greatest scientists and engineers and began building what he would call The Valder Suit. After nearly a year of development, the Valder Suit was complete and launched by Ricky, who acted as a hero in a huge public stunt.

The ASH was very unhappy by the entire display, viewing Ricky as a "joke" who was "just playing dress up". After fining Ricky for performing as a superhero without a license, Ricky threatened to pull Valder Enterprises' technical support. Reluctantly, Ricky was granted a license and became Golden Valder.

### Spiraling and Entering Sulis Sanctuary

After becoming a syndicate hero, Ricky found himself feeling depressed even with his new position. This resulted in him developing a habit for heavy drinking, partying, and social drug use, often while in the Valder Suit. Ricky's vices became public very quickly and the ASH attempted to softly intervene with no success.

It isn't until a dangerous incident where Ricky uses the Valder Suit under the influence of alcohol does Ricky become suspended as a hero and admitted into the Sulis Sanctuary, an ASH run facility to treat mentally distressed heroes.

Forced to live in the facility for a month, Ricky shows little improvement but is released upon the expiration of his required admission to the facility. He soon continues his habits of drinking and drug use and begins a pattern of bi-yearly visits to Sulis. This continued for years with no improvement on his health.