Raven

**David Hale,** codename **Raven,** is one of the main playable characters in Da*ymare: 1998**.*

## Official description

Captain David Hale, 29 years old is a Senior Pilot of the Hexacore Air Force unit called “4RG0 Delta” as well as a member of the Crimson Skulls. He used to be a NASA pilot, but was discharged after a failed mission, the details of which are highly classified. All that is known is that a comrade lost his life in action. Raven still carries marks of the accident on his skin.

## Biography

### Early life

Before joining Hexacore, Captain David Hale first joined the was a talented NASA pilot. He was one of the youngest pioneers of aviation when he participated in his last active duty on the morning of April 23, 1992. It involved an experimental test flight at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center located at Edwards Air Base and identified as “Joshua Control”. The experimental flight, codenamed “Gaspipe”, was to test the top-secret aircraft SR-91 Aurora. A classified report reveals that Captain Hale and Lieutenant Corrick were in flight above base when the fuel injection system malfunctioned and resulted in the leakage of flammable liquid that reached the cockpit of the first pilot. During the emergency re-entry phase, a fire broke out that involved Lieutenant Corrick and began to spread to the second pilot’s cockpit. The first pilot was totally engulfed in flames when Captain Hale assumed command of the completely uncontrollable aircraft. During his descent, the control tower ordered him to eject to save his own life and especially the flight data recorded by the black box. However, Captain Hale made an arbitrary decision to remain aboard and attempt an emergency landing. The sudden shift in pressure, as well as deterioration from extreme temperatures, caused the cockpit’s glass to shatter, injuring Captain Hale on his head. Now in mortal danger and unable to save the lieutenant, he was forced to eject himself just a few meters from the surface as the SR-91 Aurora crash landed. Following the accident, Captain Hale was subjected to a rather lengthy, painful physical and mental rehabilitation, only to be later charged with disobeying a direct order, reckless endangerment and destruction of costly government equipment. As a result, his pilot’s license was revoked and he was fired by NASA.

In June 1995, following the official request by Major Hayden Volken, David was accepted into the ranks of H.A.F. (Hexacore Air Force) as the Major's subordinate in the Crimson Skulls unit where he received his codename "Raven". Three years later after his accident Raven was stated to have recovered both physically and mentally, however, he remained scarred and ridden with guilt from not being able to save his partner.

### Keen Sight incident

He was assigned as a pilot alongside Sandman to transport the H.A.D.E.S. special agents to the Aegis facility following the distress signal. During the trip Raven was constantly being picked on by Liev making insensitive jokes about his piloting skills following his past accident, but Sandman advised him to ignore Liev's attempts to provoke him.

After Liev completed his mission, Raven laments they couldn't save team Epsilon, however Sandman reassures him that the mission comes first. Overhearing this, Liev calls Sandman a coward and a hypocrite, referring to their shared past mission at Groom Lake, as well as insulting Raven whom Sandman mentors. Sandman leaves the cockpit to check on the gas containers, but assures Raven that he can fly the chopper on his own despite his condition. After hearing a gunshot, Raven discovers that agent Crane had been shot and Liev holding the Major at gunpoint after breaking a vial of Pollux into his face. Raven attempts to protect Sandman but gets thrown out from the helicopter by Liev.

Hours later, after regaining consciousness, Raven finds himself in an appartment block in now Castor polluted Keen Sight. Because Raven had his pilot respirator on, he avoided inhaling the gas and proceeds to traverse the infected town, horrified by what had happened to its inhabitants. He finds the corpse of his friend Joe, a gunshop owner who hanged himself to avoid being turned into a zombie, and takes his shotgun with him. Throughout his journey Raven discovers the bodies of H.A.D.E.S. soldiers who perished in an attempt to contain the outbreak, as well as evidence of Hexacore performing human experiments on Keen Sight citizens for decades. He finds out that the government approved the Clean Slate protocol and the town will be wiped out at dawn. He also finds the remains of agent Crane and the "Golden Fleece" anti-viral agent that he was carrying. Hoping that the Major is still alive, Raven reaches the helicopter crash site but gets ambushed by two deformed creatures wearing H.A.D.E.S. uniforms. After defeating them, he discovers that the Major did survive the crashlanding and is somewhere in town.

Raven then reaches the research facility at the lair dam where he finally contacts the Major, informing him of his whereabouts and a plan to escape using the helicopter on the lair dam's rooftop. After meeting Doctor Mason, the only surviving researcher at the dam, Raven gets trapped in a treatment room with the horrendous Abomination but manages to subdue him using the electric device in the room. Mason informs Raven that the creatures he fought were, in fact, H.A.D.E.S. agents who underwent special mutations due to the large doses of H-Additives in their bodies. Raven realizes the Abomination is mutated Liev, as he got exposed to both Castor and Pollux, but discovers that latter escaped. Mason decides to stay behind to detonate the dam and tells Raven to flee. Raven is pursued by unstoppable Liev, who keeps regenerating, however, he finally manages to put him down during their final confrontation on the rooftop. Raven finally reunites with Sandman, however, the latter is hurt by surviving Liev. Despite Sandman's pleading to leave him behind and escape, Raven decides to protect the Major, swearing he would never leave another man behind, however, Sandman knocks him out and fights Liev himself to save Raven's life. After regaining consciousness, Raven realizes that Sandman himself was infected with the Pollux virus, turning him into unstoppable but violent soldier. Raven uses the Golden Fleece sample to heal the Major but is then confronted by Samuel who accuses Sandman of murdering his wife Sarah. Raven tries to negotiate with Samuel, explaining that the Major was under the effects of a virus and was not responsible for his actions, but Samuel gets overwhelmed by hallucinations and refuses to put down his gun. A single gunshot is heard before the screen turns to black, leaving Raven's fate unknown.

## Gallery

* Raven's promo artwork
* Raven's early bio
* Raven on the game's cover
* Raven in the pre-alpha build
* Raven confronted by H.A.D.E.S. agents (deleted scene from the trailer)
* Raven's gameplay
* Raven during his accident
* Raven discovers Joe
* Raven remembers his past at NASA
* Raven heading for the crash site
* Raven in the H.A.D.E.S. office
* Raven defeats mutated Liev

## Trivia

* He is the youngest playable character in *Daymare: 1998*.
* Raven mentions that he enjoyed spending time in Keen Sight when he was off-duty and he was a good friend of Joe, a gunshop owner.
* Examining a figure of SR-91 Aurora in the sewers will trigger unpleasant memories about his past.
* The appartment where Raven wakes up was modelled after Invader Studios real life headquarters.
* Raven was the only major character unaware of Sandman's true intentions and considered him a hero up until the end.