Banshee

"*I'm gonna turn your head into a fine mist.*"

**Banshee** is a PRL Sniper Freak created by Jillian189. A former BLU mercenary, he now works as a freelance assassin.

His theme is *Professional Killer* by KMFDM.

## Biography

Banshee was a human-turned-Freak who fled from his YLW "creators" after learning they planned to use him to conquer the world. In desperation, he turned to David Armstrong and his team for sanctuary. David was kind enough to take him in.

Banshee later fell in love with Johannes, a BLU Medic teammate. They had a close relationship until the team was ambushed by YLW mercenaries who kidnapped Johannes. By the time Banshee and his friends rescued Johannes, the Medic was turned into a cyborg, his mind permanently reduced to a childlike state.

Banshee initially tried to find a cure for Johannes' broken mind, but when it became clear that Johannes couldn't be "fixed", Banshee blamed David for his lover's fate and attacked the BLU Soldier in a rage. This ultimately led to Banshee's departure from the team.

He's currently an assassin-for-hire, working for anyone who's able to pay him a large sum.

## Appearance

Banshee is a PRL Sniper wearing the *Dread Hiding Hood* and the *Chronomancer*.

When the hood is removed, he is shown to be wearing the *Deep Cover Operator* (with the *A Deep Commitment to Purple* color).

## Personality and Behavior

Banshee is a taciturn and cold-hearted Freak who is usually found working alone. As a freelance assassin, he only seeks to get the job done; once his task is finished, he will simply move on and seek the next job. He sides with no one, and partnerships are both rare and temporary. He has a quite fearsome reputation as a "spirit of death"; to hear his voice is a sign that you'll die.

Banshee operates through "equal exchange". In order to get Banshee's help, one must give him something of value in return:

* If a person hires Banshee to steal something like a rare Unusual or weapon, then he/she must give up a personal item of equal value.
* If a person hires Banshee to maim or disfigure someone, then he/she will lose a body part like an arm or leg in exchange.
* If a person hires Banshee to kill someone, then he/she must be willing to die to make up for the life he took.

If the above conditions are not met, then Banshee will simply kill whoever employed him and leave.

On occasion, Banshee will go against his own rules to help someone if he believes the situation is unjust. He absolutely despises YLW mercenaries, often killing them on sight, and also refuses to work with demons and evil spirits.

## Powers and Abilities

* ***Sonokinesis*** -- Banshee is gifted with the power to manipulate sound waves. This ability randomly manifested in him when he was turned into a Freak by YLW mercenaries.
	+ ***Sonic Radar*** - Banshee uses echolocation to locate hidden enemies that are undetectable through hearing alone by producing a high-pitched clicking noise with his tongue that bounces off of objects and people. Only Banshee can hear this noise.
	+ ***Sonic Vortex*** - Banshee creates an invisible vacuum that sucks in all sound, rendering the area completely silent. Then he releases the collected sound in the form of a powerful shockwave. Due to how physically exhausting it is, Sonic Vortex is often used as a last resort.
	+ ***Sonic Scream*** -- Like the spirit of the same name, Banshee unleashes a powerful ultrasonic scream, with various effects. The results of being hit by one of Banshee's screams usually include temporary hearing loss, knock-back/stun effects, and (in extreme cases) unconsciousness.
	+ ***Vertigo Inducement*** -- By producing certain high-pitched sounds that target the hearing system, Banshee can disrupt a person's natural balance by fooling them into thinking they're looking down from a high place, causing dizziness and nausea.
	+ ***Sound Cloaking*** - Banshee masks his presence in a way similar to a Spy's Cloak, except he completely mutes all sound surrounding him. This ability also applies to any firearms used by Banshee, allowing him to make quick and silent kills.
* ***Enhanced Stealth*** -- Through years of practice, Banshee has become very experienced in using stealth tactics, infiltrating enemy strongholds unnoticed and performing surprise attacks before his foes have a chance to react. This knowledge, combined with his Sound Cloaking ability mentioned above, can turn Banshee into an unstoppable force, invisible yet always there.
* ***Expert Shooter*** -- As a Sniper, Banshee has exceptionally good aim. He uses his trusty *AWPer Hand* sniper rifle, which is completely empty of normal ammunition; instead, he uses bullets made of pure ultrasonic energy.
* ***Enhanced Physical Condition*** -- After he was turned into a Freak, Banshee gained strength, endurance, and stamina that is above that of a typical mercenary, particularly those of the Sniper class. He is a bit more difficult to kill than the average Sniper because of his Freak blood.

## Faults and Weaknesses

* Banshee is weak against Freaks possessing sound-absorbing or nullifying abilities.
* As most of Banshee's powers rely on his vocal chords, he can be defeated if his mouth is covered in some way, or if his throat is cut/stabbed.
* Without his powers, Banshee is only moderately stronger and tougher than the average Sniper.
* Banshee specializes in stealth and silent assassination, not direct combat. This can become a disadvantage if his cover's blown.
* Banshee's Sound Cloaking is not infallible. Because it relies solely on warping a person's perception through their hearing, Banshee can still be detected through smell and touch. Also, unlike a Spy's Cloak, Banshee's Sound Cloaking does ***NOT*** turn him invisible, forcing him to rely on his natural stealth to maintain his cover.
* Overloading his ears with loud noises will incapacitate him. Straining his vocal chords will have the same effect.
* Banshee's sense of honor (however strange and occasional it is considering his behavior) can distract him from killing his targets at times, allowing them to gain the upper hand and flee or attack him.

## Trivia

* Banshee is named after the mythological spirit of the same name. In Ireland, banshees are a type of fairy that is known for their ghostly wails, which often signal the coming of death. In modern legends, they are depicted as the restless spirits of murdered women and/or those who died in childbirth.
* Banshee had a fierce rivalry with a BLU Spy from his old team, and they would often have contests on who would make the most kills undetected.
* Banshee's conception was inspired by the character of the same name from ***Warframe***, an online third-person shooter.
	+ Banshee's conception was also inspired by real-life bats, and the idea of a Freak with supportive Sound-based powers.
* Banshee's "equal exchange" was inspired by the Equivalent Exchange from ***Fullmetal Alchemist***, where the laws of alchemy work through the transmutation of objects in exchange for something that is of equal value to the object being transmuted.