Arden Presley

> I am now giving you on the count of 2 to take that back.
>
> - Arden Presley

> TONIGHT WE DANCE MAD!!
>
> - Arden activating his Stand's secondary ability.

Asshat

29 (Part 5)

39 (Stone Ocean)

Jervis McCarthy (Step-Father)

Jason Kors (Uncle)

Umbra Presley (Daughter/clone)

Aracnide Presley (Vampire Grandma)

Thomas Shean (Friend)

Kara Aranea (Friend)

Evex Enzo (Friend)

Issac (Friend)

Fang (Ally)

Jotaro Kujo (Ally)

Darius Brando (Nemesis)

SPW mercenary, Arden Presley is a major protagonist within the community and an occasional antagonist depending on the situation.

After series of events that occurred between 1989 to 1991, Arden Presley was slowly loosing his mind, but he attempted to keep himself sane. However as soon as he reached the age of 17, Arden decided to take up the profession of a mercenary, lashing out at the criminal underworld in New York and in other states or countries. In 1993, he joined up with the SPW after finding out the history of his deceased father, Dr Xander Presley. Arden would be considered a effective loose cannon and a lone wolf among the foundation. However at the beginning of the 2000’s the mercenary would make some mistakes that would haunt him and he’d alsohave encounters with threats that he cannot simply take on his way, resulting in a very slow, but effective reform.

Arden is also the father of the chaotic Umbra Presley, who also happens to be a clone of the mercenary.

## Appearance

Arden is a pale man with red hair, red eyes, a heart shaped birthmark next to the right side of his neck and spider tattoo on his right shoulder. However he is instantly recognizable thanks to his clown-like attires and appearance, resembling fictional villainous clowns like Joker or Hisoka.

## Personality

Arden is absolutely manic, hotheaded, impulsive, arrogant and stubborn. The Jester of Death is someone who doesn’t even attempt to hide that he’s a sociopathic bastard who needs help, especially with his over the top cackle, his agressive behavior and his overall history.

Despite his manic behavior, in a casual setting Arden can be hard to take a little seriously sometimes, thanks to him being a troll to rookies and clownish behavior. He’s a nerd and a jock all at once to put it simply, one who would have your back if you’re his friend or an ally. However this clownish behavior can immediately turn dark if you’re on the reciving end of his wrath because he can use his trolling skills and stand ability to scare the soul out of someone, while he tells a joke where the victim is the punchline.

However Arden can be genuinely serious and has proven that multiple times. If the matter is important, saddening or rage inducing, he won’t be afraid to hide how he feels. Aside from that, Arden also does have the capacity to care for people, but it isn’t in a pure of heart kind of way. Despite his powers, mental problems and villainous behavior, he’s just a dude and that’s what contributed to his decision to reform.

The Jester of Death is also a father to a germlin of a daughter that he loves a lot, but like any other parent, he’d be tired of his wild daughter’s shit and try to help her out.

## Relationships

**Family**

**Maya Kors** is Arden’s mother and a good one, despite how her child turned out. She helped raise mother along with her long time friend, Jervis McCarthy, before he passed away. When Arden became a mercenary, the two got more and more distant with time, until the death of Jason Kors reunited them. Still Maya will risk her life for her baby and Arden will risk his life for his mom.

**Jason Kors** is a infamous ability stealing mercenary and Arden’s uncle. The two were close, until Arden encountered Jason on his first mission with the SPW and the conflict didn’t end well. Arden began to resent Jason overtime, until the older mercenary died stopping an eclipse made by a evil pillarman called Tlamilistli.

Umbra Presley, Arden’s very own clone/daughter, who was made by Darius Brando. He had 2 first encounters with Umbra, she was an enemy both times, but when she infected ghost alley with her stand ability, Arden tracked her and chased her to the docks with the intent of drowning her. However when he succeeded in doing so, he felt kinda bad and brought her back to life, before adopting her. Their relationship for the first few days was shaky, but Umbra warmed up to her “father” and Arden warmed up to Umbra. He didn’t even care when he found out that she was a clone of him that was designed to be a weapon, he saw her as a daughter at that point. However he will try to talk her out of committing chaos.

**Aracnide Presley** is Arden’s vampire grandma from the 1880’s. He went on a small journey with her and she’s living in his basement currently, but she does love him. Arden however thinks that she is the textbook definition of a fossil and is slightly worried that she’ll try to make Umbra more chaotic than ususal

**Friends & allies**

**Thomas Shean** is Arden’s oldest friend, an support optimist, and a vampire who sees his condition as a curse. Arden saved Thomas from a gang of bullies when they were in middle school and their friendship formed from there. Arden was everything Thomas wasn’t, but at the same time Thomas always got along well with Arden. As adults, their friendship still exists, there’s just trauma on both ends and their parents now to a red haired gremlin.

**Kara Aranea** is a medic and the former student of SPW scientist Evex Enzo. She is also someone Arden used to flirt with and a trusted doctor in his book.

**Evex Enzo** was the partner of Dr Xander Presley, so naturally Arden would cross paths with the good doctor. Evex was often annoyed by Arden’s antics, but he did believe Arden could do better deep down. However he didn’t live to see Arden do better though.

**Jotaro Kujo** was an enemy of Arden’s, before the two ended up on the same side. Then they became allies. However their relationship is strictly business, not a friendship.

Joseph Rivera is goody-two-shoes Arden knows that he can’t be. Despite this and the mercenary’s history, Joseph and Arden are on actually great terms.

**Enemies**

Darius Brando is Arden’s most dangerous foe. Darius saw Arden as an annoyance and eventually a full blown threat, but Arden wanted to take Darius down at first to eliminate a threat to the SPW and the Joestars, but when he discovered that Darius’s First Lieutenant, Thunderstruck had turned his friend, Thomas, into a vampire and after the pillar killed Evex, it became something very personal and it got even more personal with time. Still the jester overtime recognizes that Darius isn’t entirely a monster, but at the same time he’s aware that he needs to be stopped in a way that actually works.

**Shabh** is Karia’s older brother, a member of the Shadow Troupe and the only member Arden doesn’t hate with a passion, mostly because Shabh is the only member who isn’t a full on DIO servant, a sick bastard or Darius.

**Dario Brando II** can die in a ditch for all Arden cares. No one manipulates the Jester of Death and succeeds.

## Abilities

**Via Las Vegas -** A stand with a playing card motif that can create illusions with the ability to do actual physical damage. Which is to say, they're objects.

**Dancing Mad -** The secondary ability of Via Las Vegas can manipulate light for the purpose of weaponizing it.

## Trivia

* Arden was inspired by 3 specific fiendish clowns which still influence the character today. The Joker, Hisoka and Kefka.
* Later inspirations for the character came from Vegeta during the Cell Saga and Naruto before the Pain Arc.
* DIO was used as a base for Arden’s first design.
* He originally was going to be a full on villain for a Post SDC story involving Jotaro.