Michael Drake

### Affiliation

Allure Rebels (rifleman; formerly); The Crimson King's crew (pirate; formerly); The Maverick Crew (gunner, currently)

## Skills

### Skills

Charisma: Persuade +1Charisma: Deceive +1

## Introduction

Smuggler. Mercenary. Rebel. Outlaw. Hunter. Killer.

Michael Drake is a former space pirate and current drifter looking for a steady source of employment wherever he may find it. Though he's got a troubled past and unclear motivations, he's a hard worker, and willing to undertake any risk to get the job done.

## The Rebel

Hailing from the rough backwater colony of Allure, Michael Drake became familiar with hardship from a very young age. His father was an abusive, vulgar drunkard, and his mother relied on various illicit substances to keep herself numb to the trials of everyday life. Drake helped to support his family in any way he could - working multiple jobs as a young teenager to keep his parents afloat.

When civil war broke out, Drake sided with the fledgling rebellion in order to win Allure's independence from the wider galaxy. During his time in the war, Drake honed his marksmanship skills, and established connections across various rebel cells that would serve him well later in life. He found himself to be a gifted combatant - a charismatic leader, a skilled tactician, and one of the best gunslingers in his regiment. He became addicted to the rush of adrenaline that accompanied a gunfight, and dedicated more and more of his time towards the fight.

As the war progressed, and the rebellion grew more and more radicalized, the colonial militia became more ruthless in response. Though he'd watched countless friends fall in battle, it wasn't until his parents died in an explosion that Drake finally became disillusioned with the war. Homeless, alone, and disgusted by what he'd become, Drake used one of his contacts in a rebel cell to smuggle him off-world, where he'd have a chance to start anew.

## The Crimson King

Starting over is never easy. Though Drake was initially optimistic about the new opportunities that awaited him, he found that word had spread about the conflict on Allure - which by this point had reached its bloody finale. Not only had he fought for the losing side, he'd been branded as a former terrorist. Honest employment was scarce, and thus Drake had to search for *alternative* career choices.

A mixture of persuasion, luck, and a few gunfights brought Drake into the employment of the Crimson King: an enigmatic android-turned-pirate that was in the business of raiding supply convoys near Galea. It was about as far from legality and morality as one could get, but it paid the bills. It allowed Drake to replace his right arm with a mechanical prosthetic, and gave him what later became his signature crimson leather jacket.

Drake's role onboard the crew was initially to provide additional muscle - a role he begrudgingly accepted - but he soon grew into a skilled negotiator. He became proficient at convincing traders to surrender without a fight, and worked to spread the legend of the infamous Crimson King across the stars. Soon, raids were performed through intimidation rather than brute force. The mere mention of the Crimson King's crew would cause ships to lay down their arms and give in.

Such had the mythos of the Crimson King grown that even his own crew desired the title. Several members of the crew mutinied against their captain, each man looking to become the new Crimson King. Drake was one of the few that defended his captain, and when the brief mutiny had been extinguished, found himself to be the last man standing. The Crimson King and his crew were dead, and the mantle was up for the taking... instead, Michael left the ship adrift in space, and started anew once more, this time, hoping to leave immoral work behind for good.

## Personality

Sarcastic, arrogant, and highly manipulative, Michael Drake can come off as abrasive to some, but on occasion will show a more pleasant side of himself. He's handsome, a fact that he's *very* aware of, and enjoys weaponizing his looks to help benefit his cause.

He's confident in his abilities - sometimes overly much - but has a good grasp of his strengths and weaknesses. He's a hard-worker and will undertake tasks that he feels are the most dangerous, though whether that's due to some inherent selflessness or to experience an adrenaline rush is up for debate. Either way, he's not heartless, and will risk himself for others if need be, even total strangers.

## Trivia

* Despite a long career as a lowlife thug and outlaw, Drake was educated up to 9th grade, and has a surprisingly good grasp on several academic subjects.
* Though he's made passing references to a former fiancée, Drake refuses to elaborate if the subject is brought up.
* Drake enjoys the consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances, but never to the point of dependency. Earlier in life he had been addicted to Thura - which he'd gotten access to while in the service of the Crimson King - and now only rarely decides to use it.