Viktor Harker

**Viktor Harker** is a resident of Lower Duck Pond.

## **Biography**

> **WARNING: This biography includes mentions of homophobia, drug use and sales, cartels/mafia/gangs/organized crime, and other themes that may be upsetting to some readers.**
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### **Early life**

When Viktor came out of the closet at age 16, he was kicked out of the house by his homophobic parents and forced to live on his own. Not much is known about his childhood and it isn't something he mentions frequently. It is known that he used to live in the city before migrating to Lower Duck Pond.

As an unskilled teenager, work was hard to come by and Viktor often went hungry. If it wasn't for a local gang that offered him a job, Viktor most likely would have died on the streets. Given a new purpose in life, he made good money selling marijuana, a drug he personally enjoyed from time to time. Though given the opportunity to sell harder drugs and earn more money, Viktor was never forced by the head to step out of his comfort zone.

### **Adult life**

Viktor's job changed as a large, powerful cartel started to absorb the smaller drug gangs in the city, including the one that employed Viktor. Seeing as he no longer had a choice (nor did he have other options) he began to sell hard drugs in place of weed. Though the money was good he didn't feel right as he watched buyers slowly degrade every week from the crippling addictions that he supplied them.

During a deal, one such addict attacked Viktor in an attempt to steal his drugs and money. In an act of self defense he accidentally killed the attacker with a hunting knife he had hoped to never use against another person. Shaken by the ordeal, he told the cartel that he refused to do this anymore and also threatened to tell the police everything he knew about the operation. This ultimately proved to be a bad idea.

While being chased by other members of the cartel, Viktor was shot twice in the back before falling into a river where he was presumed dead by the gang. It was nothing short of a miracle that he survived.

Given a new chance at life after all this, Viktor knows that he must be careful, otherwise someone might make a connection and link him to past crimes.

### **Life in Lower Duck Pond**

Mostly living in the wooded areas near town (such as King's Falls National Park), Viktor moves around semi-frequently. Either for his own peace of mind or not to get in trouble with local authority, nobody knows for sure. Everyone does know that he is a great help for menial labor and has helped other residents with various projects. He's known to come into town to buy various supplies or just to charge his phone for the day and is almost always willing to help when asked.

A few residents have offered full or part time jobs but Viktor always declines, stating that he doesn't want to be tied to one place.

Occasionally and usually without notice, Viktor will venture off somewhere out of town for various lengths of time.

## **Personality**

After years of hardship, Viktor is wrought with guilt for his past and makes no excuses for things he did. However, perhaps to atone, he works especially hard to be kind to everyone. Though he isn't afraid to call someone out for being an asshole. Or get into a fight. But only if they deserve it.

Viktor does suffer from alcoholism though this usually comes from episodes of depression and remorse. He may drink himself into a stupor for a week straight then go back to normal, it isn't unusual to see.

He dislikes charity and always insists on compensating a person for any gifts they may give him. The only exception being the YMCA in town where he goes to bathe.

Above all else he values his freedom and appreciates nature deeply (though he still complains about bugs).

## **Appearance**

### Physical Traits

Standing at 5 feet and 5 inches (~164 cm), Viktor stature isn't very impressive. Though on the short side, his years of living outdoors and working manual labor have left him quite sturdy, despite poor diet making him rather soft as well. His smile is often described as "warm and sincere." His skin is tanned from being outside so much. Viktor also has a few freckles on his cheeks.

Viktor sports a short goatee and messy black hair that he describes as "too thick to do anything with."

### Everyday Wear

#### Clothes

* Green jacket with a faux fur-trimmed hood
* Black t-shirt
	+ Black hoodie in the colder months
* Jeans
* Hiking boots

#### Accessories

* Thick and round glasses
* Ear piercings
	+ All black, one stud in each earlobe and a cuff on the ridge of his right ear.

### Everyday Gear

* Backpack
	+ Bedroll, small tent, some food, charger, rope, one set of spare clothes.
* Phone
* Hunting knife
* Flint and steel

## **Hobbies**

Due to his diversity of jobs, Viktor has become a Jack of All Trades and enjoys various activities. His primary joys in life are crafting and reading. Sculpture, pottery, and painting are particular favorites, as well as fishing and any form of boating. Reading is certainly his prefered source of leisure and frequents the library.

## **Trivia**

* Cactus does suffer from real life memory problems and has given Viktor the same condition as a work around for when he actually forgets things in real life.
* Viktor doesn't have a specific race, religious denomination, or culture because he's meant to be an everyman.
* Viktor knows random phrases in various languages that he's picked up in his travels and has even learned basic conversational Spanish.
* Viktor is actually happier to live outdoors and has done so willingly for the past few years.
* He prefers to call himself a "vagabond" instead of "homeless," because to him that implies he might have a home at some point.
* His flint and steel firestarter is his most prized possession and feels vulnerable without it.
* Viktor has been bullied by the same badger for a while now and often has altercations with the animal.
	+ He has named the badger Pat.
	+ Pat really seems to have it out for Viktor.

## **Gallery**

SOURCE: https://picrew.me/image\_maker/4395 Slight editing has been done to match the character.