Raymond "Ray" Hopkins
21 | 6'7 | O-
Ray has always been massive. He was the 11-pound baby that every midwife claims they delivered that one time. He's the dude that can't blend into a crowd, no matter what he tries to do. He's the kind of guy you'd never take on a stealth mission- big, strong, and loud. Concealing a 220lb man isn't the easiest thing in the world.
But, when you need a friend to help you when you're down, Ray's your man. His brown hair is perfect for ruffling. His strong arms and thick torso make for excellent cushions. And, of course, who can forget about the bear hugs?
When he's off duty, Ray wears large, baggy clothes that hide his physique along with a red fanny pack stuffed with the essentials- Mistburn meds, bandages, a mini sewing kit, antiseptic, and candy! He's not one to show off, and dislikes how his official uniform wraps his muscles so tightly. Sweatshirts and sweatpants are the bomb!
P E R S O N A L I T Y In almost all situations, Ray ends up as the Team Dad. With his powerful build and array of practical skills, he strives to protect and help his friends in any way he can. Fiercely loyal to those he loves, Ray will put his own life at risk at any moment to protect his friends and family.
Of course, that's only if it ever comes to blows. Ray is a pacifist by nature. He always tries to find a way to cool down fights and resolve them peacefully. Still, as a member of WARDEN, he understands that force is sometimes necessary. Malice without reason is one of the few ways to set him off. Hurting his friends or family is another.
Regardless, it's very difficult for Ray to hate anyone. Contrary to his appearance, he possesses a natural feel for the subtleties behind others' motivations, and empathizes with them intensely.
B A C K G R O U N D Raymond was the second child born to Fletcher and Ana Hopkins. The happy family of four lived in the bustling city of Aporia, where his parents worked as decently well-off HVAC technicians. As a child, Ray always felt rather awkward about his large body. Sure, he was always picked first for the impromptu sports games at school, but he was maladroit and tended to be of little more use than a meat shield. Nobody treated him poorly, no, but Ray often felt as if he were a bear in an air duct.
When Ray was 8, his father died in a work-related accident. The official cause of death was "accidental fall," but something seemed amiss to Ray and his older sister, Ema. The only thing that Ray knew was that he had seen his mother dance in triumph one evening after receiving a letter, two days after Fletcher Hopkins's death. It was long after his bedtime-he'd been creeping downstairs for a midnight snack, only to see his mother kick up a fiercesome jig to a nonexistent tune. Scared, the eight-year old had scrambled back up the stairs into his bed. Afterwards, he'd searched for the letter, even going so far as to digging through the bins for a week straight in hopes of catching it, but no dice. He told Ema soon after, and she confirmed his suspicions. She herself had seen someone other than the normal mailman bring multiple packages to their mother.
Perhaps it was the impersonal way that their mother acted after her husband's death. Perhaps it was the lack of a proper funeral. Or perhaps it was the slight lifestyle upgrade the Hopkins went through afterwards. They weren't the most well off, but Ray and Ema noticed some nicer dinners here, a slightly more expensive gift there. The worst "upgrade," however, would come soon enough.
Half a year later, Ana Hopkins became Ana Wersar by marriage, and soon enough a baby was due. Fiona Wersar was the cutest thing Ray had ever seen, and he put any plans to investigate his mother on hold. It wouldn't do for the family to get shaken up by a re-investigation into Fletcher's death- not with a newborn and another baby coming soon after. The newly married couple would often go out for long nights, sometimes not even returning home for days. Ray and Ema quickly learned to take care of their new sister, and eventually their new brother as well. Ray covered the cooking, Ema the cleaning. The two worked hard as impromptu parents in order to avoid rocking the boat, deciding that their best course of action would be to wait.
Then, WARDEN happened. Ray was thrust into a rigorous new life as a hopeful, and he relished every second of it. The physical training, the studies, all of it distracted from the tiny gnawing in the back of his brain. Thoughts like "my mom might be a murderer" are hard to muster up when you have a paper due Thusday, two magic assignments, and several rounds of grueling physical training each day filling up your schedule. Ray focused on training up his naturally-strong body into a frame of truly epic proportions. He devoted himself entirely to the program, and found a second family in his fellow cadets. No longer was he the awkward boy in the back of the class. Somebody had to take care of this group of crazy-smart, crazy-strong young adults. He became a needed figure, a pillar of support and happiness, and it felt good. The gnawing thoughts faded, and Ray began to even doubt if the memory of his mother dancing was real or simply created in the mind of a grief-stricken 8 year-old. He remained close with Ema, sending her letters regularly and following her course as she made her own way through life- school graduation, job hunting, and even courtship.
With graduation imminent, Ray found himself wanting, even longing for those peaceful days in the classrooms. It was highly likely that the class would be split come graduation, so a final farewell party sounded incredible. After all, someone had to make sure they all got to the front lines in one piece.
C O M B A T Raymond specializes in protection and area control, using a combination of barrier spells and matter manipulation, as well as a bit of healing on the side. His magic requires physical motion in order to focus, whether it be hand motion or direct contact. He can create barriers of all sorts and purposes, from a watershed shield designed to minimize magic damage to a multilayered wall. He is able to maintain multiple barriers at a time, though doing so takes far more effort to the point that he is immobilized.
Ray also picked up matter manipulation spells in order to complement his barrier magic. He can raise walls of earth in order to block projectiles or ruin the terrain beneath enemy boots. His favorite strategem is to raise walls to narrow the field in order to focus fire, then protect his allies' charge with a barrier.
Ray is no slouch when it comes to close-quarters combat. He is skilled in throw and strike-based martial arts, and prefers to disable his opponents instead of crippling them. He wears metal gauntlets during battle to keep up with bladed weapons as well. Any enterprising foe looking to take out the protection around Ray's allies will find a tough foe facing them, provided they can make it past the barriers in the first place.
N O T E S Skills (Beyond what WARDEN soldiers normally learn)
- Cooking
- Embroidery
- Sewing
- Can play percussion
Ray's siblings are as follows:
- Ema - 4 years older (25) - Hip, chic architect based in Aporia. Engaged.
- Fiona - 9 years younger (12) - Cutest thing in the world. Early-onset gun fanatic.
- Derek - 10 years younger (11) - Bundle of joy. Reads more than the rest of the family combined.
R E L A T I O N S H I P SGalahad - "Oh, he's great. People tend to think he dislikes everyone, which isn't true at all! Get to know Gal a bit better and he's just a softie on the inside like everyone else. He's got a sharp tongue, too. Plus, I never have to keep an eye on him in combat sims- he's got the whole field mapped out in that blonde head of his."
Asa - "I keep a small vial of pepper oil in my pack for Asa. She's all about the spice. Suits her, really. Never a boring moment when she's around. She's from Aporia too, a real high-class girl. I'm just glad that my cooking seems to satisfy her. When she eats something really good, she sometimes makes the cutest expression that just makes you wanna grab her cheeks and smush them together!"
Samdihier - "Sam's hilarious. Real joy. Plus, he's got a good head on his shoulders. He sorta... gets the feel of the room, you know? Always saying the right thing. He can get a bit wrapped up in antics sometimes, but doesn't everyone? Oh, and he's pretty good at protecting himself, but I can always spare a barrier for him."
Lance - "Zak's a total inspiration. When I first met him, he was this small kid who barely came up to my chin! He's still only up to... here, but now he's definitely not 'small.' He's put in so much work to get where he is, I can't help but feel proud. Is that weird? I think that's a little weird."
Betelgeuse - "She's had a rough time getting here, but I think Bete's all the more amazing for it. She's always blasting forward at a crazy pace, it's hard not to fall behind! Yeah, Bete can get set off pretty easy, but otherwise she's lovely. Wanna know my secret? If you let her vent it out in a safe place, she gets back into the game real quick."
