Checkers

Checkers is a male of indeterminate species (formerly an icehewer) from the planet Astradeia. Alongside his girlfriend, Draughts, he is one of the most wanted and infamous criminals in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Born and raised in the industrial boomtown of Flintlock, at a time when Astradeia had only just been discovered by alien explorers, as the only son of two accomplished doctors (his father was a surgeon, his mother a psychiatrist), the bright and studious young Checkers had a whole galaxy of doors open to him. Whilst it was expected that he would follow in his parents’ footsteps and join the medical profession, he could’ve just as easily followed his passion and become an engineer for the rockets that were now passing in and out of Astradeia. On either path, Checkers would have excelled – but then he met Draughts, and he did neither.

Today, Checkers is one of the galaxy’s most notorious and illusive criminals. Though it’s unclear what happened to his original, icehewer body, Checkers, like his girlfriend Draughts, is now one with his mask: an ancient relic of carved white ivory, said to imbue its wearer with strange, magical abilities over light and shadow.

Physical appearance

Like his girlfriend Draughts, Checkers was originally an icehewer (a furry, humanoid species, native to the planet Astradeia), but gained a new body at some point in his life when first he donned his now-infamous white mask. Nobody knows how these relics came into the criminal pair’s possession, but they are now both one with their masks, their bodies mere extensions of the masks’ magics. Both their bodies are black-and-white, with Checkers himself being predominantly white.

In terms of what he wears, Checkers appears old-fashioned. He favours black rubber boots and gloves and also a bowtie and chimney pot hat, as was the style on Astradeia at the time when he adopted his new form. When at work in his laboratory, he wears a stained white overcoat. His get-up may look basic, but looks can be deceiving (there's more to that hat than meets the eye).

Personality

As an outlaw, Checkers’ public profile is that of a cold and sadistic killer; someone to be avoided at all costs, presumed armed and extremely dangerous. There’s a bounty on his head worth millions, just for information leading to his capture. Checkers thinks this is an unfair assessment. If you ask him, he’s actually quite the charmer once you get to know him. His manners are impeccable, and he has a taste for the finer things in life. He’d much sooner shake your hand than vaporise you – just as long as you don’t get in his way.

Checkers is fiercely devoted to Draughts, his long-time girlfriend. There’s nothing he won’t do for her. She fell into a life of crime years before he did, but now he’s just as bad an influence on her as she is on him. As a pyromaniac, fire is his calling card. He was born and raised on Astradeia, but he doesn’t miss the long winters and cold nights. Kona’s the place for him, and he’d love to retire there with Draughts – married, if he gets his way – when he finally hangs up his flamethrower.

Skills and abilities

Contrary to the way he’s depicted in popular culture, Checkers is not quite the deranged, psychopathic killer he’s presumed to be. He’s got his head screwed on just fine, and he’s highly competent as both an engineer and a tactician. He likes to study and dismantle unfamiliar machinery and enjoys tinkering with objects (even things like hats and empty perfume bottles) to create his deadly arsenal of weaponry. In a parallel universe he could have been an inventor or scientist, and he probably would’ve been successful.

When it comes to heists, Checkers’ preferred approach is to get in and out, unseen, with minimal fuss and collateral damage. He’s a fast draw and a notorious duellist, but he prefers to at least try and solve disputes with his words first. In this, he’s often at odds with Draughts, who prefers to speak with fire. They’ve bickered over it for years and still can’t come to an agreement, so the result is often a bit of both. Whatever the approach, they’re doing something right. They’ve been at large for a long time, and they’re still out there somewhere.