Dalton "Deedle" Ellesser

=• General Information •= Deedle Ellesser is an easy man to miss. In a society largely populated by the young and athletic, this grey old man hobbling along is generally disregarded... and that's just fine with him. He's keenly aware that his best days are behind him and lacks the physical ability to compete with the people who might cast him aside. What Deedle lacks in his frail body, he makes up for with a wealth of experience cultivated over his long life. While his age and lack of social relevance are weaknesses, they also grant him a certain anonymity that allows him to operate where others might not have the same freedom.

=• The Effects of Age •= Physically: Deedle's body recovers much more slowly from wounds, he is significantly weaker than most, and he is generally slow. In times of great stress he is known to show flashes of the athleticism and cunning of his younger days, but overall it is rare to see him running around the battlefield like the other Stalkers. Knowing he cannot go toe-to-toe with the average fighter due to his weaknesses, he is much more likely to stay on the defensive and wait for his opponent to make a mistake.

Mentally: He is at times extremely forgetful and shows some signs of mental deterioration. In spite of a previous history with electronics (primarily electronic and physical locks) the technology curve passed him by long ago. He still attempts to interact with complex electronics with generally negative results, although this sometimes enables him to disable certain devices simply by interacting with them in a way no rational person would consider. His long-term memory is largely unaffected - if there is a difficult situation there is a good chance Deedle has been in a similar one in the past and can usually recount what worked in that case.

Equipment: In light of his advanced age and weaknesses, Deedle has been unable to qualify for upgrades to more modern Stalker equipment. Subsequently, his Stalker equipment is a patchwork of pieces that are hand-me-downs from acquaintances and jury-rigged into a functional unit. Although his equipment and interface is generally several generations behind the competition, it is usually reliable enough to get the job done.

=• Family •=

In spite of advances in technology from the Eldan, the human lifespan has not increased so dramatically that neither of Deedle's parents survived to see their son's 78th birthday. In fact, all of Deedle's relatives have passed of old age. His only remaining family are his young son and daughter.

Deedle met, married, and produced two children with a young woman named Mia in a whirlwind romance. She agreed to raise a family with the much older man thinking that his experience and stability would provide for her and the children. A few years later, a health scare with Deedle's heart caused Mia to panic about the possibility of being left alone with two children, and she fled. With nobody to help raise two children, Deedle began his retirement early and raised both children until today, when they are both in their early 20's and just beginning to live their own lives and find their own careers.

=• Business •= With most of his remaining money, Deedle purchased passage on a ship to Nexus and a plot of land. From his home he operates a small delivery service called Bad News Delivery. His son and daughter operate as couriers for the family business, delivering packages for their father part time when he is physically unable to do so.

Occasionally, Deedle is called upon by one of his previous mercenary contacts to train a new Stalker. Thanks to his long years of experience as a Stalker in mercenary work, he is usually consulted to teach beginners how to act with patience and persistence rather than to rely upon their physical attributes.