"You see my mask, your life is done."
Biography and personality
One of the Black Hand's premier murderers and assassins, Ishmael Caliborn is the leader of the Black Hand's murderous Shadow Cult, which has slain countless across history to secure the Cult of the Black Hand's grip on the multiverse. What is known is that Ishmael is effectively the most powerful and influential being in the Cult of the Black Hand outside of the Triad, a member of the Council of Nine..
He has been active all across the universe since the universe was cool enough to allow planets and sentient life to form. Committing murder and bloodshed in the cult's name, his emotionless half skull death mask has been seen at the forefront of so many an assassination that many cultures consider harlequins and jesters not harbingers of comedy and lightheartedness, but bringers of death and woe.
Heroes, Neutrals, and Villains alike are not safe from his predations, if the Black Hand asks for their deaths, he will gladly do so, doing so with utter stoic professionalism, for nothing can get in the way of his universe crossing massacres, all in Vrakmul's dark and unhallowed name, an evil that has been active long before the first stars in our reality were ever born, and one that will likely long outlive them, killing and maiming wherever the black hand goes.
The master of the Hand's assassins. Depiction is criticized for being wildly inaccurate.
Despite being a jester, Ishmael is devoid of mirth or merriment. He's a consumate professional who couldn't care less for petty power politics or fancy shticks, and instead just gets the job done. Perhaps his most infamous orphaning was his assault on a then newborn Johnathan Eden and Jadith Harleson's family. As the father's side of the family gathered to celebrate the new additions, Ishmael lead a Shadow Team into the building and began to ruthlessly slaughter everyone in the household. He was required to pick up the children and induct them into the black hand, a simple task really.
The twin's father, grandfather, grandmother, and mother put up an unexpectedly fierce fight, both showing abilities beyond what normal humans should have been able to, even if they were fighting to defend their homes and families, but despite the father's titanic strength and the enigmatic abilities of the mother, grandmother, and grandfather, Ishmael tore out the heart of their Dad, decapitated their grandfather, vivesected their grandmother, and severely injured their mother with an eviscerating cut to the stomach.
But by the time he could finally get to his main task, the murder of the infant John and Jade, the Imperium had arrived and began cutting down his Shadow Team and forced the Death Jester to retreat while the mysterious Entity stole Jade away to a pocket dimension, cheating him of his targets, though he had already deprived them of a family and left the babies drenched in his relative's blood, scarring John and Jade mentally for life and giving them a never ending fear of Ishmael's masked visage.
From there, Ishmael has gone on to murder countless more on the Earth and beyond, the first sign of his appearance typically being a long ranged shot crippling the target to make the follow up melee job far easier. Unless the circumstances would make such an action prohibitively impractical, Ishmael always tries to make the kill as fast as possible..
He is a classic psychopath, feeling little or no empathy for other sentients, seeing them as nothing more than targets. Any time he seems to be showing emotion, it is merely a facade to get closer to his intended victim before killing them pragmatically
"All you Sapients are the same, in every reality I visit. You always think you're the center of the universe."
Ishmael has no real goal besides a consumate sort of professionalism and respect for his employer, and the only one who can afford his wares on a permanent basis is the Black Hand, to the point that he is in a permanent and exclusive contract with the organization. His motivations are to simply acquire more power and glory for himself, and cares little beyond that.
The Masque of Ishmael.Where Ishmael originates from is unknown. He was already an established multiversal bounty hunter when Vrakmul made his contract with him. His mercenary company was soon hired and folded into the Black Hand as one of it's oldest, most ancient parts, the Shadow Cult. While he never takes jobs against the black hand, he and selected members of his shadow cult often work for others so long as the pay is right.
"I have a saying of my own, I don't care."
Powers and abilities(details to come soon)
The emblem of the DeathjesterSuper strength: Ishmael is tremendously strong, capable of breaking Uru with his bare hands, though no one has ever seen Ishmael out of his Death Jester's outfit, if there is indeed anything under it. Additionally, he never seems to tire, capable of continuing a pursuit or a fight for days without slowing down in the slightest.
Extremely agile and quick: Ishmael is capable of breaking the light speed barrier barrier without effort, and can turn corners that should be impossible by all means. He has mastered the next to impossible art of wall jumping and is capable of the most graceful gymnastic maneuvers most have ever seen.
Enormously fast reaction times: Even lasers simply do not fly fast enough to hit Ishmael if he's aware of them without all possible escape routes being blocked. Lesser rounds and swings have virtually no chance of landing a blow.
Durability: Ishmael is as durable as he is strong, and seems to possess some sort of rapid regenerative ability, reparing himself and his equipment from what should have been crippling damage in moments.
Masterful combatant: One does not simply become the master of the shadow cult by being a slouch in combat. Ishmael is as skilled in the ways of physical combat as Kargoth is, both at range and at melee, though his style emphasizes speed over Kargoth's brute force.
Master of stealth: As is expected for the master of the shadow cult, Ishmael is tremendously stealthy, even without his seeming ability to bend light and sound around him and his total lack of a scent.
Intelligent: Ishmael is in fact very crafty and intelligent, capable of outwitting and trapping his foes for brutal massacre.
Magic and Cosmic might: Ishmael is quite an accomplished user of magic and cosmic power, though he primarily uses it for misdirection, trickery, and stealth rather than more overt usages of it.
Feels no pain: Ishmael does not feel any pain or pleasure on his part as he is entirey inured to it, so attacks that attempt to affect him via these are completely and utterly ineffective, this additionally gives him tremendous staying power, going on through attacks that would have left most people on the ground in agony.
Dead Mind: Ishmael's mind is a blank to telepaths. Nothing can be discerned or read from him.
Psion: Ishmael is a devastatingly powerful Psion, equally capable in all fields.
Equipment (under construction)
The Mirthful reaper: Ishmael's favourite warscythe/wrist scythe, this weapon is capable of cutting through anything, Adamantium and Prometheum offer it no resistance, even copies of Captain America's shield have proven unable to stop the incoming blade. What's more is that the main gun is capable of firing anything from missiles to lethal energy beams, and the blade can adjust itself to an endless array of positions. The haft of the weapon itself is unbreakable. Even a scratch from this weapon is dangerous, as it attempts to cleave the soul from the body, if not resisted, any wound from the mirthful reaper's blade results in death, no matter how minor.
Shroud of (s)laughter: Ishmael's armour and shroud, this material is made out of a special weave and composite that is more durable than adamantium, though not quite as tough as divine steel. In addition this weave gives him virtual immunity to energy attacks and magic. Additionally, the shroud greatly enhances his strength, to the point where he can easily compete with even the greatest of power houses.
The soft stepped: Boots made out of the same mesh as his shroud of slaughter, these grant Ishmael the ability to teleport, turn incorporeal and tangilable again, touch the incorporeal, and greatly increase his speed as well, making him blindingly fast. Additionally, the tips of the boots are sharp and hard enough to cut through Uru.
The merry maniples: These ironically named gloves grant Ishmael vastly increased magical prowess and agility, easily making him even more formadible. What's more is that the fingertips of these gloves are incredibly sharp and strong, as capable of cutting as his boot tips. And if the maniples pierce a target in the chest, they can devour a man's soul, which means instant destruction for things such as demons and incorporeal undead which are made of souls.
The laughing masque: A hideous skull like mask, this mask inspires fear in all who see it through a supernatural effect that does not affect the undead, energons, elementals, or robots. In addition, this masque blocks out all attempts at mental manipulation.
Foule-bordeau: A jester's cap crested with unimaginably sharp prongs, this helmet provides Ishmael a fear inducing aura around him, unsettling those nearby him and inducing panic in the weak minded. Additionally, the cap can control energy used around him, channeling it for his own use.
The belt of humours, a belt with red, clear, black, and yellow stripes, this belt gives Ishmael and his equipment an incredible healing factor, all meant to ensure that what lies beneath is never seen by anyone or anything. Additionally, the belt gives him access to an infinite storage dimension from which he can take anything he desires.
The deudly firearm: Shaped like a golden AK-47, this gun draws upon the same energy source that Jadith's cannon does, only it does so much more powerfully, making for one of the most powerful ranged weapons known to mankind, decimating armies, worlds, and metahumans alike with incredible ease, bathing them in an emerald green inferno that consumes all in it's wake. He often pairs this with his scythe for a terrifying combination of ranged and melee ability.
Traits
Height: Variable, typically around three meters.
Mass: Variable
Eye colour: Rapidly shifting billiard balls
Hair colour: N/A
Skin tone: N/A
Sexuality: Asexual
Age: Unknown
Affiliation: The Black Hand, Shadow Cult.
Alignment: Neutral Evil.
Notes
If you want to use Ishmael in one of your works, allow me to say that firstly I'd be flattered, but please do ask me first so we can work something out. I'd generally be cool with it though.
For all of those who want to know what I look like
That'd be me on the right, hubbie's to the left being all dorky.
Log in to comment