So this is a character I used to RP a couple years back but it went nowhere. I really like this character, so I've decided to submit them here and see what you good people think. If I even get a few interested parties I'll certainly set up a story.

Overview

"Welcome to the Chem-Dogs, mate!"

NAME: Stavros Jele

ALIASES: Shiv

AGE: 31

GENDER: MaleRACE: Human

RELIGION: Imperial CultHOMEWORLD: Skripitus IV, Hive Dantora

"Why do I so readily fight for the Imperium? The rat bastards who got me in chains and a bomb collar around my neck? Because I'm not going back to the Dead Dog Moons! That's WHY! Any more questions, fresh meat?!"

FACTION: Imperium of Man

SUB FACTION: Astra Militarum Penal Legions

DIVISION/BRANCH: 72nd Savlar Chem-Dogs

Description

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 205lbs

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF BODY: "Prison Body", Lean with some bulk

SKIN DETAILS: Very light tan, multiple scars across his body, namely from bladed implements.

HAIR DETAILS: Short, Prematurely Grey

EYE DETAILS: Brown

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: He has his unit insignia and prisoner ID tattooed on his forehead, multiple gang related tattoos on his arms and chest

"If you're good to me, I'm your best friend. If you cross me, I'll make you wear your intestines. But if you ain't a Chem-Dog, don't come barking at me with any pomp if you know what's best for you."

PERSONALITY: When idle or simply with his comrades in the Chem-Dogs, he can generally be described as a calm and reasonable man. But if he feels threatened he will immediately become tense and hostile, usually brandishing a blade and making threats for whoever annoyed him to cease or face consequences. Then indeed inducing said consequences if the offender doesn't cease. Whenever dealing with other Guard regiments he'll usually keep to himself but if he feels antagonized, whether actually or by someone giving him the wrong look, he is likely to show an attitude of looking down at what he usually sees as "soft" and/or "pompous" individuals. Fistfights between regiments have been instigated by him more than once.

GOALS: Survive, Not being sent back to the Dead Dog Moons

NOTABLE STRENGTHS/SKILLS: Unnatural Ferocity: While some of the Chem-Dog units NEED to be pumped with combat stims to keep themselves aggressive, Stavros just seems to have an unnatural aggression whenever it comes to combat. Determined: When he sets his mind to something he will get it done; whether that be killing the enemy or scoring the best loot. Knife Fighter: Stavros has always had a knack for close quarters knife fighting, being very quick despite his size and knowing how to not only strike with his blade but to utilize his free hand, as well as knowing the best places to "stick" or "gash" someone (stab and cut, respectively). CQB and Hazardous Environments: He's a Chem-Dog, it's their specialties.

SHORTCOMINGS/WEAKNESSES: Loner: His natural independence and distrust of people will often cause him to go about his own thing. While he'll still be with the larger force he'll essentially be doing whatever he pleases. Bad for team combat efficiency and sacrificing safety in numbers. Ferocity: Sometimes Stavros will get TOO involved in the battlefield, making it sometimes dangerous for friendly units to try to interact with him, especially during any form of really tight CQB that may get into melee combat range. Example being if he's stabbing a heretic to death if you try to engage him by even just placing a hand on his shoulder he's likely to see you as a threat without realizing it. Callous: Namely when dealing with non Chem-Dog personnel. Viewing them as soft and privileged. Yes, even with the likes of other Militarum regiments such as Cadians, Catachans, Kriegers, etc. The end results usually vary, but many can testify that he's never been knocked down, beaten to hell maybe, but never downed. It hasn't helped his attitude.

APPEARANCE:

"Yeah… I know I'm pretty."

Equipment

"You will NEVER catch me without a weapon at hand. Even if it's not the kind you're probably thinking of. Nor will it always be one you can see."

WEAPONRY: Heavy Bolter (issued, doesn't always actually take all that often), Armageddon Pattern Lascarbine (Looted from a dead member of the Steel Legion, usually is what he uses), Several standard issue mono knives (most of which are looted and/or stolen, placed in strategic locations across his body in hidden sheathes and pockets), handmade "shivs" (also strategically placed but fewer in number), 2 frag grenades

EQUIPMENT: Imperial Guard Penal Legion uniform, Rucksack (stolen from a Cadian camp), Savlar Rebreather unit, dust-goggles (stolen after punching a civilian for them), Explosive Collar, Mess Kit and Water Canteen (found inside the rucksack), Sleeping Bag (also found inside the rucksack), Micro-Bead, Rations (some issued, others stolen)

ACCESSORIES: N/A

IMPORTANT ITEMS: N/A

ARMOR: Flak Vest (Looted off a Cadian guardsman who was shot in the head)

Backstory

"What is this? You going to publish my story, mate? You can call it 'The Chem-Dog Who [CENSORED] My Mother'!"

Born in Hive Dantora on the planet of Skripitus IV, Stavros was born into a harsh life in the lower hives of the City. Pressed into gang life from an early age his life is a practical copy paste of most people born into that lifestyle: he's used violence and aggressiveness to get the basics of survival. From drawing a knife or auto pistol to scare someone into giving them their blankets, to robbing a maglev train just to get enough food to last the month before being driven off by the planetary enforcers. But life in the hive did help teach him skills that would ultimately be useful for him in the future. From the time he was a teenager he was already a rampant and known criminal.

Though once he was in his early twenties he made a huge mistake. After mugging what he thought was just some better off kid who stupidly made his way down a few more levels then he should have, Stavros would learn that this "kid" was actually the song of some rich trader from the higher levels. How did he find out? Because the trader's thugs plucked him off the street and proceeded to give him a beating that would make an Arbites blush. Luckily enough for him the trader was smart enough to not murder him and face possible criminal charges themself. Unlucky for him that meant he was likely going to be executed or turned into a servitor. But he got lucky again, neither was going to happen. But that also turned out to be for an unlucky reason, because the planet needed to pull the Imperial Tithe, and one of those was sending large numbers of their criminal elements to Penal Worlds. And the world he was being sent to just so happened to be one of the worst, a lovely little place called Savlar, in a lovely area known as "The Dead Dog Moons".

His time in Savlar can best be described as hellish. If the mines weren't trying to kill him, his fellow prisoners did. What little friends and allies he did seem to make he still had to watch out for. Both to keep them safe so that they returned the favor as well as to make sure they wouldn't try to knife him in the back. He was able to survive in the mines of Savlar and was able to garner himself a reputation as a knife fighter with his shivs. Rumored to have even fought off a small gang that ambushed him deep in the mines. The incident started after he refused to make one of his famous shivs for the leader of a gang, namely because he thought the guy was "a joke of a boss and it was a surprise that the gang was even still around". They didn't take kindly to this and tried ambushing him while he was gathering equipment by himself in the mines. The gang cornered him in a shaft, there were six of them in total.

The first two tried ganging on him at once but he was able to sidestep the one and use the momentum to drive his head into the teeth of the other. While it did cut up his head a bit it did successfully break the front teeth of the ganger. Utilizing that, he'd grab the one with the broken teeth and proceed to shove them into their buddy who was trying to go at Stavros again. The two stumbled and fell on the uneven mineshaft floors as Stavros drew one of his shivs, one of known many to litter around his body in hidden pockets and sheathes. The shiv seemed enough to keep most of the other gangers back but one who was equipped with a rock breaking hammer had enough confidence to charge at him, swinging the hammer like a cave dweller with a club… which frankly wasn't far off from the truth. But Stavros would surprise him by helping the distance close, making the hammer useless, and cutting their throat with the shiv. He'd toss the body onto the other two who had just barely gotten up before grabbing the hammer and braining them as they barely just got up. Though he would be interrupted by a shiv to his side, thankfully the low quality blade broke against his rib. A blood curdling yell would come from him as he grabbed the smaller man and repeatedly stabbing him in the throat as his buddy tried bashing in Stavros's head with a rock. Though he was only able to get one hit in, a weak one at that, before getting said arm grabbed and a shiv into his stomach. The leader simply stood shocked in the entranceway… too shocked to see the rock hurtling towards his face, or the blade creeping in between his ribs.

Needless to say that incident and a few others cemented Stavros as someone to not mess with in the mines. But he would not rot in the mines longer than a few years until one of the Arbites went around, getting the prisoners' attentions before informing them that they had a chance to leave the hell-mines of Savlar, as long as they were willing to join the Savlar Chem-Dogs penal legion. Hearing this, Stavros immediately jumped at the opportunity. He was grabbed by the Arbites, ushered to a landing pad, thrown into a shuttle with dozens of other prisoners, before being brought out to the Chem-Dog training grounds.

Stavros wasn't expecting to go through legitimate combat training, he figured they were all to be just given guns and told to "charge". But no, he and all the other prisoners were given new penal legion uniforms, a training gun, and an explosive collar thrown onto his neck. From what he would learn from talking with more bearable troopers from other regiments, the training they went through, while not as intense or extensive, was indeed much more than other penal legions. Seemed the Chem-Dogs garnered more respect than what most other Guard regiments would like to admit. They went through expeditionary force training, mechanized infantry training, how to use and fight with auto guns and heavy weapons (they were told that they were not likely to ever even lay a hand on a lasgun), vehicle operations, and then more extensive training when they were told what kind of unit they would be assigned to. Once again, it was likely not as much as other Guard regiments but still more than Stavros was expecting. Through it all, Stavros showed himself as a vicious fighter and capable rifleman, though he did receive multiple disciplinary actions due to his more independent actions.

He was sent to a standard infantry unit, and just like his trainings and his time in the mines, showed himself as a dangerous man and vicious penal soldier. He was originally issued a pair of penal legion uniforms, an upgraded Savlar rebreather system, and a heavy bolter. He hated toting around that giant thing. Even when he grew accustomed to it he wished for one of the lasguns the rest of the Imperial Guard used. But while it took a little over a year or so, his wish came true whenever he and his unit was sent to assist the Steel Legion on Armageddon in their continuous fight against the Orks. He was set up in a small burnt out husk in the wastelands of Armageddon, laying down the Emperor's fury on the swarm of Orks as the Steel Legion tried getting their armor and transports in position. As a squad of Steel Legionnaires we're running past his position he saw one of them fall after a series of shots from the Orks put him down. He made sure to snatch up the lasgun when no one was looking.

That's a small piece of all that was to come with Stavros' life in the Chem dogs. In the many years to come he would fight Orks, heretics, mutants, and other forms of xenos, humans and abhumans that turned their backs on the Imperium. The whole way he would live up to his reputation of viciousness and the Chem-Dog love of looting and general taking of things not their own. From disemboweling a heretic with his mono knife to punching a citizen and breaking their nose in the middle of an evacuation just because he wanted their goggles. Emptying his lascarbine's charge pack into the face of an Ork Nob to stealing a rucksack and all the contents within from a Cadian camp. Even from something as mundane as fending off other regiments trying to get back at the Chem-Dogs for one reason or another to simply helping other members of his unit orchestrate ration raids on the logistics personnel.

Stavros has been in the Chem-Dogs for many years now and if he continues doing as he does and keeping himself from getting sent back to the Dead Dog Moons he'll be in for many years to come. Not to say he hasn't enjoyed his time in the Dogs.