Black Rider

Black Rider
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Profile
Title	Guardian of Midnight
Gender	Male
Race	Dark Penguin
Faction	Super Penguins
Health	Excellent
Status	Alive and well
Location	Unknown
Birth date	Unknown
Occupation	Superhero
Interests	Hating the BoF, Heroism
Friends	Defenders, Super Penguins
Enemies	Bureau of Fiction, GP
Archetype	Chaotic Good/Neutral (disputed)

The Black Rider is a Dark Penguin, who as of now is a rogue superhero. He is a former superhero, however he became rogue after his discovery of the Bureau of Fiction, during which he dedicated himself to restoring free will. He isn't affiliated with the Grey Alliance, however was influenced by them to a point and he received his Anonymity Necklace from them. He still has a sense of justice but is generally against events which he sees as expanding the influence of the Bureau of Fiction, such as For Great Justice. He is strongly against G.E.T. P.R.O.T.E.C.T.I.O.N.S. and the Defenders, but there have been times when he's helped the latter. The Black Rider gains his name from his mount, a silhouetted polar bear called Shadowmane, which he uses to ride across the ice of Antarctica and as an aide in battle. The Black Rider primary goal is to destabilise the Bureau of Fiction, with his secondary goal being to safeguard the innocent creatures of Antarctica from hostile threats. He has aligned with several villains to achieve his first goal. As a result, his archetype is believed to be chaotic neutral. Some have argued reclassifying him to chaotic good, due to the fact that prior to him of setting a goal to destroy the Bureau of Fiction, his acts were always for greater justice.

History

Like many Dark Penguins, the origins of the Black Rider are shrouded in mystery, with his date of birth not being known, including the year. Many parts of the Black Rider's later history are also unknown. He claims to be from New Forest, being hatched into a small clan of Dark Penguins, living in isolation unless a penguin disturbed them. However, he might had grown up inside one of the cities on the mainland. Regardless, the Black Rider was known to be a practitioner. When he was at 14 years of age, he claimed to have slaughtered a polar bear and captured her soul inside an artefact called the Black Rider's Star. With it, the Black Rider could summon a silhouetted polar bear, which he named Shadowmane, Eventually, he discovered the Fourth Wall through magic and used it to grant himself several powers without any real reason, except to be a better hunter. Through this he challenged the head of his clan and won, but was exiled due to poor political decisions. He soon arrived on the mainland, inside the city of Shiverpool.

The Black Rider committed himself into helping the city, since that was his only purpose. His first success was when he saved a team of police officers from a local gang, which had captured them and threatened to murder them. He was only a rumor until he personally presented himself to the Mayor and earning the keys to the city. He received funding from the Mayor, becoming one of the first government-supported superhero. He reportedly wiped out all evidence regarding his existence in Shiverpool, however it was said that he first appeared in 1987, as Olde Antartica was ending. The Black Rider travelled across Antarctica, with his sole goal being to aid the innocent and weak, protecting them from the villains which sought to cause chaos. However, his methods were questionable; he would do things in the name of justice which were considered grey, such as murder, the execution of surrendering villains, torture, lying, stealing and other questionable acts of chaos.

During Colonial Antarctica, he remained neutral, although the Revolutionists say that he was present in several battles fighting for them and the Loyalists say that he had fought for them as well. His main concern was the Black Market, which was fuelled by the Revolution. The Black Rider built up a network of vigilantes known as the Cavalry to fight the various smugglers and mafiosos who operated in this area of business. The Black Rider had several attempts on his life but survived them all. The Cavalry would later be disbanded in 2000, when stability was restored and Antarctica transitioned into the United States of Antarctica. The Black Rider continued his bohemian, nomadic lifestyle. During this period, the United States of Antarctica became more supportive of super penguins, but the Black Rider didn't like this; he hated laws such as the Antarctican Federation of Hero Types, which he saw as a way for the USA to integrate super penguins into the Elite Penguin Force.

In 2006, he was contacted by Grey Alliance. The Grey Alliance revealed how the Bureau of Fiction was controlling the creatures of Antarctica and that he was being controlled by them. Under Bureau control, he would be a founder of the Defenders. Given an Anonymity Necklace, he was able to prevent that fate of being part of a government agency and instead dedicated himself to researching and destroying the Bureau of Fiction. Several times Moose In Black agents and the Bureau of Fiction Security Force were sent against him but he continued to stop them. He was targeted by GP agens for failing to comply with the Antarctican Federation of Hero Types. He received an invitation to find the Defenders but rejected it on the grounds of 'intervening with superhero independence'. However, he has cooperated with the Defenders, although not with GP agents. He fought for Darktan in the Battle of Ternville during the Great Darktonian Pie War due to the presence of the Department of Security and during the Nightmare Crisis, chose to oppose Nightmare due to the lack of Bureau interference with events.

In the future, he shall end his hostility towards the Bureau and finally register for AFHT, plus apply to join the Defenders, fighting in the Power4U Affair, before refinding the Cavalry and training the next generation of bear-riding super penguins.

Powers

• Summon Shadowmare: Summons Shadowmare for him to ride. The Black Rider pours a drop of a black, oil like fluid from an unbreakable and infinite potion, which then creates a puddle with a diameter of about 3 metres. Shadowmare then emerges from the puddle, which she then absorbs. Shadowmare can then be mounted by the Black Rider or can aid her in battle.
• Dark Laser: A basic attack which is simply a basic laser that hits an enemy.
• Shadow Rune: From his flipper, dark energy hits an area of land and an ancient High Penguin rune is engraved on the ground. Dark Energy then explodes, causing injury or even death to anyone caught in the explosion.
• Dark Aura: A passive effect which hurts any nearby enemy. Whilst the pain isn't significant, it is a nuisance when you're fighting the Black Riders and others.
• Shadowcloak: An ability to turn invisible. While in this state, Shadowmare must not be summoned and he cannot hurt anyone else. He can't pass though anyone either and if he is touched by an organism, he is revealed for 3 seconds.
• Banshee's Kiss: At the target, a flock of banshees, which appear to be completely black and kind of like floating cloaks, surround the target and literally shout it into pain or death.
• Nightsky: Turns the surrounding area almost completely dark.
• Guardian of the Night: A passive effect which makes the Black Rider stronger at night.
• Bound Sword: Summons a sword in his right flipper.
• Bound Shield: Summons a shield in his left flipper.
• Bound Lance: Summons a lance in his right flipper. Usually used when mounted on Shadowmare.

Trivia

• The Black Rider's involvement in the Great Darktonian Pie War is kept secret by GP. If it was ever known, then he would cease his acts of heroism and would likely become a villain.