- ❝ The Order wants to sweep its chessboard clean. All this species mixing with species, it's upsets the genetic balance. Your creators don't like it. You were created to do as you're told. And you obey your gods.❞
- ―Death Slayer for the Sergeant
The Death Slayer is a secondary antagonist in the Great Dawnfall franchise. He is the main antagonist of Great Dawnfall: Chronicles of Darkness, the main antagonist of the "Hunting Ground" chapter of the Great Dawnfall: Novel Series, and the recurring antagonist of Great Dawnfall: Origin.
He is a merciless, ruthless mercenary and bounty hunter who is tasked by his various mysterious Employers such as Tenebris to hunt down and exterminate supernatural beings and humans in order to maintain "genetic balance" in the remnants of humanity. To accomplish this goal, the Death Slayer formed an alliance with Roland Hammond, a senior advisor to the Tenebris Special Forces, and assisted his black ops group, the Pure Ones, in eliminating demons, monsters, and the remaining angel-human hybrids like the Sergeant and Emily from Hell-Earth.
The Death Slayer became known as Earth's finest and most fearsome mercenary after the events of the Great Dawnfall, hired to exterminate any entity, anomaly or "impure" beign that posed a threat to humanity. He has assembled an elite black ops hunter group, the Faceless Mercenaries, to capture and eliminate hybrid creatures such as the Nephilim. He has his own prison ship at sea, where they collect and hold various monsters and "freaks" captive and collect them as trophies from the Death Slayer.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Not much is known about Ethan's early life. He was a terrorist of Hungarian-American descent, originally from Budapest. As a child, he and his parents emigrated to the United States and settled in Alaska. As a teenager, Ethan was withdrawn and shy, and quickly became the target of bullying at school. By then, he imagined retaliating against the bullies. He had many failures and disappointments with girls and reportedly had only one girlfriend in high school.
Ethan's mother left him and his father in America for another man. His father ended up raising Ethan alone, but did not treat him with kid gloves, as he was an overly strict, militaristic man. Ethan was first introduced to firearms and hunting by his father and grandfather in Hungary and later in America.
Military career[]
After graduating high school and graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he received basic training, advanced individual training, marksmanship and combat skills. He later joined the United States Marine Corps where he gained amphibious warfare skills. After being sent on a mission to Syria during the Civil War, he suffered minor injuries and became a veteran upon his return. Ethan had strong convictions and a strict mentality, so he often clashed with his senior officers, and eventually either resigned in protest or was dismissed for insubordination. This was compounded by his reprimands for his increasingly far-right views.
Become a terrorist[]
During this period, Ethan also trained with a variety of weapons, including firearms, sniper rifles and knives. He became an expert in hand-to-hand combat and his marksmanship skills were not competitive. During this time he joined various far-right gun clubs where he shared his views on domestic and foreign policy. He soon began working as a mercenary for a decent wage.
He began to hold increasingly extremist views, which were reinforced by, among other things, the fact that African-Americans robbed and killed his father in his own home. He believed that racial mixing in America was creating social tensions that were the fault of "weak, corrupt, liberal" American governments. He also complained that blacks are positively discriminated against when they form criminal gangs and commit crimes, while decent, hard-working, law-abiding white Americans and veterans are disrespected and oppressed.
He finally decided to take matters into his own hands, as he claimed that America would soon face anarchy, chaos and another civil war. He has joined various far-right terrorist groups and has carried out numerous murders, terrorist attacks, bombings and assassinations in many parts of the United States. Its targets were mainly Democratic/Republican politicians, black power organizations, anti-fascists and communists. His aim was to spark a far-right revolution in the country and overthrow the federal government. The most notorious terrorist group was the Polish Sons of Fire, with whom they engaged in arms trafficking and covered up against the authorities. His extremist views quickly extended to eugenics and morality, anyone he considered 'genetically inferior' or 'immoral' he felt justified in killing. National and later international arrest warrants were issued against him by the authorities.
Events of the Great Dawnfall[]
Not much information is known about Ethan at this time, but it is suspected that he received an anonymous email from the mysterious arms dealer Harnas, leader of the terrorist group Sons of Fire and operator of the secretive Tenebris Organization. In the email, he wrote about "Project Agartha" and the events of the Three Days of Darkness that were about to take place.
Finally, in 2030, Satan and the Forces of Hell invaded planet Earth, opening dimensional portals between their world and ours. In the space of three days they covered the skies with dark, sulphur-based, poisonous clouds, the temperature rose, and demons, monsters and the diseased flooded the entire world. This event is called the Three Days of Darkness. During this period, Ethan was supposedly working for the mysterious Order of Tenebris deep underground in a secret sanctuary in Alaska. However, he objected to the organization's actions and methods, but he did identify with them ideologically on a few issues. Finally, one day he disappeared from the Alaskan facility without a trace, never to be heard from again.
Ethan eventually reemerged from the ashes of the world, adapted to the new world order, and eventually, for reasons unknown, gained superhuman abilities. He used these to become a Bounty Hunter and Mercenary, and began hunting demons, entities, monsters, human-angel hybrids, diseases, and anything else that posed a threat to the rest of humanity.
The acquisition of superhuman strength is unknown and shrouded in mystery. Some believe that he was captured and experimented on by organizations such as Tenebris or the Society of Light, injected with the DNA of supernatural beings as a genetic sample of angels, or that he may have injected himself with the mysterious serum. This disfigured his face and his entire body, but gave him superhuman physiology, durability and regenerative powers.
He has acquired his own prison ship on the east coast of America, which he has converted and is holding the monsters and hybrids he has collected. From his ship, he launches Transverse-rotor aircrafts to search and capture/liquidate his "prey". He is the head of the prison, which he personally owns, from which no one has ever got in or out alive.
He assembled an elite black ops group of bounty hunters, the Faceless Mercenaries, to serve as his personal army. With their help, he began hunting monsters, hired by the Tenebris and their various mysterious masters to continually destroy monsters in exchange for the right reward. Soon Ethan became one of the most notorious and feared mercenaries and bounty hunters in the ashes of the former America, embodying death itself - he was dubbed the "Death Slayer". His name has become feared, his methods swift and brutal.
Events in the Chronicle of Darkness[]
The Death Slayer, along with various malevolent demons, entities and anomalies, launched a mad crusade against the Nephilim and Nephalem. His personal belief was that mixing normal humans with angel-human hybrids would weaken the genetic stock, cause biological devolution and degeneration. This leads to the extinction of the remnants of the human race. He claims that only the fittest and the "pure" will survive in the new world.
Sometime around 2038, the Death Slayer allied with Roland Hammond and the Pure Ones to hunt down the surviving hybrid creatures hiding among the humans. In Alaska, in the underground sanctuary of the former city of Anchorage, a Nephilim-born girl named Emily lives under the control of the United Nations Remnants. Soon, Pure Ones agents break in and kill everyone. After Emily manages to escape, she is attacked by a group of mutants, from whom she is rescued by a mysterious Nephilim, the "Sergeant", who takes her into his underground home. Soon after, it is discovered that they are in the hunting grounds of the Death Slayer. Eventually they are found by the Death Slayer and his mercenaries who hunt them down.
Personality[]
The Death Slayer is a cold, ruthless, merciless sociopath who kills without remorse and takes pleasure in the suffering of others in exchange for reward. He often collects his victims as "trophies", sadistically cutting out their eyes and placing them as souvenirs in his "trophy collections". He lives by a strict moral code, which if other people violate through weakness, corruption and sin, he considers it right to exterminate them.
He has an extremely disciplined, strict, militaristic, almost crazy personality, which can be traced back to his father's upbringing, his military background and his war experiences. He is very persistent and determined when it comes to pursuing his prey or trophy, carrying out his mission with discipline and ruthlessness, whatever it may be. Nothing stops him from succeeding in his mission, he feels no fear or pity.
He appears to be extremely hateful, angry and vindictive, as before the events of Three Days of Darkness he felt that the world had failed him and the veterans, and that the government had treated him unfairly. He also resents the government for not giving whites and veterans within it the proper respect, unlike blacks, Muslims, immigrants and homosexuals who have received public assistance. And his strong misogyny was fuelled by his mother's neglect and abandonment of him as a young man, and by the girls' neglect, exploitation and rejection of him at school and in adult life. This led him to start hunting down women he considered "immoral", who had exploited or cheated on their husbands or partners, or who were living as prostitutes.
Ethan is a politically with far-right, anti-communist, anti-liberal and nationalist views, who considers himself a "true patriot". He has made it his heartfelt mission to defend his country and nation from all foreign and domestic threats. When he was a terrorist and a mercenary, he felt justified in starting a revolution, overthrowing the "liberal, elitist, corrupt" U.S. government and putting what he called " true patriots" and "true Americans" in power. After the events of the Three Days of Darkness, he gathered his personal army and launched a crusade against the immoral, the impure and the hybrid.
The Slayer despises the war between the remaining superpower organizations, and considers the Tenebris/Society of Light/Occult Coven, its personal cause to contain the war. He also blames these backwater, occult organizations for the Earth Hell Invasion and the events of Three Days of Darkness. He appears to be extremely hateful, angry and xenophobic, as he despises innocent Nephilim as well as demons, believing that the mixing of what he calls "crossbreeds" with humans will upset the genetic balance, leading to the extinction of what remains of humanity.
He also appears to be a misanthrope, as he despises his own race, as he believes that people who have brought hell on themselves are immoral and "unclean". He is extremely loyal and respectful with his business/contracts as he helps Roland Hammond and the Pure Ones to search out and eliminate the Nephilim. His character is very much nuanced and made more interesting by the fact that he basically wants to save the rest of humanity, but his methods are too radical. His personality has been greatly influenced by his tragic past, but that certainly does not absolve him of his murders and crimes.
Appearance[]
The Death Slayer wears a modern, high-tech tactical battle armour in dark grey and black, heavily armoured and optimised for functionality. His helmet is equipped with dark lenses and built-in night vision, and his mask also functions as a bio-mask that covers his face, making his presence even more threatening. Its body armour contains numerous pockets and anchor points, and has built-in communication and life support systems.
On his right shoulder and bulletproof vest is an unknown flag or unit insignia belonging to his elite mercenary group, the Faceless Mercenaries. In his hand, he holds a heavy, futuristic shotgun called the "Thanatos-9". It is a large calibre experimental firearm that uses multi-dimensional anomaly neutralizing ammunition.
Without a helmet, the face of Slayer is extremely sinister, bizarre and unnatural. His bald head is covered in pale, almost deathly-toned skin with greyish veins running through it, as if they were the traces of some biotechnological or infectious mutation. This was caused by the angelic DNA experimental serum that was forcibly injected into him or he injected himself. His eyes are glowing yellow and deep-set, with animal pupils. His gaze is cold, cruel and penetrating, as if he were both human and something else - a kind of posthuman being. His features are pithy, military stern, his lips narrow, his facial expressions almost absent - it makes him even more mechanical.
Tall, robust and powerful build. His movements are decisive and purposeful, as if he is in complete control of his body and his environment. The combination of armour and facial features gives him a 'death angel' look - a figure who cannot be intimidated and who is relentless in carrying out his mission, whatever it may be.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Superhuman Physiology: The Death Slayer's body contains both angelic and demonic DNA, making him a larger, physically more powerful and imposing human being, characterized by superhuman abilities that make him appear almost godlike compared to the human species.
- High Intelligence: His strategic and tactical thinking allows him to quickly adapt to changing situations and make effective decisions.
- Superhuman Strength: He is capable of physical feats far beyond those of an average human, especially in combat situations. With his incredible strength, the Death Slayer has been able to capture and subdue larger enemies such as Nephilim, mutants, and the Sergeant.
- Superhuman Durability: The bounty hunter possesses strong armor and a supernaturally regenerative body, allowing him to withstand all projectile and stabbing attacks. Only the Sergeant's "Sword of Doom" was able to pierce his armor and body and ultimately kill him.
- Mild Regeneration: He has mild regenerative abilities, allowing tissue to slowly rebuild within his body.
- High Pain Tolerance: Thanks to his high tolerance for pain, he is capable of enduring the most severe injuries and remaining in combat.
- Superhuman Reflexes: The Slayer reacts quickly to any danger, with lightning-fast reflexes that allow him to dodge attacks and land precise blows.
- Superhuman Agility and Speed: He possesses incredible speed and agility, allowing him to move swiftly while pursuing his targets. He is able to maneuver and react quickly during his fight with the Sergeant and effectively defeat opponents, whether they are soldiers, mutants, demons, or infected.
- Superhuman Stamina: The Death Slayer has immense stamina, as he can relentlessly pursue Emily and the Sergeant without rest.
- Psychological Resistance: He is immune to certain mental or psionic influences – making it impossible for many demonic entities to control or possess him.
Equipments/Weapons[]
Tools:[]
- Biomask (Multifunctional vision)
- Thermal sensor
- Motion sensor
- Motion tracking and range-finding systems
- Analysis system
- Audio and video recording system
- Filtered respiratory system
- Ballistic, radiation and hazardous protection
- Night Vision Goggles
Weapons:[]
- “Wisperfang” Tactical Knife
- Beretta 92FS (Anomaly Neutralizing Ammunition)
- HK-416 Assault Rifle (Anomaly Neutralizing Ammunition)
- “Thanatos-9” SRG-12 Semi-Automatic Shotgun
- “God Hunter” Sniper Rifle
- “Obsidian Storm” – Semi-Automatic Energy Weapon
- "Binding Catalyst" Anomaly Neutralizing Grenades
Vehicles:[]
- Prison Ship
- V-22 Osprey aircrafts
- Military Vehicles
- Drones
Hunting Dogs:[]
- Mechanically Modified Hellhounds
Victims[]
Human victims:
- Countless Tenebris/Society of Light/Occult Coven/UNR Trooper, Officer and Scientist
- Dr Emil Venkov (UNR Geneticist, Scientist)
- Major Derrick Voss (UNR Military Commander)
- Samuel "Sam" Cutter (Occult looter leader)
- Agent Byron Weller (Observer of Society of Light)
- Reverend Michael Holloway (Occult Coven sect leader)
Nephilim victims:
- Countless unnamed Nephilim
- Countless unnamed witches, wizards and humans with supernatural/magical abilities
- Lucas Redgrave
- Ariel King
- Thoros Varn
Trivia[]
- The Death Slayer is a sociopathic bounty hunter who enjoys hunting humans, demons and Nephilim. This is indicated by the human and non-human eyeballs he collects as trophies.