[Phantasm]

ZARAN, MAXIMILIAN

Real Name: Maximilian Zaran.
Occupation: Mercenary, assassin, former government agent.
Identity: Zaran does not use a dual identity.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United Kingdom with an international criminal record.
Other Aliases: None known.
Place of Birth: Surrey, England, United Kingdom.
Marital Status: Presumably single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: Batroc's Brigade; formerly MI6.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
History: Very little is known about the exploits of Maximilian Zaran prior to his first joining Batroc's Brigade (see Batroc's Brigade). He has alleged to have once worked for the British Secret Service, MI6, before going freelance as a mercenary and assassin.

It was his skill and reputation as a mercenary that attracted the attention of Georges Batroc, who approached Zaran to join his Brigade on their first mission: to steal Captain America's shield for an undisclosed client (see Batroc, Georges; Batroc's Brigade; Captain America). (This client turned out to be Sinthea Schmidt, daughter of the Red Skull; see Sin.)

Following that incident, Zaran was later seen working for the Chicago-based businessman Harold Meachum in an attack on Iron Fist (see Iron Fist; Meachum, Harold). He broke off the attack when Meachum ordered him to go against his code of honor and shoot Iron Fist in the back when he was down.

Zaran was later seen working with Batroc's Brigade on two later occasions. The first was a raid on Stark Industries' Dallas, Texas, plant; the second was to assist Captain America in taking down the Taskmaster (see Stark Industries; Taskmaster). Presumably Zaran will work with future incarnations of the Brigade.
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 235 lbs.
Eyes: Blue.
Hair: Red.
Uniform: Black sleeveless bodyshirt with red trim, black pants with a red stripe down the side, blue-black cowl with a faux-hair red ponytail, black bracers, black boots.
Strength Level: Zaran possesses the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Zaran is a master of all melee and thrown weapons, and has proven to be a marksman with a bow.
Weapons: Zaran carries roughly a dozen small throwing sais on his person. A master of weaponry, he often carries a spear or polearm, a broadsword, and/or a longbow and quiver of arrows on his person, depending on the mission.

605 points
Attributes: ST 14 [40]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d/2d; BL 39 lbs.; HP 14 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 12 [5]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 7.00 [0]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 11.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0]; German (Accented) [4].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Danger Sense [15]; Enhanced Parry (All) 3 [30]; Extra Attack 1 [25]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Very Fit [15]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10]; Weapon Master (All Muscle-Powered Weapons) [45].
Perks: Controllable Disadvantage (Callous) [1]; Style Familiarity (Krav Maga) [1]; Style Familiarity (Masters of Defense Weapon Training) [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Professional) [-5]; Obsession (Challenge Himself to Greater Opponents) (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5]; Vow (Grant Opponents Warrior Deaths) [-10].
Quirks: Atheist [-1]; Proud [-1]; Refuses to Take a Code-Name [-1]; Respects Martial Prowess [-1]; Uncongenial [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+1 [8] – 15; Bow (A) DX+4 [16] – 18; Breath Control (H) HT-2 [1] – 12; Broadsword (A) DX+4 [16] – 18; Climbing (A) DX-1 [1] – 13; Escape (H) DX-2 [1] – 12; Forced Entry (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Jitte/Sai (A) DX+4 [15] – 18*; Judo (H) DX+4 [20] – 18; Jumping (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Karate (H) DX+4 [20] – 18; Knife (E) DX+1 [1] – 15*; Lifting (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Polearm (A) DX+4 [16] – 18; Power Blow (H) Will+3 [16] – 15; Pressure Points (H) IQ+3 [16] – 14; Rapier (A) DX+1 [2] – 15†; Running (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ+1 [2] – 12; Scuba/TL8 (A) IQ+0 [2] – 11; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Shield (Buckler) (E) DX+2 [1] – 16‡; Shield (Shield) (E) DX+4 [12] – 18; Shortsword (A) DX+4 [8] – 18†; Spear (A) DX+4 [14] – 18§; Staff (A) DX+4 [8] – 18#; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4] – 15; Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 14; Throwing (A) DX+0 [2] – 14; Thrown Weapon (Knife) (E) DX+4 [12] – 18; Thrown Weapon (Shuriken) (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Thrown Weapon (Spear) (E) DX+4 [12] – 18; Two-Handed Sword (A) DX+4 [14] – 18†; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8] – 16.
Techniques: Acrobatic Stand (Acrobatics) (A) def+6 [6] – 15; Breakfall (Wrestling) (A) def+1 [2] – 18; Dual-Weapon Attack (Shortsword) (H) def+4 [5] – 18; Whirlwind Attack (Staff) (H) def+5 [6] – 18.
Starting Spending Money: $8,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Defaulted from Shortsword.
† Defaulted from Broadsword.
‡ Defaulted from Shield (Shield).
§ Defaulted from Polearm.
# Defaulted from Spear.

Role-Playing Notes:
Zaran prides himself on his professionalism and skill. He considers himself to have no equal in the use of muscle-powered weaponry, and it's quite possible he's correct. He respects Batroc, Captain America, and Iron Fist for their combat prowess, and has shown contempt for the Taskmaster for not truly "earning" his skill.

Zaran has no qualms about working on either side of the law, so long as his skills can be challenged. The only caveat he has is that when he fights someone to the death, the death must be a warrior's death, not an execution.