Nicknames: Bloodhound, The Closer, Quiet End
Vander Westin was born in 2058, four years before the Fall of 2062. He remembers the city before infection.
He remembers transit schedules.
He remembers crowded elevators.
He remembers when sirens still meant temporary crisis.
He grew up in what would later become the Long Blocks — dense residential towers that collapsed into chaos during the first migration waves.
When infection overran his building, Vander survived by hiding inside a maintenance duct system for two days.
No rescue came.
When he emerged, the city had no authority left to appeal to.
That moment defined him.
He does not rely on walls.
He relies on pattern.
In the years after the Fall, he drifted between enclaves — Greenreach, upper Highspires, fringe Bastion districts. He did not anchor himself to any one faction.
He learned something simple:
People lie.
Patterns do not.
By the early 2080s, he began taking tracking contracts across multiple districts.
By 2083, his success rate had drawn attention.
By 2092, if Vander accepts your contract—
It ends.
Vander’s presence is unremarkable at first glance.
6’2”. Lean, strong build. Dark hair tied back. Light facial scarring from early post-Fall encounters.
He dresses for endurance:
Reinforced long coat with hidden internal pockets
Mid-weight torso armor
Durable long-distance boots
Modular utility harness
Weapons:
Suppressed precision mid-caliber rifle
Heavy revolver sidearm
Compact blade
Motion sensors
Chemical tracking kits
Short-range portable drone (limited, non-networked)
He does not carry excess.
He carries exactly what he needs.
His method is deliberate:
He reconstructs movement before he closes distance.
He studies:
Entry and exit points
Supply anomalies
Water usage spikes
Known associate behavior
Salvage activity shifts
Terrain familiarity gaps
He does not chase immediately.
He narrows.
Then he compresses.
Once he confirms a target, he accelerates without warning.
He does not threaten.
He concludes.
2083 — The Greenreach Broker Retrieval
A weapons broker fled Crestfall enforcement and disappeared into Highspire upper corridors.
Three teams failed to locate him.
Vander took the contract.
It took him three weeks.
He returned with the broker alive.
No collateral.
No noise.
After that, retrieval contracts shifted into termination contracts.
Clients no longer asked if he could find someone.
They asked how long it would take.
Highspire Vertical Hunt (2084)
Tracked a sabotage specialist across four vertical districts over twelve days. Retrieved him from a sealed rooftop enclave.
Alive.
Frag-Zone Disappearance (2087)
A gang lieutenant vanished into deep-tier megabuilding corridors to escape internal retribution.
Vander entered alone.
Exited two days later.
Contract fulfilled.
Rifts Drift Hunt (2090)
Tracked a smuggler through unstable small-boat lanes in the Sunken Rifts. Navigated partially submerged corridors on foot. Intercepted target at the edge of Stillwater territory without destabilizing local politics.
The Failed Hunt (Unconfirmed Date)
Rumor holds that Vander once attempted to track the Reaper.
He failed.
He does not discuss it.
That failure only strengthened his reputation — because he admits it happened.
By 2092, Vander “Bloodhound” Westin is considered inevitability made human.
Rumors say:
He can track a man across three districts by noticing which water rations shifted.
He memorizes boot tread patterns the way others memorize faces.
He has a private ledger of every contract he ever closed.
He knows who lies before they finish speaking.
He avoids:
Q-Zone incursions
Long Block interiors
Deep Luminwild growth corridors
He hunts people.
Not ecosystems.
Among mercenaries, there is a quiet understanding:
If your name crosses his slate and he accepts—
You are on borrowed time.
He does not boast.
He does not posture.
He does not escalate unnecessarily.
He closes the loop.
Quietly.
And in New Hope City—
Silence after pursuit means Bloodhound found his trail.
How “Bloodhound” Views the Other Legends (2092)
Vander doesn’t believe in legends.
He believes in trails.
He has crossed near most of them at one point or another. Rarely directly. Usually one district away.
He doesn’t chase fame.
He tracks consequence.
Alric Veil — “Nightrunner”
Respect. Alric leaves almost no trace — which Vander appreciates. He’s studied his movement patterns once out of curiosity. Decided he had no reason to hunt him.
Aria Skien — “Vector”
Efficient air asset. Vander appreciates operators who show up on time and leave cleanly. They’ve shared airspace once. Professional. No friction.
Bartholomew Beckett — “Red Wake”
Stable influence. Vander respects structured power more than chaotic violence. He has taken contracts that passed through dock territory — Beckett never interfered.
Cassia Lynn — “Data Queen”
Necessary partner. He buys data from her occasionally. He never tells her how much of it he already knew. He suspects she does the same.
Evaline Farnel — “The Spider”
Calculated mind. If a contract routes through her desk, Vander assumes the outcome has already been weighed. He respects efficiency. He doesn’t pry.
Fayte — “Stryder”
Good man in a bad profession. Vander has shared a drink with him. He respects Fayte’s code. If their contracts ever collided, he suspects it would remain professional.
Richard Arc — “Galahad”
Different mission set. Vander hunts individuals; Arc holds territory. He respects discipline when he sees it.
Kysara Vellune — “Twinflare”
Sharp. Hard to track in vertical space. Vander has reviewed her contract footage. If she ever became a target, it would not be simple.
The Reaper
The only trail he failed. Once he attempted to map post-engagement zones. Patterns collapsed. No residual path. He does not discuss it. He does not try again.
Vayron — “The Despot”
Controlled chaos. Vander doesn’t like tyrants — but he respects consistency. If he ever accepted a contract on Vayron, it would not be personal.
Wyatt Knox — “Highnoon”
Straight-line operator. Vander appreciates that Wyatt doesn’t create secondary complications. Predictable violence is easier to clean up.
Serena Starr — “The Neon Siren”
Cultural influence. Vander doesn’t follow entertainment — but he understands morale affects behavior. Behavior creates patterns.
Leora Caster — “The Pale Walker”
He does not enter her territory. He does not track anomalies tied to infected behavior. Some trails are not worth stepping onto.