![[casper.png]] *Added to the Codex on* ***August 29th, 2023*** --- ### Quotes “You can’t just ask a sniper his favorite scope. It depends on the terrain, the wind, the target.”[^1] - Casper “Some think killing from a distance is easy. All depends who’s looking down the scope.”[^1] - Casper "I've shot with iron sights as easily as thermals. Use the right tool for the job."[^1] - Casper “I spent a month embedded in the jungle with Casper once. Nice guy. We had a lot more in common than I ever expected.”[^2] - Lis <br> ### Description Despite growing up in a stable family, Wikus battled with anxiety during his teenage years. His father introduced him to running as a way to cope. Every morning the pair would hit the Sea Point Promenade and for that 11km, Wikus started to find peace. Over the years the boy strengthened his mind and body into an impenetrable fortress. The runs became longer and harder to the point his father wasn’t able to keep up. So focused was Wikus by then, it was like he was running alone anyway. Eager to test himself physically and mentally, Wikus joined the military and one of his first tours was to assist a peacekeeping force stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His budding marksmanship skills and mental fortitude made him an ideal candidate to keep watch alone from long distances. Disaster struck when Cape Town was hit by a devastating seismic sea wave. The destruction was immeasurable, and thousands of lives were lost overnight - Wikus’ family was among the dead. Unable to process his loss, he instead buried it. There was no grieving, only a greater dedication and focus on his job. But the trauma was still there, entombed beneath that hard exterior. The environmental disasters in South Africa created a steady stream of refugees heading north. In an effort to limit the impact on surrounding nations, Wikus was part of an ongoing regional operation to assist the migration and resettlement of those displaced. Several years into his deployment, Wikus uncovered corruption within his own unit when he found a fellow officer running an illegal rendition program targeting the refugees under their protection. Wikus informed his superiors but before they could question the officer, he was killed - all evidence pointed to Wikus as the perpetrator. Knowing a court martial awaited him, one that would undoubtedly avow his guilt, Wikus abandoned the military. He joined the migration north and became a [[No-Pats|No-Pat]], hoping to one day return home and clear his name. If there was still a home to return to. <br> **Key Dates** 2007 - Born in Cape Town, South Africa. 2025 - at 18, throws himself into extreme wilderness survival and ultra-marathons. 2027 - at 20, joins the South African Army and graduates to become a part of the 5 Special Forces Regiment. 2035 - at 28, loses his family to a tsunami that hits Cape Town. 2040 - at 33, falsely accused of murder and goes AWOL. [^1]: This is one of Casper's loading screen quotes. [^2]: This is one of Lis' loading screen quotes.