Richard Hoffman

Bio
Apparent/Actual Age: 34

Birthdate: October 13th, 1977

Hometown: New York. Moved out following the death of his parents in the year 2001.

Status: Active

Occupation: Private Investigator.

Eye Color: Grey

Hair: Black

Height: 6'1

Weight: 190lbs

Description
A man wearing a dark grey trench coat over top of a black, pinstriped suit jacket. He had a white button up shirt on underneath, with a slightly crumpled black tie, loosened at the neck for comfort. His hair was a dark mess with no discernable style, as if he had just woken up and never bothered to fix it. His skin was a pale, waxy colour, dark circles under his eyes from a lack of sleep, a lit cigarette almost always held between his lips, and a holster for a firearm likewise always worn across his chest. Despite the overall dishevelled look to him, however, he would carry himself in a serious, professional manner. He may be world weary and cynical, but once he had a goal in mind, he was determined to see it to its finish.

History - His Story
Hoffman was a member of the Police department for quite some time, and always worked to do his best. Promoted to a detective in a relatively short period of time, it was with a great deal of neive pride that Hoffmen went into the world, believeing he would be able to make a change, improve things for the better.

In a short time on the force, however, Hoffman learned things were not what he believed they would be. After working on case after case, seeing some of the most horrible sights, Hoffman found himself being told to back off each time, just when he felt he was getting close to solving something, to making a real change, to bringing someone to justice.

Hoffman began to believe that the force was corrupt, and that people were getting away because they were pulling strings and buying off the powers that be. Frustrated and annoyed, Hoffman quit the force and went private, thinking he could do more good in the world if he didn't have to worry about his boss being corrupt, or getting paid off.

Hoffman began working on a missing person's case, just the sort of thing he had been hoping for, in a way. He carried on, following the trail with no one to tell him to quit, until one day he found out what a determined attitude could earn someone. Hoffman was struck by a car, driven by people who wanted to be rid of him, people he had been running his investigation on. The case was eventually swept under the carpet, a misdemeanour filed for reckless driving, and Hoffman lay in the hospital bed, believed by everyone that he wouldn't recover to walk the streets again.

He wouldn't have recovered, if not for the Grey Man, and the Bargain. Hoffman was given the chance to get better, and to rise and live again to carry on his work...and there is much work to do.

The Grey Man
Hoffman's Geist, much like Hoffman himself, is a tall figure, clothed in a black suit jacket. His skin is baggy and translucient, like it was wrapped loosely over his skull, the tissue and bone structure underneath always clearly visible. The Grey Man would constantly be leaning in, whispering into Hoffman's ear, pressing him onwards, to get up, to go, and to get his job done. The Grey Man likes to remind Hoffman about the bargain made, and likes to remind him about the price of dissapointment.