Cooper (the ghoul) Howard (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thegoldenghoul) wrote2026-01-26 05:45 pm
thegoldenghoul) wrote2026-01-26 05:45 pm
Application; Route 666
Player: Mouse.
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
rodentia
Age: 32
Other Characters: N/A
Name: Cooper Howard, The Ghoul
Canon: Fallout (TV)
Canon Point: S2E3
Age: 200+ years
Backstory: Fallout Wiki
Personality:
War Never Changes but a Bitch Might.
Cooper's Wiki entry says it better than I could, he is permanently, fundamentally altered by the Great War.
His personality and life prior to the Great War is worth delving into, because knowing who he was illuminates how bad things are for him now.
Cooper is a veteran, specifically a marine. He was a patriotic American, fighting for the "American Dream" and freedom. When he returned from war, he found success as a Hollywood actor. He is well known for his Westerns and for his cowboy character, he has held onto the memories of those plots and tropes for many years.
Despite his fame and acclaim, Cooper had a solid reputation as a Nice Guy. He was generous with his time, polite and kind in his interactions. He took a strong stance against committing murder in his movies but was convinced to comply with the script. This complicity continues through his pre-war life and goes as far back as his military career. It becomes clear to Cooper throughout the pre-war plot that he is merely a cog in the war machine. It also becomes clear that his wife is not immune to this and his mistrust of her nearly breaks him.
He remains unfailingly loyal to his family, putting his daughter Janey and his wife Barb above everything. This continues through his 200-year evolution and journey in the Wasteland. It is evident that his stubborn determination to find his family is what keeps him going, even when he's on the brink of death.
Prior to the war, Cooper had an idealistic vision of freedom that is continually challenged by Vault-Tec. He opposes things that seem minor, such as the colour they all need to wear. He also opposes the idea that he can't have a dog in the Vaults, questioning where the imposition into his freedom ends. His belief in freedom of speech, expression and choice begins to make him disillusioned as he loses his ability to move and speak freely more and more.
Enter, The Ghoul. Although we don't know much about where Cooper ended and The Ghoul began, we do know that he almost deliberately does not act like his pre-war self. He's playing a character in a Western, he speaks in cowboy fashion, adopts the mannerisms and the accent. It is unclear whether this is purely by choice. It could be to delineate how he needs to be versus who he really is or it could be the result of 200 years of hard-living. It could also be both!
It is clear he has had to make many choices from day one that have lead him to the person he is now. He kills people, he kidnaps people and he sells them. He will do anything to keep making money, because he cannot afford to stop taking his 'chems' and be overtaken by his disease. He has made it very clear he is willing to put his survival above anyone's, he teaches Lucy this lesson repeatedly by sacrificing her or the people around her when he needs to.
He has garnered a reputation across the Wastelands as a Bountyhunter. Various characters know him and fear him. He is ominous and unpleasant, but his skills and knowledge are valuable enough for others to seek him out. It is also once stated by a woman on the NCR outpost that he "used to believe" in things like equal distribution of wealth and resources, so it's quite possible he didn't start his downward trend as soon as the bombs dropped. Another ghoul also remarks that The Ghoul has outlasted them all because of his skill at surviving (or making money), but they seem to have a friendly relationship.
The Ghoul is, for the most part, honest. At the very least, he's pretty upfront about the fact that he's not a good person and says as much to other characters. He's extremely guarded about the pre-war parts of himself, but he's transparent about who he is now. He speaks bluntly, but he imparts wisdom about the Wasteland and the things he learned the hard way. He has very little patience for people who don't see the world the way he does and he can be scathing toward them, but he's not incapable of a civil conversation. He has also maintained a great sense of humor, which both plays into his character and seems to help him cope with things.
He is ruthless without a doubt, but he also doesn't appear motivated to kill without cause. At various points, he's had the opportunity to kill protagonists such as Maximus or Lucy and he's held back. He also doesn't kill Wastelanders for the sake of it, even when they get under his skin. If anything, The Ghoul makes it very clear when someone isn't worth exerting that kind of effort.
His military training along with what he's picked up from his acting career have made him very competent. He's also assisted by the fact that he's clever and observant, he notices little tells or clues that others don't always pick up on. He leverages his knowledge and experience, in particular his time using powerarmor has made him adept at knowing how to break it.
Little glimmers of his pre-war personality come out from time to time. His affection for dogs is apparent, since he revives Dogmeat and talks to them like a friend. He saves Lucy, despite having been left behind by her, bringing her to safety and having her cared for when she's in need. Lucy in particular seems to draw this out of him, since her notions around "doing the right thing" resonate with the person he used to be. He distracts a fellow ghoul on the brink of turning feral so he can give them a merciful death. Although Lucy is distraught by this (and the fact that The Ghoul proceeds to eat parts of him), he's assured in his decision. What's "right" isn't always a clean or clear choice, in his experience.
Powers/Abilities:
Ghoul Physiology: regenerative healing, slightly more durable, longevity, disease and radiation immunity, doesn't need to eat or drink like a human
Military Training: tactical skills, survivalist, weapons expertise
Cowboy-Actor Shit: sharp shooting, lasso skills, tracking & hunting, charismatic
Inventory:
- Hat
- Saddlebag
- 3 months worth of Inhaler Vials + Inhaler (this is just a rough guess because he sold Lucy for 6 months worth, she dumped a bunch in his hands and he ransacked the shop afterward and he hasn't expressed concern about needing more)
- Lasso
- Bowie Knife
- Hawkbill Knife
- Rifle
- Revolver
- Ammo (only enough to be reasonably carried in his bag)
Game Plans: Because The Ghoul is already kind of monstrous to behold, it should be interesting for him to be among other freaky people. The Wasteland is also full of objectively terrible people and I think people being kind would really mess with him in a fun way. The reliance on others and the further separation from his family will be difficult in a way that will challenge and develop him.
Monster Choice:
1. Wraith (I think he fits the aesthetic and lore of them really well, in a way Ghoul's are like ghosts of the horrors of radiation poisoning)
2. Gargoyle
3. Demon
Vehicle Choice: Vehicle with a Fast attribute
Sample: TDM TL
Contact:
Age: 32
Other Characters: N/A
Name: Cooper Howard, The Ghoul
Canon: Fallout (TV)
Canon Point: S2E3
Age: 200+ years
Backstory: Fallout Wiki
Personality:
War Never Changes but a Bitch Might.
Cooper's Wiki entry says it better than I could, he is permanently, fundamentally altered by the Great War.
His personality and life prior to the Great War is worth delving into, because knowing who he was illuminates how bad things are for him now.
Cooper is a veteran, specifically a marine. He was a patriotic American, fighting for the "American Dream" and freedom. When he returned from war, he found success as a Hollywood actor. He is well known for his Westerns and for his cowboy character, he has held onto the memories of those plots and tropes for many years.
Despite his fame and acclaim, Cooper had a solid reputation as a Nice Guy. He was generous with his time, polite and kind in his interactions. He took a strong stance against committing murder in his movies but was convinced to comply with the script. This complicity continues through his pre-war life and goes as far back as his military career. It becomes clear to Cooper throughout the pre-war plot that he is merely a cog in the war machine. It also becomes clear that his wife is not immune to this and his mistrust of her nearly breaks him.
He remains unfailingly loyal to his family, putting his daughter Janey and his wife Barb above everything. This continues through his 200-year evolution and journey in the Wasteland. It is evident that his stubborn determination to find his family is what keeps him going, even when he's on the brink of death.
Prior to the war, Cooper had an idealistic vision of freedom that is continually challenged by Vault-Tec. He opposes things that seem minor, such as the colour they all need to wear. He also opposes the idea that he can't have a dog in the Vaults, questioning where the imposition into his freedom ends. His belief in freedom of speech, expression and choice begins to make him disillusioned as he loses his ability to move and speak freely more and more.
Enter, The Ghoul. Although we don't know much about where Cooper ended and The Ghoul began, we do know that he almost deliberately does not act like his pre-war self. He's playing a character in a Western, he speaks in cowboy fashion, adopts the mannerisms and the accent. It is unclear whether this is purely by choice. It could be to delineate how he needs to be versus who he really is or it could be the result of 200 years of hard-living. It could also be both!
It is clear he has had to make many choices from day one that have lead him to the person he is now. He kills people, he kidnaps people and he sells them. He will do anything to keep making money, because he cannot afford to stop taking his 'chems' and be overtaken by his disease. He has made it very clear he is willing to put his survival above anyone's, he teaches Lucy this lesson repeatedly by sacrificing her or the people around her when he needs to.
He has garnered a reputation across the Wastelands as a Bountyhunter. Various characters know him and fear him. He is ominous and unpleasant, but his skills and knowledge are valuable enough for others to seek him out. It is also once stated by a woman on the NCR outpost that he "used to believe" in things like equal distribution of wealth and resources, so it's quite possible he didn't start his downward trend as soon as the bombs dropped. Another ghoul also remarks that The Ghoul has outlasted them all because of his skill at surviving (or making money), but they seem to have a friendly relationship.
The Ghoul is, for the most part, honest. At the very least, he's pretty upfront about the fact that he's not a good person and says as much to other characters. He's extremely guarded about the pre-war parts of himself, but he's transparent about who he is now. He speaks bluntly, but he imparts wisdom about the Wasteland and the things he learned the hard way. He has very little patience for people who don't see the world the way he does and he can be scathing toward them, but he's not incapable of a civil conversation. He has also maintained a great sense of humor, which both plays into his character and seems to help him cope with things.
He is ruthless without a doubt, but he also doesn't appear motivated to kill without cause. At various points, he's had the opportunity to kill protagonists such as Maximus or Lucy and he's held back. He also doesn't kill Wastelanders for the sake of it, even when they get under his skin. If anything, The Ghoul makes it very clear when someone isn't worth exerting that kind of effort.
His military training along with what he's picked up from his acting career have made him very competent. He's also assisted by the fact that he's clever and observant, he notices little tells or clues that others don't always pick up on. He leverages his knowledge and experience, in particular his time using powerarmor has made him adept at knowing how to break it.
Little glimmers of his pre-war personality come out from time to time. His affection for dogs is apparent, since he revives Dogmeat and talks to them like a friend. He saves Lucy, despite having been left behind by her, bringing her to safety and having her cared for when she's in need. Lucy in particular seems to draw this out of him, since her notions around "doing the right thing" resonate with the person he used to be. He distracts a fellow ghoul on the brink of turning feral so he can give them a merciful death. Although Lucy is distraught by this (and the fact that The Ghoul proceeds to eat parts of him), he's assured in his decision. What's "right" isn't always a clean or clear choice, in his experience.
Powers/Abilities:
Ghoul Physiology: regenerative healing, slightly more durable, longevity, disease and radiation immunity, doesn't need to eat or drink like a human
Military Training: tactical skills, survivalist, weapons expertise
Cowboy-Actor Shit: sharp shooting, lasso skills, tracking & hunting, charismatic
Inventory:
- Hat
- Saddlebag
- 3 months worth of Inhaler Vials + Inhaler (this is just a rough guess because he sold Lucy for 6 months worth, she dumped a bunch in his hands and he ransacked the shop afterward and he hasn't expressed concern about needing more)
- Lasso
- Bowie Knife
- Hawkbill Knife
- Rifle
- Revolver
- Ammo (only enough to be reasonably carried in his bag)
Game Plans: Because The Ghoul is already kind of monstrous to behold, it should be interesting for him to be among other freaky people. The Wasteland is also full of objectively terrible people and I think people being kind would really mess with him in a fun way. The reliance on others and the further separation from his family will be difficult in a way that will challenge and develop him.
Monster Choice:
1. Wraith (I think he fits the aesthetic and lore of them really well, in a way Ghoul's are like ghosts of the horrors of radiation poisoning)
2. Gargoyle
3. Demon
Vehicle Choice: Vehicle with a Fast attribute
Sample: TDM TL