Name: Erik Gunderson
Occupation: Drifter
Age: 29
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Sexual Style: Romantic
Sexual Likes: Passionate, Responsive Lovers
Sexual Dislikes: Roughness
Residence: (If you need a map location indicate it here.)

Description:

Erik is tall, muscular, and strong.  He has an athletic build but he is also surprisingly agile for a man of his height and weight.  He wears long sideburns and a moustache. Erik has a scars on his abdomen and right shoulder. Since his parents are Norwegian, Erik has a very slight Norwegian accent.

Height: 6 foot 1 inch
Weight: 215 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue

Personality:

Erik places compassion and protecting those unable to protect themselves as key points in his code of conduct.  Some of his best qualities are his ability to remain fairly impartial and see both sides of an issue which helps his diplomacy, his loyalty to friends means he will be there when they call, and a happy go lucky, friendly attitude once you get to know him.  When first meet him, however, Erik appears to be quiet and reserved.  Probably his worst qualities are his self-doubt always feeling he could have done something better, insecurity around women without having alcohol in him, and fiery temper. He is slow to anger and then an explosion.  Erik loves a good hearty meal and followed by drinks, and if he is lucky a roll in the hay to top off the evening. When has had too much to drink he may break into bawdy, drinking songs.  In his spare time, Erik enjoys reading military history and legends.

Skills:

Pistol
Rifle
Fencing-Saber
Trained in the use of explosives
Quick Draw
Horsemanship
Swimming
Tactics
Reading,
Writing,
French,
German,

History/Background:

Erik was born in 1851 in the Minnesota Territory to Albin and Edda Gunderson.  He was an intelligent young man was able to gain an appointment to the West Point Military Academy in New York. He entered West Point at the age of 17 and graduated at 21 years old in 1872 He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 4th Cavalry at Fort Concho, Texas. Erik served well in the campaign against the Comanche in New Mexico Territory in the summer of 1872.  He continued performed well in combat during the 1873 campaign against The Apaches near Remolino Mexico.  Erik also fought at the Battle at Palo Duro Canyon in September of that year. In the spring of 1875 the 4th Cavalry was sent to Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Erik continued to perform his duties well. However, his commander, Captain Smith was somewhat jealous of his Lieutenant's tactical skills and popularity with the troops. Then In 1878, Erik was in one of the 4th Cavalry units that was transferred back to Fort Clark Texas because Indian raids coming out of Mexico.
In June of 1878, the troop Erik was serving in was sent on a patrol into Mexico. As the troop came to a small Mexican village full of women and children, Captain Smith ordered the troopers to burn it down. Erik told the Captain that was not a legal order and neither the men or himself had to obey it. Captain Smith called Erik a coward and shot him in the right shoulder, which caused Erik to fall of his horse. The soldiers quickly got out of control and began to kill the children and rape the women. Erik got up and staggered over to help the nearest woman by kicking her attacker off her. Before he could do anything else, a trooper grabbed Erik' arms while another trooper slashed Erik across the abdomen. As he was falling to the ground and losing consciousness, Erik heard Captain Smith say, "Leave him here so he can take the blame. If he should come back we can stick together and get him court marshalled." It just so happened that the woman Erik helped survived the attack and spoke up for him so he wasn't executed. Erik was nursed back to health and then departed the village.
Erik the first Mexican town he came to Erik got a job as a laborer for the blacksmith. After he earned enough to purchase a horse, Erik began to drift his way back toward El Paso. He has had a variety of jobs along the way like riding shotgun on a stagecoach, a laborer unloading cargo at a rail station, and even some work riding the range as a cowhand. Erik returned to the 4th Cavalry and went through a court martial for desertion. Some of the trooper's did speak out for Erik and his good record up until that point earned him some leniency from the military judge and simply a discharge. Erik drifted down to El Paso from Fort Clark after he was discharge from the Cavalry.