Character Biography
★ ★ Bo Griffith ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Personal Information
Full Name: Bo "Wandering Bear" Griffith.
Nickname(s): Sarge, Griff, Bo-Bo, Bo-Bear, Bo-Man, Old Man, Hoss, Bear.
Age: Twenty-eight.
Birth Date: August 20th, 1979.
Birthplace: Odessa, TX.
Current Location: Nomadic. Based in San Antonio, TX.
Residence:
Occupation: Long Haul Driver - Anderson Trucking Service. US Army (Reserve).
E-Mail: None.
CB Handle:
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Tale Information
Character: John Henry.
Origin: Modern American Legends.
Ability: Enhanced Strength.
Elaboration: Like the John Henry of American folklore, Bo has near-superhuman strength that can only be outmatched by certain modern machines. His strength does have limits. He can't move mountains. He can't squeeze water from a stone. Bo can, however, drag his own rig for a short distance and snap a 2x4 like a twig - if he felt so inclined. But Bo himself is not invincible. He can't stop bullets and he will become increasingly exhausted depending on his level of strain. However, if you desire to see someone swiftly drive a railroad spike with just two swings of a 10 lb. sledge? This is your man.
Status: Bo knows he's a Tale and knows that others exist, but he's not going to just announce his Tale status without prompting. If asked directly about his tale, he would be completely open about it. What he won't do is brag or let himself be a tool of entertainment. You're not going to see this man in any Strongman competitions and he's not going to just bench press 400 pounds for the hell of it - even if he has done so once or twice in the past.
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Personality
First Impression: Nice guy who's an enigma. Usually guessed as older than he really is.
Friendly, understanding, and all around nice guy Bo is a southern gentleman. However, he doesn’t always handle being the center of attention that well and his tendency to keep things to himself. Bo is an extremely humble and easy going guy. His modesty can be overwhelming. The Southern Code of Honor runs deep in this man and his convictions which makes him overtly polite and genuine, but also gives him a touchy temper. Bo does not tolerate rude or abusive people and a quick way to set him off is to insult his family or heritage. He can also be quite stubborn and rarely backs down from a challenge. Bo does have a hero/bravery streak which tends either win over those around him or just really piss them off. The military significantly changed Bo's once fun-loving and carefree personality. His deployment to Iraq is in particular to blame for the change. Seeing death and atrocities on a near-daily basis, having to order other soldiers into combat zones, feeling responsible for causalities among his men, and seeing his brother-in-arms injured to the point of helplessness has wore away at Bo's constitution. Returning home he felt more lost than he'd ever had before. Eventually he found the nerve to move on with his life, but he still has an tendency to feel out of his element, take situations entirely too seriously, and be extremely protective of those he cares about. He's unsure if he'll ever find a place that he truly fits in or can relax without worry.
Likes: Marlboro cigarettes, SKOAL (long cut), animals (horses in particular), most children, the outdoors, singing, humming, tequila, whiskey, sweet tea, peanuts, sports (especially football), country music, trucks, cowboy hats, honesty.
Dislikes: Bigots, racists, rude or abusive people, cowards, animal abuse, liars, SUVs, superficial women, cold weather, politics, rap music.
Fears: Something happening to his family, becoming abusive.
As Bo would say, he's been to the four corners of emotion and back. He's loved, lost, and had everything in between. A passionate lover, he has a tendency to fall easily and is eager to please. However, Bo himself is a tough nut to crack. Ample memories of heartache and years of living in a constant state of preparedness have made him stony at best. He doesn't like discussing his feelings and has a hard time expressing them in a functional way. In a relationship, he is steadfastly loyal and expects the same in return. He's prone to overprotection and jealousy, and he generally has a difficulty letting go once the relationship is over. In the bedroom, Bo is a more sensual than sexual being. He aims to please and tries to give attention to even the littlest detail on a woman. His experience aids in his sensual nature as he focuses on sustaining the moment. Bo is exploratory but not to the point that he'll be swinging from the rafters. That being said, his volatile-side can carry over to the bedroom which can and will lead to the rare burst of explosive sexuality. He also never kisses and tells. That's just impolite.
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Appearance
Gender: Male.
Nationality: White and Native American (Comanche).
Height: 5'10".
Weight: 182 lbs.
Build: A medium-toned bear of a man. He's never been much of a shrimp.
Eyes: Clear light blue with flecks of denim blue.
Hair: Brown, chin-length, and wavy. Usually a bit scruffy.
Skin: Tan with reddish undertones.
Distinguishing Marks: Insignia for the 4th Infantry on his left bicep over is scar from Iraq, bison horns with two feathers on his right shoulder blade.
Piercings: Both ears.
Dress: Never without boots, jeans, and a decent belt buckle. Tends to go for layers of thermals, flannel, dress shirts, t-shirts, beaters, etc. Usually leans towards solid colors or band shirts when it comes to t-shirts. He sports a broken-in cowboy hat or a cap for a Texas sports team (Cowboys or Rangers) regularly. Has a brown Carhartt jacket (with in-lays) and waterproof vest.
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Relationships
Orientation: Heterosexual.
Status: Single.
Children: None.
Past Lovers:
Parents: Nathaniel Griffith and Mae "Eagle Heart Woman" Griffith (neé Thunder).
Sibling(s): Annie Mae, Jerrod, Josie Lou, Rose Ellen, Ricky Joe, Troy, Audie Cole.
Relatives: George "Thunder Wolf" Thunder (Grandfather), Sun-On-Face (Grandmother), Jim Thunder (uncle), Coral Thunder (aunt).
Best Friend(s):
Friends:
Acquaintances:
Ambiguous:
Disliked:
Enemies:
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History
Nathaniel Griffith is the son of an oil tycoon based in southern Oklahoma. As a young man, Nathan felt no desire to immerse himself in the family business and left Oklahoma to pursue a ranching opportunity in West Texas. The old horse ranch he purchased turned out to be worse-off than originally thought and Nathan was quickly in over his head. Knowing he needed more hands in order to complete all the required repairs, he sought help from locals in Odessa. Few even acknowledged the young city boy with eyes too big for his head, but fortunate for Nathan there was always a steady number of migrants looking for work.
Natahn's pitiful ranch slowly began to take shape. When he started bringing animals back to the land, he visited the feed store closest to the ranch where he met a Comanche girl with a set of lips and eyes that made him stupid. He returned to the feed store daily until he could get a name out of her and once he did Mae knew she would never get rid of the fledgling horse rancher. In less than a year they were married and their first child was on the way. Keeping with Comanche tradition, Mae's parents moved to the ranch (along with their youngest children) to help raise the family. Mae's father is who gave the Griffith children their Comanche names.
Mae gave birth to her fourth child and second son named Bo in the dry heat of August 1979.
Growing up in such a rich environment of the ranch, Bo was close with both wildlife and the earth early on. He is great with horses (and most other animals) while also being an excellent rider and a keen shot thanks to years of practice with his daddy. This life fostered a longing for adventure and over the years he began to grow restless in the small town environment of his youth. Feeling the need to make something of himself and inspired by his Paw-Paw's stories of being a code talker for the 4th Infantry in World War II, Bo joined the U.S. Army upon his graduation from high school. To his family it seemed a split decision, but the young man with big dreams had made the choice years prior.
Following boot camp, Bo was stationed at Fort Hood, TX and entered the 1st Battalion, 22d Infantry regiment of the 4th Infantry. Over the next four and a half years his unit participated in the experimental exercises Force XXI and EXFOR that were aimed at training the Mechanized Infantry to use modern technology (namely computers) in the field. The exercises were rigorous and the 1-22d's success led to implementation of the exercises throughout the remainder of the US Army.
Less than a month after Bo's 22nd birthday, the World Trade Center in New York was attacked and leveled by a Middle Eastern terrorist group on September 11, 2001. 1-22d completed their training in the latest combat techniques and lethal weapons before immediately switching to training for riot control. In April 2002 Bo's (now Cpl. Griffith) unit saw their first tactical mission when they were deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for three months to provide security at Camp X-Ray - a prison compound for Taliban and al-Quaeda detainees. Later that same year his company was re-deployed to Cuba for an additional three months of security detail before they returned to Fort Hood to complete training for the 4th Infantry's deployment to Iraq.
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OOC Information
Played-By: Christian Kane.
Layout Lyrics: I Just Came Back From A War by Darryl Worley
Disclaimer: I am not Bo Griffith, John Henry, or Christian Kane. The character of Bo Griffith is an original creation by myself for role-playing purposes. Please, do not steal him. Also, please feel free to bring any cultural or historical inaccuracies to my attention. Thanks!