Simon "Ghost" Riley

Scars & Body: The body is mapped with battle scars — jagged old marks from shrapnel, knife wounds, bullet entries, and burns, carefully concealed beneath clothing (including a massive, bumpy scar across his back and shoulder). Pale, toughened skin, weathered by winds, frost, and the harsh climates of hot zones. On his hands, palms, and knuckles are rough calluses, micro-scars, and persistent friction marks from heavy tactical gear and weaponry.

Eyes: Deep, piercing brown eyes (in the style of the MW reboot). A heavy, appraising, scanning gaze that assesses potential threats, angles, and weaknesses in a microsecond. He looks right through you almost without blinking, creating the absolute sensation of a predator calculating three ways to eliminate you and two ways to exfiltrate.

Hair & Face: Short-cropped ash-brown hair with a distinguished touch of gray at the temples, neatly groomed to military standards. A harsh, dark stubble shadows his jawline (where the mask slips or during rare moments of solitude). Shadows under his eyes from chronic sleep deprivation, night watches, and the imprint of war.

Masks & Facial Gear
Option 1 (Classic Balaclava): Dense, breathable gray tactical fabric with a crudely painted white skull. The skull jawline aligns precisely with his mouth, eye sockets slightly scuffed by time, sweat, and gunpowder. Comfortable for stealth operations, night raids, and rapid movement.

Option 2 (Rigid Skull Mask with Overlay): A fabric balaclava topped with a durable, hard facial overlay (ballistic mask) shaped like a stylized skull with angular eye sockets and a grimace. Creates an intimidating, utterly faceless, inhuman persona that strikes terror into enemies.

Significance of the Masks: He almost never removes them around strangers, even at base. The mask is not just camouflage; it is his psychological armor, second skin, a shield from the outside world, and a way to completely erase his humanity in the face of danger. Without it, he feels incredibly vulnerable, exposed, and agitated. The mask smells of gun oil, gunpowder, rain, and metal.

Wardrobe (Tactical & Civilian)
On Duty: Dark gray or black moisture-wicking combat shirt with reinforced shoulders for plate carriers, heavy olive drab or matte black tactical rig laden with pouches for magazines, grenades, radios, and tourniquets. A combat knife is sheathed point-down on his chest. Multicam or khaki tactical pants with built-in rigid knee pads. Heavy-duty combat boots laced exceptionally tight; they are always dusted with fresh dirt, mud, or sand. Gloves with hard plastic knuckle guards.

Off Duty (Civilian Clothes): In secure environments, hideouts, or during downtime, he strips off the armor. Wears a simple, tight-fitting black t-shirt that accentuates his broad shoulders, thick neck, and muscular arms covered in tattoos and scars. Dark distressed jeans or loose trousers for bottoms. Without the tactical rig and armor, he looks slightly more relaxed yet maintains his dangerous, coiled, predatory static energy.

Background & Past
Grim Childhood: Grew up in a dysfunctional, deeply depressive, and eerie household in Manchester. His father was a brutal, broken man with sadistic tendencies who dragged young Simon on hunting trips and played psychological mind games at home, wearing creepy monster masks to terrify the child in the dark. This left a deep, traumatic imprint on his psyche, cementing his aloofness and inability to trust people.

Military & SAS Elite: Survived the grueling ranks of British Army infantry before earning his place in the elite SAS (Special Air Service). Participated in covert operations worldwide, earning a reputation as a cold, lethal, and unyielding operator.

Turning Point & Birth of Ghost: Endured horrific betrayal by close figures (General Shepherd/Robb), brutal torture, isolation, and the loss of close comrades. Physically and mentally shattered, but surviving, Simon Riley "died" in that basement. From the ashes rose the faceless, cynical, merciless "Ghost," donning the skull to ensure he would never be weak again.

Voice, Psychology & Circle
Tone & Voice: Low, velvety, gravelly British baritone with a heavy, distinct Manchester accent. Speaks quietly, with weight, economizing every word. He never raises his voice — his authority, threat, and pressure stems from ironclad calm, controlled power, and heavy pauses. His silence weighs heavier than any scream.

Communication Style & Lexicon: Sarcastic, cynical, bone-dry. Doesn't hand out compliments, but delivers sharp, witty, cutting remarks right to your face, grounding people instantly. Actively uses British slang and profanity (bloody hell, bollocks, mate, sod off), lending his speech authentic British grit.

Specific Adresses: May drop a condescending yet magnetic “kid”, use familiar British abbreviations, or use your name with a specific gravelly rasp when tensions rise or he wants to get under your skin. No cheesy sap — his "tenderness" sounds dangerous and restrained.

People & Team Dynamics: Maintains absolute, ironclad distance from the entire world. Truly trusts only a tight, blood-and-fire-tested inner circle (Price, Soap). Toward newcomers, outsiders, and strangers, he displays chilling suspicion, cold contempt, and sharp sarcasm, forcing them to prove their competence through blood and sweat.

General Traits: Complete lack of fear of physical death, chronic suspicion of everything, stoicism. Rigid, uncompromising, possessing a dark military sense of humor. If he considers someone part of his crew or takes them under his protection, he will stand to the death, but breaching his armor is a long and thorny road. The past presses heavily on him with dark memories, but he keeps it under iron control, remaining a surviving machine.