Taurus

Strength 7c

Agility 7c

Intellect 4c

Willpower 5d

Hand Size: Edge:

4 (25) 2

Powers:

(none)

Equipment:

Grenade (i): Varujan always has one grenade on his person, usually pinned to the webbing holding his shoulder holster. He can fling this device to inflict intensity 10 damage to all uncovered targets inside near missile distance of where it detonates.

the Joe-Com (i): this is a new device given to all Joes since the group's reactivation. This high-tech wristband functions as an audio/video transceiver with various other goodies built in to help a soldier on the go, and is described in greater detail in its own equipment entry.

Knife (s): while his scimitar is all about offense (or cleaning his nails), Varujan uses this shorter blade more as a tool than anything else. It can be used to inflict his Strength +2 in melee, but can cut through items of up to m.s. 12 (its own m.s.)

Rifle (a): his primary combat weapon - unless he closes into melee - Varujan can inflict serious damage with this firearm. It can be fired to inflict his Agility +5 damage per shot, though it can only fire one round per turn (not automatic).

Scimitar (s): Varujan likes this blade, and has a habit of brandishing it all the time, toying with it when he's bored. He can use this large weapon to inflict his Strength +4 damage one-handed, raised to his Strength +5 if he's using it two-handed.

Semi-automatic Pistol (a): sometimes a rifle is too much and a scimitar just isn't enough. For these occasions, Varujan breaks his side arm out of his chest holster. He can fire this to inflict his Agility +4 damage in a single shot, raised to +5 semi-auto.

Hindrances:

(none)

Skills:

Acrobatics (a): his stock in trade (aside from the two-by-four thing), Varujan is quite an acrobat despite his huge build. He may attempt actions to dodge attacks or reduce falling damage, along with complex aerial maneuvers like tight-rope walking, at a reduced difficulty

Boxing (s): Varujan didn't need military training to learn how to fight, but it did help him brush up some. He may divide his pre-cardplay action score between two separate unarmed attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.

Demolitions (i): Varujan has been trained by the military how to handle explosives properly. Whether he finds himself setting up a bomb to destroy something or disarming explosives he happens across, Varujan may do so at one difficulty level lower than is normally necessary.

Linguistics (i): Varujan has traveled extensively as a member of various circuses around the world, and has picked up numerous languages as a result. He is a master of no less than twelve different languages, all of which he can speak quite fluently.

Marksmanship (a): he might prefer to use his scimitar in a real scrap, but Varujan has been trained in the fine art of gunplay by the Sarge. He may attack with any standard, semi-automatic or fully automatic rifle or pistol at one difficulty level lower than is usually necessary.

Military / United States (w): though he never really intended to join the military - any military - Varujan was convinced to do so by the recruiters of the Gi Joe team. It took some doing, but Sgt. Slaughter has pounded the S.O.P. into his head quite soundly.

Swords (s): Varujan loves his scimitar. He has trained extensively in its use, both as a part of his circus act and in its practical, intended use. He may make attacks with his scimitar or any sword-like blade at one difficulty level lower than is usually required.

Calling:

Adventurer, with a secondary calling of Demolisher: Taurus is no soldier. He enjoys seeing the world, doing generally exciting things, and smashing objects up with his face. Of course, doing this while enlisted at least gives him a reliable paycheck...

Costume:

Varujan wears an unconventional uniform while active as a Joe. It includes a yellow V necked T shirt with black shoulder pads, loose fitting, Army green trousers, black webbing for his gear, black leather boots and kneepads, a brown belt, and a steel (left) wrist guard.

Personality:

Varujan may come across as a bit gruff, not to mention more than a little bit unhinged, but he's really a nice guy at heart. Even if he's the kind of party animal who can open beer bottles with his nostrils, and refuses to do anything without consulting his horoscope...

Real Name: Varujan Ayvazyan, Grade E-5
Occupation: demolitions, espionage
Legal Status: citizen of Turkey with a likely criminal record, possible dual citizenship with the United States
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: Gi Joe, the Renegades (Gi Joe sub-group)

Height: 6' 3"
Hair: red, shaved bald
Eyes: blue
Weight: 234 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Varujan wears a large, curly red moustache atop his large, curly red goatee at all times.

Story:

The strange Gi Joe operative known to his peers as Taurus (well, to those Joes that even knows he exists, at any rate) got his start in the circus. He was an acrobat, not unlike fellow circus star Starduster, but Varujan's similarity to his teammate ends there.

While Starduster likes to wow the crowds with acts of staggering agility, Varujan instead impresses people with his astounding pain tolerance, impressing the rubes by breaking two-by-fours with his face. You can only imagine what this has done to his nose over the years.

Of course, one might easily mistake him for an uncultured brute, but they'd be wrong. Varujan is a connoisseur of languages, having the ability to speak fluently in no less than a dozen tongues. He's somewhat superstitious however, and always has his horoscope for the day at hand.

In addition to working as a freak under the big top, Varujan often moonlighted for Interpol when he had the time, doing undercover work whenever they had a need for someone with his... unique... skills. This arrangement ended when the Gi Joe recruiters saw him in action.

Offering him a more steady position with the Gi Joe team, if in a completely unofficial capacity, Varujan readily agreed to sign up. Strong and stubborn, he had no idea what he was getting himself into, as it turns out his drill instructor was none other than Sgt. Slaughter!

Once he was squared away at the Slaughterhouse, the strange and remote bunker that the Sarge uses to deal with rare discipline cases in the Joe team, Varujan was slowly hammered into a state of military precision, alongside his fellow 'Renegades', Mercer and Red Dog.

When he was ready, Varujan and his cohorts accompanied the Sarge on a number of missions that were so classified that they remain a mystery to this very day. But you needn't worry about that; the Renegades only do really bad things to really bad people.

Though the Joes' direct need for the likes of the Renegades has waned over the years, Varujan is always ready to answer the call if they need him for anything, which they have done on several occasions, like during World War III itself, when Cobra almost took over the entire planet!

Extra Goodies:

Return to the Renegades main page!

Gi Joe directories featuring a version of Taurus:

1987