Ian

"“Hal, wake up. I can’t find my boots.”"

Ian is a synth who escaped from the Institute and fled the Commonwealth to find freedom. He is an optimistic and cheerful person, choosing to see good in the world despite all he's been through. Though he is optimistic, he is also wary of the world- and fearful of strangers, remaining cautious and nervous, but polite with people he doesn't know yet. After years of having to fight for the people who built him, he prefers to find more peaceful solutions to problems, but will fight if he absolutely has to.

He is married to Hal.

Personality
While it would be safe to assume that Ian is a shy person, that is not altogether true. He is an incredibly cautious and wary person, due to a constant fear that anyone could be a hunter come to drag him back to the Institute. The further he gets from Boston, the more confident he feels in his safety and the less anxious he seems upon first interaction, but the closer to 'home' he gets, the more fearful he becomes.

Caution has saved his life more often than not, and so it remains his greatest tool.

He is, ultimately, a man who prefers to talk his way out of confrontation- believing that there is always a nonviolent solution to any problem. This betrays his optimistic viewpoint on life, one that some may find strange considering all he's lived through, and of course, the company he keeps. Ian, however, insists that there is still good in the world, you just need to know where to look for it.

Defining Features
Ian is missing his left arm, which until it's repair during his time in the Mojave, appeared ragged and often shot sparks. Though mechanical components and wiring are still occasionally visible on the arm, it is much better repaired in it's current state, and no longer sparks. He frequently bandages it so it appears as a normal arm stump, to hide his identity as a Synth better.

He also has numerous scars across his body, most visibly on his face, where his left cheek has patches of skin missing that reveal the metal underneath, and a large portion of his right ear is missing. Though some of this damage was also repaired during his time in the Mojave, general rough wasteland living has lead to new scars.

Ian has lots of freckles, covering essentially his whole body. He also has piercings in both ears- though typically only wears one in his left ear, due to the damage sustained to his right.

The Institute
S-14N was created as part of a project by an ambitious Institute scientist named Persia Forge, who intended to create multiple lines of super-specialized synths. These synths were to be able to preform very specific tasks for the Institute at a level exceeding that which humans could ever achieve. In S-14N's case, he was meant as a heavy duty sentry- a Scout, patrolling areas around the Institute and keeping them free of threats. As the Institute slipped more and more underground, and secret workshops became far less common, the duties of the Scouts narrowed down to simply surveying the land- ensuring that maps were up to date and threats remained cleared.

There was, however, one flaw. The Scout line was built intentionally with no inhibitors on their growth, their ability to conceptualize self was left unchecked, and it wasn't long before S-14N began to question his servitude of the Institute. He constantly risked his own well being against the dangers of the wasteland, but had never been given any say in it.

Escape and The Railroad
After awhile, he finally settled he'd had enough, and made a break for it.

While on the run he was accosted by a new prototype Hunter model- A3-21, who caught up to him in the ruins of an abandoned apartment building. The Hunter cornered S-14N, who tried to reason with him, and tore his arm off. After a struggle, the Scout seemed to get through to the Hunter, who after years of hearing the same earnest words from the runners he pursued finally cracked, and relented his hunt. He quietly informed S-14N of suspicious activity nearby regarding a faction calling themselves the Railroad, people who sought to help Synths to escape the Institute, and left.

The lead given to him by A3-21 was suspicious, and he regarded it with hesitance, but desperation carried him to the ruins of the Stone Zoo, where he met the Railroad. With their help he was able to escape the Commonwealth, and set out into the wasteland to try and find a new life, far from the Institute.

Meeting Hal
While on the run, Ian decided it would be wise to have protection around. After doing odd jobs to earn caps, he finally was able to hire himself a bodyguard. That came in the form of Hal, an ill-tempered grouch of a man from Louisiana, who reluctantly accepted the job. After some time of traveling together, Ian came to like and trust Hal and finally revealed to him that he was a Synth.

The Capital Wasteland
In an attempt to resupply, they arrived in Rivet City and Hal quickly found himself at odds with Harkness, the head of security, and the former courser who had given Ian a chance to escape Boston. Hal and Ian began to explore their relationship further, though neither was able to quite admit things out loud at that time.

While they were preparing to hit the road again, Hal ran into an old enemy of his, who revealed his plans to attack Rivet City with his slaver group after antagonizing Hal for a time. Hal told Ian of these plans, and urged him to get his things packed up immediately so they could escape whatever was coming for them if they stayed. Ian managed to convince Hal to stay and help the city, and the slaver attack was successfully repelled.

Hal's rivalry with Harkness came to a quick and violent head, concluding in a violent confrontation between the two of them that left Hal mortally injured, and in dire need of help. Though he seemed ready to accept his fate, Ian became distraught and rushed off to strike a deal with Harkness, using their past relationship to leverage the man into helping them. Finally, the security chief agreed and led them to Pinkerton, the scientist who had been helping him for years, who was able to save Hal's life. Hal attempted to strike a deal with Pinkerton to upgrade Ian, but the man admitted it was beyond his capabilities.

Not long after this, both men were able to finally admit their feelings for one another, and Hal and Ian's relationship became officially romantic, surprising no one who knew them.

While Hal was recovering, he received news from Sara that she was leaving the Capital Wastes, and heading West. The loss of his friend hit Hal harder than he openly admitted to Ian, and once he had fully recovered from his injuries, they finally set out to continue their wandering, and set their sights on the Mojave.

The Road to the Mojave
Hal's brush with death, combined with everything else that had happened in the Capital Wastes drove Hal's ever growing depression into a new intensity, and he began to self-harm. In an attempt to stop himself he abandoned his knife, but not long after, a well-meaning Ian, oblivious to his actions at the time, gifted him a new one for Christmas, among other things.

A few days later, a guilt-ridden Hal finally admitted to Ian what he had been doing, and opened up about his struggles with depression to the man, confessing that he had a desire to die and felt he did not deserve to live. Ian struggled to understand the concept, and simply tried to reason with him- finally getting him to at least calm down for a time. They celebrated New Years not long after, with Ian admitting he didn't actually care what else happened in the world, so long as Hal was with him. This led Hal to another internal struggle, still not entirely comfortable admitting his feelings for Ian out loud out of a fear that something would ruin what they had.

At some point on their journey, Hal taught Ian how to french kiss, and confused the hell out of the poor android. Ian offered to show his gratitude to Hal in a sexual manner, and despite Hal reminding him he had once promised to wait until they could mutually enjoy sexual encounters, Ian insisted. The night ended in Ian blowing Hal, and admitting that in the Institute he had been friends with a Synth specifically designed as a sexbot, who had tried to teach him a few tricks once.

Not long after, he gave his knife to Ian, insisting the man keep a hold of it for vague reasons, so that he would not risk harming himself again. Hal suffered another depressive episode quickly after, insisting he was beyond help. Ian, stubborn as ever, insisted otherwise and refused to give up on him. Ian promised never to leave him, and he meant it.

Less than a month later, while they were resting in an abandoned house, Ian was attacked on a supply run by a hunter from the Institute and managed to destroy it, but not before being badly damaged. He was too damaged for Hal to be able to completely repair, and left in a crippled state- constantly coughing up black liquid, and suffering reduced strength and a glitching to his voice.

With a new sense of urgency to find a mechanic to fix Ian, their journey carried them further, until they finally entered the Mojave, finding it in the midst of a third power struggle.

The Mojave
Not long after they arrived, Hal struck a deal with the current leader of New Vegas, Dalton, while on his own. She would repair Ian for him, and provide them with a place to stay- in exchange for Hal getting clean. Hal, of course, had no plans on honoring his end of the deal. He wanted only to save Ian.

While staying at the 38 as a guest of Dalton's, Ian ran across a malfunctioning synth in her care. Jace terrorized Ian for some time, before Dalton managed to call him off, and apologized profusely for his behavior.

Soon after, Ian found them the kind of trouble Hal had avoided for years by hating animals: A baby bighorner. The calf had been abandoned by it's herd after losing it's leg to a bear trap, and Ian was insistent on adopting the poor thing. Hal grudgingly agreed, but warned that he didn't like it and felt it would make a better dinner, Ian insisted he would be a good companion to have around and kept him, giving him the name Gumbo. They then agreed to go to the Strip on a supply run, with Hal noting he had something he wanted to do anyways while they were there.

At some point, Hal was seriously injured in a brawl, and found by Ian. The synth tried to take him to see the Followers to be healed, but Hal refused. Ian was heartbroken, but relented, and figured out another way to patch him up so he could survive.

After encountering his old friend, Sara, once more in Vegas, Hal sent Ian away on a supply run and attempted to kill himself. The attempt was stopped by Sara's intervention, and Hal elected to keep the attempt a secret from Ian.

While wandering around Freeside, Ian was confronted by Sara's alternate personality, Sai, who blamed him for not being there for Hal when he tried to kill himself. A confused and worried Ian feebly attempted to explain that he had been unaware, and that he had been trying to help Hal as best he could, and barely managed to calm Sai down, and prevent him from harming him.

Not long after, he confronted Hal calmly about what he had learned, and they had a serious conversation about Hal's suicidal tendencies, and their relationship. Things began to look up for them in the wake of the discussion, and Dalton soon announced she was ready to repair Ian.

Just before Ian left to undergo his repairs and eventual upgrades, Hal proposed to Ian, and Ian eagerly agreed. A few weeks later, Ian departed with Dalton for Jacobstown, to meet with Doctor Henry, and finally receive the upgrades and repairs he needed. Though his arm could not be restored, he was back in working order, and now able to feel sensations.

When he returned, he and Hal began to plan their wedding.

Returning to Boston
An unclear amount of time after their wedding, and Ian's repairs, Hal and Ian hit the road once more. They turned their backs on the Mojave and set out on a road trip across the US- intending to make their way to Hal's home in due time. Their wandering brought them first back to Boston, and Ian's former home in the Commonwealth.

Relationships
WIP AAAY

Trivia

 * Ian was originally conceptualized as a gruff, street-smart survivalist, who didn't take shit from anyone, and had a rather intense smoking habit. His final version doesn't really resemble the original version at all, but his player is happier with how he ended up.
 * Despite being a rather high tech android with access to various language banks in his data, Ian doesn't understand French. He learned a few things from Hal in an effort to better understand the man, and wants to learn the language properly some day.
 * Ian has had official voice acting work done on commission from his player. You can hear his voice, as provided by ProzdVoices, HERE.
 * The Stone Zoo is a real world location, in Stoneham, Massachusetts- not far from Boston.

Outside Sources
Ian on Tumblr: Chainsmokingandroid