Dark Riders

PHASE 1

The Dark Riders - deceased
Portrayed by N/A
Known Aliases:	Gauntlet, Foxbat, Tusk (and the Underlings), Pysnapse, Barrage, Mainframe
Affiliations:	Apocalypse
Socked By:	Rossi, Dex, Frito
Introduction:	Mechanisms of Revenge

The Dark Riders were mercenaries in the employment of Apocalypse, put together from cast-offs of various mutant weapon programs around the world. Well trained, experienced and utterly ruthless, the Dark Riders served as the enforcers of Apocalypse's plans, and the generals of his thralls in battle. They - and their master - died at the hands of the Dark Phoenix in January 2015.

First Appearance

November 2008

Current members

Gauntlet:	The leader of the team, Gauntlet is a mercenary with decades of experience. When Apocalypse's powers augmented his own, it twisted his features into an inhuman form, but unlike Blaquesmith, Gauntlet seems to relish the fear it causes. He primarily uses firearms and edged weapons in combat. He was killed by Jennie Stavros during the attack on Muir Island after slaughtering Sam Guthrie. Powers: Enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and a highly acute sensory processing ability. He also has green skin and needle like teeth. PB: Xindi
Foxbat:	The team's recon person, Foxbat is especially adapt at hand to hand combat, and hit and run tactics. A common strategy is to use Foxbat to hit the opposing foe first, sending them to attack him, and then spring an ambush. He was killed by Jennie Stavros during the attack on Muir Island after killing - Phase 1|Matt Murdock. Powers: Augmented strength, speed, agility, and reflexes, flight, eyes adapted for nocturnal vision, clawed hooves, finger talons, and bone spears that extend themselves up past his shoulders or forward past his wrists. PB: Gilgamel
Tusk (and the Underlings)	A massive mutant with a bizarre power, Tusk is the team's tank in combat. He especially enjoys combat, loving to crush and rend. When the Underlings are deployed, his personal powers are cut in half. He was responsible for the death of Tabitha Smith during the attack on Muir Island. Powers: Enormous size, strength, endurance, resistance to injury and two razor pointed tusks on his back that extend from a shell casing which can produce Underlings. These Underlings are half-sized duplicates of Tusk that possess enhanced strength, agility, and share a psychic link with the main Tusk. PB: Krogan
Psynapse	A former Eastern European experiment, Psynapse was a telepath who was put into a coma following a failed experiment. He was revived by Apocalypse and his powers twisted to suit the man's purposes. Unlike the rest of the Dark Riders, Psynapse has never been a mercenary, and serves as a sort of 'political officer' on the team for Apocalypse. He appeared during the attack on Muir Island. Powers: Taps into the ambient psionic energy of the planet to read and project thoughts, and unleash bursts of stunning mental energy. PB: Dani Filth
Barrage	Barrage is another experiment, this time Taiwanese, having had his hands surgically removed, and the end of his arms forcably cultivated to accept energy generating cells from another mutant. He killed his way out of the experiment and began a career as a mercenary. Barrage is largely adapt at using his feet for eating, typing, and manipulating objects. He appeared during the attack on Muir Island. Powers: His forearms have been transformed into organic weapons that can collect ambient energy from the environment and focus it into discharges of heat and explosive power. He can also hit people with the energy-charged arms for greater physical impact. PB: Collin Chou
Mainframe	A technopath of some power, Mainframe is the only member of the team never seen in combat. His role is to tie together the complex communicators each of the Dark Riders wear, creating a sort of technological version of the telepathic communications net. Mainframe uses this to maintain a big picture view of the battle, and supply tactical information to his teammates. Powers: Merges his molecular structure with technology, allowing him to instantaneously download information from computer systems and manipulate them. PB: Stock photo

Details

The Dark Riders originally came together following individual contacts in various hotspots around the world. They quickly grew into an elite six man force, known both for their success in completing contracts and utter lack of interest in anything other than getting the job done and getting paid. Their existence has been largely secret, operating using cutaways and selecting clients carefully to keep their price high.

Apocalypse learned of them, and offered them a lucrative one year contract, to serve as his personal enforcers, a few months before Day Zero. He purposefully kept them out of the attack on Manhattan, to ensure that his organization would not collapse if something went wrong. While the Dark Riders are ruthless, they do respect the contract, and decided to break Apocalypse out from confinement.

Following the apparent death of their employer, it is unknown whether the Dark Riders have gone back to the mercenary world, or if they still maintain Apocalypse's organization. It is also unknown whether or not Sabertooth remains with them at this time.

In January 2015 they resurfaced, this time working with Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants to attack Muir Island Research Facility. Magneto's intention was to hold the residents and patients hostage against retaliation from the X-Men, but unknown to him, the Dark Riders smuggled a powerful bomb into the sub-basements. They were responsible for the deaths of several X-Men during the battle, and detonated the bomb, destroying the complex and everyone still in it.

Investigations by members of X-Force, X-Factor and X-Corps - Phase 1 revealed the Dark Riders with Apocalypse in Africa - the destruction of Muir was part of a more detailed plan to attract and potentially harness the power of the Phoenix, a legendary cosmic force said to be able to protect against the Celestials, a race of mythical beings said to one day return and destroy the planet. They did indeed attract the Phoenix, but she was much more than they could handle. Apocalypse - and the Dark Riders - died when Dark Phoenix destroyed the Indian city of Visakhapatnam.

Plots

Mechanisms of Revenge

A Touch Of Brimstone

Fires From The Ashes

Meta

Socked by: Rossi, Dex, and Frito