Origin[]
Phoenix Summerdale, A.K.A. The Six Shooter and The Six Shot Kid, is an open source character created by Simon Kirby for the Landmark RPG, a tribute to the "masked gunslinger" genre of the 1950s. Initially depicted as a devil-may-care outlaw in search of adventure, he eventually made his way east to Chamberlain City, where his narrative took on a considerably darker tone. In his penultimate story arc, Phoenix joined forces with The Night Raiders to combat demonic forces stalking the back streets of Radcliffe.
Little is known of Phoenix Summerdale's early childhood, though his family was said to hail from New England. At some point, the Summerdales relocated to a sleepy little town called Sundown Creek, where Phoenix found work as stockhand at The Long Forty. The youngest of three brothers, he was already an accomplished wrangler by the age of fourteen. Under the tutelage of ranch manager Deke "Shamus" Reckland, he excelled with the use of various firearms, particularly the repeating rifle and the single-action revolver.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the Summerdale boys ran off to join the Union Army; all three were immediately transferred to the cavalry due to their advanced equestrian skills. All three served with distinction for nearly four years, by which time Phoenix had risen to the rank of commander due to his innate leadership qualities. He was granted a compassionate discharge after his brothers went missing in action during Wilson's Raid.
With peace finally restored, Phoenix eventually returned to Sundown Creek, only to discover that the community was being terrorized by a gang of ex-confederate outlaws. Outraged by the threat to his family - but unwilling to risk their lives - Phoenix donned a red mask and a blue cavalry uniform, riding off alone to confront the bushwhackers. Driving them over the border with his trusty colt revolvers, he earned local fame as the "six shot kid", a nickname he accepted with a considerable degree of pride.
Growing bored in Sundown Creek, Phoenix packed his saddle bags and drifted slowly across the territory in search of gold and excitement. Operating under the name "Six Shooter", he made his living from horse back, hunting thieves, rustlers and desperadoes for the reward money. Garnering an impressive reputation as both a gunslinger and a trick shot, he roamed from town to town, occasionally working outside the law when the rules needed bending. Making his way across the Mississippi, he ran afoul of several US Marshals and found himself wanted in four different states. Around this point, Phoenix decided it might be a good time to turn East and head towards Chamberlain City.
Night Raiders[]
Touching down on the west side of Chamberlain, Phoenix joined the Pandemonium Circus and Traveling Theatre, exploiting his prowess as a stunt-rider. It was during this time he first encountered Ezra Slade Jr, aka The Chamberlain Kid, who had joined the show some months earlier. The two hit it off almost immediately due to their shared enthusiasm for pistols, poker and "purdy ladies." Within a few weeks, the two had fought side by side during the shoot-out at The Longhorn Tavern, forging a friendship which would literally change history. As time went by, Phoenix tried to clean up his act, repressing his hair-trigger impulses and allowing his easy-going 'pardner' to keep him out of trouble.
Despite his best efforts in this regard, Phoenix soon came to the attention of Sheriff John Faraway (The Pistoleer) who considered him little more than a hot-tempered trouble-maker. The two almost came to blows after Faraway confronted him outside The Longhorn. Fortunately, Ezra stepped in to smooth things over, narrowly avoiding a conflict which might have ended with either antagonist dead in the street. Impressed by The Kid's disarming manner, Faraway later offered him a job as Chief Deputy in the Radcliffe District Sheriff's Department. After some smoothly-worded negotiations, Phoenix was also granted the position of Assistant Lawman, thereby founding the earliest incarnation of The Night Raiders. Despite some initial friction between Faraway and Summerdale, all three dedicated themselves to cleaning out the Docklands, driving the criminal element into hiding almost overnight. As Phoenix gradually matured, he began to respect Faraway for his toughness and integrity, eventually pledging his loyalty to the older man, come hell or high water.