SLADE XANTHAS Most people wouldn't think a walking disco ball would make a very good purveyor of illicit material, what with them being extremely bright and conspicuous, and yet, Slade Xanthas managed just that in earlier years. A skilled driver, former courier, and charismatic swashbuckler, Slade beams with vulpine charm in every interaction they have with others, a trait which helped push all manners of contraband across borders and in and out of warehouses and basements across the state. Their previous involvement in an automotive and drug running gang gave them plenty of street smarts and experience dealing with people of all walks, but beneath the extravagant and loud exterior lies a modest if not paranoid and anxious individual. Born in Philadelphia to two much more mildly-colored middle class foxes, Slade found themselves involved in a lot of hard knocks early on, with medical debt forcing them to accept an invitation from a school friend into what would end up being a many years long span of covert criminal activity. Covering themselves up on the daily, they ran shipments of illegal goods in various cars, trucks, vans, and buses, narrowly avoiding detainment in a handful of situations, as well as showing off an impressive ability to master driving any vehicle they could get behind the wheel of. After a surprise bust ended up with a number of their friends arrested and shot, they went dark and disappeared, moving out of the state for a number of years to hopefully make something of themselves. They returned nearly a decade after the fact, a completely changed individual, vowing to stay under the radar and never get involved in the deep end again. Now a moderately successful cook at a local bar in center city, Slade makes ends meet and spends their time having game jam sessions with locals, talking about cars, and seeking support from family and close friends over their lasting survivor's guilt. As for their past, all that remains of it is their friendship with the gang's mechanic, who also managed to slip out unnoticed and start her own business, and to whom Slade still takes the ride of the month for tune-ups and ridiculous mods. As the old saying goes, some habits die hard.