Masks 2

Ok, imma get this one out of the way.

Name: Tamarangi Rahonui
Aliases: Boomer, Fists, Crusader
DOB: 5 Nov 2010 (cryo-frozen circa 2018, defrosted 2028)
Place of Birth: Christchurch, New Zealand
Place of Residence: ex-Lowman Building, Emerald Megacity (Seattle-Tacoma, WA)

Map: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sahPii...sp=sharing

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The former Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue area is a major centre of employment and home to a megadiverse population of locals and migrants, including a small wave of Islander refugees. It is also somewhat better-policed thanks to the local power of the Corps, but there are major tensions and cultural clashes behind the scenes. The city is a major port and transport hub with rare connections to the rest of the world and widespread exploitation of alien tech. It is also one of the cities suspected to still harbour more powerful AIs, with a huge scandal over sentient androids used to justify a wave of mergers and acquisitions.

After the 'Emerald City' re-branding, much of the architecture was stylised accordingly into a soaring and shiny hi-tech landscape of green and white. As the city ascended, so did the cost of living and the streets themselves; with historical buildings overwhelmed by high-rise and skyways. Old studio apartments like the Lowman have become secret gateways into the increasingly-populated (and comparatively lawless) Seattle Underground, fuelled by smuggling and cyber-crime.

Appearance:
A 2m, 160kg brick wall of augmented Polynesian bulk, Tamarangi’s traditionally-tattooed frame is as distinctive as it is imposing. His black hair is rather unkempt and due to both his limited means and size, his wardrobe is rather… sparse. Most of the time, he wears some assortment of awkwardly-tight-fitting leather and denim, with perhaps some Kevlar when he's on call (and can find a piece that fits). His hazel green eyes and the traditional tattoos on his arms glow when channelling powers, something he tries not to rely upon.
Personality:
Relaxed and easy-going most of the time, but abrasive and demanding while on-the-clock (so to speak). Reacts poorly to threats. Not fond of the MegaCorps, but willing to do whatever he needs to survive and protect the things he values most.

He has a profound dislike (and rumoured phobia) of cats. Might be related to [REDACTED]

Powers/Skills/Resources:

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Powers:

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Spirit of Takaroa – Can’t control water per se but is a supernaturally-gifted swimmer, can hold their breath for a ridiculously long time underwater and able to commune with certain sea creatures, like sharks, squid or dolphins. The seas tend to be ‘lucky’ towards him, to the chagrin of nearby surfers.
Tattoos of Tūmatauenga – On top of his natural bulk, Tamarangi’s strength has been increased by his tattoos, which channel mana of the infamous Maori War God (as well as hiding some grey-market muscle augmentations). Inscribed by his Grandmother before her passing, they are the most obvious connection to his heritage and an immense source of pride (and power). Mana flowing through the tattoos allows for superhuman feats and generates a powerful electrical current that can shock unsuspecting opponents in melee combat.
Sub-Dermal Durability - Not truly bulletproof, but his higher-grade muscle implants tend to deflect shots and allow him to take a surprising amount of hits. However, blood loss is still a serious issue, especially when short of mana.

Skills:

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Martial Arts (Lua, Limalama, Mau rākau, Judo, Karate, Boxing) – practitioner and trainer at a local gym; would work here full-time if it would let him make ends meet.
Driving (Motorcycles) – preferred mode of transport. Can fly but lacks the cash for the necessary down-payments on a skybike
Running/Parkour – Not the most agile but can make a 40-yard dash in 5 seconds and navigate urban obstacles with surprising ease
Survival (Urban) – Spent a fair amount of time on the streets in his late teens and knows how to get by if the need arises.
Swimming/Surfing – Far more capable than his size might imply, though limited to longer boards with less manoeuvrability than modern short surfboards. Swims with ease, as if he belongs in it…
Investigation (Interrogation) - Not particularly skilled at negotiation or wordage, Tamarangi has nonetheless plenty of experience in roughing-up suspects, reading faces and discerning lie from truth.
Mechanic – Not a professional by any means, but able to perform most servicing and mods to his bike on his own, though not without consulting a few of his friends first.

Resources:

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Toki – A memento of his father, this axehead jade totem is important to Tamarangi’s powers. Without it, his tattoos lose their source of mana.
Hei matau – a whalebone hook totem, worn while at sea. Was guided to craft it through his dreams by the Sea God Takaroa. Seems to be connected with his more nautical gifts.
‘The Beast’ – A monstrously-proportioned 8-cylinder custom tourer motorcycle with various mods and non-standard parts. ID spoofing, registration checksum bypassing and AI subroutines, allow for nearly-untraceable travel. Doubles as a battering dram at a pinch and thanks to reinforcement, usually comes off better than whatever it runs over.
Semi-automatic pistol – Only one, but it’s a .50 monster more than capable of wrecking a light-handed shooter’s day. Rarely used; Tamarangi’s ability to quickly close range and effectiveness at hand-to-hand combat provide a limited window for firearm use. Was a gift from a wealthy ex-client.
House - Dinky 2-bed apartment, converted from a studio; cramped, but cosy. With only a few defensive measures possible in such a small space, he spends limited time there during dangerous jobs to avoid exposing its location.
Garage – Used to store The Beast, as well as perform repairs and store various goods, legal and otherwise. Located under the Lowman building, with discreet entrances to both the street and the Seattle Underground. Three times the size of the apartment - doubles as a third bedroom/hideout.

Biography:

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Born to a mixed Samoan-Maori family, Tamarangi was one of those fortunate to escape the desolation of New Zealand as a child, as both aliens and AI ravaged the country. Like many younger refugees, he was packed into cheap cryo-storage on a freighter from Christchurch bound for the relative safety of the United States. He spent almsot ten years in storage among the many cryogenic containers that were eventually hauled ashore in Washington State. Frozen during the visitation, he used it more to answer questions about the world as it had changed around him than more theological matters. He was still a kid, after all but the idea of Gods being real (even as a byproduct of some sleeping mega-god) was something of a shock.

While the local corps happily exploited their new-found source of captive labour (with the guise of charity, of course!) many were accidentally defrosted by a combination of deity machinations and a major cyberattack on the port. Tamarangi was one of the survivors, escaping the facility to reunite with his grandmother, who had mysteriously managed to follow him there, waiting for him to awaken. The rest of the family never surfaced after the incident. Perhaps they were lost due to malfunctions triggered by the hackers, were captured or ended up elsewhere. He hasn't given up hope just yet.

Tamarangi grew up mostly among fellow evacuees, living in and amongst the Docks and Industry District before encountering a college scout and playing American Football until corporate turmoil (and a major citizenship crisis) rendered the sport a dead end. He dropped-out of college and took to odd jobs under various pseudonyms to keep him and his dear tupuna out of poverty.

What jobs were they? Bodyguarding. Debt collecting. Enforcing. Club bouncer. And at his lowest point, a mercenary. He also trained at a local gym, eventually ending up as one of its main instructors. While he found gym work fun, the rents rising every month have kept him from leaving the lucrative 'dirty work' behind altogether. It was during one of his more… regrettable lines of work that he ended up gaining custody over an orphaned infant – Sophie. She is the main anchor in his life, albeit one that requires ludicrous tuition fees thanks to the state of education after the privatisation of the last high schools in Emerald – a luxury he largely missed out on before his first scholarship.

It wasn’t until his grandmother’s dying days that he was first visited by the Gods, which revealed her true identity and purpose as a chosen hero of Hinetītama, Goddess of the Dead. Looking upon him with mixed disdain and intent, he was commanded to follow her example and has been pushed and prodded to defend his compatriots in a largely hostile environment. With this new-found mission (albeit one he has yet to embrace and probably won't pay the bills!), life is sure to change. And fast.

Friends, Family, Acquaintances, Rivals, Enemies, and anybody else:

Hinemarama Rahonui (née Mata'afa)
Grandmother of Tamarangi and primary maternal figure. (b.1952 d.2049)
Seumanutafa Rahonui
Father - Samoan. Location and fate unknown. (b. 1983)
Hinemarama Rahonui (née Taiaroa)
Mother - Maori. Location and fate unknown. (b. 1985)
Other relatives
3 siblings (Te-Kihi, Kawiti, Rewi), 2 older, 1 younger. Fates also unknown, but were among the cryo-frozen refugees. Believes that some of his aunts/uncles may have ended up elsewhere, possibly in California.

Wikiriwhi Family
Very distant relatives. Arrived safely in US and one of the more respected migrant families in the area. Current family chief was born around the same time as Tamarangi, but was released from cryo shortly after arrival. Helped him with scholarships and citizenship after his release, but quickly disappeared as they rose up the corporate ranks.

'Buddy' Bob Berkeley
Fence & contact within the corporations, with a habit of wearing fancy contact lenses and attire. Eccentric, Queer 'Old Seattle' type from Capitol Hill. Good at closing a deal, decent at cybertech, terrible at shutting up.

K-1 Transport & Technology Mainframe ('Kitt')
Illicit AI with a large presence within the Seattle crime scene, mostly active around the docks and old Industrial District. Unknown motivations and objectives, but pays well for jobs ranging from seemingly innocuous to borderline suicidal. Hard to tell their missions apart beforehand but rarely loses agents. Impossible to kill without locating her 'actual' body, as many rivals can attest.

The Dockyard Crew
A motley collection of friends he used to 'hang' with as a teenager. Some are good kids, some maybe a little wild. Others, not so good. His main contacts in the underworld of Emerald were once part of the Crew, aside those in the Underground proper.

Sophie

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Name: Sophie [REDACTED]
DOB: 13-Jul-2038
Place of Birth: [REDACTED]
Place of Residence: Norwest Student Complex, Emerald Megacity, WA
Height: 5’0”
Build: Slender & waifish
Hair Color: Strawberry blonde, curly
Eye Color: Amber
Description: Unusually pale, but eerily pleasant face, bordering on overt bioengineering. Minor surgery scars on chest, due to [REDACTED]. Clearly unrelated to her adopted father.
Skills, Powers, and/or Resources: [REDACTED], musician (Viola), lying, stealth, Illicitly cute
Personality: Looks are deceiving. Sophie can flip from sweetest little dumpling to precocious loudmouth with unerring speed. Few see her true emotions, tempered as they are by the necessities of life in Emerald. Her tomboyish attitude towards others contrasts heavily with her physical condition, partially as a result of [REDACTED]. Loves playing with cybertech and soccer, hates being left alone.
Biography: [REDACTED]. After Tamarangi took her in, life changed dramatically. It has been hard at times, but for all the anarchy and uncertainty in his life, hers has been far less stressful, something she is grateful for (even when she refuses to show it). Is a boarding student at a prestigous school, but has something of a bad reputation, despite her talents and intellect.