Alias: Favored Son, Defender of Ahomana Ahohako
Race: Apoc Churl
Aspects: Body 6, Soul 2
Sex: Male; Ht: 9' 8"; Wt: 620 lbs.

"HHHHhhhhhhhNNNNNNNNDDDDDAAAAAAiiiiii!!!"

Character Description/Notes: First son of the Hndai tribe, the mountainous Apoc Churl known as Toa is the pride of the entire island chain known as Ahomana Ahohako. To many of his Churl brethren it seems, as well, that Toa is blessed of the ancient gods of Earth and Fire. Toa possesses powerful abilities that far exceed that of any man, be he Churl or no, and the loud-mouthed warrior seems to grow ever stronger with each successive use of those abilities. This behemoth of a man knows only success in battle, as he has never been defeated, and in truth, this has created a minuscule crack in his impressive bulwark of earth-girded muscle and bones: Toa believes that he CANNOT be defeated.

Deep down inside, the huge islander feels that he has truly been chosen by the gods of old and that it is he who will succeed his father and one day, rule not only the island of Ahomana Ahohako but indeed, the entire world and the realms beyond! Perhaps to give meaning to this claim, Toa now hears the rumbling of the earth and the pounding of the lava in his mind, and feels pressed to answer the CALL that now swells in his heart.

Toa's father, Enakai, supports the departure of his son to follow this mission of the gods: expanding his empire would be a thing worthy of a first son! Besides, there are no other challengers brave or foolish enough upon the whole of the Ahomana Ahohako island chain to challenge his boastful son... Enakai is torn: he wishes his son to succeed for the good of their people, but he also hopes that his son might, in a way, fail, for the good of his son's braggart spirit!

Toa's mother, 'A'ala, vanished seven years ago in a mysterious event that rocked Ahomana Ahohako to its core. All of the preparations were underway for the approaching Feast of Ilihia (or Feast of Awe), wherein the inhabitants of the tiny island chain sing and dance their praises to the strange energies which arise and surge throughout their island. As was custom, 'A'ala swam with the other Churl females to the sea caves off the coasts of the islands to gather the deadly, but vision-inducing toxins of the giant sea slugs that live therein. Meanwhile, the males took to the open waters, in hopes of finding and capturing a living Brine-hydra, which could be sacrificed and eaten at the feast.

Something terrible happened in those sea caves. Something that only a few of the females of Toa's tribe lived to speak of. Horrible creatures, belching steam and dark, slick fluid rose up from the now-polluted waters of the cave. With hides harder than the sharpest obsidian and whirling knives sharper than their hardest hide and turtle-shell shields, the hissing beasts set upon them.

Many female Churl, despite their fearsome warrior nature, fell. Many more still were captured, narrowly being drawn into the hollow, cave-like bellies of some of the creatures before they all plunged beneath the surging waves.

It is a day that Toa has never forgotten and a wound that has yet to heal...

Tactics: Toa fears nothing, and wades directly into combat, wielding Maaka, his crystal-encrusted "holy hammer" and screaming the war cry of his people. The onslaught of the combination of his deadly powers and prowess is something truly awe-inspiring; unless you're on the receiving end of it.

(Click for Hooks)

Role-playing Hook
First impulse would lead someone to play Toa as a club-swinging, muscle-bound wildman. However, a cool twist would be to play him as the truly blessed son of a threatened and waning people. Perhaps Toa has grown up knowing full well that the survival of his people rests fully upon his broad and tattooed shoulders. As such, Toa's entire outlook and attitude could change from a free-wheeling, wild-eyed barbarian to a deeply introspective, brooding powerhouse: a volcano just waiting to erupt, one might say...

 

Sense Hook
A fun way to bring out an unusual element of Toa's personality could synergize with this suggested sense hook: TASTE. Many island cultures, with their limited array of food types are either known for their extremely bland food, or their extreme useage of exotic and unusual spices. Pick a path for Toa's folk and run with it! If Toa's folk excel as spice-specialists, then perhaps every meal he consumes on "the mainland" are plain and boring - complain about them loudly and have Toa seek out the hottest and most spicy additions to his meals. Or, for an even funnier twist, make his culinary past be basted with blandness and have the mighty, towering barbarian quail at even the most mundane spices. Imagine a fourteen foot tall warrior who's afraid of ketchup!

Adventure Hook
Contine the story that we began above! Have Toa follow the great, thick-skinned beings' (who are Klik, in case you did not catch it before) tracks through a steamy, volcanic fissure beneath the islands and into a strange world of smelting pots, massive conveyeor belts and the ringing of titanic mauls upon giant anvils. Now the mighty islander must find the women-folk of his clan and bring them home safely -- before it's too late!

Game Master's Hook
Toa is "the" Iconic Apoc Churl, so he's the perfect character to use when introducing your players to this savage, noble race. Churl are meant to be the counter-point to the High-bred, and are far more than just barbaric, unwashed savages. Most churl hold the bonds of family, blood, and personal honor in high regard and treat women as equals. They feel that they are the strongest of all races on the New Earth, for truly, they alone stared the Event full in the face and lived to tell the tale. As GM, be sure and let this deep sense of meaning and purpose filter through your role when playing Churl. Don't let anyone forget that it is the Churl who brave the Flux, the monsters, and everything else that the sundered Earth can throw at them, and still wind up on top (usually...). And, if that's not enough, just slap down "Lava Maw" -- that should do it!

Battle Hook
Put Toa on the front line when it comes to Battle! With Power Cards like: "Large", "Fearless", "Knock 'em Back", "Resilient", "Shrug It Off" it's a wonder that anyone would ever use him any other way. However, Toa's not limited to the front line - with Power Cards like "Churl Warbow" and "Lava Maw", he can be just as destructive from your back line as your front!