Manashoe

Manashoe

Occult Detective
"Multiple compound fractures, signs of internal hemorrhaging, and his bones seem to cry out for his momma' - I think I know what happened."
"I'm...sorry"
Discord	@Tyneman
Reddit	[1]
Metatype	Human
Street Cred	6
Notoriety	2
Public Awareness	0
CDP	38
D.O.B.	18/3/2054
Age	31
Folder	[2]
Priority	Metatype - E Attributes - C Magic/Resonance - B Skills - B Resources - C
#Max IGs/Ascension	4

Character Information

Young Boys Ain't Supposed To Die On A Saturday Night

Dead as of 300% Casualty Rate

His final words, as of a dead man's switch on his commlink when he died "If you read this, I've died. My luck's run out, and some guy's put a hole in me. To all of you, I'm sorry you met me, and I hope your lives haven't been made worse with my death. Let Wayfarer take over if he wants, I'm sorry everyone I let you all down for one last time. Give all my money to the Merlyns, the first people who I hurt with my selfishness."

He died a meaningless death caused by his own inability to deliver a message to Koi. He'll never find out the truth, dying angry at the world yet ignorant of why. And angry at himself for hurting everyone he loves.

Summary

A lightly 'wared magician, Manashoe ("real" name Elvis Shockerato) owns a small private magical detective agency known as "Arcane Eye PI" where he works with another runner known as Wayfarer. A man who's riddled with vices as a way to cope, and who's deathly afraid of being alone, he's an investigator who'll use all tools available, regardless of legality.

Goals

Drive The Ancients Out Of Seattle

Discover Why His Parents Died

Make Arcane Eye PI A Well Renowned Occult Private Investigations Agency

Background

Those lovely Redmond Barrens, home of manics and gangers. 2054 was the year the barrens gained a new SINless member, Carl Lefstein, born with two supposedly ganger parents, in a splinter of the Merlyns that was still a gang, to raise him. His father always seemed a bit odd, and was commonly absent for a lot of gang activity and raising him, but he did teach the boy both magical and mundane things, leading to him being incredibly intelligent. Kid had a fair amount of magical potential, so until he was 18, and even after when they had the chance, he'd be magical maintenance: wards on the temporary hideouts, watchers on the astral, dealing with drug crashes magically, even the occasional spirit of man or fire. Dealing with the spirits for this purpose, he grew a very practical view of them, viewing them as tools more than sentient beings since he was never told otherwise. Once he reached of age, though, he was given a Praetor, the formula for manabolt, and a pat on the back - it was time to be a real ganger, instead of a wagemage with a leather jacket. Though, during this time, he also began to fall in love with a girl, Jenna Caddel, and they'd grow to be partners.

A few years of shoot-outs and drug runs, of love and war, he'd end up going against the Ancients. "These guy's're the real shit, but we're a Wizgang, even a bullet-proof vest can't stop raw mana being lobbed at em'" was the theory. In practise, it wasn't pretty. They had their own wizzer, kid who loved manipulation spells, and the gunfire was incredible. Before backups would arrive from the Finnigans, a spell would be cast on Jenna and she would be knocked out and a bit of blood would end up in the mage's hands. With incredible fury, he'd light the mage on fire, but a slug to the head is enough to take him down - but not dead. When the Finnigans cleaned up, sadly missing the mage, he was taken to a doc, and needed to be implanted with 'ware to ensure his brain remained fully capable. (and even greater than before, thanks to the doc's incredible skills) Despite it saving him from being potentially braindead for the rest of his life, the 'ware tore at his psyche, his magic that defined his usefulness to everyone around him was being stripped away. Yet, he survived. Though, she apparently overdosed during care, an intentional act. He knew this was the Ancient's doing, a ritual, but he couldn't prove it was more than just psychological issues, they wouldn't listen to him - he just had his brain fixed up, he might not be in the right state of mind. He'd take immense care to learn divinatory magics because he wasn't going to let this happen again.

Near the last few years of him being a Merlyn, more of his loved ones would be stolen from him. Unknown to him, papa' was a member of the local Lodge of Nostradamus and wanted to advance to the Lodge of Rasputin, doing groundwork by pretending to be in a gang, and if he wanted to advance he'd need to leave the gang and "cut ties" with the elf he called his wife. (despite lacking legal marriage documents) He hated every moment of it, but even Carl's future didn't matter compared to the Lodge, so he'd make it seem like both him and his wife were killed by Ancients, though his elven wife was the only one to truly die. Despite the complete loneliness he now felt, he could tell this wasn't Ancients, but he didn't know what could've happened. However, with this gang, he'd get nowhere, nor would he be able to help people with magical mysteries so it never happens to anyone else, so he'd leg it to Downtown with all the nuyen he could spare (and some he took from other members) to start a new life, leading to the gang putting a hefty 45,000¥ bounty on his head for him to be brought back alive - or 25,000¥ dead.

The 25 year old, now known as "Elvis Shockerato" thanks to help from a cunning talislegger he'd take a bullet for, would set up Arcane Eye PI: "For when mana is what's in the shell casings". Though, even a crappy little place would require a lot of money, and so he'd take to running for the cash. He was pretty okay at it too, getting fixers on his side with his skills. Years of running and investigation set him up, but at 30 he'd find someone he thought would die, but would end up as the second detective.

A malnourished Oni, splayed out on the street, and he looked bad. He'd assense him, noticing he was infected with HMHVV, and he'd hesitate - what if he drinks his blood? However, just having a disease doesn't mean he should die. He'd decide it'd be the best to call the hospital instead of leaving him alone. Though, when he got to dialing, the Oni would interrupt him, offering the number of a place called "Farraday's Clinic", apparently friendly to infected. He'd call up Farraday's and send him over. Over the next year and some change, the two would go from strangers to chummers, as he'd decide to take in the Oni. Very shortly after he was brought into the agency, Manashoe would deal with the consequences of a run gone sour, as four Cutters rolled up and begun a shootout inside the building, peaking the Oni's interest as his aunt had apparently been a runner, yet he never knew what the life was about. He gave him a name, Wayfarer, as over the next few months he'd begin running, going somewhat well. Wayfarer would refer three others, Ronin, Oracle, and Miut, and thus Arcane Eye P.I. became a five person operation. However, the group was not doing great with money, even with running, and they needed a miracle to keep up Arcane Eye PI. That miracle would come in the form of a seedy elven asshole known as Amadou Zheng. He'd contact the runners, offering acceptance into the Haven with contacting all their combined previous Fixers, and the money they'd get would be enough to not only maintain their lives and the agency, but to shoot them both into the moon. They'd quickly accept, unaware their life was about to be hell due to the alpha-junkie that was their main Fixer, but he at least did get them into the Haven.

Narrative Significant Qualities

Positive

Mentor Spirit (Oracle) - A trenchcoat and fedora, 60s detective style, floating as if worn by an invisible man, Manashoe's mentor spirit is a reflection of his deep desire to investigate. However, the two combined means that obsession over the slightest mystery is all but inevitable.

Spectral Warden - Growing up being taught spirits are tools and not people really does a number on how you view spirits, huh? And you don't want your tools to fail on you, so subjugation is the easiest route, much to the chagrin of the residents of the metaplanes.

Negative

Addictions (Psyche) - Coping is hard, some people can do it healthily, and some people are Manashoe. Though, this is merely the first of his addictions.

Day Job (20 hours, Arcane Eye PI) - His pride and joy, the agency.

Dependent (Nicotine & Alcohol) - His second and third vices are intended to help him be okay with his past and who he is, combined with narco meaning he needs far more to feel anything, is an incredible drain on his bank account as he smokes pack after pack, and drinks bottle after bottle.

Prejudiced (Radical, Ancients) - It's on sight with these bastards, they forced him to get 'ware and they killed his girlfriend with mind magic, damn it, and he's not resting until every Ancient's got their head on a stick.

Wanted (45,000¥ Alive, 25,000¥ Dead, offered by Merlyns) - You don't just flee from the Merlyns without expecting to return, especially with talent like Manashoe's. They're offering a large cash sum to anyone who brings the detective back down to Redmond.

Run History

Name	GM	Metaplot	Threat	Date of Run
300% Casualty Rate	Asmodeus		Medium	9 August 2085
Or'zet Underground Talent Aquisition 1: Hairy Happy	J.R.	Or'zet Underground	High	11 July 2085
Mary in the Hedgemaze	Fangblade_		High	28 May 2085
The D-Team	TidanShock		Deadly	11 May 2085
You're up to bat	TidanShock	The Life and Times of One Kevin Crimes	High	20 April 2085

Affiliations

Contacts

Contact	Connection	Loyalty	Archetype	Profession	Aspects	Chips
Amadou Zheng	5	2	Fixer	MCT's Magical Middle Manager	All for the Bottom Line, The Boss is the Boss, Corpo Connections, Wannabe Crime Lord, Fell Through the Cracks, Can't Spell "Smuggler" Without "Smug", Lawyer Up, Livin' the Dream, Working Relationships, Big Ego, Small Man	Even
Dante Palmer	2	5	Gear	Talismonger and Knick-Knack Merchant	Awakened, Talismonger, Black Magic	Even

In Character Information

Matrix Search Table

Threshold	Result
1	Manashoe's the founder of Arcane Eye PI, an awakened investigations agency, and those skills are used while he runs.
3	Out in a craphole in Downtown, there's his apartment, though he hardly is in it.
6	Named Carl Lefstein by his ganger parents. His Lodge is in Arcane Eye PI, not his home.

Shadow Community Table

Threshold	Result
1	Detective and Hermetic, he's living out in Downtown in a small apartment.
3	Ex-ganger turned runner, he's got a serious hatred of the Ancients.
5	He's wanted by Merlyns for fleeing after his parents and girlfriend both died.

Assensing Table

Threshold	Result
1	Awakened
2	No Cyberware, Magician
3	No disease, Smartlink on the base of his skull
4	Cerebral Booster in his brain, Narco in his liver, Essence 5.2400, Magic 4
5	No deltaware, diseases, or technomancy

SINs

BU80-LLPZ-23ME "Elvis Shockerato", licensed Private Investigator, Mage, and Gun Owner. Legally allowed to drive.

Appearance

Looks pretty young for his time, seeming as if he was in his mid 20s, with wild yellowish blonde hair and light stubble. His eyes are naturally black, but his slightly forward eyebrows have a tendency to obfuscate them in dramatic fashion.

Clothing

A striking trenchcoat with business casual underneath, black slacks with matching shoes - he's got a slick fit.

Character Plot Hooks

Aspect	Information	Related Run(s)
Aspect 1	He is the founder and agent in Arcane Eye PI, an Occult Detective agency, alongside fellow runner Wayfarer. Mysteries are his lifeblood.
Aspect 2	He doesn't know what happened to his parents, and any glimpse further into it he would give his left leg for.
Aspect 3	He fuckin' hates the Ancients, and so chances to sabotage or outright murder them are like getting a day off work.	The D-Team
Aspect 4	The Merlyns want his ass, so they can prove to be great issues if they get involved when Manashoe's around.

ShadowGrid Profile Comments

Oracle - Manashoe burns the candle at both ends, but damned if he isn't good at what he does. In a line of work that's not pretty, or clean, or kind, sometimes it's best to find a man who's ready to face those hard truths.

Miut - This guy's crazy, like straight up wilding. I'm pretty sure his blood is 99% narcotics, like if a ghoul tried to eat him- their jaws would meld shut from the amount of tar. Anyway pretty cool!

Oracle - I never got to know you, I'm not even sure I would have liked you if I did. Maybe you would have surprised me, maybe you would have changed and really made something of yourself, of this company. I suppose we'll never know. But you brought me and my family together, and I'll be always grateful for that. You did at least one good thing in your life, Manashoe, I hope whatever gods judge your soul take note of that.