Bocoru "Moonwalker" Collins

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Bocoru Collins of the Sasquatch Tribe Click on the photo to see a larger picture of Bocoru and more information about him and his equipment.

Boco should be thought of as a "typical" rebellious young man -- trying to get away from the things that are "expected" of him. But, yet, when he gets out into the world, he realizes that the background, his parents, and extended family are not that bad -- and what they stood for are also his basic beliefs. A good model might be the teen who grows up in the midwest, but rebels and goes to LA, gets piercings, becomes a punk rocker, but then realizes that he really is a midwesterner at heart. He might then be dressed as a punker while sitting in the church at home.

Bocoru's (Boco) heritage is in the Northwestern area of the United States. His family were well-thought-of members of the Sasquatch tribe around the Olympic Penninsula. They proudly displayed their family totems from their ancestors on the pole by their home, including (in order from the top) the Owl, the Beaver, the Otter, the Wolf, and the Bear.

Boco's grandfather, Sorucu, was born in 1991. By the time of the gathering of the Indian tribes into relocation centers (in 2010), he was training with the village Shaman. Just the previous year, when he turned 18, he had spent his time alone in search of his totem during his magic night. It was then that he received his spirit message from the Bear, his great-grandfather's totem.

During the raids and subsequent "relocation" of the various Indian tribes, Trebruam (the Shaman) and the Chief of the village tried to deal with the authorities and seek assistance for the tribe. Unfortunately, they were killed almost immediately when they began their dealings with the government. Fortunately, the location of the tribe was not mentioned, and this kept the authorities from finding them immediately. Because of the village's location in the Rain Forest area of the Olympic Penninsula, it was not too difficult for the village to separate and move into other areas of the forest -- they thus avoided the fate of so many tribes in being detained in the "relocation centers".

It was the next year, however, that changed forever the lives of Sorucu and his wife. He was now the Shaman of the dispersed tribe -- and in the wave of Chaos of 2011, their first child was born ---- an elf! He was called Durotu, and by heritage should become a Shaman as his father was. But, would the tribe accept an elf as the spiritual leader of the tribe?

As Durotu was growing up, the tribe kept in touch with each other in the forest, and avoided making themselves known to the government. There were a few others (that did not "appear" to be Indian) that made the trips to Seattle to obtain the needed materials for the tribe to exist -- but they also became more and more self-sufficient during this time. It was this self-imposed isolation that helped keep the tribe separated and away from the uprising around the Ghost Dance, and the problems brought on by the Sinsearach Elves.

It was the year (2029) that the Sinsearach Elves came into being that Durotu reached his 18th birthday, and also became a Shaman. His spirit messenger was the Otter. When the Sinsearach seceeded in 2035, the tribe felt the desire to join again as a village for protection and social interaction. Sorucu had tried his best to prepare the tribe to accept his elven son as a full-fledged member of the tribe and the Shaman-to-be, but Durotu found himself treated as something of an outsider. He had found an elven wife (as no self-respecting human woman would marry an elf). They even had to change their name to Collins, because the tribe would not have accepted an elf with a tribal name.

It was 4 years of struggle, trying to get the tribe to accept his family as "normal". It finally took the "Night of Rage" in 2039 to bring the tribe together. Again, their isolation on the Olympic Penninsula was the saving grace -- but, they mourned the loss of so many of their neighboring tribes, friends, and relatives.

It was the next year (2040) that Bocoru was born -- an elf, the son of 2 elven parents. It was well known that Boco would continue the family's heritage of becoming the Shaman to the tribe. It was in the relative peaceful time of the 40's that Boco learned of his parenet's ostracism for being elves. Even though the village had accepted them (and Boco) by this time, Boco began to feel that every slight, or bad word said, to him was because of his elven blood and looks. He began to feel very resentful to the village and tribe -- not only for the imagined slights, but for his parents since they did not seem to remember what had happened to them in the years of isolation.

2 years ago, on his 18^th birthday, Boco went through the spiritual awakening ceremony -- not really because he wanted to, or felt ready to. In fact, he resented the whole thing -- almost being forced into this role of Shaman. He had been trained well by his father [and actually knows more than he thinks he does -- that training really did sink in, even if it is not obvious to him]. He did experience something -- but what he is not prepared to say. He seemed to be visited by the spirit of his great-grandfather in the form of an owl -- one of the totems of his family. But, was it really his shamanic religion, or just hallucination, or a dream brought on by the deprivation of the ceremony, or just something he imagined because he was supposed to?

He stuck around the village for a couple of months, but just felt too much pressure from everyone -- and just had to get away!! This life was not for him -- everyone was so hypocritical -- his parents just didn't understand him or his feelings about what they went through.

Boco left for Seattle and a new life. Trying to get away from the magic of being a Shaman as far as possible, he found a group of run-aways, like himself, led by a Rigger named Grafio. They had set up a base in a once well-to-do neighborhood on Mercer Island in the middle of Lake Washington. Since Boco looks like his elven heritage, and not his Indian ancestors, he has been accepted and treated as an elf. In fact, no one knows of his Indian background. He now goes by the assumed name of "Moonwalker" (referring to his preference to the night hours).

Grafio likes Moonwalker, and has trained him as a first-level Rigger. Moonwalker has begun to get out and around in the city of Seattle, working for the gang. Grafio has helped Moonwalker gain confidence in his abilities as a Rigger and a member of this gang, but Moonwalker continues to resist becoming a "full-fledged" member.

This would involve cyber-implants and other body piercings/markings. Moonwalker has succumbed to some of this pressure by having "spurs" implanted. Somehow, these spurs seem to fit with his grandfather's totem of the Bear. And, besides, getting an implant like this is just the rebelliousness that "Bocoru" was searching for when he ran off to the big sity. But, to go any further just seems wrong to him, though he is not quite sure why. [Perhaps something in his Shamanic training is still deep with him, and is preventing him from altering his body.]

Moonwalker has found excuses to give the gang for this lack of cyber-ware, especially to Grafio who would like to have Moonwalker install a Remote Deck to control the Rigs. He has helped cover this by continuing to show his loyalty to Grafio and the gang, and to do his best to help them in all situations. He has also worked hard to learn how to control the Rigs and their weapons.

Just recently, though, Moonwalker has begun to have dreams involving his family and his great-grandfather's owl spirit. He has enjoyed his time in the gang and learning new skills, but he strongly feels the pull of his Shaman training. He has found himself sneaking away from the gang to some "parkland" and practicing his Shaman rituals. He has also begun to work on certain spells that his father had taught him -- it's taking some work, but he has been able to cast these spells. It was here that he met Bon Joe Vee, a Talismonger of some note. Moonwalker has not told him of his true background, but has had some dealings with him and bought some fetiches. Moonwalker (well really Bocoru in this area of his life) has begun to bring this part of his life more to the surface, but has still not told Grafio or the gang anything about it. He is not sure how they might react -- he doesn't want to lose their friendship and the feeling of "family" he has gained from living and working with them.

But, Moonwalker/Bocoru is torn between the spiritualness/magic of the Shaman, and the techno/implants of the Rigger. Can he work within both realms? Will he try to return to his family? Well he stay in Seattle with the gang? Will he still experience the visits of his great-grandfather? Only time will tell.