[center][h1][color=00a750][b]I R O N  F I S T[/b][/color][/h1][hr]

[img]https://butwhytho.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Iron-Fist-2-But-Why-Tho.jpg[/img]

[h3][sup][sub][color=00a750] Daniel Thomas "Danny" Rand  [color=f8ef1b]♦[/color]  CEO, Rand International; Owner, Thunder Dojo  [color=f8ef1b]♦[/color]  Manhattan  [color=f8ef1b]♦[/color]  Heroes for Hire, Inc. [/color][/sub][/sup][/h3][img]IMAGE/BANNER[/img]
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[COLOR=00a750][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   C O N C E P T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR]
[CENTER][sup][color=00a750]"Yeah, yeah, Hydra is legion. But when was the last time you faced a dragon?"[/color][/sup][/CENTER]
[INDENT][INDENT]Born into immense wealth, Danny Rand's life was forever changed when accompanying his parents on a private flight to China. [b]Wendell Rand[/b], billionaire tycoon and Danny's father, was betrayed by his business partner, [b]Harold Meachum[/b], whom Wendell had been secretly investigating; Meachum arranged for the plane to crash over the Himalayas, hoping to eliminate the threat in an apparent accident. Danny and his mother, [b]Heather[/b], survived the crash, but were soon set upon by brutal cold and ravenous wolves. Heather was killed, and Danny would have perished as well -- save for the intervention of two monks, who rescued the 10 year-old boy.

The monks brought Danny to [b]K'un-Lun[/b], an extradimensional city accessible by Earth only once every 10 years. There, the orphan was taken in by the mystical city's Grand Master, [b]Lei Kung the Thunderer[/b], and trained in the martial arts. Danny focused all his pain into his training, eventually rising to become K'un-L'un's most fearless warrior and earning the right to face the dragon [b]Shou-Lao the Undying[/b]. Upon defeating the dragon, Danny plunged his hands into a brazier containing Shou-Lao's heart and gained the power of the Iron Fist.

When the portal to Earth finally returned, Danny departed K'un-Lun for New York. There, as Danny, he inherited his rightful place at Rand-Meachum, and as Iron Fist, continued his father's investigation -- eventually uncovering Meachum's connection to a criminal organization known as [b]the Hand[/b]. Meachum was assassinated before he could be brought to justice, a crime for which Iron Fist was framed. This brought Danny afoul of one [b]Luke Cage[/b]; after proving Danny's innocence, the two teamed up to take down the bad guys, forming the basis of a lifelong friendship.

The rest, as they say, is history. Iron Fist and Luke Cage co-founded [b]Heroes for Hire, Inc.[/b] Rand-Meachum was renamed [b]Rand International[/b] and, under Danny's direction, began taking a more philosophical bent. Danny also used his wealth to establish the [b]Thunder Dojo[/b] in Harlem, providing a safe haven for underserved communities. To this day, Danny continues to use both his identities to improve the lives of as many people as he can -- one punch at a time, when necessary.[/indent][/indent]

[COLOR=00a750][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   M O T I V A T I O N S   &   G O A L S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT]I've always enjoyed the duality of Iron Fist. He's a billionaire, but he does all his crime-fighting down on the street, often in the poorest neighborhoods of NYC. Besides the titular Iron Fist, his powers are relatively mundane, yet he also has a foot in the world of the weird and the mystical. He has honed his body and mind to an intense degree, and he's still sometimes an airhead. I like playing with the "man of two worlds" aspect of the character, while never losing sight of the grounded roots that make him a perfect fit for this story.

Beyond that, Danny is a wealth of interpersonal dynamics. There is, of course, his famous friendship with Luke Cage, a buddy cop dynamic that any writer would kill to write. There's the quasi-rivalry with the sundry martial artists of the Marvel Universe -- your Shang-Chis, Daredevils, and the like. There's his complicated history with on-again, off-again partner and fellow professional butt-kicker, Misty Knight. The list goes on and on. Danny's affability and proximity to the heroes of New York makes him an easy and entertaining insert into any team-up, which is something I certainly hope to do a lot of.[/indent][/indent]

[COLOR=00a750][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   N O T E S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][hider=Powers and Abilities][color=00a750][B]Chi Manipulation:[/B][/color] Danny has acute control over his body's natural energy, which itself was augmented by the spirit of Shou-Lao. This allows Danny to achieve several supernatural effects, most notably:
[list]
[*] [color=00a750]The Iron Fist:[/color] Danny's fist becomes as strong and impervious as iron, allowing him to strike with superhuman force.
[*] [color=00a750]Healing:[/color] Danny's [i]chi[/i] can be focused inward or outward to heal himself or others.
[*] [color=00a750]Superhuman Senses:[/color] Danny increases his awareness, sharpening all his senses.
[/list]
[color=00a750][B]Martial Arts Mastery:[/B][/color] Danny has spent most of his life studying the various martial arts of both K'un-Lun and Earth. He is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. This includes both hand-to-hand combat and weapon mastery.

[color=00a750][B]Peak Human Physicality:[/B][/color] The combination of Danny's training and his mastery of [i]chi[/i] has allowed him to attain peak performance in human strength, speed, agility, and stamina - bordering on the superhuman.

[color=00a750][B]Skilled Acrobat:[/B][/color] Danny is capable of the highest difficulty acrobatic and gymnastic feats, a trait he uses frequently to evade incoming attacks.

[color=00a750][B]Limited Energy Absorption:[/B][/color] Using his [i]chi[/i], Danny can sometimes absorb - and even redirect - external sources of energy, like fire, electricity, and magnetism.[/hider]

[hider=Allies and Supporting Characters][list]
[*] [color=gold]Luke Cage:[/color] The original Hero for Hire. Danny's longtime friend and business partner(-in-crime[fighting]). Luke and Danny bring different perspectives, and if they don't always see eye-to-eye, they'll always be in each other's corner.
[*] [color=9e0b0f]Misty Knight:[/color] Ex-NYPD officer turned bionically enhanced private investigator and Danny's on-again, off-again romantic partner. Currently separated after a false pregnancy drove a wedge between the couple.
[*] [color=tan]Jeryn Hogarth:[/color] Danny's personal attorney and the day-to-day manager of Rand International. Also manages the legal business of Heroes for Hire, Inc. if, at times, grudgingly.
[*] [color=fdc68a]Colleen Wing:[/color] A world-class martial artist and samurai who became one of Danny's earliest allies upon his return to New York. Later joined forces with Misty Knight, both of whom frequently collaborate with Heroes for Hire.
[*] [color=af82b0]Jessica Jones:[/color] The best friend's missus. Danny and Jessica sometimes find themselves at odds, particularly on account of their conflicting personalities, but in the end, their shared love for Luke always wins out.
[*] [color=silver]Black Cat:[/color] The newest Hero for Hire, a former thief who turned a new leaf. Danny and Felicia may not know each other well - except by reputation - but he sees in her the opportunity to put his faith in someone.
[/list] [/hider]

[hider=Enemies][list]
[*] [color=8882be]Steel Serpent:[/color] The son of Lei Kung, Davos was Danny's biggest rival in K'un-Lun. When Danny was granted permission to face Shou-Lao, a jealous Davos took it on himself to challenge the Undying first - and failed. Cast out, the Steel Serpent seeks vengeance on the man who stole his perceived birthright.
[*] [color=ed1c24]The Hand:[/color] An ancient order of evil ninjas who are heavily involved in organized crime around the world. Harold Meachum was involved with the Hand before his death (which they also orchestrated), and they have been implicated in the murder of Danny's parents.
[*] [color=navy]Master Khan:[/color] A dread sorcerer with connections to K'un-Lun, Master Khan has harried Iron Fist and Heroes for Hire from the shadows, often sending magically-enhanced foot soldiers and assassins after them.
[*] [color=darkgray]Crane Mother:[/color] The ruler of K'un-Zi, a rival city to K'un-Lun. Crane Mother has an eternal vendetta against that city and their Immortal Weapon ever since the previous Iron Fist killed her son.
[*] [color=f7941d]Sabretooth:[/color] Though better known for his lifelong rivalry with the Wolverine, Victor Creed was one of the first supervillains Danny ever faced, and the years haven't cooled that animosity - with Danny still bearing the scars to prove it.
[*] [color=gold]The Golden Tigers:[/color] Led by the warrior known as Chaka, this street-level gang with connections to the Triads has long harried Chinatown, putting them firmly on Danny's radar.
[/list]
[/hider][/indent][/indent]

[COLOR=00a750][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]S A M P L E   P O S T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][hider=The Meeting]The executive assistant leads me through the bullpen of Xianhai Global, making smalltalk in an accented voice. I nod along, agreeing that the weather [i]has[/i] been very nice and confirming that I've spent a [i]great[/i] amount of time in Chinatown, but all the while, I'm taking stock of what I see. Xianhai’s offices are first-rate, if sparsely decorated and even less populated; only one in ten workstations is manned, even now in the middle of the day.

[color=00a750]“How recently did you say this branch opened?”[/color] I ask, trying to betray nothing with my tone.

“Only last month,” the assistant confirms, “but we are confident we'll be at full strength soon.” She turns on a heel, smiling at me as she motions to an open door on our right. “This way, please, Mr. Rand.”

I step past her into a spacious conference room, sunlight flooding through the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the far wall. Much to my surprise, I'm the first to arrive. I find myself smirking; I never beat Jeri to these things.

“Would you care for some refreshment, Mr. Rand?” the assistant asks. 

Unbuttoning my jacket as I cross the room, I reply, [color=00a750]“A sparkling water would be great, if you have it.”[/color] If there's one thing I know about these pre-merger meetings, there's an awful lot of talking involved – even for me. I stride to the windows and take in the view. From this high up, New York looks pristine. It's only once you're down on the ground that you see the city as it really is.

The assistant returns a few moments later with a glass, and I accept it graciously. “My bosses will be with you shortly,” she says with a bow before exiting. I take a sip of my water and grimace immediately; I wasn't expecting it to be flavored, and it's bitter as all get out. Setting the glass down, I turn back to the windows.

When next I check my watch, several minutes have passed, and Jeri is officially late. Odd. Jeri is [i]never[/i] late. I take out my phone and dial him up. [color=00a750]“Hey, Jer,”[/color] I begin loudly before thinking to lower my voice, [color=00a750]“are you on your way?”[/color]

There's a pause at the other end of the line. “On my way to what?”

I frown. [color=00a750]“The meeting with Xianhai Global.”[/color]

“With who?” he asks, sounding as confused as I feel. “Danny, I'm looking at my calendar, and there's no meeting right now. What did you say the company's name was again?”

[color=00a750]“Xianhai,”[/color] I repeat, furrowing my brow. [color=00a750]“The meeting invite came from your account just last night. It said that–”[/color]

The door clicks, and a pair of masked and hooded figures walks in. They're soon followed by a second pair… and another… and another… and another. Spreading out at the far end of the conference table, they all assume a fighting stance. Ninjas. Why is it [i]always[/i] ninjas? 

[color=00a750]“You know what, Jer? That's my mistake. I'll call you back.”[/color] Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I begin slowly removing my jacket. No sense in ruining perfectly good Armani. I also loosen my tie, for good measure. [color=00a750]“Alright, fellas, you've got my attention. Now…”[/color] I clench my fist… and nothing happens. Well, that's not good. My eyes dart to the glass of water. Bitter, indeed. I should've identified the herb right away. I can only grin. [color=00a750]“Fair enough,”[/color] I concede. I roll up both sleeves and crouch into my own stance. [color=00a750]“The old-fashioned way, then.”[/color][/hider]
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