It's Taem! (rather long)
Taem: male human Mnk5: CR 5; Medium-size Humanoid (Human); HD 5d8+10; hp 38; Init +6; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18 (Flat Footed 16, Touch 16); Unarmed +5 Melee (1d8+2); Shiruken +5 Ranged (1); SA Stunning Attack (DC 14), Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows; SQ Evasion, Deflect Arrows, Still Mind, Slow fall (20 ft), Purity of Body, Monk AC bonus ; AL LG; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Skills (Bonus/Ranks) and Feats: Balance +10/8, Climb +10/8, Hide +10/8, Jump +40/8, Move Silently +10/8, Tumble +10/8; Dodge, Mobility, Improved Initiative.
Languages: Common, Auran
Equipment: Monk’s outfit,
Amulet of Natural Armor, Bracers of Armor, Dust of Tracelessness, Potion of Blur, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Potion of Invisibility, Potion of Levitate, Qualls Feather Token (Bird, Fan), Ring of Jumping, Ring of Protection +1, 12 Shiruken, 35 gp piece of quartz crystal, 3 gold pieces.
Taem is a member of the monastic Order of the Four Winds. They are based around a set of myths and legends that tell about a monk, whose name is unknown to all but the highest of the order, whose search for enlightenment led him along what, the order teaches, is one of many paths there- but the Queam (koo-ay-am), (as the anonymous monk is called; it translates into “Master” or “Great Master” in Auran) became one with the very air and winds. There are many stories and legends about him on his quest, and the young monks are taught all of them, to illustrate certain points in the course of their learning.
Taem was (as all the rest of the Order had been) brought to the Monastery, high in the mountains of Kythraen, as an infant by parents who either could not, or did not want to, care for him. Taem has never given them a thought; for all he knows, they might be dead. He was raised in extreme asceticism by the monks of the Order, learning their ways. He was a quick student; by the age of twenty, he received his last name.
The Monks of the Order of the Four Winds have a curious notion about humility: they feel that the use personal pronouns (such as “I” and “me”) should be reserved for the very great; for others to use them is arrogance, for it assumes that the listener already knows their name. Thus, until they complete certain trials, all of the novices of the Order refer to themselves as “Kai” (or, “small breeze” in Auran), and in the third person (i.e., “Kai is done with the exercise, Master.”). Once one has completed the first trials, one receives a “last” name, a general descriptor of what direction the monk seems to be heading in.
“Taem” means “friend”, and is part of many of the epithets used to describe one of the close companions of the Queam, who accompanied him in all of his journeys and, when the Queam finally reached enlightenment, chose to wander the world helping others to do so rather than leave the world himself. The epithets used to describe the mythical Taem are many- “fast friend,” “true friend,” “brave friend.” “Taem” is the surname given to monks who’s tendencies, while seeking enlightenment, lead them to help others. Taem(s) are the most likely to be found outside the monastery; if one has encountered members of the order before, they are likely to have met a monk calling him, or herself, Taem.
Taem received his name when, while completing the trial (which consisted of climbing to the very peak of a mountain, meditating there for some time, and then racing down the mountain side like the wind itself), Taem noticed an avalanche beginning to form, and a group of pilgrims below that it would certainly crush. He raced against the rock, as it grew from a trickle of pebbles to a thundering wall of earth, and managed to save most of the peasants from being crushed to death.
His trail completed and his surname received, Taem was now sent out in to the world to pursue his chosen path. He has wandered for six months, helping out in small ways among the villages he passes through, and looking for a chance to truly prove himself and earn a first name. Eventually, gods willing, he will reach one of the highest levels of the order, and be allowed to use personal pronouns.
Taem is very focused on achieving his goal of being one with the air; and although helping others is part of this goal, he does it not only because it leads him further down the path but because it is also what he inherently tends to do. It is hardly a firm division; he helps people because he is Taem, and he is Taem because he helps people.
Relations with other characters:
Taem has been taught that the paths to enlightenment involve traveling towards one of the four elements: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, each of which has certain characteristics. The more one can be associated with an element, the further one is progressed towards enlightenment. Thus, Taem is likely to think highly of people he can clearly “classify” as being like one element or another, because it means they are heading towards enlightenment. Conversely, people who are harder to pin down Taem sees as unenlightened; and while this does not mean they are bad people, it does mean that Taem will attempt to counsel them along a given path. Unfortunately, twenty-three years of being among quiet monks and untamed mountain peaks has dulled Taem’s interpersonal skills, and this rarely meets with much success if the subject is not already open to such ideas. The fact that he’s always speaking in the third person doesn’t help much either.
The characters posted thus far that Taem might “pin down” to a given element are Kintys, with fire, and Tragus, with Earth. This may not be the perception of the characters in question (or their players
), but it will be what Taem will think of them.
edit: added bonus attribute point. And I think I calculated my HP right... 8+(4x5)+10=38, right?
