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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jkason" data-source="post: 2514225" data-attributes="member: 2710">This concept sounds fun. Figured I'd throw something out and see how it flies, a monk type with added mafia flavor:Ru Brike just wants to make his life better. His family squatted in a condemned tenement, picked through garbage for dinner, scampered away from the corrupt city guard they couldn't afford to pay "taxes" to. So when Ari Turbul saw the potential bruiser Ru could be and offered him a place in his gang, Ru jumped at the chance. Protection money paid for a legal--if small--apartment for Ru's family. Daily trawls of the marketplace fed them all well. Ru especially thrived once he had some real nutrition, his broad shoulders filling out, muscle and mass and a growth spurt making him look a man when he was still just a boy. This was defintely better. Ru took Ari's orders. His hearty laugh charmed those he was meant to protect, his powerful muscles hurt those who threatened him or his new allies. Ari greased the right palms, and everyone got what they wanted. Ari's gang became entrenched and established, and Ru was one of his favorite bruisers, usually reserved for when people really needed to ... learn a lesson. The last thing a person wanted to hear was that Ru was on his way.That is, until Teram Gis showed up.Everyone thought Gis was just another cowering merchant. A few well placed threats, maybe a broken table or two, and he'd fall in line and pay up like everyone else. However, The only thing that seemed to be breaking was Ari's messengers, sent back with one limb or another shattered and no protection payments. Ari didn't take it well at all. He'd have no wiry little fishmonger making him look a fool. He sent Ru to tear the place apart and offer his special brand of incentive. Ru never relished doling out punishment, but he was good at it, and Ari was good to his family, so he went.Gis was half Ru's size, scrawny and unimpressive to look at. He also blocked every blow Ru threw at him. Again and again, turning Ru's building rage aside without breaking a sweat. As he fought, Ru saw something in the man's eyes. Power, certainly, but something else. A clarity, a focus that channeled that power, that told Ru he would never best this man despite his own raw strength.Ru couldn't explain why he stopped. He knew what kind of consequences there would be. Still, he had to. He halted his blows, took a step back, and bowed to his better. Gis returned the bow, saying, "You are the first with the wisdom to yield. It is a gift your cohorts lack. One you will never hone in their company."Ru cocked his head and smiled. "But you could teach me."Gis returned the smile. "Wise again."He and Gis struck a bargain. Gis would never yeild to Ari's demands, so Ru ran interference with Ari's men, "personally overseeing" collection (actually, he's making the protection payments for Gis out of his own pocket), steering them clear of his storefront. Gis, in turn, is teaching Ru the discipline he lacked, focusing his power and speed. The balance is precarious, but Ru sees it as part of his training: working the angles hones his mind as his other training hones his body.And if it's sometimes a strain, it's once again better than what came before, so Ru shrugs and goes on.-----------------------jason</blockquote>

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