Ronthias, 'The Master'
"You are challenging me? Ah, you are ignorant, lost, and confused. Please allow my sacred fists to grant you enlightenment!"
Name: Ronthias, usually referred to as 'The Master' or 'Master Ronthias'
Race: Zenythri
Class: Monk of the passive way 5 // cloistered Cleric 5
Faction: The Transcendent Order
Alignment: Lawful Good (believes that order and good are inextricably linked)
Age: unknown
*SMACK* "Rule number thirty-seven! Never assume an unarmed opponent is also a defenseless one!"
Appearance: Ronthias is an elderly-looking Zenythri with light purple skin that has taken on a slightly metallic sheen. His eyes look like pupilless orbs of silver, while his long moustache and beard seem to be weaved from threads of pure mithril. He walks hunched over, leaning on a staff, though his appearance of decrepitude is deceptive--he is quite hale and hearty. Although his beard and moustache are of the finest quality, Ronthias is otherwise completely bald.
"Do you understand why I defeated you? It is because you fight without discipline, flailing about like a demented monkey..."
History: For many, many years, those few who wished to achieve mastery of the passive way would seek out Master Ronthias at his Seventh Circle dojo, hidden somewhere in the vast metropolis of Sigil. And if they found him, he might just judge them worthy enough to become his students. Many were turned away. Ronthias was very highly selective, and his bias against chaos often influenced his decisions about which students to accept and which to reject. He refused, for the most part, to tutor members of the 'chaotic' races: tieflings, chanods, bariurs, and most primes.
During the time that the dojo was still young, Ronthias rudely rejected a girl named Indole, a skilled but severely undisciplined chanod. She vowed her revenge. Indole fled to mad Limbo, where she spent thirteen times thirteen years training in the midst of pure chaos. When she returned, she had mastered the unique martial art of 'Limbo Style', which she used to utterly defeat and humilate Ronthias in front of his students. Disgraced, The Master had no choice but to close down his dojo.
Ronthias realizes now that his outlook was too limited, and that he had failed to truly master his style. He wanders the far planes humbly seeking to regain the wisdom he foolishly thought he had. Recently, he has heard legends of Xitomat, the Washed Monk, an incredible master who supposedly created all the martial arts styles known to mortals.
"Chaos? Perhaps it is nothing more than a lie. Some would say that order is only a small facet of all-encompassing chaos. I say, what if the reverse is actually the case?"
Personality: Ronthias was already wise and insightful. His defeat taught him humility. These days, he is not nearly as smugly superior as most Zenythri are. He is finally beginning to take the teachings of his school to heart, becomeing more of a passive observer. At times, he believes he can catch a glimpse of an underlying order beneath even the most chaotic-seeming acts and events. He is willing to tolerate even the most chaotic of individuals, and tries to look upon them in a spirt of understanding.
Ronthias sees himself as a teacher, first and foremost. He constantly strives to teach all those around him, even his opponents. He understands that the only way to improve a student is to push them to the limit of their abilities. Thus, his training and teachings are often brutally harsh, peppered with impossible-to-answer koans and riddles.
"Which is greater? The wise, stoic turtle? Or the patient, tireless hawk?"
[SBLOCK]
Attributes (40 point buy - 4 points for +1 LA = 36 points):
Strength: 12 {+1} (4 point buy)
Dexterity: 18 {+4} (8 point buy, +1 level, +2 racial)
Constitution: 12 {+1} (4 point buy)
Intelligence: 14 {+2} (6 point buy)
Wisdom: 18 {+4} (10 point buy, +2 racial)
Charisma: 10 {+0} (4 point buy, -2 racial)
--(total points spent: 36)
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"You want to understand my teachings? Then fight!"
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Combat:
Base Attack Bonus: +3 / Grapple: +4 (Str +1)
--Flurry of blows: +5/+5 (+3 base, +2 class)
Armor Class: 21 (+4 Dex, +4 Wis, +1 Class, +2 natural)
--touch 19 / flat-footed 17
Hit points: 5d8+5
Initiative: +4 (Dex)
Speed: 40 (30 base, +10 class)
Fortitude save: +5 (+4 base, +1 Con)
Reflex Save: +8 (+4 base, +4 Dex)
Will Save: +8 (+4 base, +4 Wis)
Unarmed: +8 melee, 1d8+1 damage, 20/x2 critical
Unarmed flurry: +10/+10, 1d8+1 damage, 20/x2 critical
Kama-de: +4 melee, 1d8+1 damage, 20/x2 critical
Quarterstaff: +4 melee, 1d6+1 damage, 20/x2 critical
Shuriken: +7 ranged, 1 damage, 20/x2 critical
[/SBLOCK]
"Think you can avoid this? Inevitable Strike of Truth!"
[SBLOCK]
Class and Racial abilities:
Electricity, fire, and sonic resistance 5 (racial)
Spell-like ability:
true strike, 1/day (racial)
+2 racial bonus on Balance checks and on Survival checks made to intuit direction
Darkvision: 60 feet (racial)
Bonus class skill: Bluff (passive way)
Evasion (Ex): no damage on successful reflex saves
Flurry of Blows (Ex): see above
Unarmed Strike (Ex): 1d8 damage, can be lethal or nonlethal
Still Mind (Ex): +2 on saves versus enchantment
Ki Strike (Su): unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons
Slow Fall (Ex): falls considered 20 feet less than they actually are
Purity of Body (Ex): immunity to all nonmagical diseases
Lore (Ex): similar to bardic knowledge, check +7
Domains: War (bonus feat: Weapon Focus), Law (+1 to CL when casting [Law] spells)
[/SBLOCK]
"I have trained many years for this moment, old foe. My skills are honed, my style is mastered. Let our battle decide the truth of our beliefs!"
[SBLOCK]
Skills and Feats: (48 skill points; 4 sp per level)
Skill Focus: Bluff (1st level feat; grants +3 to Bluff checks)
Cipher Trance (2rd level feat; enter trance 1/day for 7 rounds, +4 to Dex while in Trance, dazed for one round after Trance ends)
Weapon Finesse (3rd level feat; use Dex instead of Str with light weapons)
Weapon Focus: Unarmed (bonus feat from domain; +1 to unarmed melee attack)
Combat Expertise (bonus feat from passive way; can take up to -3 on attacks to gain up to +3 to armor class)
Improved Trip (bonus feat from passive way; can attempt trips without incurring attacks of opportunity; +4 bonus on trip attempts)
Balance +12 (4 ranks, +4 Dex, +2 racial, +2 synergy)
Bluff +12 (8 ranks, +1 Cha, +3 feat)
Climb +5 (4 ranks, +1 Str)
Concentration +9 (8 ranks, +1 Con)
Diplomacy +5 (+1 Cha, +4 synergy)
Jump +9 (6 ranks, +1 Str, +2 synergy)
Listen +4 (+4 Wis)
Profession: Teacher +8 (4 ranks, +4 Wis)
Sense Motive +10 (6 ranks, +4 Wis)
Spot +4 (+4 Wis)
Tumble +14 (8 ranks, +4 Dex, +2 synergy)
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"Know this: a true warrior progresses only insofar as he unlocks his inner spirit. In tune with the universe, the master can perform feats neither weapon nor fist alone can acomplish."
[SBLOCK]
Spellcasting: Ronthias is a spontaneous divine caster
0th level spells per day:
5
0th level spells known: create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, resistance, virtue
1st level spells per day:
5
1st level spells known: magic weapon, protection from chaos, axiomatic water, cure light wounds, divine favor, shield of faith
2nd level spells per day:
4
2nd level spells known: calm emotions, spiritual weapon, cure moderate wounds, zone of truth
3rd level spells per day:
3
3rd level spells known: magic circle against chaos, magic vestment
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"Ha! Material possesions are unimportant. Still, they can occasionally be useful."
[SBLOCK]
Equipment:
gnarled old quarterstaff (cost -, weight 4)
kama-de (larger than kama, one-handed weapon) (cost 2, weight 2)
ten black shuriken, 'dishonor' (cost 2, weight 1)
ten white shuriken, 'purity' (cost 2, weight 1)
old, yet well-kept robes (cost 5, weight 2)
ring of sustenance, 'oroboros ring' (cost 2500, weight -)
amulet of natural armor +2, 'skin of iron' (cost 8000, weight 1)
wand of cure light wounds, 'second breath' (cost 750, weight 1)
potion of bull's strength (cost 300, weight 1)
--total weight 13, all remaining gold given away
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