A 12th level human variant monk of the Way of the Open Hand, who studied for years, mastering the art of tinkering and jewels to become worthy of his true love.

Growing up a son of a laborer in Port Zoon is not without its challenges.

Especially when you fall in love with the daughter of the head of one of the most powerful guilds in the region (The Illustrious World Movers Ironwork and Cog Guild, or “The World Movers Guild” for short.)

As children, Arianna Brightdawn’s mother tolerated your relationship as you and Arianna would explore the open beaches and scurry along Port Zoon’s docks. But as you both grew, and Arianna’s time for schooling began, you were shunned, knowing that thanks to your father’s station and poverty, you would never be more than a laborer’s son and then a laborer yourself. 

Your father was no help, admonishing you to accept reality of the world. Some are born kings, he would say. Everyone else was born in pain. 

Unwilling to believe that destiny was forged with a shovel and pick, but also recognizing that attending a trade school in Port Zoon was cost-prohibitive, you set off into the world at the age of 16 and wandered for two years, making your way up the Menagerie Coast, usually on the streets, battling for food among the urchins in large cities, stealing a night’s sleep in a hayloft in a rural barn, and spending time in libraries, reading. Reading anything, everything, hoping that something would allow you to return to Arianna with honor and a position within one of the powerful guilds of Port Zoon.

You tried to learn spells, but could not find the key to releasing their power.

You could hold your own in a fight against the other urchins, with uncommon power in your fists, and you had a natural propensity for theft.

You were asked to join a local gang in Port Damali, but realized that a criminal path would forever ban you from your love, and instead left Port Damali for fear of retribution from the gang and found yourself joining a caravan of elves, returning from selling their harvest in one of the cities.

You told them your story, your desire to make something of yourself. The elves show compassion and invite you to visit the Enfiel Monastery.

They took you in, but denied you access to training. Training is for the patient, the strong of heart, the determined, they said. Prove your worthiness, they said.

They gave you room and board, food and friendship, in exchange for work. Anything and everything they asked of you. There were others in your same situation, most of which did nothing but complain. But the few saw past the work, realized the body and the mind were growing in strength and capacity.

After four years, you were finally invited to join the students of the monastery. You learned to speak Elvish fluently. You immersed yourself in mechanical theory and jewel mastery, both in design and how certain jewels have powerful, even magical properties in the right hands.

And you also learned to access Ki energy in the monastic tradition of Way of the Open Hand, focusing on complete control of the body and mind.

The monks were often asked to help right wrongs in the world, defeating crime lords and settling warring factions. Your participation in these was both effective and notable. You progressed rapidly and soon became a leader among the warrior monks.

You grew to detest those that took from the innocent, as well as watch those who were dictated by greed step over the needy.

Your jewel-crusted trinkets and contraptions gained the monastery rapid notoriety, generating revenue to pursue righteous causes. 

You wrote letters to Arianna, informing her of your progress and hopes of reunion. Still, you never heard back.

Your heart begins to fade for Arianna and your meditation turns to other purposes, spending hours in seclusion hoping to meld with the universe or find direction from one of the Prime Deities.  Your mind begins to form an image, or at least a sense of direction, as if painted there by a greater power.

As if to confirm your new thoughts, a letter finally arrived, not from Arianna, but from her mother.

Please, she begged. Arianna has been taken by a new crime syndicate and we have not heard from her these past five years. She is probably no longer among the living, she weeps, but she cannot stand the unknown. Please help us find out what happened to her. And if she is alive, bring her back to us.

After seeking council and further meditation you depart the monastery, the elders suggesting that this is your pilgrimage and final test to become a master of the Way of the Open Hand. By mastering your emotions, you will master your destiny.

Traveling to Port Damali with the pouch of gold and the suggestion you seek out Captain Serafina Darkgrave, of the ship, “The Cloud Quintessant” to book your passage to Nicodranas and then on to Port Zoon.

Part of you wonders if this pilgrimage is about Arianna at all, or if it’s simply the start of something grander. Part of you wonders how you will feel seeing Arianna again after so many years. She would not recognize you after so long. So much of you has changed. Perhaps even your heart…