SQ
fleet-footed, flurry of bows, high jump, ki arrows, ki pool, reflexive shot, silent hunter, slow fall, wholeness of body
SPECIAL ABILITIES Fleet-footed (Racial) While all elves are naturally lithe and agile, some also are naturally speedy and have a strong desire to rush into situations rather than worrying about looking ahead. Elves with this racial trait receive Run as a bonus feat and a +2 racial bonus on initiative checks. This racial trait replaces keen senses and weapon familiarity.
Flurry of Bows (Ex) Starting at 1st level, a zen archer can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action, but only when using a bow (even though it is a ranged weapon). He may not make a flurry of blows with his unarmed attacks or any other weapons. A zen archer does not apply his Strength bonus on damage rolls made with flurry of blows unless he is using a composite bow with a Strength rating.
A zen archer’s flurry of blows otherwise functions as normal for a monk of his level.
A zen archer cannot use Rapid Shot or Manyshot when making a flurry of blows with his bow.
High Jump (Ex) At 5th level, a monk adds his level to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, both for vertical jumps and horizontal jumps. In addition, he always counts as having a running start when making jump checks using Acrobatics. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk gains a +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for 1 round.
Ki Arrows (Su) At 5th level, a zen archer may spend 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action to change the damage dice of arrows he shoots to that of his unarmed strikes. This lasts until the start of his next turn. For example, a Medium zen archer’s short bow normally deals 1d6 damage; using this ability, his arrows deal 1d8 damage until the start of his next turn.
Ki Pool (Su) At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk's ki pool is equal to 1/2 his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike.
She can do the following things with ki:
Make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack.
Gain a +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for 1 round.
Increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round.
Give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.
Activate ki arrows.
Perfect Strike (Feat) You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). You must use one of the following weapons to make the attack: any bow. You can roll your attack roll twice and take the higher result. If one of these rolls is a critical threat, the other roll is used as your confirmation roll (your choice if they are both critical threats). You may attempt a perfect attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round.
Reflexive Shot (Ex) At 9th level, a zen archer can make attacks of opportunity with arrows from his bow. The monk still threatens squares he could reach with unarmed strikes, and can still only make one attack of opportunity per round (unless he has Combat Reflexes).
Run (Feat) Move 5 times normal speed, keep Dex bonus to AC, and gain +4 bonus to Acrobatics checks to jump
Silent Hunter (Racial) Elves are renowned for their subtlety and skill. Elves with this racial trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this racial trait). This racial trait replaces elven magic.
Slow Fall (Ex) At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm's reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When first gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk's ability to slow his fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with his monk level until at 20th level he can use a nearby wall to slow his descent and fall any distance without harm.
Wholeness of Body (Su) At 7th level or higher, a monk can heal his own wounds as a standard action. He can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to his monk level by using 2 points from his ki pool.
COINS PP – 0
GP – 24
SP – 16
CP – 54
EQUIPMENT Carrying Capacity: Light – 100 lbs; Medium – 200 lbs; Heavy = 300 lbs; Current – zz lbs (Light)
Weapons – +1 composite longbow (Mighty +3) (2,700 gp)
Armour –
Alchemical –
Other Combat Gear –
Scrolls –
Potions –
Wands –
Other Magic Items – cloak of the hedge wizard – illusion (2,500 gp), ring of protection +1 (2,000 gp), sleeves of many garments (200 gp)
Mundane Gear – monk’s kit (backpack, belt poung, rope, blanket, soap, torches (10), rations (5)) (8 gp), MW artisan’s tools (55 gp)
BACKGROUND
Elrithrathiel began her training for the Mierani defence force at a young age, learning the bow and sword while her friends were still playing with dolls and dreaming after princes (though she soon discovered that her skills with a blade were markedly inferior to her fellow trainees). Marked by her superiors for her keen eye and steady aim, she was hand-picked to train with the snipers, and there found good use for her skills. With her unit, she spent several years hunting goblins and wandering drow, until finally landing an assignment with a force sent with a cunning plan to Celwynvian itself. There, the evil dark magics of the drow set her unit into chaos and slaughter, her arrows unable to find their marks, and she watched from her hidden perch as her comrades were slain or captured. Seeing as she was unable to do anything to help, she slipped from her tree branch before she could be captured herself and made her way back to base – the sole survivor.
The elven forces were in shock and outrage at the failure, and Elrithrathiel could sense that they were looking for someone to blame. Not wanting to take the fall for a failure not hers, Elrith slipped away from camp, and the Mierani Forest entirely. A deserter from the army, she knows that she can never return.
Elrith wandered across Varisia and then south towards the Inner Sea, looking for a place to fit in. She worked in various merchant caravans as a guard, but that life holds no appeal for her. For Elrith, the challenge and thrill in her work is the selection of her prime location, hiding perfectly, judging distance and breezes, and finally making that one shot that ends the threat cleanly and safely. The target does not matter (unless, for some reason, it is a halfling - Elrith does not accept contracts to kill halflings and trying to hire her for it might be a way to get one of her arrows in yourself), only the execution of the mission.
Over the years, Elrith tried to join various causes, hoping to find a chance to use her skills. She joined a rebellion in Galt, but found the politics too messy. She helped Taldanes repel Qadiran invaders, but was sickened by the brutal pleasure the Taldanes found in the gruesome slaughter of their favourite enemies. Helping free Halfling slaves in Katapesh was more to her liking, but the heat and constant mercantilism wore on her. It was there that the first pangs of homesickness began, and Elrith realized more and more that what she really wanted was to return home and repatriate herself. She did not want, however, to return home to a short jail term followed by a summary execution. The only way she was getting home safely was to return so important, so powerful, so heroic, that she could find a pardon for her desertion.
It was on a swing through Brevoy on her way north where she met the man who would become her mentor, Yvgeni. A member of Deadeye's Yeomen, Yvgeni was seeking an apprentice, and although a woman was unorthodox, he recognized that Elrith and the order would be mutually beneficial for each other. Convincing Elrith of this was a long and painful process, and one Yvgeni was never really sure had completely taken by the time Elrith was ready to move out on her own. He was able to instil in her a concern for community and connection back to her elven roots which has...partially...overridden her need for personal heroics. On the other hand, her new-found commitment to the ideals of Erastil has only served to increase her longing for home.
DESCRIPTION
Elrithrathiel, or Elrith, is a lithe, thin woman of obvious elven features. At 5' 9", she doesn't stand out much at all in her comfortable grey and brown leathers. Her clothes, tight enough to prevent a stray breeze from giving away her position or getting caught in a tree branch, but loose enough to avoid being provocative, help her blend into both dingy streets and bleak wilderness alike, while also being perfectly functional. Her brown hair, plain by elven standards, is cut short, and the pale skin bears a single, jagged scar across her right cheek. Her blue eyes are sharp, missing little and betraying even less.
DEADEYE’S YEOMEN
An organization dedicated to the ideals of Erastil, the Yeomen seek communion with their god and nature through meditation and perfection of the art of archery and the hunt. While members of the Yeomen can be found all across the known world, they have little formal structure. Most cells of the Yeomen consist of two men: a master and his apprentice. Very little religious dogma is taught, save that the community is important and families are the backbone of that community. Community is to be protected and served. Most training for the Yeomen consists of woodcraft, survival training, and of course, archery lessons. The Deadeye’s Yeomen seek to understand themselves and the natural world through the lessons of archery, in addition to improving their skill with the bow. Apprentice Yeomen are also instructed on the trade of the bowyer and fletcher, as the Yeomen strongly believe that all men should possess a trade in order to contribute to their societies: sloth or laziness of any kind are not tolerated within the order. The Yeomen also believe that it is through the crafting of one’s own bow and arrows that one truly comes close to perfecting the art of archery, and while they have no formal strictures against using bows and arrows they themselves have not made (indeed, an apprentice Yeomen is given his first bow by his master, always a simple shortbow), no Yeomen worth the name would ever consider preferring a weapon they themselves had not crafted. The crafting of one’s own personalized weapon is part of the enlightenment process, and no Yeomen can claim the title of master until he has personally crafted a bow of masterwork quality (there are no taboos, formal or otherwise, against having a self-made weapon magically enchanted by somebody else, but the physical weapon must be made by hand by himself).
At present, there are no women within the ranks of the Yeomen, and the traditionalists within the order would prefer it remain that way. Like many Erastilan organizations, the place of women is often considered the home, in the well-respected position of primary care-giver for her family, and not wandering the woods seeking self-enlightenment and proficiency with bows.
