Pagonel - Dwarven Monk
Clean shaven, with a shaved head. Narrow and nimble for a dwarf.
Hes from a dwarven city (I haven’t decide which yet) but was given at a young age to a monastery. He doesn't remember much, other than his mother's face.
His family was middle class until his father was murdered. Then his mother fell on hard times and she had to give him to a passing monk.
At the start of the story, Pagonel has just spent 20 years at the monastery on the island of the 10,000 steps. He obtained his red belt, and then traveled out on the customary journey. This puts him around the age of 25, both a very young dwarf and monk.
Hes memorized many cryptic wise sayings. He doesn't speak much, but when he does its usually worth listening to. He often says wise things related to something that has happened, but phrased in a way that they are too cryptic for most people to get much use from them. (HE understand them, and hes hoping it will help put people on the path to enlightenment).
"Water that is too clean, has no fish."
"If you can dodge a shuriken, you can dodge a ball."
NPC 1 (Name not known by character). He was an influential dwarf in
Pagonel's home city. This NPC is responsible for the unlawful death of Pagonel's father. He was too young to remember anything about it, but he has a deep desire to put the man to justice.
NPC 2 (Coretta Brownberyl) is Pagonel's mother. Her whereabouts are unknown. After the death of his father, she couldn't take care of him. But he was wise for one as young as he, and strong of arm. She gave him to a monk who was passing through from the island of 10,000 steps. She asked if his order would raise her son, so that he could learn and grow without having to worry about where his next meal would come from.
NPC 3 (Eilrath Hawklight) was an influential monk in his order. When
he arrived as a child, she had been a red belt for a decade. She had yet to choose her customary mission as a red belt, and elected to stay at the monastery longer until she found a mission that she could believe in.
New monks receive no belt until they realize how little control they have over their bodies, and attempt to gain greater mastery over themselves. When they realize how little they know, then their cup of knowledge is "Emptied" and can be filled with the knowledge of their order. Then they are awarded the White Belt.
White Belt (Purity) - is given to a student when they make their first steps towards understanding their bodies, and their ignorance. This is a sign that they have been accepted as a monk.
Yellow Belt (Knowledge) - is given to a monk when they begin to learn wisdom. Those monks who begin to see what is truly important, are making their first steps to acquiring this belt.
Green Belt (Hard Work) - is given to a monk when their bodies have overcome the normal limitations placed upon them. When a monk is able to shatter small boulders with quick kicks or punches, they have reached a new threshold with their bodies.
Blue Belt (Tranquility) - is given to a monk after they successfully complete the trial of the long night. After a decade of learning to meditate, a monk can attempt this trial. They travel to the very peak of the mountain to heaven - above even the highest temple. They travel till snow stands on every surface, and they can see out over the edge of the world. There they sit, in meditation, for 3 weeks. They are given no food or water, and no clothes other than their monk robes. To succeed, they must reach deep meditation and slow their body processes down to the brink of near-death. If they successfully enter this state, they should find three weeks an only moderate challenge. Most monks who attempt this, fail the trial and return home in a few days.
At the time only 2 living members of the order currently held the rank of Red Belt. Eilrath Hawkright was one of them.
Red Belt (Energy) - is given to a monk who has found their inner power, their Chi, their Ki. Upon sensing it in themselves for the first time, the monk is often capable of feats far beyond that of a normal human being. If they demonstrate this feat in front of
an assembly of monks they are given the rank of Red Belt, and are to choose a mission away from the monastery to better themselves, their control of ki, and to return to the monastery with knowledge to share and to benefit others.
Black Belt (Understanding) - is given to a monk who returns from their journey successful, having influenced the world and returned with knowledge.
The Belt of Many Colors (W,Y,G,B,R,B) - cannot be given. It can only be taken. This belt is taken by any monk who survives the trial of tears. They must go through a personal trial in a room full of traps and devices that test everything they have learned throughout their journey to this moment. They must demonstrate purity, knowledge, hard work, tranquility, energy, and one last thing. The ability to go beyond oneself. The ability to master Ki, and transcend this world. The final challenge, is to cross a lake of lava, and go under, swimming through a tunnel to the other side (Empty Body to become ethereal). Upon arrival on the shore, the monk finds a handwoven belt of many colors. Left by the monk who previously completed the trial, claimed their belt, and wove a new one.
Rank is determined in the order by the belt you have, or the trial you have completed. You show respect to those who have obtained knowledge greater than yourself.
When Pagonel arrived at the monastery as a child, Eilrath took notice of him early on. Not because of any particular genius, or swiftness, or strength. She took notice of him because he asked questions. Many questions. Questions that should have been beyond him. He seemed to know at a young age that the question was always more important than the answer. He also listened to the wisdom of the older monks, and often memorized the cryptic things they said, hoping he would someday understand.
She made a strong impression on him, and congratulated him when he acquired his white and yellow belts. And then she left the Monastery on her chosen mission as a red belt. She had put it off too long, and had finally chosen a mission that she felt was worthy.
Pagonel hasn’t seen her since then, to the best of his knowledge she is still out there somewhere.
Moments of personal development:
1) When his father was murdered and his mother abandoned him. Hes had to deal with issues of loss, abandonment, and being thrust into a new life. All he could do was ask "Why?" so that’s exactly what he did.
2) When he first earned his white belt, it was because he learned how little he actually knew. He put himself fully into the monastic way of life. This has effected how he perceives things. He often disregards preconceived notions until he gets a deeper impression of something.
3) When he was in the Trial of the Long Night for his blue belt. Pagonel reached deep within himself, to attempt to meditate and slow his body's metabolism But when he reached within himself, he unknowingly found his Ki. He drew upon that, which he thought was simply his own inner calm. He lost himself in his meditation. Three and a half weeks later, a procession of monks came to find him, and dispose of his body. What they found was Pagonel sitting cross legged, with his eyes closed, and his breathing steady. Snow around him was melted for several yards. When they came close to him, they felt the temperature of the air noticeably increase a few degrees. One of the elders touched his shoulder, and said "My son. What have you found within yourself?" Pagonel did not respond. One week later, the elders returned. Pagonel was right where they had left him, but his eyes were open, and he was staring out over the clifface. "Master Padwigg. I felt something inside of me when I was meditating, and I immersed myself in it. Everything became warm, and I meditated. I just saw myself, leaving this place. Traveling down the 10,000 steps, and crossing the narrow sea to the mainland. I saw great darkness, and a conflict. I saw the world, tilting on a precipice I was the fulcrum that could cast it into chaos, or to pull it back from the brink. I must go.
Pagonel stood, and started walking down the mountain. He walked three steps, and then fell forward into unconsciousness
When he awoke, he was on a cot in the temple. Master Padwigg was nearby. The only black belt living on the island said, "You have found you ki young one. And you have passed the test of the long night." He helped him stand, and remove his green belt. He then tied a red belt around Pagonel's waist.
It is your duty to travel down the steps, and undergo your journey. Return to us, your purpose complete, and return with knowledge.
Pagonel traveled down the steps that very day, taking little but his belt and signet ring. He chartered a boat to take him to any place it could that was on the main land. He would start his journey is whichever place his feet found themselves planted.
