Oras

Oras
 * A Player Character, played by Brian
 * Human Monk
 * A member of The Hands of Anoch
 * Disciple of Master Dhartha
 * Crushes heads like a fucking badass
 * The party banker
 * Is OK with the arcane, but hates all things necrotic
 * Had an issue with owl-form Horrace, but seemed to get over it somewhat when Slaplen pointed out that he used arcane magic and not necromancy to summon him

Background
Oras witnessed the Murder of his parents while traveling at the age of 4. He remembers little of this event, apart from them being ambushed in the woods. He escaped into the woods, but became hopelessly lost and nearly starved to death before being found by Dhartha and adopted into his order.

Oras spent the next 16 years studying under Dhartha, learning the ways of The Hands of Anoch, as well as Dhartha's particular take on the religion. During this time, Oras was Dhartha's sole student, they lived in a humble dwelling in the wilderness. While Oras excelled at martial teachings, he struggled to control his anger, and was prone to violent outbursts. He has failed to internalize some of Dhartha's teachings, and Dhartha began to fear that his parent's murders scarred the boy.

Dhartha decided that the masters of The Hands of Anoch, under whom he had once trained, may be the boy's best chance. He sent Oras out, instructing him to seek the masters council in an effort to cleanse his mind.

Oras is trying to find peace through religion, but has a violent temper and finds himself drawn towards bloodshed. The death of his parents affected him deeply, and his left him scarred. He's rationalized the tragedy as giving way to new life and good. He uses similar reasoning to rationalize his own violent tendencies. This mentality has left him tranquil and detached, and he'll appear unaffected by even the most heinous acts of violence.

More Stuff
Presently, Oras is in his early 20s. He has a long, unkempt beard from years of living in the wilderness with Dhartha. His dark hair is cut short along the sides and grown to mid length along the top and back; held in a knot at the back of his head. He wears simple cottons robes, stained dark and held together with patches after years of use and repair. He travels in a cloak clasped with the symbol of Dhartha's order:  a balanced scale in a ring of iron. He walks with a long wooden staff, upon which is carved numerous animals. The head of the staff is a falcon, mid flight, and conceals the blade of his spear. It loosens with a half turn, and can be flung from the head of the staff. Oras moves with a smooth grace developed from years of acrobatic training, and his voice likewise caries a soft, unemotional, and calm cadence.

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Dhartha (Character)

Dhartha is a member of the Hands of Anoch, who has chosen to live outside the order's walls and devote himself to the study of a particular artifact, "The Will of the Scale" (described below). Through his studies, he's uncovered hidden passages in these scrolls prophesying the coming of "The Force of Change". He believes that this force will destabilize the balance of the world and bring about the end of times. It is his belief that Mortalis may be the prophesied force.

Dhartha teachs in a small, one room building in the remote wilderness. He and any students are self-sufficient for the most part.

In keeping with The Will of the Scale, Dhartha teaches his students to become sensitive to the changing tide of the world. Dhartha believes that wickedness naturally exists in the world, and must be offset by conscience acts of good in order to maintain balance. He has trained 4 students since he left the monastary walls, and sent them out in the world to record major events that they believe may be related to Mortalis. Dhartha, as well as his students, wear a cloak pin depicting balanced scales as a symbol of their devotion.

Dhartha appears as an elderly man, with sparse grey hair ringing his head and soft eyes weighted from years of study and contemplation. He moves with a slow, steady deliberance in everything he does, which could easilly make him appear frail. While his voice is slow and labored, his body is in truth remarkably fit and powerful, owing itself to Dhartha's constant physical fitness and strict monastic diet. When Dhartha practices martial arts, his body moves fluidly and flawlessly--the muscles remembering the countless years spent perfecting his arts.

The Will of the Scale (Artifact)

"The Will of The Scale" is a set of scrolls dating back to the origins of the Threefold Church, but isn't strictly considered a part of iits cannon. While the scrolls are generally in keeping with, and written in a similar fashion as other church documents, their origin has never been completely traced. As such, some critics have suggested that they may be artifacts of another religion. The scrolls reference a balance that must be maintained in the world between polar opposites. It asserts that the gods use people to maintain this balance, and if the balance is greatly disturbed, the world will be destroyed. In particular, the scrolls focus heavily on the relationship between Feliel and Nuata. Creation leads to death, and death makes way for new life.

Dhartha uncovered secret writings by reading the scrolls under moonlight. The writings foretell the coming of "The Force of Change";  an entity that will upset natural balance in the world. The Force is written to "Give life in place of death, and death in place of life; to give birth to destruction, and turn destruction into the new beginning". The Force disrupts the Gods' attempts to balance the world, and thereby brings it closer to the end. These acts are not necessarily evil; in fact an often-cited example is Mortalis attempting to prevent the battle of Grenosia.

Notes:

Oras has accepted what's happened to his parents, and his new life. He's not actively searching for living relatives or the identity of their killers. That said, he would probably have strong reactions if he were to find the killers.

Oras is potentially on the verge of becoming a serial killer. I'm hoping the Hands of Anoch can correct him.

I've left the identity of Oras' parents' killers vague, as well as their background. If you feel like using it, go for it.

I've assumed that Dhartha is on good terms with the Hands of Anoch; but if you want he could have been forced out, or fled (stole the Will of the Scales maybe?)

I've given Dhartha's followers a symbol (the scale cloak pin) in case you want us to run into one of them at some point.

I've also left the origin of "The Will of the Scale" nebulous. It could very well be a legitiimate document, or constructed by a demon to trick humans. I figure you can decide based on the true nature of Mortalis.

I see some similarities to your description of the Hands of Anoch and Dhartha's order, so I'm hoping this all kind of fits.

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Dhartha has one master in particular in mind that he thinks will be able to help you find your way: Master Po, who trains students at the House of Life and Death in the Cloudwood, a rain forest in the country of Telune. He is taking you there himself, actually, however, following something that he says is the "will of Anoch" you have deviated course and gone to the city of Port Prosper in the Wild Isles. One of the things he suggests you struggle with is hearing the voice of Anoch, and he believes that with clarity, you will learn and know your place and purpose in the world.

Still reading... I have made it through the section on the Will of the Scale and think it's great. I intend to use all of it, and you've given me several ideas and more hooks for later. Please think on where Master Dhartha would keep the artifact while traveling to take you to Telune. Would he store it or keep it with him? Magically preserving, sealed scroll case? Just let me know what you think. Okay, continuing to read...

Yep, everything is great!!

Okay, so pick your two hobby skills. And you have something called the Eyes of Anoch (I've given everyone abilities that fit their characters to make them feel more unique and increase player investment)... The Eyes of Anoch is a form of deathsight. You can tell how close creatures are to dying by looking at them, as long as you're within 30 feet. That is, how close they are to dying if they've fallen to 0 hp (death saves).

However, after writing this, I could see a more evolved version that gives you a more abstract sense of people's respective fates. No idea how to make that work though. I'm going to think on it.

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I think the most likely scenario is he would keep it with him. I was envisioning his order as just this tiny, tiny splinter religion out in the woods, where he only trains one student at a time and the others had all "graduated" already to travel the world. He wouldn't risk leaving something so valuable alone.

I'm imagining a set of 3 cylinders carved out of wood, each engraved with scenes of a different goddess. The outside is worn smooth and dried from age; the hinge and clasp glint faintly of corroded silver. On close inspection, varnish can still be seen in the corners of some of the carvings. They were clearly painstakingly made by a craftsman years upon years ago (perhaps in one of the monasteries), but have surrendered their beauty to years of weathering. The cylinders are slightly warm to the touch, and radiate a soft energy as if they were hibernating animals preparing to awaken. They cylinders are bound together by hemp rope--tied ornately in a serious of knots that form a net and allow them to comfortably hang from a traveler's shoulder.

Or something like that.

I'll get you the hobby skill tonight. I was figuring craft: woodcarving but that doesn't seem to be a skill? Probably Medicine and Survival/Nature would make the most sense otherwise, considering how isolated Dhartha's place was.