The Talons' Monastery

A cloud of purple smoke envelops you, and you find yourself in a narrow, peaceful valley. Tall mountains on either side allow sunlight to hit the ground for only part of the day, yet the trees and shrubs and tall grasses are vibrant with color, and full of birds and other life.

A young man approaches. He wears the robes of a monk, but a deadly blade is sheathed at either hip. He hops a bit with each step, as if he has trained for many years with heavy armor and the robes are unnatural to him. “I am the Swordsman,” he says. “Sensei awaits you.”

The young man leads you to a small pond. At first, you see only the water, and some lilies, and a few shoots of bamboo which sway slightly in the wind. Then your eyes seem to focus more tightly, and you make out an old man, older than any man you have ever seen, sitting perfectly still on the ground, his bare feet resting in the water and his eyes, half-closed, gazing at the waves.

“Master,” the Swordsman says reverently, and then departs. Soon, you hear the sounds of battle in the distance. The old man does not seem concerned, and in fact, does not seem to notice you or anything else around him.

After minutes of waiting, you grow impatient, and are about to call attention to yourself when the man looks up at you, his lips and eyes formed into a faint smile. “They are almost ready,” he says. “You should meet them.”

• The Senseiplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Sensei
  
  The venerable man watches you for a long time, his eyes focused intently on yours. Somehow, though you've never before met, you feel that he knows you well, and, after a time, you feel that you are getting to know him. He is wise beyond reckoning, even moreso than his years can account for. Although he appears frail and weak, you feel powerless before him, like he could strike you down as quickly and silently as could a trained assassin. You know he will not harm you, however, or at …, Master of the Talons
• The Archerplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Archer
  
  You feel a mild sting on the side of your head, as if a few of your hairs have been suddenly torn out. You reach your hand up to touch the spot, and there is no blood. In the distance, you see an elf smiling at you. Having demonstrated his ability, the Archer quickly dodges into the brush and disappears.
• The Empty Handplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Empty Hand
  
  The Empty Hand, also known as Calm Water, reflects his name well except in battle, when he rushes to the enemy, swinging each limb as a deadly weapon. He specializes in crowds, taking down hoards of kobolds or orcs before any of the others can finish off one., Known in the monastery as Calm Water, or in the World of Man as Li.
• The Healerplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Healer
  
  Acorn was never a large man, standing around five and a half feet and slender of build. Still, the three months that have passed since leaving the monastery seem to have slimmed him down further, leaving him painfully thin to the eye. Despite this, the calm warmth he carries with him in everything he has done since childhood has magnified. Emanating out from him is a sense of peace that stills the mind and calms the emotions of all those nearby. He wears simple robes, light bro…
• The Swordsmanplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Swordsman
  
  The “Swordsman”: Small, wiry and probably of Shou descent. A fun-loving, good natured sort (think Bruce Lee in “Dragon”), the Swordsman was a dervish with his twin-sword style use of the Daisho.
• The Bruteplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Brute
  
  Moving slowly and purposefully like a mammoth seige weapon, Terrible Steel Hammer dominates your view. Though slightly shorter than an average human, he seems taller, as his thick arms and hands effortlessly lug a gleaming hammer across his massive shoulders. His clothes are simple, and without design, somewhat mismatched and betraying his giant frame. Surely this being has a purpose and cant be bothered with such trivial matters as clothes, you think. As he approaches, gray-brown …
• The Infiltratorplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Infiltrator
  
  The Infiltrator, known more commonly as Hurricane, spent most of his spare time in the monastery in extra training, learning to become the best fighter he could become. Once out of the monastery, he became a fierce defender of the law., Known to many as Hurricane.
• The Arcanistplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Arcanist
  
  Twilight is turning into dusk, and the Talons' training for the day is over. Still, there are two you have not yet seen, and Sensei insists that you seek them out. The Healer points you in the right direction.
  
  After a lengthy walk, you see movement in a small clearing. Remembering your experience with the Archer, you approach silently, and watch from a distance. The last of the Talons is holding his staff horizontally with both hands, and has one foot raised in the air. He remains…, Known to some as Dancing Albatross. (includes journal)
• The Trackerplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Tracker
  
  The wood elf before you stands at a mere 5'1“ with coppery-green skin, shoulder length black hair, and watchful green eyes that never seem to linger for long. His height is a poor match to his exceptional wood elf stature with broad shoulders and thick legs. You notice a twitch of his ear as he spins around, his massive strength obviously not a hindrance to his elven grace. He relaxes, apparently spotting what caused the noise you didn't hear. Just a false alarm, you surmise. Not th…, Known in the monastery as Caged Wolf, or in the World of Man as Rhaine. (includes journal)