Phoenix Rests Upon the Pine
Phoenix
Being a male bugbear in Shau is not easy, especially when you get set on fire. Phoenix was always skinny compared to other members of his tribe and was relentlessly bullied by them. Finally, as a teenager, he got fed up with it and left the tribe. He traveled over the Korlan/Shau border in an effort to make his own way through life. Unfortunately, the small town he ended up in was not very progressive or open-minded, and he was quickly caught and sentenced to be executed by pyre.
Rose happened to be passing through when the execution began, and in a moment of compassion, she rescued the badly injured bugbear from the flames. The two fled to the forests and hunkered down in a nearby cave. Rose thought she was too late as Phoenix was horrifically burned, however, he stubbornly clung to life. The two spent a long winter together in that cave. As Rose slowly nursed him back to health, they talked. Phoenix was, naturally, extremely bitter about his lot in life and was mystified by Rose’s advice to let all that rage and anger go. How could she possibly understand what he was going through? How were his feelings not justified?
A New Path
As the months wore on, Rose opened up to him about her past and how she knew exactly what it felt like to lose everything. What finally convinced him was her argument that if nothing else had ever made him happy, why not give her way a chance? He could come with her to the Nightshade Monastery and learn from them, including their killing techniques. If he still felt the same way in a few years, he could come back and extract bloody vengeance if he felt like it. Phoenix agreed and journeyed back with Rose after the snows melted.
At the Monastery
At the monastery, Phoenix applied himself like a man possessed. Even with his missing limbs and mangled body, he excelled. He learned how to project his ki to replace his missing arms and how to use those projections to protect himself. But most importantly, he learned wisdom and realized that Rose had been right. Letting go of his attachment to his rage and anger was the final hurdle that was holding him back.
In a moment of self-clarity, he forgave the villagers and became stronger than he had ever been before. He spends most of his time peacefully meditating, steadfastly letting go of each of his attachments, one at a time, in order to further his understanding of the universe.
(He’s an Astral Self Bugbear who is missing both arms below the elbow. As a matter of fluff, he uses the astral arms of his subclass to replace the missing limbs. He gets bigger ones over his shoulders when he goes all out.)
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