- "‘But sire, what are the noble duties of a wheel-turning monarch?’
‘Well then, my dear, relying only on principle—honoring, respecting, and venerating principle, having principle as your flag, banner, and authority—provide just protection and security for your court, troops, aristocrats, vassals, [priests] and householders, people of town and country, ascetics and [priests], beasts and birds. Do not let injustice prevail in the realm....'
Then the wheel-treasure rolled towards the east. And the king followed it together with his army of four divisions. In whatever place the wheel-treasure stood still, there the king came to stay together with his army. And any opposing rulers of the eastern quarter came to the wheel-turning monarch and said, ‘Come, great king! Welcome, great king! We are yours, great king, instruct us.’
Then the wheel-treasure, having plunged into the eastern ocean and emerged again, rolled towards the south. … Having plunged into the southern ocean and emerged again, it rolled towards the west. …Having plunged into the western ocean and emerged again, it rolled towards the north...
And in the royal capital a king will arise, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion will extend to all four sides, he will achieve stability in the country, and possess the seven treasures.... He will have over a thousand sons who are valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies. After conquering this land girt by sea, he will reign by principle, without rod or sword."- -Dīgha Nikāya 26
Āṇatti
Appearance:Age: 47 (as of 1357 DR)
Height 6'2"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: None
Facial Hair Style: None
Personality Profile:
General Health: Tall and lean
Deity: Kwan Ying
Initial Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Profession: Monk
Base Class & Proposed Development: Monk
Habits/Hobbies: Meditating, martial arts
Languages: Shou, Common
Weapon of Choice: Unarmed
Background:
Birth in Ch'ing Tung Province
- "Ch'ing Tung:
The Land: Ch'ing Tung reaches from the edge of
the salt plain, moving south through sloping grasslands
into the fertile valley between the Hungtse and
Ch'ing Tung Rivers. Following the Hungtse River
northwest, the Silver Road runs through Tabot and
eventually into the Forgotten Realms, although
unknown hazards make this a perilous journey. It is
along this basin that most of the village and river traffic
moves south into Wang Kuo province, seat of the
Imperial Throne.
History: During the Li dynasty, the creation of the
Dragon Wall made this region safe from the incursions
of the horse barbarians. With its fertile river
basin, many stands of trees, and available grazing
area, Ch'ing Tung became home to many farming
clans, particularly the Ch'ing, who had suffered much
oppression under the rule of the Hai Dynasty.
The People: The largest ethnic group outside of
the people of Wan Kuo, the Ch'ing are characterized
by others as being clannish, pushy, and adventurous
to a fault; This doesn't bother them at all, as they consider
Ch'ing Tung to be the center of the universe.
They are more 'night owls' than most Shou, fond of
staying up late to drink in the wine shops and talk
about all manner of current events....
Cities or Places of Note: ...Of special interest are the River Cities. These are located
along the heavily journeyed Hungtse River basin, and
are well known to all Shou citizens. They include:
Mi'Shan, a small northern river city noted for its
waterfalls and great Chung Tao shrine to Kwan Ying..."- -Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms, page 11
Unfortunately, as the youngest child of ten, Zhou-He did not stand to inherit the family's businesses. Knowing this, Zhou-He did not focus on learning about farming or trade. Instead, he spent his time honing his mind and body at a nearby temple in Mi'Shan. The monks there taught him about the Way, martial arts, and Kwan Ying's mercy.
By tradition, the eldest son Lin should have inherited the family fortune and position as head of household. However, Lin was an addict, constantly in a belligerent stupor from drink and drugs. As such, their father decreed that their sister Xi, third eldest and by far the most mature and responsible of all the siblings, would inherit and become the next head of the household. All of the siblings agreed except Lin, who took up a weapon and tried to kill Xi. Zhou-He leapt to his sister's defense and slew Lin on the spot.
Zhou-He felt no regret over his deed, knowing that with Lin's death, his family was finally free of a heavy and embarrassing burden. His family, however, felt that he had gone too far. Though Xi thanked him for defending her, Zhou-He knew it was best for him to leave the household. He went to stay at the temple in Mi'Shan.
He ordained as a monk and was given the monastic name Āṇatti.
Kwan Ying and the Way
- Kwan Ying
(pronounced: koo-wann ying)
Compassionate Kwan Ying
Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Joy- -Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms, page 25
so it is among the [priests of the Way]. In the earliest
days of the Empire, this caused a great rift in the unified
faith, with two main temple emerging from the
chaos. One group, known as the Black [Way],
believe that the superior man has a duty to shape the
universe to his ends; directing the unenlightened of
the Earth to a higher goal."- -Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms, page 28
Many of the monks and priests at the temple disagreed with Āṇatti. Their differences in philosophy were eventually put to the test.
Mingjie, one of the female monastics at the Mi'Shan temple, used to be married to an enormously imposing and abusive husband. She had left her husband months ago in the middle of the night, fleeing in secret to the temple to hide and ordain. One day her husband finally found her, and he barged into the temple with a sword in hand, intent on punishing his disobedient wife and dragging her back home with him. Āṇatti saw the monastics try without success to talk to the furious man. When Mingjie's husband tried repeatedly to stab her, Āṇatti watched her evade his attacks with fear on her face. While the other monastics tried to subdue the man nonlethally, Āṇatti stepped up and killed him.
Āṇatti was expelled from the temple, and has been traveling ever since.
In his journeys, he has visited many monasteries and shrines to learn from various traditions. He has also spent long periods of time meditating in the wilds, developing his understanding and connection to the natural world. He sees himself as a destroyer of the barriers holding people back from their natural enlightenment, a bridge between humanity and nature.
Goals:
- Realize the Way
- Help those in need, by whatever means necessary
- Show others that conventional ideas of "Good" and "Evil" are merely social conventions with no true meaning
- As a follower of the Black Way, Āṇatti believes in shaping the world to his view. This makes him open to concepts and teachings that many would consider tyrannical.
- He truly believes in Kwan Ying's teachings of compassion and mercy. However, in his view, this means enforcing rules and discipline upon people who would otherwise be lax and corrupt.
- He often uses fire as a meditation object. The teachings of Kossuth, with their emphasis on power and guiding the masses, appeal to him.
- Āṇatti believes that followers of the White Way, pacifists, and other peace lovers are too passive. In his view, their impotence borders on sinful neglect. It is the Black Way that truly cares about the world, for its followers are the ones who will actually do something to make the world a better place.
- He does not consider followers of the White Way to be of any consequence or threat. He considers them misguided and naïve, and generally ignores them.