Xiao Lin

[Chrys Ellis]

Character Name: Xiao Lin

Current Level: 20

EXP to Level to NEXT level: 380,000

An update on your bio:



Xiao arrived in Hlint a long, long time ago. He didn’t know anyone, and was certainly not used to all the frenetic energy and activity of the area. ÂHe had spent his youth training in the relative serenity of the monastery, hoping one day to achieve spiritual, emotional and physical balance. His life was one of quiet discipline and slow, subtle growth. All that changed when he came to Hlint.


Xiao met some fellow adventurers, and found there were new lessons to be learned. He discovered that you needed gold to buy such basic things as food and drinks. No stranger to hard work, Xiao set off learning new trades, so he would never have to beg for his food in this harsh new world. He also found there were many strange new creatures inhabiting these lands, and many of them viewed Xiao as an enemy. This was new to Xiao, but his master had told him this would be so one day, and all the training was in preparation for this. Xiao had been taught well, and used his skills to vanquish many foes.

As time went on, Xiao’s skills grew, both in combat tactics and certain tradeskills. He quickly developed as a tailor, a woodworker and an alchemist, making all sorts of armors, weapons and potions for fellow adventurers he was meeting in his travels around the lands. At first, Xiao was nervous about making new friends in these parts. Adventuring was a dangerous business, and there was no telling how long any of these new friendships would last. Xiao was no stranger to loss, having lost his parents when he was a small boy, and his entire brotherhood of the red tiger in the more recent events at his monastery. It was interesting, then, that one of the closest friendships Xiao developed was with a rogue named Berris Cole.


If there was an award given for the most likely person to disappear without a trace, it was Berris. He was a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kind of guy, and one might think Xiao would steer clear of such a fellow, who had such different ideals than him. However, they bonded as friends on a level that goes far beyond ideals. This was a relatively happy time in Xiao’s life. He was learning to make his way in the world, both as an adventurer and a trader, and had earned the friendship of a good number of his cohorts. He felt he had most areas of his life under control; save one.

He had nearly forgotten what a woman even was when he arrived in Hlint. He had not even seen a woman before this since he was seven years old, and she was his mother. Perhaps that is why that even to this day, Xiao has no idea how to relate to women, and has still never shared a bed with one. If someone were to ask him about this, he would say celibacy is a healthy thing, and helps to keep one’s body pure and focused. The truth is, though, Xiao has tried to initiate relationships with several women and has failed miserably every time. It’s unclear whether he’d been driven by physical desires, or more deep-seated emotional ones. There is one thing all the women have had in common, though...they’ve all been adventurers, including, of course, his mother.


One day Xiao went to visit his friend Berris and found he had disappeared. He searched high and low for Berris, but there was no sign of him anywhere, and no one seemed to have heard anything. If people did recognize the name of Berris Cole, most would respond by spitting, cursing, or uttering some such nicety as “good riddance”, and carry on about their business. This had a very profound effect on Xiao. Logically, he could say that this was only to be expected, but it changed something inside Xiao. He felt more alone in the world than he had in a very long time.Â

In an attempt to overcome his gloom, he focused more intently than ever on his crafting, and produced countless items for all sorts of adventurers. Everything became a bit hazy for a time, and one day just sort of flowed into the next. Days became weeks, and weeks became months. It seemed it might go on like this forever, until one day when Xiao was alone in the crafthall. He was making a malar leather armor for someone. Berris had worn one just like it, and Xiao found himself sewing it to Berris’ build, instead of the hulking man who had ordered it. He was finished before he even realized what he was doing, and held it up to check the stitching. When he saw how off the size was, and who the armor was really meant for, he dropped it on the table and walked slowly out of the hall.Â

He continued walking out of town, following the sun. He didn’t even know where he was going, except it was far from this place. He traveled to lands he did not recognize. If he came to a body of water, he walked up and down the coast until he could find a boat to take him further. If he encountered enemies along the way, he did his best to get by them undetected. He had no will to fight, unless he was forced to.Â

After countless days and weeks of travel, Xiao came to an abandoned little home overlooking a lake. After making sure it was truly deserted, Xiao took it upon himself to clean and fix the place up. If the rightful owners did return, surely they would appreciate the improvements he had made to the house, and would not begrudge him seeking lodging there until their return. There were a few wild vegetables growing in the surrounding area, and Xiao cultivated these crops into a modest farm. Perhaps a life of solitude would suit him. As he meditated while the sun set over the lake, Xiao thought it might suit him just fine.

Xiao might have lived out his days in this fashion, for he surely spent several seasons in this place. One evening during a rainstorm Xiao felt a sudden urge to go down by the lake. He came to the waters edge and looked at his reflection. Only it was not his reflection. It was his old master! Or was it? He blinked and looked again, and was certain he had only been fooled by a trick of the rain and the moonlight. Almost as if speaking in a voice that was not his own he sighed, “Time to return.” With that, he turned and began walking back up to his little home.Â


Xiao was nearly at his door when he heard scurrying in a nearby bush. He barely took notice of it until he spotted a piece of clothing moving around in there. Xiao snuck around the side of his house and made his way to the bush, doing his best to avoid detection from whatever was moving in there. Like a snake, Xiao reached quickly into the bush and snatched at the wearer of the clothing, who reacted with a little squeak of terror. His eye caught a second body trying to get away, and he caught that with his other hand. Xiao stepped back from the bush and in his hands he saw he held two young humans, a boy and a girl about 12 and 10 years old from the look of them. They were filthy, emaciated, and clearly terrified. Between their sobs and shrieks they begged Xiao for their lives. Xiao thought he heard another movement further back in the trees, but his attention was quickly brought back to the screaming kids. He smiled and put them both down on the ground, holding them firmly and gently. “Hello, children. My name is Xiao Lin. I mean you no harm.”
ÂXiao took them inside, bathed and fed them. After calming them down a bit, they told him their village had been attacked by a horde of monsters, and they had been running for weeks to escape the terror. As far as they knew, they were the only survivors. When Xiao asked about the attackers, the children described what Xiao thought were most likely demons of some sort. Xiao asked if the children heard them say anything, and they told him they mostly spoke in a tongue they did not recognize, but there was one word they heard over and over: “Blood”. Xiao sat back in his chair and sighed, “Time to return.”

After showing the children where everything in the house was, including the secret area he had built to store his most valuable possessions, which he now wore, Xiao explained that the house belonged to them now. The boy assured Xiao he knew how to tend to the garden, and both children thanked Xiao profusely for his generosity. When the boy asked why Xiao wanted to leave such an idyllic spot, Xiao put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and said, “Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.” With that, he set off, walking against the sun.
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When Xiao first returned to Hlint, he was amazed at the scope of the changes that had taken place since his departure. Not just the people, but the buildings, and even some of the roads were different. At first, he thought he might have made a big mistake coming back, but he soon remembered how to handle himself in these lands. It was not long before he met a ranger named Seteece, as he was exploring the lands on the continent of Dregar. He fought alongside Seteece against foes the likes of which he had not seen before. The ranger seemed impressed at the fighting prowess of the strange monk, and asked where he had been hiding himself. Xiao merely responded that he had traveled to find something that was lost, but had now been found. Further discussion revealed Xiao’s skills with a tailor’s needle, and Seteece seemed most interested in that. He told Xiao that his guild was looking for skilled craftsmen that could also handle themselves in combat.

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Xiao hesitated at first, wondering whether he should pursue something like this. He decided he would not live a solitary existence any longer, and agreed to meet with the rest of the guild members. About that time, one of the founders of the guild stepped down from the post, and Xiao was informed he was being considered as a replacement. Again, Xiao was unsure of taking on the responsibilities, but upon reflection decided it was exactly the kind of thing he should be doing. He knew he wanted to get more involved in the fight against Sinthar Bloodstone, and perhaps this was a good first step. His affiliation with this guild would likely open more doors for him in the future. He was almost sure of that. Of course, he didn’t know what might lie behind those doors, but he was now willing to find out.

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Xiao has been with the guild for a few months now. It has felt good to be a part of something bigger than himself again. He has been devoting much of his time to crafting items his guild members need, and it has been very rewarding for him, though he has not made any coins from these tasks. He has heard about the council being formed to deal with the ever-growing presence of Sinthar Bloodstone, andÂXiao has volunteered himselfÂas a representaive of his guildÂto approach the council, either to obtain a seat on the council itself, or to act as liason between the council and his guild. Who knows what the future will bring?
 What do you think should/could happen to your character during Epic Levels:

First, I would like Xiao to learn about his past. Perhaps not all of it right now, but certainly a major chunk. There are some major mysteries that could have some light shed on them:
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What happened to Xiao's parents? Did they die in the desert? Did they lose Thaddeus and have been searching for him ever since? Or were they somehow more involved in him ending up in the monastery?
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What is the truth about the monastery? How did Luon seem to know Xiao would find him in the desert? Who was the hooded stranger who appeared around his 18th birthday? What really happened the night he was struck unconscious and ended up alone on a strange road?
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I have some definite ideas about the direction I'd like Xiao to go in, but don't know how much I should say or reveal at this point. I'd like to see ifÂXiao gets approved for going epic, and discuss the details with whatever particular GM will take this on with me. I will say that I am leaning heavily towards multiclassing Xiao, taking him down a path he probably did not expect, but will see was planned for him a very long time ago. I would certainly like this path to have some broad implications in the world, but would need to discuss some details with the ECDQ GM, and possibly even Leanthar.

[Chrys Ellis]

Xiao has also had thoughts about opening a monastery.ÂÂMuch of what that will actuallyÂentail depends on what happens in his ECDQ, the other monks of Layonara, and probably some discussion with L.

[Pankoki]

Xiao, would you be so kind to provide us with a list of your accomplishments in Layonara. Things that have left a mark in the world or that you consider important as a whole to be considered "epic" in a world.
Thank you.

[Chrys Ellis]

Well, I'll at least get things started, and you tell me if you need more. One thing is, many of the quests Xiao has been on were a really long time ago in RL. Forgive me, but I didn't keep a log of them, and RL events that have occurred between then and now, combined with my old age, have left things a little hazy for me. I assure you Xiao was involved in several world plot quests, involving Milara, the Sielwood Witch, and the blood pools. Details are a bit hazy in my mind, but if you need me to, I can try to rack my brain about them.
Since it has always been difficult for me to join many quests though, due to RL time constraints, Xiao has tried to make an impact on the world in the ways he could:
<ul>[*]Xiao became a master craftsman in several areas, including woodworking, alchemy, and, most notably, tailoring. There was a time that Xiao was hands-down the best tailor in Layonara, and if an adventurer was lucky enough to have a malar bag inÂtheir posession, there was probably over a 90% chance that "Xiao Lin" was stitched on the inside in fine script. Xiao also suited many an adventurer in armors of animal skin that surely saved many of their lives time and time again. The items Xiao made most surely made the adventuring population more capable of facing the challenges it faced on a daily basis.[*]Xiao has helped found the freelancers guild, along with Ahndar Sussail, Seteece, Pathfinder and Quillwem. The guildhall and inn of the frelancersÂis presently being built, and the guild's influence will continue to grow as out plans unfurl in the coming months.[*]Xiao was the first adventurer to reach a level of training within the monk discipline to even be considered for epic status. His ideals and philosophy, along with his snippets of wisdom, are familiar to many an adventurer, even those Xiao has not met. The sheer number of times that Xiao has introduced himself to someone, only to be told they have already heard of him, shows that Xiao has clearly impacted those he has interacted with.Â[*]With the growing monk population in Layonara, Xiao has takenÂall of them under his wing, to some degree. AskÂmost any monk, and they'll tell you Xiao has offered advice and help of any kindÂto any that desire it. He has even begun to reconsider his plans of starting a monastery (this point needs to be discussed with Leanthar or a lead-GM, to hash out the details). The ECDQ will revolve heavily around this point, if granted.[/list]I personally feel that you don't fully know the impact you have had on the world around youÂuntil others speak on your behalf. I have asked several long time players to tell me howÂtheyÂview Xiao's impact, and will use their responses to add to the list I've already set forth.Â

[Chrys Ellis]

Here is an updated list of some of Xiao's accomplishments. If I can think of more I will certainly add them, if necessary. Of course, if any long time players can think of other contributions Xiao has made, feel free to help this forgetful guy out and post them here.
1. Xiao became a master craftsman in several areas, including woodworking, alchemy, and, most notably, tailoring. There was a time that Xiao was hands-down the best tailor in Layonara, and if an adventurer was lucky enough to have a malar bag in their posession, there was probably over a 90% chance that "Xiao Lin" was stitched on the inside in fine script. Xiao also suited many an adventurer in armors of animal skin that surely saved many of their lives time and time again. The items Xiao made most surely made the adventuring population more capable of facing the challenges it faced on a daily basis. 2. Xiao has helped found the freelancers guild, along with Ahndar Sussail, Seteece, Pathfinder and Quillwem. The guildhall and inn of the frelancers is presently being built, and the guild's influence will continue to grow as out plans unfurl in the coming months. 3. Xiao was the first adventurer to reach a level of training within the monk discipline to even be considered for epic status. His ideals and philosophy, along with his snippets of wisdom, are familiar to many an adventurer, even those Xiao has not met. The sheer number of times that Xiao has introduced himself to someone, only to be told they have already heard of him, shows that Xiao has clearly impacted those he has interacted with. 4. With the growing monk population in Layonara, Xiao has taken all of them under his wing, to some degree. Ask most any monk, and they'll tell you Xiao has offered advice and help of any kind to any that desire it. He has even begun to reconsider his plans of starting a monastery (this point needs to be discussed with Leanthar or a lead-GM, to hash out the details). The ECDQ will revolve heavily around this point, if granted. 5. Xiao got involved in a quest to thwart an uprising of bugbears. They were beginning to form alliances and were threatening to invade en masse the small villages and larger towns of Mistone. Xiao managed to infiltrate one of the major camps with Enzo Reynolt, Amanduena (I KNOW I spelled that wrong) and some other adventurers and made their way to the leader, the Big Bad Boss. Xiao challenged the leader to a bare-fisted fight to the death. Xiao narrowly defeated him and, according to bugbear custom, inherited his role as leader of the bugbear clan. He picked up the bugbearsÂkatana as proof, and used it to prove his role as leader to the bugbears of the clan. By convincing them that the other clans were weak, and that this clan would be lowering itself by teaming with them, Xiao helped change the tide of the growing uprising. With his new powerful clan backing out of any invasion plans, the organization of the remaining clans fizzled. 6. When Fort Llast was being invaded, Xiao got involved and helped beat back the forces that were threatening to overrun it. He and a couple other adventurers helped stem off an attempt to strike a wedge through a particularly vulnerable point that would have allowed waves of the enemy to stream through. Fort Llast might not be standing today, and a major trade route would be cut off by enemy forces were it not for the victory won that year. 7. Xiao got involved when the Sielwood witch was restored to her current standing, after hearing of Gotak nearly destroying any chance of that with his rash behavior. Xiao knew that calm wisdom must balance this out, and his influence helped bring about a more positive outcome for the witch and all those involved. 8. When the scorpion began to show itself around Hlint and the surrounding landscape, Xiao went on many expeditions to investigate, and came face to face with Milara on several occasions. Becoming involved in a major plot which has repercussions even to this day with the battle in the heavens. 9. Xiao was involved in the appearance of the shadows at night. Eventually this plot led to the discovery of the ancient councillor who was awaiting liberation in the Ancient Dungeon near the Tower of Darkness. This ancient was said to be a powerful individual who could bring a great change to the alliance. 10. When Fisterion the Dragon made his lair in Mistone and he threatened to bring chaos upon the land, Xiao was involved with the party that saw to his eventual decision to move to a far away land. Dealing with such a powerful creature that effectively removed a huge threat from the lands of the Queen is something Xiao will not soon forget. 11. I really want Xiao to start an order of monks in Layonara, and I have for a long time. Certainly, I would think that would help with the question of Xiao's involvement in the world, but I always thought it was the logical path for Xiao to follow, regardless. Timing has held me up in some ways, but now it is a question of whether the order would need to be an official guild, or not. I'm heavily involved with the freelancers guild right now, and would prefer not to have to leave it, if possible. Also, I'm not sure what belonging to an order I establish would or could do for other players, and, especially, if it would preclude joining any other guilds. They would have to have a good reasonÂwhy they would want to choose membership in the order vs. joining a guild, if such a choice was, indeed, necessary. I am certaily open to discussion and input from the world builders on this point. As I've said, I do have some specific ideas about what happened with Xiao's order and how he could get re-involved with that, so it has a foundation already that can tie into the ECDQ.

[Leanthar]

With this updated request you are approved for epic status/levels upon a successful completion of your ECDQ.

[Leanthar]

Is this being handled?

[Pankoki]

[orange]Player originally requested Ed to run it, then made this post on ZV's thread: http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums...=14921&posts=2 ZV has yet to respond seeing as he is busy with RL. I recommend to Xiao to either PM ZV and let him reply on his thread if he is indeed prepared to run an ECDQ now or not, otherwise he will need to wait until another DM becomes available.

[Leanthar]

Thank you.

[ZeroVega]

I will take this. Worked with him a bit behind the scenes, just neglected to take care of the formalities.

[ZeroVega]

Completed