Jon Xi, The Fat Monk

Jon Xi ( 约翰西 in hanzi) a human monk of the Xi Huo Monastery of the Elemental Arts in western Hearth. Famed for his eating habits and his seeming disregard of people who appear far more vulnerable than himself or of the party of adventures with whom he currently resides. Despite this he currently aims to achieve a form of enlightenment through the varied consumption of food and drink from all over Hearth and beyond.

Backstory
Born in western Hearth, his parents were unable to raise him and reluctantly decided to put him in the care of the nearby Xi Huo Monastery. The monks there took care of him and raised him in the martial and elemental arts for which they were famed. It was here that he learned his two great passions, punching and eating.

He was moderately infamous for his own excessive eating habits at feast days during his teenage years, which led his masters to increase his physical training for the two-fold purpose of not allowing him too become too overweight and an attempt to keep his mind and body occupied so that the monastery's food supplies would not dwindle to nothing in his presence. This however was in vain as two years prior to now there was a great bounty of a harvest from the surrounding farms and villages that keep the monastery supplied and much more food than the monastery had ever known was donated to them. This cornucopia of food distracted Jon so much that over the course of the feast to celebrate the harvest, he ate most if not all of it. In that moment of over-consumptive contentment, he discovered his way to enlightenment: the consumption of all foods.

The Masters of Xi Huo felt that this act of gluttony would not be tenable within the monastery and had to ex-communicate him from the monastery for his depletion of their food supplies. On leaving they told him the life of a traveling monk will be difficult but if he truly saw the way to personal enlightenment by eating all the varieties of food across Hearth then being out of the monastery would be the best way to achieve it, however he would not be welcomed back to Xi Huo.

From there he traveled the Free City of Thad, performing odd jobs for coppers and silver that he used to buy food from the various inns. In one of these inns he got embroiled in a vicious bar fight that led to him being run out of the city by the guards and several guild thugs. From Thad, he traveled to Lunch and resided there for quite some time, due its reputation of having the best chefs in Hearth (a fact to which Jon can attest). It was here that he met the traveling acapella music group Ex-Vox, whom required a drummer that Jon volunteered for. With Jon in tow, Ex-Vox traveled through many towns and villages including: Zonah, Gnomehold, Amaranoroha (their biggest gig) and Weaver's Touch (they were not very impressed), performing at their inns and taverns, and one concert hall in Amaranoroha (supporting another popular band) always looking for their next free meal. Eventually arriving in Rose halls, the Ex-Vox members reunited with their former drummer and parting ways with Jo Xi.

Rose Halls, the beginning of Adventure
After being kicked out of Ex-Vox, Jon began once again looking for odd jobs. He found one clearing Rats out of the basement of the Donkey Hotel Inn along with: Theresa Avo, Paladin of Alupin, Banar Stonehand, Dwarven fighter, Habbuk McWater, Wild Mage, Cindarr Darkstorm, Warlock of Gan-Bo, and Cassandra, The Bard.

Joining this group of Adventures to rid the Donkey Hotel of its Rat problem, he found the adventuring lifestyle to his liking as it allowed him to punch his adversaries and to travel across Hearth and eat all he can. After the Donkey Hotel basement the Party traveled to the surrounding areas of Rose Halls to deal with a local gang of goblin raiders that were harrying local farms. They tracked the goblins to a cave where they were hiding out and keeping their raid loot, easily dispatching them and returning lost items to the farms gained the party an adventurers reputation.

It was here the Jon Xi took to the training of Master Pun, a local master on the Martial Arts and trainer who had quite the unconventional method of training as both he and Habbuk McWater discovered.

The Party's reputation got the attention of the Rose Halls council who asked them to retrieve the shell of a flail snail, a rather dangerous creature whose shell holds certain magical properties making it valuable to local wizards. Upon returning to Rose halls, they were called before the council and asked to deliver a tribute of food and drink to Cran Onthran, the Prince of Strom Giants. The Giant seemed somewhat embarrassed by the tribute but took it anyway and took a break with the party. Jon was greatly appreciated the Cran's laid back attitude to life.

During this meeting, Eldritch meteors containing Beholders and their mutant minions fell nearby Cran and the Largest Beholder engaged in fierce battle, in which he prevailed but lost a hand, while the party dispatched the minions. In the aftermath of the battle Cran told the party to take and blue and a green tablet to a nearby gnome sage and promptly departed implying larger and more devastating events were afoot. However the party's cart was being raided by orcs and they were reluctant to return the party's property. Another battle was fought and the orcs gained the upper hand nearly killing Jon. However thanks to Habbuk's guile the party was able to defeat the orcs and travel to the gnomish sage.

The sage who lived in his own pocket dimension in a nearby forest, let them stay for a while and gave them some treatment for the chaotic magic that the beholders and their meteors had in infected them with. It was here that they learned that similar events had taken place on Terra Incognita and had left vast swathes of that continent poisoned. He told them to keep the blue tablet with then so that either he of Cran could contact them should events get out of their hands and their assistance is required. He also counseled caution when discussing these events with other people. Returning the Rose halls the Party reported the events, those they felt the town needed to know, to the town council. The council members were extremely troubled by this and the local council wizards became prone to fainting on hearing of these events. However the party was immensely pleased with themselves and celebrated at the Donkey Hotel Inn. The Next day, Jon went for some more training with Master Pun who wished Jon to participate in a martial arts contest against the student of his rival, Master Bates. These two masters both had a piece of martial weapon each and neither was willing to give it up to the other. Jon agreed to participate in the contest. In preparation of the contest both Cassandra and Cindarr decided to help Jon gain an edge against his opponent: Cindarr would feed him some telepathic messages to screw up and Cassandra would give Jon some bardic cheerleading support in the contest. On the day of the contest Jon met his opponent, Ix Noj in a fierce martial arts battle, and while both combatants were seemingly evenly matched, Jon Xi claimed victory. The rival masters agreed to give Jon the pieces of the Kama weapon, The Wailing Doom, they each held and told him that there were other pieces to it that he could find on his adventures. Jon took on this personal quest to fully assemble the Kama.

Woodfolk Holdings and Falls from Grace
On that evening the Party was hired by a pair of Eladrin merchants who wished to have their services as bodyguards on their journey back to the Woodfolk Holdings. The Party accepted and set off the next morning. Over the next few days the journey was uneventful until they encountered a young boy on the side of the road. He was a distraction for a bandit ambush, but the boy himself was the sorcererous son of the bandit lord who had orchestrated this ambush. The Party fought well dispatching the bandits, but Jon took it upon himself to take the boy out of the fight to that end he attempted a stunning strike on the child. This did far more than he expected leaving the child stunned with a blackened eye and his father berserker raging at Jon for his deed.

After forcing the Bandit Lord to retreat with his son under his arm, Jon fell into a stunned depression over what he did. The Party did not speak to him nor he they, except of Cindarr who telepathically berated him for it and told him to worship Gan-Bo. It was two days later during a griffon attack where he finally came to terms with what he did and swore under Gan-Bo (Cindarr's influence showing through) to take the world as it comes and should the universe have consequences for his actions he shall meet them head held high.

The path was barred by a Chitine Stronghold and Jon, Cassandra and Cindarr were incapacitated after surviving an ambush. They awoke, cocooned inside the webbed domes. After freeing them selves they went to find the rest of their party, dispatching a Chitine Queen along the way (Comments were made that he had graduated from punching children to punching their mothers). Progressing into the larger dome they found Habbuk, Banar and another two people, one had been there for some time and was on the verge of death, the other was a stranger known only as The Assassin, who agreed to help them out (in return for payment of course).

Together this new Party came to the center of the dome where they encountered a dark ritual to the spider goddess Lolth, to which their employers were due to be sacrificed. The Party used tree tokens to kill the presiding Drider and then proceeded to kill off the Chitine and Choldrith performers. Banar took it upon himself to rush the Drow elf in the center of the ritual where she was transforming into a waxy yellow demon. Cassandra had to rescue him by revealing her Aasimar nature. With the ritual incomplete the demon was trapped by the force field surrounding it and Cindarr and Cassandra dispatched it with ease and rescuing their employers.

The Party were graciously rewarded for their exceptional efforts on the journey from Rose Halls, and were offered free lodgings. Some members of the party including Jon when down to the local elven bar, and were introduced to a strange and mysterious clear drink. Jon drank a tankard of it and while he thought it had a slight kick to it he was floored moments later. When he woke the next morning he found himself with a strange mustache, and a complete set of male genetailia on his forehead. He, along with Cassandra who wanted her new pet spider to be sapient, enlisted the help of a local druid circle about having his forehead-penis removed. They agreed and asked both him and Cassadra to do a task for them in return. They agreed and one of the druids took Jon to a private spot to remove the head wang. They both agreed not to speak of the details of the ritual to anyone. The task they asked of them in return was to plant some acorns at a specific spot in the mountains.

Meanwhile Cindarr had helped obtain another quest for them in the mountains, to unearth some ancient scrolls from the lair of the last known dragon on Hearth and possibly Oricalla. With that the Party departed The Woodfolk Holdings and headed for the mountains. Halfway toward their destination, the party came to a small country estate where they attempted to stay for the evening. The Lady of the house gave them a lukewarm reception but permitted them to stay in the grounds. Her butler showed them to where they would be staying, but under extreme duress, he admitted that things were not as they seem in the household. The assassin and Cassandra teamed up to disguise Cassandra as a traveling High-Elf Noble, while Jon and Banar explored the grounds, following the butler on his "evening chores", to his annoyance. They followed him to the basement where they found a demonic summoning circle, at this the butler attempted to summon something but Cindarr intervened and Jon was swift, striking him with a stunning strike, and proceeded to tied him up and take him to the rest of the party. Cassandra's ploy, as it turned out, was assisting in the assassination of this Elf Lady and Jon & Banar found her dying in a pool of vomit. Cindarr then brutally slaughtered her for Demon worship.

Upon reaching the mountains, they reached the point the druids wanted them to and endeavored to plant the seeds they were given, only to be interrupted by swiftly dispatched Weeping Treant. The Dragon's lair was guarded by a number of confounding light and illusory based traps, that had to be disabled at their source: a trio of rune covered statues representing Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil and See no Evil. With the traps permanently disabled the party found the dragon's lair and within another Elf Lady, the leader of the Woodfolk Holdings no less and sister to the country Elf Lady. The Assassin took no time in dropping her dead. The Handmaiden, Mabel, thanked them but on observing Cindarr, revealed her true form as Psoglov Demon. The Party took the Demon head on in an epic battle and drew it to such a point that turned invisible. Jon struck the final blows to the Demon, removing its steel jaw.

With the Demon defeated the Party was then free to rest, explore and loot the lair. While the majority of the treasure had been taken and spent by the Woodfolk Holdings Leader, some still remained. Also within were 6 hidden dragon eggs that hatched when the party approached. Lost, seemingly harmless and adorable, the party adopted the dragon hatchlings and took them out into the world. On the return journey, all but one of the baby dragons, nicknamed Brunie, ventured forth alone into the wild. The party took Burnie to the Woodfolk Holdings and presented him?/her?undefined to the disbelieving populace. The Druids were less than impressed. The Hermit was overjoyed that they'd found a real live dragon.

The Falling Star
Forsaking the Bar, Jon decided to find a good restaurant and gorge himself into enlightenment of Woodfolk cuisine, while Cassandra entertained the other patrons. Cassandra's adoptive father found them here and asked the party to investigate a "cult" known as the Followers of the Falling Star who were entrenched in a village nearby. While the majority of the members were out selling "firedust", the party found their hideout and raided it. Using invisibility granted to him by Cindarr, Jon crept into the hideout and stole one of their artifacts. An invisible Cindarr, masquerading as a demon/devil, announced each party member as one of his cult, (Banar, the Avatar of Cindarr; Cassandra, the Bride of Cindarr; The Assassin of Cindarr; and Jon [eventually getting the Sitter of Cindarr]). Within the hideout was a machine creating firedust operated by a trio of disguised Yuan-Ti. They escaped death by use of magic amulets, and fled to warn the other members.

In pursuit the party were ambushed by two Wyverns that were bent on killing Burnie. While one was dispatched the other fled taking a bite out of Burnie. Reaching the village the party created an ambush for the Yuan-Ti and publicly revealed them in-front of the packed village market. The other members of the Falling Star resigned themselves to the party and were taken to meet their leader back at their cave. Afterwards, they decided to move out to the Woodfolk Holdings. Back there they reported their findings (several artifacts, blueprints and the faux firedust) to Alden. The Leaders of the falling star contracted the party to do some work for them and gave the Party a message to deliver to Crox in Rose Halls as their first job.

Returning to Rose Halls, the party traveled through the forest, through the burned out ruins of the Chitine Stronghold where they encountered a Mind Flayer. After defeating it the party received a message from its fellow who wished to barter information. Out of the forest the Party came to rest at a "village" of three houses, but were disturbed by a nocturnal raid by werewolves and other were-beasts. Jon was badly infected by the were-disease, as well as most of the party and boy survivor, and made haste the Rose Halls to get a cure. Currently resident in Rose Halls were a group Werewolf Hunters who helped with the cure. The meeting with Crox went well (and they found out what the Flail-Snail Shell was for: a FABULOUS CAPE), and he explained the he was the Original Founder of the Followers of the Falling Star, but left when some of them became "cultish", he then asked the party to accompany him down to Stoatarm (Near Xi Huo monastary). While he packed up his workshop for travel he told the Party about a gathering of Elves near the Zonah Nessus Moon Portal.

The Muster of the Elves
Just after setting off, they encountered a rather familiar-looking Tiefling adolescent, who revealed himself as the Bandit-Lord's Sorcerer son that Jon punched in the face a while back, and was looking for revenge using the assembling were-creatures as his minions. While Jon could not engage the Sorcerer/Warlock while taking heavy beatings from the Werewolf Trolls. In the end the Kid fled but the party had to return to Rose Halls once again for treatment (in tow with a paralyzed werewolf). The Werewolf Hunters and the Party interorgated the captured werewolf and revealed the bandit camp nearby (also led the Party to discover that the Hunters were natural-born Were-Tigers). After investigating the camp, recently abandoned, the Part left Rose Halls again.

En route to the Gathering, the Party came to the Village of Weaver's Touch, a racist human village that Jon had visited previously with Ex-Vox, and Cassandra's birthplace. After a tense stint in the bar, Cassandra left to rescue her sister, where her biological father was assassinated and a mob was formed outside during Cassandra's confrontation with her Mother, ending with an entire house being blasted away. Before the mob could gain any momentum, Jon and Cindarr massacred it. They left for Amavanoroha, to join the muster the next morning. Uniting with the Free Elven Army, as one of many adventuring and mercenary companies, at Amavanoroha, they set off for the Nessus Moon Portal and were assigned to a ranging vanguard. Long the way they caught a band of Hearth Orcs, with prisoners in tow, and ambushed them during the night freeing all the prisoners, most of whom joined the army or fled.

At the Muster, they finally received their task: As representative of Cran Onthran, they were required to guard a specific pass in the Zonah Mountains that was of great importance to the Storn Giant. While mingling with the Evlen leadership before setting out, The Assassin made several remarks (essentially saying they would steal their great artifacts) that angered the assembled nobility and caused them to be silenced, shrunk and paralised. Jon Xi attempted to remove them but was outnumbered and attempted to stop another affront (a piece of sausage being flung at a General), but unfortunately slipped and landed ungracefully. He was moved aside and out of the way by the slightly embarassed elves. The Assassin was taken way.

Before leaving for the pass, they were introduced to Therena Vanimar, who accompanied them to the pass due to her interest in the dragon Burnie. At the pass they made their battle plan and with Cindarr's Hunger of Hadar, and Therena's altered Sleet Storm spells blocking the passage along with Cassandra's Illusions, they defeated most of the invading orcs before they came close. Banar and Jon took out those that did. After interrogating a survivor, they contacted Cran to get their instructions.

Their job here was to find a cave and open a magical door inside. After resting, they did as instructed, entering an Anti-Magic Field that contained the door. They were interrupted by person they recognized as working with the Illithids. They claimed just to be observers but the company was not to have witnesses to this. After some back and forth the interlopper stepped into field with them and it was revealed that that she was Theresa Avo, a former friend that had been turned into an Ithilid's minion. Concurrently Cindarr's madness had been forced back and his true identity, Crayvix Blackhand, revealed itself. In a series of unfortunate events where Crayvix and Cindarr fought for control of their body, Crayvix astrally ejected from his body and transferred himself into Theresa's. Crayvix had taken his body's autonomic functions with him so as Cindarr got control of the body, he died.

After committing Cindarr's body to the mysterious realm beyond the open door, the remainder of the party returned to the camp. The Battle against the Orcs was far more taxing to the Muster as the Orcs were more organized than anyone had ever known and were a accompanied by a blue and two storm dragons, and the downed blue one had attracted a great crowd. Banar joined up with a group of Dwarves who were attempting to get to Nessus to rescue their captured brethren, including Banar's captured friend, and hence left the Company of the Red Dragon. At the site of the Blue Dragon they met Kasuma Shi-No'Arashi, a Dragonborn from the Stepping Stones, who swore allegiance to Burnie and allied himself to his Company, as well as meeting the Paladin Errios who asked to join them as well.

The Blue Dragon was not dead as the army was lead to believe and awoke and flew off to the east, towards Elven Territory. Kasuma celebrated the dragons being alive and told the Elven generals not to hunt the Dragon. The Army dispersed with the Royal Army marching to the defense of their homelands, and the Free elves home to celebrate victory. The New Company set off back to Rose Halls.

Karma
After meeting Crox once again and as the Company was setting off, Jon was stopped by Master Pun accopanied by one of his former Masters from Xi Huo, Master Long Xiaoyu. She was not pleased to she her former student (as she was one who most strongly advocated for his ex-communication) and even moreso that he had come into possession of the Wailing Doom. She challenged him for possession of it. Jon and Master Long fought a Martial Arts Duel in the Streets of Rose Halls, a fight to the death it seemed as at the climax of battle, and in response to Long's technique, Jon unleashed a full power Fist of Unbroken Air at her, and with a sickening crack, she fell dead. Master Pun revived her using a potent healing potion. She left Jon two gems the belonged to the Wailing Doom but vowed that this would not be the last time they would meet. Kasuma then threatened to hunt her down and eat her.

Leaving along the Forest path, the Company travelled to Stoatarm with Crox through the Central Forest of Hearth. Along the way they met a centaur hunting the instigators of an affliction damaging the forest (the company directing him eastwards), and a revanant hunting a former companion of theirs, The Assassin. The Company was ambushed in a suspisiously large clearing by the Kid, his Father and some minions, The Illithids and their minions, and one of the Storm Dragons from Nessus along with an Orc ridder. They also regrouped with several former Party members including: Habbuk, Theresa, Jericho, Banar and The Assassin.

Before the fight with the Company's collected enemies, Therena betrayed them and cast Hunger of Hadar on them trapping them in binding tentacles, and proclaimed ownership of Burnie. Kasuma escaped the tentacle and rushed Therena almost breaking her concentration, but as she turned to flee the battle she was killed by the Storm Dragon's Breath, freeing the rst of the Party. Jon Xi turned to face the Kid and rushed him launching a Fist of Unbroken Air that slammed him into a tree. His father was enrage and transformed into Were-Bear-Pig-Wolf, and took revenge on Jon. The rest of the company took on other foes, and the Kid, recovering from Jon's attack cast a Blight spell on Jon as he was engaged with his father, leaving Jon nothing more that a desiccated husk at his feet.

Epilouge
Jon's friends and foes were annihilated by an Elder Platinum Dragon, Burnie's Mother.

The Way of the Four Elements

 * Fist of the Four Thunders - Allows Jon to cast the Thunderwave Spell.
 * Fist of Unbroken Air - Creates a blast of compressed air that hits like a mighty fist.
 * Fist of Kid Punching - Punches Kids better than anyone

Ki
Jon's learning in the Martial Arts has taught him how to use Ki, the mystical energy that flows through the living body. This allows him to perform many martial feats with ease such as easily dodging attacks, stunning adversaries and being able to launch a multitude of attacks before the enemy can react.

=== Garb of the Elements (Genso no Karategi)undefined === While exploring the lair of the last known Dragon of Hearth, Jon found this rare magical monk Gi emblazoned with the Kanji characters for Fire (火), Water (水), Wind (風) and Earth (土). The Garb allows Jon to use a Ki point to adopt one of 4 stances:
 * 火 - Disciple of the Roaring Phoenix: While maintaining this Stance, Unarmed strikes deal an extra 1d4 of fire damage and gives resistance to fire damage

Stances are maintained until the user changes stance or is incapacitated.
 * 水 - Disciple of the Quiet Sea: While maintaining this Stance, movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, spells and magical effects cannot reduce speed of cause paralysis of restraint
 * 風 - Disciple of the Stoic Mountain: While maintaining this Stance, Maximum Hit Points increased by 10, and a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws is gained
 * 土 - Disciple of the Western Gale: While maintaining this Stance, Initiative rolls have advantage, while opposing Opportunity attacks are made with disadvantage

Character Sheet
Name: Jon Xi. Race: Human. Class: Monk. Level: 6. Backround: Hermit. Alignment: NG

Personality traits: ??? Ideals: ??? Bonds: ??? Flaws: ???

Strength: 10. Dexterity: 16. Constitution: 13. Inteligence: 10. Wisdom: 15. Charisma: 10.

AC: 16. Initiative: +3. Speed: 45ft. Proficiency: +3. Max HP: 38. Hit die: D8

Saves: Str+6, Dex+6, Con+1, Int +0, Wis+3, Cha+0

Skills: Acrobatics* +6, Animal Handling +3, Insight* +6, Medicine* +6, Perception* +6, Religeon* +3, Sleight of hand +3, Stealth +3, Survival +3. Starred skills have proficiency.

Proficiencies: Shortsword, Simple weapons, Drums, Herbalism kit.

Languages: Common, Primordial.

Attacks: Kama +1, +7TH, 1d6+4 slashing. Unarmed Strike, +6TH, 1d6+3 bludgeoning. Shortsword, +6TH, 1d6+3 pieircing.

Attack Sequence: Kama, > Bonus unarmed strike, > Second attack, > +2 unarmed attacks (if using flurry of blows)

Equipment: Shortsword. 9x darts. Explorer's pack. Herbalism Kit. Scroll Case.Blanket. Monk Clothing. 83cp, 55sp, 205gp.

Magical Items: 

+1 Kama "Wailing doom" A weapon in two parts, kept by masters Pun and Bates. There are two more slots in the handle that could accomodate two more parts of the weapon, it seems. It makes a faint keening sound whenever it is swung, which becomes a loud, dispairing moan when thrown.

Mantis Flip-Coin: While you hold it in your left hand, you have advantage on jump checks. Whenever you jump, you will always somersault or flip, no matter how implausible that makes the jump.

Garb of the Elements: See earlier entry.

Scarf of the Black Flame: A tattered red scarf. Any time a melee attack is made against the wearer black flame flares from it and deals 1 fire damage to them.

Features and Traits: Unarmoured Defence, Martial arts, Unarmoured Movement, deflect missiles, slow fall, extra attack, stunning strike, ki empowered strike.

Ki: 6 Ki points. DC of ki abilities: 14. Flurry of blows (1kp), patient defence (1kp), step of the wind (1kp).

Monastic tradition: way of the four elements. Techniques: Fist of the four thunders (2kp), Fist of Unbroken Air (2kp)