Allies & Adversaries

Jaya

Jaya is a human monk -- member of the Order of Claren Elian on Krynn. After being forced in the middle of the war with the Dark Queen, he has found a new calling, and reason to revise the order's ways. Here are Jaya's history and stat block.

Background

Orphaned at a young age, he was sent to a nearby monastery in the hope that he would not become embroiled in the same strife that stole his parents. For a time, it seemed this dream would be a reality. Unfortunately, the gods apparently had another plan.

During the war to defeat the Dark Queen, her marauding armies came to the doorstep of the monastery and destroyed it. He, fortunately, was meditating in the surrounding forests and escaped the carnage. His psyche, however, was changed forever. He continues to seek enlightenment, perhaps even immortality, but can no longer ignore the affairs of the world. He knows all too well that they have an effect on him whether he acknowledges their presence or not.

Now, he offers scouting services to the armies of light, able to travel unnoticed to places where individuals dressed in heavy armor and bearing weapons cannot.

Appearance

Jaya has deeply tanned skin and black hair, though much of it is shaved off. He stands a mere 5' 8" tall, but his muscle tone implies he is not afraid of hard work -- indeed he is familiar with it. While Jaya prefers the simple garb of his order, he has been forced into hiding (see recent exploits below) and now wears a simple woodsman's clothing, boots, and cloak.

Recent Exploits

After joining with the armies of light in the north, Jaya was employed as a scout with several other individuals, including a kender, two would-be knights, a wizard, and a cleric of Mishakal. After discovering the location of an outpost of the Dark Army, Jaya was captured and used to lure his friends into a trap -- but not before he was tortured and learned who it was that had burned his monastery to the ground. Jaya, though the subject of the interrogation, learned of the existence of a crystal shard, a key that would open a gateway to the abyss and allow the Dark Queen access to Krynn. After his escape and the defeat of the draconian overlord, the small scouting party returned to the city and the Knights.

He was able to convince the Knights of Solamnia that finding the shard was important and the two squires were knighted and commanded to aid me. The elven wizard and kender were to remain with Jaya and the cleric, and they departed for the monastery's ruins far to the south. Upon arrival, it was found that the desctruction, pain, and Will of the monks to live had transformed many of them into undead. Having already been forced to abandon his well-entrenched philosophies of ignoring the problems in the world and become involved, Jaya was now forced to fight his own brothers. Seeing signs and hidden messages, Jaya rushed ahead, the knights holding the undead at bay while he followed the signs and searched for clues.

Finding a hidden message deep in the nearly collapsing structure, Jaya discovered the answer lie to the west, in the nearby mountains. Narrowly avoiding the draining touch of a Wraith and refusing to fight any more of his comrades, the small group escaped the weakened building. The dwarven cleric searched and found a weak point and, striking it, brought the entire structure down on the remaining undead -- creating a massive cairn.

Jaya and the others then began taking down the crucified skeletons and placed them all in a mass grave, surrounding the circle with markers -- one for each of his fallen Brothers -- and allowed the cleric to consecrate the ground.

After heading into the mountains, the group eventually stumbled on a tribe of Bugbears and survived only through the aid of a band of centaurs, who led Jaya to their camp and the last surviving Master of Claren Elian. It was then that Jaya received the crystal shard and charged with closing the door to the Abyss and rebuilding the Order. Just before the Master died, he issued a warning to Jaya: others would try to control the shard and have it stay hidden. The shard must be destroyed, at any cost. A funeral and a couple days rest, saw the companions on a new quest, now headed to High Clerists' Tower, Palanthas, and the Knights of Solamnia.

The road to Palanthas was quiet, allowing Jaya to contemplate his Master's warning. The two Knights he traveled with had sworn to protect Jaya and the shard, saying that no harm would come to him and that no one would know he possessed the shard. Unfortunately, the Knights betrayed him, telling their superiors that the shard was in Jaya's possession. The monk, and the other companions (excepting the two Knights) were led to separate bedchambers and locked away as prisoners.

In the end, the two Knights helped Jaya to escape the High Clerists' Tower (though he still does not fully trust the Knights) and escorted the monk to Palanthas where he could find passage on a ship to Southern Ergoth and the Kagonesti (Wild Elves) -- the only surviving race with knowledge of how to find the portal and what must be done to close it.

Jaya, after some trouble involving clerics of the Dark Queen, pirates, and the Kender Lost & Found Society (KLFS), found his way to Southern Ergoth and the Kagonesti. From the Kagonesti, Jaya learned of his next destination -- ruins of an ancient city in the most terrifying land known to the races of Krynn: Kendermore.


Jaya, Male Human Mnk6: Medium Humanoid; HD 6d8-6 (Monk); hp 31; Init + 3; Spd 50; AC 18 (Flatfooted: 15 Touch: 18); Atk +6 base melee, +7 base ranged; +6/3 ( 1d8+2, Unarmed ); +8 ( 1d6+5, +2 Quarterstaff ); AL LN; SV Fort + 4, Ref + 8, Will + 9; STR 15, DEX 17, CON 8, INT 12, WIS 18, CHA 12.

Skills: Balance +8, Bluff +2, Climb +3, Concentration +4, Craft (Tattoo) +4, Diplomacy +7, Escape Artist +5, Jump +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Ride +4, Sense Motive +6, Spot +8, Tumble +8, Wilderness Lore +5.

Feats: Blind-Fight, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Honor-Bound, Improved Trip, Mobility.

Possessions
Weapons: +2 Quarterstaff.

Goods: Rations, trail (per day); Satchel; Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Traveler's outfit; Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day); Rations, trail (per day).

Magic: Potion: Reduce; Potion: Ghoul Touch (4); Ring: Force Shield.