Character's Name: Wu Xian

Job: Ships Medic, Acupuncturist/Apothecary

Sex: Male
Apparent Age: Late twenties early thirties, actually 39
Height: 5'10”
Weight: 160#, Lean build
Hair: None, shaved scalp
Eyes: Black
Skin: Yellow
Brands: a Praying mantis on the right forearm & a Crane on the left forearm
Clothing:
  • Loose fitting black cotton pants.
  • Raw Cotton tunic belted with a dark blue sash.
  • Sandals

Attributes

Str: d8
Agi: d10
Vit: d8
Alrt: d8
Int: d12
Will: d8

Initiative: d10+d8
Life Points: 16

Assets

Pressure Point Fighter (Major)
See separate sheet.

Talented (Major) Acupuncture
As a Minor Trait, whenever making a roll that would fall under the heading of that Specialty you get a +2 Skill Step bonus.


Religiosity (Minor) Shaolin
As a Minor Trait, you are a true believer or follower of a faith (Shaolin). When you are working to uphold the tenets of your belief (you and the GM may need to agree on when that is, but it usually includes heroic things your faith approves of/requires of you and also attempts to influence other followers of your faith) you gain a +2 Willpower Step bonus to all applicable rolls, and once per session (in those same situations) you may substitute Willpower (including your +2 Step Willpower bonus) for any Attribute that would normally be used in a roll.


Complications

Allergy (Minor) – Man-made perfumes
As a Minor Trait, your reaction is minor (hay fever, rash, sneezes) and you will suffer a –2 step penalty to your Physical Attributes (Agility, Strength, Vitality) for all actions in its presence, at least until you take medication.


Deadly Enemy (Minor)– Tai Huen Tong
Your enemy might be extremely powerful and dangerous, posing a direct threat every 3 to 5 adventures, at the GM’s discretion. You’ll never be completely free of the danger until you buy off this Complication—so even if you think you’ve gotten rid of your enemy, the threat remains in one form or another at the discretion of the GM. For example, if you kill a major enemy, his brother or best friend will swear vengeance and take up the hunt.


Memorable (Minor) - Shaolin brands
You’re easily identified. Others gain a +2 step Alertness Attribute bonus when attempting to spot you or recognize your likeness.


Credo (Major)
"Learn the ways to preserve rather than destroy. Avoid rather than check; check rather than hurt; hurt rather than maim, maim rather than kill; for all life is precious, nor can any be replaced."

Skills

Medical Expertise
Acupuncture d12 (d12+d4 - Talented)
Apothecary d12
Surgery d10


Craft
Gardening d8
Cooking d8


Perception
Awareness d8


Discipline d6

Melee Weapons
Cane d8


Throwing Weapons
Spikes d8


Unarmed Combat
Martial Arts d12


Weapons

Cane
24 - Throwing Spikes

Gear

Total cash -

Profile:

Misc:

History:

Wu Xian was born Pien Hsing in 2480, Year of the Dragon, on Persephone to Pien Lei (Thunder) and Lin (Beautiful Jade). His father, Pien Lei, was the leader of the Tai Huen Tong. Xian grew up in relative comfort living in a rather protected environment sheltered by his mother, Lin, from the corruption that was his fathers world. For the first part of Xian's life his father was a distant figure, one to be obeyed and not questioned. Xian yearned for a fathers love, to be accepted. At the age of 13 his father decided that it was time that Xian be brought into the family business and taught it's traditions and protocols. To Xian this was an adventure of unprecedented excitement. He was finally spending time with his father! There was a ceremony full of shadows and flickering lights, pungent incense and phrases spoken in archaic Chinese by heavily robed figures. Xian pledged his life and loyalty to the Tong thrilled that his father found him worthy of such an honor. At first Xian was little more than a gopher or errand boy. He would deliver packages to shopkeepers or receive envelopes to return to his father or one of his lieutenants. He made friends and ran through the streets and alleys in search of adventure. To Xian it seemed that his father and the Tong supplied a critical network of communication to interdependent businesses helping each other where they could. If he ever noticed the sidelong glances, trembling hands or subdued manner of those his father sent him to it was simply that they were jealous of his position of importance, that he was a member of the Tong.

In his 16th year (2496), Xian and his best friend Jimmy Li were dispatched to deliver a small carved wooden box to a shopkeeper his father had been heard to mention was recalcitrant. Xian had no idea what the man would be reluctant for and delivered the package along with Jimmy. When they entered the grocery Jimmy was carrying the box. Xian was a step behind and to his left providing protection. You never knew who would try to steal something on the streets. Jimmy approached the shopkeeper and proferred the box. The grocer accepted the box with trembling hands and slowly opened it. Inside was a single finger. The grocer wailed in distress and anger then grabbed the butcher knife he had been using and lunged for Jimmy. The boys, caught off guard, were slow to react. The shopkeeper wrapped an arm around Jimmy's throat and placed the tip of the knife in Jimmy's ribs. The chaos that ensued was beyond anything Xian was prepared for. He panicked. He ran outside and grabbed the first guttersnipe he found and dispatched him back to his father for help. The guttersnipe garbled the message and ended up explaining to a confused Lei that his son was in danger. Pien Lei showed up with several bodyguards and took in the scene at a glance. Xian was helplessly pleading with the grocer who was hiding himself behind a terrified Jimmy. The grocer recognized Pien Lei and began to hurl a stream of epithets at him. Lei raised the pistol that had been concealed at his side and shot the grocer – through Jimmy Li. Xian's world shattered in that instant. He dimly heard his father tell one of his bodyguards to take care of the mess as Lei walked out the door. Xian, rooted to the spot with shock, stared at Jimmy as his blood slowly pooled on the cold tiles. Xian locked gazes with the bodyguard bending over Jimmy and the grocer. His paralysis evaporated. Xian turned and bolted out the door.

Xian ran for an eternity. He ran until the burning in his feet and the wind rasping through his raw throat forced him to stop. He collapsed on a flight of stone steps. Feeling to exposed there he crawled up the steps and hid behind one of the paired keiloon. Exhaustion crept up on him and like a thief stole away his consciousness. Xian was wakened by a hand gently shaking his shoulder. It was dark and he had a hard time making out the countenance before him. The hands helped him stand and guided him through a heavy wooden door. It was a mark of how far gone Xian was that he offered no resistance. The figure supporting him was a man of average height, had a shaved head and chin and wore saffron colored robes. The man led Xian down a hallway and through a curtained doorway. Inside was a small room with a simple cot , a chair and a table. Hooks were anchored in the wall near the bed. The man laid Xian down on the bed and left a candle burning on the table. Xian was asleep before the man had left the room

In the morning Xian woke to find a simple repast laid out for him after which he was taken by another saffron robed man deeper into the building. Xian was brought into a garden in the center of the building and before a man dressed in simple tunic and pants. The man had all the appearance of a gardener save that he had the same shaved head as the other men he had seen in the halls on his way to the garden. It turned out that Xian had found sanctuary in a Shaolin temple. With gentle prodding the elder monk coaxed Xians story out of him. While Xian spoke tea was brought. The elder monk sipped his as Xian related his story with many stops and starts. When Xian had finally finished his tale the monk asked him simply if Xian sought sanctuary in the temple. Xian replied he would never go back. The monk told Xian it would be dangerous to stay on Persephone and offered him passage to another temple on another world. In his dazed state of mind, Xian accepted, the horror of watching his father shoot his best friend still fresh in his mind.

The elder monk made arrangements and Xian was placed on a ship the next day. For close to three weeks Xian traveled. The ship he was on would land on an unknown planet or dock with a space station and he would disembark with directions to another ship. This occurred every few days. The ships were an endless stream of rough-around-the-edges courier and trader vessels the one quality in common their uniform non-descriptiveness. Xian arrived at his final destination and was met at the docks by a monk who could have been a twin to the man who first found him asleep behind the keiloon.

Xian was escorted to the Dancing Mountains Temple where he was given a room, clothing and a schedule. He joined the other youths in their training and probationary period. He spent his days in quiet contemplation, peaceful study and gracefully explosive gong-fu. He finds he has a knack for the healing arts acupuncture and herbology. After the period of a year Xian is asked if he wishes to join the Dancing Mountains Temple permanently. Xian answers yes. He changes his name from Pien Hsing to Wu Xian as a symbol of leaving the past behind.

Toward the latter part of the Unification War the Dancing Mountains Temple began to take in wounded soldiers from both sides of the conflict. Those who had seen too much, been too damaged in mind body and soul and simply wanted to heal. Xian assisted his master, Master Po, the apothecary, with treating the injured and nursing them back to health. He continued his training in other arenas but excelled at the healing arts.

After spending 17 years (2513) under the tutelage of Masters Po and Ch'iao Xian was offered his final tests. If he passed the tests he would become a Shaolin priest. The tests were grueling but Xian passed them all. The final test, after passing down a darkened hallway of hidden traps and dangers, was to lift the cauldron of burning coals from one pedestal to another to open the side door leading out of the temple. Xian had been instructed that there were two ways to do this, either lifting the cauldron by the handles and leveraging it against his belly to receive his brand of either the praying mantis or crane marking him as Shaolin or he could use the harder method and lift it using his forearms alone and receiving both brands. Xian wanted no confusion as to his path in life and chose the harder method reasoning that the brands would be easily visible and his station in life readily ascertainable. Xian received the praying mantis on his right forearm and the crane on his left.

Once Xian had completed his last test and received his brands the door opened and he exited the temple. He had been told that this was a period of exploration and discovery for every new priest. He was to journey, learn and experience life in the 'verse and when the time was right, he was to return to Dancing Mountains Temple and share what he had learned. For the last six years Wu Xian has traveled trading his skills as a healer for passage on ships, room and board and even simply a meal or two. He has picked up a couple of skills not found in temple life and feels that at least awareness of them, if not familiarity, will assist new priests in their future travels. He has not forgotten his old life as Pien Hsing to forget and suppress it would be to give it power over him. Rather he accepts that part of himself and refuses to let it rule him. He has no idea what actions his father or mother ever took after he left nor does it bear any importance on how he now conducts his life.

It is with this history that Wu Xian has come to the Pride offering his services as ships medic. He seeks new experiences to test both himself and his training to discover heretofore hidden aspects of himself and to offer what comfort and solace he can through his herbs and needles. He also makes a phenomenal stir fry.