<div class="floatright"><strong>Sir Darian Darklance</strong> (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2406680)<br/>(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/07/e8/89/07e8891cba321447068b2a50db679e9b.jpg)</div><br/>Sir Darian Darklance, is an enigmatic figure in Shadowspire. His past is known to extend that he was born into a city far off country where his mother was a prostitute who sold the child to a slaver. The slaver then traveled off farther lands and in there, an elf bought the child from a slaver. The reason for elf buying a child was merely a test, a philosophical theory put into practice. He wanted to raise a human, an adaptive and quickly growing race, in a way where said human holds no prejudice against neither good nor evil nor law or chaos. Be guided by perfect zen-like altruism to all with the harmony of the balance of cosmos and society as a whole with a zealous manner.<br/><br/>The elf was an elderly master in the way of war and more so with martial arts. A monk who had studied many styles and now sought only enlightenment and testing philosophical theories. He raised Darian, guided his moral development, and provided wisdom and guidance for many years. Albeit Darian did not become wise as his mentor, but he was somewhat successfully integrated what the elf master sought to teach; the perfect altruism and balance in morals not led by prejudice or extreme ideals. Once his mentorship was over, he traveled the world and studied more the mysterious martial arts and his innate psychic potential.<br/><br/>In his journeys he eventually arrived at Shadowspire, where he opened a dojo where he accepted students to embrace perfect altruism with no prejudice to race, ethnicity, or what morals other has. But same time not to cling to altruism to the point it prevents acting violently when needed for survival or protecting others. He has gained few students, albeit his ways are hard to embrace philosophically speaking. But so far the few students he has taken have embraced true altruism one way or another (yet not become complete pacifists).<br/><br/>In city the council soon became aware of his prowess in battle after one intense incident with unleashed demons from a hidden seal, so he was turned into one city's operatives to deal with tougher problems which is the role which he has accepted gladly. The city council gave him the title of<em>Knight of Twilight</em>and thus right called as 'sir'. Albeit he himself cares not much for formalities.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Dojo of Twilight Road</div><div class="spoiler_body"><strong>Type:</strong> Monastery/Dojo (educational institution)<br/><strong>Size:</strong> Medium Business (rank 13 + MW) - 15,750gp<br/><strong>Buildings:</strong> Living quarters, kitchen, dinning hall, library, study rooms, lecture halls, practice/training area, infirmary, meditation garden, storage, forge<br/><strong>Employees:</strong>  7-9 employees<br/>   3 Teachers/Educators<br/>   1 Cook<br/>   1 Healer/Nurse<br/>   2-4 variable additional assistants depending how busy Darian is<br/>      -Valora (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/73/12/ab/7312ab92c6f39aba92ef56b4acddbc32.jpg) the Lightspoken (tiefling female cleric/angelfire apostle archetype, recruit)<br/>      -Dementher (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/50/0b/3b/500b3bc2e4dd2374087eb2e5f27cd695.jpg) the seer (tiefling male blind oracle of Heaven mystery, recruit)<br/>      -Bailen Steel (https://i.redd.it/gtsbqqau7y411.png) the iron warden (male half-orc warder/zweihander sentinel, recruit)<br/>      -Thasius (https://64.media.tumblr.com/3f43eed61b871588a93a0b48e572c10d/tumblr_p6d2fnCzhd1v0l7ifo1_1280.jpg) the scribe (human male figther/myrmidon+lorewarden, recruit)<br/>      -Jandis Leafshade (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/f3/01/bef301bfb4b298f701c1bff4894a5e7a.jpg) the groundskeeper (half-elf ranger/ambush hunter, recruit)<br/>      -Ardar Blade (https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YahByCSJcW0/maxresdefault.jpg) the crafter/combat instructor (human soulknife/war soul, recruit)<br/><strong>Skill Check:</strong>  (1d20 + 11 skill + 2 MW tools - 7-9 labor factor) x 100 profit factor<br/><br/><strong>Description:</strong> The dojo of the twilight road is built into a cliff face, facing towards the city and connected by long stairs which lead into the city proper itself. The stairs have a sort of special property, an optical illusion, where if you try to use the stairs during the day or under the moonlight, the stairs are treacherous to walk upon (causing you to trip or stumble) if you try to look where your stepping. While in twilight hours between sunrise and sundown or while blind, stairs are entirely normal to walk on.<br/><br/>Once you reach the top of the 9,999 steps, the temple entrance is humble looking with pillars to the main antechamber and through it lead to the main circular chamber with several passages, all of which thanks to optical illusion and clever passage planning, makes you circle around the chamber (enter one passage and exit from another enter same chamber and usually there is an automated mechanism active which lowers down false wall cover entrance to chamber). There is writing on a circular plate which reads; 'bow and be judged by wisdom'. If the person steps on the plate and kneels, a pressured plate then lowers the person with elevator sort fashion to the <em>true</em> antechamber where you find passages to various aspects of the temple grounds.<br/><br/>Naturally if expecting visitors the plate is already lowered and there are wooden stairs leading down. In the dojo there are amenities all needed to live inside the temple, only what is needed are food supplies for the kitchen which are regularly filled. Temple otherwise in business-wise functions as a place of study and has large and diverse library covering various lores and there are lecture classes and also study rooms. Also, there is the forge, which is used Ardar Blade at the moment and many clients come request weapons made from him. Many call his blades work of art and thus lots of customers come to line up for his forge for one of his masterpieces. Also, he is a renowned combat instructor as well.<br/><br/>Room and board can be rented which includes free meals to students and also needing separately pay for lecture classes or access to the library itself. Also, there are full-time students who pay nothing but are obligated to do work for the temple while staying and studying there. Temple teaching psionics, divine magic, and martial arts. Also, give good theories and basis for arcane studies albeit teachers wise none are arcane casters. The dojo philosophy is to embrace both inner light and darkness, achieve a balance of both, and learn to practice what's called pure altruism; altruism not motivated by reward, feeling good or because believing is the right thing to do. But perform it as selfless a manner as possible and towards anyone who has not disturbed the balance in local community.<br/><br/>(https://allisondreid.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/mountain-monastery.jpg?w=620&amp;h=888)<br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Secret of the Dojo</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="floatright"><strong>Ardar Blade</strong> (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2411843)<br/>(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/38/a6/99/38a699a4e03948eefe6af6a723352187.png)</div><br/>Is that headmaster, is not Sir Darian Darklance but Ardar Blade instead. The rumored tales which talk about Darian's past? They are tales, old tales, told about him and reinforced by Darian as well as there is several years difference to events and none true people live anywhere close to Shadowspire (and warped as it is). As truth is, his tale is a much <em>older</em> than the lie told anyways.<br/><br/>Ardar Blade was once a human, a young teenager studying to be a blacksmith but had innate psionic potential regarding the raw creation of blades and weapons. But his latent psionic potential did not awaken until his desire to murder and kill was awakened. It happened when drow raiders assaulted his hometown, killing, pillaging with the sheer joy of it and reverence for spider goddess Lolth! He survived, but not his father, nor mother, and sister kidnapped. He laid hiding, biding time until raiders were gone. Then when they desire to murder them filled his mind, it's then when he conjured his mind blade the first time. First raw and rough draft of it. He became an avenger, who early on met with another adventurer who had a score to settle with drow; an elven ranger who studied ways of war and battle. Using tricks and maneuvers. He taught basics but then on Ardar learned intuitively and mastered his own flair and style with martial arts combined with his psionic power conjuring a weapon fitted to every style he learned stance into.<br/><br/>Albeit fueled by revenge for his family, he was also concerned for his sister. So while with ranger they together hunted and tracked for her in underdark, crossing cities, killing and interrogating drows involved with raid. Leading to slave merchants and then buyers. Eventually reaching some reason, back to surface to well-hidden ruins. In there he saw his sister and the drow 'mistress' who caressed her like a pet! Without hesitation he attacked, he slew the drow himself and moved to rescue his sister...however it was revealed the drow which he slew had been sisters lover, more so that said drow was a follower of Eilistrae as well, a good drow who sought bring hope and promise of moonlight to drows still stuck in underdark! His sister hatefully rejected her brother, called a murderer! A butcher!<br/><br/>As he was rejected by the last of his kin, more so struck by her words, he became lost and confused. Vendetta and rescuing his sister were all his goals, so he wandered the land, lost and unable even conjure his mind blade anymore. His guilt ate him inside, a life wasted on a vendetta. However, his other skills made him a good candidate to be an assassin. So without purpose, he joined the assassin guild who practiced dark shadowy martial arts. He slew and killed with no purpose, accepting gold and coin without spending it on anything besides survival and tools of the trade. His guilt condemned him, thinking he indeed is nothing more than a killer, murderer and thus deserves this life. Yet he had no true killing intent, so his psionic powers were latent again and sealed. Until years later, he was given an assignment. He went to the country where his target was; a woman who had eloped from a cruel nobleman. Nobleman wanted her killed for punishment for her disobedience. However as he found her; she had sought shelter from her father who was a smith, she was pregnant with a child from a noble and a woman had a distinct appearance similar to his own mother. She had a younger sister as well who looked like his sister.<br/><br/>He could not ignore a clear omen, a sign, where he turned back and the first time for years as an emotionless assassin, refused to fill the contract. More so to prevent anyone coming after this woman, he slew his client cold blood. His killing intent awakened his blade once more. He prepared, faced backslash from the assassin guild, and brought down leadership himself; as none in higher-ups knew about his psionic powers and gifts. Until mere young recruits were left, he told he leaves in peace if they leave him to peace. Then on he followed his own unique way of altruism, not prejudice anyone despite surface alliances and fights for those persecuted by others or who were superior in power. Despite what form the power would take.<br/><br/>His unique view caught the attention of elan council, more so his talent in psionics was remarkable. So he was recruited by them, to be reborn as elan. An immortal psionic power-filled existence. He accepted the bargain, process erasing last fragments of conflicting emotions, doubts, and attached guilts to his past so he can more wholehearted embrace his ideology. He lived decades on meditation and practicing his forms and wandering, encountering Darian along his journeys, a man who struggled with the conflicting natures he taught him to find balance in himself and find a way to embrace both celestial and fell powers which were cursed upon him to wield. With the combination of this newfound balance and Ardar's philosophy was made the philosophy of twilight road, which then together developed and then in Shadowspire, using Ardar's decades worth of savings, for building a dojo help guide people with internal struggles and embrace pure altruism without prejudice.<br/><br/>Now the reason for the deception about Darian being the grandmaster is simple; Ardar does not want people asking about his unaging appearance which true reason only Darian knows and someday Ardar may want to leave dojo behind, leave without having a restricting bond which limits his departure. For now, he wants to spread his ideology and teaching, serve the Shadowspire as a troubleshooter as well (albeit secretly but for this reason, Darian always takes Ardar if expecting such missions). Also, Darian makes a more imposing, dynamic, and charismatic for the face of the dojo anyways. Ardar was never much of a talker, loner most of his life and his transformation leave him a bit alienated from other races. So he prefers work in the background, even if so Darian and other student recruits know, that Ardar is true master of the dojo.</div></div><br/><strong>Sir Darian Darklance Description:</strong>Sir Darian Daklance is 210 cm/ 6'8 ft and 100 kilos, muscular build, Darian has sandy blond hair cut short, icy blue eyes, and fair skin color.<br/><br/>His usual attire is a black silk shirt, buttoned up to his neck and pants with a silver lining, a shirt having in backside pair of silver wings embroider, and wearing soft black leather boots. Wearing a dark leather belt with buckle resembling ouroboros, a symbol of eternity with mithril and adamantine. However most of the time he is seen wearing an adamantine full plate with dull gold highlights and lines, wearing a red cape and red loincloth hanging from front with pair of golden wings decorated on its sides, and carrying a darkwood spear with mithril tip with dark blue engravings upon the metal.<br/><br/><strong>Ardar Blade Description:</strong>Ardar Blade is 190 cm/ 6'23 ft and 80 kilos, muscular athletic build, Ardar has white hair, gray eyes and tanned skin colour.<br/><br/>His usual clothing, a red trenchcoat is Ardar's signature costume. He wears black body armor made from unknown shadowy steel, which consisted of a black tight and sleeveless shirt with sliver accents which outlined his muscles (athletic in build) and a metal plate on his collar, and black pants that had two black straps on his thighs, and another two strapped around his shins separate from each other. He wears black metal-plated shoes, which appear to be attached to his trousers. His signature red coat is a type of holy shroud, which were actually two separate sleeves connected by a metal plate at the back which covered his arms and was cut off showing his upper torso and midriff, and had a separate red open skirt which ended above his shins with the top fashioned and tied with an agemaki knot, covered by a silver metal plate.<br/><br/>Weapons that Ardar wields are formed from a shadowy, blue outlined, energy into his hands and they vary in shape and design each time he does so. Forming polearms, close combat, bows, swords, axes or even shields.