Praxymes
Despite his appearance, Praxymes is only a half-orc. However, he is a loyal follower of the Way of the Long Death, studying directly under Grand Master Izenfen. Praxymes has claimed that Pharasma has chosen him to be her champion to fend off an impending apocalypse. Rumors among members of the Veiled Lotus Monastery and citizens of Ravengro is that Praxymes is mad and delusional, making him even more dangerous to deal with.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
In 4690, the monks of the Twilight Monastery discovered a pregnant woman at their front doors. She was showing the initial symptoms of venomous poisoning. They brought her in and began studying her. The villagers of Gloomwater had found out she was carrying an orc baby and poisoned her with tainted meat delivered to her. When she realized it, she fled town. A posse followed after her and killed her horse with a crossbow bolt to the neck. She fell into a river and managed to drag herself to shore. But the poison was taking effect, and she felt her strength fading. The monks were fascinated. They studied her while monitoring the ki of both her and her baby. As she began to slip away, she begged the monks to save her baby. Her voice was so mournful that Izenfen could barely focus on the ki coming from the woman’s baby. It was strong, even as its mother passed. The monks waited for the body to turn cold and rigour to set in. The baby’s ki remained strong. Amazed, Izenfen cut the newborn free of his mother's corpse. The boy was born of death and somehow survived.
The posse from Gloomwater came to the temple to collect the woman. They demanded that the monks turn her over. Izenfen told them she was dead and that they should leave. They asked about the baby. Izenfen admitted that the child survived. The mob grew angry and told Izenfen to hand the baby over. He refused, telling them they already had their chance to kill the child and failed. They would not receive a second opportunity. He then instructed them to leave. They started to protest, and Izenfen fell silent. The mob looked upon the master and saw Death staring back at them. They fled without another word.
The monks, led by Izenfen, commenced training the half-orc child, naming him Praxymes. Praxymes exhibited rapid growth and quickly grasped the teachings bestowed upon him. However, he also had a mischievous side, frequently vanishing into the night for hours. In his teenage years, Praxymes clandestinely met a girl who claimed to hail from Gloomwater. This mysterious girl revealed herself as Pharasma, the deity watching over him since his birth. She divulged the truth about his origin, his mother's fate, and the dark history of Gloomwater.
Driven by his newfound knowledge, Praxymes embarked on a path of vengeance. He discovered the identities of the individuals who had been part of the posse that hunted his mother, and he abducted them, subjecting them to torturous tests before their eventual demise. Eight people from Gloomwater vanished without any connection being established.
Praxymes, however, faced an unusual predicament. The girl, who claimed to be Pharasma, could only be seen and interacted with by him. As he engaged in conversations with her, other monks perceived him as talking to himself, leading them to question his sanity.
Despite the potential figment of his imagination, Praxymes developed deep affection for the girl he believed to be Pharasma. He became possessive and jealous whenever others claimed to have a special connection with her, even though they could not perceive her presence.
And so, Praxymes walked a path intertwined with vengeance, mystery, and a love that may exist solely within the depths of his own perception. A few monks have approached Izenfen to remove Praxymes from the Veiled Lotus, believing him to be insane, homicidal, and a slave to his destructive orc nature.
