Announcements: Cutting Costs (2024) » January 2024 Copyfraud Attack » Finding Universes to Join (and making yours more visible!) » Guide To Universes On RPG » Member Shoutout Thread » Starter Locations & Prompts for Newcomers » RPG Chat — the official app » Frequently Asked Questions » Suggestions & Requests: THE MASTER THREAD »

Latest Discussions: Adapa Adapa's for adapa » To the Rich Men North of Richmond » Shake Senora » Good Morning RPG! » Ramblings of a Madman: American History Unkempt » Site Revitalization » Map Making Resources » Lost Poetry » Wishes » Ring of Invisibility » Seeking Roleplayer for Rumple/Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time » Some political parody for these trying times » What dinosaur are you? » So, I have an Etsy » Train Poetry I » Joker » D&D Alignment Chart: How To Get A Theorem Named After You » Dungeon23 : Creative Challenge » Returning User - Is it dead? » Twelve Days of Christmas »

Players Wanted: Serious Anime Crossover Roleplay (semi-literate) » Looking for a long term partner! » JoJo or Mha roleplay » Seeking long-term rp partners for MxM » [MxF] Ruining Beauty / Beauty x Bastard » Minecraft Rp Help Wanted » CALL FOR WITNESSES: The Public v Zosimos » Social Immortal: A Vampire Only Soiree [The Multiverse] » XENOMORPH EDM TOUR Feat. Synthe Gridd: Get Your Tickets! » Aishna: Tower of Desire » Looking for fellow RPGers/Characters » looking for a RP partner (ABO/BL) » Looking for a long term roleplay partner » Explore the World of Boruto with Our Roleplaying Group on FB » More Jedi, Sith, and Imperials needed! » Role-player's Wanted » OSR Armchair Warrior looking for Kin » Friday the 13th Fun, Anyone? » Writers Wanted! » Long term partner to play an older male wanted »

0
followers
follow

Shako Khan

Warrior monk of Uirlin, fighting corruption in his order.

0 · 337 views · located in Cre' Est

a character in “Assassin's Pledge: War of Attrition”, as played by elloit

Description

Birth Name: Shako Khan
Character Alias (If applicable): N/A

Appearance: Image

Written appearance: Shako is completely bald, though he maintains a small goatee which remains neatly trimmed at only a few millimetres length (though the keeping of some hair is not forbidden among the monks of Uirlin, it is not exactly smiled upon either). His clothing is the traditional navy blue robes, consisting of trousers which hang loose around his legs to enable full movement, and a soft cloth jacket which is also a light fit. The robes are finished by a white sash, which states his position as a full member of the temple. He may also be seen wearing a brown woollen cloak which covers these clothes and enables him to wander somewhat anonymously. His feet are always adorned with a simple pair of sandals, and he wears a small set of prayer beads around his left wrist. [Other than what is written here all other ornamentation seen in the picture is non-existent, and the upper body clothing is not just a pair of sleeves as in the picture.]

Sex: Male
Home Nation: Veilbrand
Current Location/Residence: The Great Temple of Uirlin
Age: 24
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 182 lbs
Hair Color: Sandy brown
Eye Color: olive green
Complexion: fair
Body Type: Heavily muscled, but still slight and agile looking.
Blood Type: O-

Fighting Style (Hard or Soft?): Shako’s fighting style is completely soft. All of his training relates to blocking, countering, evading, and incapacitating rather than killing. Everything he knows is designed to be used defensively, not as the aggressor. His movements are fast and precise, and the force behind them perfectly measured for the desired effect so as to cause no more harm than necessary. The style is very much focused around mixed martial arts as well as simply letting your opponent tire themselves as you land many small blows to weaken them and cause them to act rashly. As with any martial art speed is crucial and can mean the edge between victory and defeat, and when properly concentrating Shako is capable of striking out quickly like a praying mantis. The style is not meant for fighting off hordes of people though, and thus the technique causes slight tunnel vision, limiting awareness of the surroundings.

Adaptability Ratio: 4-10

Personality: Like all natives of Veilbrand Shako is at heart a peaceful person. If he had his way then fighting would be settled honourably, and nobody in the world would need to experience the horrors of war. He is not foolish enough to think that this will ever be the case, however, and recognises that he is most likely going to die on the end of a blade at some point. Being removed from his mentor caused him enough mental trauma to become an even quieter and more withdrawn person than he was before, and though he does not have a problem talking to people it is very rare that he will be the one to initiate a conversation.

He also shares the common Veilbrand trait of being unintentionally rude or insulting, something that is an accepted part of the culture within the nation itself but which others are unlikely to be so understanding of. The fact that he has never left the temple grounds before makes him somewhat naĂŻve to the world around him, though the amount he has read has educated him sufficiently on most points. In particular Shako has no idea of social customs outside of the temple, nor has he ever had contact with members of another religion though he knows of their existence.

He is above all a reserved and patient person who likes to take the time to think things through rather than acting rashly. He highly values honesty and diplomatic skill over brute force and deception, and would much rather talk things through than get into a fight if possible. As soon as a fight begins Shako becomes machine like as all of his training kicks in until it is over. Afterwards he will revert back to his normal self and probably try to help the person he is likely to have knocked unconscious.

Quirks: Shako has a heavily scarred body from his years of live combat training, but his head remains strangely free of such marks. The scars range in size from little more than nicks to a huge one that runs diagonally down his back from left to right. As he moves his muscles cause the scars to ripple, creating strange shapes and patterns across his body like a living piece of art.

Likes: He enjoys simply being outside, to be able to hear the birds and the rustling of trees in the wind, to see the Sun reflecting from a body of water. This love of nature has created a joke within the temple that he should’ve been a priest of Raggella, but it is not the worship that most of them mistake it for. Rather, it is the longing of a man who has spent most of his life locked inside like a prisoner. He also enjoys sparring with people, and likes to read whatever books he can get his hands on. When he isn’t outside or fighting, he is bound to be reading.

Dislikes: Above all else, Shako dislikes unnecessary killing, especially when those being killed are innocent. He despises criminals in all their forms, though that does not mean he feels no sympathy for those who have no alternatives. Dishonesty and deception he feels are wrong, and he does not stand for insults to his God (largely because he is not used to hearing them).

Special Talents/Skills: Shako can read and write fluently, and has a very good knowledge of a broad range of subjects. His arithmetic is not the best, but it is probably better than your average citizen.

Weapon/s of Choice: Unarmed combat
Weapon/s of Last Resort: Blunt weapons
Weapons you avoid: Anything likely to kill someone. It is not in the teachings of the monks to use swords, spears etc. – that is what soldiers are for. It is their belief that the true worship of Uirlin does not lie in killing, but in the skill and spectacle of the fight itself.

Weapon/Training History (If applicable):
Like all monks of Uirlin Shako has been trained from a young age in martial arts. This involves many challenges to both strength and endurance. Every day at the temple from as soon as he was old enough he was put through a rigorous exercise regime. This involves tasks such as running circuits of the temple, balancing atop wooden poles, various forms of weight training, holding poses designed to put stress on the muscles and of course practice of the martial arts themselves.

It also involves live combat exercises against city guards armed with real weapons and ordered to strike to kill. The guards of Veilbrand follow their orders, and the monks of Uirlin understand that if they die then Uirlin did not deem them worthy to live in his temple. This is where the many scars have come from, and where Shako became used to death. From this Shako has learnt how to disarm and incapacitate in even the most extreme of circumstances and emerge the victor without killing, and to push his emotions away and look at situations with some detachment.

The monks also go through mental training, spending large amounts of time meditating to focus their minds. They must also condition themselves to be the masters of their own bodies and are therefore expected to be able to withstand certain traumas. The monks are not immune to pain but they have learnt the hard way to be able to ignore all but the most severe of injuries, even if only temporarily, and Shako has developed an incredible amount of willpower in this particular facet of training.

Although he is also trained to use blunt weapons such as staffs, Shako has never been a fan of them and thinks that they have too much potential to kill. Though all the techniques they are taught with these weapons are still designed to incapacitate, all it takes is for one blow to have a little excess force and the recipient could easily die.

The martial arts forms used focus on speed rather than strength, and the use of positioning relative to the enemy dictating specific stances and fighting routines. Whilst learning the routines can prove a defence against them, the training of the monks allows them to weave several styles together almost seamlessly meaning that in a head to head fight only the most skilled of warriors are likely to walk away completely unharmed.

Biography:
Like all monks of Uirlin Shako was handed over to train in the ways of the god of war at birth, his parents poor and deciding that it would be a better future for him. He has no memory of them, and has never seen them since nor does he even know their names. The people of the monastery are his surrogate family. The monks are celibate, but allow both males and females to join and train together in the same temple. Upon entering Shako was assigned a mentor to raise and guide him through the ordeals to come, and her name was Luella Cantu. Luella raised him as though he were her son, in a way which only a member of Uirlin’s faith could. The term ‘tough love’ definitely applies here. Uirlin does not tolerate the weak, and so neither do his dedicated worshippers. All members must prove they are worthy or be cast out, or worse wind up dead during training.

This training has brought many hardships that few outside the religion will have been put through, but such is life when you serve the god of war. The methods may be harsh, but they do get the intended results. When Shako first began his training he was widely considered talentless and among the initial candidates for dismissal, either by excommunication or death. For several months he fell steadily behind, unable to match most of the other candidates whom had joined at the same time. Luella fought tooth and claw for him to be given extra time to develop, seeing a potential that others could not. The monk overseeing training reluctantly agreed, and then Luella took Shako’s training to a notch above the rest. Rather than train him with the group she began to train him herself, and whereas the other recruits only trained for half of the day he trained all day for five days of the week.

Luella pushed him to the brink and further until he was able to complete the tasks she gave him perfectly every time. By the time he was finished he was on par with the best, if not better, in terms of martial skill. It was not until he was older that he would realise the great service she had done for him, and until he was ten he despised her because her method of training alienated him from the others. As soon as he turned ten he was removed from his mentor, as were all the others, and placed in group classes. After spending so much time with Luella this was a bigger blow to him than many of the other trainees and he became somewhat withdrawn. Now that they were considered old enough the children were taught to read and write, and taught the teachings of Uirlin.

Physical training was also stepped up during this time to live combat exercises against armed city guards, and several trainees were killed or maimed and consequently expelled from the temple. Here Shako learnt that by removing him from the group Luella had softened the blows that many others felt as their friends died, for Shako had no friends to lose. At age fifteen all of the trainees were formally initiated into the religion, making them official members at the bottom of the food chain. Though they still had to follow a rigorous training regime both mentally and physically time was now also given over to take on some of the more menial tasks needed to keep the temple running such as cleaning and carrying messages.

Whatever free time the monks had after this they were able to use as they wished and it was around the age of sixteen that Shako first entered the Great Library, picked out a book and fell in love with reading. Since that day he devoted as much of his time to reading as he did to meditation which earned him a little scorn – the monks of Uirlin were supposed to be warriors not scholars. Despite this he was allowed to continue unheeded, and he slowly gathered more and more knowledge about the outside world, and read more and more stories of adventures in far off lands. This is probably around the time his wanderlust began, and it wasn’t long before he felt an all-consuming need to get out and experience the wider world.

The temple itself is a small city within a city: completely self-sufficient, and although officially ruled by the monarchy they do not interfere with the temple’s business, and in return the temple does not make demands of them. Due to this self-sufficiency the temple has no particular need for its disciples to venture into the outside world, but the higher ranking monks do go into the city on a daily basis to spread the word and collect donations from the faithful. Shako began to question why it was that only they should be allowed to go, but the only answer he received was that the High Priest did not want Uirlin’s teachings being spread in an improper or inaccurate fashion. But since all members of the temple knew the teachings and scriptures off by heart he felt this was highly unlikely to be the real reason.

Nevertheless he decided that if promotion was what it was going to take to be allowed into the city then that was what he was going to attain. Shako reluctantly became involved in the inner politics and power struggles of the temple, and quickly came to regret it. Whilst Uirlin taught honour and integrity, those with ambitions of ascending to the top acted with neither of these. They fought dirty, smearing and backstabbing all who opposed them. That world was not for Shako and he quickly gave up his pursuit of promotion, feeling disheartened. During that time however, he had begun to notice some suspicious activity in some members of the temple, particularly relating to their worshipping habits and decided to investigate a little further. The next two years were spent digging around and rooting out information, following up leads and tracing rumours. At their culmination, Shako was faced with a shocking revelation – some members of the temple of Uirlin were worshipping Te’i Sai as the instruments of Uirlin within the mortal realm. Disgusted by their behaviour, Shako set up an urgent meeting with the Arch Deacon, the right hand man of the High Priest himself to discuss this pressing matter


So begins...

Shako Khan's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Shako Khan
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by elloit
Asking for a meeting with the Arch Deacon had not been easy. Shako had never asked for such a thing before in his life, and certainly not with such a high ranking member of the temple. It wasn’t that he was intimidated, it was that he was about to lay his personal integrity on the line. He had to be sure that the allegations he was about to present were true, that the list he had compiled contained the right people. If the Arch Deacon didn’t believe him then he would face punishment, yes, but also ridicule for the rest of his days.

With a sigh of resignation he opened his eyes, looking around his spartanly furnished quarters. There was a bed in one corner, a bookcase opposite with a wardrobe next to it and a small window set in the adjacent wall with a basin beneath it. Other than that the 9’ x 8’ room was just floor space, which Shako was occupying whilst he attempted to meditate. With such turbulent thoughts swirling around in his head and refusing to be quelled, however, it was proving impossible. After closing his eyes again for a few more minutes in another vain attempt he stood up and crossed over to the bookcase. If he couldn’t find inner peace alone then the author of - his hand hovered over the shelves before pulling out a thick tome – ‘The Bard of Andara’ was going to have to help him.

After half an hour of reading the book, which told the story of how a bard became trapped in a mountain full of fantastical creatures and eventually tricked a dragon in order to escape, he replaced it back on the shelf and took up a stack of parchment from the top of the wardrobe where he had hidden it. He wasn’t sure what impulse had made him hide it in the first place since it was just a list of names and the proof against them, and nobody ever entered his room, but he had obeyed it nevertheless. His training had taught him that you should trust your instincts in times of uncertainty, and these were most definitely uncertain times. He glanced out of the window at the sundial in the courtyard and decided to leave a little early, if only so that he could take his time walking through the grounds.

Twenty minutes later, and after a wonderful stroll despite the overcast skies threatening rain, Shako stepped into the audience hall. It was a vast room, with columns lining the perimeter to hold the roof up carved into the shapes of previous Arch Deacons of particular note. As they had prevented the temple’s metaphorical collapse in life, so they prevented the literal collapse in death. The room was longer rather than wider, and had to be lit with braziers at several intervals. Shako’s footsteps made soft echoes on the marble floor which quickly faded away as he approached the Arch Deacon. The Deacon was a small, wiry man of what Shako guessed must be at least 55 winters. His face always reminded Shako of an illustration of a goblin he had once seen, with tiny eyes and a large crooked nose. Currently he was reclining on what was best described as a throne, though it was more like an armchair on a raised dais. Surrounding this were two stands of seating, usually with the odd member of the temple who had some interest in proceedings strewn here and there.

“Step forward, Shako.” The Arch Deacon droned in his thin, reedy voice as soon as he saw him. He didn’t even attempt to hide his boredom at having to handle these day to day affairs. Shako could understand that – most of the time he was just resolving petty squabbles – but he still got the sense that the Arch Deacon was a lazy man. He stepped forward as he was told, stopping just short of the dais. “What do you want?” The Deacon asked, as though he were accusing Shako of something.
“With all due respect, I asked to speak with you in private.”
“Do you see anyone here?” the Deacon asked, smirking as he swept his hand around the stands of seating. A quick look confirmed that they were indeed empty.
“I would still prefer it if we could go somewhere private-“
“There is no need. Say what you want to say or get out.” The Deacon snapped, cutting him short.

Reluctantly, Shako obliged and began his tale. The Arch Deacon listened as he presented his findings, his horror at having discovered that some members of the temple were worshipping Te’i Sai instead of Uirlin directly. He showed him the sketches of the idols he had seen them using and described the rites they had performed. Throughout all of this he began to become inwardly exasperated. The Deacon seemed to be displaying little more than mild surprise rather than the shock and disgust Shako felt over it. It seemed his fears of not being taken seriously were coming true. It seemed he had little choice but to play his ace.
“I also have a list of names of several members of the temple. Bertrand Leduc is one of them.”
The Deacon’s eyes shot wide open at the mention of the list, and he stood up. Bertrand was one of the mentors, as well as a tutor for the older initiates. Shako was concerned that he may be somehow corrupting the next generation of monks, and it looked like the Deacon shared his fears.
“Do you have this list with you?” the Deacon asked, his tone suddenly grave.
“Yes.”
“May I see it?”
“Of course.” Shako answered, handing it over.
The Deacon read through the list as though searching for something, before asking “Do you think this is all of them?”
“I fear there are more.”
“I see. Tell me, do you know the exact reason for their worship?”
“They think Te’i Sai is Uirlin’s instrument upon the Earth, and that he is shaping it with them. For whatever reason these misguided individuals have come to the conclusion that Te’i Sai are akin to divine beings.”
“You do not share their convictions?” The Deacon probed, walking a slow circle around Shako as though sizing him up.
“No.”, Shako snapped, “The teachings of Uirlin clearly state that murder and killing are not the answer. Whilst the fight is glorious, the aftermath is terrible and always lamented.”

From behind him came the sudden sound of tearing parchment, and Shako whirled around to find tattered pieces of his list falling to the floor. “What have you done?” he yelled, as the results of his two years of investigation were destroyed in a matter of seconds.
The Arch Deacon’s hands shot out, gripping twin pressure points in his shoulders like iron claws. Shako cried out in pain and fell to his knees, unprepared for the sudden assault, and the Deacon maintained his grasp.
“Listen here you maggot!” he snarled, leaning in close, “I have worked for too long and too hard for you to come in here and wreck everything for me! Te’i Sai are Uirlin’s angels in this realm. You haven’t seen the filth and the greed and the dirt that they are washing away out in the streets! Only a fool could deny that they act with divine authority! So you are going to drop this investigation and forget any of this ever happened. I am perfectly content to leave you to wallow in your own antiquated world views for now, but when I am High Priest – which will probably be quite soon now – I am going to have you excommunicated along with all the other fools. If you want my advice you should leave under your own free will while you still can.”

Shako stood, furious, as the Deacon shoved him away. For a moment the idea that the Deacon was responsible for the High Priest's fever swept through his mind, but he didn’t believe that this worm had it in him to take any direct action.
“Tell anyone and it’s my word against yours, and we both know how that will work out.” The Deacon growled as he strolled from the room like nothing had happened.
For a few seconds afterwards Shako considered running after him and beating him unconscious but managed to control himself. That was the most crushing part about this turn of events – the Deacon was right, there was nothing he could say or do against him. He gathered up the scraps of his list and placed them in the nearest brazier, they were no good to him now. Shaken and confused by this turn of events, and horrified by the scale of the cult, he returned quickly to his room in order to brood and plan out his next steps. He already had an idea as to what he was going to do


Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Shako Khan
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by elloit
Shako felt like a fool. It had seemed to be such a good plan at the time – go through the mountains, see the snow, and then head for Shaharan to see the desert. He had read in books about the effects of the extreme cold on travellers and thought he had understood the dangers. He had been wrong. His robes were made for the warmth of the South, and his woollen cloak was not sufficient protection and was now damp with melt water from the snow. A little cold he had learnt to live with, but he knew he was freezing. His body would not stop shaking no matter what control techniques he used, and he was starting to lose feeling in his hands and feet.

It had all seemed like such a good idea back then. Two weeks previous he had made up his mind to leave the temple. It had been an easy decision in the end. After the meeting with the traitorous Deacon he had been watched by the deluded monks wherever he went. There was no longer anyone in the temple he could trust. The plan had been forming in his mind for three days: he would seek out the one they called the ‘Red-Eyed Demon’, and implore him for help. The fact that he was going to get to experience the rest of Cre’Est, and have an adventure of his own like in the stories, was just an added bonus.

The monks of Uirlin, as hidden away from the world as they were, had still heard the rippling waves of gossip about this ‘Red-Eyed Demon’ that had swept their way across the majority of Cre’Est. Everybody had different ideas and opinions about it, and most discounted them as wishful thinking on the part of the peasants whom Te’i Sai oppressed. But the rumours had not dimmed over the months since they had started, and that had settled the idea in Shako’s mind that they were not simply fabrications and fantasy – there really was someone out there killing off Te’i Sai, even if they weren’t a demon. If he could track this individual down, and beg for their help, then he would’ve taken the closest step he could to saving his temple. He didn’t want to think about what might happen if he couldn’t find the Demon, or if he was turned away.

Under cover of darkness he had scaled the walls and left the temple. There were no guards, for no monks ever left that were not supposed to, and no-one in Veilbrand was foolish enough to steal from monks who only had basic possessions that were either of no value or would easily be tracked down if stolen. It was then that he had seen the capital of Veilbrand in person for the first time. He looked out from the hillside the temple was situated on across the capital, and saw the sea of lights from lanterns and fires and observed the lazily rising columns of smoke from chimneys. Most people wouldn’t think anything of it, but to see it for the first time and to truly appreciate the scale of the city was awe inspiring for Shako.

That awe was smothered by a blanket of sorrow and despair when he actually travelled through the city. He had thought it would be a nice, happy place like in the books. He had thought wrong. The streets were filthy; waste of various kinds was strewn in piles everywhere. It seemed like every fourth building was a tavern, and all of them appeared to be playing host to vicious bar fights. Bodies were slumped out in the streets, some unconscious others he feared were dead or critically injured. Beggars lined the streets, and their outstretched hands were painful to have to turn away. All he had was the clothes on his back, the cloak to provide him with anonymity and a little protection from the elements, and a small bundle containing a copy of the Teachings of Uirlin and a few days’ worth of rations. He could not give them anything, though he deeply wished to, and they hurled insults at him that cut him deeply. Whores offered themselves to him and he declined them as politely as possible.

He hadn’t known that he had travelled exclusively through the poor district on his passage through the city. He didn’t know that a few streets over were the walled estates full of happy, smiling, rich families. The experience had been an eye-opener to say the least; it brought all the harsh realities of most people’s lives to him in one burst. He wept himself to sleep that night, and even then he barely slept he was so unsettled by the experience. He knew deep down that he himself couldn’t make a difference to those people, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to help them.

After that it had become easier. He had stayed in towns only when necessary, he had done odd jobs in return for food – most of them involving heavy lifting of some description. At night he slept out in the countryside, and every morning he trained for at least an hour to keep his body in good condition. At the end of the first week the mountains had loomed on the horizon and the idea of seeing the snow had first began to creep into his head. Into the mountains he had gone, letting his curiosity lead him. At first it had seemed nice enough, with clear skies and low winds. It was of course cold, but not unbearably so. Shako had gone further into the mountains only using the stars to check his position at night, he did not actually know if he was travelling in the correct direction during the day.

Then the blizzard had come. Everything was white. Snow whipped around him, the winds threatened to yank him off his feet. He had thought it only temporary, but it had lasted for at least a day. He could not see the night sky to navigate, and could not see far enough ahead to get significant warning of any approaching danger. He had a strong feeling that he was going to die, and that he would most certainly not be saving the temple. He pressed on through snow drifts that were now beginning to reach waist height in places, forcing himself forwards in the hope of rescue. His body was acting mechanically, his mind numb and slowly receding. He felt tired, but knew from his reading that if he dared fall asleep he would not wake up.

Just as all hope seemed lost lights had appeared a short distance ahead of him. At first he thought he was hallucinating, but as he headed towards them they grew in intensity and a cabin began to coalesce out of the swirling snow. He prayed to Uirlin that he was going to be saved, summoning all of his remaining strength to push the last few metres to the door.

“Hello?” he yelled, though his voice was weak, hammering his fist on the door. “Is anybody in there?”

He kept pounding on the door, praying for salvation. The effort was beginning to make him feel dizzy. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer


Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Shako Khan
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

#, as written by elloit
Shako's head hurt. It felt like his skull was several sizes too small for his brain. He gritted his teeth and started piecing together what happened. It came slowly, but the memories were complete, and he still knew who he was. As far as he could discern he didn't have any brain damage. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
He was inside a log cabin. A small lantern was hung on the wall he was facing, and behind him he could hear the crackling of a fire. He was lying on a filthy straw mattress slung over a couple of wooden pallets to form a bed. It looked like it would almost have been better for his health to have slept on the floor. There were two doorways on the wall at his feet, both of them open. A quick glance upwards revealed dozens of crates filling the rest of the room. Evidently it was some kind of storage room. Slowly, carefully, he sat up. His body ached whenever he moved, and he felt stiff, but otherwise he appeared unharmed. 

No sooner had he wondered who his rescuers were than two burly men trudged into the room. As soon as they saw he was awake they started grinning. They were both big, ugly, and looked like they had taken several too many blows to the head (and face). Shako took a guess and decided they were brothers, and this was confirmed when the first one grunted "Oh look bro, our guest is awake!"
The second one swaggered closer, kneeling down beside Shako "So he is! Tell me friend, how are you feeling?"
The pair were being anything but friendly and sincere, but Shako answered the question anyway "I think I'll live."
"Well, if that's your plan," the first one said leaning in close and grabbing the front of Shako's robe "what were you doing snooping around our cabin?"
Ordinarily Shako would have broken the man's forearms - he didn't respond well to threats - but he needed some information from these people, and he didn't entirely trust his body not to betray him just yet. 
"I was lost in the blizzard and looking for help. How long was I unconscious?"
"You slept for two days." number two replied, as one released Shako, seemingly satisfied "What kind of fool are you to go into the mountains without sufficient supplies?"
"I hadn't realised just how insufficient they were at the time. I'll not be making that mistake again."
"You'll not be making any mistakes again if you aren't careful." growled number one. He appeared to be older, but less intelligent than his brother. Not to mention more aggressive. 
"All I want is to know the route back down the mountain. I will leave you in peace."
"That's as maybe, but we need to be sure that's all you were doing. Get a dose of skalm ready, Jim."

Shako's brain worked like an encyclopaedia. Skalm: an extremely powerful painkiller often used in cases of amputation, large burns or other such horrific injuries. It was a paste which gave a sensation of floating and disconnection from the body when applied to the skin, even in small quantities, for more than a minute or two. It also impaired higher brain functions somewhat, meaning it was difficult for people to lie whilst under its effects. It could be taken recreationally, though it was illegal to do so on most of the continent save for a few backwaters. Shako had never had it, and didn't intend to. If that meant he had to beat the two men whom had saved his life then so be it. Shako began to subtly tense his body, getting ready to strike. He watched the man, Jim, preparing the dose whilst feigning fear. 

Shako was just about to strike when a third figure entered from the other room. It was a woman, and she would have been pretty if not for the huge scar that ran down the left side of her face and pulled her nose and mouth out of alignment. 
"What do you two think you're doing?" she screeched, and they both flinched
"We're gonna give him some skalm to make sure he tells us the truth." Jim bumbled
"You most certainly are not!" she snapped, switching to the other brother "You do realise he's a monk, don't you?"
"I don't see how that makes a difference, Sandra." the brother replied, standing his ground. 
"It means he has no reason to lie to you, you fools! Now get out so I can have a word with him."
The two brothers left in a hurry, the second staring daggers into Sandra's back as he went. 

"I'm so sorry." Sandra began, her voice suddenly soft and sincere, the abrupt change catching Shako off guard "I hope they didn't hurt you."
"No, I'm fine. Thank you for intervening." Shako smiled politely.
"My pleasure," she continued sitting down on the bed next to Shako "they need a firm hand to keep them in line, but they mean well."
"I'm sure they do." Shako stated sarcastically, those two had anything but good intentions. 
"You do realise we can't just let you go though. You've got no money, but we need some kind of payment for saving your life. Food and firewood isn't free, and times are tough." 
Shako sat in silence for a moment, he had been expecting something like this and already formulated a plan. "How about a trade then?"
"I'm listening."
"Well, judging by how protective your friends are of this place, and how many crates full of skalm you've got, I'm going to assume that you are smugglers, correct?"
Sandra nodded cautiously. 
"My guess," Shako continued "is that you're shipping the stuff out of Shaharan and over the mountains into Cre'Est. So my offer is, that you tell me the routes down from the mountain, and in exchange I will carry three sacks of skalm to your dealer."
"How do you propose to manage that much without being searched?"
"I'm a holy man, remember? If I tell them it's for medicinal purposes, they won't question it."
Sandra was grinning "Are you sure you're a monk, you seem very willing to get your hands dirty. Plus how do we know you won't rat us out?"
"Trust me, I'm doing this to further my agenda not yours. This is just a means to an end. And I will swear an oath to you that I will not tell the guards. The monks of Uirlin are not allowed to break their oaths."
"Fine then," Sandra smiled, standing "I accept our arrangement. I'll have some provisions prepared and then guide you down the mountain myself tomorrow morning."
They shook hands, and she left to oversee her minions. Shako, meanwhile, was repeatedly telling himself he was doing the right thing. He had to leave this place as soon as possible, preferably without making enemies, and this was the best way to do it. Even if it went against his moral compass, he doubted it was the worst deed he was going to accomplish before Te'i Sai was finished. 

As planned, they departed the next morning. There were no snowstorms, and the sun was out. It was right back to the beautiful vistas Shako had first been lured in by. The trek down the mountain was treacherous, following numerous unsteady goat paths slicked with ice. Many of them overlooked sheer drops. Despite the dangers, they made it to the base of the mountain without any serious incidents. Hidden in a small wood they said their goodbyes, which were not particularly heartfelt.

"Before I go." Shako asked "What's the latest rumour on the Red Eyed Demon?"
Sandra's brow creased as she thought "Last time I was in town was a month ago, but they say he's left Cre'Est. There was talk that he'd entered Triveila but then again some say he headed into Veilbrand. Why do you want to know?"
"Oh, it's just a hobby of mine to follow the gossip about him." Shako answered, slinging the sacks over his shoulders and turning to leave. 
"Wait! One more thing!" Sandra called, her tone suddenly slightly pleading
"What is it?" Shako enquired, turning back towards her and dropping the sacks to the ground again. 
"I know I don't really deserve it but...will you bless me?"
"You do realise that the blessings of Uirlin are meant to bring luck in battle? Normally only soldiers ask for them."
"I know," Sandra replied, blushing slightly "but I feel like I could use whatever favours the Gods will give me."
"Very well then." Shako shrugged, and laid his hands upon her shoulders and closed his eyes, taking a moment to collect himself before saying "Uirlin, I implore you to look after this daughter. To watch over her, and see her carried victorious through her struggles."
He removed his hands and slung the sacks again, and this time she did not stop him, simply calling out "Thank you."
He walked on, considering the rumours she had told him. They may have been old, but Shako knew he was at least five steps behind from the beginning. What mattered was how quickly he caught up. He would head into Triveila and try his luck there once he had made the drop. He was in no hurry to go back to Veilbrand, and whilst he was eager to get back on the Demon's trail, he would keep his vows and deliver the skalm first. 

One step at a time, he told himself, one step at a time...