PCs:Dok

Dok, Initiate of the Iron Mantis Sect

Race: Halfling

Dok's parents had a difficult time with the precocious youngster, so much so that they apprenticed him off to a passing tinker as soon as he was eligible (at age 16.) Unfortunately, the "tinker" was actually an agent for a slave ring, and little Dok found himself on the block. The slavers soon realized that this foul little monster would be difficult to sell, as he was sullen, lazy, and tactless, with poor hygeine to boot. They despaired of unloading him and put him in charge of the hounds, meaning he fed them and slept in their pens. Dok's tremendous hatred of dogs started during this period, and he has the bite scars to back it up.

The slavers decided to cut their losses when the fifth dog turned up dead of some sort of intestinal discomfort...and left Dok at the gate of a remote monastery in M'Chek. The monks of the Iron Mantis Sect took Dok in despite his failings and trained him in the traditions of their order. The Iron Mantis Sect is an order of contemplative mendicant monks devoted to earthly perfection of the body, mind. and spirit. Their traditions stress the gain of earthly power in all it's forms. Initiates of the Iron Mantis Sect are expected to beg both to bring gold into the coffers and to observe to actions and speech of others.

The Iron Mantis sect also practices the Iron Mantis Style of unarmed combat, a hard/hard technique stressing powerful, all-out attacks designed to kill or maim as swiftly as possible. The weapons forms of Iron Mantis style concentrate on dual kamas to emulate the powerful forarm attack of the mantis.

Dok has been granted a period of several years to travel Avlis. seeking power and knowledge in the name of the Iron Mantis. His own inclinations tend toward drink, pipeweed, and the bath house beneath the Rompin Romini, although he wouldn't mind if some elves showed up there now and then.
((Source))