The Legend of Theon:

Little is known of Theon. His parents, his hometown, his lover... their names and faces have been sanded away like a river does stone. All that remains is the legend of the water dragon. For Theon was not born a demigod but awakened. In an age when miracles were like grains of sand on the beach, Theon mastered every known martial art within a single lifetime—his body never aging, his mind a blade sharper than steel.

He rose, driven by the cruel consequences of ashes from the Nine-Sky War, when gods bled and domains cracked like porcelain. The blood that was spilled hissed with righteous anger and did not settle when it finally hit the ground. Instead, it bubbled and seeped into the earth, transforming it into shells for the newborn spirits of war. For each leg upon the land they crept with, thirty-six hundred would have to perish before their thirst for vengeance was slaked.

Alone, Theon stood. He reached far. At the peak of his cultivation, Theon entered the Cradle Rift to drink deep the Flame of Mana, a power that would burn any whose heart was heavy with pride. He returned changed. Glowing. Alive, but touched by something other.

Between his travels slaying spirits across the continent, he taught those he saw sparks in to fight, guiding them on "the obsidian path." In Bennium, he trained Kei-buin-hon, first of the flame. When he rested in Dìng Zhèn, after bringing the river to settle in it's stride, he found Zuntima and showed her the way of the gentle hand to teach her how to be a mother rather than a warrior or slaver of the water. On and on, it went. In Tie Ya, Beiwang, and Dānfēng Cheng, every great sect now found in the modern year of 1407 began with the story of Theon, hero of the humble heart, placing his hand over another.

For a time, Theon's legacy lived. It stood. Celebrated, a league of heroes who stood to fight evil. But as all things must do, its time came to an end when every spirit of vengeance was laid to rest, and there were no more corruptions to fix. All was good as gold... and so, the sect celebrated. But man's hubris is vast, and their earthly desires are like a snake that waits to bite at their heel as soon as they're not looking. Celebration turned from wholesome cheer to drunken merriment to debased action. Theft, murder, and lust reigned over the hearts of many a man turned beast.

They say that the day he learned of his disciples' failures and the jade emperor's decree, every animal from the smallest beetle to the mighty lion grew silent, and the moment he saw his reflection afterward, he split the mountain in two in shame. Never to take a disciple again, said the failure of a teacher.

Now, as the storytellers say, he meditates hidden in the Misted Grove: half-wraith, half-man. Those who seek him out with noble need and can convince him to teach them by battle, wits, or heart will find him but return changed. No power is without a price. Having learned the folly of accepting all with a spark with open hands, the results are stark. Some return powerful. Some return broken. Most don't return at all...erased like leaves in winter.

Appearance and Details:

• General: Mana heart human, Sharp jaw, thick brows, Tall, Appears 38, but likely over 500.
• Hair: Long, black, flowing with wild uneven locks; always slightly lifted as if reacting to mana.
• Eyes: Luminous aquamarine, through them, a window into his more-than-human elements are visible, as they burn with crystalized flame.
• Body: Appearance wise, his body is cut from stone: powerful and sculpted. Ancient battle scars run across his ribs and forearms.
• Features: Emits teal smoke from nostrils when breathing, and mouth when speaking; faint glowing veins visible under skin in darkness. Blows more smoke when angry.
• Speech: Speaks little and cryptically (unless angered). Refers to people by traits, not names. Rarely uses "I".
• Other: Theon does not consider himself alive in the traditional sense. He believes he exists purely to atone for his failure and act as the gateman of power he once failed to deny entry for. When fighting, Theon should seem almost spectral, appearing and disappearing like smoke.

Behavior and Habits:

• Meditates for days at a time beneath falling water or mist, neither eating nor drinking, his breath forming mandala-like smoke patterns.
• Speaks to the sky at dawn, as if reporting to someone long gone.
• Keeps a mental record of every person who has seeked him, those who succeeded in their quests, those that he had to end and those who died before they even began.
• Refuses to light fire, cook meals, or craft shelter—he believes all comfort dulls the edge of mastery.
• Carries his sword at all times but rarely touches its hilt unless judgment is required.
• Repeats the same kata (martial sequence) exactly 108 times each morning; the sequence changes based on the season.
• Trains shirtless regardless of weather—part of his control ritual
• Always barefoot to feel the earth and chi beneath him.
• Interacts with animals in strange ways; they never flee, but seem to understand him as something both holy and dangerous.
• Speaks to the sky at dawn, as if reporting to someone long gone.
• Frowns when addressed by name or title.