Korrah Littlefist

[HinYoFace]

Korrah - The Little Fist

Race:  Halfling
Region:  Luiren
Age:  Don't ask a Lady's age
Height:  2' 8"
Weight:  Don't ask a Lady's weight
Hair:  Brown
Eyes:  Brown
Diety:  Yondalla

Description and Background:
One arm's distance gentlemen; this sassy woman expects to be treated like a lady!  If you value your shins and ankles you better watch your manners.  She prides herself in being able to handle herself and will gladly allow you to underestimate her due to her size.  However she is generally friendly and outgoing to just about everyone she meets, mostly likely striking a "superhero hands on hips" pose upon introduction.  She comes from a long line of "short Hin" and lived with her family in Beluir, Luiren, but learned of the Hin Fist Monestary in Shallybrook and has traveled to Cormyr -all by herself- with the hopes of building a new sense of community there.  Is Shallybrook ready for this level of energy?  Is Cormyr?

[HinYoFace]

20th Day of Flamerule, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


Today I took some time to stroll around Shallybrook and introduced myself to many of its more prominent members.  Frumio was very kind and helped me off the caravan; what a gentlemen he is and a great first impression! Then I met with Frimdriscol, the town Sheriff. Naturally he's a bit of stale cookie but I'm sure he's seen a thing or two in his day to make him that way, and he rightfully takes his job seriously. He pointed out the Inn of the Golden Maiden as a place where I could lay my head down.




Inside I greeted Druppi but he was shy and didn't have much to say, but the Innkeeper Regriappi offered food and drink and a room if I needed it. I told him that I have been on the road for a long time traveling from Beluir to Cormyr all by myself, and I had a bit of a sweet tooth so he mentioned I should visit the Sugarsmith's Bakery...so I did! Merridoc "Pipin Hot" Bloddyknock was just as sweet as the desserts she makes! All kinds of cakes and cookies for me to choose from, I ate so much I nearly gave myself a tummy ache!




But I couldn't let all those sweets go to my hips, so I set out for a walk and had some nice chats with Belomery, the Hin Matron Rosinden Marrymar, and Driobolass. I think we could be friends! I pointed out the Hin Fist Monastery up on the hill and Driobolass directed me to Yondalla's Burrow where I met and prayed with Brandioc. She was kind and helped supply me with healing potions but I needed more than that so she told me to visit the Caravan Merchant on the other side of town.




Little did I know the shopkeeper is Meriom Bloddyknock! Is he Merridoc's brother, or husband?! Either way he had a wide supply of the potions I was looking for as well as an assortment of weapons. Just not the ones that would suit a Hin Fist like me. He directed me to a tall'un shop saying I might find what I need there, so I spoke with Vesper who is a very nice man but I couldn't yet use or afford the items he had for sale.




It was very nice meeting everyone today, but I have one question: Who leads the Hin Fist Monestary, and why are there no clothes or gloves provided by any of the town's merchants given that there is a Monastery right here and the threat of Ogres and Trolls in the nearby hills? No no no no no this simply will not do and so I, Korrah Littlefist will offer my assistance!

[HinYoFace]

26th Day of Flamerule, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:



I have spent a lot of time around Shallybrook recently, and I am enjoying it very much!  In fact, I found my favorite place to meditate overlooking the town and the serenity of the water below. Training of the mind is just as important as training of the body. However sometimes the meditation can be a bit boring on its own, so I found a constructive way to train my mind while also helping others. FISHING! It's peaceful to be able to just find a spot to sit, cast a line, close my eyes and just feel the sensations around me.




All the training appears to have paid off so far! I could sense it earlier this week with my strikes becoming more powerful. The trick is to control your breathing and keeping a calm mind while in a fight. I tested my new power at a place not far to the South of Valkur's Roar, my strikes now glowing with ki.




Every punch and kick is deliberate, with the intent of striking through your opponent rather than just making contact. The power of a punch starts from the ground and moves through your legs and core before releasing the energy through your punch upon impact, forcing you ki into your opponents body.




The force from your kicks is aided by the movements of your upper body, balancing on the non-striking leg.  The twisting motion of a round kick allows me to leverage rotational force and ki, which is greater than a straight front or thrust kick.

I still have only just started my journey, and I've only met a small number of others that study Hin Fist. I'm looking forward to the continuation of my training to achieve greater skills so I can protect this community that has taken me in. Training of the Mind, Training of the Body, and Training of the Spirit.

[HinYoFace]

4th Day of Eleasis, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


After a few days of physical training Korrah recharges her mind, body and spirit with freshly cooked fish, a side of fruits and vegetables, fresh water and plenty of rest.  She treats her body like a temple, keeping out as many impurities as her sweet tooth will allow so that she maintains her good health and natural resistance to poisons or disease.  She spends her days outside the Hin Fist Monastery meditating near the waterfall, and her nights praying to Yondalla at the Burrow with Brandioc.  As she practices her controlled breathing she discovers a way to harmonize her mind, body and spirit, and when she focuses on that harmony a faint glow of ki hin-ergy surrounds her body.  The next phase of her training is nearly complete...

[HinYoFace]

5th Day of Eleasis, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


In preparation for the upcoming Shieldmeet Festival, I took some time to spar with the combat dummies outside of Suzail to test my ki hin-ergy while Tammy the "Taminator" observed and critiqued nearby.  She helped me to especially make sure that I was equally proficient with both legs when striking.




I still have a few challenges with my technique that I have yet to overcome and obviously these opponents don't hit back but they still provide an good training opportunity to test my skills.  Since they have no minds to speak of I wasn't able to test my Stunning Fist technique, but with enough focus and ki hin-ergy I was able to explode the dummy!




With the Shieldmeet Festival only days away and many skilled and experienced contestants signed up to participate, I can only hope that my training thus far will be enough to at least put on a good showing.  Who knows, maybe I could even win!

[HinYoFace]

9th Day of Eleasis, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


SHIELDMEET! Woo Woo! What a fun couple of days and a fantastic festival it has been so far! What better way to start the day than with a few jokes! Elon did a silent tumbling act that was pretty silly, and Henrik told some really funny jokes about Paladins. I even gave it a try myself with a "short" act and came in 2nd Place! *waves her sparkler around*




I missed most of the events from the first day because I spent hours and hours fishing, but I just couldn't leave because it was such a nice spot!  Lots of trees and a waterfall and stiff competition!  I missed third place by just 6 points, BUT we collectively caught so many fish (hundreds and hundreds of fish!) that the extras were sent to feed the needy and hungry people of Valkur's Roar!  Can you believe it?!




I got to see so many people including Mister Orc Lord Urbu-something, Lord Marister Zorastryl was there, and a few other nobles by the looks of their entourage.  One of the Orcs participated in the Mage Duel, and I'm no Mage but some of that magic seemed a bit dark.  Some of the judges were a bit concerned but they handled everything very nicely!




I haven't really won any events yet other than my 2nd Place in the Jovial Jesters, so I hope I can put my best foot forward for the Plane Striders Foot Race against some of the quickest monks around as well as the Feasting Frenzy considering that even just one pie is a belly full for me.  *giggles*

[HinYoFace]

22nd Day of Eleasis, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


The final days of Shieldmeet were fantastic!  What a wonderful and joyful Festival it was!  I took part in the Plane Strider's Foot Race against two of the fastest monks in the lands, Norrah and Elon.  It was a lot of fun and I came in 3rd place but I was exhausted after that!




There was still plenty of fighting going on too. Thorell did pretty well and fought against Elon, and another more tattooed monk name Ving, and he even turned into a dragon against some strangely strong man named Wesley who nobody really knew...but who was apparently strong enough to defeat a dragon.





Then there was an adventurer named Rauvlyn who was the runner-up at the end, and she put on one of the best displays of skill and guile that I've ever seen against a shape changer! I should definitely look to training with her at some point in the future, I think I could really learn a lot! I also was not expecting the Armored Man, who had been accepting challenges from any retainer of a House of Cloudstone, to be challenged to a game of Lanceboard. It was so exciting to watch!




Oh I almost forgot about the Illusion contest where a Dragon fought against a floating sword! It was spectacular! Then there was the Feasting Frenzy which proved to be too much for me after only 2 rounds, but Orichan eventually won and he ate all of the strange foods that were provided.




But by far the best part of the Festival was the Jousting Tournament. Yay for all the horses! There were so many competitors including Lords and Ladies, and some old man named Holance ended up winning the whole thing! He must be well known because many people were making fun of him afterwards in jest, and he was friendly with all of them.




But as with all good things, the end eventually came and the Shieldmeet Festival has come and gone. It was a lot of fun and they even made two types of dolls in my likeness, can you believe it?! Now it's back to training so I can further my skills and to better defend my little community of Shallybrook.

[HinYoFace]

12th Day of Elient, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


Training has resumed!  Shieldmeet showed me that I still have a long way to go, so more intense training is needed so I can ensure the protection of my fellow Hins of Shallybrook.  I've noticed my ki control has improved and I've almost got the hang of the Quivering Palm technique which is a bit harder to practice since I need a live creature to practice on rather than just a combat dummy.  But I wish there were combat dummies in Shallybrook near the Hin Fist Monestary though, that would be great!  In the meantime, the Dragon Hunts will have to do...

[HinYoFace]

26th Day of Elient, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


The first and second tenday of Elient has been full of exploring new places and facing new foes.  But just like the dragons, the bigger they are the harder they fall!  I have been doing so much practice on my sneaking skills that even this big three-handed horned thing didn't see me coming, and then...WHAMO!  But who knew there were so many threats in Cormyr?  I saw different kinds of imp, a scary flying woman thing, a fat deformed humanoid creature, all kinds of craziness!




And that's just the start of it! My traveling group of Hins showed me an entrance to the Underdark within Cormyr, and I had only ever heard tales of these kinds of creatures. I never imagined I would be fighting them!  Big floating cyclops heads with eyeball tentacles known as eye tyrants or beholders.  No mistaking them.  




I've been so fortunate to meet a great community of Hins that took me in and showed me around these lands. But now some of them are moving on, and the group is getting much smaller while the threats are only bigger. I'm not sure if I will see them again, but I pray that Yondalla watches over and protect them.  In the meantime I will continue to train and meditate.

[HinYoFace]

28th Day of Elient, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


Adventure time!  A group of travelers and I embarked on a task that took us over the river and through the spooky woods to someplace that...WOWZERS check out that waterfall!  I mean, have you ever seen something so inviting?!  Just look at it!  I could run right up and do a cannonball right now, and I would too if it weren't for this task. It's been pretty interesting so far and I'm looking forward to what happens next.  The cannonballs will have to wait I suppose...

[HinYoFace]

3rd Day of Marpenoth, Year of Three Streams Blooded 1384DR:


It's my favorite time of year, Leaffall!  Shayla had us run another task for her and there was a lot of important stuff going on, but one thing just kept nagging at me and I couldn't stop thinking about it the entire time we were there.  I wonder if Diaara could eat this whole mushroom?  I mean she really likes mushrooms, but this one is as tall as I am!




My friends and I have continued our training, heading down the deep caverns of the Underdark to thin their numbers and prevent any further attacks on the surface.  The Taminator and I make a pretty dynamic duo with the hefty swings of her sword and my sneakiness and quick strikes.  I feel at least half a step faster than my fellow Lightfoots, and the big folk too.




We can handle our own so long as we have at least the four of us: Haven, Maxx, Tammy, and myself.  There is so much to do down there, it's like an entire underground city of its own!  Who knows what we'll find down there next...

[HinYoFace]

In the middle of the night while resting at The Golden Maiden, Korrah tosses and turns in her sleep. The setting she sees is of a cave, nearly pitch black with no other sources of light other than the cave entrance. Her natural curiosity and mischief get the best of her as she starts to sneak around inside, using the shadows to her advantage.

At the rear of the cave, she comes upon two Skeletal Warriors guarding a Skeletal Mage. She gets herself into position to take her foes by surprise, then launches a surprise series of blows.  Her fists pound away at the bones of the Mage but they're being absorbed by some form of magic. The two Warriors groan and begin swinging their bone clubs wildly, while the Mage stares down at her like the unsuspecting prey she is. The cave echo's with the sounds of bone clubs smashing the ground, and arcane spells flash through the darkness...missiles and bursts of dark energy...until it all goes silent.




From the darkness comes a fog, the ground beneath her is no longer the cave floor, fear no longer gripping her mind, and the Mage's painful magic no longer plagues her body. She looks around not knowing where she is or how she got here.  She calls out in the fog "Hello...?!" but for the moment there is nothing but the sound of her own voice.  Then she notices an odd sensation as if something is very gently ushering her forward...




The faint sound of a soft and soothing voice is heard but she cannot make out who it is, where it's coming from, or what it's trying to tell her.  Again she feels the sensation to move forward, this time not as subtle as the last.  She sets out in a sprint with a twirling trail of fog behind her, and both the voice and the sensation continue to intensify. Nothing in front of her, nothing behind her, nothing to her left or her right.  Nothing but cold dense fog as she continues to sprint with confidence and purpose.  Her heart skips a beat as a faint glow appears in the distance and begins to shine more brightly the closer she gets.  The feeling is unmistakable and the soothing voice becomes more welcoming until right as she approachs...then silence.




As she stood there staring into the light, everything was still.  There were no words, only sensations: the presence of a Creator, a desire to protect, and a nurturing smile like from a Mother to her mischievous child who fell down. There was one final feeling of being ushered forward, as if saying "Go on, child.  You are still needed"




She suddenly awakens and springs out of bed, sweating and out of breath. She quickly puts on her robes and sandals and heads for a jog around the town. What was that? Was that a dream...or was it a memory?

[HinYoFace]

13th Day of Kythron, Year of Blue Fire 1385DR:


Whether that was a dream or a memory I still do not know, but it shook me to my core.  I'm ashamed to say it, but I ran.  I needed stability and a place I knew was safe...so I fled back home to Beluir.  But the longer I was away the more I thought about the evils lurking in Cormyr, and all the people I met in Shallybrook.  Who would keep -them- safe?




There's more than just giants in these hills and my memory may be incoherent but there was something evil in that cave.  How could I just run away?  How could I just leave everyone else behind?  Everything I need is here including the Hin Fist Monastery.  There is still much to learn and nobody said it was going to be easy, so the training must continue.  

Standing here in the place before the words of Arvoreen I wont turn my back, I wont run, I will fight, and I will protect my new family. Yondalla and her Children are with me...

[HinYoFace]

20th Day of Kythron, Year of Blue Fire 1385DR:


There was a meeting at the end of this tenday with the locals of Shallybrook and a few fellow Hin. Our town hero Bllly was there and so was Moss, and some newer faces I don't know too well yet. Brandioc took us around the town and showed us a few things that needed to be done, one of which is cleaning out and restoring the old Hin Fist Monastery that's said to have been here before the first permanent settlers in Shallybrook.

I fueled up with chocolate almond cookie cupcakes, fresh from Sugarsmiths and took some extras to the fence-dwellers in Greatgaunt. I needed to pick up a rake and a broom from Garrot anyways so I brought some treats along with me. Good thing I had plenty of Fruit Juice on me too because raking is hard work! I did my best to clear the area of any dead leaves and branches, then bagged it up and took it down to the Storage Depot in case any of the gardens needed it for their soil. I don't know! I'm not a gardner!

I took a break and rinsed my sweaty face off in the nearby waterfall, then took to the broom and began sweeping the main entryway. Having been left in disrepair for so long it was clearly in need of some attention and took me a long time, but it was relaxing with the calming sound of the waterfall, birds chirping, and bees buzzing. The repeated patterns, raking and sweeping back and forth, back and forth were actually kind of meditative. So all in all, not so bad!

I wonder how the others are coming along with their tasks? There is a need for patrols of the ogres to the East, guarding the cavern from the giants to the North, and Mystra's Grove needs some attention after that crazy wild magic stuff.

[HinYoFace]

3rd Day of Flamerule, Year of Blue Fire 1385DR:


I've been doing some thinking about what to do with the Monastery once it's been cleared out and cleaned up so I looked to the tall folk for inspiration, and who better to look at than the ones who worship their War god Toehammer! I had so many questions and jokes lined up about this big Toe but all the fun and games came to an abrupt end when the cleric of Tempus said the name is Foehammer. FOE-Hammer! I mean, it makes more sense but I thought Toehammer was much more interesting and funny. I went ahead and tithed 100 gold coins and asked the man if I could test out the dummies, and with a little extra wink and thumbs up he hesitantly agreed! They had some extras stored away in the back but I didn't think it was the right time to ask about those just yet.

First up was the Training Dummy. Stuffed full of grass, it's just a basic model commonly found throughout the lands including the ones near our village's front gate. They're cheap and easy to make and put in the ground but offer little else other than a punching bag. After that, I tried out the newer Combat Dummy. This one is more sturdy and comes with a simulated head, shield, and sword but it also has moving parts! I tested out my *ahem* low kicks and found it to be much better for training actions and reactions. These are a bit harder to construct and are a bit more expensive, I'm sure.

Now THIS is something else! It's made of some kind of hardwood and constructed in moving sections that can be either allowed to spin or locked into place. For the Hin Fists who have mastered their ki strikes to the same level as the most superior blades, this training tool can definitely take the beating. I gave it a few good hits and barely put a dent in it. I would be very interested in learning the craftsmanship to make these for our village someday.