Bo "The Evening Tide"'s Questionnaire

1. What town or city do you live in? Why do you live there instead of anywhere else? Describe your home.

Link Answered before Bo "The Evening Tide"'s first Contract.

Bo lives in the Purple Cloud Daoist Monastery in the Wudang Mountains of Hubei, China. The Monastery has existed since the early 1100's. It is semi-remite but draws pilgrims and tourists from all over. It is home to a small sect of Daoist monks who focus on Dao cultivation and weapons training. The Monastery is surrounded by steep cliffs and misty mountain forest, accessible only by a remote but well maintained mountain road. Bo lives a humble life of study, discipline and poverty, living on the donations of visitors to the temple. He is ranked high enough in the temple to have his own room, but it is Spartan, having just a simple bed, desk and chair. His most lavish possession is his small collection of well made cultivation robes.

2. How do you get your money right now? What do you spend it on?

Link Answered before Bo "The Evening Tide"'s first Contract.

As a Daoist Monk, Bo survives on the charity of those who visit the temple, and a small cultural fund from the Chinese government. He does not have a savings account so to speak, but the Monastery holds all of the money centrally to provide for the monks who live there. The Monastery is not poor, but the individual monks do not generally care for luxury items or excess belongings. Bo has very few personal possession, but his needs are also well taken care of. If he needs to travel for instance, it's unlikely he would be unable to afford a plane ticket.

3. Describe your Ambition. What are you striving for? How far would you go to achieve this? Would you kill for it? How close to death would you come for it?

Link Answered before Bo "The Evening Tide"'s first Contract.

Bo seeks to become a true master if the Dao, seeking to gain a perfected understanding of the fundamental truths of the universe. To do this, Bi must live a life in line with these ultimate truths, acting with an iron will and centered mind. He must strengthen mind, body and soul at all costs, that means rigorous study, intense physical training and living a life of truth and certainty to strengthen his soul. Bo will allow nobody and nothing to shake him from this path. The Dao is the path and Bo will be the Dao. All truths are one supreme cosmic truth learning that sacred truth is Bo's purpose in life. Bo's will achieve the peak of cultivation, there is room for others at the top along with him, but if anyone gets in his way, they will become fertilizer for his cultivation. 

4. What was the most defining event of your life (before signing The Contract), and how did it change you?

Link Answered before Bo "The Evening Tide"'s first Contract.

Several years ago, towards the end of a month long period of secluded meditation on The Dao, Bo had a breakthrough. In a state of enlightenment brought about by dedicated reflection on his own soul and it's connections to all things around him, Bo caught a glimpse of the Supreme Dao. The cosmic truth that unifies all things. It crashed upon him like a tidal wave, washing through his being and awakening his soul, and then was gone before he could solidify his understanding of it. Since then, Bo has been seeking to regain that level of clarity and insight through redoubled efforts in cultivation, self discipline, study and meditation. Bo knows that there is more to life and to the Dao than what any of the other Monks are aware of, but explaining what he saw to them would be like explaining the majesty of the night sky to someone who has lived under ground their whole life. It can only be shown, and that is easier said than done.

5. Name and briefly describe three people in your life. One must be the person you are closest to.

Link Answered before Bo "The Evening Tide"'s first Contract.

-Abbott Everlasting Peace, the current head of the Monastery and the one who took in Bo as a baby when he was left on the steps of Monastery in a thunder storm all those years ago. He is an old man, somewhere in his mid 80s, but he is spry of body and sharp of mind. He is small in stature and often wears plain black cultivation robes. He has a whsipy, pointed white beard and deep wrinkles on his face. He is stern but kind and has a soft spot for his prodigy Bo.

-Ling is Bo's first real student at the Monastery. Ling is a 13 year old boy who came to the Monastery 5 years ago when his father died and his mother could no longer care for him. He was very withdrawn and sad back then, but Bo brought him out of his shell and took him under his wing.  Ling studies the straight sword and has an affinity for studying western culture. Like many boys his age, he is inpatient and sometimes rebellious, but ultimately he is good natured.

 

-FooDog the Tibetan Mastiff that lives at the Monastery. Bo considers him a true friend as much as Ling or the Abbot. FooDog is 225lbs of muscle and fur standing almost 4ft tall at the shoulder. He protects the temple from wild animals and often walks with Bo through the forest trails around the Monastery. Bo confides in FooDog more than in any human that he knows, and FooDog is closer with Bo than any of the other Monks.