Monks in Forgotten Realms??

candidus_cogitens · Mar 20, 2004

Are there monks (martial artists) in Forgotten Realms? I've heard about a group of monks that are obsessed with studying and revering death, and there was that other group called the Monks of Candlekeep, but as far as I am aware neither of these groups has anything to do with the martial arts. Nor would they be suitable associations for a PC of the monk class.

Has anyone ever played a monk in FR, or been in a group where there was one?

I'm considering playing one, but I can't figure out how to develop a backstory. Are monks just alien to this campaign world?

Any advice would be appreciated. I'd be perfectly happy dropping a lot of the exotic weapons, which in my opinion are simply too exotic to be a part of most campaign worlds. I'd just like to find some way to make this class playable.

Nightingale 7 · Mar 20, 2004

In the FRCS there are several monk orders mentioned.
Offhand,I recall the monks of the Yellow Rose,the Ilmaterite monks(Ilmater has a lot of them),the monks of the Long Death(mostly Loviatar worshippers),the Dark Moon monks(Sharran monk/sorcerers) and several others which I don't recall correctly.Kara-Tur is brimming with them,but it is not well developed in the FRCS,though in the UE there are several mentions of Shu expatriates,Kara-Turan people that migrated to Faerun through the Golden Way.It is safe to say that monks are firmly rooted in Faerun,though the Candlekeep monks are more cleric/sage/loremaster-types than martial arts practitioners,like you said.

There are many ways to build a FR monk.A plan hatching in my brain for our next campaign is a monk 1/cleric x of Ilmatter,with Vows of Poverty,Nonviolence,Peace etc.Granted he is more of a cleric,but a monk-like one.No heavy armor,mace or Flame Strikes with this guy.He is going to be the party buffer/healer,as well as a competent hand to hand combatant with the aim to subdue his opponents.

Another possibility would be building a KaraTuran slave,who is shipped from Kara-Tur to Faerun.He would have a very interesting outlook on life.He would value honor above all else.Also he would most likely worship no Faerunian deity,since Kara-Turans have their own pantheon,the Celestial Bureaocracy.

If your game is an evil one you could build a monk of Shar or Loviatar,as I mentioned above.Those would be more ninja-like/spy types.You could also give them Assassin levels after a while.

Hope I was helpful.If you give me a little more info on what kind of momk do you want to build I could help more.

Stone Dog · Mar 20, 2004

Faerunian martial monk orders as follows...

Broken Ones- Specifically Imater worshiping order. Lawful Good.

Dark Moon- Shar worshiping evil monks.

Hin Fist- Neutral or Good order of Halflings, but with some gnomes and dwarves.

Long Death- Evil monks that worship death itself regardless of the diety who has dominion over it currently is. Kelemvor doesn't like them, but at least they aren't necromancers.

Old Order- Philisophical monks with no diety anymore. The diety either no longer exists or never existed, the monks can't agree on which. Hardly ever evil.

Shining Hand- Neutral Azuth worshipers.

Sun Soul- Good or neutral monks with a variety of allegiances (Lathander mostly, but some Selune and a few Sune).

Yellow Rose- Ilmater monks again.

Alzrius · Mar 21, 2004

Check out this free web enhancement for Faiths & Pantheons. At the end of the PDF is an expanded listing of the various monk and paladin orders in Faerun.

Monks in Forgotten Realms??

candidus_cogitens

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Nightingale 7

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Stone Dog

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Alzrius

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