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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Storyteller01" data-source="post: 2108866" data-attributes="member: 20931">It's not that they didn't have an impact so much as one culture's acceptance of violence over the others. There were many occurances where teaching martial techniques in European was forbidden by law, and dueling was (in some areas) as barbarous as whoring (this didn't stop the nobles from doing either, but hey...). This forbiddance wasn't limited to peasantry; in fact, it targeted noble youth to prevent the 'corruption of their state of mind'. It wasn't until the Renaissance that martial training in Europe really shined, but even at that time learning to kill was met with mixed approval.Training with the bow was also noted in some texts as the perview of the peasantry in Europe. While nobility did learn the use of the bow as well as sword and lance, the peasants used the bow on a regular basis: they hunted for their food. Why train hundreds of archers when you can conscript peasants who already know how to use the weapon? Who would admit that being a peasant gives an advantage over a noble?On the asian outlook, even Confusious carried a sword, and the sword is considered one of several holy symbols depending on the religion involved.European history tends to document who did what, but not generally how. No one wanted to know how the other guy died. It was enough that the victor survived.There's also a theory that softer martial arts were developed by monks and professional nobility (samurai and such) as their experience with combat improved. Harder styles were designed to teach peasants and other footsoldiers the essentials as quickily as possible. They had a life expectancy of 0, and you wanted them to do as much damage as possible before they went down. Those in either group who survived passed on their knowledge.My two cents: It's probably better that the monk be introduced with other asian themed classes. Let's face it, most of the reasons given as to why a monk exists in a European world can be used for Samurai, Wu Jen, Ninja, etc (anyone ever see the Western where a cowboy traveled with a samurai out to retrieve/deliver a family blade?).</blockquote>

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