You are, or were, a monastic student at one of the many monasteries in the land. You have trained for years to master your own body and mind, and are capable of carrying out great feats of physical and mental endurance. You may have been left at the monastery as a baby, or were born from members of the order. Perhaps you joined the monastery later in life, seeking something new, or maybe redemption after a life of dastardly deeds. You may have been seeking peace from a life of danger, or wisdom to deal with a pressing matter.
Discuss with your DM where your monastery is located, whether or not the monks of that monastery belong to a larger order of many monasteries, why and how you joined the monastic order, and who taught you the things you have learned while attending the monastery as a student. Also discuss why you left the monastery. Did leadership change and bring about a dark turn for the monastery? Are you venturing out on a journey of spiritualism and self-discovery? Were you kicked out of the monastery after committing a terrible act against the order? Whatever the case, the monastery is in your past, and you are an adventurer now.
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight, and your choice of Acrobatics or Athletics
- Tool Proficiencies: Any one set of artisan's tools of your choice
- Languages: Any two languages of your choice
- Equipment: A set of monk's robes, a bedroll, a talisman with your monastery's symbol on it, a book of monastic teachings, a set of artisan's tools with which you are proficient, and a pouch containing 5 gp
Your monastic order has outposts and allies all over the continent. You are able to find shelter and refuge for yourself and up to five other people whenever you go to any of these outposts, the locations of which are determined by the DM, and a number of which you would know. You also gain access to training with the monks of these monasteries if you wish to hone your skills, and access to their libraries of knowledge.
Suggested Characteristics
As a student of the monastery, you have developed a great deal of both physical and mental discipline through your study and practice. Your personality has been shaped and morphed by the time you spent at the monastery, and the people around you. Your ideals are, for the most part, those of the monastic order you studied with, and your bonds and flaws are tied to the people and practices of the monastic order.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am always polite and respectful. |
| 2 | Friendships come and go, but books remain. |
| 3 | I can draw on the stories of my order in times of conflict and strife. |
| 4 | I have an out-of-place crude sense of humour. |
| 5 | I never take a day away from my training. |
| 6 | The best way to solve a problem is by charging through it. |
| 7 | I cannot be distracted during my meditations. |
| 8 | I am easily annoyed by minor disturbances. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Training. I will train every morning and every night, following the strict routine I followed in my studies. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Independence. I spent so long in the strict regime of my monastery, I wish to experience everything the world has to offer. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | Control. I have the knowledge and skill to break people, only to build them up again and use them for my purposes. (Evil) |
| 4 | Aid. I have the physical strength and mental capacity to aid those in need. (Good) |
| 5 | Experience. I know that I have to experience the world around me to gain a greater understanding of myself and others. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Discipline. I will live up to the mental and physical disciplines instilled in me. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The monks I trained beside are my family. |
| 2 | I long to meet the parents that left me at the monastery as an infant. |
| 3 | I take great pride in my position in my monastic order. |
| 4 | The monastery in which I trained will always be my prison, even now that I have left it. |
| 5 | I have a rival at the monastery in which I trained, and I live to prove myself the better pupil. |
| 6 | I will always fight to defend those that cannot defend themselves. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I despise those that are proven liars. |
| 2 | I cheated my way through my history lessons and now the student I copied holds it against me. |
| 3 | The teachings of my order are more important to me than the laws of the land. |
| 4 | I have an insatiable desire for carnal pleasures. |
| 5 | I would rather burn my monastery to the ground than follow the orders of the new leadership. |
| 6 | I am constantly looking down on those without discipline. |
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