No all monks come from a monastery, some come from the wild and the outskirts. No all martial artists are fast as the wind, some are hard as the rock. No all who master Ki have absolute discipline, some have absolute conviction. For most, the path to mastering martial arts is through humility, for a few distinct ones it is though pride. There is a path set aside for them; the Way Of the Tempered Self.

This path isn't taught in monasteries or upheld by an organised group of practitioners. It's made up of a number of techniques that do not abide by a single definition.

The way of the Tempered Self is taught from master to disciple. Both may not spend much time together and the apprentice will come back to his mentor once he has mastered an aspect of the path to be set in motion towards the next milestone.

The way of the Tempered Self is more common in isolated lands, defined by extreme conditions: tundra, stony deserts, approachless highlands, etc. Masters of this way put their trust on their physicality and determination only. Their supernaturally hardened body and relentless will power is all they have and need.

Way of the Tempered Self Features
  Monk         Level Feature
   3rd         Path of the Hardened Self
   6th         Energy damage type, unbound
  11th        Fists of Hammer, unbent
  17th        Destroyer of Worlds, unbroken

Path of the Hardened Self

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your training turns to solely focusing on tempering your body through most cruel, self-imposed discipline turning into a living instrument of destruction.

You gain the following benefits:

• Your Martial Arts die is augmented if you are using your Strength modifier for your unarmed strikes. You no longer use your Martial Arts die for your Monk weapons except a single one of your choice that you must designate at this time. Your Monk weapon of choice can be any simple or martial (melle) weapon which does not have the two-handed or heavy property. You roll your Augmented martial arts die for damage rolls with unarmed strikes and with your weapon of choice if you are using Strength.
  Monk Level    Die
           3             d6
           5             d8
         11            d10
         17            2d6
• You gain damage reduction to blunt, piercing, slashing, acid and necrotic equal to your Constitution modifier. This cannot reduce the damage to zero.
• When you are hit with a melee attack you can use your reaction to parry the attack with your bare fists. When you do so you roll your augmented Martial Arts die and add your Strength modifier. You reduce the damage taken by that amount. You must have both your hands free and be able to move them to use this manoeuvre.

Ardent Ki - Unbound

Ardent Ki: Beginning at level 6 your unarmed strikes are considered both blunt one other damage type of your choice that reflects your relentless conviction drifting through your blows. Chose the damage type from: cold, fire, lightning or thunder
Unbound: You can spend 1 Ki point to roll your Augmented Martial Arts die and add it to any Strength (Athletics) check to avoid being grappled, restrained, moved or knocked prone.

Damage Type

Your unarmed strikes are considered both blunt one other damage type of your choice: cold, fire, lightning or thunder

Fists of Hammer - Unbent

Fists of hammer: At 11th level your critical hit range with unarmed strikes using Strength becomes 19-20 (or +1 to your current range whatever is better). When you critically hit with your unarmed strike using strength it is considered a Stunning Blow.
Unbent: If you are hit with a melee attach while you are dodging roll your Augmented Martial Arts die and the attacker takes blunt/energy damage equal to the amount you rolled. You can use this effect a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier per round.

Destroyer of Worlds - Unbroken

Destroyer of Worlds: At 17th level you become so deadly that the damage you deal is extraordinarily hard to recover. Whenever you hit with an unarmed strike using Strength the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw vs your Ki save DC or have its maximum hit points reduced by the amount of damage dealt until it can get a long rest or a is cast a Greater Restoration spell.
Unbroken: When you are reduced to 0 hit points you can chose to regain hit points equal to your Augmented Martial Arts die plus your Monk level and enter a Berserk state.
While Berserk, you gain the following benefits if you aren’t wearing armour:
• You gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• You gain advantage on Constitution checks and Constitution saving throws.
• When you make a melee unarmed strike attack using Strength you roll an extra 1d6 damage.
This effects lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. When the effect ends, you can't move or take actions until after your next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.