Presenting: Li - A Human Monk For An RPG Campaign

Many years ago I played a Mystic in our D&D 3.5 campaign. I have not yet tried to create a Monk in 5e (The Mystic equivalent) so I thought I'd give it a try.

I would like to present to you Li, a Human Monk of the Open Palm.

image by Anastasia Ovchinnikova

Li is of Shou Lung descent (from the eastern lands of Kara-Tur) which means he looks Asian. Some of the people coming over from the empire were monks, followers of the path of enlightenment. Together with some priests and Wu Jen (Kara-Tur wizards) they established a monastery named Zhēnxiàng in the Ice Mountains of the north.

They did not seek to force their dogma on the westerners, but they did welcome any follower who wanted to join. Over time a lot of dispossessed and disenfranchised people chose to join.

The Path of Enlightenment was based on a written code of behavior and beliefs believed to have been created by the Celestial Emperor in order that the mortal world and the Celestial Heaven mirror one another in the process of attaining perfection. They encouraged people to:

1. "Honor that which has gone before you. For the past is eternal."
2. "Honor and respect your Elders and the Ancestors. Show honor in word, thought, action, and deed."
3. "Speak not false words, nor engage in false deeds, for these are not li."
4. "Do honor to he who rules you, for the Earth is the Mirror of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven is the mirror of the Celestial One. Be obedient to your lord."
5. "Engage in no base thing, nor commit murder, for to strike another in the name of anger is not li."
6. "Do honor to those you must rule, for under the eye of Heaven, they are your equals. Be fair to those you rule."
7. "Know that all things are One under Heaven, even the lowliest of creatures."
   In these commandments, ‘li’ was a term meaning "rightness under heaven". Nine cardinal virtues were also emphasized by the Path: in alphabetical order, these were Artistry, Compassion, Courage, Fidelity, Honor, Karma, Love, Respect for Tradition, and Scholarship.

The monks and their community lived in relative peace and passed on their teachings. Over time the abbot thought that their relative isolation was not a good thing - how would the people of this land know of the Way without the monks to give example? Of course, not all monks were suited to traveling the world. So, the abbot instilled a new tradition: upon reaching their 20th year (or their 5th year in the monastery if they were not born there), a monk had the choice of leaving on a pilgrimage.

Where they go is up to them. They are tasked with learning more about the world and themselves and spreading the Way by example. They may return at any time or not at all.
Those who returned often brought with them a wealth of new knowledge to be added to the monastery’s extensive libraries.

The monks of Zhēnxiàng monastery (The Sanctuary of Truth) come from all races but are predominantly human of Shou decent. Over the years they have also added dwarves, elves, halflings and even some orcs, half orcs, tieflings and drow to the followers of the Way. Upon being accepted (after being questioned and tested by the abbot) they are given a yellow sash (the color that symbolizes the monks), a room and a tutor to start them on their Path of Enlightenment.

The monastery is mostly self-sufficient, growing some food above ground and some underground. The Wu Jen who helped build the monastery made the outside of it comfortable and not as icy cold as the rest of the mountain-scape around it. About half the population no longer requires food, sustaining on ki energy alone (timeless body). All the monks are vegetarian. The monks aspire to total self-reliance - use as few weapons or tools as possible and strive to master their own body and mind to tackle any challenge. They train their bodies as part of the effort to sharpen their minds. Apart from martial arts they read and write philosophy and poetry, garden, meditate, draw and paint, trying to better comprehend the kingdom of heaven so that they may better mirror it in the mortal world.

Zhēnxiàng monastery has some spectacular gardens and there is a large part of it that represents, in miniature, most of the north. There are also a multitude of miniature waterfalls, lakes, mountains and trees - studying the world in miniature is like sharing the perspective of heaven.

Li was born at the monastery and both his parents (his father Zhèn and his mother Měi) still live there. Li liked the stories of the old empire (the empire of Shou Lung) and its many gods and dragons, particularly Kwan Ying (goddess of compassion) and Fa Kwan (god of justice). The tales he heard from the other monks, particularly the half orcs and tieflings, made it seem like there was a lot of racism and discrimination in this land and Li felt strongly that these wrongs should somehow be righted. Upon reaching his 20th birthday Li chose to take his pilgrimage to Silverymoon, a city he has heard much about and was very curious to see.

He was not disappointed. Over the next year he learned of the Harpers and chose to join them in their struggle against tyranny. The Harper code had a lot in common with the Way and Li thought that both groups could learn a lot from each other.

Appearance: Li is relatively short, scrawny and unassuming. He is shaved bald with brown eyes and light bronze skin. Li usually wears regular travelers’ clothes and carries with him a spear and hardly any other weapons or armor. No matter his outfit he almost always wears a yellow sash - the mark of the monks of Zhēnxiàng. If he’s trying to be unnoticed he may hide the sash under his shirt. During his time at the temple Li has mastered a few tricks, one of which allows him to call down the wrath of justice on an evil doer from afar. When he does, his eyes glow white and faint yellow markings can be seen on his bald head. Usually though, he would prefer to close the distance and knock the enemy prone.

Li is very respectful and tends to smile a lot. His slight build and his apparent unarmored state (the spear tip has a sheath making it look like a stick) have led many to underestimate him, an assumption they came to regret.
Li is very curious and adventurous at heart. He is also still a bit naive and wants the best for people. He tends to believe the best of people until proven wrong, but the harpers have taught him caution and secrecy, so he doesn't blurt out his secrets to anyone he meets.

Li doesn't care much for money. He is far more interested in knowledge and information he can bring back to the monastery. Not a very studious individual he is still able to recognize the importance of knowledge and to know that his people can use it.

I hope you've enjoyed learning about Li. Feel free to drop him into your game at any time – I think he’ll make an interesting NPC.

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