Shattered Kingdoms :: View topic - The Militarization of Monks

Fists of the White Swan

In the high peaks of central Zhenshi, somewhere above the city of Nerina,
rests a small monastery dedicated to the Fists of the White Swan. The Fist
is an order dedicated to Enlightenment, Discipline, and the Virtues of
Light. As a whole they tend to be a reclusive lot and usually come down
out of the peak only rarely to tend to disputes that the citizens of Nerina
cannot handle themselves. A few members, however, do enjoy making
pilgrimages to the other kingdoms to help bring order to the lives of their
citizens. Their discipline in melding the powers of the body and the mind
make them formidable foes.

I was going to make a long argument about how far the monks of today has strayed from what they have been since I started playing the game 13 years ago but I'm not going to. Fact of the matter the part of playing a Fist meant you gave up some of the luxuries of being pk aggressive, having guards, etc. I also understand a lot of that also made them boring to play. I haven't really played much but coming back to see Monks in tribunals is crazy and not really in their spirit. They from what I've always known go help when needed but don't become part of a militarized arm of a nation. Again, I really do UNDERSTAND why you would want to do it but I really think it's in poor form to do so.

And just for a reminder of what the game describes the Fist as:

Quote:

They are described as reclusive, rarely active in disputes, and they do make pilgrimages to help nations in trouble but do not set up shop and become a solider.

I fail to see how this is the business of some IC as they presume to make it;
I also don't see a need to give bullies answers IC, or too terribly much information OOC.

Pook wrote:

I fail to see how this is the business of some IC as they presume to make it;
I also don't see a need to give bullies answers IC, or too terribly much information OOC.

I think those are the key points here. Thank you for being so blunt.

Sounds like you need to RSVP and ask permission if you expect to be permitted into Pook's corner of SK's RP. And he's just going to ignore you or whine if conflict arises.

Cool.

Author:	drexalv [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:55 pm ]
Post subject:	The Militarization of Monks
I was going to make a long argument about how far the monks of today has strayed from what they have been since I started playing the game 13 years ago but I'm not going to. Fact of the matter the part of playing a Fist meant you gave up some of the luxuries of being pk aggressive, having guards, etc. I also understand a lot of that also made them boring to play. I haven't really played much but coming back to see Monks in tribunals is crazy and not really in their spirit. They from what I've always known go help when needed but don't become part of a militarized arm of a nation. Again, I really do UNDERSTAND why you would want to do it but I really think it's in poor form to do so. And just for a reminder of what the game describes the Fist as: Quote: Fists of the White Swan In the high peaks of central Zhenshi, somewhere above the city of Nerina, rests a small monastery dedicated to the Fists of the White Swan. The Fist is an order dedicated to Enlightenment, Discipline, and the Virtues of Light. As a whole they tend to be a reclusive lot and usually come down out of the peak only rarely to tend to disputes that the citizens of Nerina cannot handle themselves. A few members, however, do enjoy making pilgrimages to the other kingdoms to help bring order to the lives of their citizens. Their discipline in melding the powers of the body and the mind make them formidable foes. They are described as reclusive, rarely active in disputes, and they do make pilgrimages to help nations in trouble but do not set up shop and become a solider.

Author:	theORplayer [ Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
shrug, I'd just rather do away with tribunals and maybe like have cabals run them. It just doesn't seem we have the playerbase to support 10 characters per group with two active leaders and all that jazz.

Author:	Tojishiro [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:09 am ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
With the change brought in that allowed characters to join one tribunal and one cabal, perhaps this bit "got lost in translation". If you take the recent history of the game, the Fist of the White Swan have traditionally "meddled" with the affairs of a single nation - Zhenshi. Starting at the 13 years ago you mention, when there were no Tribunals to begin with, the Fist were the "Zhensh Cabal". They enjoyed that status until Tribunals were implemented, when they took a more reclusive role as there was now a coded law enforcement but still they kept policing Zhenshi and acted as its hereditary protectors. Numerous times the Fist was involved in major plot lines regarding Zhenshi - proof of which are numerous notes till on the board of Nerina's main square. Generally, where I'm getting at is that [to me] it makes sense for a Fist to become a Talon - but not to lead it - as the defense of Zhenshi is integral to the Fists' philosophy and there is also a large enough precedent so as not to question it. I do, however, share your skepticism regarding other Tribunals but I am also willing to adopt an IC reasoning along the lines of "The Fist will lend aid where aid is needed, even to the point of joining other Tribunals" especially for war torn lands in need of some protector. It gives birth to stories and rp opportunities for the Heroic Peacekeeper / Guardian character, trained by the reclusive Monks of Zhenshi that defends Taslamar / Ayamao. I cannot, for the life of me though, see how such a character, with the rp restrictions imposed by the Fist's philosophy, can hold a leader flag in a tribunal for any length of time besides a temporary "Until a better candidate is found".

Author:	Baranov [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
Just make monk a class! Then create a new tribunal based around... uhh... I don't know. Psionics? No idea really.

Author:	Tojishiro [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:52 am ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
Uh, no EDIT: Sorry for not posting more arguments on why "Uh, no" but I just can't voice it all. It would be the same as making "Druid" a class. It's not a bad idea, it's just so "not SK".

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Author:	grep [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:09 am ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
drexalv wrote: I was going to make a long argument about how far the monks of today has strayed from what they have been since I started playing the game 13 years ago but I'm not going to. Fact of the matter the part of playing a Fist meant you gave up some of the luxuries of being pk aggressive, having guards, etc. I also understand a lot of that also made them boring to play. I haven't really played much but coming back to see Monks in tribunals is crazy and not really in their spirit. They from what I've always known go help when needed but don't become part of a militarized arm of a nation. Again, I really do UNDERSTAND why you would want to do it but I really think it's in poor form to do so. And just for a reminder of what the game describes the Fist as: Quote: Fists of the White Swan In the high peaks of central Zhenshi, somewhere above the city of Nerina, rests a small monastery dedicated to the Fists of the White Swan. The Fist is an order dedicated to Enlightenment, Discipline, and the Virtues of Light. As a whole they tend to be a reclusive lot and usually come down out of the peak only rarely to tend to disputes that the citizens of Nerina cannot handle themselves. A few members, however, do enjoy making pilgrimages to the other kingdoms to help bring order to the lives of their citizens. Their discipline in melding the powers of the body and the mind make them formidable foes. They are described as reclusive, rarely active in disputes, and they do make pilgrimages to help nations in trouble but do not set up shop and become a solider. I speak with personal experience from experimenting with dark-aura Aludrans before the current revision of that help file when I tell you that the more you have to highlight or underline specific qualifiers in a help file, the less likely it is that your interpretation is the exclusive and valid spirit of the document in the minds of those who enforce it. The alternative hypothesis to the entire argument is that there are many NPC monks who are indeed a reclusive lot and never come down from their peak, and the remaining PCs--who can freely join tribunals--in fact compose a rarity when the group is viewed "as a whole."

Author:	Pook [ Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:17 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
I think in the history of my character, monks have rarely come forward so heavily. Not never, but rarely. However, as one may say: Desperate times call for desperate measures. I fail to see how this is the business of some IC as they presume to make it; I also don't see a need to give bullies answers IC, or too terribly much information OOC. Spoilers! Take OOC complaints out of IC actions, keep them separate, or continue to face a wall. I have 0 interest in that kind of game drama. All I will say is there are some heavy IC RP reasons for what has happened and if answers are sought, it's time to take OOC assumptions and reasoning out of the game. It's not a reason to PK repeatedly. If there was a problem, staff would have assuredly stepped in by now. They are quite aware of the entire situation. Joining the Guardians, I'll say, was the last thing I ever intended to be doing with my character. RP and not PK guided the action. Anyone who knows my character, would know this. I can't and won't speak of or for the others. Many interesting dynamics at play, and I feel sad if some people are stuck thinking so two dimensionally.

Author:	woahboy [ Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
Pook wrote: I fail to see how this is the business of some IC as they presume to make it; I also don't see a need to give bullies answers IC, or too terribly much information OOC. I think those are the key points here. Thank you for being so blunt. Sounds like you need to RSVP and ask permission if you expect to be permitted into Pook's corner of SK's RP. And he's just going to ignore you or whine if conflict arises. Cool.

Author:	Pook [ Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
woahboy wrote: Pook wrote: I fail to see how this is the business of some IC as they presume to make it; I also don't see a need to give bullies answers IC, or too terribly much information OOC. I think those are the key points here. Thank you for being so blunt. Sounds like you need to RSVP and ask permission if you expect to be permitted into Pook's corner of SK's RP. And he's just going to ignore you or whine if conflict arises. Cool. Not sure what you're going on about, remotely. Perhaps I need to bluntly clarify something: Zavijahns don't give in to tyranny; nor would an elf so old deviate from his lifelong beliefs. Btw, this doesn't mean I'm not RPing with those who push this agenda in the game. It just means I have a problem that this OOC agenda IS being pushed in the game. Cool enough for you?

Author:	woahboy [ Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:52 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: The Militarization of Monks
No, it sounds like you have a problem with in game opinions and are trying to act like there's an "ooc agenda" so they're invalid. This thread is half a year old. If also seems like you're trying to make IC arguments here, with blatant references to your character and his actions. This isn't the place for that.

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