• Lore • [Faction] Monks of the Calm Waves

[Pegasus]

Monks of the Calm Waves

A group of religious and peaceful monks, the Calm Waves faction was created with the intention of protecting those who can not protect themselves - be it through shelter or self-defense. With a unique fighting style built entirely on the refusal to kill or maim, these monks are peaceful and welcoming of anyone willing to abide by their rules and follow their teachings.

The Calm Wave faction follows two primary branches - the Healers and the Practitioners. It is possible to follow both of these paths, as the Calm Wave doesn’t dictate what someone must learn and is solely there to assist them. However, both branches follow the same set of rules, primarily the inability to murder and to intervene should murder happen - no matter the intentions behind it. All criminals are to face fair justice and should not lose their life because of their crimes or actions, no matter how horrific they are or brutal they may be. However, the Monks do not try and impose these beliefs on others, just ask it of their own and should death be deemed necessary by a legal force the Monks will simply verbally protest it and leave it at that, not wanting to leave a bad name with any world authority or have their own members be incriminated.

As well as the physical practices, magic is considered a gift that may be shared through the Monks. That being said, the magic can not be one that tampers with the dead or living in a way that controls or alters them. This means that Necromancy, Becoming, Graft and Empathy are considered immoral and therefore not allowed. Immortals are another issue entirely, though none are strictly forbidden from worship, only a select few are encouraged and have shrines dedicated to them. Moseke, Ziell, Saiore and Ashan are the four chosen to have shrines, as they embody the many principles of the Monastery. Blessings, on the other hand, are treated differently to magic. All blessed are welcome at the Monastery, for fear of offending or disrespecting any of the Immortals.

Despite the acceptance of magic, however, it will not be handed out to people that are not trusted - nor will any secrets of the Monastery be shared readily. While there is no hierarchy, the Monks have Elders or long-standing members that are respected and treated as higher-up due to their wisdom and experience. That being said, some newer members have made a name for themselves and become respected quickly after showing enthusiasm and making a big impact.

Elder Marlo

Name: Hendrick Marlo
Race: Human
Age: 51st Ashan, 649
Title: Elder Monk
Skills: Meditation: Master, Discipline: Master, Unarmed: Expert, Instrument - Flute: Expert, Teaching: Expert, Medicine: Expert, Endurance: Competent
Other Information: The oldest monk in the Monastery, Elder Marlo is seen as the pinnacle of ability in the group, respected above all others for the wisdom he provides and the service he has given the monastery. With deep blue eyes, a warm smile and a shaved head - Marlo is warm to all who enter his monastery.

Important Links

Monastery of the Calm Waves - HERE

Unarmed Combat: Calm Hand - HERE

Sett Haselan

Name: Sett Haselan
Created by: Bao Bao
Race: Human
Birthday/Age: 59th Vhalar, 677. Age 46
Title: Elder of the Calm Waves
Forum Location: Scaltoth, but they travel across all of Scalvoris hoping to offer relief and spread the beliefs of the Monks of the Calm Waves
Skills: Medicine (Expert), Unarmed Combat (Expert), Acrobatics (Competent), Teaching (Competent), Leadership (Competent), Endurance (Competent)
RPG Details: Sett is a calm and rational man, difficult to anger and happy to converse with almost anyone. The man is well-trained in the martial arts and has learned much about himself from his time with the monks. He is a proud believer in the Calm Waves mentality and will happily share information and knowledge with anyone interested - but is sure not to come across too strong to those that are not interested. He understands that such things are niche and not for everyone, that many find such peaceful ways to be cowardly, and that's okay. So long as he can remain a peaceful part of Idalos, he doesn't mind what others opt to do, so long as they are following the laws and are respectful of the beautiful island they live on.

Hellen Sprigg

Name: Hellen Sprigg
Created by: Winston
Race: Human
Birthday: 20th of Saun, 701
Title: Walker of the Calm Waves
Forum Location: Scaltoth, specifically Monastery of the Calm Waves, but she travels the whole of Sclatoth searching for thoes in need
Skills: Sovereign 51 (Expert), Medicine 51 (Expert), Unarmed Combat: Calm Hand 51 (Expert), Acrobatics 26 (Competent), Teaching 26 (Competent), Fieldcraft 26 (Competent), Socialisation 19 (Novice)
NPC Details: Like most of her peers, Hellen is usually calm and friendly, happy to share, teach and help anyone willing or in need. She does have an insatiable curiosity however, that has thus far prevented her investing her time as completely to the temple as some of her fellow monks, which manage to dedicate their every waking hour to the Monastery and it's grounds.

She lives in the temple, of course, but spends many of her trials journeying around the jungle, looking for interesting people and places and offering her aid where she can.

She is indiscriminate with her healing, but very choosy, just as all member of the Clam Wave are, as two whom she teaches the techniques of their Elders.

Player Notes

!	Message from: Pegasus
	Anyone may visit the Monastery of the Calm Waves, but please note, a trip to the Scaltoth Jungles requires moderator input This faction is open to PCs joining it, but it must be RP'd and approved by a Scalv Mod There is more to discover about this faction!

Changelog

Credits to: Bao Bao
Submitted for Development: 01/02/2021

Developed by: Bao Bao

[Pegasus]

!	Message from: Pegasus
	Please note that this is a philosophy / training approach to Unarmed Combat. It is not a separate skill and it does not infer any kind of advantage in and of itself.

The Calm Hand

Developed by Bao Bao

"If your body is refined you are dangerous. If your mind is refined you are unbreakable. If you can refine both, you will be untouchable."

A hand-to-hand style taught exclusively to the Monks of the Calm Waves, this unarmed style meshes the body with the mind, allowing the user to go beyond their physical capability with clever use of meditation. Built on the belief that the mind and body must work as one if they ever going to surpass an opponent, the Calm Hand style is strictly used for disarming, immobilizing, and knocking opponents unconscious. Because of the sensitive nature of the Monks of the Calm Waves they only teach this style to those who swear their vows, to live a peaceful life and to never take the life of another. To assist any that need it and to use what they learned to protect those that can not protect themselves.

That is the fundamental belief behind The Calm Hand.

While this is an unarmed style, the belief and techniques behind the Calm Hand are also translated into a variety of weapons, such as staves, bludgeons and any non-bladed weapon that can be used without intent to kill. Any technique is allowed and encouraged for use so long as the blows are not lethal and there is no risk of death.


The Training Techniques

Using a variety of techniques, the Monks of the Calm Waves prefer to learn unarmed through peaceful and natural means. Sparring is rarely an option, though it happens when a technique is difficult. Primarily, techniques that force the student to think on their feet are used to encourage creativity and quick thinking. Examples of this involve training under a waterfall to work on both technique and endurance, training with a blindfold on to learn to refine techniques even with lack of sight, and other strange but efficient methods that require the student to use their own thoughts on how to handle a situation and to better them both physically and mentally.

Skill Ranks
Novice: Starting as a beginner, as all of us do, the novice levels of The Calm Hand focus more on basic strikes and perfecting them. This is done to ensure that no matter how the practitioner chooses to fight they will always be able to fall back on the basics should they need to. Basic kicks, punches, and elbows are all trained alongside meditation to introduce the practitioner slowly to the new techniques they shall be learning.

Competent: Once the basics are learned the student is thrown into the deep end, the method of teaching varying based on the teacher and student alike. This stage is likely to overwhelm and test those that are learning but will slowly help them learn new and complicated techniques, using their physical form to their own advantage. A taller person may learn to use their strength while a smaller or younger student will be taught to manipulate force and throw enemies with their own momentum. Competent is truly where the practitioner takes on their own style of The Calm Hand.

Expert: Forming their own techniques, training plans and strategies for combat - the Expert practitioner is typically the peak of most Calm Hand students. Very few opponents pose a thread to the student now, capable of taking down people twice their size or disarming multiple opponents in one fight. Whatever style they have taken up as their own, one thing is sure of the expert - they are becoming stronger mentally and physically because of the training they are enduring.

Master: Untouchable, unbreakable, and unrelenting - all words used to describe the master of The Calm Hand. These practitioners have taken it to a level beyond most others, able to fight groups of enemies with just their bare hands. After fighting a Master some would describe them as unbeatable, claiming they can not be touched and that they are truly a force to fear. But true practitioners know that a Master, above all else, protects those that need it. Only those who seek to do harm to others have anything to be afraid of from this Master.