One of my players would like to play a monk. We are new to Golarion (we will start with 2e in the Age of Ashes AP). In what books could I find info about monks in Golarion?
Do all of the core 20 deities have monk followers/orders? Are there different monk "types" working for a "single" deity (fighting monks, secular monks, healing monks, working monks, etc.)? Are there atheist monks?
Outside of the core 20 which gods have large number of monk followers/orders.
-
The player will probably play with an Irori Monk, but I thought it might be a good idea to make more research, but the information is scattered into multiple books beside of "Inner Sea Gods", "Gods and Magic", "Faiths of Golarion" and "Faiths of Balance".
The Pathfinder Wiki often pulls together information from multiple soruces and presents a coherent article about the topic
The Pathfinder Wiki often pulls together information from multiple soruces and presents a coherent article about the topic
Which in this particular case doesn't really help.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
In addition to the books you've mentioned there is also "Faiths and Philosophies", but it's a Companion Book, so there isn't much setting-specific information. Also, the Player's Guides for the Adventure Paths contain hints what classes are fitting for a given campaign and why, often providing extra information about what the members of a given class usually do in the given region.
Some examples:
Monks
While found elsewhere in Golarion, no martial monastic tradition holds strong ties to Varisia. The closest Varisia has to native martial arts are the brawlers of the Shoanti, warriors who see weapons as a weakness and seek to forge their bodies into intruments of war. Practiced most commonly by members of the Sklah-Quah and Skoan-Quah, these battle regimens callous the warrior’s body and teach him where to punch and grab to do the greatest harm.
Despite Varisia’s lack of monasteries and organized fighting schools, there are still some who call themselves monks and practice techniques of battle from foreign lands. Traveling alongside clerics of Irori, monks devoted to self-perfection and the lethality of the body guard their brethren in the faith. Travelers from the far south, the lands of Tian Xia, and other exotic locales sometimes appear in southern ports, bringing with them the occult battle arts of their people.
Monks
Many Chelaxians see the benefit of expertise in unarmed combat. Most political dealings and secret conclaves ban weapons, so monks are exceptionally valuable to locals. Noble houses consider it prudent to arm their heirs with the ability to defend themselves, even weaponless. A monk forced to abandon his order for any number of reasons can often find work as a trainer in Cheliax.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Monks are mostly lawful, short of some very specific archetypes so that limits things. Chaotic gods have a limited pool. Some are appropriate though. Not sure how that will work in 2e, haven't been rollowing it that closely.
They're also not necessarily religious.
They have in fact no more reason than a fighter or a rogue. Gods can be secondary to a philosophy, the pursuit of excellence, a specific goal or whatever. As any other character.
They might have at least a teacher, but that doesn't always imply an actual monastery. Wandering monks are a stereotype for a reason, roving the world, teaching their apprentices as they go.
We know the idea of monks came to Avistan with the Vudrani Irorians, and I feel like I remember Tian Xia developping the tradition on its own, in parallel, but I could be wrong.
That said, if a god's teaching feel adequate, there are probably monks worshipping him. What the god actually thinks matters little at that point : mortals gonna do mortal things.
There are deeply religious orders. There are followers of ideas, philosophies and concepts compatible, but not intrisecally tied to goddesses. There are martial artists in it for the purity of the art and the performance alone, with no other consideration.
Monks are mere people, in the end. They do what they want.