Classy Roleplay: Monk by Creic and Xu
Good evening, Argent Dawn!
Welcome back to another part of the âClassy Roleplayingâ series, this time diving straight into the deep end with the legendary Monk! As always, this is simply a discussion thread which will contain information found from source websites and canon / non-canon lore!
Disclaimer: No information in this thread is being forced upon you, the community or any roleplayer who reads this. Quite simply, this is a thread detailing important information regarding the Monk class and its origination to give some sort of guideline should anyone wish to follow it! The sources of this information are from external community websites and are for discussion / guideline only, and as said before should not be taken for 100% canon lore.
The Monk:
Monks as the newest of the classes has yet to be fully fleshed out by the game developers. However they have left building blocks and clues in the game as it is. Which allow us to form a picture of how they work. One matter of importance is that the term âMonkâ covers two very different type of character:
There are generally two classification for a monk. One of the Pandaren taught, martial artists and a studious pupil. And devouted member of almost exclusively of light based and usualy either a paladin or a priest, for example The Scarlet Crusade. For the purposes of this thread this is the distinctions we will draw. However if you can think of any others than apply them as you see fit
âThe Emperorâs Burdenâ is an 8 page long book which can be found in the game, due to it being rather difficult to find, weâre putting the contents up here as Emperor Shaohao has a large relevance to Pandaria and The August Celestials
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 1:
Ten thousand years ago, the day Shaohao was crowned Emperor of Pandaria, he followed the tradition of all the emperors before him and sought the counsel of the great Waterspeaker of the jinyu. With a light heart the young emperor stood before the prophet and awaited to hear what he presumed would be good news.
The Waterspeaker listened to the song of the great river, but his eyes widened with terror.
From the Book of Burdens, Chapter 1:
âAnd the Waterspeaker saw before him a kingdom of sorcerers surrounding a great well, and from this well they called forth a host of demons. Green fire rained from the skies, and all the worldâs continents shattered.â
Terrified by the vision presented before him, Emperor Shaohao realized that he was not to live a life of luxury. From the humble town of Dawnâs Blossom, his journey to save Pandaria began.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 2:
It was at this location ten thousand years ago that Shaohao, the last emperor of Pandaria, sought out the counsel of the Jade Serpent.
From the Book of Burdens, Chapter 3:
"Forlorn and without hope, the Last Emperor ascended the sheer slope of Mount Neverest. Daggers of cold sliced through his silken robes, and the biting wind heaped scorn on his journey.
âOnly at the very peak of the mountain did the emperor find quiet and solace, and here he spoke with the Jade Serpent, the spirit of wisdom.â
The Jade Serpent urged Shaohao to divest himself of his burdens, to purify his spirit, and to become one with the land.
The Emperor was perplexed by the Jade Serpentâs council, but no further answers were to be found atop the frigid peak. Dejected, Emperor Shaohao trudged back down the mountain to consult his companion, the Monkey King, and determine his next move.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 3:
It was at this very location ten thousand years ago that Shaohao, the last emperor of Pandaria, defeated the Sha of Doubt and imprisoned it within the land.
From the Book of Burdens, Chapter 5:
"Shaohao meditated for three days and three nights, for the counsel of the Jade Serpent was unclear. How could one purge oneself of all doubt?
âWeary of waiting, Shaohaoâs travelling companion the Monkey King whittled a strange grimacing visage out of bamboo. He urged the Emperor to place the mask of doubt on his faceâŚâ
While mischief was the Monkey Kingâs motivation, the mask worked - As Shaohao pulled the mask away, his doubts took on a physical form. For seven hours they fought, until the Sha of Doubt was buried.
From that day onward, the last emperor had no doubt that he would save Pandaria from the Sundering. He became a creature of faith.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 4:
It was at this very location ten thousand years ago that Shaohao, the Last Emperor of Pandaria defeated the Sha of Despair and imprisoned it within the land.
From the Book of Burdens, Chapter 9:
âAfter his success in the Jade Forest, Emperor Shaohao was filled with courage but fretted over an uncertain future. He sought the counsel of the Red Crane, the spirit of hope, deep within the Krasarang Wilds.â
âThe Red Crane told the Emperor that hope was within all of us, if we looked deep enough. With that, the Monkey King presented Emperor Shaohao with a Mask of Despair. A forlorn visage of terrible sadness. The Emperor donned the mask and drew out his own hopelessnessâŚâ
The Battle against the Sha of Doubt lasted four days and five nights in a pouring rain. But with the help of the Red Crane and the Monkey King, all of the Shaohaoâs despair was extinguished.
From that day forth the Emperor knew the future was bright. He became a creature of hope.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 5:
It was at this very location ten thousand years ago that Shaohao, the Last Emperor of Pandaria defeated the Sha of Fear and imprisoned it within the land.
From the Book of Burdens Chapter 14:
âAlthough purged of doubts and despair, Emperor Shaohao was still overcome by fear. He sought the counsel of the Black Ox, spirit of bravery and fortitude who lived in the steppes beyond the wallâ
âThe Black Ox, Red Crane, Emperor, and Monkey King discussed the nature of fear at great length, until at last the Monkey King was inspired to act. A mask of fear was created, terrifying to behold. With trembling hands, the emperor donned the horrific mask, so as to draw forth his own fearsâŚâ
The battle against the Sha of Fear lasted a week and a day, during which time legend has it that the sun never rose. When the Sha was at last defeated and imprisoned in the earth, Emperor Shaohao was forever changed, for he longer felt his own fears. He became a creature of courage.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 6:
It was at this very location ten thousand years ago that Shaohao, the Last Emperor of Pandaria, defeated the Sha of Anger, the Sha of Hatred, and the Sha of Violence.
From the Book of Burdens, Chapter 19:
âConfident and fearless, Emperor Shaohao thought nothing could stop him. But at the urging of the Red Crane, he sought the counsel of the White Tiger, the spirit of strength.â
âThe White Tiger saw in Shaohao a dangerous recklessness that often accompanies those with no fear. He gathered together the greatest warriors of Pandaria to test the Emperor.â
âEmperor Shaohao was given a ten-foot pole, and was challenged to strike one of the warriors. For hours they fought, but the warriors were too quick and too nimble for the untrained Emperor. He grew angry, he cursed, and finally, broke the staff over his knee.â
Humbled, the Emperor asked the White Tiger what was wrong, and learned that his own passions made him weak. To save Pandaria, Shaohao would have to combat his own anger, hatred, and violence.
The Monkey King sprang into action, and carved three masks. The Emperor wore each mask in turn, and with the help of his friends, as well as all the greatest warriors of Pandaria, the Sha of Anger, the Sha of Hatred, and the Sha of Violence were defeated and imprisoned beneath the ground.
The Emperor was forever changed, and as he set forth on the final leg of his adventure, he was a creature of patience, love, and peace.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 7:
The Shado-Pan order was founded ten thousand years ago under a charter from Shaohao, the Last Emperor of Pandaria.
Emperor Shaohao knew that the dark energy of the Sha - the physical embodiment of negative emotions like anger, fear, hatred or doubt - represented a great threat to the pandaren if allowed to fester beneath the land. He tasked the greatest warriors of Pandaria with the duty to restrain and control the Sha.
On this very location, mere hours after Emperor Shaohao bested his own anger, hatred, and violence, the first of the Shado-Pan took their knee and spoke an oath to the Last Emperor. The same words have been spoken by every Shado-Pan initiate ever since, for the last ten thousand years.
The Emperorâs Burden - Part 8:
Ten thousand years ago, Emperor Shaohao, the Last Emperor of Pandaria, used the power of these sacred waters to spare Pandaria from the devastation of the Sundering that destroyed the rest of the world.
From the Book of Burdens, Epilogue:
"At the dusk of the final day, the sky was bathed in green fire, and the very ground trembled in terror. But the Emperor was not afraid. His mind was clear of any doubt or despair. He feasted and he sang as the sky tore open.
âSeeing fear and doubt in his subjectsâ eyes, Emperor Shaohao delivered a proclamation: That one should live each day to its fullest, and sleep each night with the peace of a mind unburdened.â
Legend tells that he ascended to the Terrace of Eternal Spring, there to separate Pandaria from the rest of the world. But try as he might, he was unable: the ground trembled, but did not move. Soon, he began to doubt, and the Sha of Doubt began to emerge from the east. He began to fear, and the Sha of Fear begain ripping out its shackles to the west. Desperately, he called out to the Jade Serpent for help.
The Jade Serpent circled the Vale, and spoke to the beleaguered Emperor. âPandaria is more than just the Pandaren Empire,â she told Shaohao. âYour enemies to the west are as much a part of this land as your empire behind the wall.â
Seeing that all things were connected in an eternal whole, and that his beloved land was more than just the Pandaren Empire, Shaohao at least understood. His staff clattered to the floor as his spirit became one with the land. When the world tore itself apart, Pandaria drifted quietly into the ocean. And as the Emperorâs robes fluttered empty to the ground, the land became enveloped in impenetrable mists, hidden away from the rest of the world.
The Masters:
As many Monk players, and non-Monk players are aware, there are class quests for the Monk every ten levels, starting from level 20 where you are given a direct speech from one of the Master trainers are the Peak of Serenity.
Much of what is said by the NPCâs are very useful knowledge and can be interpreted as to what a Monk is truly capable of. Unfortunately we could not get our hands on any of the quotes from the NPCâs and so we are unable to show them, but the next time you are doing your daily at the Peak of Serenity, make sure to read what is said!
However, moving on! The Masters all teach a different element of the Monk class which are listed below!
Master Cheng (Male Pandaren): We would interpret as the Master of reflex and swift motion, his lesson is to teach the Monk the importance of movement. This means the Monk fights swiftly and without hindrance, but not like a lightning bolt of course!
Master Woo(Female Dwarf): We would interpret as the Master of defense against persistent attacks. Therefore we know that a Monk has techniques and the ability to ward off even persistent foes. A Monk has the endurance and is a stoic defender who will take more than just a flurry of blades to down. This doesnât mean that a Monk is some titan-steel monstrosity or have the ability to ward off -every- attack.
Master Kistane(Female Pandaren): We would interpret as the Master of channeling the mists to assist her and her allies. This is important as the mists are essentially the essence of Emperor ShaoHao after he gave his pure body and soul to the land of Pandaria, anyone channeling the mists is channeling his spirit.
Master Yoon(Male Gnome): We would interpret as the Master of âhealingâ - He is practiced in using powerful, focused healing to maintain himself in battle. The Mistweaver Master, this shows us that there are Monks who are strong healers, and not just a healing spec for in-game mechanics.
Master Cheng(Female Blood Elf): We would interpret as the Master of agile combat. She has mastered the art of fighting on the move. She teachers the importance of never staying in one place and not letting yourself be bogged down or made stationary. In the words of Bruce Lee(I knowâŚ): âOne must be like the water in a stream, you must flow around the rock.â
Master Tsang(Male Pandaren): We would interpret as the Master of meditation and the ability to sense what is happening around him. In this respect we like to refer to the two abilities Monks have: Zen Pilgrimage and Transcendence
Zen Pilgrimage: âYour spirit travels to the Peak of Serenity in Pandaria, leaving your body behind.â
Transcendence: âYou split your body and spirit, leaving your spirit behind for 15 min.â
Also, the quest âFinding your centerâ from Lorewalker Cho allows the player character to meditate after drinking a brew made by Lorewalker Cho, during the teaching of how to meditate you have an âout-body experienceâ where you find Anduin Wrynn.
Essentially, one could extend this and use it to show their character has a powerful will or that they have a powerful soul; however we wouldnât recommend it as it would require much detail and much knowledge on how to role play this successfully, correctly and within âguidelinesâ.
Master Hsu(Male Tauren): We would interpret as the Master of armed combat. He specializes in using all kinds of weaponry and is masterfully proficient with nearly any weapon under the sun. This shows that the Monks possess a variety of methods through which to fight. As always weapons are down to personal chocie but in true Martial Arts fashion he shows us that the sword or the axe is just as common as the staff. Variety is a Monks best friend so try not to fit into a cookie cutter mold
The August Celestials(Source):
âThese spirits defend the temples of Pandaria from the evils of the Sha.â
Chi Ji the Red Crane
Niuzao the Black Ox
Xuen the White Tiger
Yuâlon the Jade SerpentThey serve as the four pillars of Pandaria, sustaining the lands under their protection from the four temples that bear their names. Xuen the White Tiger to the north in Kun-Lai Summit, the powerful Niuzao the Black Ox to the west in the Townlong Steppes, Chi-Ji the Red Crane from the Krasarang Wilds to the south, and Yuâlon the Jade Serpent from her temple in the Jade Forest. Since before the time of Shaohao the last Pandaren Emperor, these four have advised and aided the peoples of Pandaria, protecting the land from the malign influences of the Sha, the rapacious expansion of the mantid, and the cruel oppression of the mogu. Itâs fair to speculate on whether or not the pandaren, jinyu and hozen could have hoped to have freed themselves without the August Celestials.
Yet these four spirits and their temples, while powerful influences on the culture and life of the lands of Pandaria, are not omnipresent parental figures. They do not shepherd their followers, but encourage them. They wonât stand idly by and allow them to be destroyed, but neither will they control their lives.
The August Celestials serve to defend as much by inspiration and education as by directly using their power. While the mogu claim that Niuzao has the powers of a god, in each case itâs less about what the Celestials can do than it is about the example they set, the approach to life they offer. Xuenâs weighting of mortals from beyond the mists before convincing his fellow Celestials to open up the Vale of Eternal Blossoms shows this most clearly. The Celestials are not afraid to lend their force to the defense of Pandaria - we see Niuzao clearing mantid off of his temple and trampling them beneath his mighty hooves, witness Yuâlon and Xuenâs raw power in the defense of the Vale (and Yuâlon even makes an appearance of sorts in the cleansing of her Sha-corrupted Temple) and see Chi-Ji in action at the final confrontation with the mogu outside Moguâshan Palace.
In the end, in this age of mortals, the August Celestials seem to have anticipated the need for mortal hands and mortal hearts to defend and protect the land. Each of the Temples serves to educate as well as defend, inculcate virtues as strongly as it fortifies a strong point.
The Sha
[Editorâs note: Since the end of Mists of Pandaria and the destruction of the Heart of Yâshaarj, the power of the Sha has waned greatly, though their influence still lingers in the dark corners of Pandaria]
Thanks to an above post containing a YouTube link to an interview with Dave Kosak and Chris Metzen, we have learned more about the Seven Burdens of Shaohao, which are the manifestations which he created to become a pure being, these manifestations being The Sha.
So what we have learned from the opening quest in Pandaria, negative emotions have a horrible effect on the lands of Pandaria which result in the physical manifestations of the Sha appearing, such can be seen from Rell Nightwind when he begins to doubt during the slaughter of the Horde soldiers swimming ashore in the Jade Forest opening.
So! The Sha that we are aware exist are:
Sha of Doubt
Sha of Despair
Sha of Violence
Sha of Hatred
Sha of Anger
Sha of FearThere is much speculation revolving around the âSeven Heads of YâShaarjâ - Yah-Sha-Raj, being one of the old gods! Quests reveal that the Titans were the ones to kill YâShaarj, but with his dying breath he cursed Pandaria with shadows of his former self, very well being the Sha. As we are aware, the Sha become dormant between the period of YâShaarj dying and the Burdens of the Emperor coming into light. Again, the titans are speculated to have played a part in this.
"We mantid worshiped the Seven Heads of YâShaarj. Great was the Old One, and terrible was his wrath. He consumed hope and begat despair. He inhaled courage and breathed fear. When the Usurpers came, the ones you call Titans, YâShaarj was destroyed. His last terrible breath has haunted this land ever since, but the shadows he left behind are mere whispers of his former glory. I tell you now because you have earned this warning.
Your gods are not YOUR gods, outsider.
If the Old Ones ever return, we mantid will once again stand by their side. The wisest among you will do the same. "-Kelâruk the Wind-Reaver
As read in the book âThe Emperorâs Burdenâ which can be located around Pandaria, detailing the story of the original Emperor Shaohao, like all Emperorâs before him, he was to seek the knowledge of the Waterspeaker:
âAnd the Waterspeaker saw before him a kingdom of sorcerers surrounding a great well, and from this well they called forth a host of demons. Green fire rained from the skies, and all the worldâs continents shattered.â
The only way Emperor Shaohao was able to save the land of Pandaria, and its people was to rid of all things negative in his being, and all things negative of his being are the Seven Burdens of the Emperor - where as, there are only six. Quite simply, as said in the interview with Dave Kosak âThe seven heads of YâShaarj breathed out the ⌠Seven Burdens, although that was from an early draft of the story, we really only see six sha in the game ⌠which have to do with the Burdens of Shaohao.â
The Emperor succeeded with the council and knowledge of the Jade Serpent and imprisoned the doubt, despair, violence, hatred, anger and fear which he removed from his body, beneath the land of Pandaria. This is where the idea of Pandaria being a âliving creatureâ comes into play.
The Pandaren were forced to train themselves to be peaceful, compassionate and rid of their own negatives to keep the Sha dormant. However, with the lands of Pandaria being discovered by the Horde and the Alliance; the war which is waging currently, woke the Sha and in great depth too.
We witness many main storyline characters in the Jade Forest becoming possessed by the Sha, Rell Nightwindâs doubt manifests into covering his arms in Sha sleeves, Nazgrim the Warlock from the Horde side too, manifests his emotions and both are âexorcisedâ by Taran Zhu. And as we are aware, some cannot have the possession of the Sha removed from them Gaâtrul(Horde) and Doren(Alliance) are examples of this, NPCâs who the opposite faction kill in quest lines.
The Sha are not a power to be reckoned with, however. As Garrosh Hellscream arrives in Pandaria and attempts to harness the power of the Sha to strengthen his troops in the battle against the Alliance, he instead fails and witnesses his soldiers erupting into random violence. The Sha control those who attempt to control it.
Pandaren monks as we know them were built from a sub-society of healers - there is plenty of reason and evidence to acknowledge that monks can function, and always have functioned as healers, as well as fighters - for many thousands of years now. Note that the description of the Mistweaver spec is virtually the same thing; âa healer who mixes traditional herbal medicine with Pandaren martial artsâ.
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