Page 33 - Xanathar's Guide To Everything

.MONASTERIES
d6 Monastery
1 Your monastery is carved out ofa mountainside,
where it looms over a treacherous pass.
2 Your monastery is high in the branches ofan im-
mense tree in the Feywild.
3 Your monastery was founded long ago by a cloud
giant and is inside a cloud castle that can be
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S Wlnqlc? Wlm‘ qr! «Now [Cm-S 3 4 Your monastery is built beside a volcanic system
of hot springs, geysers, and sulfur pools. You regu-
larly received visits from azer traders.
5 Your monastery was founded by gnomes and is an
underground labyrinth oftunnels and rooms.
MONK 6 Your monastery was carved from an iceberg in the
DO NOT MISTAKE MY SILENCE FOR ACCEPTANCE OF YOUR frozen reaches ofthe world.
uillainy. Whileyou blustered and threatened, I’ve planned
four difierent ways to snapyour neck with my bare hands. MONASTIC ICON
—Ember, grand master of flowers Even in the monastic lifestyle, which eschews materi—
alism and personal possessions, symbolism plays an
Monks walk a path of contradiction. They study their art important part in defining the identity of an order. Some
as a wizard does, and like a wizard, they wear no armor monastic orders treat certain creatures with special
and typically eschew weapons. Yet they are deadly com- regard, either because the creature is tied to the orders
batants, their abilities on a par with those of a raging history or because it serves as an example of a quality
barbarian or a superbly trained fighter. Monks embrace the monks seek to emulate.
If your character’s monastery had a special icon, you
this seeming contradiction, for it speaks to the core of
all monastic study. By coming to know oneself com— might wear a crude image of the creature somewhere
pletely, one learns much of the wider world. inconspicuous on your clothing to serve as an identify-
A monk’s focus on inner mastery leads many such ing mark. Or perhaps your order’s icon does not have a
individuals to become detached from society, more con— physical form but is expressed through a gesture or a
cerned with their personal experience than with hap- posture that you adopt, and which other monks might
penings elsewhere. Adventuring monks are a rare breed know how to interpret.
of an already rare type of character, taking their quest
for perfection beyond the walls of the monastery into the MONASTIC Icons
world at large. d6 Icon
Playing a monk character offers many intriguing op— 1 Monkey. Quick reflexes and the ability to travel
portunities to try something different. To distinguish through the treetops are two ofthe reasons why
your monk character even further, consider the options your order admires the monkey.
in the sections that follow. 2 Dragon Turtle. The monks ofyour seaside mon-
MONASTERY astery venerate the dragon turtle, reciting ancient
prayers and offering garlands offlowers to honor
A monk studies in a monastery in preparation for a life this living spirit ofthe sea.
of asceticism. Most of those who enter a monastery 3 Ki-rin. Your monastery sees its main purpose as
make it their home for the rest of their lives, with the watching over and protecting the land in the man-
exception of adventurers and others who have reason to
leave. For those individuals, a monastery might serve as ner ofthe ki-rin.
a refuge between excursions to the world or as a source 4 Owlbear. The monks ofyour monastery revere a
of support in times of need. family of owlbears and have coexisted with them
What sort of place was your monastery, and where is for generations.
it located? Did attending it contribute to your experience 5 Hydra. Your order singles out the hydra for its abil-
in an unusual or distinctive way? ity to unleash several attacks simultaneously.
6 Dragon. A dragon once laired within your monas-
tery. Its influence remains long after its departure.

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