Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-Martial Arts of the Flanaess

Tue Jul 01, 2025 11:59 am Martial Arts of the Flanaess

Quick question!

As a martial artist (yes, Samwise and others, I know we are discussing this in a fantasy context), I'm wondering if there are other temples dedicated to teaching the martial arts besides those in the Scarlet Brotherhood. I figured that their aught to be other people teaching other arts.

While I bought the Martial Arts handbook for Pathfinder, I was disappointed in it since it didn't contain rules for make up your own (fantasy) martial arts, but that didn't mean it was useless.

There would be styles of wrestling and boxing taught in the Great Kingdom, Nyrond, Furyondy, and other places. What are your thoughts? I don't think I can do an article for this topic without doing some research. But one can do a series of articles on this topic if desired.

Tue Jul 01, 2025 3:13 pm

Monks aren't exclusive to the Scarlet Brotherhood, so there must be other ways to be trained in the martial arts (for whatever broad range of martial arts you want to use).

I believe that Xan Yae and Zuoken have canonical groups of monks. Really, any Lawful or Neutral (on the Lawful-Neutral-Chaotic) deity are comfortable with Lawful worshipers, so they could have them.

Monks in every edition except AD&D 2nd edition are not inherently religious (in 2nd, they were subclasses/kits of the Priest class, if my memory doesn't fail me). For non-religious groups, the Sapphire Brotherhood was mentioned in Fate of Istus, but that was when Kara-Tur was supposed to be integrated into Greyhawk. Still, you could run with that and also have an Emerald or Topaz Brotherhood. Or Verdigris or Mustard Brotherhoods if you prefer to go with colors.

Naturally, monks of Vecna use a secret form of martial arts that they don't teach others.