Yuan Monks

The Yuan Monks are a monastic order of great importance to Kun'lao, in essence acting as a sort of central bank for the nation. They are, in actuality, extremely unorthodox for a monastic order. While a typicalistic monastic order, such as the Shambali, are humble, often living simple lives, the Yuan Monks are decadent and politically influential. They worship Kun'laos Deva of Wealth and Luck, The Golden Idol. Yuan Monks believe that all of suffering comes from want, particularly wealth. Because much of war and conflict comes from this want, the Yuan believe that they can become "martyrs" by simply accumulating all of the wealth of the world. Eventually, they believe, they can create a world without money, and thus without suffering. The hypocrisy of this entire philosophy is clear. Most believe that the Yuan Monks are merely a religious order that has become corrupt.

History

The Yuan Monks were once a relatively small religious order of cultural significance to early-Kun'lao culture. As the priests residing over the Deva of luck and wealth, they often gave prayers to believers as a means of hopefully granting them good luck. For the most part, they ran festivals in honor of the Golden Idol, or a merchant would go to them to get blessings for their business. The Yuan Monks' presence in Kun'lao was minimal.

This all changed when it was discovered that the Yuan Monks were good accountants by the Kun'lao Emperor. This makes sense, they were priests of business and wealth, after all. They had a natural inclination towards an interest in economics. Trade, business, and accounting were just topics of religious significance to them. It just so happened that, at the time, the Emperor of Kun'lao was struggling with the Imperial Capital's finances. His traditional accountants had failed many times to properly disperse funds as the Imperial Capital needed them, and much of Kun'lao had fallen into financial chaos as a result.

And so, the emperor had asked the Yuan Monks to assist clear up Kun'laos finances. The Yuan Monks were happy to oblige, especially do the Emperor Guanyin's religious signifiance. Unfortunately, they managed to fix Kun'lao's financial situation a little too well. Impressed by their work, the emperor named them permanent bankers over Kun'laos financials, making them the new central bank for the nation.

It was not a sudden transformation, but the Yuan Monks slowly became corrupt and decadent. It was from there where they went from simple community wellness providers with knowledge in accounting into a massively political powerful arm of monk bankeers with control over nearly all of Kun'laos wealth. Kun'lao's financial system is stable, but unequal. Yuan Monks regularly intermingle with the upperclass of Kun'lao, and their goal, for the most part, is making themselves as rich as possible. Of course, this comes at the cost of the wellbeing of the average peasant, who the Yuan Monk has no interest in.

Culture

The Yuan Monks understand that they're of extreme importance to Kun'lao. They are so embedded in Kun'laos financial structure that actually trying to combat their influence risks bringing great economic instability to Kun'lao. They wine and dine with the nation's elites, sharing a symbiotic relationship with each other. Their most senior of monks act as chief banks, typically only dispersing resources as a means to gather even more money.

One can merely join the Yuan Monks, although it typically involves donating everything one owns to the order. This sounds like a terrible deal, but the Yuan Monks live such extravegant lives that this move is seen as more of an investment than a sacrifice. Because of this, it is mainly those from the upper class who join the Yuan Monks, as those will be the people whose financial sacrifices are most likely to be accepted. If a poor, homeless person tries to join the Yuan Monks, they will merely ask what the vagant has to offer. They're a lot more likely to deny the vagrant if they feel like they get nothing from training them.

Yuan Monks start as disciples, and it takes aroudn 4 years for them to become full Brothers/Sisters of Yuan. Upon reaching monkhood, Yuan Monks are expected to leave on an excursion. In this excursion, they are required to gather as much money as possible, bringing a sizeable treasure if they wish to eventually return and become an Elder Brother/Sister of Yuan, the true bankers of Kun'lao and some of the wealthiest individuals in the nation. While on pilgrimage, Yuan Monks typically act as hired bodyguards, mercenaries, or assassins. Others become criminals, while others simply try to start up businesses. Typically, they engage inn some form of corruption. According to the morality of the Yuan Monks, the only goodness comes from financial prosperity. All over forms of "good" are illusions, created as distractions. The obvious hypocrisy of this believe, paired with their claim that they are actually fixing the world by hording tons of wealth, is obvious to the public.

Membership

There are 3 ranks of Yuan Monk:

• Disciple: Yuan Monks in training. Often live relatively simple lives, basically acting as both students and servants to the Elder Brothers and Sistersn of Yuan. They typically learn martial arts for mercenary work, accounting for creating health of wealth, and scripture for health of spirit. After about 4 years, they get promoted.

• Brother/Sister of Yuan: Full members of the Yuan Monks. They make up the majority of Yuan Monks, and their membership is split in 2: Some Yuan Monks take on pilgrimages in search of great wealth, while others act as soldiers, chief servants, and bankers for the Elder Monks.

• Elder Brother/Sister of Yuan: Those who successfully complete pilgrimage and bring great wealth to the Yuan Monkhood are promoted to Elder Brother/Sister. These monks act as banking executives for the Yuan Monkhood. These monks are among the most wealthy in Kun'lao, engage in decadent parties with the rich and powerful of the kingdom, and also teach Disciples in the ways of the Golden Idol.

Qi Techniques

The following are examples of prominent Qi techniques often used by the Yuan Monks. Note that this list is not comprehensive, and actual abilities can vary wildly.

• Enhancement Style - Golden Body: The most iconic Qi Technique of the Yuan Monks. Involves turning parts of the entirity of one's body into gold, often as a form of armor or to bring greater harm onto one's opponent. This can range from turning one's fists to gold to increase punching power, to turning one's body into gold to armor themselves up.

• Pure Style - Blinding Light: A simple Qi techique that allows one's body to shine like gold, albeit to a blinding level. Often used to temporarily blind an opponent to get an attack in.

• Special Style - Luck Enhancement: A Qi technique used to enhance one's luck, often involves making a prayer beforehand. A successful prayer will result in an increase of luck for the user.

• Pure Style - Golden Qi Blasts: Admittedly a rudimentary Qi technique, but if a Yuan Monk wants to use Pure Qi blasts, they will typically use a special Qi aura that shines like gold. Often used to compliment the short-ranged nature of their martial arts, Divine Idol Style.