Mi-Le (弥勒)

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Arn
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Mi-Le (弥勒)

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((
  • "...there will be an interregnum of swords...
    And the Blessed One named Metteyya will arise in the world..."
    • -Dīgha Nikāya 26
))


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Artist: Angevere

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Artist: wangxiuming

Mi-Le (彌勒)
Appearance:
Age: 45 (as of 1355 DR)
Height 6'2"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: None
Facial Hair Style: None

Personality Profile:
General Health: Tall and well-built; sturdy and hardy from hours spent destroying the undead
Deity: None
Initial Alignment: Lawful Good
Profession: Monk
Base Class & Proposed Development: Monk/Spirit Shaman
Habits/Hobbies: Meditating, writing
Languages: Shou, Common
Weapon of Choice: Unarmed

Background:

Birth in Arakin
  • "ARAKIN
    The Land: Rough and rugged mountains, descending
    gradually into rolling foothills as you approach
    Chu' Yuan and the bamboo jungles.
    History: Arakin is considered to be a backwater
    province of little importance, other than its boundaries
    with the East."
Mi-Le was born in 1310 DR, in Shou Lung's Arakin province. His family lived in the mountains of Arakin, where the soil was only able to support subsistence farming. Each year was already a struggle for the family, and Mi-Le became one mouth too much to feed. Rather than risk starving the entire family, his parents made the heart-wrenching decision to leave the newborn at a remote monastery of the Old Order. This small monastery was also located in the mountains of Arakin.

By any of the normal standards by which development is measured – coins, political power, technological innovation, art – Arakin is an insignificant backwater, its people unremarkable. But from a monk's viewpoint, the austere conditions of Arakin might be considered fertile ground for spiritual development. Perhaps this is why some monks of the Old Order built a monastery in the Arakin mountains long ago.

The Old Order and the Way
  • "Monks of the Old Order do not worship any deity, but are
    devoted to the philosophy espoused by a deity who is either
    now dead or has never existed on the Material Plane of Toril.
    The monks contradict themselves on this point, but the deity’s
    identity isn’t important to them, it’s the message they care about.
    The Old Order never has huge monasteries, but has spread widely
    throughout Faerûn. . . .
    "[T]he Old Order[] is the most likely to have monasteries hidden in
    far flung wilderness areas."
    "Whatever the motives of the Monks of the Old Order might be,
    no one doubts that they are keenly, defensively minded. Rumor has it
    that the masters of the order attain ranks by being able to survive a beating
    by an Ogre, without ever raising a hand in defense...."
    "...The Way is much more of a philosophy
    than a religion, because its adherents believe
    that the true nature of the Way is unknowable. [Its]
    shrines are more like hermitages, and its very few
    temples organized as monasteries or schools, teaching
    a wide variety of subjects. The Way states that all
    things in the Celestial Universe affect and are affected
    by all others. There is no Good, Evil, Law or Chaos -
    only the forces of the Universe..."
The Old Order does not worship a deity, and this particular monastery had long since melded that tradition with the Shou Lung religion of the Way. Thus, Mi-Le was raised in this dual tradition. From the Old Order's traditions he learned about such things as impermanence and non-attachment; from the Way he learned about such things as interconnectedness, non-self, compassion, and ultimate freedom from suffering. With the combination of these two traditions, the monastery also taught such things as dependent origination and a path leading to the realization of the Way.

Because the Way is not dogmatic and does not believe in Good, Evil, Law, or Chaos, Mi-Le was taught to accept others and their beliefs. Mi-Le was taught martial arts only as a form of meditation. His martial arts teacher instilled in him a respect for all life. Indeed, one of the most important vows at the monastery was the vow to abstain from killing. As such, Mi-Le's combat is keenly defensively-minded.

The Spirits of Eldath
  • "The philosophy of Eldath is highly advanced. It teaches that peace can only come from within and cannot be taught or imposed; it must be reached through thought and meditation. The faithful of Eldath should seek stillness and thereby find peace... Eldathyn are instructed to nurture and aid and not to restrict or punish. They may defend but not punish. Eldathyn may work violence only to defend... They must swear to take no thinking life save in direst need and to share with all beings the beneficial things that grow in or come from running water..."
In his meditations, Mi-Le slowly learned to attune himself to the spirits and their world. Shortly before he became a teen, Mi-Le was contacted by a spirit, but could not communicate clearly with it. Mi-Le turned to his meditation teacher, who taught him how to better commune with the spirit. Eventually, Mi-Le could sense the spirit's thoughts and feelings. The spirit told Mi-Le that when the spirit was alive, it was a dwarven druid of Eldath. The spirit told Mi-Le about Eldath's beliefs and values.

Mi-Le's particular sect of the Old Order teaches that even the gods are impermanent and can die. This is why Mi-Le's sect of the Old Order does not worship any deity. However, Mi-Le realized that Eldath was still a goddess to be respected. Her teachings of peace are perfectly in line with his own beliefs. Mi-Le has thus developed a certain reverence for Eldath, even though he still believes the gods are impermanent.

In 1326 DR, when Mi-Le turned sixteen, the spirit asked him to travel to a grove that had been important to the spirit when it was alive. The monks of the monastery gave Mi-Le their blessing to go. In fact, it was not uncommon for monks to leave the monastery and travel the world to gain wisdom and insight. Mi-Le paid his respects to his teachers and left the monastery, with the dwarven spirit leading the way.

What Mi-Le did not know was that the grove was not in Kara-Tur. It was in the continent of Faerun, on the Sword Coast. Mi-Le traveled by foot for years, guided only by the feelings and intuitions of the dwarven spirit. Along the way, he helped countless people in countless ways.

In 1350 DR, twenty-four years after his journey began, Mi-Le finally set foot on the Sword Coast.

In 1352 DR, about two years after arriving on the Sword Coast, Mi-Le received a request from his monastery to return to Shou Lung. He decided to heed that call, and used the power of the spirits to return to the mountains of Arakin. Months later, Mi-Le's teacher passed away. Before dying, he asked Mi-Le to return to the Sword Coast to see about establishing a monastery of the Old Order. He also helped Mi-Le see that the spirits' powers came from Eldath, and that Mi-Le had developed an attachment to the spirits and a worship of Eldath. Mi-Le used the power of the spirits one last time to return to the Sword Coast, and then bid farewell to his spirit guide.

Goals:
  • Realize the Way
  • Help those in need
  • Maintain peace and balance
  • Spread the teachings of the Way. ((July 2016)): Mi-Le has opened a small meditation hall in Baldur's Gate.
  • Befriend followers of Eldath
  • Learn about the religions of Faerun
  • Find the dwarven spirit's grove ((Edited in April 2015)): After twenty-four years, Mi-Le finally found the grove with the help of Ivan the druid. After finding the grove, the dwarven spirit moved on peacefully.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
  • Mi-Le was blinded by naga shortly after he arrived in Faerun. He has been relying on his spirit guide for navigation, but this is imperfect. ((Edited in April 2015)): After many long months, Mi-Le's blindness was cured by Brother Ameris at the temple of Ilmater.
  • The spirits aid Mi-Le in channeling the elements of nature. His spirit guide takes the form of a hawk. ((April 2016)): Mi-Le has bid farewell to his spirit guide.
  • Mi-Le will fight if necessary, but he will not kill. ((I RP his "kills" as KOs. If you do not wish to go along with this RP, let me know, and I will refrain from landing any killing blows around your character. Thanks!))
  • However, Mi-Le has no qualms about destroying the undead or constructs. To him, an undead is a perversion of the natural cycle of life and death, something that must be allowed to pass on.
  • As a monk of the Old Order, Mi-Le does not worship any deity. However, this does not mean he denies the existence of the gods. In fact, Mi-Le respects Eldath in the same way that he respects his teachers.
  • Mi-Le is unaware that his spirit shaman powers ultimately come from Eldath. He is operating under the mistaken understanding that his powers originate from spirits of nature. Considering that the Old Order does not worship any deity, it is unclear how Mi-Le would respond if he were ever to learn the true source of his powers. ((April 2016)): After seeing the true source of his spirit shaman powers, Mi-Le bid farewell to his spirit guide, thereby letting go of his shaman powers. He still retains knowledge of the spirits, but not much else.
Last edited by Arn on Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:25 am, edited 42 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le

Unread post by Arn »

Mi-Le's Theme

Last edited by Arn on Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:37 am, edited 4 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le

Unread post by Arn »

The Spirits
((After reading Rhifox's rather interesting bio section about Tarina's spirits, I decided to do a write-up of the spirits that traveled with Mi-Le when he was still a spirit shaman. These spirits no longer follow Mi-Le or grant him any power, but I thought it would be fun to write about them.

I have borrowed Rhifox's format for this write-up, with permission. Thanks, Rhifox!))

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Mi-Le still communed with the spirits, he was rather selective with who he kept around him. He only had two constant companions: Ironwood and Sena. Beyond those two, Mi-Le would occasionally take one or two more spirits as companions as he traveled through an area, as long as they shared his respect for peace and non-violence. Mi-Le would part ways with these additional spirits when he left their area. Thus, Mi-Le had a small party of no more than three or four spirits traveling with him at any given time. He preferred it this way; it was more peaceful, and he did not have to worry about getting pulled in too many directions at once.

Mi-Le's powers did not come only from his traveling companions, however. Wherever he went, Mi-Le would also ask for help from spirits who were nearby, even though they were not traveling with him.


Great Spirits:
Great Spirits are potent entities. They are capable of providing some supernatural abilities and spells up to 10th level.

Sena, Mi-Le's Spirit Guide
A trustworthy hawk, in life and in death.
NG, Eldath
Hidden: show
Sena was Ironwood's hawk animal companion in life, and she served as Mi-Le's spirit guide after her death. After they died, Ironwood gave Sena much of his druidic power so that she could be a powerful spirit guide. Sena communicated with Mi-Le through feelings, intuitions, and the occasional hawkish cry. For a brief period of time, when Mi-Le was blind, Sena acted as his eyes and helped him navigate the world. When Mi-Le and Ironwood finally found the shrine of Eldath on the Sword Coast, Sena chose to stay behind as Mi-Le's spirit guide while Ironwood passed into the next realm. A year later, Mi-Le bid farewell to Sena, and the trustworthy hawk spirit went to join her friend Ironwood in the next realm.

Lure and Anchor: Mi-Le himself was Sena's anchor when they traveled together. Sena initially chose to be Mi-Le's spirit guide as a favor for her old friend Ironwood, but she later chose to stay with Mi-Le because she had developed a strong bond with the monk.

Spells and Abilities: Thanks to Ironwood, Sena was an exceptionally powerful hawk spirit. As a Great Spirit, Sena granted Mi-Le the following abilities, which were generally related to perception, guidance, and spiritual concerns (including negotiating with and summoning other spirits):

Spirit Shaman Abilities
Alertness, Blessing of the Spirits, Chastise Spirits, Detect Spirits, Follow the Guide, Ghost Warrior, Low-Light Vision, Spirit Form, Spirit Guide, Spirit Journey, Warding of the Spirits, Weaken Spirits

Spells Known
3rd--Blind Sight
4th--Freedom of Movement
5th--Owl's Insight
7th--True Seeing
8th--Premonition
9th--Summon Creature IX
10th--Epic Spell: Epic Gate
Image
Māyā, Spirit of the Peace of Eldath's Shrine
A spirit who will only leave Eldath's shrine to help the compassionate bring peace to the Coast.
LG, Eldath
Hidden: show
Māyā is a Great Spirit who has inhabited the area around Eldath's shrine since its construction. Like the shrine itself, Māyā's origins are unclear. She may have been born when the shrine was built, if the shrine was built long ago. But if the shrine was constructed within the last couple decades, Māyā's power suggests that she would have existed prior to the shrine's construction. Māyā herself has shown no interest in answering questions about her origins. She is content to peacefully stay near Eldath's shrine in the Reaching Woods, but at one point she traveled the Sword Coast with Mi-Le for almost a year, before he traveled back to Shou Lung (and then let go of the spirits and their powers). Māyā appears as a bright yet soft white light, either to the eyes or within the mind, and those who perceive her feel a strong sense of peace and compassion from her. Māyā rarely speaks, but when she does, it is usually with a soft yet strong voice. She usually does not offer advice or input, and instead quietly maintains a peaceful place for those who need one.

Lure and Anchor: Māyā might follow someone if the person is a sincere pacifist. Certainly, the person must have an earnest belief in the value of nonviolence; Māyā will not follow those who harbor doubts in this regard, nor will she follow those who practice pacifism as a convenient excuse for their own weaknesses. If Māyā follows someone, it will be to help them bring peace where there is discord. If the person acts selfishly, Māyā will most likely leave them.

Māyā met Mi-Le after he found the shrine of Eldath and Ironwood passed on. She decided to travel with the monk and help him do Eldath's work. Mi-Le's journal was Māyā's anchor. When he decided to return to Shou Lung, Māyā remained on the Sword Coast, near the shrine of Eldath.

Spells and Abilities: Māyā granted Mi-Le the following abilities, which were generally related to healing and light:

Spirit Shaman Abilities
Recall Spirit, Favored of the Spirits

Spells Known
0--Cure Minor Wounds, Light, Virtue
1st--Cure Light Wounds, Lesser Vigor
3rd--Lesser Restoration, Remove Disease
4th--Cure Serious Wounds
5th--Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Restoration
6th--Regenerate
7th--Heal, Sunbeam
8th--Sunburst
10th--Epic Spell: Epic Mass Heal
Image
Elemental Spirits
Vāta, Elder Air Elemental
Udaka, Elder Water Elemental
Bhūmi, Elder Earth Elemental
Aggi, Elder Fire Elemental
Spirits who serve or respect Eldath. They were occasionally willing to travel with Mi-Le for a time.
N, Eldath
Hidden: show
Various elemental spirits can be encountered throughout the Sword Coast. Some of them traveled with Mi-Le's small rotating group of spirits for a little while. Even when they did not travel with him, sometimes they were nearby when Mi-Le asked for assistance. With Sena's help, Mi-Le could have them manifest physically. After Ironwood passed on, Mi-Le would often ask these spirits for help. These spirits could be asked to grant the following spells and abilities:

Spells and Feats Known
Vāta, Elder Air Elemental
  • 2nd--Gust of Wind
    7th--Creeping Doom
    8th--Storm Avatar
Udaka, Elder Water Elemental
  • 4th--Greater Creeping Cold, Ice Storm
    6th--Extract Water Elemental
    9th--Burst of Glacial Wrath, Storm of Vengeance
Bhūmi, Elder Earth Elemental
  • 1st--Foundation of Stone
    4th--Stoneskin
    6th--Stonehold
    8th--Bombardment, Earthquake
Aggi, Elder Fire Elemental
  • Feats--Fiery Burst, Sacred Fist Sacred Flames
    0--Flare
    2nd--Body of the Sun, Flame Weapon
    4th--Flame Strike
    5th--Inferno
    7th--Fire Storm
Image
Anicca, Spirit of Change in Nature
A spirit that sees impermanence, but no longer sees a point to violence. Too whimsical to be a companion.
CG, Eldath
Hidden: show
Anicca is a Great Spirit that used to relish the chaos of struggle and battle in the Sword Coast's wildernesses. However, over the long years, all the fighting it saw seemed to blend into a predictable cycle of pain and anguish. The spirit became more interested in the periods of peace and calm between the struggles, and focused its attention on the ebb and flow of tranquility itself.

Anicca took note of Mi-Le when he arrived on the Sword Coast, but mostly because it considered the monk's understanding of impermanence to be quaint. Anicca is extremely chaotic and unreliable. It never appears in exactly the same way twice, and it never stays in one place for long. Anicca would not hurt Mi-Le, but it doesn't really care about him either.

Lure and Anchor: Anicca was mildly interested in (and amused by) Mi-Le's attempts to intuitively understand impermanence. However, Anicca never actually traveled with Mi-Le. It just happened to be nearby on two occasions when Mi-Le requested assistance.

Spells and Abilities: Anicca granted Mi-Le the following spell:

Spells Known
9th--Shapechange
Major Spirits:
Major Spirits provide less abilities than Great Spirits, usually spells up to 6th level in power.

Ironwood, Dead Dwarven Druid
He was one of Mi-Le's best friends, and they traveled from Shou Lung to the Sword Coast together. It took a while.
NG, Eldath
Hidden: show
In life, Ironwood (almost certainly a name he chose for himself) was a dwarven druid of Eldath, and he (unsurprisingly) had a difficult time finding like-minded company. His only friend was his animal companion Sena, a trustworthy and reliable hawk. They lived for years in one of Eldath's groves in the Reaching Woods. Eventually, Ironwood decided to seek a larger community of people who shared his values. The druid traveled to Shou Lung, chasing rumors of a monastery full of peaceful monks. Unfortunately, Ironwood and Sena died shortly after finding the monastery. They were stuck in Shou Lung as spirits.

One day, Ironwood managed to convince one of the monastery's young monks to help him return to the Sword Coast. The young monk was Mi-Le. Ironwood asked Sena to be Mi-Le's spirit guide, and even gave Sena much of his druidic power so that she would be a powerful and effective spirit guide. The three of them set off on a long journey to the west.

It would take them over two decades of long travel to find Ironwood's grove on the Sword Coast. When they finally found the grove, Ironwood was able to move on, passing into the next realm. After all, he had fulfilled his wishes: to know that he was not alone in his beliefs, to finally meet other people who shared his values... and to bring one of those people back to the Sword Coast to continue Eldath's work.

Lure and Anchor: Ironwood's desire to continue Eldath's work on the Sword Coast kept him bound to Mi-Le. The spirit was unable to move on until he knew that someone would carry on Eldath's message of peace and non-violence. Once they returned to the Sword Coast, Ironwood passed on, confident that Mi-Le would continue Eldath's work one way or another.

Spells and Abilities: If he had not given much of his power to Sena, Ironwood could have been a Great Spirit. Ironwood did not mind; the kindly dwarf wanted Sena and Mi-Le to be as effective as possible. As a Major Spirit, Ironwood granted Mi-Le the following abilities, which were generally related to nature and elemental magic:

Spells Known
1st--Entangle
2nd--Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace
3rd--Call Lightning
5th--Call Lightning Storm
6th--Energy Immunity, Tortoise Shell
Image
Spirits of Nature
Other spirits who weren't companions, but weren't hostile either.
N, Sylvanus, Mielikki, Chauntea, Eldath
Hidden: show
These spirits were not necessarily attached to Mi-Le, but could be found in the places he would often go to. They were usually willing to lend him their power when asked. After Ironwood passed on, Mi-Le would turn to these spirits more often:

Feats
Fiery Burst, Sacred Fist Sacred Flames

Spells Known
0--Flare
1st--Entangle, Foundation of Stone
2nd--Body of the Sun, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Flame Weapon, Gust of Wind
3rd--Call Lightning
4th--Flame Strike, Greater Creeping Cold, Ice Storm, Stoneskin
5th--Call Lightning Storm, Inferno
6th--Energy Immunity, Extract Water Elemental, Stonehold, Tortoise Shell
Minor Spirits:
Minor Spirits are spirits of relatively limited power. They are usually only able to provide spells of 3rd level or below.

Pīti, A Joyful Water Spirit
A spirit who looked after Eldath's shrine in Māyā's absence.
NG, Eldath
Hidden: show
Pīti is the spirit of a bubbling stream near Eldath's shrine. While Māyā was traveling with Mi-Le for almost a year, Pīti kept watch over the shrine. She did this happily, often chuckling about how such an important site was being left to a Minor Spirit such as herself.

Pīti, like Anicca, found Mi-Le somewhat amusing. She considered the monk too serious for his own good, and in her opinion Mi-Le thought about things too much. When she heard that Mi-Le had given up the powers of a spirit shaman, and why, she laughed for most of that afternoon.

Lure and Anchor: Pīti never traveled with Mi-Le. She only saw the monk when he visited the shrine of Eldath. She usually greeted him by teasing him once or twice, then she would leave him alone.

Even now, after he's given up the powers of a spirit shaman, when Mi-Le goes to Eldath's grove he knows it's no accident that the nearby stream sounds like it's chuckling.

Spells and Abilities: Pīti could be asked to cast the following spells:

Spells Known
1st--Lesser Vigor
3rd--Neutralize Poison, Vigor
Image
Last edited by Arn on Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:37 pm, edited 7 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le

Unread post by Arn »

((There actually is not much lore about the Old Order. I've only ever found a couple blurbs that talk about how the Old Order fights defensively and doesn't worship any deity (both details which seem inspired by RL Buddhist monks). And apparently, Eric Boyd has straight up said "The Old Order is pretty much a blank slate." Basically, you have to fill in a lot of blanks yourself, especially if you want to figure out what your monastery believes in. So I've used the Shou religion of the Way (Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms, page 28) to fill in some of the blanks, and for the rest I emulate RL Buddhist monks.))

Image
Monastery of the Fearless Mountain
  • "ARAKIN
    The Land: Rough and rugged mountains, descending
    gradually into rolling foothills as you approach
    Chu' Yuan and the bamboo jungles.
    History: Arakin is considered to be a backwater
    province of little importance, other than its boundaries
    with the East."
The Monastery of the Fearless Mountain is located in the Arakin mountains of Shou Lung, in Kara-Tur. By any of the normal standards by which development is measured – coins, political power, technological innovation, art – Arakin is an insignificant backwater, its people unremarkable. But from a monk's viewpoint, the austere conditions of Arakin might be considered fertile ground for spiritual development. Perhaps this is why some monks of the Old Order built this monastery in Arakin long ago. The monastery is isolated, and one must hike up a long winding mountain trail to reach it.

The Monastery of the Fearless Mountain is composed of only three buildings, with a couple dozen tiny huts scattered around the mountain.
  • 1. There is a simple medium-sized main hall where monks and visitors meditate. A few large boulders sit on the ground outside of the main hall.
    2. A small dining hall is located next door, where monks take their meals on the ground.
    3. On the other side of the main hall sits a small community building, where visitors can find four single occupancy bedrooms. This community building also has a small dining hall for visitors and a kitchen where the monastery's meals are prepared.
The couple dozen tiny huts scattered around the mountain are humble. Any given hut is a simple single room with a sleeping mat and a meditation cushion. All of the monks and long-term lay residents live in these huts. There are usually a few huts remaining for overnight visitors. The huts are isolated, and it is a small hike to travel between a hut and the three main buildings.

Visiting

All who visit or stay at the monastery must abide by the following rules:
  • 1. Refrain from taking the life of any living creature.
    2. Refrain from stealing
    3. Refrain from any kind of sexual activity.
    4. Refrain from lying.
    5. Refrain from taking alcohol or drugs which lead to carelessness.
    6. Refrain from eating after noon.
    7. Refrain from entertainment, beautification, and adornment.
    8. Refrain from using a high or luxurious sleeping place.
So long as they agree to abide by the above rules, anyone can visit for a day. However, those who wish to stay overnight must request permission from the monastery first. If the person is sincere about spiritual cultivation, they are usually permitted to stay overnight, as long as there is lodging available. There are usually only lodgings for about six overnight visitors at a time, so space is not always available. Overnight visitors may be given a bed in the community building or one of the huts scattered around the monastery.

Visitors are expected to participate in the daily schedule and work, and sit with the community in morning and evening meditations. The daily schedule is as follows:
  • 5:00am Morning chanting and meditation in the main hall.
    6:30am A half hour period for morning chores while breakfast is being prepared by the lay residents and/or visitors.
    7:00am Tea and a light breakfast is served by the lay residents or visitors.
    7:30am Everyone gathers in the main hall for work assignments and a reflection from one of the senior monks.
    8:00am A period for various work and projects at the monastery, as well as preparation of the meal.
    10:45am The meal is formally offered to the monastics, and everyone may partake of the meal.
    12:00pm Everyone is asked to help with the kitchen cleanup.
    1:00pm An open period for individual meditation practice and solitude at one’s lodging.
    5:30pm Tea and drinks are served in the kitchen.
    7:00pm Evening chanting and meditation in the main hall.
Those who do not follow the monastery's rules or schedule must leave.

The People

Though the numbers vary from year to year, there are usually about eighteen monks in residence at the monastery at any given time. There are usually two or three long-term lay residents, staying at the monastery to get a feel for monastic life and explore the possibility of becoming a monk.

Characters at the monastery speak Shou. They do not speak Common. Those who can cast the Comprehend Languages or Tongues spells could overcome the language barrier easily, but the monks would hesitate to allow physical touch on themselves ((which Tongues requires on BG)). Those who wish to cast Tongues could touch one of the other visitors, or a long-term lay resident.

Notable characters include:
  • Master Mu-Lian (目連) - The abbot of the monastery after Master Shi-Jia passed away. Though rumored to be a monk of great supranormal powers, Master Mu-Lian never openly displays any such abilities.

    Master Yāngjué-Móluó (央掘魔羅) (AKA Master Yang) - The monastery's strict martial arts teacher. Master Yang will only teach monks ordained at the monastery. He hammers into his students the lesson that the martial arts are only to be used as a form of meditation. Master Yang sees his classes as training in mindfulness of body. If he detects signs that his students are becoming proud of their martial arts skills, he swiftly humbles them. Those who stay at the monastery for more than a few days may hear about Master Yang's past.

    Brother Ren - Came to the monastery as a young man to escape the poor conditions of his village. Before that, he had studied for the Shou Civil Service Examination, but he didn't qualify for any positions. Facing a lack of options, Ren became a monk out of desperation. Since then, he has found peace.
Last edited by Arn on Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:18 pm, edited 11 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le

Unread post by Arn »

The Teachers
Mi-Le grew up in a monastery of the Old Order until the age of sixteen. While Mi-Le lived there, he learned from a number of senior monks. The monastery had long ago been influenced by the Shou religion of the Way, and much of Mi-Le's training reflects that.

Master Shi-Jia (釋迦)
The late abbot of the monastery and purported to be enlightened. Master Shi-Jia taught up until the day he died. For the most part, he taught the doctrines of the Old Order and the Way, and gave meditation instruction.
Master Shi-Jia told Mi-Le that every Old Order monastery tends to teach different things. This is because their forgotten god died ages ago, which gave rise to splintering groups and different interpretations of the teachings.
When Mi-Le quotes Master Shi-Jia in writing, he writes the master's words in a lighter golden-colored ink instead of the usual saffron-colored ink.

Master Mu-Lian (目連)
Mi-Le's primary meditation teacher. Master Mu-Lian gave Mi-Le the training that resulted in powers such as Blazing Aura, Ki Step, and the so-called "Perfect Self." Master Mu-Lian also taught Mi-Le to commune with the spirits when Mi-Le was young (although decades later, Master Shi-Jia would help Mi-Le see the attachments and pitfalls of such communing).
Master Mu-Lian succeeded Master Shi-Jia as abbot of the monastery after the latter passed away.
Whenever Mi-Le quotes Master Mu-Lian in writing, he uses a yellow ink.

Master Yāngjué-Móluó (央掘魔羅) (AKA Master Yang)
Mi-Le's martial arts teacher. Master Yang never discussed his past with Mi-Le when Mi-Le was younger. Instead, he hammered into Mi-Le the lesson that the martial arts were only to be used as a form of meditation. Master Yang saw his classes as training in mindfulness of body. If he detected signs that his students were becoming proud of their martial arts skills, Master Yang would swiftly humble them.
When Mi-Le returned to the monastery decades later, he finally learned about Master Yang's past.
Last edited by Arn on Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
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Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le

Unread post by Arn »

Timeline
(work in progress)
1310 DR
  • In the Arakin province of Shou Lung, a peasant woman with some Mulhorandi ancestry gives birth to a baby boy. The mother and father leave the baby at a monastery of the Old Order in the mountains. The monks name the boy Mi-Le (弥勒).
1322 DR
  • Mi-Le meets Ironwood, the spirit of a dwarven druid of Eldath.
    Master Mu-Lian, Mi-Le's meditation teacher, shows Mi-Le how to communicate with the spirit.
    Ironwood begins to teach Mi-Le about Eldath.
1325 DR
1326 DR
  • Ironwood asks Mi-Le to take him to a distant shrine of Eldath.
    The monastery's abbot gives Mi-Le his blessing to leave the monastery.
    Sena, who was Ironwood's animal companion in life, becomes Mi-Le's spirit guide at Ironwood's request.
    Mi-Le leaves his monastery, embarking on what would become a decades-long journey to the west.

    Mi-Le meets Meredith Olma. They get off on the wrong foot, and Mi-Le is dragged in front of a Shou magistrate.
    Mi-Le and Meredith travel together briefly. During this time, Meredith studies the Way with Mi-Le and teaches him Common.
1335 DR
  • Mi-Le's travels take him out of Shou Lung. He goes west along the trade route known as the Golden Way.

    Mi-Le goes off the Golden Way, heading south into the Quoya Desert. He arrives at the Horseshoe Temple. The temple is run by priests of the Way, and Mi-Le begins what will become a two-year stay there.
1336 DR
  • A band of goblins arrives at Horseshoe Temple. Mi-Le observes the priests teach the Way to these goblins.
1337 DR
  • Oni attack Horseshoe Temple. Only a few priests survive and escape back to Shou Lung. The goblins are enslaved. Mi-Le resumes his journey to the west.
1340 DR
  • Mi-Le meets Ghātikā, a monk of the Order of the Long Death. They travel together for a brief period, before she kills almost everyone at a farmstead in Thesk. The two monks fight, and Mi-Le barely survives. He manages to save a boy named Duane from the farmstead.

    Mi-Le brings Duane to Telflamm. They have a brief encounter with Kazimir, who directs them to a place where Duane can live.

    Mi-Le begins a four-year stay in Thesk, with much of that time spent in the Forest of Lethyr and Telflamm's Shou Town.
1344 DR
1345 DR
  • Mi-Le enters Tethyr from the east.
1346 DR

Hammer
  • Mi-Le arrives in the port city of Zazesspur, located in western Tethyr. From Zazesspur, he travels north through the Starspire Mountains into the Wealdath, unknowingly avoiding the Tethyrian civil war that would break out in 1347.
Alturiak
  • Mi-Le begins a two-year stay in the Wealdath.
1348 DR
1350 DR
  • Mi-Le arrives on the Sword Coast.
Marpenoth
  • Mi-Le is struck blind by a Naga caster. He relies on his spirit guide Sena to "see."
1351 DR

Tarsakh
  • 13th - Ameris, a priest of Ilmater, cures Mi-Le of his blindness.
    30th - Mi-Le, Ironwood, and Sena finally find the Shrine of Eldath with the help of a druid named Ivan. Shortly thereafter, Ironwood moves on to dwell with Eldath. Sena stays behind to continue serving as Mi-Le's spirit guide.
Mirtul Kythorn
  • 19th - Mi-Le meets Talindra.
Eleasis
  • Mi-Le follows an orcish monk to the Underdark city of Sshamath. After a brief time there, he leaves.
Uktar
  • 8th - Belladonna introduces Mi-Le to a wandering Ilmateri ascetic named Rags.
1352 DR

Hammer
  • 23rd - Mi-Le suggests to Ameris and Telia that Pathfinder Hall could be used to house orphans displaced by war. The Order of Lions considers the suggestion.
Alturiak
  • 16th - After extensive planning and preparation, the Order of Lions welcomes many orphans into Pathfinder Hall.
    20th - A monk of the Old Order named Tara finds Mi-Le to convey a message from his master. Tara and Mi-Le discuss meditation and Mi-Le expresses his current understandings of the practice, which he has come to recently.
    Mi-Le returns to his monastery in Shou Lung at the bidding of his master. For this trip, Mi-Le uses the power of the spirits to travel by plant.
Ches Tarsakh
  • Master Shi-Jia asks Mi-Le to return to the Sword Coast to establish a chapter of the Old Order there.
    Master Shi-Jia, the abbot of Mi-Le's monastery, passes away. Master Mu-Lian becomes the next abbot.
    Mi-Le's mother goes to the monastery to see her son.
    Mi-Le discusses meditation with Ren. Ren's approach to the practice matches the understandings Mi-Le had around 1351 but does not currently hold.
    11th - Mi-Le uses the power of the spirits one last time to return to the Sword Coast, and then bids farewell to Sena, his spirit guide.
    26th - At Ameris's suggestion, Mi-Le begins to spend time with the orphans in Pathfinder Hall. He takes the opportunity to teach them meditation.
    28th - In the Vault of the Dead, Mi-Le succumbs to a lich's Fear spell. It is only because of his companion Gee that Mi-Le survives this encounter. Afterwards, Mi-Le begins to meditate on the incident.
    30th - After two days of meditation, Mi-Le makes a breakthrough regarding the illusion of self. By the direct insight that all mental and physical phenomena are impermanent, suffering, and non-self, he attains the ironically named Perfect Self: mind-affecting spells and effects lose their power over him and his body becomes resistant to normal physical attacks.
Mirtul
  • The Order of Lions discusses the possibility of Mi-Le joining their ranks. They contact the monk for an interview.
Kythorn
  • 5th - Mi-Le joins the Order of Lions.
    17th - Mi-Le joins Ameris, Telia, Vendor, and Terri Lalani on a mission into a vampire's crypt. Inside, Mi-Le gives a talk that helps the vampire see the true nature of its own cravings. The vampire chooses to destroy itself, which Telia later writes about in the Baldur's Gate Herald.
    29th - Timmy, one of the orphans living in Pathfinder Hall, wants to shave his head. Sylvi, one of the caretakers, grudgingly gives her permission. Mi-Le shaves Timmy's head on the banks of the Chionthar River.
Flamerule
  • Mi-Le opens a small meditation hall in Baldur's Gate with the help of Endelyon, a member of the Sword Coast Commercial Exchange.
Eleasis
  • 15th - Mi-Le and Daichi Totamashi discuss the Way and the precept to abstain from killing.
    18th - After reflecting on it, Daichi Totamashi swears to Mi-Le that he will never kill again.
Nightal
  • 30th - Mi-Le encounters a drow named Israe'anna.
1353 DR

Hammer Tarsakh
  • 2nd - Mi-Le and Ghātikā meet once again.
    30th - Tarina suggests that she live at the meditation hall for a few days for a period of intensive study. Mi-Le agrees.
    29th - Mi-Le accompanies Tarina, Adelaide, and Charisa into the spirit world. Along the way, Mi-Le uses Quivering Palm to destroy a pit fiend in a single move.
Mirtul Eleint Marpenoth
  • 3rd - Mi-Le returns from his trip to Neverwinter.
    21st - Alexandra Keenan, the Guide of Candlekeep, approves Mi-Le for admission into the Candlekeep Library in order to conduct research on Myth Drannor, Silverymoon, and how harmony was achieved in those cities.
Uktar
  • 11th - Seeker Shanna Robaire accompanies Mi-Le into the Candlekeep library, where Mi-Le researches the topics previously approved by Guide Alexandra.
    19th - Mi-Le begins his travels to Silverymoon.
    In Silverymoon, Mi-Le meets and pays his respects to High Mage Alustriel Silverhand.
    25th - Mi-Le returns from his trip to Silverymoon. The short length of his journey strongly suggests that magic was used to travel there and back.
1354 DR

Hammer
  • 30th - Mi-Le meets Dove, a member of Eldath's clergy. Dove tells him about the ondonti.
Alturiak
  • 24th - Mi-Le meets Yan-Yin, a woman trained in both the Old Order and the Way.
    26th - Mi-Le meets Cyrah.
Eleint
  • 29th - Having been approved for admission into Candlekeep to research the ondonti, Mi-Le is escorted into the library by Maurmeril and Simon. Simon assists Mi-Le in the research.
Marpenoth
  • 25th - Mi-Le gives Oth Neren a staff, a pair of boots, and a pair of gloves, all to give to Dove.
    28th - After thorough research at Candlekeep, Mi-Le finishes a treatise about the ondonti.
Uktar
  • 17th - Mi-Le encounters a drow named Aunrae.
Nightal
  • 9th - Mi-Le meets Innocence, who seems to be a monk of the Long Death.
    11th - Mi-Le and Kazimir meet again.
    13th - Cyrah suggests that he learn meditation from Mi-Le.
    15th - Mi-Le meets the real Mae yr Machshikhah.
1355 DR

Ches
  • 22nd - Mi-Le encounters Israe'anna again.
    24th - Someone seeks out Mi-Le for counsel and expresses some interest in learning of the Way.
Tarsakh
  • 13th - Chambordin makes Mi-Le the Steward of the Order of Lions and Pathfinder Hall.
    15th - Mi-Le encounters the Uthgardt known as Aesa at the shrine of Eldath. He also encounters the druid known as the "Plague Doctor." Later on, Michael Dunn brings Bob Thairo to the shrine and Mi-Le tends to Bob's wounds.
    29th - Mi-Le approaches Teris about joining the Order of Lions. Thedran approaches Mi-Le about teaching meditation to some children.
Kythorn
  • 8th - Mi-Le observes a meeting in Soubar between the Zhentarim and Mag the tavern owner. Shortly afterwards, Mi-Le begins to stay in Soubar, taking some shifts at Kazimir's healing tent.
    18th - Mi-Le says farewell to Adelaide before she departs the Sword Coast. She donates a sizable sum to him.
    24th - Mi-Le meets Jay Lewis.
    28th - Mi-Le meets with Father Marcus to discuss donating Pathfinder Hall to house refugees and orphans.
Flamerule Eleasis
  • 13th - Mi-Le gives Pathfinder Hall to the temple of Ilmater for the purpose of sheltering homeless orphans and refugees, under certain conditions.
1356 DR

Hammer
  • Mi-Le devotes much of his time to spiritual practice, and is only rarely seen at the meditation hall. Presumably, he is on retreat somewhere in nature.
Alturiak
  • 17th - Mi-Le meets Sean.
Kythorn
  • 30th - Mi-Le meets Suul. Their discussion about the Way concludes with her leaving in displeasure.
Eleint
  • 18th - Mi-Le meets Jan, a monk of the Sun Soul. They discuss the deeper states of meditation that Mi-Le calls Chán.
    26th - Mi-Le meets Ashenie, an Ilmateri sister of Saint Jasper of The Rocks.
1357 DR

Hammer
  • 23rd - Nalissa Colds helps Mi-Le use a scroll to teleport back to his monastery in Shou Lung. She is interested in knowing the monastery's location, so that she can come back later if she needs a place of peace. After memorizing the trail leading up to the monastery, Nalissa teleports them both back to the Sword Coast.
Kythorn
  • 5th - Mi-Le sees Ameris and Telia again.
Flamerule Nightal
  • 22nd - Mi-Le meets Genevieve.
1358 DR

Hammer Flamerule Eleasis 1359 DR

Tarsakh
  • 28th - The meditation hall opened by Mi-Le finishes its renovations. The monk ensures that it is a public space, and removes the Old Order's name from the hall's door.
    Teris tells Mi-Le that he has converted to the worship of Eldath. Mi-Le realizes that Ironwood was right after all: Mi-Le did end up continuing Eldath's work one way or another. Finding humor in this, Mi-Le gives Ironwood's walking staff to Teris.
Last edited by Arn on Tue Aug 01, 2023 10:27 am, edited 20 times in total.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le (弥勒)

Unread post by Arn »

Update: Added a write-up for Mi-Le's monastery. Nalissa Colds, played by Yugo, recently expressed interest in visiting Mi-Le's monastery in Shou Lung. So I thought it was time to describe it in detail.
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
User avatar
Arn
Posts: 891
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Re: Mi-Le (弥勒)

Unread post by Arn »

Timeline updated! Added quite a few events from 1357, 1358, and 1359.

As always, please feel free to reach out ICly or OOCly for RP with Mi-Le. He's ICly a reclusive hermit, so he doesn't typically initiate conversation. But he's friendly to pretty much anyone who talks to him!
Mi-Le (彌勒) - "Meditate, monks. Do not be negligent, lest you regret it later." ((-Saṃyutta Nikāya 35.146))
-Monk of the Old Order and the Way. Will not kill.
-[IC Journal]
-[Bio]

((Feel free to reach out to Mi-Le for forum RP!))

Wendi - Haggling crafter. [Bio]
Anatti
Meredith
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