Monk

**Story**

*She held her stance, unmoving. Her Tiger Fist ready. The muscles on her arms rippled with soon to be released energy. Yet, inside her mind was calm. Her body would obey her. Would this be the day she actually struck him? Would this be the day she beat him?*

*Across from her, Sifu stared through her. She didn't understand the Six Harmonies, but she didn't need to yet. He didn't move. There seemed to be no kinetic energy involved in the stance at all. It was very unlike Tiger Fist.*

*She closed her eyes and let the fight unfold before her.*

 She steps forward with Pushing the Barrel but he sails over her. She wheels around with Waves Upon the Shore but he is ready. He guides his hand behind her heel pushing it further sending her spinning out of control, hurtling toward the edge of the practice area.

She plants her foot firmly, flying high up in the air, turns and lands in Plum Blossom.

He is on her before she is fully collected. He is attacking fiercely now. She dodges the first and the second. The third grazes her. Off balance, she parries a fourth, then rolls forward over his incoming round kick.

She finishes the roll, letting the flow of her motions guide her energy back to him. Alone in the Orchard. She sends her chi towards her Sifu. The power of her attack sweeping along the ground...she finally has him.

He takes a half step back and her chi fades right in front of him. The ease at which he has dealt with her stirs her anger. Switching back to Tiger Stance she attacks again.

It is reckless but she doesn't care. He is surprised. She can't tell if he approves...she attacks him with abandon. Three Stripes of the Tiger. Ambush from a Tree. Blind Slash of the Wounded.

Her fists hit nothing but air. She might as well have done forms. By the time she noticed the slight shift of his balance and the angle of his foot, it is too late. She is sent flying backwards. Her air fleeing her lungs, replaced with burning and shame. She coughs. Air returns. She is defeated...again.

*She opens her eyes. Sifu is no longer looking through her, but at her...with greater interest. She relaxes, stands, and bows. She steps back to the edge of the square, dirt practice area, bows again, then turns to walk away .*

*His words are calm, but the authority unmistakable, "Why do you leave?"*

*She doesn't turn back to him, but answers. "We did. I lost. Again. Always."*

*She is surprised when his hand touches her shoulder. She didn't hear him close the distance. She has forgotten everything. It seals her shame. When we speaks it is not with anger but with great happiness, "Let me tell you of the Six Harmonies..."*

# **Playing the Monk**

The Monk doesn't use items. She uses her hands. They change, upgrade, and must be combined correctly to make the most of your deck. The path of the Monk moves from a very aggressive one ability per fist per stance system, to abilities that that cover multiple stances and uses both hands.

The fists provide additional dice for the attack and a standard FD/Rush ability. If she rolls the FD associated with the fist FD, then it activates just like any other item. However, that is not where the FD recipes end for the Monk.

Stances provide her with the FD dual wielding rush ability. The Monk can proc dual wielding abilities from both the secondary item **and**her active stance if the stance and the fist in the secondary slot match. Each ability would only activate once, but with a large enough FD pool, she can activate both during a single rush ability.

The novice begins with three stances in the deck: Tiger Fist (an aggressive attacking stance), Iron Shirt (a defensive stance), and Plum Blossom (a flexible Chi based system). Every ability flows from these stances. Journeyman adds two more stances: Six Harmonies and Drunken Fist.

Abilities for the Monk range from powerful attacks to chi based attacks and self buffs. At the JM level, the Monk can perform rudimentary healing to take the pressure off the Acolyte. The more experienced the Monk becomes the more flexible she becomes. Alone In The Orchard, for instance, can be used in the Tiger Fist stance or the Plum Blossom stance. However, the active stance changes the ability slightly.

There are cards in the Monk deck that allow quick stance changes **and**quick fist (item) changes.