Order of the Green Palm
The Order of the Green Palm is a monastic society founded by Primate Ferox, with many Temples around the world which teach their sacred methods of combat, meditation, and communal living. Green Palm Ferox travel between these temples, learning their ancient traditions from well-respected Masters and doing good works for people and nature along their journey. They consider themselves “The Hands of Nature”, and will act on what they believe is the will of the natural world, or for its benefit. In general this is a pacifistic lifestyle, though they are not afraid to fight to defend other people or nature’s gifts.
History
Long ago, when the lines between the natural world and the civilizations were not so clear, Primate Ferox lived amongst nature in many separate clans. These clans would war and steal from one another, and fight against other Ferox. Over time, as clans died, melded together, or gained resources only to be overtaken and left disparate again, a few philosophical leaders began to notice something. The people of the world, as they saw them, were divided into two groups: those who fought, and those who didn’t.
They considered any person who did not fight to be spiritually pure, and innocent. However, any who partook in violence were deemed spiritually corrupted. This applied even to those who acted in self-defense, treating violence like a spiritual disease that could be transmitted from one to another, equally corrupting even those who used violence as a means to defend themselves. This led to a sect of Primate Ferox devoting themselves completely to the study of martial arts, but in doing so, they were sacrificing their own purity to save the innocence of others. They would forgo all other responsibilities in life, they would not marry nor start families, and they would sequester themselves from living amongst the rest of the pacifist Primates, living in temples within their villages. To join their temples would mean giving up everything else in life, even one’s own spiritual purity, and was seen as a great sacrifice in the name of others. They called themselves the Order of the Red Fist.
For centuries, the Red Fist was able to protect the budding Primate Ferox societies. Philosophers within the Order would spend their lifetimes perfecting various forms of combat, but did so feeling that they were corrupting their own spirits for the sake of those around them. Meanwhile, Ferox outside the Order grew more pacifistic, relying entirely on the Red Fists to protect them. There was a boom in arts and culture among the pacifistic Ferox, who were able to live full and relatively stable lives under the Order’s protection.
As more time passed, however, the ability for the Red Fists to protect every village of Primate Ferox was becoming untenable. It stopped being possible for families to lose enough able-bodied workers to supply the Order with fighters, especially considering that they were seen as spiritually corrupted, and thus joining them would mean making a great sacrifice.
It is unclear at exactly which point in time the shift occurred, but what is known is that Primate Ferox societies were beginning to succumb once again to outside influences, as well as their own need to expand and protect themselves. As the Cat populated Udjamu Cities began amplifying their desire for slave labor, and as the Wolven Stjarnvarg Raiders and other warmongers grew in population and began using technology to fight more effectively, a change needed to occur.
Many philosophers and leaders of Primate Ferox clans shifted their beliefs, seeing that the peace they strove for would only end up emboldening the forces of true evil in the world. They also saw a new type of evil that seemed almost as horrible as violence against other Ferox; with population explosions, and technology, and the need for larger cities and more resources, the world itself was being attacked. Perhaps, then, there was still some purity that could be protected, even if all Primate Ferox would have to sully themselves with violence to protect it.
The Order of the Red Fist disappeared, replaced by the Order of the Green Palm. Nature took on the role of the innocent one needing protection, and these Primate Ferox took it upon themselves to enact violence only as they believed that the Natural World would condone. To protect themselves, and to protect the world, these Masters of combat would begin sharing their knowledge with the former-pacifist communities of Ferox. Their small temples would grow to house and protect these communities, and eventually became entire micro-civilizations unto themselves.
Thus began the balancing act of maintaining purity through pacifism, while training in deadly effective martial arts. The cultural boom of the pacifistic period in their history also meant that the formerly ascetic Order was able to engage with creativity again, beyond martial arts. Combined with their ritualistic discipline, they elevated their arts to new levels. This allowed them to engage with the wider economy of the world at large, though to this day the Temples choose to live quite modestly.
Philosophy
The Order has a somewhat paradoxical relationship with violence. Their belief that all beings belong to the natural world, and that the natural world is sacred, should make it objectively evil to do harm to any living being. Still, they fully recognize that this is not the world they live in. What began as a culture of pacifist nature-dwellers was forced by external pressure into either fighting back, or becoming extinct. As the Order developed into its own world-spanning society, many of its spiritual beliefs combined with its history of martial prowess, into the holistic philosophy that is taught to members of the Order today.
To the Green Palms, there is no disconnect between one’s body, one’s mind, and one’s environment. There is no meditation without some physical activity, a balance of mental and physical health. There is no physical health without the health of one’s environment, and many hours have been spent considering the ideal way to organize one’s living or eating quarters to maximize this sense of environmental alignment.
Green Palms are not content to sit idle. What they have, they share with others. When they have too much, they load up their belongings and carry their excess out into the wider world to share with those less fortunate. If they live in too much comfort, they will travel to a place that has been torn apart by war, or famine, or especially environmental devastation, and begin working to help. Because of this, Nature’s Hands have oft crossed paths with nature’s children, the Nymphs. Some have even taken up cause with the Kraoshnar Nymphs whose methods veer into eco-terrorism, as the sanctity of the world remains crucial above all else in their beliefs. This is, however, still a hotly debated topic among philosophical leaders, and there is no clear universal distinction of how much blood can or should be spilled on behalf of the world at large.
Every temple likely has its own variations on everything from which direction one’s bed should face for maximum environmental alignment, to how much violence against an assumed aggressor is considered acceptable. In the end, members of the Order must simply walk their path, and try to live in the way they believe is most righteous. They must take the advice of their elders, and try various ways of life for themselves, innovating on old ideas while remaining faithful in their devotion to the will of the natural world, and the purity of peace.
Despite their commitment to discipline during their training hours, they are generally very funny people, quick to laugh or chide each other while relaxing. They enjoy wordplay and riddles, and love to play sports of all kinds. Their performance arts - particularly stage performances - are especially funny, involving plenty of physical comedy made more impressive by their ability to perform feats of strength or acrobatic stunts.
The duality of Green Palms is of innocence and violence, or purity and corruption. Creativity, family, love, and natural purity are revered, but cannot exist in a world without strength and violence to protect it. Even in nature, the most beautiful animals can be among the most deadly, as the brutality of life is part of the constant force of evolution.
The Five Palm Techniques
Green Palm philosophy is taught from Master to Student in their many temples. Though the temples are numerous, the same five-point philosophy prevails throughout all. The way they would teach it, there is a reason they are not called “The Order of the Green Fist”. While a fist can win a fight, a palm has many more uses, which are symbolic of the way the Order sees its role in the world. Each of the Five Palm Techniques correlates to both a martial practice, and to a mental discipline.
To Hold
The upturned palm is the symbol of this Order, and this theory is the first one taught to new students. Mentally, this technique is about making the commitment to respect oneself, others, and the natural world. It is about focusing on what is worth fighting for, and instilling into students that violence is not the answer to everything. It also emphasizes the sacredness of life, and how precious all things are. The martial use of the Hold technique is about stopping further conflict by subduing an opponent, preventing them from harming others, and from causing harm to themselves. While this usually means unarmed grappling in practice, it can also involve the use of nonlethal weapons, or the use of a lethal weapon in a non-lethal way. It also includes disarming opponents, either with bare hands or with the use of a weapon.
To Halt
The outward palm is a near-universal symbol to ‘stop’. This part of a student’s training is about recognizing when action needs to be taken, and how to confront it with both strength and reason. The Halt is the last moment a Monk has before engaging in conflict, where the option is given for peaceful resolution, before that chance slips away. The martial practice of the Halt is about interrupting an opponent’s attacks. Masters of this discipline are excellent at breaking the stances of defensive opponents, as well as blocking attacks, and being immovable themselves.
To Push
Pushing, to the Green Palms, is an act both forceful and controlled. It is also about the redirection of energy, the focusing of it, and knowing when one needs to use force or be flexible enough to resist being toppled over. The martial use of the push is to use an opponent’s strength against them, by redirecting their force into the direction you desire. Masters of this technique can slow their own heartbeats with their breathing techniques, and can turn an opponent’s size to their own benefit, always aiming to be in control. They can throw an opponent off balance, or avoid being hit by using their incredible flexibility.
To Strike
While a fist is an effective weapon, the palm can strike as well. Mentally, striking is about putting one-hundred percent of your power into your actions, and achieving what you aim to do. The Martial use of striking is to aim with deadly precision for specific points on a target, and to hit them with incredible speed. Masters of this technique can punch bricks in half, and strike so quickly that their hands are a blur. They aim to put so much force into their attacks that they are unaffected by recoil, only delivering more and more pressure on opponents.
To Create
When one devotes their life to the art of combat, they must also find something worth fighting for. Creation is more than a means of earning coin, to the Green Palms. Losing oneself in the mastery of any discipline is something nearly divine to them, and many Temples house incredible artisans, who specialize in their crafts. There is also some innuendo to this philosophy, with the creation of life and love also considered to be exceptional treasures. Masters of creation are artisans who have devoted their lives to becoming exceptional at their crafts.
Notable Temples
The Five Palm Techniques are a part of every single martial style, both armed and unarmed, and create the philosophical foundation of all martial study. However, there are many, many temples, each specializing in its own unique combat style. Some of these combat styles make heavy use of one technique above the others, and so the following Notable Temples create a general list of styles which each display a preference for one of the techniques. To reiterate, all styles must use all five, though not always in the same balance. This is only a small sampling of temples which may exist across Pannotia, though they are among the most popular for Green Palms travelling to learn more about the foundational techniques. An acolyte should learn from as many masters as possible, learning many styles, before committing to becoming a master of one.
The Red Sun Temple teaches a style which most heavily features Hold techniques. While this style applies to both armed and unarmed combat, it is always focused on sweeping an opponent off balance, disarming, or subduing in nonlethal ways. Masters of the Red Sun Style tend to primarily refrain from weapons and partake in forms of grapple-oriented wrestling. Heavy emphasis is placed on kicking, grabbing, and throwing. Masters are known to be in equal parts committed to their students, and very hard on them. Training heavily in Hold techniques breaks bad habits learned in childhood, and instills empathy and respect. Many students will seek this temple in the beginning of their journeys, before being guided toward a place that makes the best possible use of their unique blend of innate talents, and personal passions. For example, a Ferox born large and strong who has a passion for helping the poor may be told to seek further training at the Iron Spine Temple, before going on to protect food convoys being delivered to war-torn provinces. Much time in this temple is spent in study of the world, the Order, and the possible paths that one can take in life.
The Iron Spine Temple teaches a style which heavily features Halt techniques. Masters spend years developing their unique ability to use visualization techniques that improve their combat skills. They often chant mantras, such as “Iron spine, rooted feet” to become remarkably difficult to move, or “Flowing water pushing tumbling stones” to practice delivering a chain of attacks in unending repetition. Many eventually also specialize in chiseling statues and masonry work, depicting aspects of nature that they wish to meditate on, or immortalizing the likeness of other Masters in stone. They can at times be the most ascetic temple, with many students and masters choosing to undertake personal challenges, such as years of silence or celibacy, or hours spent chanting their mantras, or meditating for days on end while ingesting only honey and their special mud teas.
The Drunken Monkey Temple teaches a style that makes heavy use of Push techniques, Masters of which most often fight completely unarmed, always using their hands to touch, pivot, and redirect the movements of their enemies. They wear no armor, instead focusing on their own flexibility and freedom of movement to allow an opponent to tire themselves out, before subduing them with Hold techniques. These monks are not always drunk, though they are known to be a little kooky to outsiders. They are master brewers who usually water down their spirits while they engage in free-thinking conversations that may seem ridiculous to some. For example, they may tell ridiculous-sounding riddles, the answers to which are laughable and make no sense. A famous example being “How does one remove a goose from a glass bottle, without breaking the bottle, or the goose?” to which the other replied, “Oh no, it’s come free!” before flapping his arms and running across the table, to a bout of laughter. Masters from this temple are rare, though they seem to experience a level of both mental and physical flexibility that can seem unfathomable to many. Learning from this temple is still a valuable experience to any who need to embrace the art of open-thinking and flexibility in and out of combat.
The Lightning Strikes Temple is the domain of a style that heavily uses Strike techniques. This temple is well-populated and full of life, with combatants training with many kinds of weapons. Most will learn to first fight unarmed, and then with staves, learning non-lethal methods to subdue opponents. They will then be permitted to move onto bladed weapons, with many continuing to use pole-arms such as spears and glaives. However, more exotic weapons are not uncommon, such as nunchucks, tonfa, and sai. In theory, any weapon is acceptable to use with this style, so long as the philosophy of the Five Palm Techniques is respected. Masters at this temple are among the most highly regarded fighters in Pannotia, especially to the Ferox. Many share an equal amount of fame and infamy, sometimes choosing to retire and return to a life of pacifism as they teach the next generations of Green Palms. They can be solemn, as they reflect in the blood they’ve spilled. However, many also find great joy in the accomplishments of their students, as well as in humbling the arrogant with brutal and effective takedowns whenever a student gets too big of an ego. These Masters consider the art of using a specific weapon as their craft, with some going as far as becoming expert crafters of their chosen weapon, be that as swordsmiths or staff-carvers. A small cultural difference between this temple and others is that when performing the customary bow with one upturned palm atop the other, they will touch the ends of their thumbs together, forming a small triangle.
The Crystal Lotus Temple is a place of youth, joy, and community, where masters of various Create techniques often settle. This bustling and communal temple is where many families begin to grow and raise children, and where the elderly can retire in a place surrounded by new life. As many Monks continue to travel throughout their lives, they have a choice whether to bring their children, or leave them to the care of the elderly for a time. Even meditation is done in groups in this temple, allowing children to learn the practices of introspection and creative expression. They hear stories and watch the Masters at work, bond with their community, and eventually go on to join the Order themselves if they wish to. If not, there are also many servile roles in the temples, where one can live in peace and comfort while others go on to act as Nature’s Hands. This is the largest temple, with many offshoots that follow in its image, such as the Rainbow Lotus Temple, and the Twilight Lotus Temple. The Lotus Temples are places where many Primate Ferox both begin and end their journeys.
While Green Palms will travel to many temples and eventually choose one combat style to master, and perhaps a creative discipline to pair with it, there are some exceptional Masters who go on to master multiple disciplines. There is also a legend that, very rarely, a Primate Ferox is born with the capability to master each of the Five Palm Techniques so completely, and with such spirit and purpose, that they are considered a Chosen Hero who is capable of incredible martial power beyond what should physically be possible. It is generally understood that these Heroes are purely mythical figures, with stories written about them only to encourage young Green Palms to stick to their studies.
Naming Customs
While Green Palms live modestly, pride in one’s community is never condemned. Names are dependent on where one lives and the cultures that their parents blended with. While these names stylistically reflect East Asian, Southeast Asian, or Indo-Asian names in the real world, these Ferox are highly nomadic throughout their lives, and may adopt naming conventions from around Pannotia. Names are very flexible, and can share elements of many cultures, even blending them in new ways. However, it is customary for the first few letters of one’s name to indicate which temple they were born into, or where they achieved their title. If one is born outside of a temple, they may adopt the letters of the temple where they begin studying to become a novice. This is not an exhaustive list, as there are many, many temples, but some of the notable temple identities are as follows:
Red Sun Temple: Jiu
Iron Spine Temple: Wei
Drunken Monkey Temple: Ba
Lightning Strikes Temple: Lee
Crystal Lotus Temple: Fu
Rainbow Lotus Temple: He
Twilight Lotus Temple: Zhi
Names go in order of temple identity, surname, first name. Members of the Order also typically recognize each other’s titles, such as “Acolyte Wei Chen “Lily” Hua”, meaning Hua, called Lily, of the family Chen, acolyte of the Iron Spine Temple. Masters will sometimes adopt a moniker after their name, which identifies the disciplines they’ve mastered, for example, “Master Fu Khong Halim, One-thousand Colors Woven in Shining Silk”.
Life in the Temples
Despite their adherence to their beliefs, there is no single unifying governance in the Order. One who lives in the temples but does not study the disciplines is still a Green Palm, but they are not considered a student unless they are actively studying to become an acolyte. Masters in a temple will declare a student, or a novice, has risen to an acolyte typically when they show a passing understanding of the Five Palm Techniques. Following this, one remains an acolyte for most of their life. Only after showing remarkable skill in a chosen discipline will a council of Masters decide whether an acolyte has earned the title of Master. Even then, Masters do not necessarily have a say in the running of a temple.
The logistics of temple life will be made up of uninitiated Green Palm monks as well as acolytes and Masters, usually with the elder Masters in a temple having the most input. People tend to take on jobs that they are suited for, or are asked to do. There is very little exchange of money in the temples, which are generally self-sufficient. If one transgresses against others in the temple, they are liable to be punished with heavy labor, which will usually end with them being thanked for their hard work and welcomed back. In cases where someone cannot be trusted to return, they are given some supplies and sent on their way, with an entire town of disciplined warriors to prevent them from returning.
Every temple tends to specialize in some form of artisan craft or art, with techniques that have been passed down for generations. Perfume making, brewing, carving, weaving, husbandry, there is no end to the disciplines that one might decide to devote their life to. Not to mention, of course, that some decide that their chosen art will be solely combative and choose to exclusively master martial arts in their preferred style. Travel is a very common calling, which is discussed in the “Green Palms in Galudon” section below. Traveling Green Palms are notable for their form of greeting, which involves placing both hands palm-up, layered one on top of the other, and rested at the middle of the chest, accompanied by a bow.
Meditation is a daily practice, with many other tasks being considered forms of meditation in their own right. To cleanse oneself, cultivate one’s environment, partake in exercise, or spend time in the quiet calm of nature - even to do a repetitive task such as winding a weaving loom or chiseling stone into bricks - are all opportunities for one to quiet their mind and enjoy simple moments of peace. The two forms of meditation are generally to quiet all thoughts and focus on one’s actions, such as breathing or simple manual tasks, or to engage with a single focused line of thinking, such as a question or philosophy that requires hours of consideration without distraction. Those just beginning to learn about meditation simply count in their heads, to train their minds away from idly wandering.
A popular staple across all temples is the use of so-called Mud Tea. The tea is a blend of ingredients such as dried mushrooms, tea leaves, rock salt, spices, and sometimes cocoa, all ground into a very fine powder and before being boiled in water. This tea is generally bitter, though is often sweetened with honey, or diluted with a splash of milk. And, curiously, it does contain literal dirt. Specifically, mineral-rich river water which carries some clay and silt is dried on large, heated stones. When the water evaporates, the dirt is scraped off and ground extremely fine, and this powder is added to the powdered tea mixture. This is a traditional remedy to the Green Hands, who believe that the clay and soil they drink has cleansing properties which promote gut health. It is not recommended that non-Ferox drink mud tea, as its effects haven’t been widely studied. While originally an evening tea, many modern Green Hands now use mud tea as a substitute for morning coffee. Indeed the consistency of mud tea is essentially the same as traditional coffee drinks.
Outsiders of any race can join the Order, though not until they are approved by the Masters to study the Five Palm Techniques. This typically requires proving one’s devotion to the Order and its mission, taking a vow of servitude, or accomplishing some achievement like restoring a natural sight of beauty or defending oppressed people. Sometimes a Master will simply “feel” a quality in a new student, and sponsor their induction into the Order by taking personal responsibility for them, or assigning them to an acolyte for training. The bond between any teacher and their student can be very strong.
Mages are sometimes born into or join the Order, and are trained just as any other novice would be. They are taught to use combative magic the same way fighters are taught to use weapons, and to use their other skills to benefit the world and those in it. Technology serves a similar purpose, with most temples being largely traditional in their function but not outright hostile toward technology. Training with ranged weapons is also acceptable, though these are always taught to be used non-lethally, such as by wounding or attempting to frighten away aggressors.
Fashion
In the Order of the Green Palm, fashion is a dual-sided coin of modesty, and freedom of expression. The finest clothes are a display of artisan skill, with complex or richly dyed woven patterns. Their outfits vary based on the part of the world they inhabit, and traveling members may adopt the fashion of wherever they immigrate to. But in general, their clothing is loose-fitting pants or robes, with straight and simple shapes. They often wear a belt, from which they hang purses or bags. Clothing that goes beyond these simple shapes is generally considered inappropriate, though the use of color is more widely accepted.
It is common for novices to wear a white sash or belt, while acolytes will wear a sash of different colors depending on their field of study. An acolyte focused on craftsmanship typically wears a yellow sash, while one focused on combat will wear red. Acolytes who have yet to decide on their path, or who are pursuing multiple disciplines, wear a grey sash. Masters will wear a black sash or belt, which can be decorated with yellow or red, or left bare. A black sash decorated with grey or silver means that a Master is still seeking more disciplines to study.
Many travelling Green Palms carry a staff, even if they do not fight, because it is a practical thing to own while travelling. Even those who learn another weapon will typically own a staff as well, because they are generally trained with them, and it is a cheap backup weapon. The act of carving, painting, or wrapping their staff in colored leather is very common, with staves becoming quite sentimental to the Ferox. Some even carry the staves of their ancestors or friends, as a token of remembrance.
Families
When the Order of the Green Palm was created, the formerly ascetic monks of the Red Fist were once again permitted to have lovers and families. To this day, romance among the Green Palms may seem peculiar to outsiders. While they engage in all the usual romantic parts of courtship, they also remain very independent, and committed to their disciplines.
To the Green Palms, however, their independence does not mean that they love their partners any less. To love another person is to feel that your connection to them goes beyond physical touch and spoken words, and is a matter of Nature’s Will enacting itself through your spirit. Your destinies are intertwined, and even if those paths should diverge, both have been irrevocably altered by the other. Formal marriage does happen within the temples, and some who travel and integrate into other cultures may also marry according to the traditions of their new partner. Lovers will sometimes add a new wrap of leather or cloth to each other’s weapons, to represent how that person has become part of their motivation to fight.
To Green Palm parents, it is considered a loving act to allow one’s children to grow up as independently as possible. While infants are of course cared for with all the love and attention they need, and often carried on their parents’ backs with a sling as they travel, children are generally given ample space to explore their surroundings and get to know themselves. Parents in dangerous living situations will have the option to travel back to a temple, notably the Lotus Temples, to let their children live amongst others of their own age and learn the ways of the Order from capable teachers while they continue their missions. And, naturally, many parents do choose to remain at the temple with their children.
Familial pride is very strong in the Order. Even if family members go years without speaking directly, they will try to keep up with the progress of one another, sending letters or leaving messages at various temples should they happen to drop by during their travels. Family histories are detailed in illuminated scrolls, which are kept in whatever temple the family is most closely associated with, most commonly the Lotus Temples. Still, because of the communal nature of temple life and the practice of Masters and students, many children feel that they are raised by a large number of people whom they feel very strong attachment to.
Green Palms in Galudon
The most common path for an acolyte is to travel. It is generally expected that a serious acolyte will train in a temple, perhaps multiple temples, before going to experience the world on their own. Some make an effort to visit every major temple, or at least to track down Masters in the disciplines they intend to follow. Some Masters purposely live as hermits in very harsh environments, just to make it a test of will for others to seek them out. Many settle for a long time in foreign cities, doing what they believe is the will of Nature, acting as its advocate and voice, not just its hands.
It is common even for non-combative Green Palms to travel and seek out Masters who will teach them the skills they want to learn. To the Green Palms, any craft can be considered important enough to become a lifetime study, and one should experience many arts until they find their perfect fit.
They generally have a love of helping others, and even if they do not care to be around other people they still have a deep passion for assisting the natural world. They might work alongside politicians who advocate for environmentalism, or take part in local conservation efforts, even tasks as small as committing to picking garbage off of the street every day. Often outsiders find the practices of the Green Palms to be admirable, and may ask for health advice, which members of the Order are quite happy to share.
They will not, however, teach combative skills to any outsiders, under any circumstance. In extreme cases they may teach someone to defend themselves, if only long enough to run away or find help. But to the Green Palms, combat skill is earned through respect to their creed, and it is vastly irresponsible to arm outsiders with knowledge they may use to harm others.
Religious freedom remains available to anyone in the Order so long as their faith does not contradict their ethics. Indeed, many of the philosophies of the Order are simply about one’s health. In general, they believe all of themselves to be tainted in some way by violence or corruption, and that only the world is purely innocent. Adding a deity into the mix would simply mean that they consider that deity to be someone who might absolve them of their innate flaws, which is generally not a problem to the Order.
Green Palm monks grow up in a communal lifestyle that lives modestly, with joy found in laughter and the simple pleasures of the world. They carry their good will with them, until such time as they see a need for their deadly arts to come out. Members often meld very well into other Ferox cultures, just as well as into modern cities where they can put their passions to good use. They enjoy sparring, seeing the physical activity as something meditative. And they can always find joy in other people, and support even the most mundane passions to come to light in others.
Once an acolyte feels comfortable enough to teach a student, they can choose to take a novice under their wing and guide their studies. Doing this is generally a way that an acolyte can prove themselves ready to become a Master, though it is not a guarantee. An acolyte and their novice may always present themselves to a Master of the style they choose, and be tested for the chance to rise in level. An acolyte should have only one or two novices training with them at any time, as they are still a learner themselves. This should still most commonly be Ferox, especially Primates, though it is possible for non-ferox to join the Order, with approval from the Masters.
Trivia
- A unique fighting style that is only practiced by Primate Ferox is called the Branching Tree style, which utilizes the exceptional reach that some Primate Ferox are naturally born with thanks to their proportionally long arms.
- Further temples are still being discovered by Galudon, with some so old and secluded that they have been isolated even from other Green Palm Temples for centuries. These are collectively referred to as “Lost Temples”, which may or may not still have living populations within their walls, including legends of an ancient offshoot of the Red Fists that still lingers on in obscurity.
- Combining martial arts with magic and weaponry has led to almost fantastical displays that border between viable combat and stunt-performance. Rather than condemn this, these displays are actually considered very fun to watch, and the Order encourages such creative celebrations of their disciplines.
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