[blockquote][b][url=/profile/JohnLeBlanc]John LeBlanc[/url] said:[/b]

Is there any other monk-ish style orders in Skyrim outside of the guys on High Hrothgar?  Or if not in Skyrim, elsewhere in Tamriel; specifically that would embrace martial combat without armor?

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Redguards have Sword-Singers. We know about three schools of Sword-Singers in Hammerfell and that can be pretty much considered the Redguard monk-ish style. 

There are Trebbite Monks of Altmer, Whispering Fangs of Khajiit and then many human monk orders such as Order of Talos for example. 

I remember that Phil mentioned some Nordic order of monks, but I can´t remember the name for crying out loud. It had to do something with animals...damn it. I just can´t remember. 

Edit: Yes! I do remember! Ternion Monks. Damn I´m good 

Cool, that gives me some stuff to research.  I had also come across the Ash'abah that might work for me.

[/blockquote] [blockquote][b][url=/profile/JohnLeBlanc]John LeBlanc[/url] said:[/b]

Cool, that gives me some stuff to research.  I had also come across the Ash'abah that might work for me.

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Ash´Abah are not monks and neither they are an order. They are more of a...renegade tribe. They took upon themselves to slay the ancestors of Redguards that come back to life - to desecrate an ancestor, even if he is raised back to life as undead is sort of a...heresy in Redguards´ culture. Anyone who does that becomes unclean in the eyes of Redguard society, and Ash´Abah took it on themselves to do the dirty job. 

Speaking of this, I would like to clear one thing about Ash´Abah and Redguards. Redguards can destroy undead freely, as long as they are not undead Redguards. Which makes Ash´Abah in other lands except Hammerfell just another undead hunters. 

Cool.. good to know. 

So here's a question then... with the definition of a monk being thus:

a member of a religious community of men typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

and the Ash'Abah basically choosing of their own free will to take this "vow" of service that leads to (probably) poverty and obedience if nothing else, would calling one of their order a "monk" be too far of a stretch?

From the Wiki:

They are shunned by Redguard society due to their "unclean" interactions with the risen dead, as they disregard religious taboos and destroy the undead, slaying with great skill what might be honored ancestors returned.^[1] Against the widespread distrust of magic, the Ash'abah perform rituals of purification for mausoleums and other places where vengeful spirits might arise, including an annual ceremony at Tu’whacca’s Throne meant to ensure the rest of the ranks of Redguard royalty. This activity is regarded as blasphemous, but tolerated due to the necessity of its performance.

So they are religious in a way in their disregard.  They perform rituals but distrust magic.  Activity is regarded as blasphemous.  Lot's of "religious style" wording in there for a non-religious organization..lol.

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/JohnLeBlanc]John LeBlanc[/url] said:[/b]

Cool.. good to know. 

So here's a question then... with the definition of a monk being thus:

a member of a religious community of men typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

and the Ash'Abah basically choosing of their own free will to take this "vow" of service that leads to (probably) poverty and obedience if nothing else, would calling one of their order a "monk" be too far of a stretch?

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"A member of a religious community" 

That pretty much says it. Ash´Abah aren´t exactly religious, definitely not more so than Redguards´ general society. If anything they instead chose to "break" Tu´whacca´s laws for greater good. 

But in the end...it comes down to what is monk to you, and what is monk to you in TES. 

So are 100% of Draugr in the ES universe Nord? 

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/Legion]Legion[/url] said:[/b]

So are 100% of Draugr in the ES universe Nord? 

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One would assume so yes. The Draugr are basically mummified nords that were preserved in such a way so that they may serve their king/priest/warlord after death, similar to how pharaoh would be mummified to preserve their bodies for the afterlife but with a whole lot more necromantic slavery.

I do believe they are unlikey to be anything but nords/proto-nords/atmorans. First of all it seems none of the other races have this penchant for mummification. We know Imperials, and presumably bretons entomb their death in very basic crypts (from Oblivion's dark brotherhood quests it seems they don't even embalm their dead). Dunmer and Altmer seem to prefer cremations and the Bosmer like their dead eaten. Orcs like to fuel their forges with their death and god knows what the Khajit and the Argonians do with them, the latter most likely offer them to the hist but I digress. My point being that the other races are unlikey to ask for this form of mummification, even if they were present in ancient nordic society, as it would be unlikely to fit their cultural beliefs.

Besides that, I wouldn't be surprised if becoming a draugr was something honorable back in the day. It was the ultimate sacrifice a member of the dragon cult could make, since they believed it to be paramount to the return of the dragons and their afterlife. I doubt it would be something they would grant to the other races, especially elves would be unlikely to be entombed in such a way.

I believe there's only two recorded elves to gain major respect from the nords: A prince of the snow elves and Henantier. The latter is likely more recent, while the tomb of the first can be visited in Morrowind. While I have never played through Bloodmoon I do believe there's no signs of draugr in that particular tomb.

All that useless rambling to say; it ain't impossible that there's some non-nord draugr around: imperials, bretons and perhaps even redguards might be more likely than the other races, but it is extremely unlikely.

I shouldn't try answering these when I'm tired... Ah, well I hope it answers your question.

The only exception I can think of right now is Red Eagle. According to Reach legend, Faolan was a hero of the Sundered Hills and so why he would get a Nord-style burial throws up many questions.

Are we seeing in the legend of Red Eagle Reachmen propaganda? Or was he given a burial like that much like the Snow Prince was given Stahlrim as a mark of respect?

As the legend itself may be a retelling of an earlier legend, perhaps Red Eagle was a Nord hero misremembered by time. It certainly is food for thought, unless I am missing something obvious.

That was actually an extremely thorough and informative answer, thank you! Very helpful. 

What're the Sundered Hills? Is the implication that he's...Breton?