Head Monk of the Suhodan in Seonhwa, the embodiment of “perfecting self,” who teaches that only self-reliance can carry the city through the horrors of the Maggi.
Who he is
Tae-Sung leads the Monks, the path of Noeho (Thunder Tiger), inner Giun and martial discipline. People who meet him in person describe his presence as having a physical weight. He radiates a physical and spiritual aura that is utterly imposing.
He is a minimalist in word and in material goods. He needs little beyond his muscle and his willpower, and he projects that onto those who follow the Monk’s path. When the council proposed giving him a room, he instead grabbed tools and set up a martial courtyard, a place to train himself and anyone who comes seeking his wisdom. There is no coin to pay for his words. The only price is surviving his fists.
What he believes
Tae-Sung holds that strength of the individual will deliver Seonhwa from its predicament, and that only through self-reliance can a person survive the Maggi (Obstructed Energy). He is casually dismissive of those who show weakness. His compassion comes out as pressure, pushing a person to better themselves so they can succeed when no one else is there to help.
Relationships
The Seon (Hunter and Monk subpath) earn his respect through their discipline, though neither he nor anyone else on the council fully understands where the Seon disappear to for weeks at a time. The Hwarang subpath draw on his idea of self-perfection, but they would say he stops short by keeping it purely physical, where they extend the same discipline into art and culture.
He sits on the Council of Seonhwa, the body of the five path leaders, each with their own motive.
See also
- The Council of Seonhwa
- Monk
- Giun
- Maggi
- Seonhwa
- The Five Celestial Spirits
- Ridgewalkers (Seon)
- Swordscribes (Hwarang)
- First Master Ye-Jin (The Brushhand)
- Disciplinarian Gun-Woo
Source: ETK Lore Bible, Path Leaders (Grandmaster Tae-Sung), Circle of Balance (Seon, Hwarang), General Lore Considerations (The Council, Maggi); World of Haneul foundation doc (Five Paths and Patrons).