The mantids of Zǎrtox Brrr Zheekri began forming monasteric orders thousands of years ago. They build monasteries high in the mountains to contemplate the nature of the universe. The monks have developed a fighting style called !zhee to defend their monasteries from bandits and other threats, which focuses on removing something (blocking a blow to create a gap in your opponent's defense) and then adding something (making a rapid attack). In time, though, the monks split into two different sects, called the Rax Eetrax and the Thri Eetrax, which fell into a holy war. The orcs exploited this holy war when they invaded Zǎrtox Brrr Zheekri, pitting the monasteries against each other, and leaving the nomadic hunting tribes of the regular mantids vulnerable to the horde. While many monasteries remain mired in their sectarian conflict and even look to the orcs as allies in that struggle, others have sought reconciliation with the opposing sect to create a unified resistance to the orcish occupation. Instinct: to defend its monastery

• Block an attack and make one of its own
• Destroy infidels