Grackkus the Monk

Grackkus is my 2nd character.  After listening to 'You Meet in a Tavern' I wanted to make a monk character as one of the main characters is a halfling monk and is bleeding hilarious.  D&D beyond allows you to pick what your character used to be.  For my monk I chose a soldier and I wanted him to have had a past event which made him become a monk.

Grackkus was raised in a small hamlet. His father was a retired man at arms for the local Lord and Grackkus loved nothing more than sitting next to his father while he and his comrades told many tales of battles, escapades over the tavern fire and they taught him many things about war.  As soon as he reached the right age he joined the Lord's militia to be a man at arms like his father. His mother was not impressed but his father was immensely proud. The lord of the land was now the son of the lord  who Grackkus's father had served and was a different man cowardly and without honour. As soon as he gained power, taxes went up and punishments rose for small infractions. Grackkus blinded by his father's stories of duty and comradeship assumed it was just the way a new Lord established himself and it would settle. He became a man at arms and served in a company under Captain Valner. Valner was the most honourable officer in the Lord's force, his family had connections so the lord could never replace him but he did give Valnors company all the dirtiest and hardest missions.  When the Lord's forces were called to join the kings army in defence of the realm against an orc horde, Valnors company acquited themselves well in several battles and their reputation grew among the kings army (much to the annoyance of their lord). Grackkus rose in rank to become Valnors most trusted Sgt. The king sent the lords forces to stop a splinter of the orc horde  who were heading through a valley to flank the kings army. Valnors company was told to hold the centre on the valley floor while the Lord's other forces held the flanks. When the orcs arrived it was plainly clear this was more than a splinter of the horde it was possibly most of the horde. Riders were dispatched to the king frantically. The orcs lined up for battle and their war drums echoed through the valley. As the orcs charged the lord panicked and fled with his officers. The companies on the flanks broke in disarray seeing their lord flee.  Valnor seeing all this and knowing if he ran the orc horde would sweep the unprepared kings army aside, ordered his company to stand. He yelled that they must hold the horde here to buy the army time.  Grackkus stood in the battle line scared but also inspired by Valnors unflinching  courage as he yelled to look to the company standard and know that are the bravest warriors he has ever served with. The sight of their flag flapping in the wind and Valnors words coursed through his company and they yelled defiantly at the orcs.   The horde crashed into the companies line but they held. Grackkus had never seen battle like it he held his place shouting encouragement and striking down orcs. Soon they were encircled but their line never bent. The company piper played the bag pipes loud and clear over the noise of battle.  Soon Grackkus found himself singing a tune of battle a song about heroes long ago. The man around him started to sing as they fought soon the whole company was singing as the orcs came on and on. Sadly even the companies courage alone could not sustain them.  One by one men were struck down the circle of shields got smaller and smaller. Grackkus blooded but not defeated stood in line next to Valnor, swinging his sword and bashing with his shield.  A horn sounded and Grackkus saw on the hill tops the standards of the kings army , a glint of hope kindled and grew in Grackkus. Valnor grimaced as a spear struck him in the side, he killed the orc that had thrust it but another spear impaled him. The orc tried to pull Valnor from the line into the orc horde but Grackkus struck the spear shaft in two. Valnor turned to Grackkus "The company is yours.  Don't let The standard fall." With those words Valnor fell the light going from his eyes.  Grackkus roared in anger and  grief. He looked around only 30 men left not much of a company ,  the standard now held by the piper still flew proud. The company circle got tighter as more men fell. A thrown spear struck the piper and he fell. Grackkus saw it all in slow motion, the spear striking the Piper and the standard falling. He dived dropping hia shield and caught the standard pole.  He held it firm and straight  As a surge of orcs swarmed over the remaining company. The king  alerted to the orc hordes deception quickly marshalled his forces to intercept.  On arriving  at the top of the valley they saw the lone company making its stand. The king ordered the charge and as the main army charged they saw the last few figures starting to fall but one figure held the company standard high while hacking and slashing.  The army crashed into the side of the orc horde and eventually won the battle. After the battle the kings guard found where Valnors company made its stand.   There they found many bodies and 20 or so wounded men including one Grackkus gripping a drooping but still not touching the floor standard. The king himself arrived and the army watched on as he spoke to each of the wounded soldiers.  "Sgt ...no...Captain Grackkus now....you sir are a hero. My whole army saw your stand here at Serenity valley and it will not be forgotten." The whole army was watching now and Valnors company became the heroes of Serenity valley. Unfortunately Grackkus's Lord who had fled happened to be the queens brother and to stop shame being brought on the queens family the mention of his forces anywhere near Serenity Valley was erased and punishable by death. The company standard that had been kept to be honoured torn and shredded. The problem being a whole army saw the stand and knew of the Lord's cowardly retreat so in hushed tones and whispered tavern stories the tale of Captain Valnor, Captain Grackkus and the Serenity Valley heroes is still told to this day. Grackkus was sent to a mountain monastery to heal (and be out of the way most people say). Here he healed his wounds but a deep darkness set in over him.  His youthful ideals had been dashed by his Lord's cowardly actions and the cover up. The monks trained his body and mind to get out of the darkness.  Eventually a renewed but changed Grackkus emerged. Shunning the armour he trained with in favour of a simple spear and martial arts taught to him by the monks. He has left the monastery now, the only remembrance from his past life a torn strip of a worn and battered company standard.