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[thegoatgod_pan]

I really liked an idea of a dwarven dojo/monastery someone put forth on the forums some time ago.  Basic concept is simple--above ground fort serving a few dwarves devoting their lives to mediation and kicking ass with their bare hands and feet. Obviously the embark would include one master (with teacher skill) and six students, all trained at nothing other than dodging, wrestling, kicking and striking. Other dwarves would either serve the monks, or become monks depending on skills and inclinations. 

However here my creativity begins to lapse--what should I bring in the way of animals, of other tools?  How should I design the building--I won't have a danger room, but something similar (and ideally utterly impractical) seems in order. What other peculiar challenges should I work on--architectural or strategic?  Should I avoid armor (not sure if fort will survive the first ambush if I do)?  Should I dig down and make it a cavern dojo?  Should I stick to the surface and go for a elaborate monastery?  Climate--cold, moderate or hot? 

Any advice and suggestions would be welcome and encouraged.

[Girlinhat]

You'll need some peasants.  Someone's gotta fell those trees and make the dogo, right?  Not to mention grow the food and sew robes (color-coded robes, of course).

[thegoatgod_pan]

Robes! How could I forget? Thank you girlinhat! I do love the clothing industry.

I figure peasants will come anyway (to feed the monks in exchange for security)--I plan putting pop limit low in order to focus on characters, but the hard coded immigrant waves should provide plenty of servants. 

[flieroflight]

you'll need yaks

[Yoink]

Hrm... I am totally trying this on my next fort.

I'm gonna build a wooden monastery on the very top of the biggest mountain I can find, then abandon, and reclaim with the aforementioned master/students setup.

[Girlinhat]

You'll want stone for a real dojo.  If we're going oriental style, you'll probably want some mostly-round areas that are open air, large stone patios y'know?

[EggFibre]

I'd say go with leather armour, as it offers some protection, but is still light enough to allow them to move around. Yaks are a must, as are the robes. I would make the monastery multiple z-levels high, with big glass windows, but smaller rooms for living in. Peasants live in a village below. Be sure to make a protetive wall around it. As awsome as they are, ninja-wrestling-monks wont be able to fend off 30 fully armed and armoured goblins. Maybe crossbow armed militia villagers are in order, or would that ruin the theme?

[IDDQDwarf]

you'll need yaks

and yak butter.

[Girlinhat]

Keep in mind that you can float a window by building a wall, building a window atop the wall, and deconstructing the wall - the window will remain floating.  This can allow for multi-level windows of joy.

[Gamerlord]

you'll definitely need yaks. any and all robes should be silk for the master and yak wool/hair for students.

[thegoatgod_pan]

I have the yaks, I have the site--a mirthful glacier-- I am building the monastery with wide circular spaces, following girlinhats' suggestion, specifically the whole thing will be several concentric circles and tower, with a  inversely symmetrical complex in the third cavern. Since the whole thing is on a glacier, the entire top section will be built from ice and glass. So far the monks are training very effectively.  The uniform I gave them has a breastplate and a cap, but that's all for armor, and obviously no weapons. Still, even one rank of student seems to lead to really, really fast training.   

[Yoink]

You'll want stone for a real dojo.  If we're going oriental style, you'll probably want some mostly-round areas that are open air, large stone patios y'know?

Well, I wasn't really thinking oriental style. Just like a big, imposing building dedicated to worship of battle.
Hopefully my dwarves end up with a god of war or something!

[Mitchewawa]

Mod all their hair to fall out.

[Gamerlord]

Yaks won't work if you want to make clothes. And apparently you can't choose robes at embark.  Taken llamas instead.

[MehMuffin]

Make the monks subsist on a diet of raw plump helmets and ice-cold mountain water. No cooked food, no alcohol, and no meat.