Similar to paladins, monks in the Forgotten Realms are given exceptions to the multiclassing restrictions laid out in the DnD 3.5 rules for the class. Monks who are not a member of the following canon orders must continue to pursue that career to the exclusion of all others, or cease to take levels in the class after multi-classing.
While this is not enforced in NWN2, it may be useful information for persistent worlds set in the Realms or those who enjoy an extra aspect to their roleplaying.
Confirmed orders[]
Broken Ones[]
- Associated deity: Ilmater
- Alignment: Lawful good
- Multiclass as cleric, divine champion, arcane devotee, divine disciple, hierophant or divine seeker.
- Of all the popular deities of Faerun, Ilmater is the deity most associated with an order of monks who act purely in his name. These kind and enduring monks are focused on defending the faithful and temples of the Broken God while acting as agents of punishment against those who would cruelly harm others. They combine the skills of healer and hunter in the service of their deity. They often assist other servants of the Triad when injustices against the innocent have occurred. While the Dalelands house no monasteries of great fame, the monks of Ilmater frequently travel through the Dales, sheltering in Ilmater's temples if they cannot find other lodging. [1]
Brothers and Sisters of the Pure Flame[]
- Associated deity: Kossuth
- Alignment: Lawful neutral
- Multiclass as cleric.
- These monks seek a balance between the purifying aspect and the destructive aspect of Kossuth’s flame, and are the mediators of the three Kossuthian orders. Most of them learn Ignan to better communicate with fire elementals.[2]
Disciples of the Phoenix[]
- Associated deity: Kossuth
- Alignment: Lawful good
- Multiclass as cleric.
- The Disciples of the Phoenix are unusual lawful good Kossuthan monks. They are extremely disciplined and take some of their beliefs to painful extremes. Its members avoid casual contact with others and follow a rigid tradition of hard study and strict behavioural taboos (for example, they only eat food and drink that has been cooked, preferring starvation to uncooked food and thirst to water that has not been heated by fire). They strongly believe in the purifying and redeeming power of fire, and have been known to brand themselves as punishment for sins or even commit suicide by self-immolation for the greatest of offences.[2][3]
Disciples of the Salamander[]
- Associated deity: Kossuth
- Alignment: Lawful evil
- Multiclass as cleric.
- Some of these monks rival a Talosian fanatic’s love of destructive fire, but most see it as a necessary tool for renewal in the world. Many of them bear brands of magical symbols on their bodies and decorate themselves with fiery tattoos.[2]
Dark Moon[]
- Associated deity: Shar
- Alignment: Evil
- Multiclass as sorcerer, as long as their monk level and sorcerer level stay within two levels of each other.
- Other restrictions: To become a Dark Moon monk, one must be a young adult (no children allowed as they have not learnt the full meaning of evil and loss that comes with maturity); be among the strongest in their faith, but under no circumstances can they have taken the oath of priesthood; and have demonstrated the potential to develop sorcerous abilities.
- Shar is worshipped by a powerful sect of monks who maintain open temples in lands ruled by evil overlords or hide among hills, back alleys, or the Underdark. Most of the Dark Moon monks are human, but occasionally they are joined by a half-orc, shade, or drow.[1] These sorceror-monks have dedicated themselves body, mind, and soul to Shar, the Lady of Loss. The monks are her assassins, her enforcers, and her shadowy agents. Their training is diverse, as are their skills, and their devotion to their Lady is absolute. The organization’s leaders have direct contact with their goddess, and are not subject to the authority or will of her clergy. The fact that the Monks of the Dark Moon keep their existence, whereabouts and identities secret is the only thing that has kept them from becoming one of the most feared organizations in Faerun. [4]
Hin Fist[]
- Associated deity: Yondalla's Children
- Alignment: Lawful good and lawful neutral
- Multiclass as fighter, paladin (see Shields of Yondalla) or rogue
- Other restrictions: Halfling only, rare dwarf or gnome exceptions
- This monk order was founded in Luiren by halflings given divine inspiration by their pantheon of deities. Though members are not required to be good (neutral monks are allowed), all members see themselves as defenders of all hin, and travel Faerun to right wrongs against the hin, and (they hope) test their skills against other martial artists. Many of the maneuvers taught by this order are centered on using an opponent's size and strength against him. Monasteries outside Luiren may accept exceptional dwarves and gnomes as students, and it is common for experienced Hin Fist monks to teach the rudiments of their fighting style to other halflings in need of self-defense.[1][3]
Long Death[]
- Associated deity: Myrkul, Velsharoon, Kiaransalee or none.
- Alignment: Lawful evil, occasional lawful neutral exceptions
- Multiclass as fighter, assassin or blackguard
- Scattered across Faerun, the Monks of the Long Death are members of a macabre, secretive order of scholars seeking to understand the true nature of death. They do not care about the soul or the afterlife - only about the actual process of death, specifically its effects on living tissue. The Long Death order worships the principle of death without caring much which deity currently owns the portfolio. They are more than willing to share death and its antecedent, pain, with others. Clerics of the previous god of death, Myrkul, chose to view them as part of their god's long-range plans. Kelemvor views them as enemies, but is at least pleased that they do not actively promote undeath. Velsharoon wants to woo them, but has not figured out how. This order is quite strong in Thay, though not with the sanction or cooperation of the Red Wizards.[1]
Old Order[]
- Associated deity: None
- Alignment: Lawful neutral, some lawful good but very rarely lawful evil
- Multiclass as rogue, sorcerer or shadowdancer (as long as there are more monk levels than combined levels of other classes)
- Monks of the Old Order do not worship any deity, but are devoted to the philosophy espoused by a deity who is either now dead or has never existed on the material plane of Toril. The monks contradict themselves on this point, but the deity's identity isn't important to them, it's the message they care about. The Old Order never has huge monasteries, but has spread widely through Faerun.[1]
Shining Hand[]
- Associated deity: Azuth
- Alignment: Lawful neutral
- Multiclass as wizard (as long as monk class level is equal or greater to their wizard class level)
- The Shining Hand is one of the oldest monk orders of Amn, mixing faith in Azuth and the practice of wizardry with monastic devotions. Amn's crackdown on the practice of wizardry has sent some Shining Hand groups underground and sent others out into the wider world.[1]
Sun Soul[]
- Associated deity: Lathander, Selune, or Sune
- Alignment: Lawful good and lawful neutral
- Multiclass as one other class as long as monk is the highest.
- The allegiance of this widespread but disorganized sect varies between groups, some following Lathander, others Selune, and a few devoted to Sune. The Sun Soul order, along with the Old Order, is the most likely to have some monasteries hidden in far flung wilderness areas.[1] The current head of the Order in Waterdeep is causing a stir with his fervent belief that the three patron deities of the order are fragmetnts of the dead god Amaunator. He preaches that the unity of Brotherhood of the Sun (the Sun Soul's predecessor) and the Yellow God will be reborn if the three deities were to combine.[5]
Yellow Rose/Disciples of Saint Sollars[]
- Associated deity: Ilmater
- Alignment: Lawful good and lawful neutral
- Multiclass as ranger or shadowdancer
- Other restrictions: Singular monastery location
- This solitary monastery of Ilmater worshipers in the Earthspur Mountains of Damara is known for loyalty to its allies and destruction to its enemies. Greatly respected on matters of truth and diplomacy, the monks work hard to survive in their harsh remote sanctuary. The monks often travel with Ilmatarian paladins, particularly from the Order of the Golden Cup. Their monastery was founded in 1242 (The Year of the Yellow Rose), and is also known as the Citadel of the White Worm because of its location. Monks here venerate the Suffering God, make blueberry wine, keep extensive archives of the Bloodstone lands, and preserve the work of the Ilmateri faithful in a spectacular museum of art and handiwork. The monks of the Yellow Rose also gather and record local news from Damara, Implitur, Narfell, and Vaasa. [1]
Zealots of the Written Word[]
- Associated deity: Deneir
- Alignment: Lawful good
- Multiclass as cleric
- These monks spend their time recording information, developing their theses on various forms of unarmed combat, earning money for their church (usually by making books, paper, and ink, or working as scribes), and even accompanying clerics of the faith on quests. When traveling, a Zealot normally carries a small book or bundle of scrolls showing the next martial arts form she intends to master, all of which have complex and flowery names. Members of this order are sometimes called Carmendines after their (long-dead) founder.[3]
Potential orders[]
The following deities have monks listed as worshippers, but no canon order has been listed for them. [2]
- Major Pantheon: Bane, Grumbar, Jergal, Red Knight, Savras
- Minor Pantheons: Anhur, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Gaerdal Ironhand, Luthic, Yurtrus
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Greenwood et al. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Boyd, Eric L; Mona, Erik. Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Reid, Thomas M; Reynolds, Sean K. Champions of Valor. Wizards of the Coast, 2005.
- ↑ Boyd, Eric L; Jeff Crook & Wil Upchurch. Champions of Ruin. Wizards of the Coast, 2005.
- ↑ Boyd, Eric L. City of Splendors: Waterdeep. Wizards of the Coast, 2005.