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Organizations
Monastic Orders
Each Monastic Order has three fighting styles your monk may choose from. You may, of course, choose not to use a fighting style at all.
Black Moon
Styles: Cobra Strike, Hand and Foot, Overwhelming Attack
Alignments: Lawful Evil
The Black Moon Order believes in oppression. Monks are superior in mind and body, so they should control the weak. Rank in the order is simple: if another monk defeats you in non-lethal combat (combat between Black Moons is never lethal unless dealing with a traitor or renegade) you must bow to him. Monks of the Black Moon may multiclass freely as fighters, rogues, or clerics.
Heracles
Styles: Hand and Foot, Overwhelming Attack, Sleeping Tiger
Alignments: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral
The Order of Heracles believes in the strength of the body and soul. This strength should be used to defend the weak and uphold law, for without law society breaks down into chaos, and the stronger will attempt to dominate the weaker. Many dwarves wishing to follow the monastic path join Heracles. Heraclean monks lose the Still Mind feature and instead gaine the Stable Body feature, which grants them a +2 bonus on Fortitude Saves against Transmutation spells and effects. Heraclean monks may multiclass freely as clerics, crusaders, fighters, and rangers, provided their monk level is their highest level class.
Hin Fist
Styles: Cobra Strike, Invisible Eye, Sleeping Tiger
Alignments: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral
This order is actually more of a branch-off of the Iron Fist. While being a halfling is not necessarily a requirement to join the order, few of other races are usually accepted. The Hin Fist promotes defense of home, family, and community. Monks of this order may multiclass freely as fighters or rogues, provided their monk class remains their highest level class.
Iron Fist
Styles: Cobra Strike, Hand and Foot, Sleeping Tiger
Alignments: Lawful Neutral
The eldest of the monastic orders, Iron Fist was founded by the first monk, Whitefire, in 2012ca. The Iron Fist promotes law, order, and structure, but never tyranny. Combat is tantamount to the order, though they do not slack in their mental and spiritual training. Monks of the Iron Fist may multiclass in one other class, provided their monk level remains their highest level class.
Windheart
Styles: Denying Stance, Passive Way, Undying Way
Alignments: Lawful Good
The monks of Windheart are benevolent men and women who believe in the wholeness of body, heart, and mind. They heal others to the best of their ability and petition governments to ease laws that seem particularly harsh or cruel. Windheart monks may multiclass freely as clerics, crusaders, and druids, provided their monk level remains their highest level class.
Druidic Circles
Little is known about the druidic circles of Acadecia. They are incredibly secretive. Most are worshipers of Saint Albrecht, but some worship Grygia herself (and some, it is nervously whispered, revere Milishea). The known circles are the Firedimmers, the Sunwakers, the Treewhispers, and the Glorious Destruction. Other than their names, little is known about them. The Firedimmers are known to be fierce protectors of all things. The Sunwakers praise the beauty of Rhysia's light and offer healing and protection to those in need. The Treewhispers are a bizarre and secretive lot, rumored to have outlandish sexual rituals. The Glorious Destruction, thought to be worshippers of Milishea, revel in the more destructive and chaotic aspects of nature.
Ranger Hunters
The mysterious and shadowy rangers have long had a stigma of being dangerous and untrustworthy, little more than brigands, or worse. Even many rogues avoid rangers. As always, this stereotype is partially based in fact. While few rangers are really untrustworthy, all are dangerous to their adversaries. Over the years, four groups of Hunters have been founded, though most rangers do not belong to them.
Black Cloaks
This group of rangers is based in Everwood. Their distinctive black cloaks with the dull silver insignia of a wolf head over the right shoulderblade make them infamous among the folk of Selzer and the nearby forest villages. Despite their dark appearance, the Black Cloaks are likely the most noble of the Hunter Groups. They diligently defend the towns from the dangerous creatures within, especially orcs and green dragons. They do not grudge their stigma; they are simply happy to keep the people safe.
Rangers of the Black Cloaks must take either orcs or dragons as their first favored enemy, but deal one extra damage to Wound Points on a critical hit against these enemies. Black Cloak rangers cannot be evil.
Stone Stalkers
The battle-hardened rangers of the Tenden Mountains devote their lives to combating the dangerous residents within. Most are dwarves. All are grim and many are cynial and pessimistic.
Stone Stalkers must choose their favored enemies from the following list: Animal, Dragon, Giant, Goblinoid, Magical Beast, Orc, or Outsider (Evil). Against their favored enemies, Stone Stalkers gain an additional number to their critical threat range with any weapon they wield (from 20 to 19-20, from 19-20 to 18-20, etc.).
Troll Hunters
This group, based in the Naldair Bogs of Jidoor, dedicate their lives to patroling the swamp and making certain the trolls and other foul denizens don't become overpopulated, or overambitious. Troll Hunters must take Giant as their first favored enemy, and must invest their bonus +2 points at fifth level to Giant. Troll Hunters deal +1 damage to Wound Points to their favored enemies on a critical hit.
Watch Detectives
The Watch Detectives are a group of Urban Rangers specialized in solving crimes with no apparent evidence or witnesses. They use what they call "forensics," minute details and evidence coupled with deductive reasoning. The first Watch Detectives were co-founded by the Archmage Mithral Mask and Kincaid Murdoch in the city of Vormen, but several other cities are now adopting the Watch Detectives, including Trik, Selzer, Jemmin City, and Aragon.
To join the Watch Detectives, see the description of the prestige class in Masters of the Wild. In addition, the Urban Tracking feat (see the Feats Section for more information) replaces the Track feat as a prerequisite.
Other Organizations Of Note
Cabal
A mysterious group apparently comprised entirely of sorcerers, the Cabal's motives are uncertain, though many speculate they are interested in the actions of renegade spellcasters. There are even rumors the group is somehow tied to the Archmagi.
Hell's Fleet
This armada of ghost ships has occasionally been known to attack seafaring vessels over the past 300 years or so, though it has not been seen in over 20 years. Almost nothing is known of the Fleet, except perhaps by the Archmagi.
Dark Order
This wicked sect is comprised of thieves, assassins, blackguards, and other foul types. All are worshipers of Vecna. While the threat of the Order is real, and they are infamous throughout the world, little can be done to stop them. They're incredibly discreet, and it is difficult to uncover one of their agents.
Guild of the Barrowshade Eye
The largest and most prominent thieves' guild in Acadecia is the Barrowshade Eye, often refered to as the Guild. Assassins of the Guild are some of the most feared in all existence, with the Black Lotus being the most infamous. Known only by this title, he or she has never been seen. The only reason they are known to exist is by the trademark lotus spattered with black ink they leave on each victim.
The Guild is ruthless and cunning; while several members have been captured, their devotion is so strong they're willing to take the Guild's secrets to the grave. Though several efforts have been made, no one has ever been able to take down the Guild. Not surprising, considering the fact that dissembling an organization of over 25,000 members is nigh impossible.
Shadow's Hand
While not nearly as large as the Barrowshade Eye, the thieves' guild known as the Shadow's Hand does quite well for itself. Because it causes much fewer problems than the Eye, most cities tolerate or even welcome the Shadow Hand's presence.
Archmagi
The most well-known and, ironically, the most mysterious, group in the world has to be the eight Archmagi. Ancient beyond memory, these eight spellcasters each mastered a school of magic. Each resides in a tower of their own design, and have been around since time out of mind (with the exception of the Black Age; see the History Section for more information). Some scholars speculate they have lived since the Divine Reckoning.
Mage Knights
One can hardly mention the Archmagi without mentioning that esoteric order, the Mage Knights. This order of noble protectors was founded by the Archmagi nearly 1,200 years ago. It holds long-standing traditions and a strict code of conduct. Their primary duty in most cities is as enforcer of the Thaumaturgical Constitution. They also serve as defense in times of war.
Hundred Arrows
This group acts as both an archery unit and personal entourage to Lord Viktor Wilhelm III, ruler of the Wilhelm Kingdom. The Arrows are difficult to enter; one's skill with a bow must be unsurpassed.
Diamond Guard
The elite bodyguards of King Andrew Mannix IX, the Diamond Guard has been a tradition for nearly one thousand years. Acceptance into the group is grueling; not only must your combat skills be impeccable, but you must face a rigorous personality test. In the past sixteen assassination attempts throughout the millenium, only one was ever successful.
Shining Blade
This guild has been around for nearly 200 years. It is the oldest and most respected of all the guilds. Many cities employ the guild for special missions. The Shining Blade has (more or less accurately) been called an "adventurer's guild."
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