Way of the Soft Whisper (5A)

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This is an original Monk monastic tradition for 5A.

Not being reliant on armor and weapons makes it easy for a monk to conceal their abilities and appear as ordinary people. The whispers monk exploits this to become the perfect spy, infiltrator, and ultimately the power behind the throne. Eternal outsiders, like those of mixed heritage, are drawn to this monastic tradition. But their advancement is often limited by their odd appearance. Those who can fully realize the power of this martial tradition are those of common heritage that can fit in anywhere, mostly humans but also halflings and half-elves.

Greyhawk This was a specialty of the Scarlet Brotherhood, who seized power in many countries during the Greyhawk Wars using whisper monks. But this did not allow them to retain control, their whisperers were either ousted once they revealed themselves or used what power they gained for their own benefit once the Scarlet Brotherhood's oversight was disrupted.

The mastery of secrets that is the monk whisperer's ultimate power is similar to the secrets of Vecna. The cult of the master of secrets is not known to have whisperer monks, nor to be allied with the Scarlett brotherhood, but that may be just another of their secrets.

Psionic Subclasses

In 5E, psionics does not have its own classes, it is instead expressed through subclasses. The this subclass uses psionic powers, along with a number of other subclasses in the game, the artificer Archivist and Psychometrist, bard College of Whispers and Psychic, cleric Spiritualist, fighter Psi Warrior, monk Way of the Soft Whisper, Spiral Monk, rogue Soulknife, sorcerer Aberrant Mind and Mystic, and wizard Arcane Horizon and Mentalist.

Subclass Features

Honeyed Words

Starting when you choose this monastic tradition at 3rd level, you can insinuate yourself to others with honeyed words. After speaking to a creature with whom you share a language for 1 minute, you can force them to make a Wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC. On a failure, they are charmed by you until they take a long rest or until you or an ally attack or cast a spell that allows a saving throw against them or an ally they can see.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw, you cannot attempt to use Honeyed Words on that target until you take a long rest.

Success or not, the target does not realize you were attempting to charm them. You can use Honeyed Words as an action, but in this case it only lasts for 10 minutes and the target will remember the events afterward.

Forgotten Fight

At 6th level you learn to cause amnesia in targets you stun. A creature that fails its Wisdom save against your Stunning Strike ability forgets the events of the last 10 minutes. If there is no obvious fight or enemies around once the target's stun ends, they will not recall the event and minor wounds (no more than half the creature's Hit Points in damage) is discounted as an accident.

A Remove Curse or Lesser Restoration spell cast on the target restores the creature’s true memory.

Words of Terror

At 11th level, you learn to infuse innocent-seeming words with an insidious magic that can inspire terror.

If you speak to a humanoid for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to seed paranoia and fear into its mind. At the end of the conversation, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC or be frightened of you or another creature of your choice. The target is frightened in this way for 1 hour. In combat, the target can spend an action trying to free itself from this fear by rolling an additional saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

If the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to frighten it, but you cannot use this ability on that target again until you finish a long rest.

You can use Words of Terror as an action, but in this case it only lasts for 10 minutes and the target will remember the events afterward.

Shadow Lore

At 17th level, you gain the ability to weave dark magic into your words and tap into a creature’s deepest fears.

As an action, you magically whisper a phrase that only one creature of your choice within 30 feet of you can hear. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. It automatically succeeds if it doesn’t share a language with you or if it can’t hear you. On a successful saving throw, your whisper sounds like unintelligible mumbling and has no effect.

If the target fails its saving throw, it is charmed by you for the next 8 hours or until you or your allies attack or damage it. It interprets the whispers as a description of its most mortifying secret.

While you gain no knowledge of this secret, the target is convinced you know it. While charmed in this way, the creature obeys your commands for fear that you will reveal its secret. It won’t risk its life for you or fight for you, unless it was already inclined to do so. But it will grant any favor that does not put itself or loved ones in immediate danger.

When the effect ends, the creature has only vague memories of the events, as if it was a bad dream.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Designer's Notes

A monk variant of the Bard's College of Whispers. Made because it perfectly covers what the Scarlet Brotherhood is supposed to be doing.

See Also

• College of Whispers for Bards.