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Returning 35 results for 'back bards diffusing career rivals'.
Monsters
Acquisitions Incorporated
and earnest debate, he demonstrates an equal flair for planning and forethought, mad combat moves (involving leaping off high places whenever possible), and dark vengeance.
Viari's career as an
adventurer was nearly cut short during a battle of which the bards still sing. Unleashing a devastating attack with the aptly named Apocalypse Dagger, the rogue destroyed a giant single-handedly — and lost
Monsters
Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
. When these plants die, they decay and become the ideal habitat for fungi. The older a trudge is, the wilder and more varied are the plants and fungi that thrive in the tiny ecosystem on its back.
While
sometimes ill-tempered and territorial, brackish trudges are usually content to mind their own business. When trudges are roused to defend themselves or drive off rivals, their punishing tusks laced
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or suspicion, and rippling
rain from the sky in a beautiful but dangerous display. Rumors quickly spread that a crystal dragon is responsible.
3
A crystal dragon invites the greatest bards and philosophers to partake in
Monsters
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
who died a century ago, after a long and nefarious career. Esvele Rosznar, a brash young noble, has recently adopted the Black Viper's persona to lead a secret life of crime. Like many other nobles
. When she throws back her cloak to reveal the costume she has put together, most folk toss their purses and flee. If that doesn't work, she usually needs only to draw her dagger. Of course, some of the
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
elusive, manipulative, unpredictable, and willing to cheat or kill comrades and rivals alike if doing so benefits them. The worshipers of Sseth have their hands in many schemes, often plying the middle
for being self-important, sneaky, and prone to flee at the first sign of trouble.PoisonChange Shape. The yuan-ti transforms into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same
Bard
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation
still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. The greatest strength of bards is their sheer
Monsters
Acquisitions Incorporated
walking back from the next world to this one. Each creature of his choice within 30 feet of him that can hear him must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next
. But as the point goblin for the group known as the Six (see “Factions and Rivals” in chapter 3), he’s made vengeance against Acq Inc and Omin Dran his life’s work. And then the work of his next life. And the one after that.
Halfling
Legacy
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Species
Basic Rules (2014)
Regis the halfling, the only one of his kind for hundreds of miles in any direction, locked his fingers behind his head and leaned back against the mossy blanket of the tree trunk. Regis was short
wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.
Halfling Names
A halfling has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname
Monsters
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Reghed Glacier. The orb was recently stolen by Nass Lantomir, one of Vellynne’s rivals in the Arcane Brotherhood. Vellynne intends to get it back before resuming her quest to find Ythryn
Urchin
Legacy
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Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
recuperate. You’ve survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each.
You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but
of questions.
3
I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.
4
I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.
5
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
dragon ages. Eventually, the scales become translucent and shimmer in the light, rippling as the dragon moves. The dragon’s horns and spines hover above the body, moving and shifting along the back
adventurers in the hopes of pitting them against fire giant rivals.
Hoarded Histories
Emerald dragons prize knowledge, particularly local histories that focus on magical events and individuals
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
the back and tail to mirror the dragon’s mood.
Clever Concealment
The shyest of the gem dragons, emerald dragons are also the most curious. They love to observe local settlements and peoples
experienced adventurers in the hopes of pitting them against fire giant rivals.
Hoarded Histories
Emerald dragons prize knowledge, particularly local histories that focus on magical events and
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
starlight between their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back with fear or
Prismatic shards rain from the sky in a beautiful but dangerous display. Rumors quickly spread that a crystal dragon is responsible.
3
A crystal dragon invites the greatest bards and philosophers
Ranger
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
of steel, cutting down one enemy after another. After tumbling away from a cone of freezing air, an elf finds her feet and draws back her bow to loose an arrow at the white dragon. Shrugging off the
whistles to the hawk that circles high above him, calling the bird back to his side. Whispering instructions in Elvish, he points to the owlbear he’s been tracking and sends the hawk to distract
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
No career criminal in Baldur’s Gate operates without being aware of the Guild. Some studiously keep a low profile, carrying just the occasional smuggled load in with legitimate merchandise, or
realizing the connection. You got the Guild to back off demands for your death by offering to make amends by working for the criminals, but even so the kingpin still plots a personal revenge.
2
The
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
ambitious expedition to the far south of Xen’drik, which almost certainly will either make or break his career. He might hire the characters or their rivals to accompany him on this expedition. Cullen Cole
academic knowledge exceeds that of many colleagues, and students call him an excellent lecturer. But his lack of significant field experience has held him back. Word is circulating that he plans a truly
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
organization, but who serve as its hands, head, and heart.
As a prelude to your adventuring career (and in preparation for it), you served as an agent of a particular faction in Faerûn. You might have
knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their lairs fiercely, ambushing intruders and plotting assaults against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back.
Luminous Blue
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
.
You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but securely for at least ten days. How did you come by that money? What allowed you to break free of your desperate
.
3
I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.
4
I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.
5
I eat like
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Radiant Citadel
Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the
identify crisis points where their operatives are needed. Even common citizens might hire folk from the Court to find missing loved ones, locate lost family treasures, or gather information on rivals
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back.
Luminous Blue
Sapphire dragons’ scales and wing membranes show varied shades of
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
; scales. It glows like starlight between their bodies and the spines and horns that hover close to their heads and backs. These horns shift with the dragon’s mood: bristling with anger, lying back
bards and philosophers to partake in “the Great Dialogue” in the dragon’s mountaintop lair. But only the dragon knows that the Great Dialogue has no end, and no one can leave the lair
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
anger, lying back with fear or suspicion, and rippling in side-to-side waves with amusement or joy.
Visions in Starlight
Many crystal dragons study the stars, recording their observations of the night
the greatest bards and philosophers to partake in “the Great Dialogue” in the dragon’s mountaintop lair. But only the dragon knows that the Great Dialogue has no end, and no one can
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
against their rivals. The sonic pulse of their breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Changing Gods If events in your character’s adventuring career warrant doing so, you can abandon the service of one god and turn to a different one. Once you abandon a god’s service, you can rarely
go back without performing some act of contrition. Your DM decides whether your new god will accept you as a champion and what you might have to do to prove your commitment. When you change gods, you
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
Antagonists and Rivals The most direct use of the Moonstalkers is for them to steal something belonging to the characters or someone close to them. The characters might strike a deal with the guild
to get their treasure back or infiltrate the guildhall to retrieve it. Alternatively, if the characters are looking to steal something (for instance, as part of an adventure from Keys from the Golden
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the
identify crisis points where their operatives are needed. Even common citizens might hire folk from the Court to find missing loved ones, locate lost family treasures, or gather information on rivals
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
scales become translucent and shimmer in the light, rippling as the dragon moves. The dragon’s horns and spines hover above the body, moving and shifting along the back and tail to mirror the
of pitting them against fire giant rivals.
Hoarded Histories
Emerald dragons prize knowledge, particularly local histories that focus on magical events and individuals. They usually know of places
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
character’s dead rivals could have known. Whatever a character learns during their temporary death, they can carry with them back into the mortal world. Such might make dying one of the most helpful things to happen in a character’s greater heroic career.
be quite sudden—or to give them a way to continue engaging in the quest while their companions attempt to bring them back to life. These interludes can be played as brief scenes where the player of
Kobold
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
some other convenient way (or, in a cannibalistic tribe, eaten). Kobolds believe that if they die in service to their tribe, Kurtulmak immediately sends each of them back to life as the next egg laid in
.
A kobold’s cautious nature doesn’t mean it can’t get angry. The blood of dragons flows in its veins, and like a raging drake, a kobold that is pushed too far or has its back
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
Bardic Colleges In addition to the tradition of apprenticing with a master bard, the Sword Coast has some bardic colleges where masters teach students the bardic arts. They hark back to the great
the bards, each of which is named after one of the colleges. See chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the game statistics of these magic instruments. Long ago, bards who sought the rank of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
Saga of the Whirlwyrm Whether aboard the Courier or back on shore, the unusual nature of a whirlwyrm attack becomes clear. If the characters haven’t met Bkol, he witnessed their encounter with the
impressive collection of tattoos covering her copper-colored skin. She notices Bkol as he approaches and gives a friendly shout: “Bkol! Back from the land of legends! Glad to see we keep you coming back
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
successful expeditions in recent years. Most of the agents the margrave sent came back battle worn and empty-handed, if they returned at all. The margrave hires the characters to recover Iggwilv’s hoard before it falls into the hands of his rivals.






