back barely defusing contrast respond

Piercer (Ice variant)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

from ordinary rock formations. Patient Hunters. Piercers can see, but they can also respond to noise and heat, waiting for living creatures to pass beneath them, then falling to attack. A piercer

that misses its chance to kill must make its slow way back to the ceiling. A fallen piercer excretes a foul-smelling slime when attacked, making most predators think twice about eating it. Piercers

Half-Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was

friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood in the timeless elven realms, while their peers continue to live as

Cadaver Collector Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might wander the Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. Sweeping the Dead

. Cadaver collectors respond to a summons from a mortal only when they are called to the scene of a great battle — either where one is in progress, where one is imminent, or where one once took place

Cadaver Collector

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of a conquering army on the Material Plane. These fearsome Constructs obey their summoners until they are dismissed back to Acheron, but if a summoner comes to a bad end, a cadaver collector might

wander the Material Plane for centuries, collecting corpses while searching for a way to return home. Cadaver collectors respond to a summons from a mortal only when they are called to the scene of a

Otyugh Mutate

Monsters Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

exposed to Far Realm energy, an otyugh mutate grows chitinous, jet-black plating over its limbs. The plates contrast sharply with the translucent, almost ghostly, appearance of its flesh, which provides

fell powers they worship. Creatures that become mutates often inexplicably change back to their previous forms once the Far Realm influence abates. Forcing a transformation on creatures inexplicably

Halfling Legacy

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

, even by the standards of his diminutive race, with the fluff of his curly brown locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was amply thickened by his love of a good meal, or several, as

Emerald Dragon Wyrmling

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

I repeat what others have said back to them to make sure I have remembered it correctly. 2 I might not like you, but I will endeavor to treat you with respect, if not kindness. 3 I like

Gnome Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

stare, then appeared to go back to sleep. — Richard Lee Byers, The Black Bouquet A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where gnomes form their close-knit

his or her appearance. A male gnome’s beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome’s clothing, though usually

Ancient Time Dragon

Monsters Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

hours or until the dragon’s concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). The portal has a front and a back on each plane where it appears. Travel through the portal is possible only by

have horns that are barely more than nubs. As they master the flow of time, their horns grow with branching, rainbow-hued veins suggestive of time’s paths and possibilities. Ancient time

Young Emerald Dragon

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

1 I repeat what others have said back to them to make sure I have remembered it correctly. 2 I might not like you, but I will endeavor to treat you with respect, if not kindness. 3 I

Diplomats or Wanderers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Diplomats or Wanderers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast

get along with everyone, defusing hostility and finding common ground. As a race, they have elven grace without elven aloofness and human energy without human boorishness. They often make excellent

Ranger Legacy

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

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

hold and controls their actions. In contrast, lizardfolk see emotions as traits assigned to other creatures, objects, and situations. A lizardfolk doesn’t think, “I’m scared.&rdquo

pity. Born into the world lacking stout scales and sharp teeth, it’s a wonder they have managed to survive for so long. The typical human would barely make it through a day in the swamps. Still

Mount Celestia

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

Mount Celestia The single sacred mountain of Mount Celestia rises from a shining Silver Sea to heights barely visible and utterly incomprehensible, with seven plateaus marking its seven heavenly

the purest souls can. Gazing toward that peak fills even the most jaded of travelers with awe. Optional Rule: Blessed Beneficence In contrast to the dissonance experienced by evil creatures here, good

Blackgate

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

walls. The Outer City is home to Baldur’s Gate’s poorer inhabitants, who live in ramshackle huts and flimsy tents—a stark contrast to the opulence of the Upper City. Merchants with wares too meager

—or too illicit—to sell in the Wide make do with unregulated back alley markets here. The stench of stabled horses and other beasts of burden permeates the air.

Describing Monsters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

descriptions. Sometimes it’s a contrast between mundane and terrifying details that stands out, like a monster’s soulful eyes or pearly teeth set amid vicious features. Make it Personal. There’s a fine line

here: Don’t dictate a character’s actions in response to what they see. But you can touch on the feelings that the creature provokes, leaving it up to the players to describe how they respond to those

Ancient Emerald Dragon

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

said back to them to make sure I have remembered it correctly. 2 I might not like you, but I will endeavor to treat you with respect, if not kindness. 3 I like to impress visitors by

Getting the Quest

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

in. “Dang winter wolves say they ain’t givin’ ’em back till the town coughs up a king’s ransom in food and gold. This town barely got enough to feed its own, and there ain’t no gold. Ain’t no one

is stubborn to a fault. She firmly believes that the missing teenagers are dead, and she’s not about to give food to the winter wolves when her own people barely have enough to feed themselves. She

Buried Treasures

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

one afternoon. The speaker was brought back safe and sound, but Huarwar got separated from the others and didn’t find his way home until the following morning. He had frostbite and could barely walk

. The middle-aged innkeeper, Cora Mulphoon (neutral good human commoner), treats her guests like royalty while trying to conceal the fact that she is barely making ends meet. Cora’s Loss. Cora is

Outcome

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tyranny of Dragons

Outcome In the morning, after another delicious meal, the characters are ushered back to the audience chamber. Eseldra Yeth is not there. Instead, they’re greeted by Nyh Ilmichh and one of the Red

, the Red Wizard teleports with them back to Waterdeep. If the tally is half the number of non-elven characters in the party or fewer, Nyh Ilmichh states that Tharchion Yeth thanks them for their

Outcome

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rise of Tiamat

Outcome In the morning, after another delicious meal, the characters are ushered back to the audience chamber. Eseldra Yeth is not there. Instead, they’re greeted by Nyh Ilmichh and one of the Red

, the Red Wizard teleports with them back to Waterdeep. If the tally is half the number of non-elven characters in the party or fewer, Nyh Ilmichh states that Tharchion Yeth thanks them for their

Pixie

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)

Pixie “Petal gowns and acorn caps are so last summer!” — Rivergleam, pixie fashionista Standing barely a foot tall, pixies resemble diminutive elves with gossamer wings like those of dragonflies

or butterflies, bright as the clear dawn and as luminous as the full moonrise. Curious as cats and shy as deer, pixies go where they please. They like to spy on other creatures and can barely contain

L. Lake Zarovich

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

doesn’t respond to anything or anyone unless attacked. His boat is 400 feet from the nearest shore. Tied up in the boat is a seven-year-old Vistana named Arabelle (LN female human commoner with 2 hit

to greet him, he tosses the burlap sack into the water, watches it sink, and waits with fishing pole in hand for his reward. Bluto is a hollow shell of a man, barely able to understand his own actions

Adult Emerald Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. 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 and tail

what others have said back to them to make sure I have remembered it correctly. 2 I might not like you, but I will endeavor to treat you with respect, if not kindness. 3 I like to impress

Halfling

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

Halfling 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, even by the standards of his diminutive race, with the fluff of his curly brown locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was amply thickened by his love of a good meal, or

Halfling

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

Halfling 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, even by the standards of his diminutive race, with the fluff of his curly brown locks barely cresting the three-foot mark, but his belly was amply thickened by his love of a good meal, or

Yuan-ti Pureblood Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

interest of maintaining the strength of their personal bloodline. The yuan-ti have abandoned their humanity and consider non-serpentine humanoids to be lesser creatures, barely more civilized than

’ serpent gods into their religions. These victories sent a constant influx of food, ore, and slaves back to the home cities. The wealth of the empire allowed the ruling elite plenty of time to

Assignments

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

. Your group’s patron might occasionally come to you and give you an assignment. This can be an easy way to get into an adventure. Of course, it’s up to you how you respond to your patron’s demands, and

for bringing it back. You have the freedom to chart your own destiny, while still letting the patron shape the nature of your group and the adventures you undertake. It might help to think of the

Cataclysmic Fire

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Dragon Queen. These phantom flames respond to the memories of the dead and re-create illusory scenes from the moments that haunt their souls. Visions in Fire As Soth moves through the catacombs, the

first vision. They taunt him and point back the way he came. The knight slays them and turns back home in a rage. Confrontation. The knight slays his wife as the world around him crumbles and burns. The

Thassa as Campaign Villain

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

change them back? How will the champions’ patrons respond if she refuses? 4 When multiple gods turn against her in a dispute, Thassa is enraged. She releases the locks binding every kraken in the sea, along with that of an ancient and mysterious kraken brood mother.

1 After a kraken is sighted near an inhabited island, a fleet prepares to set sail from Meletis to face it. In retribution, Thassa pulls the ocean back from the entire coastline, stranding

Back in Session

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Back in Session Once the characters have chosen their colleges and cemented their other second-year decisions, it’s time to kick off this adventure. The academic year has barely dawned when

Half-Elf

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)

Half-Elf Flint squinted into the setting sun. He thought he saw the figure of a man striding up the path. Standing, Flint drew back into the shadow of a tall pine to see better. The man’s walk was

nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. Some half-elves live among humans, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them

Villain Actions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Flee, Mortals! Rule Primer

control. It typically fires after the heroes have had a chance to respond once or twice, get into position, and surround the villain. This second action helps the villain regain the upper hand. Like an

could push back a villain action if a creature is stunned or might stay alive for more than three rounds, or you could perform the recommended third action in round two after several surprise critical hits!

Halfling Rogue

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

Halfling Rogue The town of Phandalin is built on the ruins of an older settlement, vacant for five centuries until some hardy settlers set about rebuilding it some years back. Drawn by stories of

—tried to have you killed. You escaped, barely alive and thanking Tymora, the goddess of good fortune, for your luck. You fled Phandalin, almost penniless and with only the tools of your trade to your

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