back beating down core real

Incarnation of Transience

Monsters Lorwyn: First Light

spectral existence in material reality. Each incarnation resembles a saurian behemoth with an axolotl face, a many-frilled tail, and a hulking back covered in bright-orange pustules. In Lorwyn

retains its core identity but might transform physically. An incarnation of hope in Lorwyn, for example, might resemble a giant dove with a lizard’s tail and leonine legs; in Shadowmoor, this same

Prophetess Dran

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

strange creature that had seized his sister, then created a false Auspicia in her stead. Having long attempted to simply make her peace with the loss, she was overwhelmed by the real Auspicia's dramatic

can call on her spells and abilities in times of need, and remains in constant practice with Confessor, her maul. At her core, she believes that the gods help those who help themselves, and that

"The Demogorgon"

Monsters Infernal Machine Rebuild

addressing one another as Aameul and Hathradiah—mispronounced as Emmanuel and Hebediah, respectively. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (History) check allows a character to recall the real names of

stewards. If the ettin is defeated, examining the pouches around his necks reveals a collection of eyeballs and still-beating dragon hearts. The silver wires connect those living tissues to the ettin

Oath of the Ancients Legacy

Classes Player’s Handbook (2014)

principles are simple. Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair. Shelter the Light. Where there is good

Portentia Dran

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

than her own, or back into her true form. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (her choice). In a new form, Portentia retains her game statistics and ability to

-profit-and-power biz — Portentia Dran is more than she appears to be. Quite literally. The person known as Portentia is actually a changeling, who took the place of the real Portentia before her fifth

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

at his core, the seneschal didn’t return as a skeletal knight but rather as an intangible spirit. Caradoc’s Undead form suits him well, allowing him to possess the living and use unwilling

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Shapechanger. The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t

":"psychic"} psychic damage and is frightened of the manifestation, believing it to be real. The yuan-ti must concentrate to maintain the illusion (as if concentrating on a spell), which lasts for up to 1

Deep Crow

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

powers. But one thing all agree on is that ending up a meal for one of these monstrosities is a too-real threat for those who stumble into their deadly lairs. Though the deep crow most immediately

doesn't struggle, the deep crow takes it back to its lair to be devoured at leisure. Creatures that do struggle might be repeatedly dropped from a height to soften them up a bit. Family Ties. Deep crows

Hoard Mimic

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

. The mimic transforms into a hoard or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its

dragon’s lair to draw unwitting intruders away from the real riches—and into the mimic’s maw. If faced with unexpectedly fierce opposition, though, a hoard mimic might offer information about the true hoard in exchange for its life.

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Nightmare", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage and is frightened of the manifestation, believing it to be real. The yuan-ti must concentrate to maintain the illusion (as if concentrating on a

the purpose of acquiring more victims and enjoy the company of Undead.PoisonChange Shape. The yuan-ti transforms into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form

Ancient Brass Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

damage or someone uses an action to wake it. Change Shape. The dragon magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating no higher than its own, or back into its true form. It

. Images of Large or smaller monsters haunt the desert sands within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair. These illusions move and appear real, although they can do no harm. A creature that examines an

Ancient Copper Dragon Legacy

Monsters Basic Rules (2014)

its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the dragon's choice). In a new form, the

seekers and distract them from where the real treasure is hidden. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects

Madam Eva

Monsters Curse of Strahd

in her seventies, but she is, in fact, much older. Royal Blood. Madam Eva is Strahd’s half-sister, though Strahd is unaware of this fact. Her real name is Katarina, and she is the daughter of a

castle like the back of her hand, and she was present for the wedding of Sergei and Tatyana. After Strahd went mad and murdered his brother, she fled the castle and took refuge with the Vistani. Later

Criminal / Spy Legacy

Backgrounds Basic Rules (2014)

sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder. Suggested Characteristics Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an

important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. 4 I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. 5 I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it. 6

Verdan

Species Acquisitions Incorporated

. Reality is a descent into chaos punctuated by brief flashes of order, whence we arose and so imagine it to be the norm rather than a distant outlier. That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant

, the verdan found that they were often mistaken for smaller, green-skinned half-elves. Attracting curiosity but no real questions, they have thus been able to make their way reasonably freely in the

Criminal - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

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

work, do what needs to be done, and get paid. Anyone who pursues crime for thrill-seeking, to strike back at unjust authorities, or anything else are amateurs, and they’re liable to get you

Folk Hero - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

dozen adopted grandparents inviting you in for a meal. 3 Seeing a lost patriar after dark in the Outer City, you guided the wayward noble through back streets to safety. The patriar repaid your

for one last chance to win back the goodwill you’ve drunk away. 5 You once defeated a raging bugbear with a hand mirror, a mounted deer’s head, and two kicks to the groin. Later, you

Bugbear Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core

in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back. Blessings of the Bugbear Gods Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want

Entertainer - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

’ve learned that most of the real business of entertainment (or any other venture) happens behind the scenes. It’s easy for you to case what sorts of audiences attend what venue — like

me of someone I love. 2 Someone stole my precious instrument, and someday I’ll get it back. 3 I want to be famous, whatever it takes. 4 I idolize a hero of the old tales and

Morkoth

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

;s petrified flesh came back to life as morkoths: tentacled monstrosities brimming with malice and greed. Morkoths are driven by greed and selfishness mixed with a yearning for conflict. They hoard

fragments that make up the island’s core are also located. Sections of the lair and its center might be kept dry to better protect and preserve collected objects and creatures, but most of the lair

Orc Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

raid just as another group returns, laden with severed heads, sacks of loot, and armfuls of food. Warriors also serve as scouts, bringing back detailed reports about the surrounding area so that the

haul as much food and booty as possible back to the tribe’s den, every tribe has a sturdy war wagon. Since orcs are poor crafters, most of their wagons are stolen from human or dwarven

Young Sapphire Dragon

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

not guarantee victory. Planning and tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good

Sapphire Dragon Wyrmling

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

unhappy. (Lawful) 5 Preparation. Justice and righteousness do not guarantee victory. Planning and tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real

Resolving the Mystery

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

the real books back to Candlekeep without offering a compromise, the jackalweres put up a fight, though they’ll surrender rather than fight to the death. Losing the books is a great setback to the

tough negotiators.) If they agree on a deal, the jackalweres let the characters take the real books back to Candlekeep.

Ancient Sapphire Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

breath weapon sows weakness, leaving the victims unable to fight back. Luminous Blue Sapphire dragons’ scales and wing membranes show varied shades of blue, ranging from the light tones of a

tactics do. (Lawful) 6 Companionship. Sure, my hoard brings me great joy. But the real treasures are the guests who stop by to see it. (Good) Sapphire Dragon Adventures The Sapphire

Elemental Engines

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

the airship’s pilot, the elemental core can be suppressed, causing the elemental energy to disappear and flow back into the Khyber dragonshard core. An airship’s elemental core and connecting arcane

Elemental Engines Airships are powered by an elemental spirit bound to a core carved from a Khyber dragonshard. This core is placed into a heavily fortified containment chamber connected to an arcane

18. Nangnang's Shrine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

. See appendix D for these creatures’ statistics. The grungs on the roof unleash arrows to ward off intruders. If the intruders fight back, more green-skinned grungs close in from nearby buildings

the floor in front of another double door is a mosaic depicting a frog-like humanoid beating a leopard that has snakes emerging from its shoulders. Cuneiform inscriptions are woven above and below

Tracking the Load

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

, a beating is the best they can hope for. A smart character submits to this humiliation, because fighting back means that Bog Luck calls everyone else to help him punish the thief, and all the

characters are ostracized from then on. Taking the beating means Bog Luck keeps the incident between the two of them. Characters can arrange to have a room next to the Cult of the Dragon teamsters and listen

Travel-Montage Approach

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

Travel-Montage Approach Sometimes the destination is more important than the journey. If the purpose of a wilderness trek is to get the characters to where the real adventure happens, gloss over the

(in fact, that’s a good phrase to search for) both real and fantastical. As striking as real-world scenery can be, wilderness travel can be used to remind the players that their characters are in a

Conclusion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

Conclusion If Jhaeros’s still-beating heart is delivered to Naevys outside the city, it disappears in her hands. When the heart vanishes, the following things happen: Charmayne Dies. Charmayne

from captivity in area S9 and is restored to his true form at full health. The Hounds Are Restored. The hell hounds Cinnabar and Sol transform back into friendly mastiffs. If Jhaeros’s heart dies or if

Stage 3

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hoard of the Dragon Queen

for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3) The Cult of the

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

Tracking the Load

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

, a beating is the best they can hope for. A smart character submits to this humiliation, because fighting back means that Bog Luck calls everyone else to help him punish the thief, and all the

characters are ostracized from then on. Taking the beating means Bog Luck keeps the incident between the two of them. Characters can arrange to have a room next to the Cult of the Dragon teamsters and listen

Stage 3

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

for revenge against the exiles. The Red Wizards of Thay are evil to the core, though, and the delegates must tread carefully as they present their case. The Cult Strikes Back (Part 3) The Cult of the

infiltrate a cult stronghold and claim the mask, then save a nearby village from the blue dragon that means to take the relic back. Mission to Thay The ritual that will bring Tiamat to Faerûn is too complex

Core Assumptions

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

Core Assumptions The rules of the game are based on the following core assumptions about the game world. Gods Oversee the World. The gods are real and embody a variety of beliefs, with each god

Familiar Faces

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

to you. Every NPC could be a potential ally, enemy, or foil later in the campaign. If the players take a shine to one, bring that character back — or better yet, make the NPC an integral part of the

ongoing plot. All franchises need servants and hirelings to do mundane jobs, and NPCs the characters already know are a great fit for these roles. Employ these NPCs to make the world feel more familiar and real to the players and characters alike.

D&D Beyond

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