back both down concept reason

Quasit (familiar variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back

shares the quasit’s Magic Resistance trait. At any time and for any reason, the quasit can end its service as a familiar, ending the telepathic bond.Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’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

Ulder Ravengard

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

. Following the deaths of two council members amid a cloud of corruption and scandal, he persuaded the Parliament of Peers to back his election to grand duke. Upon ascending to the highest position in the

struggled in performing his duties, finding his hands tied at every turn by both overt and invisible bureaucracy. Despite this, he's been a voice of reason and common sense on the Council of Four — if

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

at the burned-out building, a sudden cacophony erupted around us. Birds squawked, cats hissed, and dogs growled. Lidda hustled us back to the city’s safer avenues. Only when we were back within

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

more important, he believes that the Amber Temple holds the secret to bringing the ancient dead back to life. With the characters' help, Kasimir thinks he might be able to find out how to restore

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

Demilich (Variant) Legacy

Monsters Monster Manual (2014)

assume a wraithlike form. The skull then emits a terrifying howl that can slay the weak-hearted and leave others trembling with fear. Left alone, it sinks back down and returns to the empty peace of

its existence. Few liches seek to become demiliches, for it means an end to the existence they hoped to preserve by becoming undead. However, time can erode the lich’s reason and memory, causing

Firbolg Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

Reason for Adventuring 1 Outcast for murder 2 Outcast for severely damaging home territory 3 Clan slain by invading humanoids 4 Clan slain by a dragon or demon 5

adopt elven names when they must deal with outsiders, although the concept of names strikes them as strange. They know the animals and plants of the forest without formal names, and instead identify the

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

back into the air. Those that make it to a world in the Material Plane find it a strange place. They sometimes forget or ignore vertical distances, and they have nothing but pity for those earthbound

it hard not to pluck the treasure and bring it back to their settlement to beautify it. An aarakocra who spends years among other races can learn to inhibit these impulses. Confinement terrifies the

Unspeakable Horror (Malleable Mass)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

vaporous visions amid the fog, mysterious eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable

can’t persist for long outside the Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into

Unspeakable Horror

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink

","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body

Unspeakable Horror (Loathsome Limbs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

eddies in the Mists sometimes gather such evils, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty

Mists: after 1d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4

Unspeakable Horror (Oozing Organs)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

, forcing them into unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they

":"roll","rollAction":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction

Creating a Monster

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

new monsters and customizing existing ones, if for no other reason than to surprise and delight your players with something they’ve never faced before. The first step in the process is coming up with

the concept for your monster. What makes it unique? Where does it live? What role do you want it to serve in your adventure, your campaign, or your world? What does it look like? Does it have any

Unspeakable Horror (Aberrant Armor)

Monsters Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

unique, misshapen bodies untethered from the laws of reason or reality. Such unspeakable horrors might continue to haunt the misty netherworld between the Domains of Dread, or they might slink forth into

":"Mist Horror"} rounds outside the Mists, they lose cohesion and collapse back into harmless vapor. Body Composition d4;{"diceNotation":"1d4","rollType":"roll","rollAction":"Body Composition

Evil Inchoate

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

absolute evil, demons have no concept of empathy. Each demon believes that only its needs and desires matter. This self-centeredness applies even with regard to other demons. These fiends have no

particular affinity for their own kind, which is the biggest reason why they seldom cooperate with one another unless they are forced to submit to a demon lord or other leader. Going even farther, every

Gravity Planes

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Astral Adventurer’s Guide

Gravity Planes The reason everything pulls its own atmosphere along through space is the force of gravity. It’s also the reason why creatures can stand on a spacefaring ship without falling off the

gravity plane is that an object that falls off the side of a ship can end up oscillating back and forth across the gravity plane. It drops in one direction until it crosses the plane, then reverses direction back toward the plane again, continuing until something causes it to stop.

Credits

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

, David Sladek, Craig J Spearing, Brian Valeza, Svetlin Velinov, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, Zuzanna Wuzyk Cartographers: Stacey Allan, Will Doyle, Mike Schley Concept Art Director: Shawn Wood

Concept Illustrators: Olga Drebas, Titus Lunter, April Prime, Chris Rahn, Jenn Ravenna, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, Kieran Yanner Senior Producer: Dan Tovar Producers: Bill Benham, Robert Hawkey

Multiclassing

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

Multiclassing Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes. Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in one of

primarily remain a member of your original class with just a few levels in another class, or you might change course entirely, never looking back at the class you left behind. You might even start

Multiclassing

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

Multiclassing Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes. Doing so lets you mix the abilities of those classes to realize a character concept that might not be reflected in one of

primarily remain a member of your original class with just a few levels in another class, or you might change course entirely, never looking back at the class you left behind. You might even start

Chapter 2: Downtime Revisited

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

they amass on their adventures. The system presented here consists of two elements. First, it introduces the concept of rivals. Second, it details a number of downtime activities that characters can

undertake. When minions come back from a mission, sometimes I send them shopping. Shopping is this thing where minions give away their stuff to other people, and other people give them different stuff. It’s so strange.

Orog

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

terrifying presence on the battlefield. They form no attachments, even to their parents and siblings, and have no concept of love or dedication. They worship the orc pantheon of gods — Gruumsh and Luthic

foremost — because they believe that the gods have strength beyond reason, and physical might is all they respect. Servants of Darkness. Mistrusted by orcs, some orogs form independent mercenary war

The Returned

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

. There’s no rhyme or reason to what the Gray Merchants seek, and the merchants themselves never speak. They conduct business through gestures, making their unusual trades and plodding off into the shadows

, pseudammas turn tragedy into horror by snatching mortal children and attempting to raise them. However, the Returned have forgotten the needs of the living and they have no concept of how to care for a child.

A Decision

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm Lord’s Wrath

A Decision At some point, the characters must decide which vessel and captain they prefer. The town covers the cost of passage there and back for the characters, and both captains ask the same fare

are. If for any reason the characters attack Kristoffen because they learn of his affiliation with the Cult of Talos, he defends himself. Kristoffen (use half-red dragon veteran statistics but

Adventure Hooks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Descent into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth

hooks: Iggwilv’s Rival. An archmage who was once embroiled in a heated rivalry with Iggwilv has reason to believe she isn’t dead. The archmage recruits the characters to search the Lost Caverns for

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.

1. Pool

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

not receive the garlands, or if they took them off for any reason while within a quarter mile of Chuth’s lair, the dragon’s many animal spies alert him to the party’s approach. He waits at the mouth of

against Frightful Presence likely flee back into the woods, where spiders might be waiting. On the dragon’s next turn, it retreats back to area 2 to await the heroes’ next move.

Caught in the Middle

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

cries out, “Give it back, you little thief!” “No, you’re the thief!” replies a youngster with a panicked squeak. An instant later, a frantic kobold bursts from the crowd clutching a sizable bunch of

mother. At the moment, neither is interested in listening to reason. Gammon clumsily collides with a random character, bounces off them, and falls to the ground. A moment later, Lamai catches up and

Temple of Black Earth

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse

stopped in their tracks by the daunting defenses of the gate quarter. More than one reckless attack by orcs, trolls, or giants was driven back from the gate. In time, those savage foes found other ways

Urnrayle, the Prophet of Earth, chose the long-wrecked fortifications of Tyar-Besil as the headquarters of his cult for this very reason.

Half-Orcs

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

looks that much like an orc, they reason, must be like an orc and should be kept at a distance. Because half-orcs are typically stronger and hardier than their human peers, they can find employment

in towns and cities, but their appearance marks them as outsiders. In response to being ostracized, half-orcs either embrace their otherness and take pride in their physical superiority, pull back and

Caves Overview

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragons of Stormwreck Isle

all visitors away. The reason for this sudden shift in the myconids’ behavior is that a blight has spread through the caves and is poisoning the myconids, twisting their gardens, and even laying low

surface through a cavern at the back of Seagrow Caves that the myconids avoid, but the vent has become blocked, and the fumes have spilled into the myconids’ caves. Besides this insidious poison

Adventure Hooks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer Academy

Adventure Hooks All the characters have volunteered, for whatever reason, to join Spelljammer Academy: a shadowy enclave of spellcasters and swords-for-hire situated on the remote and mysterious

characters to the stars and beyond, and there might be no coming back afterward! Orientation throws the characters right into the action. To maximize the impact of part 1 of the adventure, you might

Holed Up

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

. Slaying the mammoth is a tall order, so characters would be wise to flee from Norsu or try to reason with it. Norsu and the winter wolves reside in an ice lodge built by Garagai. The wolves try to entice

. Characters lured to the ice lodge by the wolves or hired by Speaker Durmoot to find the missing teenagers can try to rescue Silja and Finn from the frost giant’s lodge and see them safely back to town.

Rahadin's Prayer

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

his reason for visiting the temple, or even who is he or what role he serves. Left to his own devices, he rides back to Castle Ravenloft.

A Typical Evening

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal

combination of a few drinks and the crowd’s encouragement induces some folk to pay for a brief trip down into Undermountain. Most folk pay in advance for a ride down and immediately back up, though a few

ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the dungeon. Few such ill-prepared parties ever return. Groups seeking to enter Undermountain for a specific reason generally come to the tavern

1. Pool

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

not receive the garlands, or if they took them off for any reason while within a quarter mile of Chuth’s lair, the dragon’s many animal spies alert him to the party’s approach. He waits at the mouth of

against Frightful Presence likely flee back into the woods, where spiders might be waiting. On the dragon’s next turn, it retreats back to area 2 to await the heroes’ next move.

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