bad beings diffusing cautious reason

Hermit Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp Life of Seclusion What was the reason for your isolation, and what

changed to allow you to end your solitude? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

a frivolous lark. You’ve maintained a solitary vigil outside the cavern entrance ever since. 2 You crossed the Guild in a bad way. Fortunately, its members think you’re dead. Less

powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

;t a native, your reason for leaving “home” probably has something to do with getting away from a bad situation. Feature: All Eyes on You Your accent, mannerisms, figures of

provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location. d6 Reason d6 Reason 1 Emissary 4 Pilgrim

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to disturb her self-imposed isolation. Terrible blizzards have cut off Icewind Dale

time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is incapable of showing mercy or compassion. Play her as a supremely cold and

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

provoke retaliatory attacks from the creatures they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures that can harm her. Auril’s worshipers know better than to

can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren

, if other creatures prove useful to lizardfolk, those creatures can trigger a protective response made all the stronger by their apparent weakness. The lizardfolk assess such beings as hatchlings

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

might prove helpful: So long as she has mortal worshipers, Auril can’t truly die (although the characters can rid the world of her for a time). Thus, she has no reason to capitulate to mortals

Aarakocra Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

changes in the prevailing winds that they regarded as a bad omen. Unlike the aarakocra of other worlds on the Material Plane, the aarakocra of the Realms rarely travel to the Elemental Plane of Air

. Great Purpose Aarakocra enjoy peace and solitude. Most of them have little interest in dealing with other peoples and less interest in spending time on the ground. For this reason, it takes an

Chapter 6: Caves of Hunger

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

should be at least 8th level when they embark on this journey. Lower-level characters can survive the Caves of Hunger if they’re cautious and rest often to regain their spent hit points and magic. The

, a dungeon that was sealed off by the Frostmaiden long ago—a network of sepulchral ice caves haunted by ravenous beings. These chambers must be successfully navigated to reach the Netherese city of Ythryn. After opening a fissure in the Reghed Glacier, a party of explorers prepares to head inside

The Dark Powers

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

The Dark Powers Unfathomable, hidden forces manipulate life, death, and reality within Ravenloft. These mysterious, deathless beings are the architects of the Domains of Dread, and have secreted

villains to add to their terrifying menagerie. To what end, no one knows. The Dark Powers don’t move in the shadows of Ravenloft; they are the shadows. They’re the Mists and the darkness. They’re the reason

Death Tyrant

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual

be perfect beings. No matter how death tyrants come into being, bizarre impulses drive their deathless existences. Their motivations tend to be extreme or beyond the reason of living creatures.

Dark Sun

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

planes — and they lost. The gods were slain or driven into exile, leaving Athas under the dominion of elemental beings who took little interest in the affairs of mortals. In the grim age that

only the strongest survive. One of the hallmarks of the Dark Sun setting is that the heroes don’t need to seek out forgotten dungeons to find adventure — mere survival is adventure enough. But there is no reason you can’t successfully adapt Princes of the Apocalypse to your Dark Sun campaign.

Bhaal

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

beings through unlawful means. Some people pray to Bhaal when they want to commit murder. A person might have good reason to resort to murder, such as when one is unable to redress some injustice

Adversary

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

deal with than the average member of the city watch. If your character’s backstory doesn’t already include a personage of this sort, you could work with your DM to come up with a reason why an

1 The pirate captain on whose ship you once served; what you call moving on, the captain calls mutiny 2 A master spy to whom you unwittingly fed bad information, which led to the assassination of

Protanther

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

. Though he sees both good and bad in the lesser races, he believes that their capacity for attaining great power despite their physical limitations makes them dangerous. For all their capability

full strength. If this puts the humanoids at risk, so be it. Attitude. Neutral. If there are humans or tieflings in the party, Protanther is instead cautious. If there are elves in the party, he is

Evil Inchoate

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

Evil Inchoate I will be the last creature when I am done. The cosmos will then be perfect, free of the braying abominations that are all other living things. — Orcus As beings of utter chaos and

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

Protanther

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

. Though he sees both good and bad in the lesser races, he believes that their capacity for attaining great power despite their physical limitations makes them dangerous. For all their capability, humanoids

strength. If this puts the humanoids at risk, so be it. Attitude. Neutral. If there are humans or tieflings in the party, Protanther is instead cautious. If there are elves in the party, he is unfriendly

Feywild Guides

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory

. Conversely, a bad guide can easily get an adventuring party into trouble. Use the Feywild Guide Names, Feywild Guide Identities, and Feywild Guide Quirks tables to create Fey guides on the fly

scout stat block, but change its size to Small) 2 Gloomy wood elf druid (use the druid stat block) 3 Flamboyant pixie 4 Happy-go-lucky satyr 5 Ultra-competitive sprite 6 Overly cautious treant sapling

Dragon Servitors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

legend of the creatures’ origin is passed down from elder to hatchling, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to

dragons. Kobolds willingly serve chromatic dragons and worship them as if they were demigods — mighty beings of divine descent. This isn’t a casual sort of worship or lip service; kobolds are awed in the

Able Scavengers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

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 other useful items, but if they

they steal from. It’s better to be cautious and overlooked than to be considered dangerous and a threat. In a couple of situations, kobolds might abandon this careful approach. First, because of their

Dock Ward

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation. Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least

often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse. Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward

Occultant

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

glasses. 3 Burning a small piece of the body and looking for shapes in the smoke. 4 A cautious, reasoned, professional guesstimate. 5 Careful measurements. The distance between

dawn seven days later. I don’t really understand occultants, and to be honest, they scare the Abyss out of me. — Jim Darkmagic Why Be an Occultant? d8 Reason 1 You believe in karmic

Survival Skills

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

itself to give its fellows time to collapse a nearby tunnel and prevent invaders from getting to the rest of the tribe. All kobolds know that fleeing from danger, especially against bad odds, is the smart

sacrifice when it presents itself. This practice contributes to the reason why most common folk (and adventurers) think kobolds are stupid as well as weak; they’ve seen or heard of a lone kobold trying to

The Stone Bridge

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

. “Not a bad place to die,” the mage says with mild amusement. The doppelganger posing as Gargosh doesn’t take part in the fight, remaining on the fringes of the battle and rooting for the characters to

to make haste and catch up with him!” Characters who have reason to suspect Gargosh might be lying or holding back information can make a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check. A character who succeeds on

Personal Impact

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

fight in the war, how and why did they remain on the sidelines? Did they oppose the war? Did they do something to avoid conscription, or was there a reason they were considered unsuitable for service

of Cyre, or do they have other ideas for the nation’s future? For example, when an Aundairan player character meets a group of Eldeen druids, it’s an opportunity to exploit the bad blood between

Wereraven

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

Wereraven Wereravens are secretive, cautious lycanthropes that seek to blend into society and subtly oppose evil. As avowed foes of malevolent beings, wereravens are stalked by wicked forces. Knowing

Gambler

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

Gambler All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you’re a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters

be repaid. 2 I’m loyal to the friend or family member who taught me how to gamble. 3 The person who saved me from my gambling addiction is the only reason I’m alive today. 4 A patron

Templars of the Silver Flame

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

regardless of order. You can count on these clergy to help you secure spellcasting services, and to offer you other material aid within reason. Enemies. Since the order of knights templar is sworn to

Undead. Unnatural beings loathe templars, as they represent everything these foul creatures despise—light, life, hope, and good. These menaces sometimes go to great lengths to trap and destroy templars

The Zhentarim

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

full extent of the threat, as corruption and madness have already infiltrated their secret outpost since those initial reports (see chapter 9). However, even the most cautious member of the Zhentarim

knows that demons at large in the world are bad for business. The organization thus views the possible presence of the demon lords in the Underdark with the same concern as any other external threat

Simple Traps

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

sown with too many traps, and if the characters are victimized over and over again as a result, they are likely to take steps to prevent further bad things from happening. Because of their recent

experience, the characters can become overly cautious, and you run the risk of the action grinding to a halt as the players search every square inch of the dungeon for trip wires and pressure plates

Druids of Khorvaire

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

strengthen the whole. We must destroy undead and ensure that the cycle continues. We, the Gatekeepers, protect the natural world from the forces that come from outside it, from those beings that slither in

, consider whether you have ties to one of these traditions, and what led you to leave your order. Are you on a mission? Are you exploring the world? Have you been banished, with good reason or otherwise?

The Golden Stag

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

to bring down that beast. Its pelt would be worth a fortune, even if it’s not real gold. A few of the more cautious types warn that the creature is clearly a blessed being and that killing it would

bring bad luck on the caravan, but no more than two or three people are persuaded. In minutes, the hunt is on, and the deer herd scatters into the nearby forest and through farmers’ fields. The

The Golden Stag

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

to bring down that beast. Its pelt would be worth a fortune, even if it’s not real gold. A few of the more cautious types warn that the creature is clearly a blessed being and that killing it would

bring bad luck on the caravan, but no more than two or three people are persuaded. In minutes, the hunt is on, and the deer herd scatters into the nearby forest and through farmers’ fields. The

Halfling Tables

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

extremely cautious, always on the lookout for monsters and other dangers. 5 You always see the bright side of a situation. 6 You like to collect mementos of your travels. Halfling Ideals d6 Ideal 1

for just one slice when you can have the whole cake. Reasons for Adventuring d6 Reason 1 Peeling taters and herding goats all the time wasn’t your cup of tea. 2 You fell asleep on a raft one day

D&D Beyond

Search Results