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Returning 35 results for 'bards back down court rites'.
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
, foul rites that allow one to transform into a death knight or lich, or long-lost spells crafted by beings so evil their names ought never to be spoken aloud.
Vile Speech. While the book is on your
damage unless the creature is a Fiend or an Undead.
Destroying the Book. The Book of Vile Darkness allows pages to be torn from it, but any evil lore contained on those pages finds its way back into the
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
Knightly Virtue. The knight has one of the following traits, depending on the court it serves:
Courage (Embereth). The knight has advantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws.
Knowledge
its former glory, or seeking to help travelers and remote communities beset by troubles.
Achieving knighthood in one of the courts requires a quest that proves one’s excellence in that court
Monsters
Eberron: Rising from the Last War
court of vampires and ghosts in her palace of ice. Other tales claim that when anyone dies in Lhazaar, Illmarrow chooses whether to take their soul before it passes on to the Keeper and Dolurrh.
But
island domain.
Long ago, it was revealed that the elven line of Vol — a house that practiced the art of necromancy and bore the Dragonmark of Death — was engaged in secret blood rites
Monsters
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
that is Medium or Small or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the
their descendants and the communities they knew in life, sowing terror and taking retribution for the slights or neglected burial rites that led to their cursed resurrections. Rigor mortis notoriously
Monsters
Storm King's Thunder
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Change Shape. Iymrith magically polymorphs into a female storm giant or back into her true form
. In this guise, she has infiltrated Hekaton’s court. While concealing her true nature and agenda from the giants, Iymrith offers counsel to Princess Serissa and at the same time secretly feeds
Monsters
Curse of Strahd
through her veins.
Mother Night. Over four hundred years ago, Katarina came to Barovia and insinuated herself into Strahd’s court, working as a maid in Castle Ravenloft. She came to know the
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
Monsters
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
eyelashes. Underneath her makeup, her flesh is textured like rotten bark and infested with wood lice and fungus. The windup key sticking out of her back is a part of her body and no easier to remove than one
returned, the hags used this power to trap Iggwilv and her court in temporal stasis. The hags then carved up Iggwilv’s domain, splitting it between them. The sisters couldn’t agree on which
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
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
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
a bridge on a major trade road, terrifying travelers.
3
After an unwise attack from a whaling ship, a dragon turtle pursued the ship back to harbor and now attacks any ship that tries to leave
in a game of dragonchess that has been going on for centuries.
2
An ancient dragon turtle serves as counsel to an empyrean court, tempering the Celestials’ passions with the dragon turtle
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
Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
sensations or visions of the past to come rushing back.
Rather than sleeping, reborn regularly sit and dwell on the past, hoping for some revelation of what came before. Most of the time, these are dark
of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):
Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your
Entertainer
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
Backgrounds
Player’s Handbook (2014)
but possibly with a circus, at a theater, or even in a noble’s court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the
)
d6
Bond
1
My instrument is my most treasured possession, and it reminds me of someone I love.
2
Someone stole my precious instrument, and someday I’ll get it back
Kenku
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
Learn More
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 area patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death.
— Gimble, Notes from a
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Rites The most sacred rite of the Undying Court is trance communion. While in trance, an Aereni elf engages in meditation that connects them to the gestalt consciousness of the Court. This experience
congregation. A masked priest serves as the face of the Court, and any elf can approach them seeking an ease to their burdens.
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
Citadel, as well as other lands. Skilled scouts and spies can also be hired for short-term reconnaissance or long-term infiltration. The Court is a mixed outdoor-indoor space with quiet alcoves and
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
Citadel, as well as other lands. Skilled scouts and spies can also be hired for short-term reconnaissance or long-term infiltration. The Court is a mixed outdoor-indoor space with quiet alcoves and
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Bard Subclass A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve
their traditions. This section presents the College of Lore subclass. College of Lore Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
filled with Janyans enraptured by the low-toned, hypnotic music of a group of bards. Xoese-Addae leads the characters to a private audience suite overlooking the quad, occupied by a single Janyan wearing
fine, billowing robes—this is Zisatta. Zisatta Zisatta The aloof Zisatta is a member of the High Court and commands Janya’s security forces, called the Billowing Patrol for their sable robes that
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
, wheeling corpses to embalming chambers or to the crematorium. The Heralds of Dust treat the dead with reverence and dignity, granting them last rites in accordance with the beliefs of the deceased
book’s introduction. If all the characters die at once, they reappear back in the morgue. Morte heckles them on their return.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd
K2. Center Court Gate Two gates, one north of the keep and one to the south, prevent easy access to what lies beyond them. A massive wall juts out to connect the outer walls of the castle with the
DC 15 Strength check. It can also be opened with a command word that only Strahd and Cyrus Belview (area K62) know. Unless the portcullis is wedged or propped open, it falls back into place once it is let go.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
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 area
patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death.
— Gimble, Notes from a Treasure Hunter
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
records rooms (area H2) at all hours. Behind a desk sits a court clerk (commoner). Uncomfortable wood benches line the walls. A copper plaque mounted above each bench says, in Common, “Please have a
space hold boxes of papers dated by month and year. These papers are records of court proceedings and depositions. H3. Clerks’ Office Two desks pushed together in the middle of the room hold quills
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
and fomorians that they are not a threat to the Gloaming Court. If they believe the characters, and particularly if the characters agree (truthfully or otherwise) to help the queen destroy the
Princess of the Shadow Glass, the elves and fomorians can reveal that the Queen of Air and Darkness sent them from the Feywild to slay the marked characters and steal back The Scrivener’s Tale. The queen is
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
. A gynosphinx with oracular powers came back to Morgrave University with a Xen’drik expedition two years ago, and took up residence there. In addition to her first-hand knowledge of Xen’drik, she is
to be brought out of Xen’drik,” she might say. She never explains her proclamations, and never provides information on mundane affairs. Faerie Court. Somewhere deep in the western forest of the Eldeen
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Bard Subclasses A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve
Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
disaster. In truth, generations of hapless humans raised their city, realizing too late that they’d done so upon the back of a titanic kraken. When the kraken Arixmethes awakened, its throes devastated the
city upon its back and wiped out the residents. Since returning to its slumber, Arixmethes drifts where it will, still bearing the ruins of a legendary city upon its back. Cronemouth Cove This tiny
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn
forests around Windkeep in Kharolis on the world of Krynn. Fizban needs to ask the unicorn to travel back to Windkeep with the characters to help him complete some beneficent magical research
unicorn to live in her stables and bless her court in exchange for a lavish lifestyle. The queen suggests a unicorn may live in the forests around Enstad, the capital.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Duergar Calassabrak A duergar prince named Valtagar Steelshadow traveled to Undermountain to plunder its mines and use the wealth to buy his way back into the court of his older brother, King Horgar
and his duergar followers were forced back into the Underdark by the planetar’s sudden arrival and subsequent bloody crusade. Weeks after retreating, they returned to discover that the mines were much
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Mogis and regularly hold bloody rites in his honor. Warchanters, the minotaur clergy of Mogis, whip their marauders into a near-mindless frenzy before battle; the ensuing slaughter gives glory to
such, whispers among the servants of other gods claim that there might be a way to piece the fractured god back together. Doing so would require an incredible feat, though, likely involving the