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Returning 35 results for 'bards bad diffusing cosmic reality'.
Monsters
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
them to search for answers within the bowels of other beings, performing murderous haruspicy in pursuit of their discarded cosmic purpose. When they fail to find answers, their unnatural cries cause reality to shudder, undermining magic and sane minds alike.
destiny. Over centuries, these cosmic blasphemers transform into hunched, long-limbed horrors. Sadistic things, woe striders seek ways to reweave themselves into the tapestry of destiny. This leads
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
much damage on a successful one.Living portents are embodiments of prophecy sent by deities or other cosmic forces. These Celestials descend to Material Plane worlds in the form of falling stars. When
encounter.
Variant: Servants of Living Stars
Some stars in the sky are Elder Evils, alien beings of godlike power from the reality-defying Far Realm.
A living portent can be a fragment of these beings
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
also prize understanding of the cosmic forces that emanate from the Outer Planes, studying the opposing tides of good and evil, chaos and order, so they can offer counsel to those with the wisdom to
collecting knowledge and magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially
Monsters
Quests from the Infinite Staircase
"} lightning or thunder damage (Nafas’s choice).
Create Vortex. A 10-foot-radius, 60-foot-tall cylinder of swirling cosmic dust forms on a point Nafas can see within 120 feet of him. The vortex
of twinkling stardust follows Nafas wherever he goes, as evidence of his cosmic might.
No bottle, vase, ring, or lamp can contain Nafas. The genie is bound to the Infinite Staircase itself, anchored
Monsters
Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
from across the planes experience reality. For them, the act of eating is an experience to be drawn out and savored, with every meal considered in all its facets. Whether its fare is a demon, an
archon, a struggling halfling, or a catatonic mule, all such meals are culinary delights for a darkweaver, served up from the cosmic kitchen that is the multiverse. These spider-like terrors appreciate
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
other worlds in the Material Plane, and especially the way individual dragons manifest unique echoes across those worlds. They also prize understanding of the cosmic forces that emanate from the Outer
existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially magic items and artworks that highlight the unique nature of different worlds
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
. They also prize understanding of the cosmic forces that emanate from the Outer Planes, studying the opposing tides of good and evil, chaos and order, so they can offer counsel to those with the
in collecting knowledge and magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane
Monsters
Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
of the cosmic forces that emanate from the Outer Planes, studying the opposing tides of good and evil, chaos and order, so they can offer counsel to those with the wisdom to accept it.
Amethyst
magic dealing with the nature of the planes of existence, cosmic forces, and distant worlds. They prize treasures drawn from different worlds of the Material Plane, especially magic items and artworks
Backgrounds
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
always straining to peer into another reality that seems to be just beyond my senses.
5
I’m uneasy if I can’t see plants growing or feel soil beneath my feet.
6
Seeing illness
conclave has a deeper connection to the Worldsoul than I do.
6
I’m trying to atone for the life of crime I led before I joined the Selesnya, but I find it hard to give up my bad habits
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
emerges through imagination and the indescribable, not details. At its best, cosmic horror makes characters feel gradually unmoored from their familiar reality. Cosmic horror is about ineffable forces
Cosmic Horror Cosmic horror revolves around the fear of personal insignificance. The genre is predicated on the idea of entities so vast and so genuinely beyond our comprehension that we cannot
Orc
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
cosmic implications of Maglubiyet’s attacks. To prevent the goblinoids from outstripping her people in population, she urges the orcs to have many offspring and teach them the ways of battle not only
herself and claw Maglubiyet’s beady eyes from his face to prevent him from taking them from her. The cosmic battle between the two pantheons has raged for eons without resolution, leading those
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide
First World, The Scholars speak of a primordial state, a single reality they call the First World, which preceded the Material Plane. Many of the peoples and monsters that inhabit the worlds on the
iconic creatures took root on world after world, like seeds scattered by a cosmic wind. If the musings of these great sages are true, every world of the Material Plane is a reflection—or, in some cases, a distortion—of the First World.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
The God-Brain The scope of what mind flayers call history exists on a cosmic scale. Through ages of empire and conflict, the illithid elder brains indulged experiments without comparison or reference
for lesser beings, explorations beyond the boundaries of time, reality, immortality, and the multiverse. Many failed—at least one catastrophically so. To summarize an eon of atrocities, one elder
Sorcerer
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can’t study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power
chaos of Limbo, or a glimpse into the inner workings of reality. Sorcerers have no use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that wizards rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
discarded cosmic purpose. When they fail to find answers, their unnatural cries cause reality to shudder, undermining magic and sane minds alike. Woe Strider
Large aberration, chaotic evil
Armor Class 17
Woe Strider Woe striders form from the souls of those who’ve broken the bonds of destiny. Over centuries, these cosmic blasphemers transform into hunched, long-limbed horrors. Sadistic things, woe
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Quests from the Infinite Staircase
his cosmic might. No bottle, vase, ring, or lamp can contain Nafas. The genie is bound to the Infinite Staircase itself, anchored to the extradimensional realm that created him. From the steps of the
that power against formidable threats, rewriting reality to forcibly tilt the scales in his favor. The multiverse dictates that there must always be a noble djinni to preside over the Infinite Staircase
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands
Factions of Sigil On the Outer Planes, belief shapes reality. Cosmic concepts such as law and chaos can imbue true believers with newfound power, and when enough creatures unite under one ideology
, their beliefs can remold the planes themselves. In Sigil, this power rests with the factions, like-minded philosophers guided by cosmic truths about the multiverse and its workings. Their philosophies
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
Beholders: Bad Dreams Come True To those who would seek to conquer beholders or merely understand them, nearly everything about their quarry is unfathomable. These bizarre creatures are possessed of
alien intelligence, inhuman forms of perception, and the ability to shape reality through force of will — or even by their mere presence. Inside the comfortable confines of its subterranean lair, a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
agents include sophisticated bards, zealous paladins, talented mages, and grizzled warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty and are experts in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat
’ Alliance fights the things that the shopkeeper in his bed has never even heard of. We remove threats before the town mayor even knows about it. We make bad things go away. That’s what we’re good at.”
Rameel Jos
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
fireballs and magical flames at its foes.
Death slaadi are rumored to have a stench so bad it can be deadly. In reality, they can cast the cloudkill spell.
Inexperienced scholars and adventurers
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
existence itself. Characters who reach 20th level have attained the pinnacle of mortal achievement. Their deeds are recorded in the annals of history and recounted by bards for centuries. Their
characters might be called on to undertake grand adventures on the cosmic stage. And as a result of these adventures, their capabilities can continue to evolve. Characters gain no more levels at this
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
destiny from the Underworld, Klothys now endeavors to undo the cosmic damage caused by Heliod, Xenagos, and ambitious mortals in recent years. The ways in which they ravaged reality to realize their
, granting them understanding of cosmic truths and insights into how the future should unfold. Klothys withdrew to the Underworld ages ago to keep watch over the imprisoned titans and ensure they couldn’t
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
History of Eberron Every child knows the story of the Progenitor Dragons: Siberys, Eberron, and Khyber. In the dawn of time, these three cosmic beings created thirteen planes of existence, each
dominion over this new reality. She struck Siberys without warning and tore him apart. Eberron wrestled with Khyber and bound the traitor in her coils but could not defeat her. So Eberron became a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
objects of their desire. This constant indulgence has made them decadent, while their supreme power over reality makes them haughty and arrogant. Their vast palaces overflow with wonders and sensory
how unwise it is to defy a creature that can alter reality at a whim. A genie isn’t beholden to any noble genie, however, and will sometimes choose to defy a noble genie’s will and risk the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
, becoming a living prison that could forever hold the darkness within. And this is the foundation of our reality. Eberron is the Dragon Between, the world on which we stand. Khyber is the Dragon Below
, source of demons and foul things. And the ring around our world is the broken body of Siberys, the Dragon Above, whose blood is the source of all magic.
This cosmic struggle was merely the first of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
’ control over their domains are purposefully vague. As with any nightmare, the Domains of Dread aren’t shackled to the laws of reality. Domains exist not to simulate a believable world, but to terrify
genre in all its myriad forms is explored—from moody gothic horror and ghost stories to visceral body horror and mind-bending cosmic horror. Chapter 2 explores how to choose the horror themes that are right for your game, but read on at your discretion.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Morte’s Planar Parade
darkness. Dave Melvin Darkweavers are fascinated by sensations—particularly taste—and how creatures from across the planes experience reality. For them, the act of eating is an experience to be drawn
, served up from the cosmic kitchen that is the multiverse. These spider-like terrors appreciate second-hand descriptions of sensations, especially those they’re unlikely to experience in their home
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
not always so. Various scholars speak of a primordial state, a single reality they call the First World, which preceded the multiverse as we know it. Many of the peoples and monsters that inhabit the
, beholders, and other iconic creatures took root on world after world, like seeds scattered by a cosmic wind. If the musings of these great sages are true, every world is a reflection—and in some cases, a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things
Living Portent Living portents are embodiments of prophecy sent by deities or other cosmic forces. These Celestials descend to Material Plane worlds in the form of falling stars. When the living
: Servants of Living Stars
Some stars in the sky are Elder Evils, alien beings of godlike power from the reality-defying Far Realm. A living portent can be a fragment of these beings’ will. These
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
character astray, especially if the object of the research is known to the rival. The rival might plant false information, bribe sages to give bad advice, or steal key tomes needed to find the truth. In
would have opened it. 4 A sage becomes obsessed with convincing you of a number of strange theories about reality.* 5 Your actions cause you to be banned from a library until you make reparations.* 6 You uncovered useful lore, but only by promising to complete a dangerous task in return. *Might involve a rival
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
Scholars, wizards, druids, and bards of other races have different ideas about how halflings escape peril, suggesting that by virtue of something in their nature, they occupy a special place in the
off bad luck or to bring good fortune. Villages or even families might have superstitions observed by no one else, such as the following:
For a safe journey through a forest, leave a few seeds or a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated
from somewhere and has a purpose — and nobody can measure out and use that purpose like they can. As Talanatha “reads” fallen foes, she charts her party’s cosmic effects and can even try to smooth out
balance, but hate the idea that “balance” means good and bad things can both happen to you. Good things happening to you and bad things happening to other people seems perfectly reasonable.
2 You
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis
undead captain places his boot on the rail along the deck of his creaky galleon and leans over the bow. His disembodied hand perches on his shoulder, and lightning from the cosmic storm flashes
sensitive to holy praise. While aboard the ship, bards and other musicians are allowed to play only secular tunes.
Article 3: Coward’s Consequence. Those who abandon their post or shirk their duty
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Sigil and the Outlands
: Bleakers To the Bleak Cabal, the quest for cosmic meaning is futile—the multiverse doesn’t make sense, and it isn’t supposed to. With no greater truth, individuals must derive their own meaning from the
animosity. They have bad blood with the Harmonium, who view the Fated as wrongheaded and dangerous, and Factol Darkwood and Factol Montgomery of the Society of Sensation are bitter rivals. Fraternity of
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin
Reality Dawns When Kas reveals himself, a cacophony erupts downstairs. Sleeping characters are awakened, and otherwise occupied characters hear the following: Violent slamming and terrible crashes
. Alustriel correctly supposes that Kas plans to find Vecna and co-opt the lich-god’s ritual to become the most powerful being in existence. This outcome is as bad as Vecna ruling the multiverse, as far as