bards battle diffusing claim royal

College of Whispers

classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

, members of this college rarely reveal their true nature. They typically claim to follow some other college, or they keep their actual calling secret in order to infiltrate and exploit royal courts and

Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like other bards, sharing news, singing songs, and telling

College of Whispers (XGtE)

classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

, members of this college rarely reveal their true nature. They typically claim to follow some other college, or they keep their actual calling secret in order to infiltrate and exploit royal courts and

Most folk are happy to welcome a bard into their midst. Bards of the College of Whispers use this to their advantage. They appear to be like other bards, sharing news, singing songs, and telling

Jarund Elkhardt

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

in battle. The strain of his long years of rule is etched on his weather-worn face. Jarund's late son, Jarund Twice-Born, was killed almost a decade ago while trying to bring down a cave bear, leaving

Jarund without an heir. He has failed to produce another child with his wife, Wynneth, and his mistress, Froya, so the future of his royal line remains uncertain. Auril's unyielding winter concerns

Viari

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

adventurer was nearly cut short during a battle of which the bards still sing. Unleashing a devastating attack with the aptly named Apocalypse Dagger, the rogue destroyed a giant single-handedly — and lost

Storm Crab

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

water to crush foes. Giants on some worlds claim Stronmaus or one of his children created storm crabs in the early years of an ancient empire. Just as behir;behirs were created to fight dragons on land

and roc;rocs to challenge dragons’ mastery of the sky, storm crabs were meant to battle dragon turtles, bronze dragons, and other aquatic foes. On many worlds, these creatures fiercely guard the

Needle Lord

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

wrap around the corpse to animate it, causing it to rise and lurch about like a zombie. Invasive Species. When a great battle is fought in a fey woodland, the plants of the wood sometimes take on the

fancies itself a conquering general, wandering in search of a forest to conquer and claim. When it sets its sights on a forest, it first focuses on spreading the seed pods that give rise to its needle

Cradle of the Fire Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

lava. As the scion dreams of battle—perhaps a battle to rouse Annam from seclusion by uniting the giants or a war to conquer all in Surtur’s name—the volcano rumbles and spews molten

other effects end immediately. Scions of Giants’ Gods Giants are descended from the All-Father, Annam, and his children. But scions of giants’ gods boast a greater claim: they are

College of Lore

classes Basic Rules (2014)

elaborate compositions in royal courts, these bards use their gifts to hold audiences spellbound. When the applause dies down, the audience members might find themselves questioning everything they held

Bards of the College of Lore know something about most things, collecting bits of knowledge from sources as diverse as scholarly tomes and peasant tales. Whether singing folk ballads in taverns or

Catoblepas

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

pestilence and rot created catoblepases as embodiments of their influence, while other stories link them to misfortune. Some such tales claim that swamp-dwelling hags tend catoblepases like cattle

, drinking the monsters’ milk and using them as guardians or pets. Other legends say that those of impure heart can tame a catoblepas and whisper of malevolent warlocks and wicked knights who ride them into battle.

Crystal Dragon Wyrmling

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

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

A royal heir goes missing while secretly visiting a crystal dragon. The heir’s family, the heir’s friends, and the dragon all want to find the heir, but no faction trusts the others

Goliath Legacy

races Elemental Evil Player's Companion

At the highest mountain peaks — far above the slopes where trees grow and where the air is thin and the frigid winds howl — dwell the reclusive goliaths. Few folk can claim to have seen a

goliath, and fewer still can claim friendship with them. Goliaths wander a bleak realm of rock, wind, and cold. Their bodies look as if they are carved from mountain stone and give them great

Scion of Surtur

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

plume of smoke to rise, sometimes lit from below by fiery bursts of lava. As the scion dreams of battle—perhaps a battle to rouse Annam from seclusion by uniting the giants or a war to conquer

, and his children. But scions of giants’ gods boast a greater claim: they are Annam’s grandchildren, and they occupy a privileged place among giants. On some worlds, these scions ruled the

Bard

classes Basic Rules (2014)

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

of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation

Cradle of the Frost Scion

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

its cradle is functionally identical to a glacier or iceberg, nestled in an alpine valley or drifting in a polar sea. In its wintry seclusion, the scion dreams of battle and glory. If it is disturbed

are descended from the All-Father, Annam, and his children. But scions of giants’ gods boast a greater claim: they are Annam’s grandchildren, and they occupy a privileged place among giants

Young Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

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

return. 6 A royal heir goes missing while secretly visiting a crystal dragon. The heir’s family, the heir’s friends, and the dragon all want to find the heir, but no faction trusts

Hobgoblin Legacy

races Volo's Guide to Monsters

greatest respect is reserved for those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords are

careful to position themselves and their banners to claim the greatest victories in any conflict, and they portion out opportunities and responsibilities to other banners as politics dictate. Each

Scion of Thrym

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

or drifting in a polar sea. In its wintry seclusion, the scion dreams of battle and glory. If it is disturbed, the scion’s cradle of the frost scion;cradle animates as a bipedal figure formed of

scions of giants’ gods boast a greater claim: they are Annam’s grandchildren, and they occupy a privileged place among giants. On some worlds, these scions ruled the first empires of giants

Knight of the Order

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

important than the gear and fighting style of its members, and so most of these orders aren’t limited to fighting types, but are open to all sorts of folk who are willing to battle and die for the

service to a deity, such as Kelemvor’s Eternal Order or Mystra’s Knights of the Mystic Fire. Other knightly orders serve a government, royal family, or are the elite military of a feudal state

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

you, warning all others that you must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until you die or it drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it disappears. If anyone tries to help you, the helper summons its

in the hands of monsters, which you must clear out before you can claim the keep as yours. Vizier. At any time you choose within one year of drawing this card, you can ask a question in meditation and

Learning from Experience

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