bards beauty diffusing cunning reason

College of Glamour

Classes Player’s Handbook

Weave Beguiling Fey Magic The College of Glamour traces its origins to the beguiling magic of the Feywild. Bards who study this magic weave threads of beauty and terror into their songs and stories

College of Whispers

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

against others through extortion and threats. Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason

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

Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

, and doing so wizens the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover every part of their body with clothing when exposure to light is a risk. The light a darkling

for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to glimpse the colors in a painting or a jewel. Elder Transformation. A wise and respected darkling can

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

. The Killing Light. The Summer Queen's curse causes a darkling's body to absorb light, and doing so wizens the creature, much like the effect of rapid aging. For this reason, darklings cover every

much of its possessions. Love of Art. Despite their curse, darklings retain a fondness for the beauty of art. A darkling might risk taking a peek at a sunset or lighting a tiny candle to glimpse

College of Whispers (XGtE)

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

against others through extortion and threats. Many other bards hate the College of Whispers, viewing it as a parasite that uses a bard’s reputation to acquire wealth and power. For this reason

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

Drow Favored Consort

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

, including the powerful drow matron mother, takes an attractive drow as consort. Chosen as much for beauty as for magical might, a drow favored consort can hold their own in both conversation and combat

claim the throne themselves. Those favored consorts who prove their cunning gain the ear, and perhaps even the heart, of their priestess and are relied on to provide useful advice. No position of

Half-Orc Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

orc comrades didn’t last long among the Bloody Skulls or any other orc tribe for that matter. But it was often true that a bit of human blood gave a warrior just the right mix of cunning

shared elements among these folk. Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former prisoner or a disgraced

College of Lore Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

to be true, from their faith in the priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a monarch or

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

Zhentarim Mercenary

backgrounds Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

you’re just good at getting the job done by any means necessary. Whatever your reason, you enlisted with the Zhentarim, the most notorious mercenary guild in the Realms. Though the Zhentarim&rsquo

;s leaders insist the organization is more like a family than a shadowy syndicate, few families exhibit as much dishonesty, nepotism, and corruption as this one. You’ve honed your cunning, reflexes, and blade to climb the guild’s ranks.

Far Traveler

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

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

hundreds of miles of the Great Glacier and the Great Ice Sea. No one from your nation makes the effort to cross such colossal barriers without a convincing reason. You must fear something truly

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

feeling homesick. Tortles embrace a simple view of the world. It is a place of wonder, and tortles see beauty in the ordinary. They live for the chance to hear a soft wind blowing through palm trees, to

prefer simple, non-gender-specific names that are usually no more than two syllables. If a tortle doesn’t like its name for whatever reason, it can change it. A tortle might change its name a dozen

Duergar Warlord

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

can add the number rolled to the d20 by taking 3 (1d6);{"diceNotation":"1d6", "rollType":"damage", "rollAction":"Scouring Instruction", "rollDamageType":"psychic"} psychic damage.A warlord is cunning

infused with powerful psionic abilities but also a profound gloom. In some, this strain of sorrow inspires works of grand but melancholic beauty, while in others, it manifests as rage. Like many who

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

;Divine Rank” sidebar in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.) Auril’s beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in

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

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in all forms, from art objects and flowers to skilled artisans and their wondrous works, freezing them in magical ice for her

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

beauty have little meaning for them. A sharp sword serves a useful and good purpose, while a dull sword is a dead weight without a whetstone. Lizardfolk see little need to plan more than a season or so

quirk for a lizardfolk character or to inspire a unique mannerism. Lizardfolk Quirks d8 Quirk 1 You hate waste and see no reason not to scavenge fallen enemies. Fingers are tasty and

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

;s Guide.) Auril’s beloved ice grasps all things in her clutches, preserving them against the ravages of time. She hoards beauty in all forms, from art objects and flowers to skilled

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

Adult Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

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

above to build their lairs. Then, like gem cutters seeking the perfect diamond, they spend much of their lives refining, polishing, and enhancing the beauty of their lairs. Crystal dragons&rsquo

Ancient Crystal Dragon

Monsters Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

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

, and enhancing the beauty of their lairs. Crystal dragons’ lairs are often found in polar expanses, dizzying mountain peaks, and glacial floes. Some resemble icy palaces, with numerous balconies

College of Lore

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

everything they held to be true, from their faith in the priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a

College of Lore 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

College of Lore

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

everything they held to be true, from their faith in the priesthood of the local temple to their loyalty to the king. The loyalty of these bards lies in the pursuit of beauty and truth, not in fealty to a

College of Lore 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

Auril's Everlasting Rime

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

nightly quest to hold the sun at bay stems from a need to preserve the beauty of things by freezing them. There is no way to reason with a being so bereft of compassion as Auril, but in her weakened

Temple of the Restful Lily

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries

The Price of Beauty, Sylvarie Silversong, after visions bestowed by Sune led her to a hot spring infused with fey magic. Ten years ago, a coven of green hags calling themselves the Fetid Gaze tricked

Sylvarie into a bargain that allowed them to take over the bathhouse. These cruel and cunning fey now use the temple to lure wealthy, greedy, and vain nobles and adventurers, preying on their

College of Glamour

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

College of Glamour The College of Glamour is the home of bards who mastered their craft in the vibrant realm of the Feywild or under the tutelage of someone who dwelled there. Tutored by satyrs

, eladrin, and other fey, these bards learn to use their magic to delight and captivate others. The bards of this college are regarded with a mixture of awe and fear. Their performances are the stuff of

Adventure Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Keys from the Golden Vault

speculated to maintain covert ties with occult or nefarious organizations. Serious academics often write off the Cognoscenti Esoterica as charlatans or pranksters, and with good reason: the

cultural significance, the aesthetics of masculine beauty, and its influence on society. They also planned to research the portrait’s magical properties (see the end of this adventure for a description

Suggested Characteristics

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

) 2 Reserved. As someone new to these strange lands, I am cautious and respectful in my dealings. (Lawful) 3 Adventure. I’m far from home, and everything is strange and wonderful! (Chaotic) 4 Cunning

fascinated by the beauty and wonder of this new land. 6 Though I had no choice, I lament having to leave my loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one day. Flaws d6 Flaw 1 I am secretly (or not

Grasslands of Oreskos

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

Grasslands of Oreskos Unspoiled by roads or buildings, Oreskos is a land of striking natural beauty, where the plains and sky appear to go on forever. Craggy stone formations and ancient ruins dot

. At night, the movements of Nyx are striking, but images of the gods seem to keep their distance from this land where few pay them honor. Yet most non-leonin will never see this beauty. The leonin

Talentan Characters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

born in the wild, and your wits and your weapons helped you survive. Talenta warriors are often barbarians or rangers, relying on speed and skill. However, cunning and charisma are equally important

, and bards and rogues certainly have a place on the plains. Outlander is a logical background, but you could easily be a bold folk hero, a dashing entertainer, or a clever charlatan. You could even be an

The Oases

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

. Har’Akir’s people say this oasis’s waters are poison, as the oasis was given by the gods to the beasts of the land. Prides of cunning lions hunt nearby, frequently washing their kills here. Sek’s Tears

to die soon, for one reason or another, and seek to cleanse themselves with the White Oasis’s waters before meeting their end.

A Bard's Muse

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

A Bard’s Muse Naturally, every bard has a repertoire of songs and stories. Some bards are generalists who can draw from a wide range of topics for each performance, and who take pride in their

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

Helmed Horror

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

Helmed Horror This construct possesses intelligence, the ability to reason and adjust its tactics, and an unswerving devotion to its maker that persists even after its maker’s demise. Resembling an

understand the difference between an order’s intent and its exact wording. Unlike many constructs, it seeks to fulfill the former rather than slavishly follow the latter. Tactical Cunning. A helmed horror

College of Whispers

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

College of Whispers 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 tales to the audiences they gather. In truth, the College of Whispers teaches its students that they are wolves among sheep. These bards use their knowledge and magic to uncover

Roleplaying Strahd

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

, especially if a person is clever or attractive. Men and women of beauty and cunning amuse Strahd for a time—playthings to possess or discard as he desires. If he senses a lack of cohesion in a party of

Loviatar

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

because it best emulates the Scourge Mistress, and for the same reason her faithful appreciate beauty, cultural refinement, and a certain adeptness at manipulation. Though temples to Loviatar are rare

Build Your Group

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

Build Your Group Naturally, a large portion of the Boromar Clan’s members come from a criminal background. There’s no reason characters with other backgrounds can’t be part of the syndicate, though

give them a broad range of knowledge to support their schemes. Bards, rogues, and wizards are often drawn to this role. Safecracker. The “breaking” part of “breaking and entering” is the Safecracker’s

Bard Subclasses

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

origins to the beguiling magic of the Feywild. Bards who study this magic weave threads of beauty and terror into their songs and stories, and the mightiest among them can cloak themselves in

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

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