bards before defeat canaries require

Faction Agent

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

operated openly or secretly, depending on the faction and its goals, as well as how those goals mesh with your own. Becoming an adventurer doesn’t necessarily require you to relinquish membership

knowledge, rather than brute force. Harper agents are often proficient in Investigation, enabling them to be adept at snooping and spying. They often seek aid from other Harpers, sympathetic bards and

The Heirs of Dhakaan

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

, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who tell tales of past glory. Among the Dhakaan, goblinoids work together. Hobgoblins are the strategists and

commanders, typically having the skills of fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but

Modifying a Class

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

firmly in the world by associating the class with a particular race or culture. For example, you might decide that bards, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards represent the magical traditions of four

. You could break that down still further: bards of the College of Lore could be high elves, and bards of the College of War could be wood elves. Gnomes discovered the school of illusion, so all wizards

Build Your Group

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

Build Your Group A head of state like Prince Oargev requires a variety of adventurers to do the range of tasks they require. Depending on the kinds of work you do, your party might include some or

Charisma to work in the service of the state. These characters often come from a noble background and bring proficiency in skills such as Intimidation and Persuasion to their work. Bards are natural fits in

Raid Against the Machine

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

Ursas causes him to shout out in rage, swearing vengeance “in the name of my unholy patron, Bel!” If either agent gains control of the Infernal Machine, they immediately use it to attempt to defeat

their rival. (The machine has all its normal functions except its wish ability, which will require additional programming.) If confronted by the characters, the agent turns the Infernal Machine against

Background

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

Lum the Mad (so named after its last owner). Yet with the defeat of Baron Lum, his Infernal Machine was said to have been destroyed as well. Currently, the archdevils Zariel and Bel both have designs

, both devils require a number of missing components — former control buttons vital to the machine’s operation. Zariel and Bel have both planted agents in the world, tasking those agents with finding

The Three Pillars of Adventure

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

interaction, and combat. Exploration includes both the adventurers’ movement through the world and their interaction with objects and situations that require their attention. Exploration is the give-and

characters and other creatures swinging weapons, casting spells, maneuvering for position, and so on—all in an effort to defeat their opponents, whether that means killing every enemy, taking captives, or

Xanthoria's Defeat

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

Xanthoria’s Defeat Once Xanthoria is defeated, the characters find the last few pages of her notes among her possessions. They detail her growing obsession with undead and her success at turning

. Convincing Thunderwing to give up her life should be handled through roleplaying rather than ability checks, although you can require the characters to succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) group

Fortress Features

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Hold Back The Dead

Obscured, and the fog can’t be blown away. The fog doesn’t dissipate until the characters defeat the horde’s warlord. Light. This adventure begins on a sunny afternoon, but a thin, magical fog covers

Equipment Siege equipment includes objects designed to assail or defend castles and other walled fortifications. Most siege weapons require creatures to move them, as well as to load, aim, and fire

Goblinoids

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

Dhakaani. The Heirs of Dhakaan are an agnostic society and don’t have clerics, paladins, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who inspire their warriors

fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians, serving as shock troops. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but exceptional goblins join the

Mortuary Encounters

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

to expel a dybbuk† from a corpse. The exorcist asks the characters to help in dispatch the Fiend. 9 Two bards† in the Heralds of Dust approach the characters and sing a ballad honoring the dead. If the

characters interrupt or otherwise ruin the tune, 1d4 irascible specters emerge from the walls and attack, causing the bards to flee. 10 Three skeleton farmers quietly tend to corpse-white grave

T13: Great Statue of Orcus

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon Delves

is stolen (see “Stolen Goods” below). Roleplaying Nezzarum. Nezzarum has been waiting here in the hope that adventurers would come and defeat Xia and her cult, knowing that he isn’t strong enough to

defeat them on his own. If combat breaks out in T12 and Nezzarum is aware of it (either because Xia comes and implores the statue of Orcus for aid or because he notices the battle unfolding from his

Drowned Sailors

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Intro to Stormwreck Isle

. Those who succeed might recall that a particularly powerful blow (a critical hit) or radiant damage can help finish off a zombie. Runara’s Aid. In the unlikely event that the zombies defeat the

doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage. Conceptopolis

Grell

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

typically cooperate with one another only to defeat more powerful prey. Most demonstrate no interest in creating things or in communicating with other creatures, including their own kind. Many grells

only to feed and spread. 2 The larvae of another creature and require electrically charged environs to reproduce. 3 Seeking to escape some catastrophe or terror lurking in the depths. 4 Supernaturally

Adventure Structure

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

or more of these lairs in the course of the adventure. Thwarting the villains doesn’t require the characters to invade their lairs or defeat them in combat, so it’s possible to complete the adventure

Worshiping Mogis

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

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

when groups rose to oppose him. After one such defeat, the warrior was so filled with wrath that he murdered his entire village in Mogis’s name. The god, delighted by this display, gifted the warrior

If the Characters Decline

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

on stealing the rod and using the portal to travel to Pandesmos. If the characters defeat Kas, he reveals the location of Vecna’s ritual: the Cave of Shattered Reflection in Pandesmos on the plane of

of joining the fight against Vecna. Alustriel or Tasha might join particularly persuasive characters in their pursuit of Vecna, but this will require significant effort on your part and might make the

Astral Blights

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Spelljammer: Adventures in Space->Light of Xaryxis

characters defeat a group of blights, a new wave appears; repeat the die roll to see how many more blights arrive. With the appearance of each new wave, it should become increasingly obvious to the

blight doesn’t require air or sleep. Actions Multiattack. The blight makes two Heat-Draining Vine attacks. Heat-Draining Vine. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6

Bandit Plans

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble

succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes that the pair may seem sincere now, but they are less than trustworthy. Treasure. If the characters fight and defeat the two bandits, they find 60 GP

interpret information. Noticing a tripwire would be a Search action, while figuring out that the wire would pull down the stones is a Study action. In this instance, you don’t want to require both

Creating a Combat Encounter

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

the party risks defeat. XP Thresholds by Character Level Character Level ----- Encounter Difficulty ----- Easy Medium Hard Deadly 1st 25 50 75 100 2nd 50 100 150 200 3rd 75 150 225 400 4th

between parts of a multipart encounter, so they won’t be able to spend Hit Dice to regain hit points or recover any abilities that require a short rest to regain. As a rule, if the adjusted XP value

77. Death God's Nursery

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

key to each one’s destruction will require time and expensive research. There’s a 10 percent chance that any one of these phylacteries would be destroyed by hurling it into the lava. Mist Gate The

. Acererak’s Defeat If Acererak drops below 100 hit points, he casts teleport on his next turn and flees. As he departs, read: “We’ll meet again, fools!” says the lich. “And on that day, you will die!” With

Guild

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Perks With a guild as your group’s patron, you gain the following perks. These perks require an annual contribution of 15 gp paid to the guild (replacing the 5 gp per month cost for characters with the

due, and they are desperate to avoid paying. You must defeat whatever’s coming to collect the master’s debt or find another acceptable payment.

City Celebrations

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

. Although some of the dancing is wanton and performed for show, large-scale ring dances in the street for all ages are also popular. All the dancing ends at dusk, after which bards and minstrels perform at

well. These proceedings symbolize the defeat of Kistarianth first by the paladin Athar, and again decades later by his son, Piergeiron. Tradition dictates that the winners of the races run during the

Lyn Armaal, Level 3

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

. Two magic items are displayed here as well. Anstruth Harp. An exquisitely crafted harp sized for a human rests on a shelf. This instrument of the bards was acquired from a human bard who counseled

conch in her tower bedchamber (area 33), though he doesn’t know exactly where. If the characters seem intent on running amok, Thullen tries to defeat them quickly for the good of his family, calling on

Mortuary Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Adventure Atlas: The Mortuary

in this fitting area. Corpse Storage. The Heralds of Dust sequester bodies that require further assessment to a cylindrical storage area in the center of this facility. Corpses stored in this area

much damage on a successful one. Skall’s Reward. If the characters help Skall and defeat the spirit, they earn the respect of the dead. Skall bestows a Charm of the Dead Truce (see the “Heralds of Dust Charms” section) on each character.

Tomb Locations

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

Nature. The golem doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Multiattack. The golem makes two attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5

, saying that she has already seen their defeat written in their past and future. As you like, she can share key details from your campaign’s past to indicate that she has been watching the characters—and

Harrowhall Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

the keep. The mechanism to lower the portcullis is in area 2. Were the portcullis to be dropped, lifting it manually would require a successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check. Scaling the Walls. The

spirit confuses them. If the characters defeat Gremorly and these helmed horrors have not yet been destroyed, they become allies to the characters and defend this room on their behalf. Treasure. If a

Magical Phenomena

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

are willing to bargain. Mimic colonies have learned that adventurers they can’t defeat can be bought off with information about nearby creatures or locations, hidden treasure (which the colony

in the background of everything the creature hears for 1 hour, during which the creature has advantage on saving throws against spells. 7 The creature doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep for 1d4 days

Brimstone Hold Locations

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

do so. Portcullises. The gatehouse’s portcullises are so large that they each require two winches to operate, one on the second floor of each adjoining tower, and the two winches must be operated

doors at each end are readily visible from inside the hallway and don’t require an ability check to find. B13: Prison Cells The door to this chamber bolts from the outside. Inside, bundles of rags have

The Mountain Door

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a2

require DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. On a successful check, a character can move at half speed. On a failed check, a character makes no progress. If the check fails by 5 or more, the character

area 2 without alerting the archers. If the characters defeat these orcs but withdraw from the dungeon before overcoming the rest of them, the archers are replaced by orcs from area 14 and reinforced

Lambent Zenith Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Vecna: Eve of Ruin

. Though the survivors don’t require food in the timeless void of the Astral Sea, Kycera finds that cooking and eating bring the restless survivors comfort. Zuzanna Wuzyk Kycera Duskstride Talking with

Figaro and defeat Ilren, Kycera is grateful and provides all the information above willingly. Treasure. Within the pantry are 2d4 unopened casks of aged wine, each worth 500 gp. Kycera happily allows

Lower Palace Locations

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

determined to defeat the League of Malevolence before it can cause any more mischief. He volunteers an explanation of how Valor’s Call came to the palace (see “Fall of the Witch Queen” earlier in the

Zybilna and defeat the League of Malevolence, he shares the following information while showing them the door, determined to keep them from disturbing the books: A jabberwock has made its lair in the

Locations in Saltmarsh

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Eliander uses this cell to conduct meetings that require the utmost secrecy. The jail is used to hold prisoners with sentences of up to a year, but those facing longer terms or sentenced to hard labor are

Bandits Dreadwood 4 Defeat a threat Cultists Dreadwood 5 Find a lost patrol Bullywugs Drowned Forest 6 Scout a dangerous area Undead Azure Sea 13. The Snapping Line This popular inn and tavern is built

Fane Locations

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

floor. The first 40 feet of the climb require a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) checks, but after that, the DC is 15. Corpses. The bodies on the floor include a water cultist (the figure with the crab-shell

are. He or she is also aware of any other prophets the party has faced and defeated, having seen the events in fevered visions. The prophet dismisses any such defeat as the culling the weak, assuring

Chromatic Dragons

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

finishing off its enemies. A black dragon strikes at its weakest enemies first, ensuring a quick and brutal victory, which bolsters its ego as it terrifies its remaining foes. On the verge of defeat

an avalanche as it attacks. Overlords and Minions. Blue dragons covet valuable and talented creatures whose service reinforces their sense of superiority. Bards, sages, artists, wizards, and assassins

D&D Beyond

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