bards being dark could races

Viari

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

and earnest debate, he demonstrates an equal flair for planning and forethought, mad combat moves (involving leaping off high places whenever possible), and dark vengeance. Viari's career as an

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

Human Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

reckonings of most worlds, humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their

shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that’s why they build their mighty

Aasimar Legacy

Species Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

dark eyes 3 Starkly colored hair 4 An unusual hue tinting your shadow 5 A ghostly halo crowning your head 6 Rainbows gleaming on your skin Creating Your Character At

violent end on an adventure. Members of some races, such as dwarves and elves, can live for centuries. If typical members of a race can live longer than a century, that fact is mentioned in the race’s

Elf Legacy

Species Basic Rules (2014)

of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds

enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. A Timeless Perspective Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are

The Heirs and the War

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

the races of the Five Nations could not be trusted with ruling Khorvaire. It was time for the Dhakaani to return and subjugate the other races to their firm hand once again. The Heirs of Dhakaan are

worship gods, and no clerics or paladins are among them. The Kech Volaar have picked up some of the elven traditions of wizardry, and all clans have bards known as duur’kala (dirge singers), but in general the Dhakaani don’t rely on magic on the battlefield.

Elf Traits

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

is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. Subrace. Ancient divides among the

feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in

Elf Traits

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

is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. Subrace. Ancient divides among the

feet. Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in

Sun Elves

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

Sun Elves Sun elves, also known as gold elves, or Ar’Tel’Quessir, have a reputation for being arrogant and self-important. Many of them believe they are Corellon’s chosen people and that other races

, or noteworthy other races’ accomplishments might be, there is an inherent superiority to all things elven. This attitude colors sun elves’ relations with other elves, whom they see as diluted or

The Forgotten Realms

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak

against the terrifying powers that threaten the land. Wizards plunder the ruins of the fallen Netherese empire, delving into secrets too dark for the light of day. Bards sing of kings, queens, heroes

dwarf kings of Delzoun, seeking glory and treasure. Rogues prowl the dark alleyways of teeming cities such as Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate. Clerics in the service of gods wield mace and spell, questing

Barovians and Nonhumans

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

Barovians and Nonhumans Barovians are human. Although they know that dwarves, elves, halflings and other civilized races exist, few living Barovians have seen such “creatures,” let alone interacted

with them. Aside from the secretive dusk elves of Vallaki (see chapter 5), the only nonhumans most Barovians are familiar with are the adventurers that Strahd has lured to his dark realm. Barovians

Worlds of Adventure

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

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Worlds of Adventure

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

villains. Some races have unusual traits in different worlds. The halflings of the Dark Sun setting, for example, are jungle-dwelling cannibals, and the elves are desert nomads. Some worlds feature races

have been published as official settings for the D&D game. The legends of the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Mystara, and Eberron settings are woven together in the fabric of the

Goliath Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

skills. This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might

, committed by the goliath. Goliaths assign and use nicknames with their friends of other races, and change them to refer to an individual’s notable deeds. Goliaths present all three names when

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Realms

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

varied cultures and races, Faerûn is dominated by human lands, be they kingdoms, city-states, or carefully maintained alliances of rural communities. Interspersed among the lands of humans are old dwarven

others. News and gossip are carried between population centers by caravans and ships that bring in supplies for trade and by traveling bards and minstrels who recount (or invent) stories to inform and

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind)

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

Piwafwi (Cloak of Elvenkind) Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) This dark spider-silk cloak is made by drow. It is a cloak of elvenkind (see chapter 7, “Treasure,” of the Dungeon Master’s

Guide). It loses its magic if exposed to sunlight for 1 hour without interruption. DROWCRAFT ITEMS Magic items crafted by the drow — and often other races of the Underdark — use components and

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

Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)

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

grandest deep gnome strongholds, which existed for more than two thousand years until it was overrun a little more than a century ago by the dark elves of Menzoberranzan. The deep gnomes recently reclaimed

their old home, and now struggle to rid it of malign influences that have crept into the tunnels and warrens in their absence. Deep gnomes are lean with dark, earthen skin tones of gray. Males are bald

The True Threat

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

aquatic races. The lizardfolk’s main purpose is to form an army to expel the sahuagin from the area. In so doing, they hope to discourage the sahuagin from ever again intruding on the region. The

lizardfolk have not approached Saltmarsh with an offer to join the alliance because Othokent, their queen, considers humans and other land-dwelling races as of little use in a battle to be fought largely

Chapter 1: Prisoners of the Drow

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss

races and creatures too numerous to count or list, and foremost among these are the dark elves — the drow. Hated and feared even by their fellow dwellers in darkness, the drow raid other settlements

entertainment in the dark elves’ subterranean cities. The adventurers have all had the misfortune of falling to such a fate. Captured by the drow, they are prisoners at one of the dark elves’ outposts

Self-Sufficient Clans

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

to fail, and they push themselves to extreme efforts before they give up on something. A dragonborn holds mastery of a particular skill as a lifetime goal. Members of other races who share the same

for such help is the clan, and when a clan needs help, it turns to another dragonborn clan before seeking aid from other races — or even from the gods. DRACONIANS In the Dragonlance setting, the

The Forgotten Realms

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

their gods, questing against the terrifying powers that threaten the land. Wizards plunder the ruins of the fallen Netherese empire, delving into secrets too dark for the light of day. Bards sing of

the fallen dwarf kings of Delzoun, looking for glory and treasure. Rogues prowl the dark alleyways of teeming cities such as Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate. Clerics wield mace and spell in the service of

Seven Secrets of Ravenloft

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

Dark Powers Control All. Sinister entities known as the Dark Powers manipulate the Domains of Dread and all who dwell within. Immortal, unknowable, and omnipotent, the Dark Powers revel in sowing

serve as the prisons of Darklords, villainous beings trapped and tormented by the Dark Powers. The specifics of each domain exist to ironically twist its Darklord’s desires, capturing them and their

Young Race, Old Roots

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

significant populations of half-elves. It is only in the past thousand years or so, as the races have intermingled more and more, that the number of half-elves has increased so that they are now found

conquered by the dark elves years ago, and in the Underdark, where House Ousstyl of Menzoberranzan is particularly infamous for having mated with humans.

Diseases

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

wasting illness. A warlock offends some dark power and contracts a strange affliction that spreads whenever he casts spells. A simple outbreak might amount to little more than a small drain on party

might affect only constructs or undead, or sweep through a halfling neighborhood but leave other races untouched. What matters is the story you want to tell.

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

different races or cultures. The bardic colleges might be closed to everyone except elves, dragonborn might be the only creatures capable of becoming sorcerers, and all warlocks in your world might be human

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

The Old Dartwild Cabin

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

more than harmless spectators. When the characters enter the cabin, read the following text: The cabin is full of buzzing flies. Seated in a dark corner behind a rickety kitchen table is what’s

imparts the following information: Grave Theft. Two halflings dug up his grave in the dead of night and stole his Canaith mandolin (an instrument of the bards). Frody wants it back. (“It was a gift

Elves

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

kingdoms lasting three thousand years. These battles devastated much of the world and resulted in the dark elves’ flight into the Underdark. Reeling from these calamities, the elven empires went into a

long, slow decline, and many of their kind took part in the great Retreat to their refuge on Evermeet. As the elves increasingly withdrew from the world, other races and civilizations rose to prominence

Creating a Race or Subrace

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

Creating a Race or Subrace This section teaches you how to modify existing races, as well as create new ones. The most important step in customizing or designing races for your campaign is to start

the race compelling from a storytelling standpoint? What is the race’s relationship to the other playable races? What classes and backgrounds are well suited to members of the race? What are the race’s

Guilds and Groups

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

city of Sharn, which is both the cultural heart of Breland and a nexus for intrigue and diplomacy. Bards have much to gain from the company of other bards, as they exchange news, stories, and songs

. For this purpose, long ago a group of the finest bards in Sharn founded the Circle of Song, an alliance of entertainers and adventurers. The Circle of Song is an informal organization, open to any

Mielikki

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

watch over good folk in any forest, not matter how dark or cruel. When children are lost in the woods, people beseech Mielikki to protect them until they are found. Mielikki is the goddess of the forest

attract. She is the patron of rangers in the same way that Milil is the patron of bards, but even rangers rarely pray to her directly. They instead pray to Gwaeron Windstrom, who they believe will

The Demon Wastes

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

still lingers in this place. Vile creatures continue to crawl up from the depths of Khyber. And there are a handful of primordial ruins sustained by dark magic… ruins that may still be home to fiends

battles against the Ghaash’kala and the other Carrion Tribes. These people are mostly humans, but there are corrupted orcs, half-orcs, and tieflings mixed in, along with a handful of other races

Chapter 2: Guilds of Ravnica

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

guild. For example, it would be highly unusual for a Devkarin elf (a dark elf) to join any guild other than the Golgari, and the Ordruun line of minotaurs has provided the Boros armies with generations

of offspring. Members of certain races are also drawn to specific guilds, as noted in the description of each of guild.

Noteworthy Features

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

and races hail from the domain, perhaps living in small communities or having been created by magic. When players create characters from Hazlan, consider asking them the following questions. What is

magic to join Hazlan’s elite? Has magic altered you? Have you been affected by a magical disaster, pollution, or experimentation? Do you have an obvious Dark Gift or characteristic that sets you

Barbarians

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

Barbarians Closest to the dark elves, Pwent lowered his head, with its long helmet spike, and impaled one elf through the chest, blasting through the fine mesh of drow armor easily and brutally. The

consort with fiends. Dwarf barbarians are famed and feared warriors among the fiercely proud clans that have reclaimed territories like Mithril Hall and Gautlgrym. Barbarians of most other races hail

D&D Beyond

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