bards beings devoted craft reason

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

College of Glamour Legacy

Classes Xanathar's Guide to Everything

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 legend. These bards

Hermit Legacy

Backgrounds Player’s Handbook (2014)

case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp Life of Seclusion What was the reason for your isolation, and what

changed to allow you to end your solitude? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your

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

Warlock of the Great Old One

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

of these warlocks associate with cultists devoted to these entities, as well as Aberrations that share their goals, yet other warlocks of the Great Old One are experts at rooting out the chaos and

wickedness inspired by bizarre beings from beyond the stars. Warlocks Warlocks gain arcane might through magical pacts with mysterious entities. While some use their abilities to serve the sources of their power, others use them to undermine or even destroy these entities.Psychic

Storm Herald

Monsters Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

: control water, control weather (as an action), sendingAncient and alien beings dwell or slumber in ocean depths, awaiting some cosmic circumstance that signals their time to rise. In their retreat

other storm giants to its master’s service, while others gather devoted cults of lesser creatures to serve the monsters of the deep.Lightning, ThunderCold, Psychic

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

rank. Promotions don’t depend on age but are granted by a superior as a reward for valor. Giff are devoted to their children, even as most of their education is geared toward fighting and war

brighter the flash, and the thicker the smoke it produces, the more giff love a weapon. Their skill with gunpowder is another reason for their popularity as mercenaries. Giff revel in the challenge of

Auril (Third Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined

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

Genasi Legacy

Species Elemental Evil Player's Companion

chip away at even a genasi’s sense of self, so they constantly push themselves to improve, honing their talents and perfecting their craft. Genasi Lands As rare beings, genasi might go their

Those who think of other planes at all consider them remote, distant realms, but planar influence can be felt throughout the world. It sometimes manifests in beings who, through an accident of birth

Lizardfolk Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

; Instead, aggressive, stronger creatures register to the lizardfolk as fearsome beings to be avoided if possible. If such creatures attack, lizardfolk flee, fighting only if cornered. Lizardfolk aren

, if other creatures prove useful to lizardfolk, those creatures can trigger a protective response made all the stronger by their apparent weakness. The lizardfolk assess such beings as hatchlings

Rakdos Cultist

Backgrounds Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

You’re an entertainer at heart, a performer with a flair for the dramatic and a love of the spotlight. You’ve spent years honing your craft, mastering a demanding set of skills so you can

a member of a cult devoted to an ancient demon who delights in violence and chaos. It just so happens that Rakdos loves a good show, and your highest aspiration is to please the Defiler, the Lord of

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

watch a frog croaking on a lily pad, or to stand in a crowded human marketplace. Tortles like to learn new skills. They craft their own tools and weapons, and they are good at building structures and

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

Auril (First Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

realm in the far north and, after a time, plunged it into frigid darkness using her magic. Casting such great magic night after night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves 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’ demands. As the embodiment of winter’s cruelty, she is

Hermit - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

powerful beings of the outer planes, or the forces of nature. It could be a site that no one else has ever seen. You might have uncovered a fact that has long been forgotten, or unearthed some relic of the

past that could rewrite history. It might be information that would be damaging to the people who consigned you to exile, and hence the reason for your return to society. Work with your DM to

Brass Dragons

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Brass Dragons Bards sometimes seek out brass dragon lairs in hopes that the dragons’ whimsy will enhance their creativity, like a muse. The more experienced bards know not to overstay their welcome

, lest they awaken cradling a skunk cabbage. -Fizban Use the tables, map, and other information in this section to craft unique encounters with brass dragons.

Loxodon

Species Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica

snorkel. Gifted Stoneworkers Loxodons are tireless, patient artisans with an unrivaled intuition about their craft. Although they make nurturing spiritual leaders, their gift for stonework is so

guilds is their sense of the size of the community they belong to. For loxodons in the Selesnya Conclave, their community is the world and all living beings in it—everything valuable, meant to live

Auril (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

night while also granting spells to her devoted followers leaves Auril weak and vulnerable. In her self-inflicted weakened state, Auril is inclined to be cautious and avoid contact with other creatures

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

Greensingers

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

Greensingers The Greensingers are devoted to the fey, and serve as mediators between the fey and mortals. The ranks of the Greensingers include bards as well as warlocks with Archfey patrons; a druid or ranger might also serve a specific archfey.

Sage - Baldur's Gate

Backgrounds Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

craft dangerous magical wares without batting an eyelash. Whenever a noteworthy crime or mysterious happening occurs in the city, you immediately have a list of 1d4 suspects who, if they aren’t

involved, have a strong chance of knowing who is. Suggested Characteristics Sages are defined by their extensive studies, and their characteristics reflect this life of study. Devoted to

Kobold Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

undetected and don’t give their targets reason to harm them. For example, a group of city kobolds might sneak into a cobbler’s house at night to loot it of knives, leather bits, nails, and

, giving each individual and every generation a reason to feel pride and self-respect. The kobolds prefer to run away than fight, to live off the scraps of others, and they are often dominated by larger

Paladin Legacy

Classes Basic Rules (2014)

sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin’s oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that

sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin’s power comes as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god. Paladins train for years to learn the

Followers

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons

Followers Certain dragons act like they’re in danger of forgetting their own grandeur unless they’re surrounded with beings they can demean. I’ve found, on the contrary, that those scorned by others

encounter and adventure design. As you craft an encounter, an adventure, or an entire campaign around a dragon, you can decide how many creatures are in the dragon’s service.

Part 2: Master of Adventures

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

some free time to exercise your creativity as you invent compelling plots, create new NPCs, craft encounters, and think of clever ways to foreshadow story events yet to come. Part 2 of these rules is

devoted to helping you create and run great adventures. Chapter 3 covers the basic elements of a D&D adventure, and chapter 4 helps you create memorable NPCs. Chapter 5 presents guidelines and advice

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

. The kenku lack the talent to improvise or alter a plan, but a wise Master sets multiple plans in motion at once, confident that underlings can follow orders to the letter. For this reason, many

legitimate trades. These kenku adopt noises made as part of their craft. A sailor duplicates the sound of a fluttering sail, while a smith mimics the clanging of a hammer on metal. Non-kenku describe these folk by their trade sounds, such as Sail Snap, Hammerer, and Cutter.

Green Dragons

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

. Elusive, conniving, and egotistical, these chromatic dragons patiently prey on the fears of shorter-lived beings, corrupting and isolating them. Green dragons might lurk amid labyrinthine wildernesses

for centuries without revealing themselves; even their most devoted followers might know them only as the voice of the woodlands or a whisper in their dreams. Despite their might, most green dragons

The Heirs and the War

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

devoted to war, with an unmatched focus on sheer martial skill. Their weaponry and artillery are of the highest quality, and they place their trust in strength of arms, not on magic. The Dhakaani don’t

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.

The Dark Powers

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

The Dark Powers Unfathomable, hidden forces manipulate life, death, and reality within Ravenloft. These mysterious, deathless beings are the architects of the Domains of Dread, and have secreted

villains to add to their terrifying menagerie. To what end, no one knows. The Dark Powers don’t move in the shadows of Ravenloft; they are the shadows. They’re the Mists and the darkness. They’re the reason

Emherst

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

devoted to their craft, the instructors, students, and support staff of Emherst continually improvise performances, taking seven weeks to prepare before performing uninterrupted through an eighth “live

Eberron

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

. The philosophy of the Blood of Vol teaches that divinity lies within all mortal beings and reveres the undead who have secured that immortality. Various cults are devoted to the demons and horrors

religions are very different from the traditional D&D pantheons. The monotheistic Church of the Silver Flame is devoted to fighting against evil in the world, but plagued by corruption in its own ranks

Death Tyrant

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

be perfect beings. No matter how death tyrants come into being, bizarre impulses drive their deathless existences. Their motivations tend to be extreme or beyond the reason of living creatures.

Dark Sun

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

planes — and they lost. The gods were slain or driven into exile, leaving Athas under the dominion of elemental beings who took little interest in the affairs of mortals. In the grim age that

only the strongest survive. One of the hallmarks of the Dark Sun setting is that the heroes don’t need to seek out forgotten dungeons to find adventure — mere survival is adventure enough. But there is no reason you can’t successfully adapt Princes of the Apocalypse to your Dark Sun campaign.

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

Interesting Locations

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

large meeting rooms, and a small concert hall. Rumors say that this is an outpost of the secret Circle of Song, a society of bards and entertainers spread across Khorvaire; others swear that House

. Devoted to the Sovereign of Law and Lore, this grand temple is an architectural marvel as well as a sacred site. Many scholars and sages make the pilgrimage and spend one night in the Great Hall

Rudolph van Richten

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

Rudolph van Richten A scholar and monster hunter, Rudolph van Richten has traveled to dozens of Domains of Dread in the Shadowfell (see chapter 6), investigating reports of monstrous beings and

, van Richten has hunted monsters and armed others with the knowledge they need to confront evil. Though he’s made many devoted allies, he keeps them at arm’s length, fearing the threat of his curse

Mournland Villains

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

Mournland Villains Few people have reason to spend time anywhere near the Mournland. Among the exceptions are those who seek to plunder the riches of lost Cyre, such as Ikar’s Salvage (described

capture in the Mournland. 2 The leader of a cult devoted to Belashyrra, the Lord of Eyes, uses daelkyr-made tentacles to tear out the eyes of victims and attaches them to members of the cult. 3 A

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