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Returning 35 results for 'bards beings driven corrupt rites'.
Classes
Player’s Handbook
Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge
Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources, such as scholarly tomes, mystical rites, and peasant tales. The college’s
Magic Items
Dungeon Master’s Guide
, foul rites that allow one to transform into a death knight or lich, or long-lost spells crafted by beings so evil their names ought never to be spoken aloud.
Vile Speech. While the book is on your
Archlich;Vecna authored the Book of Vile Darkness. He recorded in its pages every horrid idea, every corrupt thought, and every example of foul magic he came across or devised.
Other practitioners of
Monsters
Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
linger at the margins of the undercity but now increasingly making their buzzing voices heard in the subterranean Golgari guildhall. These six-legged, insectile beings are hard-headed and literal-minded
, with little grasp of metaphor or nuance.
The death priests occupy the highest roles in kraul society. They lead the buzzing chants of the kraul rites. Their inscrutable clicks and buzzing can summon
Acolyte
Legacy
This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore.
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Backgrounds
Basic Rules (2014)
You have spent your life in the service of a temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and
offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
chaos, confusion, and destruction, seeking to corrupt all that is good and undermine order in the multiverse, to see everything dragged howling into the infinite depths of the Abyss.
The demon lord is
Demogorgon’s followers are typically lone killers driven by the whispering voice of their master. His most blessed followers gain the Two Minds of Chaos trait.
Two Minds of Chaos. This creature
Species
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
veins making it clear that they’ve been touched by death. Other reborn are marvels of magic or science, being stitched together from disparate beings or bearing mysterious minds in manufactured
of Dread (detailed in chapter 3):
Har’Akir. You died and endured the burial rites of this desert realm, yet somehow a soul—yours or another’s—has taken refuge in your
Monsters
The Book of Many Things
martyrs pique Hulgaz’s interest because she loves the challenge of twisting and defiling the souls of such noble beings. She responds to unwavering do-gooders by redoubling her efforts to corrupt
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric&mdash
;performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power.
Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the nature of your
Warlock
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils
relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
seer nearby. A hulk appears to have little will of its own and is driven to protect its master.
Star Spawn
The Material Plane represents only one small part of the multiverse. Beyond the best
-known planes of existence lie realms alien to mortal life. Some are so hostile that even a moment’s contact is enough to break a mortal’s mind. Yet beings do exist that are native to these
Backgrounds
Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
Guild took over your family business, ran it into the ground, and burned the building for insurance money. You were driven into crime yourself, but you’ll never work for the Guild. You take
; but what you learn you pass on to the Guild.
4
The inequality of Baldur’s Gate has driven you to take matters into your own hands. You steal from patriars and rich Lower City residents
Genasi
Legacy
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Species
Elemental Evil Player's Companion
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
, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all.
Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic, or assuming leadership
Monsters
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse
’s goal is to tap into vast energy sources and perform the dire rites that will extend a bridge between the Material Plane and the squirming chaos of an Elder Evil’s realm.
An entity that
even a moment’s contact is enough to break a mortal’s mind. Yet beings do exist that are native to these realms: entities that are ever hungering, searching, warring, and sometimes
Backgrounds
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
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
relic of my faith that was lost long ago.
2
I will someday get revenge on the corrupt temple hierarchy who branded me a heretic.
3
I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my
Lizardfolk
Legacy
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Species
Volo's Guide to Monsters
have more in common with iguanas or dragons than they do with humans, dwarves, or elves. Lizardfolk possess an alien and inscrutable mindset, their desires and thoughts driven by a different set of
; 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
Paladin
Legacy
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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
paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
the hand and lead it to the proper afterlife. Kelemvor’s priests teach that those who revere the gods according to the rites of their religion have done their proper service and will be offered the
rites for those who can’t afford the lavish ceremonies of their faith. The tenets of Kelemvor’s faithful compel them to forestall or prevent untimely deaths whenever possible. Different sects and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dragon of Icespire Peak
Centaur of Attention After being driven from his home in Neverwinter Wood by marauding orcs, Xanth the centaur has taken refuge in the hills around the barrow. When he spots the characters, Xanth
overrun with orcs in league with half-orc spellcasters. Deep in the forest, atop a cave-riddled hill, is a circle of standing stones where the evil half-orcs perform their dark rites.” Xanth avoids
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Bard Subclass 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
their traditions. This section presents the College of Lore subclass. College of Lore Plumb the Depths of Magical Knowledge Bards of the College of Lore collect spells and secrets from diverse sources
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual
Mummies Deathless Ancients with Ageless Ambitions Habitat: Desert, Swamp; Treasure: Relics Mysterious rites and mighty faith can tie spirits to their corpses, binding them to their remains for all
time. Should their resting places be violated, these beings, known as mummies, reanimate their deteriorating bodies to restore the sanctity of their tombs and punish those who disturbed their rest
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
paladins are driven by a personal goal that either complements or transcends the dictates of their oaths. Paladins who swear different oaths might have the same personal goal, differing only in how they
sworn to do, or die trying. 4 Leadership. You will win a great battle that bards will sing about, and in so doing, you will become an example to inspire others. 5 Faith. You know your path is righteous
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
, when they piously observe the god’s rites and sacrifices, and when they devoutly trust in the god’s divine might, the god becomes more powerful. The competition for mortal devotion isn’t necessarily
beings—heroes and monsters alike—often become unwitting pawns in the contests of the gods. Having a powerful champion is an indication of a god’s power—and can potentially increase the god’s own power. A
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Monster Manual (2014)
Lizardfolk Shaman Lizardfolk Leaders. Lizardfolk respect and fear magic with a religious awe. Lizardfolk shamans lead their tribes, overseeing rites and ceremonies performed to honor Semuanya. From
time to time, however, a lizardfolk tribe produces a powerful figure touched not by Semuanya but by Sess’inek — a reptilian demon lord who seeks to corrupt and control the lizardfolk. Lizardfolk Shaman
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters
’ magical heritage also expresses itself in other ways; those who become bards preserve the clan’s lore, and firbolg sorcerers defend their communities. Firbolg wizards arise when a clan becomes
enforcers of that god’s will.
Firbolg warlocks are rare, but some clans forge alliances and arcane pacts with powerful fey beings.
Firbolg monks are almost entirely unheard of, though a monastery might take in the young survivors of a devastated firbolg clan.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and
student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron
heretical beliefs. A variation of this is that you’re hiding. As a devout cleric or paladin, you may have made enemies of the corrupt authorities in the local churches. If you use the haunted one background
, you may have seen something in the upper wards that has driven you into the darkness. Any character could have run afoul of the Sharn Watch, a powerful noble, or a sinister conspiracy; if you leave
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Princes of the Apocalypse
their mortal offspring, seeing them as accidents. Many feel nothing for their genasi children at all. Some genasi live as outcasts, driven into exile for their unsettling appearance and strange magic
, or assuming leadership of savage humanoids and weird cults in untamed lands. Others gain positions of great influence, especially where elemental beings are revered. A few genasi leave the Material Plane to find refuge in the households of their genie parents.
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Delvers into Secrets Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and
is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric — performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power
service. Were you a lesser functionary in a temple, raised from childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or were you a high priest who suddenly experienced a call to serve your god in a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
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
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
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
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
Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
peevishness brings the worst of the sun god’s qualities into focus. As a campaign villain, Heliod is most likely driven by his desire to assert his rulership over the other gods of the pantheon and his
kingship over everything: Nyx, the mortal world, and the Underworld. He might begin, through his agents, by enacting laws that make participation in Heliod’s rites mandatory for the citizens of a polis
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
, his ka—the vital essence that inspires all living beings. Ankhtepot reawakened, trapped and paralyzed within his corpse as he was mummified along with his treacherous followers. The murderous priest
gods he once served. Immediately he set to wiping out that religion, replacing it with new gods of his own imagining, false divinities for whom he alone spoke. Using blasphemous rites, Ankhtepot
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Chamber. A dragon in Khorvaire that isn’t part of the Chamber could be an exile driven from Argonnessen for some crime or a scholar pursuing independent research. Some orphaned dragons grow up in
don’t consider the impact of their actions on lesser beings; if a Chamber dragon must destroy a human village to foil the plans of a demon, it will do so without hesitation.