bards both death contract reason

Scion of the Three

Classes Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

and murder; and Myrkul, a god of death. While some Rogues of this subclass pledge themselves ardently to those three macabre gods, others are thrust on this path by a curse. Either way, a scion’s

such as the Shadow Thieves of Amn or the Xanathar Guild in Waterdeep might call on a Scion of the Three to undertake an especially violent contract.

Mahadi the Rakshasa

Monsters Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus

rank most highly in his esteem. Of course, guests leaving Infernal Rapture are expected to pay their bills in full prior to departure. If a guest cannot pay for whatever reason, the contract they

rest. The curse lasts until it is lifted by a remove curse spell or similar magic. Summon Erinyes (1/Day). Mahadi summons Ilzabet, an erinyes bound to him by an infernal contract. The erinyes appears

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 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

Darkling Elder Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Burn. When the darkling elder dies, magical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 7 (2d6);{"diceNotation":"2d6","rollType":"damage","rollAction":"Death Burn","rollDamageType":"radiant"} radiant damage and

Giff Legacy

Monsters Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

of giff society is organized along military lines. From birth until death, every giff has a military rank. It must follow orders from those of superior rank, and it can give orders to those of lower

refuse to fight other giff, and will never agree to a contract unless it stipulates that they can sit out a battle rather than wage war against their kin. A giff prizes the reputation of its unit above its

Screaming Devilkin

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

denizens of the Feywild. Sages believe that their appearance derives from the primal fear inspired by fiendish creatures, while bards assert that panic, being such a repulsive emotion, is embodied by an

injured and shorn of all hope. The devilkin steal treasures, weapons, and supplies, dooming an expedition to a slow death. The devilkin fly near their victims, taunting them with the items they stole

Darkling Legacy

Monsters Volo's Guide to Monsters

Death Flash. When the darkling dies, nonmagical light flashes out from it in a 10-foot radius as its body and possessions, other than metal or magic objects, burn to ash. Any creature in that area

, 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

Eye and Hand of Vecna Legacy

Magic Items Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)

power, Vecna couldn’t escape his own mortality. He began to fear death and take steps to prevent his end from ever coming about. Orcus, the demon prince of undeath, taught Vecna a ritual that

would allow him to live on as a lich. Beyond death, he became the greatest of all liches. Even though his body gradually withered and decayed, Vecna continued to expand his evil dominion. So formidable

Caradoc

Monsters Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

’s swiftly pulled back if caught beyond its walls without a host. Personality Trait. “I might be dead, but there’s no reason I can’t live it up a little.” Ideal. &ldquo

;The safest place to be is behind the toughest warrior in the room.” Bond. “In life and in death, I’m the only one who matters.” Flaw. “Who can resist a little drama

Khargra

Monsters Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1

metal with ease, organic matter and gems are repugnant to them. If a khargra eats such morsels for whatever reason, they remain lodged in its gullet for a few days of indigestion before the offending

tasty, refined metal their victim carries, they quickly flee—and will flee before that rather than risk death. Stealthy Couriers. A number of clans among the dwarves, duergar, and azers have trained

Hutijin

Monsters Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

figure, known only to the most learned infernal scholars. He has no cults of his own, and his servants are few in number. The reason is simple: Hutijin hates mortals. When summoned from the Hells, he

repays the instigator with a long and agonizing death. Mephistopheles forbids Hutijin from making too many forays into the Material Plane, since the duke’s absence leaves him vulnerable to his

Kasimir Velikov

Monsters Curse of Strahd

, Kasimir and his fellow dusk elves stoned Patrina to death. As punishment for depriving him of his bride, Strahd butchered all the women in the dusk elf tribe, and Kasimir's ears were cut off to punish him

led her down a path of evil and deceit. For that reason, Kasimir wants to see the vampire destroyed so that his sister can be rescued from her eternal damnation. Secrets of the Amber Temple. Patrina

Tortle Legacy

Species The Tortle Package

test, and make new acquaintances. Life of a Tortle A tortle hatches from a thick-shelled egg and spends the first few weeks of its life crawling on all fours. Its parents, old and near death, spend

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 (Second Form)

Monsters Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

her to explode and die. A mephit that dies in this way does not use its Death Burst. Instead, each creature within 10 feet of the exploding mephit must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking

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

Kenku Legacy

Species Volo's Guide to Monsters

the area patrolled by the guard did she explain that the noises indicated that the wingless folk had claimed that area, and that to trespass would be to court death. — Gimble, Notes from a

. 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

Infernal Contracts

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

would rather risk death than demotion to a lower form of devil and the scorn of its peers. A devil might be persuaded to void a contract in exchange for one of the following: One or more soul coins

Infernal Contracts Once the devil and the character agree to the terms of a deal, the agreement must be sealed with a contract, which the devil can produce as an action. The contract often appears in

Legends of Dayawlongon

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

poetry and song. This is why every community has one or more binukots, bards who serve as living repositories of art, culture, custom, and law. The death of a binukot can result in the loss of

Fey Contracts

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Domains of Delight: A Feywild Accessory

creature, that allows a character to claim what would otherwise be impossible to obtain. For this reason, a Fey can’t claim such a thing unless they and the creature with which they made the contract are

Fey Contracts A fey contract is formed when a creature receives a gift (or the promise of a gift) from a Fey and is expected to give the Fey something in return. The gift can be almost anything, and

Mahadi, Emporium Master

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

cannot pay for whatever reason, the contract they signed on entry clearly stipulates their soul is forfeit. They’re required to pay off their debt through service. All such individuals fall under the

rendered, guests need not fear being trapped within, since Mahadi is very serious about maintaining the contract between host and guest. Each guest must agree to this formal arrangement prior 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

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.

Death Tyrant Beholder beyond Death Habitat: Underdark; Treasure: Any Simon Dominic A death tyrant is a beholder that pursues aberrant goals beyond its death. Ten magical singularities—all that

Heralds of Dust Roles

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

contract the rights to recently deceased corpses—or soon-to-be-dead folk—through death contracts and raise them as skeletons, zombies, and other Undead. Remnants. Remnants are Dusters who exist in a

Heralds of Dust Roles Eulogists, gravediggers, and morticians, the Heralds of Dust serve Sigil in all things related to death. The faction attracts the grief stricken, the undead, and those with a

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

Rules of the Trial

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

. Later that day, at dusk, Chakuna pursues the contenders with hunting partners of her choice, attempting to slay anyone she encounters outside a shrine. Contenders may kill one another for any reason

—particularly to take a shrine. The trial does not stop for any reason until Chakuna arrives at both shrines and acknowledges the winners there. Winners are escorted to Shuaran, and from there, out of

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

Escape from Barovia

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

Escape from Barovia Strahd’s death grants Barovia a reprieve. The fog that surrounds the land thins, and it no longer harms those who pass through it. The dark clouds that have loomed over the valley

, most Barovians realize that they have nowhere to go and no reason to leave. A few depart, fearing the return of the darkness or longing to see their ancestral homelands. Those who have souls can leave

Greyhawk

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

and four maces radiating out from a central point Incabulos, god of plague and famine NE Death Reptilian eye with a horizontal diamond Istus, goddess of fate and destiny N Knowledge Weaver’s spindle

with three strands Iuz, god of pain and oppression CE Death Grinning human skull Nerull, god of death NE Death Skull with either a sickle or a scythe Obad-Hai, god of nature N Nature Oak leaf and acorn

Eldeen Characters

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

fey creatures. Bards and archfey warlocks are often found among the Greensingers, and the Circles of Dreams works well for Greensinger druids. The Gatekeepers protect the natural world from unnatural

to release bound elementals. Barbarians are often found among the Ashbound, and Berserker and Storm Herald are logical paths. The Children of Winter believe that death is a natural part of life. This

Bhaal

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

Bhaal The Lord of Murder The folk of Faerûn don’t normally pray to or acknowledge Bhaal. He is seen as a deeply evil and destructive deity who hungers for death — meaning the death of any sentient

beings through unlawful means. Some people pray to Bhaal when they want to commit murder. A person might have good reason to resort to murder, such as when one is unable to redress some injustice

Canoloth

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

them from teleporting. Canoloths confront intruders with swift and terrible force, projecting long, spiny tongues to grab their foes and drag them close. What happens next depends on the contract. Unless

instructed to kill, a canoloth merely holds onto its prisoner, but if given the order to do so, it tears its prey limb from limb. Canoloths are fundamentally lazy creatures. Given no reason to attack

Devils

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

positively ruthless at enforcing the terms of an agreement. Moreover, a contract with even the lowliest devil is enforced by Asmodeus’s will. Any mortal creature that breaks such a contract instantly

power and boons they can provide. A soul is usually forfeited when a mortal dies naturally, for devils are immortal and can wait years for a contract to play out. If a contract allows a devil to claim a

What Devils Want

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

, they are promising to serve in the Nine Hells as devils themselves after death. Once promised to a devil, a character’s soul can’t be claimed by another creature. Services A devil that can’t claim a

darker deals in the future. Here are a few examples: Without using magical coercion, the character must convince another mortal to enter into an infernal contract with the devil. The character is told

Documancer

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Acquisitions Incorporated

later. If you failed the check, this property can’t be used again until the next dawn. Why Be a Documancer? d8 Reason 1 You heard a rumor once that signing a contract with your off hand is

Documancer Contracts have mystical power. Break my contract and I’ll use your bones for my next quill. — Documancer’s warning Every great Acquisitions Incorporated quest begins with a contract from

Holed Up

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

its side. The winter wolves, who served Garagai as faithful friends, look after the mammoth. Although Norsu feeds on plants, not meat, it delights in killing humanoids to avenge Garagai’s death

. Slaying the mammoth is a tall order, so characters would be wise to flee from Norsu or try to reason with it. Norsu and the winter wolves reside in an ice lodge built by Garagai. The wolves try to entice

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