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Returning 35 results for 'bards both direct court runes'.
Monsters
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures
fae kindguards are in direct service to Talion, the Kindly Lord. Nine times nine have these high fae sworn a binding oath to protect the Kindly Lord, each time pricking their hand on a hawthorn
branch to seal the promise.
“The Kindly Lord does not issue invitations to their court lightly. I suggest you accept.”
—Gwyddion, messenger of Talion
High Fae
Ageless and
Bard
Legacy
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Classes
Basic Rules (2014)
from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires hard study
of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Magic Items
Storm King's Thunder
the ground and is a massive thing made of polished obsidian with oversized feet — the impaled skulls of four ancient blue dragons. Runes glisten in the carved obsidian, winking to life with blue
breaking at least five Ruling Scepters of Shanatar simultaneously on it. This fact has never been recorded or sung of among the dwarves or any bards or storytellers, and it can’t be discovered
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Learning from Experience True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires
hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard’s life is spent
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the
Citadel, as well as other lands. Skilled scouts and spies can also be hired for short-term reconnaissance or long-term infiltration. The Court is a mixed outdoor-indoor space with quiet alcoves and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Radiant Citadel
Court of Whispers The denizens of the Court of Whispers barter for current knowledge. Heralds, criers, bards, and griots buy and sell information from the fifteen founding civilizations active in the
Citadel, as well as other lands. Skilled scouts and spies can also be hired for short-term reconnaissance or long-term infiltration. The Court is a mixed outdoor-indoor space with quiet alcoves and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook
Find the Path Level 6 Divination (Bard, Cleric, Druid) Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a set of divination tools—such as cards or runes—worth 100+ GP)
Duration
: Concentration, up to 1 day
You magically sense the most direct physical route to a location you name. You must be familiar with the location, and the spell fails if you name a destination on another plane
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Find the Path Level 6 Divination (Bard, Cleric, Druid) Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a set of divination tools—such as cards or runes—worth 100+ GP)
Duration
: Concentration, up to 1 day
You magically sense the most direct physical route to a location you name. You must be familiar with the location, and the spell fails if you name a destination on another plane
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player's Handbook (2014)
Find the Path 6th-level divination Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Self Components: V, S, M (a set of divinatory tools—such as bones, ivory sticks, cards, teeth, or carved runes—worth 100 gp and an
object from the location you wish to find) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 day This spell allows you to find the shortest, most direct physical route to a specific fixed location that you are familiar
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)
Find the Path 6th-level divination Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Self Components: V, S, M (a set of divinatory tools—such as bones, ivory sticks, cards, teeth, or carved runes—worth 100 gp and an
object from the location you wish to find) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 day This spell allows you to find the shortest, most direct physical route to a specific fixed location that you are familiar
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Head of State Contacts Often, your connection to your patron is quite direct—the head of state summons you, grants you an audience, and gives you an assignment or hears your report. Heads of state
are busy people, though, and if your business isn’t pressing, you might be handled by a functionary of the court. The State Contacts table provides several options for what functionaries your group
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
filled with Janyans enraptured by the low-toned, hypnotic music of a group of bards. Xoese-Addae leads the characters to a private audience suite overlooking the quad, occupied by a single Janyan wearing
fine, billowing robes—this is Zisatta. Zisatta Zisatta The aloof Zisatta is a member of the High Court and commands Janya’s security forces, called the Billowing Patrol for their sable robes that
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros
direct, being a line from a paean to Phenax. As for the rest, Khea reveals that not only is it a cipher, but an incomplete one; letters have been removed from the message in some indiscernible pattern
. Without knowing what the other letters are, the writing is impossible to decode—even with magic—since it isn’t a meaningful message in its partial form. Buried in the Court of Orestes Although Khea can’t
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
the secret to escaping the prison was hidden in the arcane runes etched across the standing stones. Ever since, the tormented demon has tried futilely to solve the riddle and escape. The figure pacing
information can be gleaned by speaking with the false wizard: The wizard claims that he no longer recalls his name or place of origin. If asked about the Bleeding Citadel, the wizard promises to direct the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
Kayalithica After fleeing Hekaton’s court, Kayalithica, an inscrutable stone giant thane, withdrew to her canyon sanctuary of Deadstone Cleft. There, in its hallowed halls, she hoped to elevate her
grants immortality to its wearer, was last seen in the possession of a human adventurer (and former Harper) named Artus Cimber. Guided by magical runes of tracking, Storvald plans to find the ring and
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation
48. Shagambi’s Tomb Each character who teleports into this tomb from area 47C appears atop a randomly determined teleportation rune (see “Teleportation Runes” below). Characters can also enter the
this area: Nervous Unkh suggests that her host leave the tomb at once using one of the teleportation runes, though she can’t decide which rune is best. Impulsive Wongo thinks it’s a good idea to shatter
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder
Words of the Oracle Etched into the floor of area 11 and hidden under a thin layer of frost is a 20-foot-diameter, mithral-inlaid circle inscribed with the kong (king) rune (see "Giant Runes" in the
to stop the giants? “Find a magic conch of the storm giant king, Hekaton. Use it to visit Hekaton’s court. Root out the evil therein.” If the characters already have a conch of teleportation in their
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
17. Arcturia’s Court Characters who listen at the doors to this room hear harp music beyond. The room has a vaulted ceiling 20 feet high and contains the following: Arcturia. Arcturia — a gaunt
otherwise avoid combat. Southeast Door This door has a stone wall behind it, inscribed upon which is an elder rune (see “Elder Runes”). Determine the rune randomly by drawing a card from the Elder Rune Deck
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Rrakkma
, a place beyond space and time. The mind flayers have traveled through a nearby portal to the plane of Pandemonium, where they are rumored to have located a direct path to the Far Realm. Belthomias
gave the adventurers a tuning fork, tuned to the plane of Pandemonium to lead them directly to the portal. The Gith Capacitor appears to be a diamond the size of a gith head, with runes engraved into
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Candlekeep Mysteries
signals to direct the characters toward the courtyard. From there, the characters can approach the upper court (area T2), where the prisoners are. The following locations are keyed to the map of the
courtyard when the characters arrive will make a hasty but silent retreat to places of safety outside the temple. T2. Upper Court The upper court of the temple has been completely cleared of debris. Six
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Bard: College of Spirits Bards of the College of Spirits seek tales with inherent power—be they legends, histories, or fictions—and bring their subjects to life. Using occult trappings, these bards
, you can use a bonus action to expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration and roll on the Spirit Tales table using your Bardic Inspiration die to determine the tale the spirits direct you to tell. You
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Bladesinging When faced with the endless onslaught of magical possibilities, many wizards suffer identity crises. Some overcome, some break, and some become sword-bards.
Tasha
Bladesingers master
the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of those attacks. Song of Defense 10th-level Bladesinging feature You can direct your magic to absorb damage
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse->Turn of Fortune’s Wheel
can direct the characters to the nearby wildernesses where these groups dwell. Heart Delta Heart Delta lies a few miles away from Camp Greenbriar. When the characters visit there, read or paraphrase
their home in Eagles’ Aerie can direct the characters to their leader, Parvaz. Currently, the albatross is at a meeting place called Watcher’s Talon, deep in the forest. The most direct route to the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Out of the Abyss
library’s intuitive ability to direct visitors to where they want to go — or to where the library thinks they need to go. Accessing the Records The library keeps its records on stone and crystal slabs
, monoliths, and stelae fitting neatly in niches carved into the walls of every room. Thanks to the library’s comprehend languages effect, anyone can easily decipher and understand the runes and glyphs
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
glaciers and howling ice storms. Mephistopheles holds court here with the ice devils that make up his retinue. Operating from his great tower, the icy citadel of Mephistar, he conducts a never-ending
made. His court is constantly alert for agents from Dis, since it greatly pains Dispater that Mephistopheles might come across a scrap of information that he doesn’t possess. A number of renowned
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything
threat) The court jester devised a deadly trap to foil anyone who sought to steal his magic fool’s cap. The jester’s tomb is located at the end of a 10-foot-wide, 150-foot-long hallway that descends
it takes time. Faint runes in the ceiling and floor at both ends of the hallway are involved in the functioning of the portals. A creature must first use an action to examine a set of runes, then use a
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War
this kind of work. Characters with the criminal background excel at putting their skills and contacts to use on the church’s behalf. Prophet. The Prophet is a visionary with a more-or-less direct
Persuasion (or sometimes Intimidation) and Religion can be useful for this character. Many clerics fill this role, but devout bards can also be effective Teachers. Some Teachers bring skills from the
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a5
hall are scorched. Cracks in the panels reveal bare stone. Three mystic circles have been scribed in the floor, each edged with rough runes.
Locked Doors. These steel double doors are locked. Tarul
orb is part of the mystic circle trap. Mystic Circle Trap. The circles are magical but misleadingly so. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that hidden among gibberish runes are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
to the highest standards of behavior, and wields cold magic. The Brass Order could be a loose affiliation of good-hearted scoundrels, including rogues and bards, who favor fire magic and trickery. An
in direct conflict with the other two factions, but that doesn’t always inspire cooperation. For example, the Chromatic Circle might focus on self-aggrandizement, as each member of the faction tries
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio Volume 1
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 equally ugly creature
creatures in the court of a cruel noble or foul necromancer. Should a minor bandit chief or low-ranking acolyte of evil gain the service of these creatures, take care. When the devilkin take notice of such
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
criminal charges are resolved here. The Diabolical Court is an independent institution, answering only to Asmodeus. That fact doesn’t discourage devils from constantly plotting to introduce new laws or
who are desperate to attain positions of power and status entreat her, as do those who — for whatever reason — need to be loved, feared, or respected. Fierna takes a direct interest in the soul trade
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
played a critical role in ensuring that the githyanki under her rule were protected from an immediate, direct assault by their kin. Using her mastery of arcane magic, she helped the githyanki establish a
innermost court — the wondrous realm that Gith discovered in her journeys, and where she awaits those who have proven themselves worthy. Imagine you lack any concept of family. You’re constantly told that
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
. Stone shelves bearing books and ornamental ceramic jars line the walls alongside dust-covered banners embroidered with Dwarven runes. In one corner stands an elegant mahogany desk, on top of which is a
elemental gem. Secret Door. Any character who examines the north wall and succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a small section of wall engraved with four Dwarvish runes. The runes are
Compendium
- Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
Avernus on direct assignment from Bahamut, keeping an eye out for signs of increased activity among Tiamat’s followers. After the last time the queen of evil dragons tried to escape the Nine Hells, those
specifically. Burney is under the effect of a permanent mind blank spell, and cannot be detected by magical or mundane means unless she wishes it. In exchange for this blessing, Burney can take no direct






